Read What He’s Written
Dear Father, my mind is like spring! Things are popping up that I did not realize were there! May my joy continue, and may they continue to grow under the rays of the Son and the Living Water that is poured forth! Amen.
Acts 9:19b-31 (<<click here to read the passage)
I want to begin by saying that reading the Bible is very important for any follower of Jesus. There are so many things that we discover when we do so. One thing that stuck out for me were the number of songs that came to mind, especially hymns! Of course, it makes perfect sense that God’s Word would inspire so much great music. So many other genres of music have had quite a bit of inspiration from the Scriptures as well.
Reading the Bible has to be something you put your mind to. Some sections can be difficult to get through – the Old Testament books of the Law for example. Some years ago, I made a point of reading through the Bible several times over an extended period. With a 40-minute commute at the time, I also listened to the Bible on CD several times over. I am not attempting to be boastful; it is just the path that I took. I was amazed at how much that overall view of God’s Word made me aware of how many things touched each other and overlapped from Old Testament to New.
Right before I started journaling back in 2015, I switched gears and begin very methodically going through the Bible. I picked up right where I was reading at the time, which was the book of Ephesians. So instead of striving to read the entirety of Scripture as often as I could, I shifted to reading and thinking about much shorter sections of Scripture. It allowed me to go deep and not just wide.
It’s getting close to 7 years, but I still have gotten through even the New Testament! It’s been a much slower process. But honestly, both are beneficial to our growth spiritually.
The reason I speak of such things is that I learned something through today’s passage that I never knew. I heard it for the first time in my attempt to delve a bit into podcasts. I started listening to one entitled, The Early Christian Church. (I enjoyed it, though it’s probably not a topic everyone would get into.) Then I read it again in the notes of my Application Study Bible.
I never realized that Saul (later Paul) didn’t go straight from his place of conversion, Damascus, to Jerusalem! That happened three years later! Why did I not know this?!
We learn the chain of events in Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia. Following his conversion he states,
…I did not rush out to consult with any human being. Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus.
Then three years later I went to Jerusalem… Galatians 1:16c-18a NLT
My point simply is…read the Bible! Do what you can. Try to be consistent. Don’t feel pressured to read it all. The Gospel of John is a great place to start. The New Testament is a bit easier to get through but there are many wonderful things in the Old Testament as well.
You’d prefer seeking out a bit more depth of a smaller amount of Scripture? Get a study Bible. The Life Application one I have is great and it’s available in many different translations. Not sure which translation to use? Reach out to me and I can give you some direction.
All in all, one of the best ways to draw closer to God is to read what He’s written for us. Go for it!
Mar 23rd, 2022, Wed, 1:00 pm
Called to Commitment, Not Comfort
Father, today has been a mixed bag of joy and sorrow, with quite a bit of normalcy stirred in. Please continue to guide my heart and hands as we come together once more. May Your word be spread widely abroad! Amen.
Acts 9:15-16 (<<click here to read the passage)
It never surprises me how often God meshes different parts of our lives to one point of clarity. This is one of those times. The recent deaths of loved ones – a believe me there have been far too many, this particular passage of Scripture, and a recent choice of music to which I listen through the Bluetooth in my new hearing aids!
I’ve already shared a couple of times of loss we have suffered, but my Aunt Ruth and Hank are but two of several. They are heaven’s gain, but we still mourn the loss of a wonderful neighbor, two elderly saints from my one church, a dear friend I worked with at Kohl’s, and a young cousin’s husband. Yes, I will see them all again some sweet day but each one is one more weight on my heart…
Then as I read through the notes of the passage regarding Saul’s conversion, I saw this note on verses 15-16.
First these verses,
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is a [deliberately] chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will make clear to him how much he must suffer and endure for My name’s sake.” Acts 9:15-16 AMP
Then the note from Life Application Study Bible,
Faith in Christ brings great blessings but often great suffering, too. Paul would suffer for his faith (see 2 Corinthians 11:23-27). God calls us to commitment, not to comfort. He promises to be with us through suffering and hardship, not to spare us from them. (emphasis mine)
I would be remiss if I did not have you read that passage from 2 Corinthians,
Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 NLT
Saul, who the Lord renamed, Paul, definitely went on to suffer and like my loved ones who have joined the multitudes of heaven, their suffering did not distance them from their Savior, but drew them closer.
The last part of the puzzle is a song by one of my favorite artists, Gordon Mote. (Check him out on Spotify or any other music platform.) His 2013 release, All Things New features the song For You.
Here are the lyrics and a link to listen to a wonderful song that ties in all together. Thank you, Lord, for the work You do in our lives regardless of what it brings us.
There’s an endless list of reasons
I should sing your praise
You’ve showered me with blessings
All along the way
Lord, I’m so grateful
For You are so faithful to me
You’ve poured out Your goodness
And my cup overflows
You’ve covered me with mercy
You’ve satisfied my soul
Bread and living water
You are the Friend and Father I need
And if my world should crumble
And sorrow comes to call
From the ashes I will testify
You’re with me through it all
Lord, I love You, I worship You, for You
Yes, I love You, I worship You, for You
If the road that I must follow
Is a road a loss and pain
I’ll choose to give You glory
Yes, I will bless Your name
I will be Your witness
Even when I’m driven to my knees
Cause even if You lead me
Where I would not choose to go
If it has to be Gethsemane
I want the world to know
Lord, I love You, I worship You, for You
Yes, I love You, I worship You, for You
Almighty, Most Holy
God, You and You alone
Are worthy, so worthy
My heart aches to make you known
Even if my world should crumble
And sorrow comes to call
From the ashes I will testify
You’re with me through it all
Lord, I love You, I worship You, for You
Yes, I love You, I worship You, for You
Mar 22nd, 2022, Tues, 1:06 pm
God’s Fingerprint
A full day, Father, but I would have had it no other way. Remembering one of Your faithful servants in the middle of a normal day of bus routes. Use me however and whenever You can. Amen.
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As I mentioned, I had the privilege of officiating the graveside service of a wonderful man of God who faithfully attended and served one of my churches. I’ve had some things rumbling around my head and felt that I should get them out to help me deal with my feelings on it all.
The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 12,
The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. v12
…and God has put each part just where he wants it. v18
All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. v27 NLT
As I lay in bed last night, I couldn’t clear my mind of the thoughts of today’s service and Hank, in particular. There in the darkness, it came to mind that Hank was one of Christ’s fingers. He readily yielded himself to Jesus to use him to touch the lives of so many people, on so many levels of life.
I was amazed at the number of people who showed up at his graveside service this morning. Many of them were family, but by no means were they all. I don’t think you show up at a graveside service unless you feel strongly about someone and how they impacted your life.
…I am overwhelmed as to where to begin even.
God left His fingerprint on all who crossed Hank’s path. As his family said, “He was funny, curious, easy-natured, and caring…” I don’t think he had a mean bone in his body!
To start with, through him God touched his wife, his five children and their partners, as well as his eight grandchildren. It is impossible to miss the impression God’s fingerprint has left on them all.
He was a mailman for 28 years, touching every person with whom he came in contact. He was a churchman for far longer than I have known him (I had the honor of being his pastor for almost 20 years!) He served as a trustee and freely shared his musical abilities. We all were touched by his willingness to be used as Christ’s finger on our lives.
The thing is he wasn’t showy or flashy. He was not a complicated man, yet he was deep. He was modest, living a life of utmost humility. He had a ready laugh, and I don’t know how many times his use of the word “golly” made me smile.
Yes, Hank allowed God to use him to place His fingerprint on so many throughout his short life of 78 years but, what I can’t forget is that he touched me, too…
The life of the pastor for many of us is a lonely one. We have many friends but few…very few…close friends. It’s nobody’s fault, it’s just the way it is, and maybe I didn’t tell him in so many words, but Hank was my friend.
He was my encourager extraordinaire. Rarely did a Sunday go by that he didn’t comment on something I had written. I cherished them all. He gave me a book entitled, The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions, that molded and inspired my writings for some time. He was behind me 100% of the time and he made sure I knew it. I was blessed to have him as part of my life. And what I’ve shared doesn’t scratch the surface of what he meant to me.
Lord Jesus, may we all strive to reflect Your heart as Hank did. May we cherish the fingerprints You have left on our lives through the lives of those who have loved You so dearly. Amen.
Mar 21st, 2022, Mon, 7:34 pm
OB! (Oh, Brother!)
Thank You, Father, for the blessing of a wonderful day spent with my love! What better way to fill my day! I would ask for Your guiding hand on my shoulder this evening. May the words that fill the page find Your inspiration from beginning to end. Amen.
Acts 9:10-19a (<<click here to read the passage)
In recent years Karen and I have developed a few acronyms that we use when texting each other. They are shortened versions of actual words but often that is all we need to communicate brief information. Some may be used by others, and some may be ours alone, I really don’t know.
A couple of them are, OMW – on my way, GM – got mail, and DU – door unlocked. They are just short bits of information, that make our lives a little easier.
Another one we use quite regularly is OB – Oh, brother! Sometimes this one is used with an emoji of a face rolling its eyes. Sometimes the face alone suffices. Often, it is in reaction to her orneriness. Anyone that knows her well, knows she can be ornery as all get out! (Of course, she never thinks that of me…wink, wink!)
In today’s passage, the Lord speaks to a faithful disciple by the name of Ananias, a resident of Damascus. We know he is a faithful disciple for when the Lord calls his name in a vision, his immediate response is, “Yes, Lord!” v10b
The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” vs11-12
Now understandably, where there was not the least bit of hesitation on Ananias’ part when the Lord called him, there is hesitation now! In essence, Ananias cries out, not in reference to orneriness but in fear, “Oh, brother!”
“But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.”vs13-14 NLT
The Lord isn’t messing around, but responds with the command, “Go…” and Ananias obeys, for he trusts the Lord.
Interestingly enough, when he finds Saul, he doesn’t try to reach out to him with a ten-foot pole but approaches him boldly and in essence once more exclaims, “Oh, brother…” Where at first this was cried out with quite a bit of trepidation, this time he does so with the utmost of love and acceptance. His exact statement began with words, “Brother Saul…” v17
In the family of God, they were not enemies, they were not to fear one another, they were brothers in Christ! Where there had been fear, now there was love.
Ananias lived out what the Apostle John would later verbalize in 1 John 4:18,
There is no fear in love [dread does not exist]. But perfect (complete, full-grown) love drives out fear… AMP
As my Life Application Study Bible says,
It is not always easy to love others, especially when we are afraid of them or doubt their motives. Nevertheless, we must follow Jesus’ command (John 13:34) and Ananias’ example, showing loving acceptance to other believers.
Mar 20th, 2022, Sun, 8:29 pm
Not a Single One Is Forgotten
Father, expected sad news has come. Comfort the family in their loss. Comfort us all…
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The other morning on my elementary route, I saw an opossum on the side of the road. It was alive but you could tell that it wasn’t far from not being so. More than likely, it had been hit by a vehicle, not enough to kill but enough to cripple it hastening death’s approach.
I am thinking that someone I know recently commented on having a pet opossum, or at the very least having a disposition to them. From many other conversations I have had, they would be one of the thousands who cannot stand them. Most people find them ugly and reprehensible with a little bit of creepy mixed in. They tend to throw them into the same category as rats. With their hairless tails and rough appearance, I suppose it’s easy to do.
I wouldn’t want to run across one in my yard in the dark hours of the morning, but I’ve come to appreciate them much more than I used to. They will catch and eat cockroaches, rats, and mice – in addition to consuming dead animals of all types. Gardeners appreciate opossums’ appetite for snails, slugs and for cleaning up over-ripe fruit and berries. (The kill all kinds of snakes, too!)
Another great benefit to our ecosystem is that because they are excellent groomers (who knew?!), they kill more than 95% of the ticks that try to feed on them! They’re like natural little vacuum cleaners eating an estimated 5,000 ticks in a season! What a great benefit they are!
But would you help an injured opossum if you saw one? Most of us would have to say no…they don’t really bite – though they may hiss to look scary and fear of them having rabies is silly. Rabies is extremely rare in opossums, perhaps because they have a much lower body temperature compared to other warm-blooded animals.
Though it may be strange, I can’t help but see myself in the opossum lying beside the road that morning. Hurt by the world and cast aside with no thought or care – from a spiritual perspective in particular. The devil just laughs, and the rest of humanity is in the same boat as I.
Only Jesus cares. He stops. He embraces. He loves. I, in my desperate and hopeless state, surely don’t deserve any of it. But He is there for me as no one else can be.
I know that you will not find opossums in the Bible, but will you bear with me for just a moment? In Luke 12:6-7 Jesus said,
“What is the price of [an opossum] …? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole [passel of opossums]. NLT [paraphrase mine]
What can I say, Lord Jesus, I am Yours and Yours alone, for You first loved me…
Mar 17th, 2022, Thurs, 12:48 pm