Kissed by the Spirit

“With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the Lord;
And I will praise Him in the midst of many.” 

Psalm 109:30 (NASB)

The Psalms and the Proverbs always emphasize using our mouth to give thanks to the Lord. There’s something about our spoken words, instead of just thinking it. Scripture tells us that life and death are in the power of our tongue. 

The words we speak can lift our spirit and give life to those who listen to us. Too often, I catch myself saying negative things when something doesn’t go the way I expected. With sarcasm, I tend to mutter to myself, “story of my life,“ but then I stop myself because it certainly is not the story of my life.

The story of my life is God’s love and mercy that was shown to me before I ever gave Him a thought. By the time I was a young adult, He sought for me like a Shepherd searches for a lost sheep, and He found me. He transformed my heart by His love and grace, and Jesus became a real person to me. Since then, I discovered the amazing love of God, who waits so patiently for us to come home, no matter how long it takes. 

I am more inclined now, to keep my words in check, so that I speak words that God agrees with, since He is my heavenly Father. The words we say to ourselves and to others are more impactful than we realize, and can influence a person’s destiny. By taking charge of our tongue and the words that come out of our mouths, we can change our entire outlook and someone else’s life as well. 

The epistle of James has a lot to say about the human tongue. He said that though the tongue is a small part of the body, it only takes a small spark to set a great forest on fire. (James 3: 5)

Words can be like a refreshing rain of blessing or a spark that starts a destructive fire. That’s the power of the tongue.

Faith is an attitude of the heart which eventually flows out of our mouths. Since our words reflect our faith, no wonder Jesus asked, 

“When the Son of Man comes,will He find faith on the earth?” 

(Luke 18:8)

We never know how some small, simple thing we say, can inspire faith in someone else. It may be a good idea to start each new week dedicating our tongue and our words to God. 

A few years ago, I wrote a meditation explaining how God answered my prayer to reduce my cable bill, while keeping all my favorite Christian channels. One of my friends who read it, texted me to ask which christian cable stations I received, because she was in the process of changing her cable package.

I was driving and running errands when she texted me so I couldn’t respond right away. Hours later, I quickly looked up those stations on my TV and texted her the names of the four christian stations in my cable package.

What I didn’t know, is that she was already on the phone with her cable company at the time that I sent the text. While she was telling the customer service lady on the phone that she wanted Christian channels in her cable package, the customer service person began sharing her own faith story. She shared how she had just rededicated her life to God after becoming a new mom, with hopes of raising her child in the faith. She asked my friend what stations she recommended so that she could order the same ones in her own cable package. 

At this exact moment in her phone conversation, my text message came through, listing the four stations. She received my text at that moment, and shared those Christian cable networks with the customer service representative. 

The timing of everything was so providential in how the customer service lady connected with my friend, along with the timing of my text message arrival, that it couldn’t be better planned by anyone other than God. 

The Lord knows who is seeking Him and He also knows who is willing to speak about Him, and He loves connecting people at the right place and time. The power of the tongue is a beautiful thing when words are used to bless the Lord, and draw someone else closer to God at the same time.

Lord, let our mouths always give thanks and praise to you, making our words a blessing to others we meet today. Amen

GENTLE GIANTS FROM HEAVEN

“I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.”

Ezekiel 11:19 (NIV)

John Bosco was a priest who had an undivided heart, dedicating his life to the education of street children, juvenile delinquents and disadvantaged youth in 19th century Italy. He developed teaching methods based on love rather than punishment, a method that became known as the Salesian Preventative System. 

John Bosco led so many misfit street boys to faith in Jesus, and the Holy Spirit changed their hearts, later transforming them into men of God. John Bosco educated his youth and his heart was driven by the love of God and the gospel of Christ. In spite of his success and the devotion of the children he taught, he was widely criticized and seen as a lunatic. He would roam the streets and back alleys of Turin, Italy, appearing undignified as a priest, while surrounding himself with an entourage of misfit street kids. 

The Catholic Church was not totally accepting him at the time, and the government became very suspicious that he was secretly training an army of boys to one day overthrow the Italian government. Bosco was indeed training an army, but a spiritual one, that overcomes evil and leads young souls toward the kingdom of heaven.

With very few people to support him, he faithfully continued his ministry to youth, as he felt God leading him to do. One day, something amazing happened during his ministry. As two men followed him on a dark street at night, attempting to beat him up, a large grey wolfhound dog appeared out of nowhere and charged at the men driving them away. A wolfhound is a huge dog, known as a gentle giant, and this gentle giant was given a mission to protect John Bosco. 

There were other incidents where the same gray wolfhound would show up and protect John Bosco from attackers. The wolfhound would just appear out of nowhere and scare off his assailants. The boys named him Grigio, meaning the Gray One. The dog would emerge out of the fog and shadows whenever needed. 

Bosco didn’t own or even know the dog, but it would show up whenever he was in danger, and then disappear as suddenly as it appeared. It’s a mystery but many think it was a guardian angel taking the form of a wolfhound dog. If angels can appear as people, then it’s possible that they could also appear as an animal.

The hearts of the authorities of the church were changed and Bosco’s ministry was finally accepted and supported by the church. He founded a movement of lay people, the Association of Salesian Cooperators, in 1876 before he died in 1888. They still manage hostels today, primarily in third world countries and educate young boys and girls across 58 different countries. He was able to establish a network of centers to carry on his ministry, divinely inspired and originally protected by Grigio, the angel wolfhound sent from Heaven, who has not been seen since. 

Lord, thank you for the mysterious ways you find to protect people so they may finish the good work you called them to. Please protect us and help to do your work on earth. Amen

And God said, I will send them without wings so no one suspects they are angels. (Anonymous)

And God said, I will send them without wings so no one suspects they are angels. 

“And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV)

I love this scripture verse, since there are many places in the New Testament, where believers are compared to runners in a race. Life is like a marathon and we who believe, are the runners. All the runners in a marathon look good at the starting point. Then challenges come along the way, and by the time each runner reaches the finish line, they are exhausted and dripping with sweat. It was worth it all as they break through the finish line and win the prize. 

Paul gave us this metaphorical image, which is how he lived his entire Christian life of faith. In his letter to Timothy before he was sentenced to a martyr’s death, he wrote, 

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”(2 Timothy 4:7)

Bible characters like Abraham, Moses, and Joseph all had the mindset of a marathon runner, who ran by faith, through their exhaustion, pain, and doubt, yet always keeping their eyes on the finish line, and nothing else. 

Moses kept his people focused on  the promised land, despite the many hardships encountered in the wilderness. The theme of the New Testament is to stay focused on Jesus as we run the race of life, all the way to the finish line. We don’t have a geographical promised land as the Israelites did, but we possess a land of God’s promises, which is the kingdom of God dwelling within us. Trusting in His promises gives us endurance as we run the race. 

Like any marathon runner, we face challenges and persevere through unexpected obstacles. A good runner doesn’t let themself get distracted, but keeps their eyes on the finish line. Jesus put His focus on His Heavenly Father during His life on earth, and it helped Him to overcame and find fortitude through so much betrayal and rejection. We overcome everything by keeping our focus on Jesus who lives within us. 

We all experience blessings and disappointments in the walk of faith, but disappointments are not the final evaluation of our faith. God is able to bring great blessings and purpose through disappointing circumstances. Rewards come to those who keep the faith, as the marathon runner diligently runs toward the finish line.

When we feel worn down with doubt, we remember the promises of God, and He renews our strength, lifting our spirit while we wait for the answers. Christian living is mostly about waiting. 

Answer to prayer usually takes time, and waiting can be very frustrating. Everywhere I go lately, seems to involve waiting. I wait at the doctor’s office, at train stops, at red lights, and in grocery store lines. It seems that God allows waiting in our lives to teach us something. We learn to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, putting our hope in His promises, more than in what we see, and we also learn patience as we wait for God’s timing.

It reminds me of the promise;

“They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

God is love and everything He permits in our lives is out of His love for us. In all of the waiting and trusting, we keep running the race, with our eyes fixed on Jesus at the finish line. He is cheering us on and we hope to one day hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Lord, give us strength and fortitude to run, while fixing our eyes on you, and to wait patiently as we trust in your promises. Amen

“And the earth was a formless and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was “hovering”over the surface of the waters.”

Genesis 1:2 (NASB)

No matter how desolate, dark or empty a situation is, the Spirit of God is there, hovering. Hovering is an interesting way to describe what the Holy Spirit does. 

Webster’s dictionary definition of the word “Hover,” is “to position a computer cursor over an image or icon before selecting it.” Before computers existed, the definition of hover was “to move about to and fro, wavering over a person, place or object.”

The word, hover, has been around for centuries, and it appears in the book of Genesis, written around 1400 BC. The Spirit of God was “hovering over the waters” moving to and fro, over the dark, desolate, formless stages of creation. He is called the “Ruach Elohim.” Ruach is Hebrew for Spirit and Elohim is the plural form of the word for God. The mysterious thing about this name is that the word for God is El, but the writer of Genesis uses the plural form, Elohim.

So, the very first time God is ever mentioned in scripture, His name is in plural form. It makes sense to Christianity, that God introduces Himself as a Trinity. The plurality of His name is seldom talked about, yet in the story of creation, God refers to Himself in plural,

“Let us make man in our image.”

Christianity has always taught that God is a Trinity, one God in three persons. The actual word Trinity isn’t found anywhere in the entire bible, but the earliest fathers of the church, who knew the original apostles, were taught the Trinity by them, and then went on to teach it to others.

We may never fully comprehend the concept of a Trinity, but we can gain a deeper appreciation of each person in the Trinity. Jesus said that He would ask the Father, and He will send us another Helper, to be with us forever, who is the Spirit of truth. (John 14:16)

The Holy Spirit is this Helper, the same one who was there at the beginning, hovering over the dark waters of creation. He was sent to us by Jesus and His Father, and He hovers over us forever. Since the Holy Spirit is still hovering over us today, it seems only natural to invite Him into every aspect of our life and every situation of our day. 

The hovering Helper hovers over all of us especially when we feel like we are going through some dark, desolate situations in our lives. I can feel the darkness that my son is feeling, while currently going through a divorce, but I am trusting that the Holy Spirit will hover over all who are affected by it, and send His peace.

The same hovering Helper, moves  over every human soul on earth, pursuing them in the power of God’s love, because that’s what He does by nature. He is the One who makes God’s love knowable, regardless of how much suffering people may go through. He hovers over victims of poverty, injustice, loneliness, illness or depression. He even hovers over those who reject Him, and express no need for God at all, because His love is relentless and He never gives up on anyone.

This is the nature of the Ruach Elohim, the same Spirit who was first revealed to us in Genesis. He is the One who hovers over the whole world, and reveals His truth to anyone who asks and seeks for Him with their whole heart. Jesus asked for the Spirit to come to us, and now we can pray and ask the Spirit to come to our children, our friends, and all our loved ones. 

We can ask Him to hover over our homes, places of employment, or any area that needs to receive God’s love and truth. 

He hovers eagerly over all of our efforts to serve others. Leaders can ask Him to hover over their city or nation. Ministers and Pastors can ask the Spirit to hover over their churches and places of worship. Surgeons can ask Him to hover over their hands during surgeries. Scientists, inventors and doctors of faith, throughout history, have asked for His wisdom and discovered cures, treatments and vaccines. First responders can ask the Spirit to hover as they serve, save and protect others. 

While He hovers, He gives us comfort, hope, peace, wisdom and strength. Even in the darkest situation, the Spirit has infinite ways of helping us because God is infinite, and His love keeps persevering on our behalf. 

Come Holy Spirit and hover over us, in every aspect and area of our lives. Please have your way in our hearts, and in the whole world now and forever. Amen

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want;

he makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters;

he restores my soul.”

Psalm 23:1-2 ( RSV)

Emil Kapaun was a US army captain, who became a chaplain to an army unit in the Korean War. He was a large built man who went beyond his normal call of duty as a chaplain. When the Chinese volunteer army joined the fight, the Army gave Emil the option to leave and go to safer area, but he chose to stay with the 800 men that he served. 

Whether there was a need to find food for his men when they were starving or to pray at the side of the wounded or dying, Emil went out of his way to give hope and raise the morale of all his men. 

One day Emil saw a Chinese soldier aiming his rifle at a wounded US soldier lying helplessly on the ground, and he rushed at him, shoving the Chinese soldier aside, then picked up the wounded man, and carried him to safety. 

He was expecting the Chinese soldier to get up and shoot them both, but for some reason, he never did. Emil waited to hear the sound of gunshots, while carrying the wounded soldier, but the enemy soldier never fired at them. He carried the wounded man to safety, where he received medical aid, and lived to tell the story of Chaplain Emil’s bravery.

In 1951, Emil became ill and died in a Korean prisoner of war camp at the age of 35. Three unnamed US soldiers got together and buried his body in a rocky area of Korea as the war waged on. 

After the war, no one knew exactly where Emil was buried until 70 years later. One of the veterans who helped to bury him, was browsing through a veteran’s magazine in a doctor’s office waiting room one day. In the magazine, there was an article about Chaplain Emil Kapaun, whose remains were never found. The man was one of the three who buried him and immediately contacted the Army authorities to tell them where they buried the chaplain. 

Emil’s grave in Korea was found, and DNA tests confirmed that it was him. They brought his remains back to the US soil for burial. Emil, who was a good shepherd to his men, received an honorable burial on the green pastures of the National Memorial Cemetery in Hawaii. He was also posthumously awarded a Medal of Honor, Bronze star and a Purple Heart for his bravery in helping to rescue many men. 

As Chaplain Emil fulfilled his role as the Shepherd to his regiment, the Lord was a good Shepherd to him, by bringing his body back to be honored in his own nation, after lying in an unknown grave for seventy years. 

Jesus, is also our Good Shepherd, who stays at our side throughout the spiritual battles we face. He lifts our hearts up in faith, comforts us and heals our wounds. He keeps us safe from evil, and though the world forgets people, Jesus never forgets anyone. 

Lord, thank you for being a Good Shepherd to us all, and please bless all the good shepherds, like Emil, who follow your example and give themselves wholeheartedly, for their flock. Amen 

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”

Luke 2:19 (NIV)

I come from a patriotic family, and in honor of Memorial Day, this meditation will share thoughts about one veteran in my ancestry. My father served in the army, my uncle (my mom’s brother)was a Marine in WWII, and my oldest brother was an Air Force fighter pilot, during the Viet Nam war. Both my uncle and my brother died serving their country, but this meditation is in memory of my uncle.

As a child, my first introduction to a war hero was the picture of my grandmother’s only son, John, a Purple Heart Marine war hero, who died in World War II. He was killed by a hand grenade, in Iwo Jima, as he rescued a fellow marine. 

I remember spending time in my grandmother’s small, humble home, where I still recall an entire area of her living room, dedicated to her son, John. It was like a shrine filled with his photos, war medals, letters and a newspaper article, all in honor of an uncle I never knew, who died eight years before I was born.

I remember browsing through my grandmother’s scrapbook, which was full of photos of people who were special in her life, like her deceased husband, parents and siblings, even though I never met any of them.

My grandmother kept a letter from the Marine chaplain, who knew her son in Iwo Jima, which I now have in my own scrapbook today. 

He wrote to my grandmother, to say that her son was a man of faith, and a good man, who made the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus described it well, “Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

A scrapbook is special to the one who puts it together, but even more meaningful when it can be  shared with others. It becomes more than a collection of photographs, but a memorial of a loved one’s values and character. Although her son lived only 24 years on this earth, his memory was kept alive for many years afterward, through my grandmother’s scrapbook.  

Mary had a place in her heart where she stored every cherished memory of Jesus, keeping His memory alive, long after He ascended to Heaven. She had a mental scrapbook filled with memories, conversations and miraculous images that she treasured, as scripture says that she pondered everything in her heart. 

When Mary and Joseph searched for twelve year old Jesus and were surprised to find Him in the temple, He told His parents that He had to be in His Father’s house. Mary treasured those words in the moment, putting it in the scrapbook of her heart, where it remained long after He was gone.

We may have our own memories of how we once searched for and found Jesus. We also have a scrapbook in our hearts of the most meaningful moments that impacted our faith and our relationship with Him.

A scrapbook has a twofold purpose, it’s a comforting reflection for the one who keeps it, but it’s also meant to be shared with other people, throughout the years. My grandmother’s scrapbook was a memorial to her only son, and made me feel like I knew my uncle even though I never met him. 

The memories we hold sacred in  this life, are a treasure, and by sharing them with others, we remind ourselves that we will all live forever. Jesus promised that all who believe in Him will live, even if they die. The shared memories of our loved ones today, and our hope in the resurrection, will continue to bless and comfort  our friends and loved ones, for many days to come.

Lord, we honor the memories of all loved ones and veterans, who live in the scrapbook of our hearts. As we share their memory, we hold on to the hope of eternal life. Amen 

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY🇺🇸

“Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.”

The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.

There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

Luke 10:40-42 (NAB)

Bethany was a common stop for travelers, going to Jerusalem from Nazareth. Jesus and his parents traveled to Jerusalem throughout the years for religious holidays. They likely stopped over in the town of Bethany to spend time with the family of Lazarus, who befriended and hosted Joseph, Mary and Jesus in those earlier years. The friendship between Jesus, Lazarus, Mary and Martha developed and grew deeper over the years. 

The parents of Lazarus and Jesus’ father, Joseph, are not mentioned in this gospel story. The children are now young adults and very close friends. Jesus is just beginning His ministry and is the guest at their home along with His disciples, as Martha serves them. Mary appears to have abandoned Martha, while sitting at Jesus’ feet, in adoration. Perhaps she is seeing Him for the first time as her Lord and Messiah, and not merely her childhood friend.

There has always been debate over differing viewpoints about these two sisters in the gospel. Both sisters knew and loved Jesus, but Martha was busy serving, as Mary was listening to Jesus reveal Himself and His teachings. 

Some interpret this story to mean that service means nothing without true worship and others say that worship means nothing without true service. Both views are true and understandable, so we look to see what Jesus said about it. 

Jesus looked at Martha and told her that she was way too anxious. He wasn’t saying that service is not meaningful. In fact, He said  that there is a great need for more laborers to work in His Father’s harvest. (Matthew 9:38)

Jesus just wanted Martha to understand which response comes first. Our personal time spent with Him needs to come before our service and labor. We were meant to worship and to serve, yet Jesus said that Mary chose the “better”part, because it cannot be taken away. 

Chris Stefanik, a Christian lay speaker, once said;

“Lord, help us to be more like Mary so that we don’t have to work like Martha.” He didn’t mean that we shouldn’t work at all, but that there is a proper order to follow, so that we can serve God with joy, and not with all the anxiety that Martha carried around. Adoring Jesus and spending time listening to Him, comes first. It prepares us to serve Him in the spiritually healthy way, freed from the anxiety that leads to criticizing others.

Martha thought Mary wasted time sitting at Jesus’ feet, and she urged Him to tell Mary to help her. The difference between the two sisters is that Martha wanted Jesus to talk to Mary and correct her, but Mary wanted and needed only to listen to Jesus talk to her. 

Jesus told Martha that Mary has chosen the “better” part, which will not be taken from her. Jesus ended His sentence, indicating that there is something better that precedes all service to God, that will never be taken away. 

Jesus was warning Martha that we can lose ourselves in our labors, even when our labors are for Him. Hospitality and service is valuable, but some people can go through all the labor but still not know Him. Jesus asks us to abide in Him, which requires time spent with Him. 

We need Mary’s hunger to spend time with Him in prayer. To know Jesus is the better thing that produces the best servants, who listen to what He is saying before going out to labor in the world. It’s the “better”part that prepares us for eternal life with Him. 

Lord, help us to follow Mary in choosing to first spend time with you, so that we may serve like Martha, but without anxiety. Amen 

“This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Psalm 118:24 (RSV)

Jesus advised us to keep our hearts, minds and over all focus on the present day, as He is quoted in Matthew chapter 6, saying,

“Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Which of you, by being anxious, can add a single hour to his span of life?” That’s pretty strong advice to stay focused on this present day. 

It reminds me of a short prayer that I start each day with, called the “Permission prayer,” which goes like this, 

“Lord, I give you permission to use me today in any way you desire, and show me your hand in action, so that I can give you all the glory.”

This prayer keeps the focus on today, and what God wants to do this day, instead of thinking about all the things we need to do. It makes us revolve around God’s perfect timing, instead of ours. When unexpected obstacles hinder me from accomplishing what I planned to accomplish during the day, I pause and say, “Okay Lord, thank you for your perfect timing.”

Only we can surrender ourselves to permit God to use us as He chooses. He gave us free will, and He never forces anyone to seek His purpose. When we offer Him our words, our hands, and our path, for the day, He works in our hearts and minds to fulfill His purpose. Then exciting things start to happen, because God has people to introduce us to and plans to unfold, by using us. 

He may bring someone into our path, so that we show them some simple act of kindness. We might otherwise be oblivious to that particular person, if we didn’t first pray and offer ourselves to be used by God during the day. It’s so fulfilling to know that something special awaits us because this is the day that the Lord has made. 

While sitting at the table, visiting nursing home residents this week, I noticed a very tall young man walking around in the large Day room. He walked back and forth looking kind of lonely and lost, and I never saw him before. He struck my attention because he was not only a young man but even taller than my son, Jon, who is 6’4.” 

I called him over to talk to him and introduce myself, inviting him to pull up a chair and he seemed happy to speak to someone, although his speech was slurred and required repeating. He is 6’6” tall and 28 years old. For his privacy I will call him Muhammad. He said he’s been living in that Nursing home for 5 months, but I never saw him before. 

Muhammad told me he has Wilson’s disease, which is a rare genetic illness where copper builds up in the body, causing damage to the brain, nerves and liver. The liver is the organ that removes unused amounts of copper in healthy people, but it’s unable to remove copper in one out of 30,000 people with the rare Wilson’s disease. 

It is treated with medication, but I don’t know much more about it or the prognosis. Muhammad has some difficulty articulating his words, and a slight tremor in his hands, but he is very polite and sociable. He also told me that he used to teach autistic children for a living. Now he lives in a Nursing home and his mother visits him, so I hope to meet her one day. 

I told him about my son, Jon, who was taking a nap in his room while I was visiting that day. I hope someday to introduce Jon and Muhammad to each other. 

That same day was also the day that Jon put his hoodie jacket on all by himself, which was a first for him. It was really the day that the Lord has made, by introducing me to the newest and youngest resident at the Nursing home, and showing me Jon’s latest progress in dressing himself. 

To focus on the present day, as Jesus advised, removes our attention from our problems and shows us the new things to be grateful for. When we start each day with the belief that God cares for us enough to bring joy to our day through others, it makes every day an adventure. 

The residents in a Nursing home have no choice but to live one day at a time. None of them can make a single plan for their future, and any satisfaction that they get, comes in the blessing of the present day that the Lord has made. Muhammad made a new friend that day, and Jon put his jacket on by himself, which brought joy into their day and mine.

If we, who are living independently and in good health, can find as much joy in the present day, as the residents in Nursing homes do, we will discover the joy of living in the present day that the Lord has made.  

Lord, make us aware that you make each day special, by the people you bring people into our day, restoring our joy with gratitude. Amen

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.”

Lamentations 3:22-23 (RSV)

We have all experienced scarcity in something during our lives. A scarcity could refer to something other than a financial or material undersupply. There are scarcities of faith, hope, love, peace, health, patience, courage, and the list could go on.

God may meet our scarcity in an unexpected way, during the time of greatest need. If we look at examples throughout scripture, when anyone struggled with a lack of something, their faith was rewarded with an unexpected manifestation of God’s presence. 

As a young man, Jacob fled from his brother, Esau, who was out to kill him. It all started when Esau exchanged his birthright to Jacob, for a bowl of lentil stew, in his moment of hunger. Later, Esau regretted that exchange, felt cheated and his anger burned against Jacob, as he pursued him.

Jacob was living like a fugitive,  frightened and running from Esau’s wrath. He had neither peace nor security. While in that state of anxiety, Jacob fell asleep and dreamed of a ladder that led all the way up to heaven. God spoke to Jacob in his dream, promising that He would always be with him, and one day make out his descendants, a great nation.

Jacob woke up from that dream, saying, “Truly, the Lord is in this place and I did not know it,” and from that time onward, he found new peace and security believing everything will be alright. He  eventually reconciled with his brother and lived in peace, though he faced many more trials ahead. Problems still arose but Jacob found new mercies each morning.

God often spoke to people in scripture while they were in dire need. After the day of Pentecost, a poor, crippled beggar called out to Peter, asking him for help in the form of money. Peter, filled with the Spirit, boldly told the beggar, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!” (Acts 3:6)

Then taking him by the right hand, the man was healed, jumped to his feet and began to walk. Peter had new courage to exercise his faith since Pentecost, and Jesus became present to that beggar through Peter, declaring him to be healed. God showed new mercies to both Peter and the beggar. The church that Jesus formed with His disciples, had become His body on earth. 

When the friends of Mary ran out of wine, early in the evening of a wedding celebration, she knew that God was present at that wedding feast through her son, Jesus. As the hosts of the party surrendered their lack to Him, Jesus turned their jars of water into jars of the finest quality wine. When God shows up, His new mercies are always focused on the quality of His blessings.

The world is full of scarcities, but God desires to keep introducing His son to the world, so that whoever turns to Him will receive new mercies. We never know how God is going to show up for someone, but He will find a way to make Himself present in a time of need, restoring the quality of life through faith.

His new mercies came to Jacob in a dream, giving him a peace beyond understanding. His new mercies came to a poor, crippled, beggar and through Peter, spoke strength and healing to him. Water was turned into wine through a wedding guest that no one knew was the son of God, except Mary, his mother. In every example of some lack or scarcity, God shows up and His mercies are new every morning.

Lord, we surrender all that is lacking in us, and trust you to meet us where we are, and to shower us with new mercies so that we can say as Jacob said, “Truly the Lord is in this place and I did not know it.” Amen

“And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.”

Mark 10:16 (NIV)

Renee Hendrix is a neonatal nurse from Georgia, whose 33 years on the job, was more of a calling than a career. Ever since she was a little girl, when visiting relatives in the hospital, Renee’s mother would take her to see all the newborn babies in the nursery through a window. She knew then, that she wanted to be a neonatal nurse when she grew up. 

Renee did just that and her whole career involved caring for premature babies in the (NICU) Neonatal Intensive Care unit. She started to develop a routine of silently praying over every new baby as they were admitted into her care. One day, a 28 week old premature baby girl was placed in the NICU. A routine ultrasound of the baby’s brain revealed a grade 4 brain bleed, which is very critical. If the baby survived, she would likely develop serious neurologic impairment. 

Renee stood over the baby girl and began to pray her usual prayer as she did for all the babies in her care, but that day, she felt the Lord telling her to place her hand on the baby’s forehead. It wasn’t her routine style of praying, but she obeyed. As she laid her hand on the baby’s forehead and prayed, she felt a rush of intense heat filling her own body. She kept praying, while feeling that heat, as her breathing began to be in sync with the baby’s breathing. After that prayer, she went about her usual duties for the day. 

I have heard testimonies of people who received a miraculous healing, and they all claim to feel a sensation of intense heat running through their body. When that infant girl had her follow up exam, her cranial ultrasound revealed no bleeding at all in her brain.

What Renee felt during prayer for that baby was a miracle healing. The Holy Spirit was filling the baby while she felt the heat of divine healing. After learning that the baby’s follow up ultrasound showed no bleeding of the brain at all, it was a confirmation that a miracle happened in that moment. She was thankful to God, but never told anyone about her experience until the timing was right.

The baby was discharged and went home, but a year later, the parents returned to visit the NICU, to greet the nurses and doctors, and show them their healthy one year old baby girl who was once cared for in that unit. 

Renee was pleased to see her and then pulled the parents aside to privately tell them her story of praying that day. They shared tears, hugs and friendship since then. Today, that baby is a healthy seven year old girl, whose parents are raising her to love God and others, trusting that her destiny is in God’s hands. 

The Lord has a purpose for every human life, even those who are not healed. Babies who survive, to live with neurologic impairment, have a purpose as much as any other life that God creates. They become lessons of love and patience for the parents, who are given a special grace and strength to handle whatever is ahead.

The gospels give us the image of Jesus, taking little children in His arms, placing His hands on them and blessing them, and He is still doing it today. He also does it through people like Renee. 

We may not fully understand it now, but whether babies live very brief lives, or spend a lifetime with impairments, they are in the arms and hands of Jesus who blesses them, as He once said, 

“Let the little children come to Me, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)

Lord, thank you for your divine will for every life and how valuable all life is to you. We have all once been helpless infants, so help us to trust that we are in your arms always. Amen