I wasn’t prepared for the email I received from my boss that Monday morning back in April. The subject line read, “Please join this Zoom meeting in progress.” To say I was panicked would be an understatement.
Because of the Covid-19 threat and our “shelter in place” orders, the staff in our office had been told in March to start working from home as much as possible. I was very well-prepared for this. My files are all accessible online, and most of my job as a Pastoral Care Associate can be done from my cell phone and laptop.
I had already been faithfully working for hours that day. However, I went straight to work that morning IN MY PAJAMAS. I was not prepared for a video chat.
You might be thinking to yourself that I could have just thrown on a shirt and joined the meeting. But, being in my pajamas also meant that I hadn’t put my makeup on, and this lady DOES NOT make public appearances without her makeup on.
There was no time to get myself ready. I ran around until I found a gift sack. I tried putting it over my head, but it was too small. What could I do?!
I finally found a pink paper plate and cut out two slits just large enough to see through. I drew on a smile, pretending that all was well. Prideful? Yes! Childish? Absolutely! I was the product of desperation.
I hurried as fast as I could, but by the time I clicked the link to the meeting, it was invalid. I was too late.
I was reminded the next night when our family was reading in Matthew 24-25, of another important meeting that every single one of us is going to be called into one day. Jesus was talking about a day when He will return. He said that He will return at a time when we don’t expect it. Those He finds living for Him will be welcomed to spend eternity with Him in heaven, but those who are caught off guard will be sent into eternal punishment.
With the Covid 19 pandemic, the rioting, the political upset and everything that our nation has been experiencing as a result, I have heard comments that “the end is near.” We cannot know for sure when Jesus will return, but we should be living as if it could be any minute. Are you prepared? Are you living for Him and sharing the hope of the Gospel with those around you who are not prepared? One day, it will be too late.
It’s Not the Place That is Important…. Family Easter Gathering via Zoom
It’s not the place that is important. What’s important is the event.
This Easter has been very different. Over the years, I have always looked forward to putting on my “Easter dress” and going to church to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. After church, I have always gotten together for brunch with my parents, my siblings and our families. That is the way it has been since the year I was born—put on my Easter dress, go to church, get together with my family.
This year was different. I didn’t put on an Easter dress. I didn’t go to a church building. I didn’t gather with my family for brunch.
It was very strange for all the churches to be closed due to the Covid-19 “quarantine.” However, Christians all around the world were able to celebrate together live via online services. My family sang along, listened to the message, visited via online chatting and even had oyster crackers and grape juice for communion.
The quarantine also kept our extended family from gathering under one roof for our annual Easter brunch, but we were all able to see each other and visit through an online session using Zoom. All twenty-two of us plus two dogs and a cat shared the screen talking, singing and laughing.
It’s not the place that is important. What’s important is the event. The first time I heard this phrase was in Israel.
“The Garden Tomb” is one of the places my husband and I visited recently in Israel
One of the places that my husband and I visited on our recent trip to Israel was “The Garden Tomb.” The tomb which was actually found by accident, fits the description the Bible gives of the tomb where Jesus was buried. We know that Jesus was taken to Golgotha for his crucifixion. Mark 15:22-24 says, “They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him….” Just beside the site of this garden tomb we visited, is a rock face called Skull Hill (or Golgotha).
Just beside the site of the garden tomb we visited, is a rock face called “Skull Hill” or “Golgotha.” You can see the skull just left of the center of the photo.
We also know that Jesus was buried in a garden tomb near the place of His crucifixion. “At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.” (John 19:41-42). Not only is this tomb near Golgotha, there is a winepress near the tomb indicating a vineyard or garden.
This wine press close to the tomb indicates not only that the tomb was in a vineyard or garden but also that the owner was rich
The fact that there is a wine press nearby would also indicate that the owner was rich. Matthew writes, “As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away” (Matthew 27:57-59).
The Garden Tomb
Matthew, Mark and Luke all tell us that there was a rolling stone that closed the opening of the tomb. The garden tomb that we visited has a shaft in place for a rolling stone. To the left of the opening of the tomb, we find a metal pin embedded into the rock which was used to seal the stone in place and keep it from rolling.
The red circle in the upper left section of the photo marks the remnant of the metal pin still embedded in the outside wall of the tomb
Though the Garden Tomb we visited has many similarities as the tomb described in the Bible, we cannot be certain that this tomb is the actual place where Jesus was laid after he died on the cross. But again, it’s not the place that is important. What’s important is the event and the fact that Jesus body is not there. He is risen! He is alive!
The body of Jesus is no longer in the tomb. He is risen! He is alive!
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’” ~John 11:25-26
What about you? Do you believe?
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”
I believe! Thank you, Jesus, for dying in my place and rising from the dead so that I can have eternal life through you!
Standing in The Garden Tomb, forever thankful that Jesus died in my place and rose again from the dead so that I can have eternal life in Him
Imagine a child outside, innocently hunting for butterflies. Her parents told her to stay inside the fence, but she can’t help but step outside her boundary as a beautiful swallowtail lands on a purple coneflower on the other side. As her net gets close, the butterfly flutters to a different flower, and she wanders a little farther away. She excitedly chases after the beautiful winged insect, and soon she finds herself deep into the woods. She’d been having so much fun that she hadn’t even realized how far she had strayed. When the butterfly disappears, she realizes she is lost.
Her parents become frantic when they can’t find her. Caring people help spread the word and join in the search, hoping to find her alive. They understand how dangerous this situation is. She is without food and water. Darkness will fall soon. She could fall into a hole or drown in a pond. She could encounter wild animals or strangers seeking their prey.
The search will continue until the child is found. Most of the people assisting do not know the family. They don’t care about the family’s race, social status or lifestyle. There is a child who is lost and in danger, and they recognize the urgency. They will mourn along with the family if she is found dead, but they will rejoice with them if she if found alive and reunited with her parents.
There will be no scolding or punishment when they find her because she will now understand why her parents set up the boundaries. She will have regret for her disobedience and will not wander outside those boundaries again.
What if we searched for the spiritually lost as earnestly as we search for the physically lost? Do we understand the danger that many lives are in?
God created us to be more than just a physical body that turns to dust when we die. He created us in His image with a soul that lives on after the physical body dies. Our soul is in great danger when we wander outside of his boundaries, chasing our own desires and choosing to follow our ways instead of his. If we wander too far, we risk being lost and separated from God, our Heavenly Father, forever.
Eternal separation from God in heaven means eternal torment in hell. This is not what God wants for anyone. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “…he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
God sent his Son, Jesus, to die in our place. He took the punishment for all of our sin and all of our wandering outside of God’s boundaries. “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Sadly, some people do not even realize that they are lost or that there is more to life than their physical body. The Good Shepherd is seeking those who are lost and has commissioned his followers to do the same. So, I ask myself, and I ask those who understand this danger, “Do we understand the urgency in searching for the lost and bringing them to the Good Shepherd?”
A person’s race, social status and lifestyle does not matter in our search. God loves everyone and wants “everyone to come to repentance.”
Jesus tells a story to illustrate the importance of each individual’s well-being in Luke 15:4-7. “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”
We must remember why Jesus came. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
We must heed the words that Jesus shares with his disciples in Matthew 9:36-38. “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’” We must pray and be willing to go.
As believers and followers of Christ, we must also take seriously our calling. “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18-20).
How will you respond to the urgency in seeking the lost? Are you willing to search for those who need to hear the message of the Gospel? Go share the good news before it is too late!
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” (Romans 10:13-15)
Everybody loves a good story. These were some of my childhood favorites.
Everybody loves a good story, and I have heard many over my lifetime. My mom started reading to me before I could even talk. She started me out on the Little Golden Books and Dr. Seuss. Later she read me chapter books such as “The Little House on the Prairie” series. I loved snuggling next to her and listening as she brought each story to life.
Her mom told me stories as well, although she rarely read to me from books. Instead, Grandma made up fictitious stories which always included my sister and me. We thought that was great!
When I was old enough to sit still, Mom and Dad sent me to Sunday school. I loved the way my teachers shared stories by sticking shepherds and fluffy sheep on flannelgraph boards.
My teachers also read stories to give us a break from our hard work in grade school. Our minds would take us on big adventures while we listened over milk and cookies.
When I got a little older, I was invited to slumber parties where friends told ghost stories that caused us to “sleep” with the lights on. I preferred the “Dumb Ronda” stories my friend’s older sister, Ronda, would tell us when she came home from her dates. She was funny.
Yes. I’ve heard so many good stories over the years told in many different ways, but the greatest story I’ve ever heard is God’s story. The story began thousands of years ago, but it never gets old. In fact, the story grows more fascinating and more meaningful each time I read it. It’s a true, action-packed love story about God’s pursuit for lost and hurting people.
The story begins with God simply speaking all of creation into existence with His words, “Let there be….” He created a man and a woman and placed them in a beautiful garden where they had everything they could ever desire. He even walked with them and talked with them! But then, they disobeyed the one rule He gave them, and their eyes were opened to their nakedness and sin. God punished them by banishing them from the garden. Yet He extended his grace by covering their nakedness with animal skins.
After that, the battle with sin raged on. The trouble with sin is that it separates us from God, our Creator who is holy and perfect.
Over and over in God’s story, His people would turn away from Him to worship idols and to indulge in self-gratification. They’d forget their need for God and try doing things their own way. Eventually, they would become miserable and cry out for God to save them. They’d vow to obey Him, and things would go well when they did, but then they’d go astray again.
The cycle of obedience with blessing and disobedience with punishment kept repeating. No one could fully obey God’s rules. So, God promised salvation through a Messiah. He vowed to give His people a new heart and to put His Spirit inside them so that they could follow His ways.
More than 700 years after that prophecy, a young virgin named Mary gave birth to Jesus, the promised Messiah. The Bible records story after story about Jesus’ wisdom, compassion and love. He healed the sick and gave sight to the blind. He fed 5000 people by blessing and dividing just five loaves of bread and two fish. He ate with the sinners and offered living water to those who were thirsty. “Follow me,” He said over and over again.
While Jesus lived here on earth, He was tempted with sin just as we are, but He never gave in to those temptations. He kept all the rules that we could never keep. And then, because we are sinners and because the penalty for sin is death and eternal separation from God and because God loves us, Jesus took our punishment for us.
Jesus was wrongly accused, ridiculed, mocked, spat upon, beaten and finally put to death on a cross. He deserved none of it, but, “God wants no one to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
God’s story doesn’t end with Jesus’ death on the cross. After three days, Jesus came back to life. He conquered sin, He conquered death, He made a way for us to have eternal life in heaven.
After His resurrection, Jesus instructed His followers, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…” (Matthew 28:19-20). Then He returned to heaven to be with God the Father, and sent the Holy Spirit to live in those who believe.
The followers did as Jesus commanded, and thousands more believed and followed. They risked their lives when the religious leaders who didn’t believe tried to stop them. Some died because they refused to stop following and refused to stop sharing the truth.
The last story in the Bible is a vision about the future when Jesus will return and put an end to evil. Those who have believed and followed Him will find eternal life in heaven where there will be no more tears, pain or suffering. Those who have not chosen to believe and follow will suffer eternal torment and separation from God.
The Bible is a true story about God’s love for us, but the story doesn’t stop there. God continues to write his amazing love story today through you, me and all of the believers.
When Jesus touches us in a deep and personal way, we just can’t keep from sharing it with others. We want everyone to know how awesome He is and to find the salvation, comfort, healing, joy and peace that we have in Him. We understand the urgency of telling others about His story because we know that He could return at any moment.
Everybody loves a good story, and God’s story is the greatest of all. Don’t be afraid to share it. It’s the most important story you can tell.
I decided to go for just a “30 minute” walk one morning while I was visiting my son and daughter-in-law in Florida. I was familiar with the path I started out on, but I chose to take a different way home. The trouble is, the roads in their neighborhood and the surrounding area don’t exactly run east to west or north to south. On top of that, rather than running for several blocks across town, many of the streets around their home are just one or two block loops. So, taking just one slight turn (And I mean slight!) off of the path I needed to be on totally separated me from finding my way back home.
By the time I realized my mistake, I had been gone about 45-50 minutes. I had pushed myself too hard trying to run a while, and I was tired. I had been enjoying the sunshine, but I was thirsty. Even worse, when I looked at my surroundings, I realized that I was lost. Tired, thirsty, lost…
I entered my son’s address into an app on my phone. The outline of the route didn’t make sense, but I had no other choice than to follow the directions. My app told me to turn several times where there was no road to turn on. I was beginning to wonder if I would ever find my way back. Though I was tempted to cut through yards where the app told me to turn, I wasn’t sure if that would actually get me back to the house. Plus, I was afraid of encountering a snake or getting in trouble for trespassing.
Finally, I began to recognize the street names again and arrived back 30 minutes later than I had originally planned. My hands were swollen, my mouth was dry, and my clothes were soaked. I treated myself to a tall glass of water, a much-needed shower and a fresh change of clothes. All was well once again.
I later thought about the whole (rather embarrassing) incident and wondered how many other people out there might be tired, thirsty and lost. Taking care of ourselves physically is important but taking care of ourselves emotionally and spiritually is important as well. In fact, our spiritual well-being is our most important need, because when our physical body wears out and dies, our soul will continue on either to heaven or hell.
When we try to get through life in a way contrary to how God created us to operate, we become spiritually tired and worn. We might try to achieve inner peace by doing good deeds and striving to be recognized as a “good person,” but we can never find true rest unless we repent of our sin and surrender our lives to our Creator. Jesus beckons, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV). Jesus invites us to be yoked to him, to learn from him and to find rest for our souls. When we repent and surrender our lives to Jesus, he sets things right with us and fills us with the Holy Spirit to help us live the way God intended.
We can also be spiritually thirsty and might not even realize it. God created a beautiful world for us, and this world does have a lot to offer. Yet, we must realize that there is really nothing on earth that will satisfy the deepest longing in our heart. Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NLT) says, that God “has planted eternity in the human heart.” Until we quench the thirst of our soul, we will continue to long and to thirst for something more, something eternal. Again, Jesus invites us, as he did the woman at the well, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Lastly, we can be spiritually lost, which is the worst kind of lost there is. Maybe you are so lost that you feel like you could never be accepted by God. Dear friend, this is not true. In Luke 15, Jesus gives us hope as he shares parables about a lost sheep, a lost coin and a lost son.
Jesus talks about an owner of 100 sheep who leaves behind 99 to find the one who is lost. When the owner finds the lost sheep, he rejoices. Jesus says, “In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!”
Next Jesus tells about a woman with 10 coins who searches diligently when she loses one of them. She is so excited when she finds it. Again, Jesus comments, “In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”
And then, Jesus shares one of my favorite stories. He tells about a self-centered son who asks for his inheritance early, leaves his father and wastes all of his money on wild living. When the money is gone, he gets a job feeding pigs and is so hungry that he wants to eat the pods he is feeding them. He finally decides to return to his father, apologize and ask if his dad will hire him as one of his servants. And here my friend, is the BEAUTIFUL part of the story….
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’” Yet the father welcomes him back and even throws him a big party. The father rejoices saying that his son, “was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”
We are all on a journey. There will be good times and difficult times. There isn’t a single person who hasn’t wandered away from God. We’ve all taken a wrong turn (or two, or several). But 2 Peter 3:9 assures us that God wants no one to perish but for everyone to come to repentance.
So, if you are finding yourself, tired, thirsty and lost, read Luke 15. Listen for Jesus’ invitation, and know that God’s desire is that you repent and return to him. He will welcome you back into his arms where you belong.
I’ve never really liked my feet. It’s extremely difficult to find shoes that fit properly because my feet are short and wide with squared off toes. The bottoms of my pinkie toes are squished into a point, and their nails don’t grow right. I also don’t spend much time taking care of my feet. So, my heels are usually cracked, and my toe nails usually look atrocious.
I’m ready for summer and flipflop weather, but at the same time, I’m not excited for my feet to be exposed for everyone’s viewing. In fact, as I prepare to take a photo for this blog, I wonder if I should take the time to trim and paint my nails to hide how bad they look.
At the beginning of staff meeting last week, our Campus Minister asked us to bring our phones into the auditorium. He had placed a mat with an Easter invitation on the floor. He told us each to take a photo of our feet on the mat and then post it to social media with #ChristsChurch #HopeForAll. Although I participated, I was a little disappointed that I hadn’t worn fancier shoes that day. At least my feet weren’t bare.
I watched all of the photos of our staff’s feet circulating around social media and thought about all the different shoes and the personalities that went along. A couple of days later, I noticed a post by someone outside of staff. Katie had come in for band practice and taken a photo of her feet on the mat. That’s when I was hit by the sweetness of the photo and what it meant. The words of Isaiah echoed in my mind,
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” ~Isaiah 52:7
I thought about each of the posts I had seen and all of the different feet. Each set of feet belongs to a person who has walked a unique journey. Each person could tell you about happy adventures their feet had taken them on, but each person could share stories about the trials and struggles along the way as well.
Whatever path each of us have taken, the one thing in common with all of those feet is that the people they belong to have chosen to follow Jesus and to proclaim his truth and love as they go. Every believer has a story to tell about the way Jesus has made a difference in their life.
It doesn’t matter if our feet look worn and neglected or if they are regularly pampered with pedicures. It doesn’t matter if we wear sparkly heels, leather boots or battered sneakers. What matters is if those feet are willing to go and to take the good news to share with others.
My heart is warmed each time I see a post with feet planted on the Easter invitation mat or a post of a hand holding an Easter invitation they will pass along. Each post reveals a person who has been impacted by Jesus in such a way that they can’t help but share his goodness with others.
God is pure and holy. He created each of us in his image, but we have all sinned by choosing to do things our own way instead of his. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus. God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son to die on a cross and pay the penalty for our sin. This free gift of grace is offered to everyone no matter what they have done. We simply have to believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God and accept him as our Lord and Savior. In doing so, we repent of our sin, turning from our ways to his and following him. Through Jesus, we find forgiveness, salvation, hope and peace, and that is good news worth sharing.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.’” ~Romans 10:14-15
I have seen many sunrises over the Atlantic Ocean in Florida, but I recently saw my first sunset over the ocean. My son, daughter-in-law and I took a quick trip to Siesta Key on the gulf side of Florida one December afternoon. The white sand on this beach stays cool unlike the sand on the east coast that sometimes burns our feet. Shortly before sunset, we traveled a short distance down the coast to Venice Beach so that I could stick my toes into black sand for the first time. That is also where I saw my first sunset over the ocean. What a wonderful afternoon with so many beautiful sights to see from the sand and shells below my feet to the ocean waves, water creatures, plants, birds and ever-changing sky!
When was the last time you really stopped and marveled at all the extraordinary detail in the world around us? The sky may appear bright blue and sunny with fluffy white clouds or be dark and with gray clouds and bolts of lightning. The gorgeous sunsets painted with yellow, orange, pink and purple fade into darkness illuminated by the soft glow of the moon and too many stars to count.
Have you noticed the wide variety of plants scattered across the earth? There are trees that flower, trees that produce fruit and trees that provide nuts. There are trees with needles or leaves that remain green year-round and trees with green leaves that change to vibrant hues of yellow, orange, red and purple before falling to the ground as the weather turns cold. If we further explore the terrain, we find several types of grasses, vines, cacti, succulents, garden plants and weeds. There are flowers with different shapes, colors and scents including tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, roses, daisies, poppies, sunflowers, mums….
Have you given much thought to how many different animals exist? Our rivers and lakes contain freshwater fish such as bass, bluegill, catfish and trout, while jellyfish, stingrays, sharks, and whales must live in saltwater. Lift your eyes to see owls, cardinals, geese, eagles and a wide variety of feathered birds which can fly. Look hard and you will find the tiny insects including ants, lightening bugs, dragonflies, bumblebees and grasshoppers. Watch the ground for snakes, lizards and turtles covered with dry scaly skin or for furry animals like mice, cats, dogs, horses and deer. Admire the exotic peacocks, majestic lions, giant giraffes and enormous elephants. The list goes on and on.
Every human is a unique creation as well. Our eyes can be different shapes and colors. Our hair may be straight, wavy or curly, course or fine and a wide range of colors. We can have various skin colors, different characteristics and diverse personalities. We may not look the same, yet all of us are fearfully and wonderfully made.
We have a complex body made up of trillions of cells. Our hearts pump blood which carries oxygen to every cell of our bodies, our stomachs digest food for nutrients and energy and our brains help us speak, move, process thoughts, solve problems and remember important details. We have ears that can hear, eyes that can see, noses that can smell, mouths that can taste, and skin that can feel. Muscles, bones, organs and other systems of the body all work together.
All of creation works together as well. We need plants and animals for food, water to drink, sunlight to help plants grow and clean air to breathe. Of all the planets in our solar system, the earth is created absolutely perfect to sustain life.
The colors, the smells, the tastes, the sounds, the textures and complexities of all creation are too numerous to count. When I think of all of the intricate details, I am in awe of the God who created it. How can one examine all of the beauty and wonder around them and not know there is a God?
Romans 1:20 in the NLT says,
For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
As I reflect on God and all that he is, I find it important to realize that he is the creator of everything. He created us in his very image. Praise God for such a beautiful and fascinating creation. Praise him for the miracle of life and for souls that live on even after our bodies wear out. May our hearts be full of wonder and awe and be drawn to our awesome and holy Creator. As we behold the magnificent creation around us, may we worship the Creator who spoke it all into existence and who holds it all together.
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. ~Colossians 1:15-17 NLT
I used to love snow as a child. My excitement would surface with the sight of the first snowflake, and I would watch and wait with the happy anticipation that school would be canceled the next day. Snow days meant building snowmen, sledding, participating in snowball fights, sliding around on the ice, creating snow angels, making snow ice cream and then drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows when Mom called me back inside. Those were happy days.
As a young adult, I became a mother and watched my own kids have fun doing all the same things that I had done as a child. I loved it at first. However, as the kids grew older, and I became busier, I got tired of the mess that came with the snow. After years of wiping up the wet floors and washing and drying loads of wet and muddy coats, snow pants and clothing, “playing in the snow” didn’t seem that fun to me anymore.
I have grown to dread winter more and more with every passing year. I still detest the mess it makes on my floor. I don’t like when my kids have to drive 70-100 miles on slick roads to get to college. And now that I’m older, my body just can’t tolerate the frigid wind and freezing temperatures anymore. While I used to get excited at the first snow flake of the season, I now get cranky at the mention of the “s” word.
I dread it. I detest it. I complain about it. Yet, as much as I hate to admit this, something strange and unexpected happens to my grumpy attitude when I look outside my window and see that first big snowfall of the year. As I survey my surroundings, the world seems so quiet and still. Surprisingly, I experience a feeling of peace. I forget about the impending mess, the danger of the icy roads and even the chill in my frozen, old bones. The depressing brown landscape and the weeds that had overtaken the yard by the end of summer are hidden beneath the glittery white blanket. Everything is fresh and white. It reminds me of something David wrote,
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:7)
By the grace of God and the blood of Jesus, we can be washed whiter than snow, no matter what we’ve done. You see, God created everything, and He created man in His image. All was good until we humans sinned by deciding to do things our way instead of God’s. (Adam and Eve ate from the tree that God told them not to eat from). God is holy, and sin separates us from God. The penalty for sin is death; all sinners are doomed. The wonderful news is that God sent His Son, Jesus, to provide a way for us to be made right with God again. Jesus became God in the flesh, lived here on earth and was tempted in every way just like we are, but Jesus never gave in to those temptations. He lived a perfect life without sin so that He could take the death penalty for us. He died on the cross in our place and rose from the dead, conquering sin and death. If we accept His gift of salvation and commit our lives to following Him, our slate is wiped clean. We can stand before God because we have accepted the gift of salvation through Jesus, and that is great news.
So sometimes, I suppose the snow can be a good thing as it draws me into the stillness of the world and causes me to reflect on what Jesus has done for me. It is a humble reminder in my grouchiness that I was bought with a price and that the power of his cleansing blood washes me whiter than snow.
God’s people were suffering in slavery and crying out. God heard their cries and decided to come down to rescue them. He chose to call Moses and work through him. However, Moses had a lot of excuses as to why He couldn’t be a part of God’s plan. Moses sounded something like this, “I’m nobody…. I don’t know what to say…. What if they don’t believe me?… I am slow of speech and tongue…. Please, send someone else.”
Of course, God had all of the answers. He would be with Moses, and Moses should tell the people that it was he who sent Moses. He reminded Moses that this wasn’t Moses’ job but that he would display his power through Moses. God made it clear that he is the one who created Moses and his tongue, and he would help him speak. God worked through Moses to rescue his people from their misery and their slavery.
Years later, God came down through his Son, Jesus, to rescue his people from their slavery to sin. Jesus lived a perfect life and paid for our sins by dying on the cross. He rose from the dead and before ascending into heaven, he left instructions,
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…. (Matthew 28:18-20a)
The beauty of God’s story is that just as God called an unlikely, ordinary guy like Moses, he has also called each of us no matter how unlikely we or others view ourselves. That’s right, God has called you! Just like Moses, you may have a list of excuses as well, but Jesus didn’t leave us hanging helplessly with his final instructions. He finished verse 20 with these words,
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
After Jesus ascended into heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit. When we accept Jesus as our Savior and our Lord, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us. The Holy Spirit will always be with us, give us the power and give us the words.
Just as God was with Moses, he is with us. God wants to reach down through you to rescue his people. Look around. Where is God at work, and whose heart is he working on? As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, it’s the perfect time to share with others who God is and what he has done. Will you obey his call?
The third Advent candle is the “Shepherd Candle” or the “Candle of Joy.” This candle reminds us that God sent the angels to announce the birth of Jesus first to the lowly shepherds. Just as he chose to spread the Good News about Jesus through these ordinary men, he still uses ordinary people to spread the Good News of Jesus today. The pink color represents joy or rejoicing and reveals a shift from repentance toward celebration.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. ~Luke 2:8-20
Today, I saw two men standing by a tall wooden cross on the beach. One of the men was a retired Marine; the other was retired from the Army. They were asking people to pray for our country and our troops and also handing out papers declaring that Jesus is America’s only hope. The men were striking up conversations with people asking if they were Christians. If the person answered, “yes,” they were asked, “What would your answer be if you were to stand before God today, and he asked why he should let you into heaven?” One of the men told me that they were saddened by the amount of people who called themselves Christians but thought they would get to heaven just because they go to church or because they are good people. They wanted to make sure people know that our hope of eternal life comes only through our faith in Jesus. The men explained that they believe the end times are near and that we need to share the Gospel with as many people as we can.
God wants all of us to share the Good News about Jesus with others. You don’t have to be a Bible scholar, the pastor of a church or a Sunday school teacher. You just have to find your way of sharing God’s message of love, salvation and hope with those who need to hear. Who will you share the Good News with this week?
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” ~Isaiah 52:7
I watched all of the photos of our staff’s feet circulating around social media and thought about all the different shoes and the personalities that went along. A couple of days later, I noticed a post by someone outside of staff. Katie had come in for band practice and taken a photo of her feet on the mat. That’s when I was hit by the sweetness of the photo and what it meant. The words of Isaiah echoed in my mind,
