Joy comes not from the “stuff” of Christmas but from the Hope of Christmas!

I absolutely love the music, the lights, the tree, the many traditions we have established as a family, the giving of gifts, the wonder of children, and so much more. All that is part of it.

But, in the end, it all points me to a bigger reality – one that will not fade or wither or be boxed up after the new year! Those are but fainting reminders of the unfading grace that came down to bridge the gap betwen God and man!

The reality of Christmas is found in the person of Christmas – Jesus Christ – whose presence and relationship restores and refreshes rather than wears us down. And, when personally received, that Reality transforms us and gives us “Christmas” all year long and for eternity.

When we have a relationship with the Person of Christmas, December 25 isn’t a one time event but a continuing and ever increasing celebration of the daily joy that is not bound by a day or by circumstances in life that sometimes make us restless and weary.

Expectation is bound up in the heart at Christmas because expectation is our soul’s longing for that which truly satisfies and makes us truly “merry and bright!”

So I will continue to sing the songs, smile at the lights, and laugh at the wonder.

May it increasingly open my eyes to the truest of wonders, our Savior who is Christ the Lord!

In HIS Joy and Delight!

Dawn

I walk the aisles of the grocery store, the Cosco, the Walmart.

I see masked faces.

But I long to see behind the mask.

I see eyes.

Intentionally, I try to look into the eyes and convey, as much as I can, a smile, a reprieve in the midst of the unknown.

I seek to say with my eyes, “I care…and I would stop and hear your story if you wanted to tell it.”

Sometimes I see weariness.

Sometimes I see fear.

Sometimes I see sadness.

Sometimes I see relief that I haven’t looked away…and their eyes smile too.

Rarely, do I see anger…but because of the love of Christ, I meet that anger with a smile as well and hope to plant a seed that the Lord might water in another way.

I long for those who I pass to know that I see beyond the mask, that I “see” them, that they matter.

I look into the eyes of the clerks and ask how they are doing…really. I want them to know there is someone who will not pass them by because “that’s their job” or who is not too afraid to engage them in a conversation if they want one.

And, as I pass the shoppers and engage the clerks, I’m asking the Lord to remind me in that moment to pray for them.

He knows their names, and He knows their stories…behind the masks.

Behind the fearful, joyful, relief-filled, or angry eyes are lives being lived in the present.

Behind the eyes are souls.

They are people living in light of eternity, moving toward one life to come or another.

And that matters.

Yes, life here and now matters. It is a whisper sometimes lived as a roar, but it will only last a certain number of days here…and then, forever.

And that matters.

I see you…but even better God sees you, and He knows your name.

This is the God before whom each will stand one day.

It is this God who is worthy!

It is this God who spoke the world into existence and formed man and woman…all for His glory.

It is this God who sent His Son to reconcile man to Himself, He who is holy, holy, holy, and only by His Son can we be redeemed children of God.

It is this God who we can know and by whom we can be known.

It is this God with whom we can walk these beautiful as well as hard days with sure step and before whom we can bow now with our lives and in eternity…and find great joy in that!

It is this God who sees, who most certainly sees behind the mask, behind the eyes, and into the very heart of each man and woman.

It is this God before whom we can lay bare all that is in our past and present that is far from Him, ask His forgiveness, then leave it at the cross as we move on to a life and an eternity that is rooted in the finished work of Jesus as He rose from the grave! It is finished for those who give their lives to Him!

It is this God to whom we may humbly lay down our lives and find life that is truly life!

It is this God who says, “I see you…and you are dearly loved!”

“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”  I Corinthians 13:12

“Why did it have to be a friend
Who chose to betray the Lord?
Why did he use a kiss to show them?
That’s not what a kiss is for.

 Only a friend can betray a friend 
A stranger has nothing to gain.
And only a friend comes close enough
To ever cause so much pain”   (Michael Card)  

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied Himself…” Philippians 2:5-7

A word is spoken, a deed is done, a spark is lit, and a fire rages.  The wounds of another, especially a friend, can burn deeply and leave a pit so vast that it takes our very breath away.

We weep and others weep with us. 

We cry out, “why?” with few good answers; the silence is deafening.

It is at those times that we, who have been redeemed by the Savior, have to hang on to and live out the Truth on which we stand.

It is not always comfortable to position ourselves there because everything in us wants to lash out and change the circumstances. 

We want to establish that we are right, and we want others to come alongside and battle with us.

Having others encourage us is right and good.  Paul tells us in Romans 12:15 to “weep with those who weep and mourn with those who mourn” and certainly broken relationships cause us to weep for ourselves, and those who love us will share our pain. But we must take care that it doesn’t become a rehashing of grievances that leads to bitterness infecting many. (Hebrews 12:15)

To look at a situation and see the insanity and hurtfulness of it is sometimes reality.

To lovingly confront sin in a brother or sister for the specific purpose of restoring them is commanded and shows deep affection.

To face that one who has injured us and ask for answers or to share the pain we have experienced at their hand, with redemption and restoration being the end goal, is part of growing relationships, and it is good.

But when the conversation does not bring answers or does not end in the way we would like, or when their response is less than agreeable, we have a choice.

We can certainly “blame” another for our hurt, our wounds, and our attitude because they have truly done something hurtful.  But is that our “call?”  Will it bring peace and comfort to our souls and healing to the relationship?

To give up our pain is not to deny another’s sin or hurtful actions nor to make light of them; neither is it to absolve the other from any guilt in their decisions.

Rather, it is to go beyond what we “feel” and see and be obedient to and imitate our Savior, who humbly gave up His rights and forgave those who rejected Him and ultimately asked the Father to forgive those who crucified Him.

His Word is clear, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men” (Romans 12:18) and “Above all, love each other deeply because love covers a multitude of sins.” (I Peter 4:8)

The other person may need correction and, depending on the severity of the action, consequences, even punishment. But apart from that aspect of it, we must focus on our attitude towards them and our response.

We can choose, in the words of a respected mentor, “to grow bitter or better,” to be submissive to God’s command to us and ultimately “strengthen feeble arms and weak knees” * giving up our right to hurt the one who has hurt us rather than foster the pain and bitterness that will widen the rift between us, bleed out to others, and ultimately create a hardness in us.

That is forgiveness; that is faithfulness over our feelings.

Hanging on to injuries of the heart is a choice to not give up “childish ways” (I Corinthians 13:11) which will wound us more deeply and for a greater length of time than the hurt caused by our brother or sister.

Additionally, it can spread like gangrene and create a bitter root that will be harder to dig out in our own lives and may defile others (Hebrews 12:15).

What does it mean to “defile something?”  To corrupt or ruin something.  How it must grieve our Father’s heart for brothers and sisters in Christ to have broken relationships, corrupted and sometimes ruined, because of our choice to nurture pain.

We can say, “It’s their fault that I am hurt,”and it may well be.  But while the original issue may begin with another’s actions, we have a decision to let that grow into massive emotional destruction that has the potential to leave a barren wasteland or to put out the fire early and allow the process of healing and reconstruction to begin.

What we see and what we “feel” can often deceive. We can hang on to wounds from people, especially those we love, and allow them to fester or see them in light of truth and give them up to God to heal and use them for His glory and our greatest good.

We are responsible for our actions and attitudes not another’s response to them; so, when we stand and act on His Word that is true and don’t waiver, we will come out with a greater view of and deeper love for our Savior, a peace that comes from obedience, and an opportunity to point others to Him even if the circumstances don’t change.

In the words of an old friend, “When injured, don’t try to harm; instead, try to heal. Start with rejoicing…Seek reconciliation rather than revenge.”

Yes, some wounds have lasting physical and emotional scars; some wounds will not allow for reconciliation and will often need intervention.  Even there, God walks with and even carries us, and He alone is able to give us the courage and the will to let go, leaving the prison of the pain behind even if forgetfulness is not an option.  Only He is able to give us eyes to see His hand restoring us even if with painful steps and slow.

*”Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and your weak knees.  Make level paths for your feet so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.”  Hebrews 12:12-13

“We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,  and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,  and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5 

“I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me…Forgetting what is behind, and straining toward is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 3:12-14

“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”  I Corinthians 13:11-12

We feel it, experience it, and see it all around us.

We live in a culture that does not delight in truth…and it can subtly shape followers of Christ to do the same.

Everyone wants others to be truthful with them (until they don’t), yet we listen to the whisper of the enemy of our souls that says, “Wouldn’t it be better not to tell the whole truth? Wouldn’t it be better to make someone believe something that is not fully accurate? What is the point in even bringing ‘this’ up?”

“Everyone deceives his neighbor and does not speak the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves committing iniquity.” (Jeremiah 9:5) We convince ourselves there is a good reason for covering the truth because “The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked; who can cure it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

And, every time we entertain that thought, even for just a moment, we have opened the door to deceiving and being deceived.

“Speak the truth in love…”

It’s not a suggestion. It’s a command because it reflects the very character of God – He is Faithful and True.

God does not lie. He does not use strategically crafted words to speak to His people and make them assume something that is not factual. What He says, He will do. What He speaks, we can trust.

God is love, and love speaks the truth.

“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to (one another)…and do not give the devil a foothold.” (Ephesians 4:25, 27)

We put ourselves in situations we shouldn’t have…so we cover.

We want to maintain a reputation…so we craft an explanation.

We want to win a debate…so we skew the facts.

We want to keep from hurting another’s feelings…so we keep what should be in the open, so it can be healed, in the dark.

We want to avoid conflict…so we keep silent.

We want to avoid a material loss…so we change the facts ever so slightly.

We want personal, political, or economic gain…so we frame our words to be “strategic” so they cover the lie with the shake of a lie!

And what is at the center of each of these is self-love and self-preservation.

But God never honors deceit.

God never honors carefully crafted explanations to cover our tracks.

God never honors even a well-formed argument that is based on a lie.

God never honors secrets kept in the dark from those who are closest to us and with whom we should be fully transparent.

God never honors silence when there should be either loving confrontation or repentance. The conflict isn’t avoided; it is delayed, and the consequences to the relationships are greater when the postponement is extended…because often, it simply never happens.

God never honors changing facts to avoid penalties.

God never honors anything done out of self-love or self-preservation.

The reality is, if we do get away with the direct lie, the hidden secret, or the words or actions intended to deceive, because of His great love for us and for Truth, the Lord never lets it stay hidden; and all the things we intended to keep from being known or from happening come full circle and we often experience a more negative outcome. All the things we kept from another to assuage their feelings cause them greater hurt and more consequences in the end.

Truth sometimes comes with a cost, but what is gained is far greater.

Our walk with the Lord is not hindered; rather, it is strengthened as we live out the very character of God – Truth and Love – and submit to what is sometimes hard.

Our integrity in showing humility creates trust that might otherwise have been fully destroyed.

Our ability to love well is increased. Love “…rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (I Corinthians 13:6, 7)

And because of love…

Truth protects.

Truth increases trust.

Truth intensifies hope.

Truth encourages perseverance.

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15)

If we want to grow in Christ, to deepen and strengthen relationships with one another rather than weakening them, to continue to be used as an instrument for the Kingdom of God, we will put aside our fears and self-love, and “speak truth to one another”…with the greatest of tender love.

And, when another speaks truth to us that isn’t comfortable for whatever reason, we must humbly receive it, talk freely about it, then take it to the cross together.

“These are the things you must do: Speak truth to one another…” (Zechariah 8:16)

Before the day got away from me and my list of tasks took my attention, I stole away outside and was overwhelmed by the majesty of God in His creation!  I found myself humming, then singing these songs.

“In the morning when I rise, give me Jesus!”

“This is my Father’s world

The birds their carols raise.

The morning light, the lily white

Declare their Maker’s praise!”

A knowing smile crept onto my face…He had called me away, even as the temptation to be “squirreled” had to be intentionally ignored.

The sound of the various types of birds singing was as a symphony, literally more variety than I could count.

The air was cool, the sun was bright, the breeze so gentle yet so refreshing.

The leaves in the trees rustled, the lake glistened.

The tomatoes in our small garden peeked through the leaves of the vine, plump and plentiful, soon to be ripe.

“In the morning, Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning, I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation!” (Psalm 5:3)

Among His creatures awakening in the morning light, there was not a hint of worry over a virus, personal or national economies being rocked, divisions and unrest among so many, or who would lead a nation.

Creation was singing its Maker’s praise, affirming, as we ought, that “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together!” (Colossians 1:17)

It was a time to “be still and know” that He is God (Psalm 46:10); to be steadied by His Word, reminded by His Spirit, settled in my hope!

Our God is creative, and He is ever at work.

He spoke the world into existence, and it is sustained by Him.

He is not surprised by anything that happens, and He longs for His children to rest and, in full dependence on Him, “not fear anything that is frightening!” (I Peter 3:6)

Even now, He is doing a thousand things we can’t see…and it is good!

He is never changing, but, by His grace and to His praise, He is always changing me.

He is always allowing and even causing change in the world and in our worlds, reminding us that:

We are not sovereign.

We are not in control.

We are not able to speak to the storms that rise up and still them.

We are not able to count the clouds or say to the oceans, “This far and no farther…” Nor are we able to tell the lightning bolts where they should go or the stars where to shine. (Job 38)

We are not able to order time or space or weather…or sickness of any kind.

We are not able to thwart the plans of the wicked.

We are not able, apart from the Holy Spirit, to soften hard hearts, remove the scales from spiritually blind eyes, give understanding to the worldly wise but spiritually foolish.

But the God of the universe is more than able!

God IS sovereign!

God IS in control!

God IS able to still the storms, count the clouds, order the oceans and say, “This is where your proud waves halt!” (Job 38)  And, He tells the lightning bolt where it should go, He orders the sun, moon, and stars to shine in the places He has designed and desires…or not!

God IS able to and does order time, space, weather…and sickness.

God IS able to thwart the plans of the wicked, and He does order the steps of man, raises up and deposes rulers in their lands…all for HIS glory!

God IS able to soften hard hearts, heal spiritual blindness and weariness, and humble arrogance.

And, one day, not only will creation continue to sing His praise.  Every knee will bow before Him!

We, who are redeemed and those who long to know the Truth, are called to reset our eyes and fix them “on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2); that we may rest in the sure hope of our Almighty God who “is” and be fully ready to give reason for that hope that is ours in Christ Jesus! (I Peter 3:15)

I will again hear the cacophony of dissonant voices.

I will again see and sometimes experience broken hearts, wounded spirits, and anxious thoughts.

I will again feel the overwhelming weight of the reality of life in a fallen world that is not my home!

But I will remember, and I will rest in the greater reality of the God who is mighty and has provided a Redeemer, Jesus Christ our Lord.

“This is my Father’s world

O let me never forget

That though the wrong seems oft so strong,

God is the Ruler yet!

This is my Father’s world.

The battle is not done.

Jesus who died shall be satisfied

And earth and heaven be one!”

* If you have trusted in Jesus, by faith, and so are united with God through Him, rest in Him and stay in His unchanging, completely reliable Word, the Bible.

* If you have not trusted Jesus as your Savior, lay your life down and call to Him. “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you!” (James 4:8)

It is only through faith in Jesus Christ and His work on the cross, that you can be a child of God.  That is the only true Gospel that redeems and transforms. If you have questions, just ask, or go to http://www.needhim.org/knowing-jesus/

We live and breathe in a world that is beautiful and lovely…and hard.

The rocks and the trees, the sun, moon, and stars cry out in praise to God, but at times, even His creation groans (Romans 8:22).

Many people we encounter on a daily basis weep and are hurting and longing to “get beyond” the moment and find rest.

The restlessness in these days is palpable; fear and/or sadness is etched on many faces.

Even conversations with those who are redeemed children of God remind us that Jesus said, “In this world, you will have troubles,” but followed with the hope to “take heart; (He) has overcome the world.” 

As they struggle with their own difficult situations, I hear the very real tension and I have experienced the same at times: they trust God for their lives but wrestle with the circumstances and emotions that come with living in this fallen world – fear, anger, hurt, illness, sadness, loss.

Choosing to subdue and take captive those emotions while laying them bare before the God of all comforts at the throne of grace begins to settle the soul.

Asking Him to remind of His presence and letting Him bring a supernatural peace is an intentional choice we each must make in those incredibly stifling moments or seasons.

Every one of us have been there. 

Our commitment to and love for Christ compels us to believe His best for us, but our emotions, often so raw, cry out with questions.

There are times we feel like saying, as the father of the young boy in Mark 9, “I believe; Lord, help my unbelief.” 

But sometimes the enemy of our souls wants to make us think we cannot share that with God; that we cannot let Him hear our heart’s cry. 

How far from the truth that is!

Our reactions are not a surprise to God. He knows our needs, our frailties, and our fears.  And He longs for us to nestle in the arms of our Abba Father and be refreshed and renewed. 

Because of the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, we can boldly go to Him with our pain, not in defiance, but in humility and in assurance.

Hebrews 4:16 reminds us, “Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

When we read the Psalms, we often find that David fearlessly poured out his soul to God, and God calls him a man after His own heart. He laid bare his fears, his sin, and his anger at circumstances and injustices, crying out to the Father to be heard and longing to hear, see, and experience His presence.

David acknowledged his questions and what disturbed him; but, in the end, David gave God praise and trusted in His control.

He knew, as in Psalm 5:3, that he could approach the throne of grace with assurance that God would hear and respond, “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.”

In Dr. Ralph Davis’ book, “The Way of the Righteous in the Muck of Life, Psalms 1-12” (a book which spoke volumes to me and which I highly recommend), he refers often to this pattern of David’s life: to acknowledge the cries of his heart and then give God praise, resting in the truth of who God is!

In Psalm 3, David cried out “Yahweh, how many are my foes!  How many are rising up against me!”  But as Dr. Davis points out,

      “In the middle of his mess, [David] is saying [in verse 3], ‘I know my God.’  In face of the threats and ruckus and theological opinions of his enemies, David turns his eyes to his protecting, sufficient, restoring, accessible God.  The God-centeredness of his gaze keeps him steady while his enemies try to decide what precise level of scum he is.”  Psalm 3:3 – “But You, Yahweh, are a shield around me, my glory and the One who lifts my head.”

 Again, in Psalm 6, David pours out the “agony he knows.”  In essence, David often says in the Psalms, either directly or indirectly, “How long, O Lord?”  Dr. Davis writes,

     “…the problem of time contributes to his agony.  This is one of our perennial problems with God’s ways.  We have our calendar. We have figured out how long we can hold out.  And somehow Yahweh allows our urgent deadlines to pass.  Why?  David’s ‘How long?’ means: How long will you allow this to go on?  Why don’t you intervene and give me relief?  Why does He wait?  Why does He hold off?  When we say God will intervene sooner or later, why does it always seem to be later?  Our troubles, it seems, are as much with God as with our circumstances.”

But then Dr. Davis reminds us that David settles his heart on the character of God.  David “is resting on Yahweh’s character, in the sort of God he has declared himself to be…[the God of covenant love, ‘hesed, the devoted love that pledges never to let go of us’].  Sometimes this is your only stay in trouble…”

And though nothing has changed in that one moment, he presses in on truth that sustains his hope, “For Yahweh has heard the sound of my weeping!  Yahweh has heard my plea for grace!  Yahweh will accept my prayer!” (vv 8-9)

As we acknowledge God’s sovereignty in our lives and grow in our love and knowledge of Him through His written word, the Bible, we also mature in our understanding of His heart and the freedom we have to lay bare all that we are before Him – even our cries.

God points us to the Psalms to remind us that it is what He allows, even desires, of His children.  He knows our hearts even better than we do ourselves, but He delights when we ask and expect Him to respond, to draw near to us.

He is the God of all comforts and He delights in His children drawing near to Him so that as He, in turn, draws near, we are held close and know His presence regardless of our circumstances and our questions.

“Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I…” (Psalm 61:3)

You are the Rock on which I stand.

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. ” Psalm 73:26

Sometimes glimpses into the past give us a renewed vision for the present; sometimes they are reminders of what we know is true.

As I have been culling through a multitude of papers and journals in an attempt at reorganizing, I have read quotes from the mouths of my little ones, now grown; I have laughed and cried at the memories. 

Reading old journal entries of my own, I am reminded of the joy and the struggle that came from being a new mom and from later years when it was a new phase in the role which I had grown to love and cherish and for which, it grew increasingly clear, God’s grace was much needed.

In the midst of the reorganizing, I found this piece, “Caretaker for the King,” which I wrote when we had just two…a third would come along a year and a half later.  I decided to share on my blog as it is my heart’s desire to encourage parents in the trenches now and remind those of us with children now grown (and still growing), that these things remain true. Our roles may be different, but our purpose as parents is the same.

“I am no one extraordinary per se.  Whatever my children become, whoever they be – they are the Lord’s and I am a caretaker for the King.

That’s not to say that being a caretaker is not challenging or unimportant.  On the contrary, it is probably one of the most monumental, overwhelming yet fulfilling challenges I could ever face. 

But in the moments when I hold on too tightly or allow my children to become “idols,” I must stop, step back, and refocus.   A caretaker needs care as well.  For when my heart and eyes are on the “chaos” that sometimes surrounds life with little ones, I grow so weary! Yet, when they are on my King, I am a more effective caretaker in all ways. 

God has equipped them, provided each one with talents, gifts, and unique personalities.  Our job is to nurture a love for Him and for His Word, to teach them a right fear of the Lord, and to help them develop that which He alone has instilled and is still unfolding in their lives for His glory!

We seek to direct and guide based on the infallible guidance we have received in God’s Word but which will always come through fallible hands – our own.  We are to model the character of our King for our children so they will believe what they hear because of what they see. 

Mistaken at times. 

Failing too often. 

Yes. 

Living between the now and the not yet, the frustration of my failures is, at times, overwhelming.  But God’s grace covers it all in Jesus!  And through our foibles we are able to point the way to a forgiving Savior – the only perfection – and His power to grow us and make us more like Him.

Our two children – and soon to be three – have been given to us but for a time which oh so rapidly speeds by.  I want to redeem the moments, each small in and of themselves, but the multitude of which make up life and are immense. 

Tyrannized by what “must be done” or by what the world says I deserve to do for myself, I often miss a teachable moment – for them or for myself  (for sometimes, they are my “teachers”). To use these moments for God’s glory and their good or against God’s will and to their detriment — that decision is important and is made daily.  The task is rich and made possible only in Christ’s strength.

How will God use them – their talents, abilities, gifts, personalities, understanding?  Will they live their lives and use those abilities for His honor, for the fame of King Jesus?

However He may choose, may we be caretakers who encourage them to seek that goal, to press towards it, long for it, strive after it, and achieve all for the glory of the King and for the souls of men! 

May we teach them well, taking great pleasure and joy in being caretakers of these little lives for the Him who is our Redeemer!

And, when that time comes in their own lives and little ones arrive at their feet, their own “mission field,” may they be equipped and humble before the Lord, to also be caretakers for the King, for the next generation‘s children of the covenant.”

The world will try to give us ways to cope, to fill our minds or empty our minds!

It may settle us for the moment, but it won’t strengthen us!

It may create a diversion, but it won’t give us hope!

Instead we can trust and live out what God says so we can be emboldened and equipped to rescue the perishing and comfort the fearful with what will last!

We can know and share that He IS good, He IS God, and He IS doing far more than we can see; we can firmly stand on that truth!

“Set your minds on things above not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden in Christ!“ Colossians 3:2–3

Lean into the Word of God that is living and active, share the hope we have in Christ, and, when frustration or fear raises its head, cry out to God and let Him defeat it, let Him carry you!

“Take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5

You can know Him – the One who created you and sustains you – not just know about Him!

It makes all the difference in the world!

“Peace, be still!” (Mark 4:39) because God Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, alone is peace.

“Prepare your minds for action…fix your hope FULLY onthe grace to be given at the revelation of Jesus Christ!” I Peter 1:13

The now and the not yet.

The shadowlands and the reality.

Seeing through a glass darkly and seeing face-to-face.

Hope deferred, and hope realized.

Grieving here but with sure hope of the Almighty God’s promise to come, and that sure hope evidenced; laughter and smiles, peace and great joy, no more tears, no more pain, no more fears.

Once longing to be in His presence, and now standing in His presence, resting in the One who has redeemed her soul and experiencing the reality of our Life that is truly life!

“Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.“ Psalm 30:5

“He Himself is our peace!” Ephesians 2:14

“And with your final heartbeat, kiss the world goodbye! Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory’s side, and fly to Jesus, fly to Jesus, fly to Jesus and live!!” –

“Come to Jesus” by Chris Rice

Our great joy walks alongside another’s grief.

Our tears of joy are mingled with the tears of another’s tears of sorrow.

Though it does not diminish our joy, it is a sobering reminder that our God is loving and faithful. But, sometimes, there can be a sadness in the midst of that faithfulness.

At the time of this writing, our family is waiting as one of our great-nieces undergoes a heart transplant, something no one even knew she would need a month ago.  It has been a whirlwind time but one where, when we step back and take even a quick overview, it is so evident that God’s hand and timing are, without question, never late and full of great care.

The reality is that for her to live, one had to die.

Even as we rejoice for this miracle, we grieve alongside the family that had to say goodbye to one they love. I pray that they will know God’s presence in their mourning and that He will be glorified in both stories, lives redeemed and transformed!

And then I considered it all anew…

This is the Gospel!

For me to a have a new heart, One had to die.

For me to have a redeemed and transformed heart, a sacrifice had to be made.

For me to truly die to self and live both now and in eternity, another life had to be given.

His Name is Jesus!

God the Father had to allow His Son to suffer and die to take the penalty I deserve; Jesus had to give up His rightful position at the right hand of God for me to live.

And, for all who don’t just acknowledge He exists (for “even the demons believe that and shudder” – James 2:19) but call on Him as Savior and Lord, He gives a new heart, a new life, a new way of thinking and desiring, and a new and living hope!

“…I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:25-26)

My sweet niece’s original heart could not sustain her life here on earth; my original sinful heart could not sustain me here or for eternity.

For me to live, my Savior had to die!

This is the Gospel!

“But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence—if indeed you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope of the gospel…” (Colossians 1:22-23)

“…For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

Our little one could do nothing to restore her heart; her parents, grandparents, and the rest of us could do nothing.

Just like us…we can’t earn our salvation; we can’t do “enough” good to secure a right relationship with God, a new heart.

Only our Savior…only His sacrifice.

This is the Gospel!

And so, we watch and wait and pray for physical healing for this little one we love and the heart-aching emotional healing for another we will never meet, even as we long for all to have a new heart in Christ, the only healing that will last for eternity!

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have full endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.

He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:9-14)

At times I find myself learning to rest…AGAIN.

 
I find myself re-centering on the beauty, delight, and power of the simple but powerful Truth; the Word of God “un-jazzified.”

 
It is the Word of God that “tunes my heart to sing His grace!”

 
It is the Word of God through the Spirit of God that gives me eyes to see when my spiritual sight is dim; it brings joy to my heart and light to my eyes! (Psalm 19:8)

 
It is the Word of God that keeps me grounded even when I want to run…from the “stuff” of life that threatens to steal my joy and rob me of peace. But it is HIS love, HIS grace, HIS mercy, HIS truth that pursued me from the start and keeps me even now! And I am confident knowing that “HE who began a good work in (me and you who are redeemed by Christ and sharing in the partnership of the Gospel) will perfect it and carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus!” (Philippians 1:6, NASB and NIV)

 
It is the Word of God that then invites me to run in freedom, to “run in the path of (His) commands, for (He has and) will enlarge my heart and broaden my understanding!” (Psalm 119:32)

 
It is the Word of God that endures and is unchanging even as our God never changes! (I Peter 1:23-25, James 1:17)

 
It is the Word of God that leads me to know and worship my Savior “in spirit and in truth,” (John 4:24) not out of my emotions or my deceitful heart!

 
It is the Word of God that causes me to “set a guard over my mouth” and a “covenant with my eyes” (Psalm 141:3, Job 31:1) and to not be haphazard about keeping the vows I make!

 
It is the Word of God that causes me to “set my eyes (and thus my thoughts and imaginations) on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:2)

 
It is the Word of God that reminds me that, as a sinner in need of grace, Jesus has given me the faith to receive His grace and has redeemed my life once and for all but never to be the same…making me new day by day! (Ephesians 2:4-9, 2 Corinthians 4:16)

 
It is the Word of God that reveals the will of God to me beginning with the “fear of the Lord,” walking in Truth, and submitting to His divine power that has “given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory…” (Psalms 111:10, 2 Peter 1:3)

 
It is the Word of God that leads me to remember that it is His kindness that may bring me to godly sorrow but that leads me and others to repentance where there is great joy. (2 Corinthians 7:10, Romans 2:4)

 
It is the Word of God that calls me to that repentance before Him and to any I have hurt in my sin when I have failed to walk in truth and that He has redeemed my life from the pit, wiping out the guilt of my rebellion, “setting my feet on a firm place to stand,” so that “times of refreshing” may come from the Lord. (Job 33:28, Psalm 40:2, Acts 3:19)

 
It is the Word of God that is “God-breathed,” “alive and active” and doesn’t allow me to be complacent with or indulging of my sin but “penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow,” and discerns, judges, and exposes “the thoughts and intentions of (my) heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) It is “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16) for my oft times stubborn will, so that I will become more pliable to His Spirit and less desirous of my own will and the approval of people.

 
It is the Word of God that positions my heart and mind to remember that it is for His glory that He disciplines us and renews me; that He gives me a new heart and a new spirit, removing my heart of stone and giving me a heart of flesh; that it is He who puts His Spirit in me and moves me to be careful to follow His decrees and commands. (Ezekial 36:26, 27)

 
It is the Word of God that directs my heart to forgive others as He has forgiven me and to not let a let a bitter root implant itself in my heart that will cause trouble in a multitude of ways. (Hebrews 12:15)

 
It is the Word of God that propels my non-confrontational self to speak the truth in love so that we may grow up in all things; that a relationship can be a healed, one lost can know the hope of the grace of God, or a brother or sister wandering from the truth of God can be brought back to the Savior and his soul saved from death. (Ephesians 4:15, James 5:19)

 
It is the Word of God, the sword of the Spirit, that enables me to not be taken “captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ” and “anything that sets itself up against the knowledge of God” but to rather “take every thought (and intention of my heart) captive to make it obedient to Christ!” (Colossians 2:8, 2 Corinthians 2:2,5)…even when my own deceitful heart and my flesh grow faint or the enemy of my soul seeks to whisper the same old lie, “Did God really say?”

 
It is the Word of God that renews my strength and revives my soul! (Psalm 19:7)

It is the Word of God that reminds me that my God is faithful and true when the world and those in it are not. (Revelation 19:11)

It is the Word of God that continuously causes me to take my eyes off me and my circumstances and set them fully on the grace that will be brought to (those who are redeemed by Christ) at the revelation of Jesus Christ! (I Peter 1:13)

It is the Word of God that emboldens me to not be “ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.” Rather, it makes me confident to always be prepared and ready to give an answer to everyone who asks (me) to give reason for the hope that is in (me)…with gentleness and respect.” (Romans 1:16, I Peter 3:15)

It is the Word of God that heartens me to hold the line; to hold fast and firmly to the Word of Life! (Philippians 2:16)

It is the Word of God that devastates my little “kingdoms” and even the good things I end up making idols.

It is the Word of God that prepares me to say…No, THIS is what God does say and He can be trusted!

Throughout history, men and women have tried to complicate it, to make it lofty and unattainable.

 
Men and women have sought to extinguish its power by declaring it to be the word of men.

Men and women have pulled parts and pieces away that made them uncomfortable or redefined terms to make it more palatable. Yet, in that process they have denied its power and created a different book.

 
Even we, His redeemed children, have tried to twist it and change it to fit our perceptions, our inclinations, and our “understanding” (or lack thereof) of truth to rationalize our own desires and coddle our feelings and emotions.

But it is the powerful Word of God and it will not be shaken because HE will not be shaken!  It will not be moved, because HE will not be moved! It will not change, because HE will not change!  In a world of shifting shadows and fickle people, that is our steadfast hope that is certain!

It is the Word of the God Who is mysterious and mighty; Who will not be put in a box but who graciously makes Himself known to those who “call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth!” (Psalm 145:18)

For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. I Thessalonians 2:13