Flashlight Tag!
It has been a day full of many things, the mundane, the planned, and the unexpected – some more trying than others. Help us, Father, to work our way through them all, following after Your will and wisdom. Amen.
Romans 10:16-21 (<<click here to read the passage)
In Middle School, my dad pastored in Mason, Ohio. We lived at the head of Jefferson Drive and our home stood on a double lot, I think. There were a lot of kids in our neighborhood and our place was the designated spot for flashlight tag!
Play would begin after dark and the old willow in the far corner was our base. We would all start there and the person that was it would count to 100 and then slip out in pursuit of the others. The object was to get back to base without being caught in the beam of the flashlight.
I was often “it” and loved it – I’m pretty sure they loved me being “it” because I was very good at my job and could creep up on them without them even knowing I was there! We had such a good time!
This fun memory came to mind as I read through today’s passage. Verse 20, in particular, triggered my recollection.
“I was found by those who did not seek me;
I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.” NIV
In our childhood game, we were trying not to get caught, but God showed Himself for who He is over and over again. Unfortunately, God’s chosen people – the Israelites – refused to see. It was their dream…their hope but when the reality of all their hopes and dreams stood before them embodied in Jesus of Nazareth, they refused to believe.
So, God – as He had proclaimed in millennia past – “was found by those who did not seek me; He revealed myself to those who did not ask for Him.”
We must be careful ourselves. Though God has been found by us, it is only by His grace and mercy that we have done so. Verse 17 reads,
So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. NLT
That’s one of those verses that I distinctly remember learning from the King James Version in my youth and it reads,
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. NKJV
It is a gift. May we manage and may we cherish it well. Amen.
July 19th, 2023, Wed, 8:26 pm
Beautiful Feet?
Thank You, Father, for the kindness of others. We were blessed with the gifts today of an honorable man. Bless him for his willingness to share. Amen.
Romans 10:14-15 (<<click here to read the passage)
Recently I happened to be visiting an elderly woman in a care facility. Her daughter was there as well and while there did a beautiful thing for her mother – she trimmed her fingernails…but then she trimmed her toenails!
It needed doing and I understand that the foot doctor is to visit in the next couple of weeks, but she took the time and effort and humbly accepted a daunting and unpleasant task. At the same time, she did it knowing that her mother, being in the advanced stages of dementia, would not remember nor acknowledge that act of love.
The mother’s feet were anything but beautiful. The daughter’s feet on the other hand were radiantly beautiful – and in regard to her, I’m not speaking of the appendages on the end of her legs.
The last part of verse 15 of today’s passage says,
“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” NIV
Now the daughter didn’t verbalize good news, but she most definitely lived out the Good News that she has within her heart.
James, the brother of Jesus, said,
But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning]… James 1:22a AMP
Living out our faith is extremely important – if we don’t “walk the talk”, as they say, people won’t listen to anything we have to say, but we must also freely share verbally what God is all about…what He has done and is doing in our lives.
We are to be purveyors of hope…and love…and peace. We are God’s earthly ambassadors. He doesn’t have to use us, but He chooses to use us. We are the way in which He predominantly communicates with the world…at work, at school, in our families…you name it, you are there for a reason – to spread God’s love to a world desperately in need of it.
Get those beautiful feet out there and get busy!
July 18th, 2023, Tues, 7:08 pm
The Importance of Maintenance
My body is weary this evening, Father. Some good and solid labor in the heat and humidity of the day has taken its toll. Thank You, for the ability to labor. Thank You for the energy to help see the task to completion.
********
One thing we were given many years ago by Karen’s dad was a “homemade” log splitter. Back in the 80s, he and several of his work buddies put their talents together and built it. It is constructed with an I-beam and is solid as all get out.
I cannot begin to tell you how many cords of wood he split with that thing. (A cord of wood is 4x4x8 feet or 128 cubic feet of wood.) And now we use it for the same thing.
Being that it is well over 30 years old, I’ve had to replace the engine (I am not mechanically inclined but amazingly I did it myself!) and for some time now we have needed to replace its tires – it has a hitch so it can be towed wherever it is needed.
One other thing I have thought about lately is that we needed to see about having the hydraulic system checked – that’s what creates the pressure to split the wood. Well, this afternoon, I came to the shocking realization that I had thought too long about it. Massey was feeding wood in to be split and I was running the lever to do so when suddenly, a hydraulic line blew, soaking my right side with warm hydraulic fluid! It wasn’t under enough pressure to hurt me, but I was an oily mess!
In life, we learn that it is important to have some knowledge of the things we work with and to make sure that we perform regular maintenance on them. Massey and I know how to operate the splitter, but we were negligent in its maintenance. I can honestly claim ignorance in that, as I mentioned, I am not mechanically inclined.
Spiritually speaking, especially those with experience around church and its practices, know what it means to have a relationship with Jesus. Up front, all we can do is accept his free gift of pardon – we cannot buy it or earn it. But as our relationship with Him advances, we come to realize that it requires an investment of time and effort on our part to maintain that relationship.
We cannot claim ignorance, we know – as with any relationship – what we must do to keep that relationship vibrant. If we neglect that “maintenance” we are the ones who lose out. Keeping those channels of love and communication open provides an immense amount of direction and guidance in our lives. When we neglect our relationship with Jesus, we can no longer receive direction and guidance in that the lines of communication are down and ineffective.
So, don’t forget a regular “maintenance” program with Your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ – don’t blow it on the most important relationship of your life!
Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart
And do not rely on your own insight or understanding
In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him,
And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way]. Proverbs 3:5-6 AMP
July 17th, 2023, Mon, 7:50 pm
It’s Not Complicated!
Thank You, Father, for good times of worship this morning. I am abundantly blessed. May I be a tool in Your hand accomplishing what You deem best! Amen!
Romans 10:5-13 (<<click here to read the passage)
One thing that frustrates me is the tasks I have to complete that are so involved and complicated. It seems they could easily be simplified, which would benefit everyone!
One task is filing my taxes. It’s crazy! All the questions and the required statistics. Maybe some find it simple but I, for one, do not! I despise doing them. Just give us a flat tax already!
Church paperwork is another area that comes very close to giving me an anxiety attack! Just about everything involved in the process stresses me out. I have yet to meet anyone in any church or in any place of leadership that likes doing any of it!
But the necessary “evils” of the world in which we live… They are important to take seriously and complete if things are to move forward and function in the way we need them to.
There’s one more thing that seems to get overwhelmingly complicated, yet, it is one of the simplest things we can do…seeking and finding our salvation before God. In this passage from Romans Paul once again speaks of the futility of trying to abide by all the rules and regulations of the Law.
For that to work, we cannot break a single rule or regulation…not even one! It is impossible! It can not be done! But many Jews and Christians alike throughout the millennia have got it in their heads that can or will die trying! And that’s exactly what they will do…they will die trying…and they will never succeed…
So, what is the answer? Paul spelled it out very clearly, and God’s Word through Paul says it better than I ever could. (Please, take the time to read through these words with great patience and thought.)
“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word [the message, the basis] of faith which we preach—because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] will not be disappointed [in his expectations].” For there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile; for the same Lord is Lord over all [of us], and [He is] abounding in riches (blessings) for all who call on Him [in faith and prayer]. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord [in prayer] will be saved.” vs8-13 AMP
We make it complicated, but it is not. May God’s Word ring true in our hearts and minds!
July 16th, 2023, Sun, 8:04 pm
A Rock in the Path
Thank You, Father, for a beautiful summer day! Radiant sunshine filled our day and lifted our spirits! All praise to our Creator God!
Romans 9:30-10:4 (<<click here to read the passage)
We probably mow over 2 acres of our lot. Though we’ve done so for well over 30 years, it is not a smooth lot to mow. The many trees all have root systems and there are lots of roots. And though we’ve removed several trees near the house, where they used to be present problems in that over time the root systems have decayed leaving indentations everywhere – some large where the trunk used to be and others not so big, yet jarring, where roots ran under the ground for a ways.
And then there are rocks. Many have been moved but there are a couple that lie just above the surface and if you’re not careful and hit them just right…BAM! You hear the blades careen right into them!
Rocks can be problematic, to say the least…especially if you ignore their presence. The people of Israel, too, stumbled over the great rock in their path. v32b And they had been aware of it for generations!
God had warned them of this stone’s coming, through the Prophet Isaiah – 700 years before Jesus’ arrival!
The Apostle Paul shares God’s words to Isaiah,
“I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble,
….a rock that makes them fall.
But anyone who trusts in him
….will never be disgraced.” v33
God gave a warning but in the same breath, He gave hope!
They (and we for that matter!) may stumble but the answer is a simple matter of trust! It is clearly stated here in verses 3-4 of chapter 10
For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God. NLT
To the Israelites and many today as well, just accepting God’s gift of “rightness” doesn’t make sense. We feel that we have to work for it. We have the stupid thought running through our minds that if it’s free it must not be legitimate. There must be blood, sweat, and tears to be worthwhile. And that is true, there was a great amount of blood, sweat, and tears, they’re just not ours… they are Christ’s…
The heavy price has been paid…and all we have to do is accept it, giving our lives to Him. Amen.
July 13th, 2023, Thurs, 9:31 pm