Monday Morning Memo: Paralyzed or Petrified?

I find it interesting that the Lord will often put people in my path, within a few days, who have a similar “story” to tell me.  It’s often at unexpected times and in unusual places but I’m convinced that it’s probably because He knows I have a thick head and need reminded often.

I experienced this last week.  In the first situation, I was sitting in a nail salon and I asked the technician if she had plans for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.  That was all it took for her to begin to share with me how difficult this particular weekend is for her and her family.  She shared that many years ago, her brother was killed in a tragic car accident at this time of year and the pain and suffering that followed in her family.  As her tears flowed, she told me that as a result of this event, she learned that we are never promised tomorrow, we only have today.  She said we need to not let the past or the future control us…that today is what is important and we need to make sure we are having a positive impact on those with whom we come in contact today.  She shared that in light of eternity, our time here on earth is short and we need to make today the best it can be. 

Forty-eight hours later, I was 70 miles from home eating breakfast with my husband at the Haiti Benefit Auction in Shipshewana, Indiana.  As we ate, an Amish man moved closer to us and asked where we were from.  We visited for a while and then he looked at Dan and told him that he was a very lucky man, because he still has his wife.  He proceeded to tell us that his wife passed away a year and a half ago and how much he missed her.  He said he always thought that he would go first and never dreamed he would find himself alone.  In our conversation, he said we need to remember that “things” in life aren’t what are important.  He talked about a man in his community who recently sold his business because he realized what this Amish man already knew, that status or wealth isn’t what is important. We have today and we need to make sure we are living like we should be because tomorrow isn’t promised.

As I thought about these two encounters, I asked myself how I want to live today.  Do I want to use the moments of today…digging up past hurts, failures and heartaches…or do I want to make the most of the minutes I am blessed to have today?  Also, do I want to waste my time, worrying and fretting about what might happen tomorrow…or do I want to use my energy to touch the lives of others today? 

Today is Memorial Day; the day we honor those who have given their all so that we can experience freedom.  Because of their sacrifice…you and I have today.  What a shame if we throw away this gift that we have been given, because we are paralyzed by our past or petrified of our future.  We may only have today.  Let’s make sure we use every moment to live for our Jesus in such a way that others see Him in us.  Then, and only then, will the sacrifices that have been made for us not be in vain.

 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.

Isaiah 43:18-19

Monday Morning Memo: Because I Said So

There are certain Bible stories in which most people probably know the storyline.  Adam and Eve, Noah building the ark and David and Goliath are just a few of them.  I came across another one this past week in my devotional reading that I have read and heard about many times.  But something jumped out at me on this particular morning as I read about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.

As I said, most of us are familiar with the main points of this event.  Lazarus lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha, and they were very close friends of Jesus.  In this story, Lazarus became very ill and so his sisters immediately sent a message to Jesus, telling Him of the state of their brother.  I’m guessing that they thought that Jesus would immediately drop whatever He was doing to come to Lazarus’s bedside and heal him.  But that wasn’t what happened.  When He received the news, Jesus said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death.  No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this (John 11:4).”    Then, instead of rushing to heal him, Jesus stayed right where He was for two more days.

By the time Jesus did arrive in Bethany, He was informed that Lazarus had died and had been in the grave for four days.  As you can imagine, Mary and Martha were distraught at the death of their brother and told Jesus that if He would have only come right away, He could have healed him.  In verse 23 in John 11, we read that Jesus told Martha that her brother would rise again, but she thought He was talking about the last day when all Christians will rise. 

As Jesus saw how distraught Mary and Martha were, along with many of their friends, He became angry at their unbelief of what He could do.  We read in John 11:33-44, “When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled.  ‘Where have you put him?’ he asked them.  They told him, ‘Lord, come and see.’  Then Jesus wept.  The people who were standing nearby said, ‘See how much he loved him!’  But some said, ‘This man healed a blind man.  Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?’  Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance.  ‘Roll the stone aside,’ Jesus told them.  But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, ‘Lord, he has been dead for four days.  The smell will be terrible.’  Jesus responded, ‘Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?’  So they rolled the stone aside.  Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, thank you for hearing me.  You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.’  Then Jesus shouted, ‘Lazarus, come out!’  And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth.  Jesus told them, ‘Unwrap him and let him go!’”  Can you imagine how everyone’s jaws dropped as Lazarus made his appearance!

As I shared, I have read this story many times but what hit me this time was the fact that Jesus told them to roll the stone away.  Why did he tell them to do this?  If He could raise Lazarus from the dead by just speaking words…He surely could have just told the stone to move and it would have, without the help of those in attendance. 

Could it be, that Jesus wanted them to trust Him enough to do the simple act of rolling the stone to the side?  Martha was hesitant to have this done because she knew the odor would be overwhelming, but Jesus wanted her to trust Him enough to do as she was told.  I think if I would have been Jesus, I would have said something to the effect of, “Are you kidding me Martha?  How many times have I proved my power to you?  When will you understand that I can do far more than you can ever imagine if you just believe in Me and do what I tell you to do?”

Jesus needed Martha, Mary and everyone else there to believe in Him enough to do the simple act of rolling the stone away.  I have to admit that as I thought about this, my first response was also one of unbelief that they didn’t trust Him enough to obey Him.  And then it hit me between the eyes.  How many times in my life has Jesus asked me to do something and I have balked.  I’ve questioned His motives.  I’ve reminded Him of all the bad things that can happen if I do what He is asking of me.  I’ve dragged my feet, hoping He will change His mind and let me go another route; all because I didn’t trust.

There were times when I was raising our children that they questioned me as to why they had to do a particular task.  Oftentimes, my response was, “Because I said so.”  I expected them to obey just because I spoke the words.  I have a feeling that it is no different with my Heavenly Father.  I’m guessing that those times I have kept whining and asking why…He just wanted to say to me, “Because I said so.”

How about you?  Is Jesus asking you to do something but instead of believing and trusting in His power, you just keep asking “Why?”  I imagine if you take the time today to be still and listen for His voice, you just might hear Him say, “Because I said so”.

Monday Morning Memo: Something Happens

It happened again.  It shouldn’t surprise me since it occurs often, but it seems like every time it catches me just a little off guard.  I don’t know if each time I don’t believe that it can happen again or if I just don’t trust that the Lord can do it again.  Regardless, I am so thankful that He always does.

What happened?  Worship happened.  Once again Dan and I went to church yesterday and worshipped with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  It is a rarity that we miss because we know how vital it is to our Christian walk and there is nothing else that we do that impacts our week like worship does.  There is no other hour in our prior six days that has the same effect on us and when a Sunday is over, we can’t wait until the next Sunday.

I cannot tell you the number of times that I have walked into our church exhausted on a Sunday morning.  There have been days when I went through the door completely spent, either from a busy week or due to pain.  I’m sure many of you can relate because I know I am not alone in feeling this way.

But something happens as I worship.  My focus begins to shift from me to the One I came to worship.  The burdens and cares I walked in with, suddenly don’t seem so overwhelming as I lift my voice in praise.  The pain that I am experiencing, takes a back seat to feeling the Holy Spirit working in a powerful way.  It’s hard to put into words, but something happens in that service each week that just can’t be duplicated anywhere else.

Can I worship my heavenly Father in my home?  Yes.  Can I worship my Lord in nature?  Yes.  Can I even worship my Jesus while I’m driving my car?  Yes I can.  But none of that compares to being in His presence with my brothers and sisters in Christ.  The reason is that this wonderful group of people is my Christian family.  They are my community and having the privilege of being with them is something that I treasure.  In Christ, we have a common focus.  In Him, we have a common bond and the time we spend together each Sunday sets the tone for my week.

The early church knew the importance of meeting together.  We read in Acts 2:42-47, “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.  And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had.  They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.  They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity – all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people.  And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.”

God did mighty and miraculous things when the people did life together and the same is true today.  God’s purpose is for us to come together, not just on Sunday mornings, but throughout our week to support, love and care for the needs of each other.  It worked those many years ago…and it works today too.

If you are struggling and feel all alone, make sure you are involved in a local community of believers.  Find a group with whom you can worship and do life with them.  Don’t look for perfection…because you will never find it.  Look for brothers and sisters in Christ whose focus is on the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Then, get ready for something to happen that just might make you feel totally different when you walk out than when you walked in!

Monday Morning Memo: Fulfilling Our Vows

I don’t know what it has been like where you live, but here in the Midwest we have seen lots of rain this past week.  To make being outside even a little more miserable, we had high winds on several of the days so walking without getting soaked was a little difficult.

Last Thursday morning I took my mother-in-law to her cancer treatment and of course, we drove through very heavy rain.  When we left that afternoon to return home it wasn’t raining very hard, but the closer we got to the retirement home, the harder it came down.  I pulled up in front of Mom’s building under the covered area to let her out and then I knew I would need to park my car in the lot and walk back in the rain.  As I came around the back of my vehicle to open her door, I saw Dan walking towards us.  He had been waiting in the lot until we arrived, so that he could park my car for me so that I wouldn’t get wet. 

When we left the retirement home, it was still raining and windy.  Dan asked me if my car needed gas and I said that it did.  So he handed me the keys to his truck to take and he took my car and filled it with gas on the way home.  He chose to be out in the nasty elements again, so that I wouldn’t have to.

Dan’s actions that day made me think about some of the other things he does for me.  Many days I wear a Tens unit.  If you aren’t familiar with what that is, it’s a small device that works by sending stimulating pulses across the surface of the skin on my back along the nerves. The stimulating pulses help prevent pain signals from reaching my brain.  It also helps stimulate my body to produce higher levels of its own natural painkillers, called Endorphins.  Since I live with chronic pain, this device is a lifesaver.  Whenever I need this attached to my body, Dan patiently hooks me up.  Not once when I have gone to him to have this done, has he acted irritated or made me feel like I was bothering him. 

I have shared in the past that we use essential oils in our home and they have also been a help to me with my health.  One of the things we take every day is an antioxidant drink that has wolfberries and essential oils in it.  Dan knows how much this helps support muscle relaxation in my legs so that I can sleep so every evening, without me saying anything, he pours us each a “shot” of it and brings me mine.  He wouldn’t have to do this.  He could just let me get my own, or wait for me to bring him his, but instead he serves me in this way.

These are just some of the things that Dan does for me, that no one else ever sees.  He doesn’t do them to get recognition or to put on a “show” in front of others; he does them because he loves me.  He took our vows seriously over 35 years ago, when he said he would love me for better or for worse.  Believe me, in our marriage that has been a lot of “worse” with my health, causing Dan to have to care for me often.  But he hasn’t complained or made me feel like I was a bother.  I’m sure there have been times when walking away has probably looked pretty enticing, but instead he has chosen to stay and serve me instead.

I feel today that there is someone who is thinking about walking away from his or her vows.  There is someone who thinks that things would be so much easier if they would end their marriage and move on to greener pastures.  I want to encourage you today to not give in to Satan’s ploy to destroy your marriage.  You may have also wed someone who has brought more “worse” into your daily life due to health problems, emotional problems or maybe financial problems.   Instead of turning your back on your mate, I want to urge you to continue serving them instead.  Oftentimes, it doesn’t have to be big, showy things that you need to do, but little ways that you can show the one you fell in love with, that you still love them and you aren’t giving up.

Before I get e-mails, I do know that there are circumstances that warrant a divorce.  I know there are situations of abuse and infidelity where it is necessary for a spouse to leave.  I am not referring to these situations.  Unfortunately, there are too many couples that are going their own separate ways, just because they just want something or someone different.

Satan is on the attack on marriages today and it is high time that each of us makes sure that he does not win in our home.  We need to do all we can to show our spouse that he or she is the one of which we are committed and then do what we can to demonstrate our love.  I can tell you, coming from the one who is on the receiving end of these acts of love, it is very humbling.  It is easy to feel that I am not deserving of this kind of understanding and care, and I don’t want to take the relationship that we have for granted.  None of us are promised tomorrow, so we better take advantage of today to do what we can to fulfill our sacred vows.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.

It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable,

and it keeps no record of being wronged.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5