All in Faith/Trust
Paul wrote of God’s incomparably great power for us who believe. He also knew how to consistently draw upon it. One of those occasions occurred in the metropolitan city of Ephesus, a city famous for housing the popular goddess, Artemis. Cultic followers spent large amounts of money on images of Artemis. As Paul taught of the one true God, people began to follow God, and the idol craftsmen began to feel the financial pinch.
Memes have invaded my family’s communications and social media. We laugh at the whimsical ways they point out extreme behaviors and nonsensical situations all around us. Memes seem to help us acknowledge the absurdities we see as biblical morality and ethics deteriorate at an ever-increasing pace.
“…One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” (John 9:25)
The blind man tells the story of Christmas. He was born in darkness and remained in darkness… until Jesus came to him. In his hopeless state, the blind man couldn’t come to Jesus, so Jesus came to him.
Are these new verses to you? Not likely. Many of us have these verses memorized, and we even classify these as all-time favorites. These words are truth, but it is difficult for us to really live them out.
Hop aboard, ladies. We’re taking a ride up the Oregon coast this week to see some amazing sights in God’s creation. First stop, a touch of grandeur in Redwood National Park. The California or coastal redwood, scientific name sequoia sempervirens, grows only in a narrow strip of land from northern California through Oregon, close to the coast yet not too close as it doesn’t like salt spray. Plentiful rainfall and summer fog of the region are just what they need—fog drip accounts for 30% of the yearly water supply. The “redwood” name comes from a bright red, fibrous bark when freshly exposed. They boast the tallest—Hyperion, at 379’—but cannot match the 102’ girth of the General Sherman, a non-related sequoiadendron giganteum in the Sierra Nevadas.*
I didn’t deserve to go on this mission trip. My registration occurred during the same month of the deadline. Some choir and orchestra members had prayed, saved their money, and rehearsed the repertoire of almost 90 songs for two years. Six concerts were to be performed throughout Italy to sing the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Have you ever listed the women who have most influenced your life? Luke’s list makes me wonder why Mary, Joanna, Susanna and the many others who served Jesus during his life were notable in first century AD. Surely these women suffered. I’m not sure if I could have endured an exorcism administered over Mary to cast out seven demons. Who would have the stamina to serve and live in the household of Herod?
Nestled in the middle of the Psalms are three verses that describe the blessed life of a believer. The psalmist begins by describing a believer’s heart. Blessed are those….who have set their hearts on pilgrimage (Psalm 84:5). In other words, blessed are those who have a longing in their souls and a determination in their minds to journey through life with Jesus.
“Why does someone so good and nice suffer a painful death and die young, when others do bad things and live long?”
Seeing a church right down the street from our house delighted me. I could not wait to go there. After our visit, I had no doubt about the “God-centeredness” of it. Friendly members, ministries reaching out to the community and the world, great worship, I could go on and on.
Many “several years ago” when I had a hard body and long hair, I did some mountain climbing and rock climbing. During those times, I heard many climbers making pleas and promises to God such as: “Help me, Jesus! Lord, if you just get me off this mountain, I promise I will never do this again.” Sometimes during climbing the fear level on a Richter scale of 1 to 10 can be a 25.
Sometimes it is the smallest of words, the tiniest breath of a phrase that hits like a truckload of bricks. This particular truth hit me, not like a load of bricks, but like the door in a dark room opening to the bright light of a brilliant day. It was blinding. It was beautiful. It was breathtaking.
Jesus’ “I am the gate”, and “I am the good shepherd” metaphors bewildered His listeners. At the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) their questions continued: “If you are the Christ, tell us plainly” (John 10:24). Again they tried to stone Him, and again He slipped away, across the Jordan, where many believed (10:31-42). He was there when news came that His friend Lazarus was sick.
The crowd by the Sea of Galilee was mystified. First, they had been fed well the previous evening, all 5000 plus of them, from “five small barley loaves and two small fish” (John 6:9). Then Jesus had sailed across the lake without a boat—how in the world (6:22)? Miracles were foremost on their minds. Give us more they said, manna for this day too, "bread from heaven”, so we can believe you were really sent by God (6:29-31).
Jesus often attracted massive crowds. Passionate onlookers scrambled with reckless abandonment of their personal schedules and comfort to find a position to hear him teach. They even risked the possibility of being injured. The chaotic scenes were fueled by rumors of Jesus’ numerous miracles and healings.
In Spring when the Dogwood trees bloom, I think of Christ’s death and resurrection. This year I collected two trays of blossoms for drying in an attempt to hold on to their fleeting beauty and to extend my reflection on the amazing story.
As a young wife and mother, I thought I had the perfect blueprint for our family. My intention was to have two children. No more. Within a few years we had two wonderful little boys. When I learned that I was expecting baby number three, I was extremely upset.
What are you waiting for right now? Your coffee to kick in? Your kids to finish their breakfast? The traffic light to turn green? We are always waiting for something. Life just kinda moves like that, doesn't it? It's such a "hurry up and wait" world.
My parents live in an historic home settled on fifteen acres surrounded by thick woods and a beautiful pond. It is a wonderland for my girls to explore and play because there is always something happening. Whether it is watching deer by the back door, riding on the tractor to pick up tree brush, or walking to the pond to check the turtle trap, it is a place of adventure and excitement.
My husband and I closed the back of the U-Haul truck with the final load from our home. We were moving hours away to be close to family. Before driving away from my hometown, we had to make one final stop to my friend Natalie’s house.
