A TRUE FRIEND INDEED

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” (Proverbs 27:17)

February 13, 1831 was the birthdate of John Aaron Rawlins, a man who could have easily made little of his life. However, he overcame an impoverished family background and limited education. Rawlins became known as a self-made man who went through a period of self-directed study to make up for his lack of formal education. After studying law, Rawlins passed the bar and entered into a law partnership in his hometown of Galena, Illinois while also becoming a noted public speaker. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he gave a notable pro-Union speech and soon became known to another Galena resident, Ulysses S. Grant. Rawlins joined the Union Army and served primarily as an officer on Grant’s staff. His promotions were linked to Grant’s success on the battlefields and Grant’s advancement in the Union Army under President Abraham Lincoln. Later when Grant became President, he appointed Rawlins as his Secretary of War. Unfortunately, he died of tuberculosis at the young age of 38.

Rawlins had an absentee father who was prone to drink. His father’s behavior affected his own strong attitudes and fears concerning alcohol. According to one historian – Rawlins’ abstention was caused by his belief that if he took even one drink, he would not be able to stop. When the Civil War started, Rawlins became a personal aide to Grant. He was Grant’s principal staff officer throughout the war, and Grant said that Rawlins was nearly indispensable. Grant had a reputation of being a heavy drinker when he served on the frontier in the 1850s, and it appears Rawlins was instrumental in keeping the General from excessive alcohol consumption.  On one occasion when Grant was alleged to have been drinking excessively with other officers, Rawlins became aware.  Considering himself to be Grant’s protector when it came to alcohol, Rawlins wrote him a letter of concern about the matter which was never sent but was later found by historians. Rawlins became Grant’s chief defender against allegations of insobriety, and the two became close personal friends.

The truth is – we all need friends. We often hear that many of the tragedies in our society are provoked by individuals who are friendless, otherwise labeled as loners. A wise principle of friendship is found in Ecclesiastes. “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10). The hymn writer, Will L. Thompson, reflected this sentiment with the following lyrics:

“Jesus is all the world to me, my life, my joy, my all;
He is my strength from day to day, without Him I would fall.
When I am sad, to Him I go, no other one can cheer me so;
When I am sad, He makes me glad . . . He’s my Friend.”

Friends are like-minded. Friendship is a relationship that is mutually entered into by individuals, and it is only as good or as close as those individuals choose to make it. A friend is one with whom you can be yourself, someone in whom you can confide with complete trust. Jesus said: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit–fruit that will last–and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other” (John 15:13-17). Someone has said that if you can count your true friends on the fingers of one hand, you are blessed. If you do not have such a person in your life, then invite Jesus to walk your journey with you. He is the best friend you will ever have . . . a true friend indeed.

REFLECTION: On those occasions when you have felt loneliness and wondered if you had any true friends, have you considered asking Jesus to be by your side? What are some ways that you might reach out to others who appear to be loners, offering them the gift of Christ and your friendship? In those times when you feel isolated, how can you begin to reconnect with others and learn to trust God in the process?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., FEBRUARY 24, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

FOLLOWING HIS LEAD

The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. (Psalm 32:8)

On a cold, rainy morning of February 11, 1861, one day before his 52nd birthday, President-elect Abraham Lincoln boarded a two-car private train loaded with his family’s belongings for Washington, D.C.  Leaving his home in Springfield, Illinois, he knew that his actions upon entering office would likely lead to civil war. Speaking to a crowd before departing, he said: “Here I have lived a quarter of a century, and have passed from a young man to an old man. Here my children have been born, and one is buried. I now leave, not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington. Without the assistance of that Divine Being… I cannot succeed. With that assistance, I cannot fail… To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell.” Lincoln understood who would direct his path. He would indeed return to Springfield just over four years later on a funeral train following his assassination.

Nick Foles, MVP for the Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles in 2018, wasn’t supposed to be seeing much playing time as the backup quarterback. In fact, two years before – he contemplated retiring and walking away from the game. Foles credits prayer with giving him the strength to stay in the NFL. “It took a lot more faith to come back and play than it would’ve to go in the other direction,” he said. “Either way would’ve been fine. Either way, I would’ve trusted in God. I would’ve done something else and glorified God in that instance.” Foles decided to return to football and became the back-up for the Eagles, a team he used to start for. However, after the team’s new starter, Carson Wentz, suffered a season-ending knee injury. Foles took over leading the team to their first-ever Super Bowl championship. When Wentz, also a devout Christian, was asked about his replacement, he said – “It’s crazy how it has all unfolded, but God has had a plan for him through this whole thing, and he knows that.” When he leaves football the next time, his goal is to become a pastor ministering to high school youth.

What do these two men have in common?  They both believed they were on a journey in which God was leading them. Not everyone listens for God’s direction, but God’s plan is still there. Following the death of Elisha in the Old Testament, God chose the prophet Jonah to go to Nineveh, the capital of a neighboring nation and enemy to Israel. Jonah feared what would happen if he went into that wicked city, so he tried to run from God by boarding a ship which was going in the opposite direction. Jonah’s ill-advised attempt to escape from God was doomed to fail. “But the LORD hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart” (Jonah 1:4). Eventually, his shipmates threw him overboard where “the LORD had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights” (Jonah 1:17). He soon realized God was with him everywhere he went. Even in the stomach of the great fish, God could hear Jonah’s prayer (Jonah 2:2). After rescuing him, God again directed Jonah to go to Nineveh. This time – he did.

Although some classify the story of Jonah as a fable – interestingly enough, Jesus referred to him when He spoke to the scribes and Pharisees who had asked Him for a sign. His response: “As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40). The plan for Jesus was clear, just as it was for President Lincoln and quarterback Foles. To follow their example, all you have to do is just “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take” (Proverbs 3:5-6). You can be sure that God has a plan for each life.  We simply have to pray for direction and listen for His voice. Whether it is revealed through His Word, in the course of events, or through our interaction with others – we will know when He is prompting us. “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). When we come to realize that we are here for a bigger purpose than just us, we are well on our way to hearing His voice and following His lead.

REFLECTION: Have you ever found yourself running away from God and His call for your life? What are some things you might implement in order to be more intentional about listening for His voice?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., FEBRUARY 17, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

SELF-IMAGE

“So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them…”(Genesis 1:27)

He suffered from depression for many years and underwent psychiatric treatment. Married three times, his personal relationships were described by some as troubled. Defined as a nervous man who contemplated suicide at least once, he was believed to have suffered from some dementia at the end of his life. He had deep insecurities about his work and often referred to himself as an illustrator rather than an artist. Despite all of this, his paintings created nostalgic moments and sentimentalized portrayals of American life. During his 84 years, he produced over 4000 original works which were beloved by a broad spectrum of the culture. These included 321 covers for The Saturday Evening Post. In 1920, the Boy Scouts of America featured one of his paintings in its calendar, establishing a relationship he enjoyed for over fifty years. One year before his death in 1978, President Gerald Ford awarded him with the Medal of Freedom.

Norman Rockwell was born on February 3, 1894 in New York City. At an early age, he knew he wanted to be an artist. His works were not always embraced by the critics who frequently dismissed him for not having real artistic merit. Rockwell’s reasons for painting were grounded in the world he hoped for. He once stated -“Maybe as I grew up and found the world wasn’t the perfect place I had thought it to be, I unconsciously decided that if it wasn’t an ideal world, it should be, and so painted only the ideal aspects of it.” In 1960, Rockwell produced one of the most famous self-portraits in American art.  A clearly modest man, he was reluctant to make himself the subject of a cover. The painting is regarded by many as a thoughtful portrait of the artist’s three selves: the painter, the subject model of himself as reflected by a mirror, and the image he created on the canvas. It has become known as “The Triple Self-Portrait.” In describing this work, Rockwell explained why his glasses appear opaque. “I had to show that my glasses were fogged, and that I couldn’t actually see what I looked like — a homely, lanky fellow — and therefore, I could stretch the truth just a bit and paint myself looking more suave and debonair than I actually am.”

Rockwell’s comment reminds me of that well-known passage from Paul as he writes to the Church at Corinth: “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely” (1 Corinthians 13:12).  It is true that God sees and knows us much more clearly than we sometimes know ourselves. In some ways, Rockwell was not so different than many who struggle with their own self-image. When Jesus told His disciples that He would soon be leaving them to be with the Father, they were confused and questioned Him, perhaps suffering a bit of an image crisis of their own.  Jesus stated: “If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?” (John 14:7-9). Here, Jesus is not speaking of a physical image but rather that He and the Father are of the same substance.

Hebrews 1:3 says that “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.” In the beginning – man was made in God’s image with the mental capacity to reason and choose, making us unique in His Creation. In that regard, we are a reflection of God’s intellect and freedom but unfortunately marred by rebellion. Today, we still bear the image of God, but we are also scarred by the sin of Mankind. Rockwell said – “I paint life as I would like it to be.” God did the same on His canvas of Creation. We are very much a part of the image He first imagined . . . only to be made perfect again through the sacrificial gift of grace provided by His Son.

REFLECTION: Are you able to separate your own self-perception from the sins of your past? How might you help someone who is struggling with their own self-image understand it is only through Christ alone that we can be made right before God and conform to the image that we were originally created to be?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., FEBRUARY 10, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

DIRECT LINE

“This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the LORD: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” (Hebrews 10:16)

Over a century ago on January 25, 1915, Alexander Graham Bell spoke on a telephone call from New York City to his former assistant Thomas Watson in San Francisco. Bell echoed those now famous words, “Mr. Watson, come here I need you” which he had similarly first stated in 1876  – now hearing each other with much greater clarity than nearly four decades before.  This time, however, rather than running into Bell’s room saying he could understand the message, Watson replied – “It would take me a week to get to you this time.” It was the first public demonstration of a transcontinental phone call for AT&T who had purchased Bell’s company in 1899 and constructed the lines for initiating the new service. The long-distance call of 3400 miles was being celebrated at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Then President Woodrow Wilson, who witnessed the call, remarked: “It appeals to the imagination to speak across the continent.”

Less than half a century later, phone calls were being made across the world. John F. Kennedy became the first U.S. president to have a direct phone line to the Kremlin in Moscow established on August 30, 1963. The “hotline” was designed to facilitate communication between the President and Soviet Premier. The establishment of the direct line came in the wake of the October 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis in which the U.S. and U.S.S.R had come dangerously close to all-out nuclear war. The technology utilized was considered revolutionary, being much more reliable and less prone to interception than a regular trans-Atlantic phone call which had to be bounced between several countries before reaching the Kremlin. Although a far cry from the instantaneous communication made possible by today’s cell phones and email, it was the first direct linkage of its kind. No call waiting, no busy signals, no answering machines – just an instant hook up designed to avert threat and prevent miscommunication.

While talking by telephone across a vast stretch of geography was possible, the early days of the telephone could be limiting. Throughout much of the 1900’s, it was not uncommon for many customers to have a ‘party line’ – a local telephone loop shared by more than one customer. There was no privacy on a party line. If you were talking with a friend, anyone on your party line could pick up their telephone and listen to the intimate details of your conversation. If someone on your party line was using their phone, no one else could make a call.  I have often wondered if God doesn’t feel like He is listening on one big party line with all of us trying to talk to Him at once. Thankfully His ability to ‘listen in’ defies all mortal explanation, somehow providing a private line and individual access for each believer. In Jesus time, there was a veil in the inner sanctuary of the temple that separated man from God, who resided in the Holy of Holies. Only priests could go behind that veil once a year. The Bible says that when Jesus died on the cross – God ripped that veil from top to bottom, symbolizing that there was no longer a barrier, thereby opening a more direct line of communication (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38).

Through His sacrificial death, Jesus established a new covenant allowing us to inherit a permanent, unbroken relationship with God. Paul said: “He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household …” (Ephesians 2:17-19). Under this new covenant, our bodies are a temple for God’s Holy Spirit who lives in us. We have immediate contact, anywhere at any time. When we feel like God is far away and wonder if our prayers are being heard, we must remember that He is not dwelling in some distant place. Author Wesley L. Duewel wrote: “God waits for you to communicate with Him. You have instant, direct access to God. God loves mankind so much, and in a very special sense His children, that He has made Himself available to you at all times.”  So as we journey with the Lord, we will never need to say, “Lord, come here, I need you.” We have a direct line . . . He’s already there.

REFLECTION: How do you take full advantage of your unrestricted access to God? How might we use our direct line to examine our communication through self-expression, body language and social media?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., FEBRUARY 3, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

FORSAKE THE FOOLISH

“For the fool speaks folly, and his heart is busy with iniquity, to practice ungodliness, to utter error concerning the Lord, to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied, and to deprive the thirsty of drink.” (Isaiah 32:6)

He suffered from depression throughout much of his life. At the age of 12, distraught at the news of his grandmother’s death, he jumped from a second story window of the family home allegedly attempting suicide. Although his family was deeply involved in the church – the young man questioned religion throughout his adolescence, much to the dismay of his father who was an American Baptist minister. However, in his junior year – he took a Bible class, renewed his faith, began to envision a career in the ministry, and later graduated from seminary. He was a very high-energy man requiring only minimal hours of nightly sleep, but he was repeatedly hospitalized for periods of exhaustion when he could no longer function. He would rebound to travel all over the country and the world, sometimes giving multiple speeches and sermons daily.  This was his pace for most of his short adult working life. Increasingly he turned to tobacco and alcohol for support, and his extra-marital affairs have been well documented. Like most of us, he was a flawed individual.

Years after his death by assassination, Martin Luther King, Jr. is the most widely known African-American leader of his era. His life and work have been honored with a national holiday celebrated annually on the third Monday in January near the 15th, his birthday.  As with many historical figures, he is remembered for his ability to lead and influence others.  His deep commitment for civil rights through nonviolent means brought him distinction. His well-known and frequently quoted “I Have a Dream” speech has served to be a prominent part of his legacy. Because of his activism and his campaigns for social equality, we sometimes forget that King was a Christian minister. He once made the following observation about himself: “In the quiet recesses of my heart, I am fundamentally a clergyman, a Baptist preacher.” Some of his lesser-known speeches came in the form of sermons spoken from church pulpits. One of those entitled “Why Jesus Called a Man a Fool” was delivered less than a year before he died.

King used the Parable of the Rich Fool as the basis for this sermon.  Taken from the Gospel of Luke is the story of someone in a crowd who asks Jesus to intervene in a request to divide an inheritance. Jesus responds to the person in which probably today would be stated – ‘Who made me your judge and jury?’ He goes on to say that life is not about building up possessions. Then He recites this story: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain.’  And I’ll say to myself, ‘you have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:13-21). You might ask why Jesus would refer to the man as a fool. Very simply, it was because he did not recognize his dependence on God. His plan was to build up earthly riches, never considering the fact that today his life could be over. Then he would have died materially wealthy but spiritually deprived.

Somewhere along the line, I remember learning as a child that is was inappropriate to call another man a fool. Now that I have the wisdom of some years behind me, I have come to realize that if we are fortunate to spend many years on this earth – we each take our turns being one from time to time. Jesus said: “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. . . And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” (Matthew 5:22). Here Jesus is talking about anger that results in judgment. As Christians, we must preserve love and seek peace with others without delay. In doing so, we are reconciled to God through Christ. Perhaps the King James version states it best: “Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding” (Proverbs 9:6). I think King would like that, and without a doubt – I’m sure Jesus would.

REFLECTION: The Apostle Paul said that as we mature, we should discontinue our foolish ways (1 Corinthians 13:11). What are your foolish things? How might you seek God’s guidance to overcome them?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., JANUARY 27, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

UNDERESTIMATING HIS POWER

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20)

In January of 1815, the War of 1812 was not going well for the United States. When we remember Andrew Jackson’s role in the conflict known as the Battle of New Orleans, we seldom hear about his relationship with the Ursuline nuns of that city. But, we should. On January 8, 1815, Jackson and his mostly untrained militia of only a few thousand were heavily out-numbered by a British army of veteran soldiers about three times its size. However, the U.S. handed the British the most lopsided defeat in their history, inflicting over 2000 casualties with minimal American lives lost. The night before the Battle of New Orleans – a large wooden statue of Mary and the child Jesus, known as Our Lady of Prompt Succor, was placed above the chapel entrance. All night long the Ursuline sisters and New Orleans citizens prayed for an American victory. The Mother and nuns were still at prayer on January 8 when a courier arrived at the church making a dramatic entrance and proclaiming that General Jackson was victorious. After the battle, ‘Old Hickory’ Jackson came to the convent to thank the nuns for their prayers.  He stated, “The divine providence of God through the intercession of Our Lady of Prompt Succor has shielded us and granted this stupendous miracle.” In later years whenever Jackson went to New Orleans, he always visited the Ursuline Convent where an annual Mass of Thanksgiving has been held faithfully since 1815.

In God’s Word, we are introduced to Gideon, the fifth judge of Israel. He played a small but important role in the history of God’s people. An angel spoke to Gideon who was called upon as a reluctant leader to free Israel from its enemy, the Midianites. After testing the Lord in several ways, Gideon came to be convinced of God’s power. Even though Gideon’s army was greatly outnumbered, the Lord continued to reduce his force from thousands to only 300 through a series of events. “That night the LORD said, ‘Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them!’” (Judges 7:9). After overhearing a man in one of the Midianite outposts reveal a dream he had, Gideon was encouraged. He divided his 300 men into three groups of 100 each. Armed with clay jars, torches, and trumpets – they spaced themselves around the enemy camp. When signaled, “all three groups blew their horns and broke their jars. They held the blazing torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, and they all shouted, ‘A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!’ Each man stood at his position around the camp and watched as all the Midianites rushed around in a panic, shouting as they ran to escape. When the 300 Israelites blew their rams’ horns, the LORD caused the warriors in the camp to fight against each other with their swords. Those who were not killed fled to places as far away…” (Judges 7:19-22).

From these narratives, we learn that God is much more powerful than we ever give Him credit for being. God’s power is enough to triumph in any conflict, but so often we fail to comprehend the mightiness of that power.  That is because we try to define who God is by our limited understanding of His divine nature.  Once, Jesus was asked by His disciples who could receive the gift of salvation? “Jesus looked at them intently and said, ‘Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible’” (Matthew 19:26). As our journey deepens with Him, we will discover that God hears those who seek His intervention through their prayers. All things are indeed possible with God, and our God does abundantly more than we can ask or imagine.  When we trust His power to work in our lives without definition or explanation – our faith is increased. Jesus said, “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:14). American pastor and author David Platt states it this way: “Nothing is impossible for the people of God who trust the power of God to accomplish the will of God.” While we may not be called upon to lead a conflict on the battlefield with seemingly far too few men, there undoubtedly will be times when the adversities we face will leave us feeling overwhelmed, without much hope or direction. Then we come to realize that our spiritual victories only ever occur because of God’s power and not through our own. We must never underestimate the mighty power of what He can do in our lives.

REFLECTION: Have you experienced God’s enormous power for overcoming life’s opposing forces? If not, what changes might you consider making? Will you dare to give what little you have to God, trusting that He will take your small offering and make something amazing out of it?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., JANUARY 20, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS

 “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)

I once heard a story about a man who was shipwrecked. After the sole survivor reached a small, uninhabited island, he prayed for God to rescue him.  But help didn’t come. As he began to resign his fate, he labored for many hours building a hut out of driftwood for protection from the elements. One day as he returned from hunting for food, he saw smoke rising to the sky in the distance. As he drew close, he found his hut in flames.  Angrily he cried out – God, how could You do this to me?” The next morning, he was awakened by rescuers. “How did you know I was here?” he asked. “We saw your smoke signal,” they replied. The story serves to remind us that when we find ourselves seemingly lost and alone from the turbulence of life, we always have someone by our side to calm the storm. One day, Jesus was in a boat with His disciples when they found themselves in the midst of a turbulent storm. “Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, ‘Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?’ When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Silence! Be still!’ Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, ‘Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ The disciples were absolutely terrified. ‘Who is this man?’ they asked each other. ‘Even the wind and waves obey him!’” (Mark 4:36-41).

One early January day in 1809, Louis Braille was born in a small French town. The fourth child of Simon and Monique Braille appeared to be quite frail, so his parents arranged to have him baptized right away. The early death that they had feared for him did not happen. Louis quickly showed himself to be a bright and curious lad often playing in his father’s leather workshop. One day, the three-year-old attempted to use an awl to punch holes in a piece of leather when the tool slipped and caught his eye. The eye could not be saved, became infected, and soon spread to his other eye. From that point on, Louis Braille was blind. A local priest saw potential in the boy and began to teach him.  When he was ten, he was enrolled in a special school for blind children in Paris. There at the age of 12, he met Charles Barbier, a former soldier, who had invented a system of raised dots which he hoped would enable silent communication for the solders at night. The army determined the system was too complex, so Barbier thought the school for the blind might have use for it. Braille was fascinated by this, so he dedicated all of his time to refining it. Over the next few years, he organized the raised letters into an alphabet. By the time he was 15, Louis had created the world’s first really good structure for blind reading. At the young age of 43, as he lay dying of tuberculosis – he said, “God was pleased to hold before my eyes the dazzling splendors of eternal hope. After that, doesn’t it seem that nothing more could keep me bound to the earth?”

The Apostle Paul said, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28). We should pay careful attention to read this verse in its entirety. Note that this passage does not promise that all things work together for the good of all people. It is careful to point out that we must love Him and be called by Him. We all know of situations where things work out well for some who seem to not know God at all. But we have to remember, we usually only know a small part of the story. Perhaps God is giving that person a second chance, or maybe He didn’t have His hand in it at all. But for those who know and love Him, we can be certain He allows circumstances to occur. Rick Warren says: “But God can draw good out of each event in your life. That means every single event, no matter how dark or shameful or how guilty or bitter you feel about it, God can bring good out of it. He can work for your good. The Bible doesn’t say all things are good. Not all things in the world are good. There’s a lot of bad. But it does say that all things work together for good for those who give God all the pieces and say, ‘Will you work good out of this?’ God will do it. He has an appointed time for everything.” Just as one cannot judge a book by its cover… neither should we predict an end at its beginning. but rather judge its beginning only at its end.

REFLECTION: In what situation do you need to ask God to work for your good? Is there anything that keeps you from asking God for His help? What are the most difficult trials that you have been through? In what ways might God be working them for an eventual good ending?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., JANUARY 13, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

It’s that time of the season when many of us subscribe to the old adage, “Out with the old, in with the new.”  For many, it’s a chance to have an imaginary clean slate. I don’t know about you, but for the most part – I like to be able to visualize things coming to a conclusion. At work, I am pleased when a project has a successful ending. At home, I get a sense of satisfaction when I am able to cross items off of my ‘to-do list.’ Whenever I am watching a really good episode of one of my favorite TV programs, I resent it when the program is coming to an end and the words “to be continued” flash on the screen. Of course, that’s how the producers get you hooked so you keep watching.  After all, the “Star Wars” franchise didn’t become a mega-billion-dollar operation overnight. But with its sequels and prequels since its debut in 1977 – the ‘force’ has indeed had a successful run for a very long time.

In life, we do find that there are some things worth holding onto. I once heard a story about a fire that occurred a number of years ago in the Black Forest of Colorado. Upon returning to a leveled home following the fire, only the brick fireplace appeared to have survived. As the owner began to look through the charred rubble, he started to search for a very small ceramic figurine. It was a statuette of the baby Jesus which had been made years before by his wife. Of all the things he had lost, this would be the treasure he would hope to recover. It was an established family tradition that his wife would hide the Jesus figure, with other family festivities not commencing until it was found. He paused and asked the question, “Is the baby Jesus still here?” As he continued the search in the area of what would have been the garage of their home, he located some burned remnants of a nativity scene. It was there that he found the baby Jesus figurine, undamaged by the fire. The owner had described the state of his property as bleak, but the small statue served as a new symbol of hope for him and his family.

When we think about the scene of the original nativity – at first look, it appears to be a rather tranquil one. The kneeling shepherds, the lowing cattle, and the amazement of the birth of an innocent child now lying in the manger collectively represent the peaceful celebration of the newborn king. Following a visit from the wise men, however, there would be no peace for the family of Jesus. “After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. ‘Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him” (Matthew 2:13). Only when it was safe again did the family go back home to Nazareth. Once again, Joseph had a dream in which he was told, “Get up!” the angel said. ‘Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead’” (Matthew 2:20). The stories around the birth of Jesus look not only to how he entered the world but to his whole life: the calling of disciples, what He taught, the miracles He performed, His death, His Resurrection, and how we as His modern-day disciples will respond to these events today.

What gives meaning to Christmas isn’t simply God taking on human flesh and being born as a baby. Fortunately for us – the narrative continued with Christmas as just the prelude. Good Friday and Easter become the pivotal point of His story. In explaining Christ’s life here on earth to his student Timothy, the Apostle Paul said, “Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith: Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations. He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory” (1 Timothy 3:16). Our story will conclude as we are called to enter our Eternal Home, or when He returns. God’s Word says – “so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:28). In a short time, we begin a new year. The days after Christmas give us the chance to think about how our story will be reflected along with His.  It’s not an end but just a new beginning of His work to be continued through us here on earth.

REFLECTION: How will you live out your faith story in the days ahead? Are there changes you might consider? What are the ways you might view the new year as a continuation of your journey with Christ?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., JANUARY 6, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

DIVINE INTERRUPTION

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)

It was Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year. I was checking online for the prices of TV’s, trying to make a decision if I had the best price or whether I should wait wait until Cyber Monday. Finally I decided to go for it, and I placed my order with a large retailer that deals in electronics. Immediately I received an email confirmation and was able to arrange my delivery date through the website appointment manager. I chose December 5, between 8 am and noon.  On December 4, I received an email reminder stating “We’ll see you tomorrow.” On December 5, I woke up to receive another email. Guess what it said?  You are correct – “Today is the day.” It wasn’t long until I got a phone call from the company giving me their estimated delivery time. I no sooner hung up the phone when I noticed an email in my inbox stating, “You can expect Matthew to arrive at approximately 10:35 a.m.”  About a half hour later, I looked at my watch. It was just after 10:30, and almost like a little child expecting Santa – “off to the window I flew like a flash.” There he was pulling up in front of my house. Santa??? No, Matthew of course, with my package.

In these days of instant notification, one can track your pizza delivery order being fulfilled, or you can find the location of your online order and its projected appearance at your front door. In addition, young children are able to use the NORAD tracker to find out exactly how much time remains before Santa leaves the North Pole. In the case of my TV delivery, everything worked just like clockwork with nothing left to the imagination. The anticipation of my Christmas gift had been fulfilled. The first Christmas, however, was a bit different. The testimony of the Old Testament prophets provided a long history of faithfulness that the Jewish people would at some future point receive their long-awaited promise of a Messiah (Isaiah 9:6; Jeremiah 23:5; Micah 5:2). This was followed by four-hundred years during which the prophets appear to be silent. Then one day, a teenage girl by the name of Mary, experienced a divine interruption when an angel appeared to her (Luke 1:26-38). Mary’s response was not only humble; it was also courageous. When Joseph discovered his betrothed was with child, who would not have questioned how God would have anything to do with this sudden turn of events? It was an interruption for certain to the matrimony plans he was anticipating.  He could have been bitter, yet through his faith God assured him that this child would bless mankind and “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:18-25).

If somewhere in your lifetime you experienced a divine interruption, then you are in remarkable company.  Selected individuals in God’s Word were simply leading normal lives which were deliberately interrupted to fulfill a greater purpose. The Apostle Paul said – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Joel Olsteen stated it this way: “We all have times when our plans don’t work out. We get delayed, interrupted and inconvenienced. It’s easy to get frustrated and fight against everything that doesn’t go our way. But, not every interruption is bad. Every closed door doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. Every delay doesn’t mean you’re not where you’re supposed to be . . . The next time you’re interrupted, delayed or inconvenienced, don’t start thinking, ‘This is a pain. This is getting me off schedule.’ No, get a new perspective. Look for what God wants to do because it could be divine interruption or divine protection. Trust Him today because He is directing your steps.”  Christmas is a time for remembering the greatest interruption which ever occurred. After all, the small hands of the innocent Christ-child born in a stable in Bethlehem were the same ones which only a few decades later would be nailed to a cross on Calvary in His fulfillment as the Savior for all mankind. Like Jesus, when we surrender to God’s interruptions – we can rest in the knowledge that He always has a higher purpose for us. Little do we sometimes know that when our lives are divinely interrupted, what may appear as a tragic ending may only serve to become a beautiful beginning.

REFLECTION: Can you attest to having experienced a divine interruption at some point in your life? How did you become a different person as a result, or have you drifted back into your ‘old self’? Are there ways that you might start anew this Christmas to serve Him more profoundly?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., DECEMBER 30, 2017.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

TRADITION

“Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions  even as I delivered them to you.” (I Corinthians 11:2)

There is probably no holiday that highlights the practice of tradition more than Christmas.  One family saves their Christmas tree following the season. As the wood begins to dry out, it is cut into logs which are saved to burn in their fireplace the following Christmas Eve. A newly-established tradition at our home was initiated several years ago following a visit to the Epcot theme park at Walt Disney World where I purchased a pickle ornament from a store in the Germany attraction. I learned that it is tradition there for parents to hide this ornament on their tree for the children to find on Christmas Eve. The child who locates the special decoration receives an extra gift from Saint Nicholas as most observant child.  When I was in my teens, my family was invited to attend church with our neighbors on Christmas Eve. The church held their service at 11 p.m., so by the time you were singing the last hymn – it was Christmas Day. During the numerous choruses of Silent Night, candles were lit all over the sanctuary by each attendee. As the service concluded, participants were encouraged to make it home with their candle still burning. In this way, you were carrying the light of Christ out into the world and also bringing His light into your own home.  In the last few years we attended, this practice was discouraged.  Even though protectors had been provided for each candle, apparently too much wax was being dripped onto the carpet in the church. I suppose it was a practical consideration, but the significance of the candle lighting and the challenge to get it home somehow forfeited a tradition that, for me, was never quite the same.

In the Broadway musical, Fiddler on the Roof, the main character Tevye sets a major theme for the play. He says: “Because of our traditions, we have kept our balance for many many years . . . For instance, we always keep our heads covered and always wear a little prayer shawl. This shows our constant devotion to God. You may ask – how did this tradition get started. I’ll tell you . . . I don’t know. But it’s a tradition. And because of our traditions, everyone of us knows who he is and what God expects him to do.” We all try to hold on to our traditions, as the world around us is constantly changing. Sometimes we have no idea why they were started. Jesus rebuked the judgment of the religious leaders and teachers of the law who were making accusations about His disciples not following the ceremonial practices of the day. His response to them was, simply – “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules. You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!” (Mark 7:6-9).

Traditions can be comforting to us on many levels, and sometimes they will be questioned by those who challenge the sincerity of our faith.  For instance, in Jeremiah 10:3-4 we read: “A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move.” At first glance, it might seem that this passage is referring to Christmas trees. But a more careful look at the entire passage makes it clear that God is talking about making a carved image—or idol— made from the trunk of a tree. Unless one is worshiping their Christmas tree, there is no logical reason to discontinue this tradition. In fact, Martin Luther was so struck by the beauty of the fir tree that he taught that it represented the everlasting love of God. Believers in Christ should give serious thought as to whether any of their traditions contradict God’s Word or distracts them from it. Paul said, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ” (Colossians 2:8). There you have it. As long as your holiday customs are not separating you from your walk with Christ, then they are just simply that . . . tradition. Enjoy!

REFLECTION: Is your religious experience based upon family tradition or on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Have you blindly accepted traditions not of your own making without consideration as to whether they are supported in God’s Word?  Have some of your traditions influenced the way you practice your faith? Are there any of your personal or family traditions that might require closer examination?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., DECEMBER 23, 2017.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.