A Slice of Life

Israel, Redux

2010-11-15T19:20:00.003-05:00

Masada was one of the bleakest places I have ever seen. Nothing much grows in the Dead Sea region, unless it is artificially irrigated. On top of Masada, there was not a single tree, or flower. The only vegetation in sight was a clump or two of dry grass.

But this bird was there. Bold and bright eyed, he perched on a railing of the Masada ruins, checking out all the thirsty tourists. How on earth does this bird survive in this dessert? I was baffled, but the bird seemed completely unconcerned.

I thought I had left my Israel posts behind me. I thought I was done. But yesterday I helped teach the 4 year olds in Sunday school. The lesson was taken from the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus tells the people not to worry about what they will eat or drink, "Look at the birds of the air," He tells them, "they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable then they?" (Matthew 6:26) Mrs. Sylvia simplified it a bit for the children. "God cares for the birds," she told them, "They do not worry about what they will eat. And God cares for you, too. He will take care of your needs."

As I was listening to Mrs. Sylvia teach the children, my mind kept coming back to this picture of the bird at Masada. Sure, it's easy to see how God cares for the birds of Florida. We have bugs the size of mini-vans flying around, and worms practically jump from the ground every morning. But that bird at Masada was living in, from all appearances, a completely barren wasteland devoid of all life. Except it wasn't devoid of all life. Obviously, the bird survived, so there must have been a food source for him somewhere. God was providing sustenance for that bird, even in that harsh environment.

Can I take to heart the simple lesson we were trying to teach a group of 4 year olds? I saw with my own eyes a bird who was not worried. Should I be worried? Financially, things have been pretty bleak in this country lately. Maybe not Dead Sea bleak, but it's been tough for a lot of people. It's hard not to worry. But the next time a worry tries to take hold in my mind, I will remember the Masada bird, and believe that God values me as much as the birds of the air. He will take care of me.

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

Musings from Israel, part Eight

2010-09-08T16:12:00.006-04:00

Cornerstones and Capstones

Israel is a great place to look at ancient architecture. Because each subsequent civilization built directly on top of the ruins of the old, Israel is an archeologist's dream come true. In Jerusalem, the "Old City" is built on top of an even older city, and we had the privilege of exploring some of those older sections. I snapped the following picture of two arches in one of these "older" areas, underneath the Jewish quarter of the Old City. Yoni brought our attention to the top stone of the arch, called the cap stone. The cap stone is the most important stone in the arch. Without it, the entire arch would collapse.

In another section of Jerusalem, just oustide the walls of the Old City, we visited the Southern Wall excavation area. Here, we saw Herodian era pavement and walls. Herod's builders would use enormous blocks of stone, like the one in the picture below, and cut them so straight and true that no mortar was necessary when the walls were constructed.

Either of these pictures could illustrate the Messianic Psalm 118:22, depending on which translation you use.
"The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone." NKJV
"The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone." NIV

In Acts 4:10-12, Peter confirmed that the cornerstone or capstone referred to none other than Jesus. In all my previous Bible study, I had always read the "cornerstone" translation, and imagined Jesus as a weighty foundation stone, like in the Herodian wall, cut so straight and true that anything laid upon that foundation would stand strong.

But Yoni offered us an alternate picture of Christ as the central capstone in the arch of our faith. He is the central, most important element of our salvation, and without Him, all would crumble.

Both metaphors work very well, I think, and that is one of the greatest things about studying the Bible. Just like in Israel, where you can peel back layer upon layer of archeology; when you study God's Word, you can uncover layers of meaning the deeper you dig.

Musings from Israel, part seven

2010-08-14T14:34:00.004-04:00

The Valley of the Shadow of Death

Before we arrived in Jerusalem, our bus pulled over to the side of a hill, and Yoni led us up the hill for a view of this vast, bleak valley. It seems as if nothing could live in this cruel, punishing landscape. But this place is rich in Biblical history. This is the wilderness of David. This is where Elijah was fed by ravens. The Good Samaritan story featured this area. Jesus' temptation likely took place here as well. It was wilderness thousands of years ago, and wilderness it remains, a stunning visual of deprivation and hopelessness.

And yet, the prophet Hosea called this the "Door of Hope" in Hosea 2:15. "I will give her her vineyards from there. And the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt." When the Israelites came up from Egypt, they were promised a land "flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8). And the land delivers on that promise, in many areas. But this valley hardly seems to offer any promise of milk and honey, so why would IT be called the door of hope? It looks so hopeless!

According to Yoni, the answer is found in Isaiah 45. I won't type it all out here, but within that chapter, repeated over and over, are the words, "I am the Lord, and there is no other."

"I am the Lord, and there is no other."

This valley is called "the door of hope," not for what the land contains, but for WHO made the promise. The valley of the shadow of death need not inspire fear, when we know Who is with us.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil; for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Musings from Israel, Part Six

2010-07-20T13:02:00.003-04:00

A Good Eye

As we explored the ruins of Korazim, we saw this stone seat inside what was once the synagogue. Yoni explained to us that this is a "Seat of Moses." The rabbis would sit in these seats of honor inside the synagogue to teach the people the laws and to settle disputes. Jesus referenced this seat in Matthew 23:1-3, "Then Jesus said to the crowds and to His disciples: 'The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.'" For the rest of Matthew 23, Jesus harshly criticized the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy. What I find interesting is that the religious leaders were teaching the truth of God to the people, even though they were not living it out in their own lives. They had the knowlege of the truth in their heads, but it had not penetrated their hearts.

Previously in Matthew's gospel, Jesus had followed up another condemnation of hypocrisy with these sayings:

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where theives break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destoys and where theives do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! Matthew 6:19-23 NKJV

The first part of this passage is very familiar to us, but the second part is not quoted as often. The concept of the "good eye/bad eye" does not make much sense to us, because it is a Hebrew idiom. A person with "good eye" is not a person with keen eyesight, but a generous person. Proverbs 22:9 gives a little more context, "He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor."

So how do we show that we have internalized the truth of God in our hearts? That we are not just hypocrites like the Pharisees? How do we lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven?

By having a good eye - a generous heart.

Give to others.

Musings from Israel, Part Five

2010-07-03T17:41:00.003-04:00

Oy!

One of the many ruins we visited in Israel was Korazim (or Chorazin...place names in Israel seem to have many different spellings). This was one of the cities Jesus rebuked for unbelief in Matthew 11:21-22. Jesus exclaimed, "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you."

Yoni explained to us that Jesus used the word, "Oy" at the beginning of this exclamation. When we translate that into English as the dour, "Woe to you," it seems as if Jesus was angrily laying a curse on these cities. But the word "oy" is more of a lament. The prophet Isaiah uses the same word in Isaiah 6:5, "Woe to me, for I am undone!" Jesus was lamenting the unbelief of these cities, Korazim, Bethsaida, and, later in the same chapter, Capernaum. These three cities were all in the Galilee region where He preached and performed numerous miracles. Jesus went on to predict the coming judgement on these cities for continuing in their unbelief, but it was by no means an angry, vengeful Christ calling down fire and brimstone upon the people of the Galilee. It was with a lament (Oy!) and a call to repentance that Jesus predicted the future judgement upon those who continued to reject Him.

At the end of His speech, Jesus reminded the people of His love and mercy. He offered hope and a second chance to all, as He still does today.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden,

and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me,

for I am gentle and lowly in heart,

and you will find rest for your souls.

For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30

Musings from Israel, Part Four

2010-06-27T15:09:00.003-04:00

Of Olive Trees and Tassels

Another theme that we discussed throughout our tour of Israel was the concept of the grafted branch. In Romans 11, the apostle Paul explains this metaphor this way: the "cultivated" olive tree is Israel. The "wild" olive trees are the Gentiles. Some of the branches of the cultivated tree were broken off, because of unbelief. The Gentile believers were cut from the wild olive trees and grafted into the cultivated tree (11:17). Paul exhorts the Gentile believers in Rome not to "boast against" the Jewish branches (11:18), and he looks forward to the day when Jews and Gentiles will unite together in Christ (11:26-27).

Isaiah 2:2 gives us a picture of this, "Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations (goyim, gentiles) shall flow to it."

Another interesting prophecy by Zechariah reminded us of the tassels we had dicussed earlier: "The LORD of Hosts says this: 'In those days, ten men from nations of every language will grab the robe of a Jewish man tightly, urging: Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'" Some English versions translate "robe" as "sleeve." Others, "hem" or "skirt." I do not think it is a stretch to believe that Zechariah's prophecy is of Gentiles from every nation grabbing hold of the tassel of one Jewish man, believing that God is with Him. And of course, I believe that one Jewish man was Jesus of Nazareth.

Musings from Israel, part Three

2010-06-20T20:13:00.008-04:00

Wings

In the area of Capernaum, as we sat by the Sea of Galilee, Yoni related to us a familiar gospel story, with a Jewish twist that I had never before considered. Holding up a tallit, a traditional undergament worn by orthodox Jews, in Jesus' day as well as today, Yoni explained that the corner of the tallit, where a tassel or fringe hangs down, is called the "wing" of the garment. Several days later, in Jerusalem, I snapped the following picture of an orthodox man, where you can see his tassel hanging down beneath his jacket.

The story Yoni told us is found in Mark 5:25-34, and it is the story of a woman who suffered from an affliction, a flow of blood, and wanted only to touch Jesus' garment as He passed by in a crowd. She succeeded in touching His garment, and felt immediately that she had been healed. Of course, Jesus knew what had happened; and a somewhat amusing exhcange with His disciples followed, wherein Jesus demanded to know who touched Him, and the incredulous disciples looked around at the huge throng of people pressing in on all sides, and back at Jesus as if to say, "What on earth are you talking about?" But Jesus knew exactly who touched Him, and He knew exactly why. When the woman came forward and told her story, Jesus commended her on her faith.

Obviously, a Jewish woman who believed Jesus to be the Messiah, would have faith that He had the ability to heal her, but why did she believe that merely touching His garment would be enough? To answer that question, we look to Malachi 4:2, "The Sun of Righteousness shall arrive with healing in his wings." I've heard that verse many times, and, with my Western mind, always assumed the wings were like angels' wings or birds' wings. But to the afflicted Jewish woman, the Messiah would be a Jewish man, wearing a Jewish tallit, and she knew there would be healing in His wings.

Be merciful to me, O God,

Be merciful to me!

For my soul trusts in You;

And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,

Until these calamities have passed by.

Psalm 57:1

Musings from Israel, part two

2010-06-17T19:20:00.007-04:00

Rock of Ages

Exodus 17:6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.

This strange account may seem like nonsense, but it is the perfect combination of two important metaphors: the water and the rock.

In our journey through Israel, after we discussed the significance of water, we turned our focus to rocks. We visited Banias, a.k.a. Ceasarea Phillippi, where a large cave opens in a towering cliff face. In ancient times, a spring gushed out from this cave, and it was known as "the Gates of Hades." It was here in this area where Peter declared the diety of Jesus, and Jesus responded, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:17-18)

While there is some debate over whether Jesus meant Himself or Peter when He refered to "this rock," there is no doubt that Jesus is THE rock of our salvation (1 Cor. 10: 4 - "that Rock was Christ.")

So back to the Exodus passage....the picture becomes crystal clear! Just as Moses struck the rock in Horeb and the water flowed out to meet the needs of the people, so too Jesus (the Rock) was struck (crucified) to provide living water for His people.

It is both simple and profound.

Hear my cry, O God.

Attend to my prayer.

From the end of the earth,

I will cry to You.

When my heart is overwhelmed,

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalm 61:1-2

Musings from Israel, part One

2010-06-14T16:44:00.005-04:00

(Earlier this year, I had the amazing privilege of attending a study tour in Israel, with our pastor, David Tarkington, and a wonderful group of people from my church. Our guide, Yoni Gerrish, helped us tour the country, and brought scripture to life for us for 10 days.

This is the first of a series of posts which are inspired by my trip to Israel.)

An Ever Flowing Stream

Jeremiah 17:7-8 Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yeilding fruit.
In the northern part of Israel, we toured the Tel Dan Nature Reserve. The springs of the Dan are the source for the Jordan River (Jor-"Dan"). This was a breathtakingly beautiful area, with rushing streams and waterfalls, and we paused to consider a few verses. In the Jeremiah passage above, the LORD is symbolically represented by the river, the waters. In another passage, Isaiah 58:11, we read, "The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail."

Yoni told us that the upper spring in Dan never stops flowing. As we see from Isaiah 58:11, God is our ever-flowing stream. And if we read John 7: 37-38, we see the words of Jesus, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."

Obviously, water is a very important spiritual metaphor. Physical water brings physical life - the flowers bloom, the trees bear fruit. And spiritual water brings spiritual life, not just a little bit, but an abundance..."rivers of living water." With God as our source, our ever-flowing stream, our spiritual life should be one of abundance and continuous growth.

After the Nature Reserve, we visited the Hermon Stream Waterfall. This gorgeous waterfall is referenced in Psalm 42, which also employs the water metaphor.

As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?...

O My God, my soul is cast down within me; therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, and from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill Mizar. Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows have gone over me.

Psalm 42:1-2, 6-7

Friendship

2009-03-17T18:47:00.001-04:00

I am blessed to have many wonderful friends. I know a large group of ladies who are strong, Godly, and fun women that I enjoy spending time with. But lately, I’ve been wondering how I can grow even deeper in these relationships. God created us to be relational, and we as women especially desire those personal connections. There are several reasons why I haven’t taken my friendships to a deeper level. One is time. We are all so busy, with our husbands, our kids, our jobs, our church and community activities, that it is difficult to carve out the time to connect deeply with other women. Another reason that I sometimes hold myself at arms’ length from others is fear. I’ve experienced betrayals of friendship in the past, and it is hard to break out of that self-protective mode. Lastly, like many other women, I suffer from a lack of self-confidence. I allow the enemy to convince me that I have nothing to add to the lives of others, so I withdraw.

This is hard for me to write, and put out there for others to see, but I am doing so in the hopes that I am not the only one struggling with this issue. Maybe my struggles can help somebody else who reads this today. I have a feeling that there are quite a few other women out there dealing with this same feeling of loneliness, even in the midst of a crowd.

What does God say about friendship? First, and most importantly, He wants us to be in relationship with Him. Jesus told his disciples in John 15:15, “I no longer call you servants…instead, I have called you friends.” This is foundational. We cannot have a deep, spiritual friendship with anyone if we do not know Jesus as Friend first. In fact, if we try to find our meaning and our value in our human friendships, rather than in the Savior, we will end up disappointed and disillusioned.

Second, we must realize that friendship ought not to be self-focused. 1 Corinthians 10:31 reminds us “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Even our friendships are to be lived out for God’s glory.

So how do we do that? Proverbs 18:24 (NKJV) says, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly…” In order to develop new friends, and deepen existing friendships, we need to reach out first. Instead of waiting for others to reach into our lives and bless us, we ought to focus on how we can be a blessing to others first. This can be scary, because it involves opening ourselves up to others. But fear is the enemy of friendships. 1 John 4:18 tells us, “There is no fear in love.” If we are willing to put aside our self-focus, to love others and minister to others, the fear will be driven away. “Perfect love drives out fear.”

I’m challenging myself to move deeper in my friendships this year. I want to grow deeper in that foundational Friendship first of all, but also in my other friendships. Would anyone else like to take up that challenge with me?

Walkin' Down the Heavenly Road

2009-02-28T21:03:00.001-05:00

Walkin’ down the heavenly road, I’m gonna lay down my heavy load,
‘cause Jesus said He’d walk along with me. Praise God! Glory, hallelujah!
I’m singin’ all the way; I’ve got sunshine in every day.
So why not come along and join me walkin’ down the heavenly road?

We used to sing that happy little chorus in prayer group when I was in college. It’s got a catchy tune, and upbeat lyrics, and was a general favorite on campus. But it’s not altogether true, is it? I suppose we are, figuratively, walking on a heavenly road, but it’s not all sunshine and singing along the way. The counterpoint to this song is found in Psalm 23:4, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” Some days are sunshine and singing, sure. Other times and seasons feel more like the valley of the shadow. The important part, though, is that He is there, walking with us, through all of it.
It’s interesting to me that we refer to a relationship with God as a “walk.” We get that from Scripture itself, of course. Throughout the Old Testament, the righteous are described as those who “walked” in the ways of the Lord. And in the New Testament, we are instructed to “walk” in the light. I think that Scripture uses the word “walk” so much because our relationship with God is not static. There is momentum involved. We are in motion, pressing toward a goal, as the apostle Paul might say (Phil. 3:14). And walking along with us, in good times and bad, is our Savior. As the song says, “Praise God! Glory, Hallelujah!”

Fear

2009-01-22T11:30:00.001-05:00

For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment. 2 Timothy 1:7

Fear is an insidious thing. I haven’t written anything new in months, and I can make excuses, and blame the business of life, or I can be honest and admit that I’ve been fearful. I’ve been fearful of having nothing to say, or of not being able to artfully express what I do have to say. I don’t even know who, if anyone, reads what I write, but I’ve still been fearful of what others might think of me. It looks silly when I type it all out like that. Self-centered and foolish. But it’s the truth, and this fear has kept me from doing what I know God wants me to do, which is to write. It’s not often that I know for sure what God wants me to do. I believe He gives me a lot of freedom to choose what I want to do in my life, where I work, and where I live, for example. But when it comes to where I fit in the body of Christ, and what ministry He has given me to do, I know for sure that He wants me to write. This became clear to me over a year ago, and I pursued it eagerly at first. But then I let fear creep in. The enemy whispered in my ear that I’m not a good enough writer, and that I’m not a good enough Christian to write devotions for women. And I’m not. That much is true. But I let the enemy twist that truth, the simple truth that I am not perfect, and turn it into shame and fear. In reality, no one is “good enough,” but God still wants to use us anyway. In fact, it seems He delights in using “the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.” (1 Cor. 1:27)
Today I am making a new commitment to pursue this ministry that I believe God has called me into. I will not allow fear, and a shallow, self-centered fear at that, to keep me from doing what I know I need to be doing. My ministry may not affect many people, but since God called me to do it, I know He has a purpose for it.

The Lord is my light and my salvation,
Whom should I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life,
Of whom should I be afraid?
Psalm 127:1

October is gone

2008-10-31T21:15:00.002-04:00

This month has flown by, and I never had a chance to write a new devotional, so I decided post the devotional I wrote last October. It was a good one for me to go back and read anyway.

From October 2007:

It will surprise nobody, least of all my family, that I have flaws. Recently, while my husband was out of town, my precious children got to experience some of the flaws of their tired, stressed-out mom. Why is it that we often behave the worst towards the ones we love the most?
During humbling times like that, when I have to apologize to small children for my own immature behavior, I wonder if God still wants to use me? I wonder what worth I am to Him?
In her Bible Study Living Your Life as a Beautiful Offering, Angela Thomas writes, “If only the flawless can use their gifts, then no one can.”
The reality is that God wants to use us, with all our flaws and our weaknesses, to bring glory to Him. 1 Corinthians 1:27 tells us that God “has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.” And in 2 Corinthians 12:9, God tells Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”
God knows that we have flaws and weaknesses. But He still wants us to move forward in our walk with Him, to use our gifts for His service. Like Paul, we can be “confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

Gifts from the heart

2008-09-23T11:31:00.001-04:00

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)

I receive many gifts from my young children. They seem to have a knack for sculpting large, messy works of “art” from common household objects, bits of nature, and what most of us would consider trash. Then I am presented with one of these masterpieces, usually still dripping with glue, along with the words, “Just for you, mommy!” Yet, there is something so pure in the love and generosity of my children’s hearts, that I actually do treasure those homemade gifts (at least until they inevitably fall apart).

Gifts given out of a loving heart are so much more meaningful than gifts given out of obligation. I’m sure we have all received an obligatory gift from a relative or co-worker. Even if it is expensive, tasteful, and beautifully wrapped, it is meaningless if you know the giver is grudging.

It’s amazing how God digs right down to the heart, all the time. Sometimes, when I consider giving a gift to Him, whether it is a financial gift, an act of service, a song of worship, or whatever, I may worry that what I’m offering him is messy and imperfect. I may even be tempted to hold back my gifts to Him, thinking they aren’t good enough. But when I think about those messy, sticky gifts that my children lovingly offer to me, I realize that it isn’t about the gift at all. God doesn’t need my money, my service, my songs. He wants my heart to love Him, and to be so overflowing with that love, that I want to give something, “just for Him.”

Friends

2008-08-25T19:50:00.000-04:00

I reconnected recently with two old friends, one I had known since childhood, and another that I knew in college. Both of these reconnections were made possible by Facebook. Ironically, I was reluctant to join Facebook initially. I felt like it would be an imposition upon my life, so I resisted for a while. When I finally gave in to the peer pressure and set up my account, I found that it was an easy and fun way to keep in touch with friends, both old and new.

When I read the epistles that Paul wrote to various churches, letters that make up the bulk of our New Testament, I can’t help but notice the tender words that he has for the people in these churches.
“I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all.” (Romans 1:9)
“(I) do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.” (Ephesians 1:16)
“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.” (Philippians 1:3)

These are the words of a man who loved his friends deeply, who understood how vital true friendships are. Paul even gives the occasional shout out to specific people in his letters. Imagine, these are names that made it into the every word of God, simply because they were friends of Paul.

Our friendships can be a sustaining force in our lives. Our friends can challenge us, encourage us. They hold us when we are grieving, laugh with us when we are celebrating. As a naturally introverted person, I sometimes struggle with opening up to people, even friends I have known for years. I tend to hold my feelings inside. But as a result, I sometimes miss out on some of the joys and benefits that friendship holds.
I’m glad I caved into the peer pressure and opened my Facebook account. I’m glad I had the opportunity to reconnect with those two different ladies, who each added more fullness to my life through friendship.

So then, in this way, my dearly loved brothers,
my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord, dear friends.
Philippians 4:1

Woman at the Well

2008-07-16T13:30:00.000-04:00

Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."
John 4:13-15

I watched a TV show recently that showed what it was like to live on the Navajo Indian reservation in Arizona. Many of the residents do not have running water, and every few days they drive to a pump where they fill up large tanks of water to be used for all their cooking, cleaning, and drinking needs. It was eye-opening for me, because I take water for granted. I can just walk over to a tap any time I want and get clean, drinkable water, and it never runs out.

Imagine what the woman at the well in John 4 was thinking when Jesus told her He could give her living water. She most likely had to walk to that well every single day, carrying a heavy jug to transport the water. We read this passage, and of course we know that Jesus is speaking metaphorically about the living water. But she was living in the reality of the daily tasks she needed to accomplish. She wanted an end to the drudge work. I think if I met Jesus today, and He told me about the “fine linen, bright and clean” that He will give me (Revelation 19:8), I might just think, “Yay, no more laundry!” (Yes, I have three loads waiting to be folded as I type.)

It didn’t take long for Jesus to help the woman at the well understand that her needs were spiritual. That woman started her day in the usual way, completing her usual chores, going to the well to fetch water to meet the physical needs of herself and her family. She met Jesus there, and He changed her life. The passage in John goes on to say, “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony.” (4:39)

Because of the modern marvel of indoor plumbing, I take water for granted, but I’m still a lot like the woman at the well, living in the reality of my daily tasks and not seeing my spiritual needs because I’m so focused on my to-do lists. I need a reminder now and then to take a few moments out of my day to meet with Jesus and let Him change my perspective and give me a testimony to share with others.

Balls in the Air

2008-06-21T17:22:00.000-04:00

I’ve been feeling lately like I have too many balls in the air. Work, family, church, friendships….there is just so much to do, and it can be overwhelming. In a moment of quiet recently, while catching my breath, I thought of a familiar verse, “This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24) I paused and thought, “THIS day, Lord? This day, with all the endless tasks that need to be completed, when I’m running from one activity to another with hardly a moment to myself? THIS day? You made this day for me, to rejoice and be glad?” And God said, “Yep. What are you waiting for?”

God is not surprised by the busy pace of our lives. He knows exactly how each day will unfold for us. He just wants to walk through the days with us. The Psalmist wrote, “You know when I sit down and when I stand up; You understand my thoughts from far away. You observe my travels and my rest; You are aware of all my ways…. Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all [my] days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began.” (Psalm 139: 2-3, 16)

So if you are feeling like life is a juggling act, with too many balls in the air, remember that God is right there with you. He knows exactly what each day of your life will be like, and no matter what, it will be a day in which you can rejoice and be glad.