Sacred Discovery

By Elaine James –
I was so sad for Moses.

“One day the Lord said to Moses, ‘Climb one of the mountains east of the river, and look out over the land I have given the people of Israel. After you have seen it, you will die like your brother, Aaron, for you both rebelled against my instructions in the wilderness of Zin’” (Numbers 27:12-14 NLT).

My thought upon reading this is that God wants Moses to look over the land and maybe worship with Him. Then the blow came when God said, “You’re going to die because you rebelled.” All my thoughts of this being a Sacred Moment instantly came crashing down. But wait a minute!  I took a look at Moses’ response. “O Lord, you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Please appoint a new man as leader for the community” (Numbers 27:16 NLT).

My reaction was, “Are you serious, Moses? Defend yourself!”

Instead, Moses’ response was full of humility, worship, care, compassion and love. He was “other focused”.

How would I have responded if God had just told me that I would die because of my rebellion? With deeper thinking and prayer I asked, “God, why did Moses not come to his own defense? Was he so old and worn out that he just accepted this fate?”

Hebrews 3:5 says, “Moses was certainly faithful in God’s house as a servant.” (NLT).  He was a holy man of God. God said “look out over the land”. Moses acknowledged, worshipped, praised and gave thanks! In that moment he connected to God as he always did. He loved God and trusted God more than his life. Moses clung to his hope of being in heaven with God one day. That hope far surpassed his earthly calling. What a leader Moses was. He didn’t have anyone around to impress. It was just him and God. Truly a sacred moment. Some days I do not find time to spend with God, yet I respond to social media, watch TV shows, exercise, read a book, do my puzzles and volunteer. These are my distractions. I allow them to keep me from being fully devoted to God. Are you distracted, too?

Moses’ sacred moment with God helped me with a sacred discovery, not to condemn myself, but to pray for more sacred time with God. PRAYER:  I pray that I can fix my eyes on You today. I look forward to sacred moments with You, Father. I want to be other focused. Help me to be more aware of how I can do that. Amen.

The James Approach

By Elaine James –

 

When my son was about two years old he bit a little boy in a child play class we were taking together. The mother abruptly turned to me and blurted out “Why did your son do that? What are you going to do about that?”

I thought to myself: First of all, the bite did not break skin-thank goodness. Second of all, let’s let just ask him? Really?

I was appalled.  I wanted to lash back asking, “What did your son do that made my son bite him?” But I restrained myself.

I think we can find reasons daily to quarrel with anyone. I left that lady with a quarrel going on in my mind thinking, “I should have said that or next time I will say that.” Aren’t quarrels crazy?

James stated: “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness” (James 3:17-18 NIV). I use this as a guideline to go through my list of arguments against a person to see what my motives are all about.

Why quarrel? The James approach regarding wisdom is a great list to use as a self-exam so we can measure our reasons for not quarreling.

Joseph used the word “quarrel” when he made a deal with his eleven brothers to go retrieve their father Jacob and bring him back to Egypt. As they were getting ready to leave Joseph turned to them and said, “Don’t quarrel on the way!” (Genesis 45:24 NIV).  Joseph had an intuition just like James about wisdom. It helped him to deal with his brothers and to run the country of Egypt. He sowed in peace to reap a harvest of righteousness. Something he obviously knew his brothers lacked.

“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” (James 4:1 NIV).

A Moment

By Elaine James –

 

I was nervous as I waited with my classmates for the announcement of who would get the part of Mary. The teacher stood up and shouted, “…and the part of Mary goes to Elaine.” This was the highlight of my childhood. I walked down the aisle at the children’s church service and approached the baby Jesus in the manger. I knelt beside Him, stroked His brow, and placed Him in my lap till the service ended. It became one of the most fulfilling moments in my life.

I was doing an assignment in my Bible study years later where I had to trace the moments in my life where I was touched by God. It helped me to see that playing the small part of Mary played a big part in my life.

In my growing up years there were many struggles in my family, so my dreams were put on hold. In my twenties when I discovered the saving grace of Jesus, He began to heal me from the inside out. I felt like a new person, ready to reconnect with my dream, so I signed up for acting classes.

When I read through scripts I was drawn to the end where the moral of the story was revealed. A small whisper came to me one day saying “Theater with a message.”

God’s message, God’s vision, God’s ideas, God’s revelation, God’s awareness…  When asked to do script writing or acting projects my response is “If God is in it He will help me write it and perform it.” What a blessing it has been.

God is the same yesterday, today and forever.  God gave Joseph dreams. Joseph told his brothers and dad about his dreams. He had to wait many years before his dream came true. Everything God promised Joseph as a boy was fulfilled.

We all have moments in life where God placed dreams or desires in our heart. Do you remember some of the moments? Have you given up on them? I pray this message is reminding you to carry on with courage and have the faith to believe and not give up on your dream.

“The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24 NIV).

 

PRAYER:  God, remember when you put that on my heart (name the moment or dream)?  I thank you and I pray that you continue to guide me in this dream with faith so I will not give up.  Amen.

 

Life vs. More Life

By Elaine James –

 

“Prayer is my medication” whispered my friend who was grieving the sudden death of her twenty-three year old son.  I was grieving, too, and trying to make sense of things. I was praying and pondering how we would ever come to a place of accepting this tragedy. Her next words came with strength and conviction: “St. Paul said ‘to live is Christ and to die is gain’” (Philippians 1:21 NIV).

This grieving mom was comforting me. This should not have shocked me. She was praying and pressing into God. The Holy Spirit spoke to her.  In another version it was stated “Life versus even more life! I can’t lose” (Philippians 1:21 MSG).

Don’t you often wonder when someone goes through a horrible ordeal “How will the family get through it?” Then it happens. The Holy Spirit does actually what Jesus promised he would do by counselling those through their troubles. Reading God’s word daily allows the Holy Spirit to counsel and convict us. In an instant I sensed God’s presence in that room. He was moving in the hearts of many of us bringing good out of despair. He was reassuring us that He was there to comfort, support and fill us with hope.

The book of Philippians records that Paul was in prison. The result of his praying was that he was shown that he was in chains for Christ. God was using his pain for gain. Paul’s letter to the Philippians was similar to the devotion I am writing. We each saw the power of God working many things together for good through a bad situation. Paul was trying to encourage everyone that here on earth you can have some life on your own or you can have even more life if you choose to follow Christ. Paul was looking forward to his hope which is one day being with Christ.

Paul pleads “for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.  I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death” (Philippians 1:19-20 NIV).

Each of us should take a moment each day to be reminded we are not here of our own accord. The worldview for true happiness is being independent and self-seeking. Whereas, God’s view for true happiness is being united with Him in love and letting the Holy Spirit lead us and reveal life to us.

PRAYER:  God, being led by your Spirit allows me to see how much there is to life and after life. Thank you for your perspective and revelation. Amen.

 

Let It Go

By Elaine James –

 

“It’s funny how some distance makes everything seem small and the fears that once controlled me can’t get to me at all.” I came across these lyrics sitting in a quiet space drinking my coffee. These are lyrics from the song “Let it Go”, which is from the smash Disney hit movie Frozen.

I like this verse. It rings true for me. My past fears:

Fear of rejection

Fear of my parent’s marriage falling apart

Fear of my dad working himself to death

Fear of my children taking the wrong path

Fear of sickness

Once, a doctor challenged me to write down my fears, put them in an envelope, and revisit it in a month. I did that and found the result to be remarkable. Everything I was afraid of happening never came to pass. Thankfully, I am aware that fears can control me if I give them permission to.

At different times do you wish you knew the outcome right when you are in the thick of things so the fear wouldn’t consume you?

Jesus taught us “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth” (Luke 21:34-35 NIV). Jesus is not saying adversity accompanied with fear may come. He is saying it will come. Jesus goes on to implore us to “Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36 NIV).

I am happy today that my dad is 80, retired and healthy, and my adult children know Jesus. Sadly, my parent’s marriage did end in divorce.

What counts now is that I am aware and this girl is free from perfection and I can let it go.

For me truly to be free and “Let it Go” I had to put my trust in Jesus. That helped alleviate just about all my fears. I had to forgive myself for the regret I had because I wasted time in fear. I am grateful God forgives me and I have learned to forgive myself. Have you forgiven yourself?

 

PRAYER:  Lord at times fear rears its ugly head. Help me to be aware of when this happens and trust you. Amen.

 

 

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