Monthly Archives: May 2015

ROSES WILL BLOOM AGAIN

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)

It had been a difficult time that year, and there had been those weeks when her heart was aching almost more than she could bear.  She was not hurting for herself but for her child who was going through a painful time. One day as she sat at her window, she looked out and saw a rosebud on a bush that she was sure had died.  Knowing how much she loved roses, the rosebush was there in the first place because it had been planted by her late husband.  When she related this story to her child, he stated, “Don’t you know, Mom – only God knows when something no longer has a purpose.”  She was convinced that the rose was sent by her husband through God. Now in a new year of growth, the rose bush has three buds on it this time – one for each of them.

In the opening lyrics of a song composed by Jeff and Sherri Easter, there is sadness about a rose bush when “the petals drooped and fell to the ground” as winter arrives. But then the uplifting realization, “I’d forgotten who had made it” followed by the refrain:

“Roses will bloom again,
Just wait and see
Don’t mourn what might have been
Only God knows how and when that
Roses will bloom again.”

While it may be true that rose blossoms can only be found in one season of the year, there is the love of God’s word that endures for all seasons. ”The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8).

Holding on to the hope of God’s word, a 23-year old recently accomplished something many thought he would never do. With the help of his fiancé, He walked across an Iowa college stage to receive his diploma. Four years ago, Chris Norton suffered a spinal cord injury from a football accident and was given a three per cent chance of walking again. In an interview on Good Morning America, he stated “I just had a feeling that God had a bigger plan for me.” He understands that without faith, family and friends, he would not have been able to make it through. “I would not change a thing. It has given me such a purpose in life to help others . . . I feel so blessed.” So in the midst of what many would term a tragedy, Norton echoes the words of Paul:In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you(1 Thessalonians 5:18).  The new graduate has been encouraged to tell his story in a book entitled “The Power of Faith When Tragedy Strikes” which will be released later this summer.

Jesus challenged His disciples with these words: “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible” (Matthew 17:20). So make your plan as though God will bless it and then implement it. He will reveal to you what He wants for your life. Don’t be so caught up in pruning the thorny bush that you fail to step back, enjoy its beauty, and smell the roses. For if God allows us to journey to the top of the mountain to see the sunrise after we have spent time in the shadows of the valley, we have to always remember who guided us there in the first place.

REFLECTION: In what area of your life have you lost hope? How can God’s word carry you? When difficult times come your way (and they will) – do you find sustaining faith in His promises? Try to implement Ephesians 5:17: “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

(MY NEXT WEEKLY DEVOTION WILL BE UPLOADED ON SAT., JUNE 6, 2015.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE REMINDED OF THE FREE WEEKLY POSTINGS, SEND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO: LookUpwrd@aol.com  YOUR ADDRESS WILL NOT BE SHARED)

FAILURE TO THRIVE

“The living at least know that they will die: but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, nor are they remembered.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5)

I have a friend who likes to take a daily walk. On her walks, she sometimes goes by a neighborhood cemetery. Recently she began to notice an older lady passing by her in a car heading to or from that cemetery. Since these occurrences have increased in frequency, she began to acknowledge the lady with a smile or a wave.  One day, the lady stopped, rolled down the window of her car, and the two began to talk.  My friend found out that the lady’s son had passed away many months before, and yet she continued to visit the cemetery twice a day. The mother did not live particularly close and would have to travel some distance in order to sustain this grieving practice. I told my friend that it was nice that their paths had crossed, because it sounded as though the lady was in need of an empathetic ear.  We began to refer to the woman as the “Rose Lawn Lady” in reference to the name of the cemetery where she visited.  We decided we would pray for her as such, knowing full well that God would know her by name.

At the end of each May, our nation celebrates Memorial Day – a time to remember those who died in a branch of the armed forces while serving our country.  At one point in time, it was introduced as Decoration Day after the Civil War. While designated as a patriotic and federal holiday, it is often recognized as the unofficial beginning of summer. The last Monday of May celebration not only stands witness to a display of American flags but also serves as an occasion for gatherings and picnics.  It is not uncommon for family members to visit a cemetery and place flowers near the tombstones where perhaps many of their ancestors have been laid to rest.  Unlike the “Rose Lawn Lady” – this graveside visitation may occur only once each year for these individuals.

Years ago I was baffled by the cause of death which I observed to have been written on a death certificate.  The primary contribution to the person’s demise had been listed as “Failure to Thrive.”  I came to learn that the term was associated with infant deaths where there had been insufficient weight gain or inappropriate weight loss. But in the case of the document which I had viewed, it had been used in reference to an older adult whose non-specific health decline had caused function of life as we know it to cease.  I have thought about it over the years and have rationalized that this diagnosis could at times be appropriately stated for many individuals who have been unable to overcome loss of many kinds. We may have called it by a different name such as heartbreak, but we should recognize it as the inability to let go of what we no longer have. Perhaps the “Rose Lawn Lady” is one such person.

At the time of the death of Jesus, several women went to His tomb days later to find that the stone had been rolled away. “While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead?  “He is not here, but He has risen” (Luke 24:4-6).  Likewise, it’s a wonderful tribute to remember our loved ones with graveside visits at certain times of the year. But we must hold onto the promise that when we depart from our ‘earthy tent’ we have a ‘building from God’ which awaits us (2 Cor. 5:1).  Although it is sometimes misinterpreted – I appreciate the adage, “Absent from the body; present with the Lord.” I like the English Standard interpretation – “for we walk by faith, not by sight.  Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” (2 Cor. 5:7-8).  Paul seems to be encouraging us that during this lifetime, we should not fail to thrive but rather be about our Father’s business. When our earthly journey comes to an end – we can shed the burdens of this life and be at home with the Lord where we can rejoice for all of eternity.

REFLECTION: Have you known someone who has had difficulty recovering from the grieving process?  How does faith in Christ and His promise of eternity help to sustain those who suffer loss?  Are there ways that you might better focus on God’s purpose for your life today, knowing that in doing so He is preparing you for a restored life tomorrow?

(MY NEXT WEEKLY DEVOTION WILL BE UPLOADED ON SAT., MAY 30, 2015.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE REMINDED OF THE FREE WEEKLY POSTINGS, SEND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO: LookUpwrd@aol.com  YOUR ADDRESS WILL NOT BE SHARED)

9-1-1. WHAT’S YOUR EMERGENCY?

“This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; He saved him out of all his troubles.” (Psalm 34:6)

 The story has been passed down through the years in our family that there was a time when those who needed a meal would show up at the home of my ancestors and others like them. In those days there was not a lot of homelessness in our town, but there were those who roamed from place to place, often getting there by hopping aboard the freight trains.  When they would get to the towns, they would locate markings positioned in front of the homes by others who had passed before them and had been given a free meal simply for the asking.  It was a different time then when you were pretty sure that those who showed up on your front porch for food was all they wanted.  In the day – you didn’t have to fear for your safety, and you knew that the motives of those who asked for the handout were most likely pure. That day has, unfortunately, long since passed.

Unable to show up anywhere asking for food, an 81-year-old North Carolina man recently returned home from the hospital after spending the past few months there receiving cancer treatments. When he found himself in a weakened state with nothing to eat and no one to call for help, he dialed 9-1-1. He could have been told that his call was not an emergency. However on the other end of the phone was an empathetic operator who knew what it was like to be hungry, took pity on the man, and promised to bring him some groceries. Together with some police officers, she personally dropped off the food and said she never thought twice about doing so. The recipient later indicated that he had felt blessed, stating, “I thought – ‘Jesus, you answered those prayers.’” Perhaps the 9-1-1 operator had heard the story of the sheep and the goats.

Shortly before Jesus was killed, He told a parable. He stated that at the time of judgement, the people will be gathered and separated in a similar manner which a shepherd would do with his sheep and goats.  In this case, those persons who are righteous will inherit eternal life. He illustrates in this way: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Matthew 26:35-36). To those who did not do these things, the unrighteous, “He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me’” (Matthew 25:45). This latter group would receive “eternal punishment.”

We may have found our self on either side of the 9-1-1 call. We may not have responded to a need because of the current state of the world. We may have been skeptical that someone may be using us or even felt threatened for our own well-being. In those cases, it can become easy to look the other way. Jesus would say to us: “Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who would who wants to borrow from you” (Matthew 5:42). Having this knowledge, we should make every effort to find a way to help those in need. For, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:48).

Just as realistically – there are those moments in life when we are the needy ones who are distressed, discouraged, and hopeless. In these situations when we feel we have run out of options, know that God is waiting for your 9-1-1 call. He’s available 24/7/365, and He never gets tired of our pleas for help or comfort. He does not need a street address or a GPS to find us, and He is there with us even when we can’t feel His presence. So –Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). Connecting with God is more than just a safety net or an intervention at a time of crisis.  It is an open line and an assurance that wherever our journey takes us, there is someone on the other end with our very best interests at heart.

REFLECTION:  Are there times that you have felt uneasy reaching out to others in time of need?  Is it possible to partner with others or an organization to help address those needs?  If you have found yourself to be that person in need, in what ways do you seek God’s direction for your life?

(MY NEXT WEEKLY DEVOTION WILL BE UPLOADED ON SAT., MAY 23, 2015.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE REMINDED OF THE FREE WEEKLY POSTINGS, SEND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO: LookUpwrd@aol.com  YOUR ADDRESS WILL NOT BE SHARED)

LESSONS FROM MOM

“Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her” (Proverbs 31:28).

When I was little, I used to pick bouquets of dandelions and give them to my mom. Years later I went to college, and I would send my mother roses because I thought she deserved them. I had no way to pay for those roses, so days later the florist would send her the bill. In present times, I enjoy the opportunity to buy her flowering plants that can be placed outside the window of her home where she can enjoy them for the entire growing season. It never seemed to matter whether they were taken off of the front lawn or who paid the bill; she always seemed to appreciate the thought.  “No one loves you like your mom,” she would say. And, you know, I believe that to be true.  There is a special bond between a mother and her child to which only she can attest.

A woman who delivered a child in 1952 when she was a teenager kept the secret for fifty years. She spent most of that time however trying to find him, knowing that he was in her thoughts every day and wondering if she was ever in his. Born in an era when teen pregnancies were not spoken about, the son she had out of wedlock was given up for adoption against her will. The true story became a book, The Lost Child of Philomena Lee, and then a movie released in 2013, simply entitled Philomena. One of the prevailing themes of the narrative is that a mother never forgets her child. How could she, for scripture tells us: “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13), the place where God’s unique creation begins.

If you take the time to study various women in The Bible, there is much to learn about motherhood. Sarah, the wife of Abraham, teaches us that it’s important to have a sense of humor.  When she was in her nineties, she became aware that she would have a child. “So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, ‘After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?’” (Genesis 18:12).  By her experience, mothers should come to understand that though faith and trust – God will keep His promises. Abraham and Sarah’s son Isaac, married Rebekah from whom we can learn much about conflict. ““The Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23).  And through Jochebed, the mother of Moses, we appreciate that there are times when children need to be protected.  After Pharaoh ordered the killing of all Israelite male babies, she hid Moses for a time but later made a small boat for him and placed him in the reeds along the bank of the Nile River. There he was found by Pharoah’s daughter and eventually reunited with his very own mother to care for him (Exodus 1:22-2:10). You know how that one turned out.

As the New Testament unfolds, we find Jesus mother, Mary, providing the gift of encouragement at the wedding feast in Cana. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come’” (John 2:3-4). Here, Mary simply makes Jesus aware of a need, and He performs His first miracle.  Moms are the first important teachers in our lives, and early childhood training is frequently passed from one generation to another. The Apostle Paul writes: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also” (2 Timothy 1:5).  Moms play with and read to us, make our favorite dessert, kiss away the pain from a tumble or a fall, and teach us our first words, often including those bedtime prayers.  There are still times when my day is done and I have finished my nighttime devotions that I conclude with, “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I die before I wake; I pray the Lord my soul to take.” It’s perhaps one of the best lessons my mom ever taught me.

REFLECTION: If you are a young mother, how can you use the examples above to inspire you?  If you are fortunate to still have your mother, how might you honor her (Ephesians 6:2-3) ?  If you no longer have your mother, are there ways you might serve someone else’s referencing Jesus very own words from the cross, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother” (John 19:26-27) ?

(MY NEXT WEEKLY DEVOTION WILL BE UPLOADED ON SAT., MAY 16, 2015.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE REMINDED OF THE FREE WEEKLY POSTINGS, SEND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO: LookUpwrd@aol.com  YOUR ADDRESS WILL NOT BE SHARED)

FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE

“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all; how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?  (Romans 8:32)

I recall being astounded years ago in my high school chemistry class when my teacher quoted the minuscule amount that the human body would be worth if you could break down all the chemicals it contains. A study conducted in April, 2011 summarized this value to be about $160, as posted on the DataGenetics website.  Try telling baseball’s Giancarlo Stanton that’s all he’s worth. The 25-year old outfielder for the Miami Marlins signed a contract extension in late 2014 for $325 million over thirteen years. It’s cited to be the most lucrative pact in sport’s history. There is no doubt that Stanton is a power hitter who will inevitably help his team produce runs and win ball games. Ultimately in this case, the worth of the person will be used to increase ticket sales and yield lucrative revenue for the franchise. It could be a gamble however. With a contract that doesn’t end until the player will be 38, it is highly doubtful that few professional athletes can yield a profitable harvest for that many years. Then the once-hero of the team becomes valueless and at risk of being thrown overboard.

We have indeed become a throw-way society, not only with our natural resources but with our human ones as well. The trend with some companies is to use their workers until they no longer successfully contribute or begin to raise too many questions.  It is then that they become an expendable item.  I find it’s always interesting to read Parade Magazine’s annual survey of what people earn in various positions. Those who by title have an opportunity to make a positive difference in society are often times far underpaid for what they contribute.  Recently a CEO of a firm which he founded took a 90% pay cut over the next three years to increase the annual minimum wage of his workers to $70,000.  In doing so, he hopes that the employees will be less distracted about fulfilling their basic needs and enable many of them to pay off existing debt or establish new beginnings. He described the raises as a “moral imperative” that prompts leadership to do the right thing for those whom they are leading.

Although our society may model different values – the worth of a person cannot be measured in terms of how much money one has, the amount of power they possess, or what kind of standing they maintain in society.  Sit back sometime and watch how a person treats those whom the culture would deem to be inferior to him.  That will help you to determine the worth of that individual.  Jesus was criticized for spending time with those who would have been labeled as outcasts in His day.  “When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, ‘Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?’ And hearing this, Jesus said to them, ‘It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners’” (Mark 2:15-17). Jesus made it perfectly clear that He came for those who are lost (Luke 15:3-7), that they might repent (1 John 1:9) and believe in Him (John 1:12).

In the end, our worth cannot really defined by others at all. It is given to us by God. For He alone is worthy. Because we are created in His image, we are of immeasurable value to Him. “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8).  All we have to do is believe. This should be more precious to us than any million dollar deal we might strike, and the length of the contract is for all of eternity – no extensions ever needed.  So when society has used us to our fullest and is ready to chew us up and spit us out – we, like the psalmist, can rejoice and say:

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” (Psalm 139:14)

 REFLECTION: If Jesus were to walk among us today, where do you think we would we find Him?  Would He find you obsessing over your self-worth or worrying about what others think of you? Would He observe you treating others as part of His creation and as true children of God?

(MY NEXT WEEKLY DEVOTION WILL BE UPLOADED ON SAT., MAY 9, 2015.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE REMINDED OF THE FREE WEEKLY POSTINGS, SEND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO: LookUpwrd@aol.com  YOUR ADDRESS WILL NOT BE SHARED)