This week there's been a lot of talk of about whether or not the country should open back up. Some say that the Corona virus danger has past. Others say that by opening up again it'll come back. Still others say it's never left.
All week I've heard these opinions and I've noticed something. Most, if not all, of these statements seem to be driven by fear. Fear of not opening and the devastating effects it will have on the economy. Fear of opening and the devastation to our medical field and resources. And fear of people individual health and safety if this virus does still pose such a threat.
I have my own opinions on this but I'm not going to share those today. I'm not even going to discuss the merits of each argument. Instead I just want to pray. I hope you'll join me in praying that our leaders would not be driven by fear but would be given wisdom and discernment as they make decisions in the coming days, and that our citizens would use that same wisdom and discernment and they make decisions in which leaders to elect in the coming months.
Dear Lord,
Today I want to say thank you for your protection. As scary as this virus has been we know it could've been so much worse. Thank you for protecting us.
Thank you for the thousands of people who have stepped up to help combat this pandemic. Please bless them and their families for the sacrifices they have made and will continue to make until this crisis is over.
I ask Lord, that you would comfort those who have been adversely affected by this pandemic. So many who are sick, separated from their loved ones, lost their jobs or unable to find human connection during this quarantine. I pray for each and every person who has had a personal tragedy that may not have been caused by this virus but who hasn't been able to get the love and support they need because of the virus. Please comfort all those who are hurting and reassure of them of Your great love.
Lord, I just ask that you would give our leaders wisdom and discernment in what the truth is about how dangerous this is and about what is the right thing for our country. Please help them to weigh the risks and give them strength and courage to stand up against the naysayers as they move forward with the best plan for us, the people. I ask that you would be with all of us in the U.S. who have the right to vote. Please give us wisdom and help us to take into consideration all our leaders actions, both in this crisis and out of it, as we prayerfully consider who we should elect to lead us.
Lastly I just ask that you would help us not to be ruled by fear but to be led in Your Spirit. Please help us to take the lessons that we've learned from this crisis and move forward together, implementing them in our lives.
Thank you Lord,
Amen
Saturday, May 16, 2020
Saturday, May 9, 2020
Stages of Motherhood
It's always hard to come up with posts for Mother's Day and Father's Day. After all I'm not a parent. I can't share my experiences about being a mom or watching my husband be a dad. I'm not even married so I can't talk about planning a family. What I can talk about is the different people I know in different stages of life. This year I know way too many people who are going through their first Mother's Day without their mom. So for that reason this post is a little extra emotional. To start with I just want those who are waiting to be moms and those mamas with empty arms to know that even though right now is hard you're loved and you're in my prayers today.
This weekend I really want to remind all you moms out there how important you are, how much you're needed and most importantly how loved you are.
To the expectant moms please take care of yourself. You're not just an incubator, you are growing another human being and that's an incredibly important job. But it's not you're only job. You need to take care of yourself Moms. Yes, because taking care of yourself means taking care of baby but also so you're ready for baby. You are beautiful and you're already doing the amazing job of being a mom.
To the young moms out there. Take care of yourself. You may not being growing baby inside of you anymore but you're taking care of baby. And you won't be any good to baby or anyone else if you're not taking care of yourself. Moms you're one of the most important people in that little one's life and they need you. So take care of yourself and when you're beyond exhausted and ready to tear your hair out remember what it's like to watch your little one sleep. All the love will come rushing back to you. Hold on to those moments; they may be the only thing that gets you through the terrible two's.
Moms of kids a little older. I know it must be exhausting teaching those kiddos responsibility and how to think for themselves. It's probably tempting to just cook or clean for them all the time but remember that as frustrating as it is you're laying the foundation for the rest of their lives. And you and Dad are the best people to do that job. They need you Mom, and right now they still know it most of the time.
Moms of teenagers. Okay, I've spoken to enough of these moms that I know you spend a good amount of time feeling like you want to wring the kid's neck but I promise that kiddo still needs you, more then they want to admit. You're helping them become an adult Moms so hang in there, you're doing good work.
Moms of adults. Congratulations! You did it! You raised your kid and now they're not a kid anymore. But you're not off the hook. They may not be a kid but they're still you're kid and they still need you. You may not be washing their clothes or picking up their toys but you're still their mom and they're always going to need you.
Last but no means least moms who can't take care of themselves anymore. Moms whose kiddos are now taking care of you. Please know you're still important. You're still so loved and needed. You may not be taking care of them but don't feel guilty that they're taking care of you. They're only giving back what you gave to them and they do it out of love, not just duty. It may be hard for them but I know that my mom is in that position and she wouldn't have it any other way.
Whatever stage you're in Moms just know that you're loved and appreciated it. Happy Mother's Day!
This weekend I really want to remind all you moms out there how important you are, how much you're needed and most importantly how loved you are.
To the expectant moms please take care of yourself. You're not just an incubator, you are growing another human being and that's an incredibly important job. But it's not you're only job. You need to take care of yourself Moms. Yes, because taking care of yourself means taking care of baby but also so you're ready for baby. You are beautiful and you're already doing the amazing job of being a mom.
To the young moms out there. Take care of yourself. You may not being growing baby inside of you anymore but you're taking care of baby. And you won't be any good to baby or anyone else if you're not taking care of yourself. Moms you're one of the most important people in that little one's life and they need you. So take care of yourself and when you're beyond exhausted and ready to tear your hair out remember what it's like to watch your little one sleep. All the love will come rushing back to you. Hold on to those moments; they may be the only thing that gets you through the terrible two's.
Moms of kids a little older. I know it must be exhausting teaching those kiddos responsibility and how to think for themselves. It's probably tempting to just cook or clean for them all the time but remember that as frustrating as it is you're laying the foundation for the rest of their lives. And you and Dad are the best people to do that job. They need you Mom, and right now they still know it most of the time.
Moms of teenagers. Okay, I've spoken to enough of these moms that I know you spend a good amount of time feeling like you want to wring the kid's neck but I promise that kiddo still needs you, more then they want to admit. You're helping them become an adult Moms so hang in there, you're doing good work.
Moms of adults. Congratulations! You did it! You raised your kid and now they're not a kid anymore. But you're not off the hook. They may not be a kid but they're still you're kid and they still need you. You may not be washing their clothes or picking up their toys but you're still their mom and they're always going to need you.
Last but no means least moms who can't take care of themselves anymore. Moms whose kiddos are now taking care of you. Please know you're still important. You're still so loved and needed. You may not be taking care of them but don't feel guilty that they're taking care of you. They're only giving back what you gave to them and they do it out of love, not just duty. It may be hard for them but I know that my mom is in that position and she wouldn't have it any other way.
Whatever stage you're in Moms just know that you're loved and appreciated it. Happy Mother's Day!
Saturday, May 2, 2020
Farewells Part 3
For the third and final part of the Farewells series I decided to switch it up and head to the New Testament. More specifically the first Christian martyr that the Bible documents after Christ's resurrection. For those of you who know the story, please stick with me, and let's look at the stoning of Stephen and pray that God gives us a fresh perspective.
Now Stephen is one of my personal all time favorite Bible characters. And the first reason why is found in Acts 6:8. It says "Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power..." can you imagine what it would be like to have someone describe you that way? Wow! That's a powerful description if ever there was one!
The story goes on and in Acts 7 Stephen is forced to stand trial before the Sanhedrin. What does he say when false accusations of blasphemy are brought against him? He testifies about Christ! Stephen doesn't bother to defend himself, he launches right into a history lesson! He begins with Abram and right on through to Jesus. Stephen's final words were not a plea for mercy but a speech designed to show these people, the ones putting him on trial, that Jesus was the Messiah.
I really, really wish that I could go through verse by verse with you Stephen's testimony. However in the interest of time and the fact that I couldn't do it justice I'm just going to stick to pointing out a few things.
1. How Stephen addresses them. Acts 7:2 "Brothers and fathers, listen to me!" One of my favorites verses is 1 Peter 3:15 "... Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..." Stephen didn't hesitate to give an answer for the reason of his hope but he did it with respect. He didn't look at his accusers as enemies but fellow children of God and he desperately wanted them to come to know Jesus as their Savior. That's an amazing perspective to have. (Now I know when you get to verses 51-53 you might want to argue this point so stick with me, I'm getting there.)
2. Stephen's overall history lesson. One of the things I've always loved about Acts 7:1-53 is Stephen's concise account of the Jew's history and heroes of the faith and how God used all of these things and people to bring about the revelation of His Son the Messiah. He didn't rely on emotions or just tell them that he was pretty sure this was true. Stephen was a Jew who I'm sure was well versed in the Torah. He knew his history and he laid it all out for them step by step. When we are blessed with the ability to learn about what God has done in past generations we should soak up the opportunity because you never know when that information may come into play in the future.
3. His passion. In verses 51-53 we see a shift in the tone from laying out the facts to bringing the point home.
"You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One! And now you have betrayed and murdered him- you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it."
So was he gentle and respectful in this part of his speech? Maybe not in the way we would usually describe that but we see his passion come out. He was never disrespectful, he was frustrated. I would rather have that kind of passion for my faith then always be the nicest person and go too far to the extent of not saying what I mean. There's a balance there and I think Stephen is a great example of what it looks like. (Also, an important side note here, he didn't say anything Christ himself hand't said.)
4. Next we come to verse 55, as those trying Stephen begin to really get angry he looks to heaven. Verse 56, "'Look,' he said, 'I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.'"
Now look at that again because there's two really important things here. One is that as Stephen is literally about to loose his life and his first move is to look up to heaven. Wow! I love that!
The second is that Jesus is standing at the right hand of God. I love that part. He wasn't sitting, He's standing because He's waiting to receive this man who is about to join Him.
5. Finally we get to verses 59-60 where Stephen says two more important things. One a plea for himself. "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Even as strong as Stephen's faith was he remained humble enough to ask the Lord to receive him. He never made an assumption.
And second "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." Stephen's final words were a plea for forgiveness for his murderers. Now that is a powerful testimony.
So there are five of my favorite things about Stephen. Five things that I believe make his Farewell speech one of the best ever given. And some of the most powerful words that we should never forget.
I want to close this series by asking something I asked at the beginning. If you had the chance to say something, knowing it would be the last words you ever spoke, who would you say it to and what would you say? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Now Stephen is one of my personal all time favorite Bible characters. And the first reason why is found in Acts 6:8. It says "Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power..." can you imagine what it would be like to have someone describe you that way? Wow! That's a powerful description if ever there was one!
The story goes on and in Acts 7 Stephen is forced to stand trial before the Sanhedrin. What does he say when false accusations of blasphemy are brought against him? He testifies about Christ! Stephen doesn't bother to defend himself, he launches right into a history lesson! He begins with Abram and right on through to Jesus. Stephen's final words were not a plea for mercy but a speech designed to show these people, the ones putting him on trial, that Jesus was the Messiah.
I really, really wish that I could go through verse by verse with you Stephen's testimony. However in the interest of time and the fact that I couldn't do it justice I'm just going to stick to pointing out a few things.
1. How Stephen addresses them. Acts 7:2 "Brothers and fathers, listen to me!" One of my favorites verses is 1 Peter 3:15 "... Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..." Stephen didn't hesitate to give an answer for the reason of his hope but he did it with respect. He didn't look at his accusers as enemies but fellow children of God and he desperately wanted them to come to know Jesus as their Savior. That's an amazing perspective to have. (Now I know when you get to verses 51-53 you might want to argue this point so stick with me, I'm getting there.)
2. Stephen's overall history lesson. One of the things I've always loved about Acts 7:1-53 is Stephen's concise account of the Jew's history and heroes of the faith and how God used all of these things and people to bring about the revelation of His Son the Messiah. He didn't rely on emotions or just tell them that he was pretty sure this was true. Stephen was a Jew who I'm sure was well versed in the Torah. He knew his history and he laid it all out for them step by step. When we are blessed with the ability to learn about what God has done in past generations we should soak up the opportunity because you never know when that information may come into play in the future.
3. His passion. In verses 51-53 we see a shift in the tone from laying out the facts to bringing the point home.
"You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One! And now you have betrayed and murdered him- you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it."
So was he gentle and respectful in this part of his speech? Maybe not in the way we would usually describe that but we see his passion come out. He was never disrespectful, he was frustrated. I would rather have that kind of passion for my faith then always be the nicest person and go too far to the extent of not saying what I mean. There's a balance there and I think Stephen is a great example of what it looks like. (Also, an important side note here, he didn't say anything Christ himself hand't said.)
4. Next we come to verse 55, as those trying Stephen begin to really get angry he looks to heaven. Verse 56, "'Look,' he said, 'I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.'"
Now look at that again because there's two really important things here. One is that as Stephen is literally about to loose his life and his first move is to look up to heaven. Wow! I love that!
The second is that Jesus is standing at the right hand of God. I love that part. He wasn't sitting, He's standing because He's waiting to receive this man who is about to join Him.
5. Finally we get to verses 59-60 where Stephen says two more important things. One a plea for himself. "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Even as strong as Stephen's faith was he remained humble enough to ask the Lord to receive him. He never made an assumption.
And second "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." Stephen's final words were a plea for forgiveness for his murderers. Now that is a powerful testimony.
So there are five of my favorite things about Stephen. Five things that I believe make his Farewell speech one of the best ever given. And some of the most powerful words that we should never forget.
I want to close this series by asking something I asked at the beginning. If you had the chance to say something, knowing it would be the last words you ever spoke, who would you say it to and what would you say? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Saturday, April 25, 2020
Farewells Part 2
In the second part of our series we took a look at Israel's most renowned king (not including Jesus), David and his last words to his son, Solomon.
Now this passage in 1 Kings 2:1-9 is especially fascinating because this wasn't the first time that one of David's sons had tried to take the throne. The key here being that Solomon was God's next appointed king. So just before David died as he passed the kingdom on this his son, he had some words of wisdom.
Verses 2-4 in the NIV say "'I am about to go the way of all the earth,' he said. 'So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you prosper in all you do and where you go and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: "If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.'"
That passage has so much in it! Right before David dies the most important thing he can tell is son is 1. Act like a man and observe what the Lord your God requires.- No excuses Solomon! You're the king, you're a man, an adult, you're the one responsible for your decisions. So follow the Lord, no one's going to do it for you. And if you don't do it it's your own fault. Funny, that sounds like something my dad or mom might say. In this moment I think we see more of David's fatherly side then his role as a king. Of course the instructions are even more important because Solomon's decisions affect the entire nation but the advice applies to us all.
2. David then expands on what he's said. Walk in obedience to the Lord, keep to all that has been written in the Law of Moses.- Not only are there no excuses but there's no chance of misunderstanding or saying "I didn't know I was supposed to do that!" David was quite clear here. Walk in obedience and keep all His decrees, commands, laws and regulation as written in the Law of Moses. If you didn't know something was in there, you've already messed up because you better know it so you can live it. And don't miss that little word there "as". You don't get to change their meaning either Solomon. You follow it as it was written.
3. Next a reminder of the promise that God had given David. If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.- Lead the people well Solomon because your actions will affect their actions and if you or they reject God then you can loose everything. I know how it feels to know you've disappointing your parents. Can you imagine not wanting to disappoint them on that level? That would be a good warning!
The next verses are specific instructions. To remember those who were treacherous, those to treat with kindness, and those who promises were made to. The part that jumped out to me though is in verse 9. David says to Solomon, "You are a man of wisdom..."
This really fascinated me because of course we talk all the time about Solomon being a man of wisdom but only after what happens in chapter 3, when Solomon asks God for wisdom so he can be a king who leads the people well. And yet David, his dad, sees that he is wise before that encounter. Which makes sense, since it takes wisdom to ask for wisdom.
Still it's interesting and brings us to point number 4. Be wise. Not in your own eyes but seek the Lord's wisdom so whatever task He puts before you, you can do it well.
There's a lot to learn from David's farewell address to his son. These are only four points but they're great reminders for us all. Which one do you most need to work on this week? No excuses, walking in obedience, living your life as an example or being wise? I won't ask you to leave a comment, when I'm not brave enough to admit my answer but I hope this gives you all something to think and pray about this week. Farewell until next time!
Now this passage in 1 Kings 2:1-9 is especially fascinating because this wasn't the first time that one of David's sons had tried to take the throne. The key here being that Solomon was God's next appointed king. So just before David died as he passed the kingdom on this his son, he had some words of wisdom.
Verses 2-4 in the NIV say "'I am about to go the way of all the earth,' he said. 'So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you prosper in all you do and where you go and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: "If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.'"
That passage has so much in it! Right before David dies the most important thing he can tell is son is 1. Act like a man and observe what the Lord your God requires.- No excuses Solomon! You're the king, you're a man, an adult, you're the one responsible for your decisions. So follow the Lord, no one's going to do it for you. And if you don't do it it's your own fault. Funny, that sounds like something my dad or mom might say. In this moment I think we see more of David's fatherly side then his role as a king. Of course the instructions are even more important because Solomon's decisions affect the entire nation but the advice applies to us all.
2. David then expands on what he's said. Walk in obedience to the Lord, keep to all that has been written in the Law of Moses.- Not only are there no excuses but there's no chance of misunderstanding or saying "I didn't know I was supposed to do that!" David was quite clear here. Walk in obedience and keep all His decrees, commands, laws and regulation as written in the Law of Moses. If you didn't know something was in there, you've already messed up because you better know it so you can live it. And don't miss that little word there "as". You don't get to change their meaning either Solomon. You follow it as it was written.
3. Next a reminder of the promise that God had given David. If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.- Lead the people well Solomon because your actions will affect their actions and if you or they reject God then you can loose everything. I know how it feels to know you've disappointing your parents. Can you imagine not wanting to disappoint them on that level? That would be a good warning!
The next verses are specific instructions. To remember those who were treacherous, those to treat with kindness, and those who promises were made to. The part that jumped out to me though is in verse 9. David says to Solomon, "You are a man of wisdom..."
This really fascinated me because of course we talk all the time about Solomon being a man of wisdom but only after what happens in chapter 3, when Solomon asks God for wisdom so he can be a king who leads the people well. And yet David, his dad, sees that he is wise before that encounter. Which makes sense, since it takes wisdom to ask for wisdom.
Still it's interesting and brings us to point number 4. Be wise. Not in your own eyes but seek the Lord's wisdom so whatever task He puts before you, you can do it well.
There's a lot to learn from David's farewell address to his son. These are only four points but they're great reminders for us all. Which one do you most need to work on this week? No excuses, walking in obedience, living your life as an example or being wise? I won't ask you to leave a comment, when I'm not brave enough to admit my answer but I hope this gives you all something to think and pray about this week. Farewell until next time!
Saturday, April 18, 2020
Farewells Part 1
First off I just have to take a moment to say thank you. Last week's post "Silent Saturday" received over 80 views! I was overwhelmed and humbled at the response! I love being able to share what God is teaching me and I really love that some of you liked it enough to share it. So thank you friends for sharing the message that God laid on my heart this Easter. I'm grateful for your response.
This week I want to do something a little different and start a series. I'm calling it Farewells. Week 1 is Moses and the Israelites.
If you could say one last thing to the people you love what would it be? In Deuteronomy 29-31 Moses takes time to speak to the people he has been leading for the last 40 years. Moses became the leader of Israel when God sent him to Pharaoh to free His people. Moses listened to their complaints during the plagues, he observed their fear when they came to the Red Sea and participated in their joy after they crossed. A few days later he grieved when the people cried out against God and he was angered when they rejected God and made a golden calf to worship even while Moses was on Mt. Sinai communing with the Lord.
Moses spent 40 years as their leader. He rejoiced with them, grieved with them, prayed for them, intervened on their behalf with the Lord for them. He ruled over them as their judge and he dedicated about half of his life to them. Obviously he had his times of anger and frustration but there is no doubt he loved them and he cared about what happened to them.
Now he's facing the end of his life and one of the last things he does is he calls the whole nation of Israel together so he can talk to them. He begins by reminding them of what God has done for them. His deliverance of the people from Egypt, how during 40 years in the wilderness their clothes and sandals didn't wear out. He reminds them of their defeats when they left Egypt, the renewal of their covenant with the Lord and he reminds them of what they left behind, the worship of idols and other false gods.
Moses also offers a warning. He warns them what will happen if they turn away from the Lord. He says that even their children and other nations will condemn them. He explains the blessings and curses that lay before them. Blessings if they follow the Lord, curses if they reject Him. Then we come to my favorite part.
Deuteronomy 30:11-20 in my Bible this section is titled as "The Offer of Life or Death" which seems like the perfect title. Verse 11 says "Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach."
After 40 years of leading the nation of Israel through the wilderness and right before they're about to finally cross the Jordan and enter the land of their inheritance, Moses takes this opportunity to give the people a choice. He knows them and he tells them straight out that what he's telling them isn't too difficult for them. He's taking away all their excuses but he also acknowledges that the choice is theirs. They can follow the Lord and choose life or reject Him and choose death. He urges them to choose life to "love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him."
In this moment, just before Moses is going to die and the people are going to claim their inheritance I imagine that he thought about what the most important thing he could tell them would be. And this what he came up with.
So what would you say in your farewell? If you had the chance to tell your loved ones something before you passed away? Moses urged his loved ones to choose life and cling to the Lord. Even as he was brutally honest and acknowledged that they would walk away. What would you? What would your farewell address be? And if you'd want to say it at the end of your life then why not say it now?
This week I want to do something a little different and start a series. I'm calling it Farewells. Week 1 is Moses and the Israelites.
If you could say one last thing to the people you love what would it be? In Deuteronomy 29-31 Moses takes time to speak to the people he has been leading for the last 40 years. Moses became the leader of Israel when God sent him to Pharaoh to free His people. Moses listened to their complaints during the plagues, he observed their fear when they came to the Red Sea and participated in their joy after they crossed. A few days later he grieved when the people cried out against God and he was angered when they rejected God and made a golden calf to worship even while Moses was on Mt. Sinai communing with the Lord.
Moses spent 40 years as their leader. He rejoiced with them, grieved with them, prayed for them, intervened on their behalf with the Lord for them. He ruled over them as their judge and he dedicated about half of his life to them. Obviously he had his times of anger and frustration but there is no doubt he loved them and he cared about what happened to them.
Now he's facing the end of his life and one of the last things he does is he calls the whole nation of Israel together so he can talk to them. He begins by reminding them of what God has done for them. His deliverance of the people from Egypt, how during 40 years in the wilderness their clothes and sandals didn't wear out. He reminds them of their defeats when they left Egypt, the renewal of their covenant with the Lord and he reminds them of what they left behind, the worship of idols and other false gods.
Moses also offers a warning. He warns them what will happen if they turn away from the Lord. He says that even their children and other nations will condemn them. He explains the blessings and curses that lay before them. Blessings if they follow the Lord, curses if they reject Him. Then we come to my favorite part.
Deuteronomy 30:11-20 in my Bible this section is titled as "The Offer of Life or Death" which seems like the perfect title. Verse 11 says "Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach."
After 40 years of leading the nation of Israel through the wilderness and right before they're about to finally cross the Jordan and enter the land of their inheritance, Moses takes this opportunity to give the people a choice. He knows them and he tells them straight out that what he's telling them isn't too difficult for them. He's taking away all their excuses but he also acknowledges that the choice is theirs. They can follow the Lord and choose life or reject Him and choose death. He urges them to choose life to "love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him."
In this moment, just before Moses is going to die and the people are going to claim their inheritance I imagine that he thought about what the most important thing he could tell them would be. And this what he came up with.
So what would you say in your farewell? If you had the chance to tell your loved ones something before you passed away? Moses urged his loved ones to choose life and cling to the Lord. Even as he was brutally honest and acknowledged that they would walk away. What would you? What would your farewell address be? And if you'd want to say it at the end of your life then why not say it now?
Saturday, April 11, 2020
Silent Saturday
I recently heard today, the Saturday between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, referred to as Silent Saturday and I thought that it's a very fitting description of the day. It should be a day of reflection but I think most of the time we just skip over it. Maybe we attend a Good Friday service. And we plan for our Easter dinner and family get together on Sunday but Saturday just gets skipped over. We're focused on finalizing our plans and stuffing Easter eggs. We forget all about the significance of this day. And it is very significant.
This year I was looking forward to Easter more then I have in years. I was looking forward to a family dinner on Saturday with a few of my siblings and my parents and grandparents. I was really looking forward to the huge special service my church was planning. I was so excited about it! And then... the Corona virus hit.
I'll admit I spent quite a bit of time being incredibly disappointed. All my plans were ruined. And that got me thinking about the first Easter about 2,000 years ago.
After about three years of traveling with Jesus, sharing in His ministry and performing miracles themselves the disciples headed back to Jerusalem with Him to prepare for the Passover. They were greeted with enormous crowds on the day we've come to celebrate as Palm Sunday. I imagine they loved it! I mean who wouldn't? Finally the rest of the world is coming to recognize what they already know, the man they've been following around is the Messiah! The Son of God! And now huge crowds are acknowledging it as Jesus rides into the city and they shout "Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
They must have felt so vindicated! And maybe it made it easy to ignore Jesus' warnings about his upcoming crucifixion. Or His tears as He looked out on Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44) and condemned it.
Soon though everything changed. One of their best friends betrayed them and the Messiah when Judas handed their beloved Jesus over to the Pharisees and He was arrested. On Good Friday the disciples watched the Messiah be crucified on a cross next to thieves, humiliated and beaten down. Their faith was shattered and they fled. I can't even imagine the grief and disappointment, the fear and doubt, that they must have been experiencing. And the next day, Silent Saturday, I'm sure they woke up praying it had all be some awful nightmare and when they realized it wasn't? I can't even begin to imagine, much less describe, the depths of those emotions.
I imagine they feared for their lives. After all they were well known associates of Jesus. No doubt they wondered how long until they themselves were arrested and killed. More then that, the whole foundation of their lives for the last several years had been built on Jesus being their Savior and now He was gone. How could they go on? What was the point of life anymore?
I think that this Easter some of us are dealing with those same questions. Perhaps not to the same degree but we're still struggling. We're wondering what we do now. How much longer will we be forced to stay at home in quarantine? What do we do if we can't work? Will our lives ever return to normal? We've been stripped of our freedom to go out and enjoy life, of our contact with loved ones and in many cases, our work in which we place so much of our identity. Where does that leave us?
The fact is that I don't have the answers to these question but what I do have is the end of the story. The part that the disciples didn't know about on Silent Saturday. I know that Saturday wasn't the end because next came Resurrection Sunday. Jesus rose again! He conquered death! He is our Savior and He is alive! That's where we find our identity. Not in our jobs or our contact with the outside world but in our Savior. That's what Easter, and every other day, is really about. Living our lives for Him.
I have no idea when our lives will return to normal, or how much longer we'll be in quarantine or what we should do while we wait. What I do know is that on this Easter when we can't be distracted by our normal celebrations it's a great time to focus on what this holiday is really about.
Silent Saturday should be a time of reflection but that reflection should ultimately remind us of the hope that we have in Jesus and the gift of salvation that He freely offers to us all. If you want to learn more about this please send me an email or leave a note in the comments and I will gladly talk to you about it.
Happy Easter my friends. He is risen!
This year I was looking forward to Easter more then I have in years. I was looking forward to a family dinner on Saturday with a few of my siblings and my parents and grandparents. I was really looking forward to the huge special service my church was planning. I was so excited about it! And then... the Corona virus hit.
I'll admit I spent quite a bit of time being incredibly disappointed. All my plans were ruined. And that got me thinking about the first Easter about 2,000 years ago.
After about three years of traveling with Jesus, sharing in His ministry and performing miracles themselves the disciples headed back to Jerusalem with Him to prepare for the Passover. They were greeted with enormous crowds on the day we've come to celebrate as Palm Sunday. I imagine they loved it! I mean who wouldn't? Finally the rest of the world is coming to recognize what they already know, the man they've been following around is the Messiah! The Son of God! And now huge crowds are acknowledging it as Jesus rides into the city and they shout "Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
They must have felt so vindicated! And maybe it made it easy to ignore Jesus' warnings about his upcoming crucifixion. Or His tears as He looked out on Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44) and condemned it.
Soon though everything changed. One of their best friends betrayed them and the Messiah when Judas handed their beloved Jesus over to the Pharisees and He was arrested. On Good Friday the disciples watched the Messiah be crucified on a cross next to thieves, humiliated and beaten down. Their faith was shattered and they fled. I can't even imagine the grief and disappointment, the fear and doubt, that they must have been experiencing. And the next day, Silent Saturday, I'm sure they woke up praying it had all be some awful nightmare and when they realized it wasn't? I can't even begin to imagine, much less describe, the depths of those emotions.
I imagine they feared for their lives. After all they were well known associates of Jesus. No doubt they wondered how long until they themselves were arrested and killed. More then that, the whole foundation of their lives for the last several years had been built on Jesus being their Savior and now He was gone. How could they go on? What was the point of life anymore?
I think that this Easter some of us are dealing with those same questions. Perhaps not to the same degree but we're still struggling. We're wondering what we do now. How much longer will we be forced to stay at home in quarantine? What do we do if we can't work? Will our lives ever return to normal? We've been stripped of our freedom to go out and enjoy life, of our contact with loved ones and in many cases, our work in which we place so much of our identity. Where does that leave us?
The fact is that I don't have the answers to these question but what I do have is the end of the story. The part that the disciples didn't know about on Silent Saturday. I know that Saturday wasn't the end because next came Resurrection Sunday. Jesus rose again! He conquered death! He is our Savior and He is alive! That's where we find our identity. Not in our jobs or our contact with the outside world but in our Savior. That's what Easter, and every other day, is really about. Living our lives for Him.
I have no idea when our lives will return to normal, or how much longer we'll be in quarantine or what we should do while we wait. What I do know is that on this Easter when we can't be distracted by our normal celebrations it's a great time to focus on what this holiday is really about.
Silent Saturday should be a time of reflection but that reflection should ultimately remind us of the hope that we have in Jesus and the gift of salvation that He freely offers to us all. If you want to learn more about this please send me an email or leave a note in the comments and I will gladly talk to you about it.
Happy Easter my friends. He is risen!
Saturday, April 4, 2020
A Little Humor
With all that is going on with our world and now that the federal mandates have been extended through April 30th to slow the spread of COVID 19 I just thought we could all use some humor. I hope you're all staying safe. And just so you know I'm taking this situation lightly but I really wanted to give everyone a laugh.
Which one is your favorite? Leave me a note in the comments or share your quarantine meme!
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