For Us.

Ash Wednesday allows us to step back and prepare to journey with Jesus to the cross. We realize that we are sinners and without God's gift doomed to the dark valley of death. As the ashes were placed on my forehead I thought of all the bad things I have done, and said while I tried to live this life on my own. But the great thing is that we know the end of the story. We are not worthy of His gift. Can you imagine Barabbas and how he felt. He committed a crime and was being punished for his deeds and next to him was this man who was not a criminal but was willing to give His life because God demanded it. The following is a poem which might give some insight into Barabbas and his feelings as he went free and this blameless man took his place. This lent may we all remember our sin and helplessness. May we realize that Jesus came to be our eternal offering.

Forgive them Father.

I am but a thief
set free by them,
Passover my saving grace.

"The King of the Jews
crucify him."
Ignorantly echoed forth.

Climbing Golgotha
the cross His load
tap, tap, tap three nails in place.

The King of the Jews
titled by them
hangs as soldiers cast their lots.

Forgive them Father
I hear Him say
For they know not what they do.

I am Barabbas
set free by Him,
Jesus Christ, my saving grace.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Last Saturday afternoon my husband and I went to see "The Body" exhibit at the Mary Brogan museum. It was something we had heard of years earlier when we were first married and lived in St. Petersburg. We had wanted to go but at that point in was new and the tickets were over one hundred dollars. So now that a similar exhibit came to Tallahasse and the prices were more reasonable we were excited to go. My husband is a funeral director and I knew that it would be very educational to go with him. He would be able to explain things that the literature or the tapes would not. It was such a wonderful opportunity to see the inner workings of the body. You were up close and personal with bones, muscles, organs and the circulatory system. We walked around and talked about things. It was simply amazing. It was like being inside the the inner workings of a factory. All these parts that look like globs or tangled lines worked alone and together in a certain role to make the body move, think and live. As we walked around examining things; looking at things we might never see in that state again I could not stop thinking about my God. What an awesome God. Anyone that has seen that exhibit could not possible deny the existence of God. "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful. I know that full well." Psalms 139:13-14

We are wonderfully made. He knitted together our parts from the smallest to the largest part. He placed life into us. He made all those parts that look like globs or tangled lines function in they way He wanted them to work. Our human body did not just happen it was made by a loving Father who controls our world and loves us more than we could ever imagine. He made perfect bodies to inhabit the world and prepare us for Heaven. One day we will leave our bodies behind and our souls will unite in that perfect place. What an amazing God to create something that is such a complex mystery to us. What an amazing God to breathe life into us and allow the mind He created to have the free will to chose Him or not. We are fearfully and wonderfully made.

To give or not to give.

Giving is often an uncomfortable topic for congregations. I have to admit that I was one of those people. I tried to hold on to my money so tight. I was more than willing to give the church what I felt I could part with. My husband has always been the opposite. He is a financial giver from buying lunch for a friend to stopping at every lemon aid stand and making sure a kid makes something. The differences in he and me I have to admit bothered me greatly. So I asked God to change my heart. I wanted to be not only a giver but a cheerful one. It was not easy and at times it is still not easy. But as the saying goes nothing easy is worthwhile. The great thing is that when we do the things that God asks of us it always ends up blessing us as much as blessing others.
In today's economy I have heard many discuss their fears of salary cut and or lay offs. Many are concerned about how this will effect the Church tithes. I understand that in reality church giving will go down. What I do not understand is why we are not talking about going without cable, cell phones, hair and nail appointments. Is it just easy to cut God off? We are so use to having those things that we have begun to think of them as necessities and not luxury items. I did a search the other day on what the bible has to say about giving and I found one verse that really spoke to me. Malachi 3:10 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." Now don't get me wrong I am not saying that a person should give and end up with no money for food or shelter. What I am saying is that in these days will we all have faith in the words of the Lord in Malachi. That we will weight the options and decided what is truly important. For if we hold those luxury items above our duty to God we only belittle the gift He gave us that special Christmas morning. We turn our backs to the innocent man that suffered on the cross to pay the price of our sinfulness.

Lord please touch and change our hearts. Let us give to you the things that are yours in the first place. May we make choices which will bring our hearts more like the heart of Jesus.

Wait for the Lord.

I sat last night and turned to my prayer journal to make some notes. I normally list in the back things people have ask me to pray for and the date on which they asked. It is a great way to remember those people and watch God's faithfulness. In the front I normally write a stream of consciousness prayer for what is on my heart. Last night I added a special prayer for a dear friend who has lots going on with her and her family. I have been praying for her family to surround her with positive love and support. Today this person pulled me aside and with tears in her eyes asked for help and prayers. She is dealing with problems with her health and yet she has no time to concentrate on that because her family is falling apart around her. She is so worried about everyone else. She has a strong faith and relies on God for all her concerns, He is always on her lips. I stood in front of her my heart breaking at the latest news and attempted to make sure she was aware if she did not take care of herself she could not help them. We talked I little bit more. I could feel Him there with us and He totally took over. The next thing I knew we were praying. I say we because it was my voice but His words. It was a beautiful moment and He had prepared me for it last night my placing her family on my heart and prayers. We talked about the victory in God on the other side of the current turmoil. God imparted to the two of us the reminder that He has seen the end and we will celebrate with Him when the time is of His will. I was reminded of Psalm 27:14 "Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord" I fear that she will continue to worry, but I wait for the Lord. I worry that I much like her will take on her needs as my own, but I wait for the Lord. Lord please strengthen us both prepare our hearts to wait for You.

God knows best.

I have been praying for many months for a very close friend of mine. She and I are like sisters in Christ. Last summer I was feeling like the type of friend I was being to her was hurting her rather than helping her. I struggled with what I should do. I always felt a little responsible for her happiness. I knew that many people did not understand her but I saw her through the eyes of God. Some of that was due to the fact that we shared so many silent sins together our life's were very parallel even though we only became friends in the last few years. It is through this sameness that we only kept each other down. I allowed her to stay were she was and I stayed behind her not moving forward myself. So with great faith I pulled back from my old habits and began praying for God to heal her and to show me how to be the friend He wanted me to be for her. For many months I saw no change. Actually things got worse. I feared I needed to step back in and change my approach. But the Lord allowed me to follow His will and continue the prayers. Lately things seem better. She seems more positive and calm. She is less angry and bitter and more loving and charitable. God is so good. At times we all do things that He asks us to and when we do not see the results we expect we begin to doubt. We feel lost in a maze and are not sure we will be able to reach the end. However, if we continue to keep our eyes and ears on Him, we will see the God's will and it is better than we could ever hope.

Even though I walk.

My pastor has been doing a sermon series on Psalm 23. This past Sunday he spoke on verse 4....."Even 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." It seems that it is human nature to be scared of death. It is the unknown; it is the dark part of the path we fear. However this verse tells us that God is with us always. We know that he is with us when we see a breath taking sunset or hear the sweet song of a bird. He is also with us in the dark times. I have always felt that God comes to the broken hearted and gives us strength to move on with our life. Pastor added the idea that God is with us in death. It was at that moment that a saw a new picture of that idea painted. One day we would face the dark place where death is kept but our Lord will be there with us. It is at than moment that the darkness with not be able to stand next to His holy light. He comes to take us at that time to be with Him. The place dark place we most fear will become as bright as the morning light and we will know the beauty that our Father has hidden in our souls. Praise be to God for always seeking His children even on walk through that dark valley.