Rejoicing in Suffering

      It had been a difficult week, filled with pain, weakness, and naturally discouragement. I found myself smiling, though, when I saw the notification of a message from my Jamaican sister-friend. As we chatted on Whats-App that morning, dear Jeanne, a constant encourager, reminded me to rejoice in suffering. I confess this is a nearly daily struggle for me, even though I know it is biblical: 

"But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."  1 Peter 4:13 NIV  

      In the midst of our chat, my doctor sent me a text reminding me, "You can do all things through Yeshua who strengthens you!" (Philippians 4:13)

      I had to ponder these two ideas for some time as my day wore on. There came to mind  the familiar refrain, "They are weak but He is strong.... Yes, Jesus loves me!" Then I had to admit that when I am suffering the most, I more quickly seek the promised shelter of His wings, just like a tiny baby bird in its weakness shelters under the loving, gentle wing of its mother, and at times even allows itself to be carried on her back. 

"He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." (Psalm 91:4 NIV)

      Though I miss the days of being strong, serving Him, and helping others, when I am desperate to find a reason for this trial, I need to remind myself it has brought me to a place of total dependence on Him. Isn't that exactly where he wants us all? 

"Trust in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV)

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways,

And My thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 54:8-9 NKJV)

     And so, with Job, let me say, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him;" (Job 13:15a KJV)

 "He must increase and I must decrease."

John 3:30

 ✝️

Night Bloomer

 

"George" emerging to light up a dark night.

      I know you've met "George" before [See "Ordinary Days -- Surprising Grace, 9/27/19], the exotic creature that inhabits my porch at the lake, but he's the perfect illustration of something I've just read in today's Streams in the Desert entry: "We must understand that for God to give "songs in the night" [Job 35:10], He must first make it night." (Nathaniel William Taylor). The devotional also reminded me that without the darkness we would never see the moon and stars, the most exquisite lights in the universe.

      I think of people throughout history who've inspired me the most, and nearly all of them were overcomers. Job, who never gave in to despair or doubt in spite of losing everything he held dear; Paul and most of the twelve apostles who gave their very lives in order to share the Good News of the One Who gave the most for each and every one of us! Then there are my personal heroes: a woman I never even met who fought cancer valiantly, coming to church through pain and sickness, giving glory to God until her last breath; a pastor who suffers from severe rheumatoid arthritis and whose wife has a debilitating chronic illness as well, yet who visits the sick, preaches and teaches each week, and even calls in a devotional to his flock's prayer chain every day; a couple of teachers I follow on the internet who inspire thousands while one deals with a chronic illness herself and the other has two children with serious health issues. THESE are stars that shine in their own darkness, blessing us all with their amazing resilience.

      I confess that in my own "dark night of the soul" I most often fail to shine, and yet I know that this blog would never have come about were it not for the darkness that suddenly engulfed me the summer of 2017. Even then, it took two years for my will to accept HIS will for my life and begin carrying out this assignment, which I believe was His plan from the very beginning. Oh dear friend, if you are in a dark place right now, I assure you that God has a purpose for you even in the darkness. Even if you shine on just one person, your family and closest friends, or perhaps someone you only know through the internet, you have no idea how far that light may be passed on, from one to another to another. You, too, can be a night-bloomer!

     My night-blooming cereus sometimes takes a year off and rests, but then when it blooms again, even if I'm not watching and miss its display, I cherish the times I have witnessed the miracle. I can even recall its sweet fragrance, which is like nothing else on earth. Its brilliance still inspires me, just like I remember the stars and moon on a cloudy night, and I smile.

“He uncovers mysteries hidden in darkness; he brings light to the deepest gloom."  

[Job 12:22 NLT]

"Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous."  [Psalm 112:4 NIV]

"The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."  [Isaiah 9:2 KJV]

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."  [John 8:12 KJV]

      

   "He must increase and I must decrease."

John 3:30

 ✝️

The Sun Heals!

     

      I'll admit it: yesterday I was LOW! The pain of the day before was gone, but my spirit was as dark as the misty gloom that enwrapped our part of the world. This morning I started out just as low, even though the sun shone brightly through our windows. I suddenly realized I heard no bird songs, either, which added to my depression. Then I remembered that in years past, even when very ill I had started most days sipping my morning coffee on the deck, sitting in the sun. And so I forced myself out of my chair and walked the few steps to the front door, where my folding chair seemed to be awaiting my return. I remembered that part of my ritual was listening to hymns, and so grabbed my phone and wireless speaker to accompany me. Before I could even think about it, my persistent frown had turned upside down, as I found myself stretching my arms to receive the warmth of the sun, and my ears began to hear the music of songbirds floating above the quiet piano music.

      Of course my doctor has always recommended sitting in the sun daily for twenty minutes or so in order to soak up natural Vitamin D. This was a common suggestion during the recent pandemic. A British study conducted in 2020, at the height of Covid, concluded that bird songs can indeed improve moods. A 1984 another U.K. study even found that a view of trees from a hospital room actually speeds healing and helps patients require fewer pain meds! (https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/how-listening-to-bird-song-can-transform-our-mental-health.html) I've experienced this for myself, because I REALLY dislike someone working in my my mouth (aka dental visits!). Whether planned or not, my dentist's office has views of beautiful trees from most every patient chair, and I know that looking out at those trees helps me relax during an unpleasant procedure.

      But why should any of this be surprising? On the fourth day God created the two great lights in the sky, "to provide light on the earth." (Genesis 1:15 CSB) The sun God created is the source of all light and life: without it there would be no life! No trees, no birds, no humans! And in the End, we shall all see that the true Source of our sun is the Son Himself:

 When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.  (Revelation 1:12-16 NLT, emphasis mine)

 "The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says, 'The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed—roots, branches, and all. But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture."  (Malachi 4:1-2 NLT)

      Dear friend, whether the sun is shining on us today or not, let us pray together with the wonderful old hymn "Sun of My Soul,"   

"1.Sun of my soul, Thou Savior dear, It is not night if Thou be near;

O may no earth-born cloud arise To hide Thee from Thy servant's eyes!

2. When the soft dews of kindly sleep My weary eyelids gently steep;

Be my last thought, how sweet to rest Forever on my Savior's breast!

3. Abide with me from morn till eve, For without Thee I cannot live;

Abide with me when night is nigh, For without Thee I dare not die.

4. Be near to bless me when I wake, Ere thru the world my way I take;

Abide with me till in Thy love I lose myself in heav'n above."

                                                         -- John Keble

   "He must increase and I must decrease."

John 3:30

 ✝️

A Tale of Two Lampshades

      Ever seeking the rainbow behind the clouds, I must share one more Christmas Day Flood story with you (without promising it will be the last!). 

      In all the moving about of furniture during the restoration, I dropped the hobnail glass shade of a precious antique lamp that was my mother's onto the tile bathroom floor. You can imagine the sound of shattering glass that echoed in my heart. I was devastated, of course, but immediately turned to EBay to search for a replacement. After perusing many options, I decided on the perfect match, ordered it, and eagerly anticipated its arrival. How heartbroken I was upon picking up the box to hear the unmistakable clinking of broken glass. My excited heart fell. When I opened it, though, I exclaimed, "Well no wonder!" as I found that the packaging and padding was minimal, certainly not sufficient for so fragile an object to travel hundreds of miles through the mail system. (See photo on the right, above.)

      It took a few days for my spirits to recover well enough to begin my search anew. I found another, though, and prayerfully, hopefully ordered it. As quickly as promised, the package arrived, and I was encouraged that the box felt strong and I heard no telltale tinkling. As I carefully opened it (with not a little trepidation, I admit), I was amazed to find a second tightly packed box inside the first. Again I painstakingly unsealed the second one, only to find a THIRD box I needed to unwrap! And inside that one, padded lovingly with more cardboard, newspaper, and other ordinary materials, was an unbroken Fenton hobnail lampshade. (See photo above left.) What joy! It was perfect, and whole, and my lamp now glows beautifully on my dresser.

      When I contemplate that experience and those two packages, I can't help seeing a striking illustration of a lesson it's taken me a lifetime of mistakes to learn: a fragile heart that is placed in thin, unreliable packaging will undoubtedly be shattered by the rough handling of this world, while a heart wrapped in "full armor" will arrive at its destination able to fulfill its purpose and shine its light wherever it is placed. What is this "full armor"? I believe it's no accident that the second lamp shade was sealed in three boxes. I can't help relating it to the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. If we trust the Father, our Creator Who loves us (Genesis 1:1, 27), accept His Son Jesus as the Redeemer He gave for our sins (John 3:16); then inside us will live the Holy Spirit, His Advocate, to guide us and comfort us on our daily walk (John 14:26). Our hearts will then be safe until we go to live with Him forever and our enemies have been destroyed. NO MORE BROKEN HEARTS!!!

      But until that time, we'll be tossed about, and perhaps even broken, by a sin-filled world. And without this armor we ourselves succumb to our own sinful nature, born in all of us since the Garden of Eden. How can we be sure we are protected from Satan's attacks? God has given us the answer in His Word, in the passage so familiar to many of us:

 "For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation [Yeshua]  and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God."

(Ephesians 6:13-17 CSB)

             With this promised protection we are by no means guaranteed freedom from worldly attacks to our body, mind, and spirit, just like both lampshades were undoubtedly tossed about in the mail before arriving at my home. We ARE guaranteed, however, to come through such attacks, so that like my lamp, we can shine God's light wherever we are placed. 

   "He must increase and I must decrease."

John 3:30

 ✝️

The Greatest Love

     

His Love Hung on a Tree

      It's Good Friday, and many wonder why "Good" when the most heinous crime of all time was committed on this day against the only perfect God/Man Who ever lived. As I contemplate the Passion and pain of this day, rain is pouring down outdoors. It could certainly be a very "heavy" day if our thoughts stop at the cross. But, praise God, they don't need to; in fact, they mustn't. When Jesus uttered "It is finished," I can't help thinking at least part of His meaning was that His pain was finished, His sacrifice had been made, and all that awaited Him was His glorious, rightful position at the right hand of His Father God in his heavenly home. And in that moment the same future was guaranteed for us who follow Him-- a future without pain, struggle, and tribulation. As the wonderful old hymn goes, "What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see...!"

      To me, this day is all about love, the greatest love ever known to mankind, and it challenges me both to give and to receive the purest form of love, the love that motivates us to sacrifice for others, not out of obligation or necessity, but out of compassion, of wanting only the best for someone else, of simply delighting in the presence of the other. Yes, THIS, not Valentine's Day, is the day that we should celebrate love all around the world, right down to our own household! And it all started with the crimson blood that flowed down from the heart of Jesus on that horrible wooden cross-- a thing of utmost beauty from the most horrible ugliness ever conceived by man.

      Yes, it breaks my heart to think of this ugliness, of His perfection enduring such pain for the likes of me and my sin! At the same time, my spirits soar to bathe in this unimaginable outpouring of perfect love. And He would have done it for me, if I were the only person on earth! Or for you, my friend.

      And what does He ask in return? Nothing. It's that simple. Accept the gift. Believe, and see the difference it makes in your heart. You will WANT to love others, to live differently. You'll be sorry for your sins, because you will want to please the Lover of your soul. You will love others more, because you have His love in your heart, and you can't help wanting to share it. Oh, but don't think the Enemy will stop harassing you to do evil. If he tempted the Christ, the Son of God (which he did), he will surely tempt you as soon as you give your heart to Jesus. You will fall-- we all do-- but we repent and start over with the Holy Spirit as our Armor. And we keep trusting in His love, because it is the most trustworthy of all, because this is the day He gave it all for you, and for me, and for every single person you lay eyes on, or talk to, or text, or Tweet, or think of today, every day.

      Don't you want to shout it from the rooftops? I challenge you to share it today, the perfect Love-- grab someone you pass on the street, call someone you haven't contacted in a while, share this blog with someone. There are endless ways, and I'm challenging myself, too. It may not be natural, until you think about the unimaginably great news of it, and then, how can we keep from sharing it? It IS Good Friday-- go tell someone!

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." 

(John 15:13 KJV)

 "Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

(Matthew 22:37-39 NIV)

   "He must increase and I must decrease."

John 3:30

 ✝️

      

Lessons from the Lamp

    

      

     It was Saturday and I was sitting once again in the midst of the post-flood chaos at the lake, contemplating all the knick-knacks to be gathered up to prepare for carpet installation next week. My eyes fell on the little antique finger lamp I purchased on E-bay some time ago, and I decided I "needed" to light it. Maybe its golden light would lift my spirits enough to get me moving on the dreaded chore before me. But as I picked it up I realized its wick had burnt down too low to light, and so I began trying to pull it out. My short fingernails were useless for that job, and a straight pin proved just as impotent. The only thing to do was lift it out of its holder, pull it out from underneath, trim it down and start afresh. I soon realized the job was going to be harder than I anticipated, and so I pulled the kitchen stool over to support my wobbly legs. I'd been listening to praise songs on Pandora for inspiration, and just then I began hearing the beautiful notes of "Carry Your Candle" and I smiled, encouraged in my small effort.

      But the difficult part of my task was just beginning. Now I must push the trimmed wick back through the narrow neck of its holder and out the top far enough to allow it to light and burn. This necessarily tight space resisted my pushing and twisting for quite some time, and I began to think of my life these past five-plus years, without a doubt the tightest space I've ever been in. Trimmed away are all the trappings of my "normal" life, all the activity and freedom that once defined me. Now I know that God has allowed all this to "trim my wick" to hear His unmistakable voice in new, deeper, more meaningful ways, and then to pass on what He has shown me.

      Eventually, I accomplished my goal, pushed the wick just far enough out to burn brightly, lit it successfully, and smiled. It warmed the rest of my day, and my mind wouldn't let go of the lessons I learned from this sweet little lamp:

          1. Its wick had to be painstakingly trimmed, then pushed into the tight place of its holder just far enough; otherwise it was useless. Jesus tells us on the night before His crucifixion, during the Passover meal with His disciples,

 "Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."  (John 16:33 NLT)

          2.  The lamp's reservoir needed to have plenty of oil (fuel), and the wick must be soaked in it in order to burn. Our fuel for lighting the world is the Holy Spirit, Who is available to us always from the moment we accept Jesus' death and resurrection as payment for our sins. We'll never run out of fuel!

"But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."  (John 14:26 NIV)

          3.  Do you think my little lamp, once the wick was trimmed and plenty of fuel was provided, lit itself? Of course not! I had to light it with a heat source! This morning I awoke before dawn, just in time to see a golden full moon setting in the west. I thought a few moments before that glowing orb dropped behind the trees, "That moon has no light of its own; it merely reflects the sun, its source." Friends, we must be like that moon, or like my little lamp. We must shine the Light, so painfully won for us on the cross of Calvary. And we find all we need to know about that Source from His Word, the Holy Bible. Please join me in pledging to spend more time in His Word, in order to grow closer and closer to Him each day.

"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Psalm 119:105 KJV)

      

    "He must increase and I must decrease."

John 3:30

 ✝️

In Due Time

      

      Waiting just isn't fun! This has been a hard period of waiting for me. First, after the burst pipe, I had to wait for insurance appraisal, and I am STILL waiting for repairs to be done. The latter has been complicated by Covid. Though it seems like a month ago, Bill had what he thought was an allergy, UNTIL the fever started a week ago, and he tested positive for Covid. I bet most of you can relate, sadly. You feel bad in the first place, and then you have to wait 15 minutes for the darn test to give you results! So he waited and watched; I waited, apart, and prayed.

      I had been planning to meet repairmen at the lake, so here I was, exposed to Covid, and now in quarantine with two days' worth of food and clothes and vitamins; and of course my doctor didn't want me to go back home for more certain exposure. I cancelled the repairmen that morning while they were already headed my way. I texted my nearby friends to say "Don't come see me." Then I waited. And waited. And I'm still waiting, until Bill's fever subsides, then a week after that until I can go home. (Bless friends & family who've brought me food and left it at my door!)

      But I realized this morning that the time hasn't been wasted. Interestingly, I've been reading a book called Slow Brewing Tea, which describes a very anti-Christian man's thirty-year search for God. (Yes, I HIGHLY recommend it if you are looking for something provocative and deep with spiritual meaning.) With my often-foggy brain, along with the book's density of content, it has taken me nearly two months to finish, slowly brewing it, if you will, in my heart and mind. As I finished it yesterday, I was inspired to take up my Bible and begin reading it through, starting in Genesis. I've done this a few times before, but it's been a while. This morning I arrived at the story of Abram/Abraham and Sarai/Sarah. Talk about WAITING! At age 100 Abraham finally saw the birth of God's promised son to bless the nations. 

      Everyone acknowledges the fact that we've become a world of instant gratification. I grow impatient when I have to wait for my computer to boot up! But in this waiting period of illness and delays I am learning. Normally annoyed at being surrounded by messes, things out of place, I know there's no point in attacking the literal mess around me: books, pictures, bedclothes, and knick-knacks displaced by the flood can't be put back until their proper space has been repaired, painted, re-carpeted by the repairmen. But then I look forward to the blank canvas I'll have to carefully replace items which are necessary, good, beautiful, or simply sentimental. I can throw out the messy and unnecessary and create a new space of beauty and comfort! 

      Maybe that's what God is doing in our periods of powerlessness. This time of isolation I've been at peace, and I've felt His presence more than all the "busy" days. I've soaked myself in it, really, whether reading His Word, listening to beautiful hymns and praise songs, watching the birds and the ever-changing lake and sky, or simply resting in quietness with a vacant mind. I know that there's nothing I have to do or even can do to make myself more fit for His presence but empty myself and eagerly wait for my soul's Repairman to fill it "in due time."

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time."                  (1 Peter 5:6 NIV)

"He must increase and I must decrease."

John 3:30

 ✝️