When these words are given at the end of a service you are attending, remember that you are being blessed by some of the oldest words in Scripture. The Aaronic blessing, the oldest benediction in the Bible, was spoken over the people of Israel at the end of the daily sacrifice.
For most of my life, I have preferred to read non-fiction books. In the last few years, however, I have become a fan of mystery novels. Since I read them mostly for relaxation, I prefer those without complicated sub-plots or multiple minor characters to keep track of.
In Psalm 11:3, David asks, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” and these days of upheaval and outrageousness in the most foundational of our country’s institutions, a lot of Christians are asking the same question.
Historical scholars would tell you that our present turmoil is nothing exceptional. What is truly unusual is the era of peace and prosperity that most of us have experienced as our norm.
In one way, all of Scripture is both good and true as well as “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16)
And, as most of us will testify, these benefits of Scripture have saved, guided and protected us on more than one occasion.
But there are special passages called benedictions that are some of the most powerful and beautiful passages in Scripture.
Usually when I start something new, there is… training.
Typically, it is from someone who has been there before me.
And often, I am very thankful for the training.
But it can be a challenge for both the trainee… and the trainer.
Life with Jesus is like a puzzle.
There are all these pieces to life… but they don’t always make sense alone.
Walking through fields of beautiful flowers… amazing!
I don’t have to know much about gardening to enjoy it… thankfully.
I know that if mixed correctly, flowering plants, dirt, sun, water, time… out comes beautiful flowers!
God does the growing!
I don’t have to know all the details of how… I can just be amazed by the results.
Baby steps are so cute!
Little pudgy feet, wobbly, trying to move forward… step by step.
But think about spiritual steps… of the baby… of the mature.
As I think about what mine looks like, what about you?
Am I growing?
This is a good question to ask yourself.
Just like a flower growing up tall in the bright sunshine… in Jesus I grow too.
But are you?
A cruise may be a relaxing get-away, but the months of preparation before you step onboard are strenuous. I didn’t expect so many hoops to have to jump through. Getting a passport, adding four smartphone apps, completing applications, and coordinating port requirements took many hours of concentrated work.
“That’s the way life goes.”
“That’s the way the cookie crumbles.”
These responses are used to explain events in life that are beyond our control. Somehow, saying these idioms, makes undesirable occurrences more easily accepted or excused. However, these overused catch phrases allow compromise and ignore God’s involvement.
The new widow entered the sanctuary alone. I walked behind her. Her young daughters were already seated with my two teens. As I followed her to the front-row pew, an unexpected thought caught me off-guard. Walk alongside the grieving widow and hold her hand.
Change happens and sometimes we are happy.
Change happens and sometimes we grieve.
Change is certain.
Some changes I choose and some I don’t. Because God is always the same, we can trust Him, His Word, and be forever secure.
God never changes. Will you count on Him when inevitable changes interrupt?
With great anticipation we poured the bags of sand into our plastic gold-mining pans and dunked them halfway down into a water trough. My sister-in-law and niece started swirling their pans in shallow water before I did. I followed their lead—gently, methodically, and with high hopes of spotting gold pieces.
How do you feel when someone thanks you for something you have done, especially when you have invested much of your time, money, or thought? Happy, encouraged, appreciated, noticed? What about when you don’t get the thanks you had hoped for? I feel devalued, overlooked, deflated, and sad.
She ran. She wouldn’t stop until she was far away. Maybe the wilderness would offer some relief from the harsh treatment she had endured at the hands of her mistress, Sarai. Hagar could go no longer. She stopped by a rare spring in this parched land.
A World War II veteran shared some of his experiences at my church. He recounted carefully maneuvering through a minefield with his troop. Terror filled the group as one of his buddies up ahead inadvertently stepped on a mine. This soldier knew he had no hope unless someone helped him. All he could do was stay extremely still, remain calm and wait. One wrong move would end his life.
Red, round, juicy home-grown tomatoes are my obsession every summer! They are far superior to their tasteless counterparts that are picked green and ripened by gassing, occupying the shelves in most grocery stores.
Cleaning out the refrigerator can be a frustrating endeavor, tossing into the trash those uneaten leftovers or the bag of slimy lettuce or whatever that dried, shriveled thing used to be. Wouldn’t it be much more cost effective to buy and prepare only the amount of food we needed with never any waste or spoilage?
Once my daughter and a friend of hers got into a little disagreement. As I asked the girls what the problem was, each girl began telling her side of the story . . . simultaneously. When they realized that neither was backing down, each girl spoke louder and louder. My son was standing right beside me, and his observation was, "That's too many words!" I laughed and had to agree.
