Invited

By Cheri Cowell –

Twenty-four hour news coverage is wonderful when something big is happening and we need to know what’s going on, but sometimes it can be so intrusive. Such is the case when a tragedy strikes and a camera is shoved in the faces of grieving parents who just discovered their child is never coming home. Or a heartbroken husband who is caught between his anger that his wife’s life was brutally ended and the news reporter’s request for a compassionate response to the search party volunteers. At times like these I want to turn my head, turn off the TV, or change the channel. I feel like we are intruding into someone’s personal and private anguish. I feel that way, too, when I enter the garden where Jesus is praying in Gethsemane. It is almost too painful to watch, too personal a moment to intrude upon, too private a moment for us to be a part of. But we are invited there. We are invited to see all that human suffering and anguish can bear. We are invited in to see and to experience.

Can you imagine yourself there in the garden with Jesus that night? Picture what His demeanor must have been, what His clothes looked like. Was the night air still or was there a breeze? Can you hear the noise of the city in the background? Can you smell the scent of spring in the air? As Jesus prays, is He speaking aloud? Is He angry with God or pleading? Does He sound like He’s talking with someone He knows well, and who knows Him well? Look closely now as Jesus struggles with the decision. Don’t turn away. Look into His eyes. See the pain, and yet feel the love. This is the love He has for you and for me.

“Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. ‘Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation'” (Luke 22:39-46 NIV).

PRAYER:
For the next few days, Lord, help me stay close to You, to watch as this Greatest Story Ever Told unfolds before my eyes. Help me not to turn away. May my prayers be filled less with words and more with emotions as I pour out my awe and gratitude to the One who loves me so.

Mission Accomplished

By Cheri Cowell –

Friends have watched loved ones pass away, some succumbing to horrible diseases. I was there as my mother-in-law took her last breath. The experience has been described as a reverse childbirth, one in which we are re-birthed into our eternal existence. The act of dying in the physical is not a pretty event. But just at the moment of release into the arms of God, for those who call on Him, peace comes. My cousin described the passing of my grandmother as the most peaceful thing she has ever witnessed. My grandmother knew where she was going and she was ready. Jesus knew where He was going, and He was ready, but before He could go He had a mission to accomplish. His mission allows us to go to our death with certainty that He is with us and will be on the other side waiting for us. See for yourself in today’s scripture verse.

In Luke 23:44 we read of darkness that has covered the earth for three hours. Scholars have argued as to whether this was a literal darkness or a symbolic means for Luke to describe the spiritual darkness covering the earth. Either way, it is clear that Jesus suffered for many hours as He literally asphyxiated on the cross, no longer able to pull himself up by nailed hands and feet to catch a breath. The temple curtain separated the people from the Holy of Holies, or the place where God’s presence dwelt. The only time a human had access to this room was twice a year during the sacrifices when the blood of a pure lamb was spilt upon the altar in payment for the sins of the people. The tearing of the curtain can be interpreted two ways. 1. That we now have full access to the presence of God because the dividing wall has been removed, and 2. Because of Jesus’ blood, which was the final sacrifice needed to pay for our sins, the barrier has been removed and God now has communion with us. Jesus then said in a loud voice, “Into your hands I commend my spirit.” Jesus completed His mission and was saying to His Father, “I’m ready to come home.”

“It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things” (Luke 23:44-49 NIV).

PRAYER: I praise you, Almighty God, for Your willingness to suffer such an awful death so those I love and I can one day spend Easter with you in paradise. Help me to accept the mission to which You’ve called me, to bring others into Your presence, so that when my day comes I will be able to say, “My mission is completed, and I am ready to come home.”

Who? Me? Courageous?

By Carin LeRoy –

Has someone ever said you were gifted at something? Maybe after speaking they said, “You are a wonderful teacher.” Perhaps, “You’re a visionary”, or “God has given you wisdom and discernment.” Many times others see in us what we can’t see in ourselves, but God has given each of us specific gifting.

In Judges 6, we read about the Israelites’ oppression under the dominating rule of the Midians. We find Gideon threshing wheat while hiding in a winepress—normally used for pressing grapes to make wine. He worked alone away from the watchful eyes of the Midianites—probably afraid they would take his wheat for their own use. Their tyranny had left the nation impoverished. While he was working, an angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said, “The Lord is with you, courageous warrior.”

Gideon probably thought, “Who? Me? A courageous warrior? I’m just trying to eke out a living to feed my family.”

“But sir,” he said, “If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Now the Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian.”

God said, “You have the strength. Deliver Israel from the power of the Midians. Have I not sent you?”

Gideon voiced several areas of concern: 1) “How can I deliver Israel?” 2) “My clan is the weakest in Israel.” 3) “I am the youngest in my family.”

Full of uncertainty, he wondered if he was the right man for such a job. Maybe he thought God would accept those excuses and ask someone else. But God chose him. After the Lord’s gentle coaching, Gideon set out to obey. The result? “The Israelites humiliated Midian; the Midianites fighting spirit was broken. The land had rest for 40 years during Gideon’s time,” (Judges 8: 28 NET). God gave Gideon the power to accomplish His purpose. Gideon progressed from doubt in his ability to trusting God and walking in obedience to Him. As a result, a nation was freed from oppression by one man’s faith in God.

Transitioning from doubt to faith takes courage. It takes trust in God’s word. Just as Gideon, we also have God’s assurance of “I will be with you.”

PRAYER: Lord, thank You that You equip us with gifts to accomplish Your purposes. Help me not to doubt. Give me confidence to believe and trust in Your power. Help me have faith to step out, like Gideon, and trust You.

QUOTE: “I believe that the happiest of all Christians and the truest of Christians are those who never dare to doubt God, but take His Word simply as it stands, believe it, and ask no questions, just feeling assured that if God has said it, it will be so.” C.H. Spurgeon.

Snips and Snails and Poopy Tales

By Jane Thornton –

The Armpit Extended Hold.

Every person who has spent any time around infants or toddlers learns this vital protection strategy. Adult fingers wedged firmly in the hollows under the child’s shoulders, elbows locked to maximize distance and stability, caretakers allow the kid to dangle harmlessly a half yard from their own vulnerable clothing and sensitive nostrils.

When the nursery attendant interrupted my soulful rendition of “Sweet Hour of Prayer” with Matthew so suspended at arm’s length, I cannot say I set aside my praise time to face my motherly duty with any alacrity. The tricky transfer from her grip to mine was accompanied by empathetic chuckles from neighboring congregants. I tried to focus on the benefit of bicep development as I trekked to the ladies’ room with my aromatic toddler. Matt’s blue eyes twinkled with unwarranted innocence for the creator of the extensive mess I would discover.

We passed through the empty lounge area with its seventies shag and leatherette sofa to the cramped cubicle. A bountiful space for individual needs had seemingly shrunk when occupied by both my son and me and his diaper filled to quadruple its capacity. Without sharing too many gory details, let me say that if he’d been wearing anything but the precious corduroy, flannel-lined jumper, handmade by his loving aunt, the entire outfit would have been dumped in the trash. Luckily, my diaper bag held an entire box of wipes, which I used liberally.

After disrobing, wiping down, and disinfecting my little blessing, I set him outside the stall with instructions to stay put. I hiked my dress and hit my knees, not to pray, but to restore order for future occupants. All done, I heaved a sigh, made my fiftieth trip to the sink for a final scouring of my hands and forearms.

I did a double take. Surely not.

What were those brown tracks on the linoleum tile? I snatched Matt up for inspection and sniffed at his stained heel, hoping for mud. No such luck.

Upon further inspection, I determined that we must have dripped on our way into the room, and one sample landed just inside the doorway—in the lovely shag carpet.

With devilish timing, the benediction tolled over the PA system. I knelt in the shadow of the door and scrubbed one-handed, using the other to try to ward off the rush of elderly ladies who flooded the restroom at the end of every service.

When all was as clean as I could get it and I had resolved to call the janitor with a warning and request for rug sterilization, we ventured into the lobby and searched for my husband, planning a quick getaway. I almost gave Matt away to the second grandmother who patted his little bare back and told me I needed to put some clothes on the poor child.

My petty mind tried to blame the fiasco on indulgent grandparents who fed Matt an entire bunch of grapes the night before, but reason intervened and reminded me that such debacles are part of the reality of parenting. Part of life.

Living is messy. In His wisdom, God made it that way. Huge proportions of our humor and bonding stem from sharing our messes with each other. And Jesus, “too shared in [our] humanity…he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God . . . Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able t help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:14,17b-18 NIV).

Comment prompt: Any funny, yucky stories from other comrades in arms?

Permit Believer

By Hally Franz –

As a natural rule-follower, I placed the black and orange cardstock sign in my van’s back window. The license bureau gave it to me, along with the instruction book pertaining to Missouri’s Graduated Driver’s License Program, so I was inclined to use it. In capital letters it says “PERMIT DRIVER,” much to the chagrin of my 15-year-old son.

My state allows individuals at least 15 years of age to drive with a learner’s permit under certain conditions for at least six months, and at least 40 hours of instruction with a parent. The program enables drivers to learn while under the cautious tutelage of an experienced driver before they are full-fledged drivers. Many states likely have similar laws.

Each day when I collect my son at school, he takes the wheel to make any errands and our drive home. I’ve observed the same switch routine in other cars on the lot, as well as the same bold-lettered sign in other car windows.

After my son has adjusted my seat ten different ways, the radio goes off, buckles go on, and hands meet the steering wheel in proper 10-2 position. I gesture slightly to let him know when he veers too far left or right, and he gets back on course. I calmly offer warnings as he approaches challenging driving maneuvers, like oncoming traffic, congested intersections or slick roads. He becomes aware of the hazards and takes caution. I correct him when he’s traveling too fast or seems distracted; he returns his attention to task.

It’s not a bad system, really. Though some may not appreciate this provisional and protective approach to becoming a licensed driver, it definitely has merit.

I wonder how this might work if we could provide the same protection to new Christians? While we know that the salvation of newly baptized believers isn’t provisional, it might be good for those new in their faith to have a safety net as they enter the world anew.

Gentle reminders that faith and a relationship with Christ grow slowly over time may encourage. Focus is required along the journey. Guidance about dealing with sin and faith challenges would likely be of help. Warnings when brothers and sisters seem to stray from their walk may bring them back on track.

There is no “PERMIT BELIEVER” sign, but there is a supportive body of Christians and the guidance of our Savior along for the ride.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, as we walk or drive through life, keep our eyes fixed and focused on You, and help us to be encouragers to others as they proceed in their faith journeys as well.

“And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25 NRSV).

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