DOWN BUT NOT OUT

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.  Psalm 42:5

 

 

My husband had been in the hospital for days recovering from heart surgery.  The longer we had dealt with his illness, surgery, and recovery, the heavier I’d felt.  Most waking hours I’d been with him, and I stayed each night until bedtime.  Rounding the corner in the now very familiar hospital corridor, Psalm 42:5 began to ring in my mind:  Why are you cast down?  Why are you disquieted?  Hope in God…

Over and over I seem to need this reminder:  Our hope is in God, not people, not resources.  Just God.  On the other hand, there’s nothing sub-Christian about being down, but it’s terribly debilitating to stay down.  Phillips’ version of II Corinthians 4:8-9 says, “We are handicapped on all sides, but we are never frustrated; we are puzzled, but never in despair. We are persecuted, but we never have to stand it alone: we may be knocked down, but we are never knocked out!”

What can we do when we’re knocked down?  It’s for sure we won’t get up if we wallow in self-pity.  In fact, I can’t think of anything good that comes of navel gazing.  The writer to the Hebrews reminds us that we all experience hardships, but we are to keep our eyes on Jesus so that we don’t get weary and lose heart.  Furthermore, we are to dust ourselves off, strengthen our weak knees, and get up so that those following us aren’t misled but healed.

There can be actual benefits derived by being cast down:  We are humbled to face our own vulnerability and offenses; we recognize our need for the Savior; we are disillusioned by our impotence while acknowledging his strength; and we cry out for God.  While we’re down, if we recognize the folly of undue attention to ourselves and, instead, look to Jesus, the experience can be another step toward transformation.  As we focus on his glory, we are changed into his image (II Corinthians 3:18) rather than the clay-footed one we now inhabit.

So, it’s heads up and eyes on Jesus, no matter what.  The Author and Finisher of our faith will always be there.

 

Father, even when I’m down, don’t lift up me until I’ve learned what you’re trying to teach me.  Thank you that being knocked down doesn’t mean that we’re knocked out.  We’re just temporarily disengaged.  Help us to keep our focus on you, and make us more like Jesus, whatever it takes.  AMEN.

10 REASONS

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.  I Corinthians 15:20  (KJV)

 

 

As this Holy Week ends on the high note of Resurrection, I have listed ten reasons I give thanks for everything Jesus’ resurrection means to me:

 

1. It lends credibility to everything Jesus said and taught.
2. It proves he is the living Son of God.
3. It informs his suffering and death on the cross for our salvation, healing, and freedom.
4. It is the foundation of our faith.
5. It gives me hope that I, too, will some day be resurrected to eternal life in him.
6. It ensures our righteousness in him and right-standing before God.
7. It demonstrates our future transformed body.
8. The Spirit of God that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in me.
9. The last enemy, death, no longer has power over us.
10. I am now empowered by God’s Spirit.

 

 

Father, Lent and the reminder of our human frailty is past.  We now can walk in resurrection life through Jesus Christ and his sacrificial death on the cross and his resurrection by your mighty power.  Help us to apply all that means to every day of our lives.  In his name.  AMEN.

BEING HUMAN

…those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.  Romans 8:5  (NIV)

 

I was making some notes in my journal, reflecting on recent attitudes and trying to decide how to describe my struggle and annoyance.  Finally, I could think of nothing better to say than, “The flesh is so tiresome.”

Have you ever felt like that?  What Paul calls “the flesh” we often refer to as “being human.”  We use it to excuse almost every behavior that doesn’t measure up.  It seems that Paul had the same struggles when he writes in Romans 7 that what he wants to do, he doesn’t, and what he doesn’t want to do, he does.  He doesn’t leave us hanging, however.

Paul moves on into the glorious eighth chapter of Romans that grandly informs us of our freedom in Christ.  “…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (8:37).  The flesh is never going to cooperate with the Spirit, but through Christ we can ignore the flesh, discipline ourselves, and move with the Spirit.  Rather than expecting the flesh to change, let’s just deny it and keep walking.

 

Father, this Easter time is such a time of good news.  Those things that had bound us in the past can no longer be our lords because of Jesus’ victorious death on the cross.  THANK YOU for the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  AMEN.

OOPS

…give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.  Luke 6:38

 

My friend David told me a story about a village that had just experienced a record crop of grapes, and all the villagers agreed to come together for a regional celebration of thanksgiving.  The mayor requested everyone to bring a barrel of their very best wine; each one would pour his contribution into a large vat.

The day and time of the festival was announced, and people came from far and wide to join in the happiness of the tiny village.  The head of each family brought his keg, climbed the small ladder, and poured his wine into the community receptacle while the people below cheered and clapped.  The next person came, climbed the ladder, and added his barrel of wine.  And so on it went.  Person after person climbed the ladder and accepted the applause as he emptied his barrel.

One of the villagers, a rather parsimonious fellow, thought to himself that he would fill his barrel with water and empty it without anyone’s knowing that he had withheld his family’s bounty.  He, too, was cheered and applauded as he emptied his barrel and made his way down the ladder.

The big moment of the festival arrived.  All the neighboring villagers crowded around with their tankards looking forward to tasting the delicious fruit of the year’s labor.  The mayor put the first mug under the spigot and opened the tap.  And to the shame of all the villagers, the liquid flowed clear.  Everyone had selfishly filled their kegs with water and saved the good wine for themselves.

David and I had been talking about stewardship and the joy of giving—that Jesus said it was more blessed to give than to receive.  Paul went on to say that “whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (II Cor. 9:6).

There’s an old saying I heard a lot growing up, What goes ‘round comes ‘round.  I suspect that’s what happened with that stingy little village.  Not only did they miss out on the joy of giving, but they embarrassed themselves in front of the whole region.

 

Lord, we hear and read with joy stories of great generosity and the blessing it brings.  Give us hearts that love to give so that we might bless others and bring glory to your name, the one who gave all.  AMEN.

ABOUT GRACE

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  II Corinthians 12:9

 

 

When my blonde friend Bea was asked by her bishop to go to a Latin American country for a mission project, she did not hesitate.  It didn’t matter that she had limited Spanish or that she’d never traveled to that part of the world.  She had a willing heart.  (And she was ignorant of the possible difficulties.)

The bishop told her to go to a certain place, and she would be told how to proceed.  Bea bought her plane ticket, boarded the plane, and took a taxi to the regional bishop’s office for further directions.  There she understood that the next day the bishop’s secretary would drive her to her destination.

The following morning, Bea once again went to the bishop’s office, and, instead of taking her to the location of the project, the secretary took her to the local bus station.  She handed Bea a ticket for the next leg of the journey and assured her she would be met by her co-worker, a tall, red-haired woman.  And then she left.

All was well until Bea saw the hundreds of people, some in groups and others in lines, waiting for their buses.  She carefully made her way from person to person showing her ticket and indicating that she was looking for her bus.  Eventually, she made it to a long line of people waiting for the bus’s arrival.

Somewhat disconcerted at the unfamiliarity of people carrying caged chickens, food for the journey, and various pieces of household paraphernalia, Bea climbed onto the indicated bus and looked around for a place to sit.  She had no clue as to how long the ride would be, when she would get off, or where she was supposed to sit.  As she peered through the rows of people already packed into place, she saw on the very last seat at the back of the bus a wiry little gentleman who was vigorously waving at her.  He called out, “Señora, señora,” and indicated that he had a seat beside him.

Bea moved gingerly through the aisle to the rear of the bus and gratefully sat down next to the kindly man.  They both began communicating with their few words of Spanish and English and generous waving of hands and arms.  The man looked down at Bea’s gold watch and indicated that she should remove it and put it in her purse, which she did.  And then they compared tickets.  “Oh, no,” she sighed.  It looked like he would be getting off the bus in another place and at a different time.

Through the hot, dusty hours Bea and her new friend continued to talk, and at a certain stop in the road, the man leaned over and said goodbye.  He was leaving.  Even though she’d known him only a short while, Bea suddenly felt bereft.  In a country where she was alone and didn’t speak the language, her only friend was leaving her.  She watched him go down the aisle and move out the door.  She turned her head so as not to see him walking away.  She looked again to see who else might be boarding, and, to her surprise, her little friend was returning.  He had come back to sit with her and gestured that he would go with her to her destination.

After many more stops and another long ride, they reach the place where Bea was to meet her mission contact.  Everyone began to exit, and her friend walked ahead of her signaling that she was to keep close to him.  They departed the bus into the large mass of jostling people coming and going and looking for loved ones.  Bea knew she’d be met by a tall, red-headed woman—in a crowd of glossy black waves.  She and her friend looked and walked through the sea of strange faces, and suddenly the way seemed to open as the tall, red-headed woman walked toward them with open arms.  “You must be Bea,” she said.  “I am Grace.”

Bea turned around to introduce Grace to her friend, but he had disappeared.  He was nowhere to be seen.  Bea will always be convinced that the sweet man was an angel sent by God to watch over a blond gringa who had stepped out by faith not knowing where she was going but trusting God to guide her.  And when she reached her destination, she was met by Grace.

 

Father, your angels are ministering spirits who help us on our way, and we are constantly accompanied by your grace.  Thank you that you give us everything we need to serve you faithfully.  AMEN.