Kissed by the Spirit

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”

Psalm 23:6 (RSV)

In this meditation, I put the picture first, instead of last, because the look on this lamb’s face is worth a thousand words. He seems to be saying, Where is everybody?  Which way is home? Help, I’m lost!

He doesn’t know that his shepherd is right behind him, running to catch him before he wanders deeper into the woods. Goodness and mercy are running behind him, but he just hasn’t realized it yet. 

Just like that lamb, sometimes we are unaware that goodness and mercy is running behind us. There may be times when we feel lost in the woods. Whatever type of woods we are in, the deeper we go, the more we tend to convince ourselves that we are alone, and no one else knows what we are going through, but in reality, Jesus is right behind us.

I remember being lost in the woods when I was four years old. My relatives had a cabin in a wooded area, somewhere in Michigan, and they invited my family to come visit. Somehow I wandered away from the family cabin, and got lost in the woods. Some very kind people in a nearby cabin found me and took me in, and kept me safe until they found my worried parents. 

We may not get lost in the physical woods, but we can feel the same isolation or loneliness, by being in a place that is far away from all that has been familiar to us. It might be a situation that removes every sense of stability, security or peace. It could be the woods of a deteriorating relationship or a financial burden, or maybe a health scare that leaves us in a dark place, filled with fear. 

We have all been in the woods of some kind, and we all fit the image of that bewildered lamb in the picture, who unknowingly has his good Shepherd running behind him. 

Goodness and mercy are more than a shift in our destiny, or the answers to our prayers. It’s more than a thing, it’s a person-it’s Jesus, our shepherd, who is good and merciful, and follows us all the days of our life. 

We always hear that we are supposed to follow Jesus, and we should, but there are times when He follows us, because that’s what Shepherds do for their sheep, who get lost in the woods.

The Lord manifests His goodness and mercy in our lives, in different ways at different times. Sometimes, that goodness and mercy is revealed through others, like the kind people who took me into their cabin, when I was a helpless and lost four year old. 

Although we might feel lost or forgotten, and our prayers seem to go unanswered, our Shepherd may have a better answer than the one we asked for. Even when our faith weakens and we give up hope, His goodness and mercy still follows us in the dark, wooded trials of our lives, assuring us that He is there.

Paul wrote “The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6) 

Paul was imprisoned when he wrote those words. He didn’t know if he would be freed from prison or be put to death, but one thing he knew for sure-that Jesus was following him, and was near. Jesus is also near to us, and has been following us, all of our days, if we only look behind.

Lord, whatever we go through, help us to trust that you are always near,  running behind us. We cast all of our anxieties on you today, and thank you for your goodness and mercy, which follows us all the days of our lives. Amen

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”

Psalm 145:18 (NIV)

Whoever calls on the Lord in truth and sincerity, will be answered. Some answers to prayer are not always recognized, because of the simple nature of them. 

I experienced an interesting moment yesterday as I was visiting my son’s Nursing Facility. An older lady, who was at a table behind us, started crying out, “Please help me, God!”

saying it over and over. She was a new resident and none of us ever saw her before. We turned to look at her and then at each other, all wondering the same thing, what does she need help with?

So, I went over to her, where she sat alone, with a lunch tray of food on the table in front of her. I asked if I could help her, and she said she wanted to eat the mashed potatoes on her plate, but she couldn’t. Then I noticed that she had a strong tremor in both of her hands, and the vigorous shaking made it impossible for her to feed herself. 

I wondered why no nursing assistant was available to help feed her, but I didn’t bother to ask the nurse station to send someone. I assumed they were short staffed that day, so I asked her name, then told her mine. She told me she only wanted to eat her mashed potatoes on her plate, so I fed her. If I were in her place, with tremors in both hands, I would hope someone would help feed me.

After I fed her, I held her glass of beverage, as she drank it all. She told me she was still thirsty, so I went to get her a glass of water, which she drank to the last drop. Occasionally the staff is stretched to the max in a Nursing Facility, and someone could be left like her, helplessly hungry and thirsty. I don’t blame her for calling out loud to God in that moment.

Afterward, I returned to my seat to spend time visiting the residents I knew, along with my son, Jon. On the way home, I thought about her and the sad fact that most residents have no family or friends who ever visit them. 

I have been pleased to observe Jon’s recent progress, eating very well and feeding himself every day, for the past month, so I was glad to be able to help someone who cannot feed themself at all. 

I thought of Jesus’ words, “I was hungry and you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave me drink.” 

(Matthew 25:35)

Most of the time Jesus doesn’t ask us to do exceptional things, just the simple things, like helping someone eat and drink.

On my way home, I thought about how she never called for a nurse or anyone else, but she called out loud to God, and He heard and answered her. It really hit me on the way home, more than in the actual moment. God draws near to all who call upon Him, and He does it through other people who are nearby. 

Sometimes in our lives, we have called upon God, and He answers us through the words or a helpful deed done by a person who happened to be nearby us.

Jesus said, “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers or sisters  of mine, you did for me.” 

(Matthew 25:40)

Sometimes we forget that how valuable the least of favors can be, in the least of ways, for anyone nearby us. As we begin to see Jesus in others, we find that we can reflect Him to others, through simple words or deeds. 

He cares about the least things that we care about and He is near to those who call upon Him. 

Most of the time, we don’t have the opportunity to offer a life saving or soul saving act to a stranger, but we can do a simple favor. We just might be the only one who is nearby, when someone is calling out to God, and He uses us to answer their call. 

Lord, thank you for being near to those who call upon you, and help us to see how we can be a part of the answer to someone’s prayers. Help us all to know that you are always near to us. Amen

“When Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, the king stood up to meet her, bowed down to her and sat down on his throne. He had a throne brought for the king’s mother, and she sat down at his right hand.

“I have one small request to make of you,” she said. “Do not refuse me.”

The king replied, “Make it, my mother; I will not refuse you.”

1 Kings 2:19-20 (NIV)

This scripture really describes the honor, respect and influence the mother of a king had in ancient Israeli-Hebrew culture. King Solomon had many wives, but only his mother, Bathsheba, sat on the throne at his right side. Bathsheba exercised her influence on her son’s decisions, which was an accepted custom for a mother of a king to make requests of her son. 

In this scripture, Bathsheba is speaking to Solomon on behalf of a marriage arrangement, which she was asked to intervene in. The example of the powerful influence of a Jewish mother, goes back thousands of years, to the most ancient of times in Israel.

Most people went directly to the king to settle their grievances, while others implored Bathsheba’s help and intercession. She took the people’s needs to King Solomon, her son, since he would never refuse her. Her boldness on behalf of others, reminds us of another mother in scripture.

We can see this same influence in Mary’s interaction with Jesus at the wedding of Cana. Jesus attended the wedding as a guest, but His time to reveal Himself as Messiah had not officially arrived yet. Mary, being close friends with the hosts of that celebration, knew the wine had to last for more than three days. 

When the wine ran out on day three, Mary turned to Jesus and simply said “They have no wine”. (John 2:3) Jesus answered, “Why does your concern affect me, my hour has not yet come ?” Up to that point, Jesus did no public miracles, and He was trying to stick to the plan, of not revealing Himself as the Messiah yet.

Mary was focused on the needs of her friends, and not only asked Jesus to help, but turned to the servant and told him, “Do whatever He tells you.” (John 2:5) 

It may not have been His time yet, but at His mother’s persuasion, Jesus performed His first public miracle, of turning 30 gallons of water into wine.

Jesus was a divine king from birth, and Mary knew it, but she also knew her role as a Jewish mother of a king. She saw a need, and became the influence, by speaking up, not for herself, but for her friends. 

Interceding for someone is defined as asking a higher authority for something on another person’s behalf. We do it every time we pray for someone. Whenever we ask  God to grant someone else’s request, it is intercessory prayer. 

Without overstepping their authority, both mothers took the needs of others close to their heart, all the while, knowing their sons had the power to grant their requests. 

They were both exemplary Jewish mothers, and women of influence, in a humble, yet assertive way. They cared about the needs of others and instead of hoping for the best, they took action and decided to be the influence, through their intercession.

We don’t have to be Jewish mothers to go to Jesus, our King who sits on a throne today. He shed His blood, to give us full access to Him, and we too can make requests on behalf of others. He made the way and He wants us to draw near to Him, with a sincere heart and the full assurance of our faith.  (Hebrews 10:22)

God has given both men and women certain natural and spiritual gifts. He has placed each of us where we are for a reason. He gives us the desire to speak up, and intercede for those in need, both in the natural as well as in our prayers for others. We are all called to be the influence, in some way. Our next step is to simply take Mary’s advice, look to Jesus and 

“do whatever He tells us.”

Lord, help us to follow the examples of Mary and Bathsheba, by seeing the needs of others. Give us the boldness and compassion to be the influence you have called us to be, in our actions and prayers for others. Amen

(A MEMORIAL)

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

Romans 8:28 ( NASB)

My oldest brother, a career Air Force  instructor pilot, was stationed in South Korea in 1982. At the time, I was a busy mother of two year old twin boys, when I received a phone call one day, which made my world stand still. I was informed that his plane went missing while on a routine instructor flight. In his last radio transmission he said, “I’ve got a problem,” as his F-16 jet completely disappeared from radar. 

During the search mission, we were hoping that he ejected from the plane and would be found alive. Some days later, we were notified that his crash site was found on a mountain. Ted was only thirty five when he died, leaving behind his wife and three year old daughter. 

We learned a few years later that there was an electrical wire chafing problem, common to that particular F-16 model, which all the airplane mechanics were aware of. As our family coped with his loss, his wife did whatever she could, to bring publicity to the faulty electrical system in the F-16 fighter jets at the time. 

She eventually won the legal battle, after an investigation led to the discovery of mechanics’ training videos, which proved there was a  wire chafing problem in F-16s. The truth was made public and the cause of accident was officially changed on the report, from pilot error to electrical wire chafing. 

My sister in law was invited to tell her story on the Diane Sawyer show and soon afterward, Disney Productions contacted her, and proposed making a movie to recreate the story. The movie was made, based on the legal battle that followed his crash, and it was released in 1989 for HBO, called “Afterburn”. Laura Dern won a golden globe award, in playing my sister in law.

Ted was a recent college graduate, working towards his Master’s degree in Physics, when he was drafted during the Viet Nam war. Ironically, he decided to join the Air Force instead of other branches of the armed forces, to increase his chances of survival. It turned out he loved flying and had a twelve year career in the Air Force, as an instructor pilot.  

Since he first joined, I always felt a sense of urgency to pray for him, which I did regularly, long before the accident ever happened. I’ll never know why things ended as they did, but I do know that no one just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, because every human life means more to God than being a mere victim of random tragic accidents. 

The days of our life are already set and written in God’s book at the moment of our conception;

“Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book, before one of them came to be.” 

(Psalm 139:16)

I choose to believe that God is good, that He loves us, and works all things together for our “eternal” good. God sees the eternal picture, we only see the present. We will never know in this life, why our family had to lose my brilliant and kindhearted brother, but I know that the One who created all of us, also helps us to get through every tragedy. 

Lord, help us to trust and believe in you, through painful circumstances and tragic events in our lives. By faith, we choose to believe that you always work all things together for our eternal good. Amen

In memory of Capt. Ted Harduvel

(Oct. 28, 1947-Nov. 15, 1982)

“One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was lying close to the breast of Jesus.”

John 13:23  (RSV)

John, the apostle, never refers to himself by name, in all of his writing, but rather as the “disciple whom Jesus loved”. Besides calling himself the disciple who Jesus loved, he had an identifying feature, which was his posture, of leaning close to Jesus, and laying His head on His chest. 

Imagine identifying yourself not by name, but by your posture with Jesus. Some Bible scholars thought he did it out of modesty, but most agree that this is how John wanted to be known and remembered. He wanted his readers to also find a closer, more intimate posture with Jesus. 

Our posture with Jesus is how we picture ourselves with Him and loved by Him. Our posture reflects our spiritual self esteem. Although we cannot currently lean on Jesus, physically, we can visualize doing so in spirit, through a visualizing meditation. It starts by imagining ourselves with Him. When we close our eyes and imagine ourself with Jesus, what is our posture like? 

Perhaps we see ourself, like John, laying our head on His chest or kneeling before Him. Whether we picture ourself standing, sitting or kneeling, our posture with Jesus is meant to be a place of safety and security. He considered each one of us worthy to suffer and die for, and He desires our postural response to reflect intimacy as John’s did. 

It’s easy to forget that Jesus not only took our sins upon Himself at the cross, but He also took all of our grief and anxiety, as Isaiah wrote, 

“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” (Isaiah 54:4) 

Since Jesus took our sorrows and our grief to the cross, He invites us to cast all of our cares upon Him, and it begins with the spiritual posture of our soul. 

Jesus told us to come to Him as children, uninhibited and trusting. His yoke is easy, and He receives us with openness, since He is the gentle Lamb of God. Whatever our previous posture has been, let’s take a moment to visualize a closer one. 

As we imagine ourselves reclining with Jesus, our head is on His chest, and all of our anxiety is being transferred from our head to His heart. While our head is resting on His chest, we can hear His heart beat. Listening to His heart, lightens our burdens, and gives us peace. As our head is on His heart, we find ourselves caring about the things that He cares about. 

His shoulders are broad enough and His heart is big enough for everyone to lean on Him at once. As we find this intimate posture with Jesus, we realize, that we are also the disciple that He loves. He tells us we are His beloved, and while leaning on Him, His eyes meeting ours, as He turns to look at us. We can see so much love in His eyes, and while we are resting peacefully on His chest, He tells us “My peace I give to you, and I am with you always.”

Lord, we lean on you today, asking you to help us practice this posture each day, and to seek your presence as we lay all of our anxiety upon your heart, and receive your peace. Amen

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ, raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:4-7 (NAB)

If I could choose only one section of scripture to take with me to live on a desert island for the rest of my life, these are the verses I would choose.

For anyone who has ever doubted God’s love for them, this is the scripture of proof. It’s full of beautiful phrases like rich in mercy, great love, raised us with Him, seated us with Him, and best of all, His “immeasurable” kindness for ages to come. 

To bring us into harmony with Him, God gave every human being a conscience, along with the freedom to either run towards Him or to run away from Him. Adam and Eve are examples of people who at first, ran from God, but in His immeasurable kindness, He searched for them, and in spite of the consequences of their disobedience, God sought them out to restore them. 

Beginning in Eden, we can see an image of God as a loving Father, pursuing His children, by asking Adam the same question, which He is asking every restless soul today, “Where are you?”  

Psychiatrists conduct therapy sessions by asking questions. The professionals tell us that most psychological unrest originates from unresolved guilt. A Harvard Psychiatrist, Dr. Karl Meninger, once claimed that if all the patients in a mental hospital ever truly believed that their sins were forgiven, 75% of them would be out of the hospital. 

Unresolved guilt is not the only cause for so much restlessness today, but it can also make people behave in strange ways. People are still trying to solve their own problems, instead of giving them to God. 

The Garden of Eden story is a good metaphor, describing mankind’s refusal to come naked before God, always trying to fix themselves first. 

Many people have a skewed image of Almighty God, that He is sitting on some lofty throne in heaven, counting every failure, puffed up with pride, and waiting for His creation to come groveling in repentance to Him. 

From Genesis to Revelation, scripture describes a God who longs for His people with the longing love of a husband for an unfaithful spouse, a parent of a prodigal, and a dear friend who has estranged themself.

Every biblical image of God entails a desire for relationship, not a merit earning, master-servant plan.

Isaiah tells us that God has engraved us in the palm of His hand. What kind of king would engrave his people’s name in the palm of his hand ? Another image of God given by Isaiah, is that He stands before us all day long, with outstretched arms, calling people to His endless fountain of mercy. As people still walked away from Him, God finally sent His own son, in the flesh, to tell us. 

It was immeasurable kindness that made the invisible become visible. To top it all off, while we were yet sinners, He died for us. 

What kind of love is this?”

It’s the kind of love that pursues the sorts of people we would have long given up on. Think of a person who is arrogant and detestable in your eyes, and realize that God’s love, mercy and kindness is pursuing him or her, and will do so until their very last breath. 

People keep hiding from God, and yet He keeps pursuing them to the end. Even in the very last book of scripture, Jesus says, “I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him…” He will pursue a man or a woman for years, never giving up on them. He knocks on the door in the microseconds of someone’s last breath.

He loves us so much, that He spoke through Jesus, telling us to come unto Him in our weariness and cease our labors, and He will give us true rest. Hell may put a fear of God in people, but it is His immeasurable kindness and love that leads us to true repentance and a relationship with Him.

I am convinced of these truths, because I learned it from my own journey of faith. My life changed and took a new direction at the age of nineteen. In the first moment that I knew how much I needed a Savior, I never thought about Hell. I needed peace, and it was His love and immeasurable kindness that flooded my soul one day, which brought me to my knees, not a fear of punishment. It was His love, and not my fear, that drew me to Jesus, and then I read the following scripture which confirmed it:

“In love there is no fear; indeed, perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not yet achieved perfection in love.”

(1 John 4:18)

Paul told the Romans, where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more. God’s kindness and grace is so immeasurable, it far outmatches the productivity of our sin, and His grace overflows. 

It’s hard to wrap our heads around this, since we are so used to meriting and earning our rewards in life. We try to measure everything based on our own worth, but God’s kindness and grace is a free gift, and cannot be earned. He loved us before we could ever do anything good or bad.

We were meant to cooperate with His grace. Even the good deeds we do now, which bring rewards in heaven, are the effects of God’s mercy and grace working in our lives. We cannot take credit for anything, since every good deed is an act of cooperating with Jesus, who we are in a loving relationship with.

Some people never receive His grace, thinking they are not worthy, and others take advantage of His grace and trample all over it. It’s to our advantage not to hide, or try to fix ourselves. If we come honestly to Jesus, to receive His mercy, as I did over 50 years ago, He will keep us in His kindness, which is immeasurable for today, as well as in the ages to come. 

Lord, thank you for the mercy and kindness which comes from the immeasurable love you have for us. Help us, as your lambs, to run toward you, never from you, to receive the peace and acceptance you have given us through Jesus. Amen

“Know this, my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.”

James 1:19 (RSV)

In a book I just read, an impactful point was made, about listening to understand, rather than listening to respond. Some people are good listeners by nature, and others need to make a conscious effort with the intention to understand. I believe anyone can learn to become a better listener, and I plan to start now. 

Everyone needs to feel heard and understood, but when we listen to someone with understanding, it’s more than a gift, it’s life changing.

Nothing illustrates this truth more than the many stories of a retired California Highway patrolman, who has confronted hundreds of people, who intended to take their own life. In Officer Briggs’ thirty years on the job, his assignment area was the Golden Gate Bridge, in San Francisco, which is the most utilized suicide spot in the world. 1,600 people have jumped to their death since the bridge was built 87 years ago.

Sergeant Briggs has successfully prevented over 200 people from committing suicide, in the span of his own career. He had no psychiatric training, no counseling expertise, no clever words of persuasion, and no set of convincing phrases to speak. He just listened to the person on the bridge, but he listened with a sincere intent to understand. 

When the potential jumpers left the bridge and later were asked, what changed their mind, they said it was because of the officer who listened to them.

It was more than a job for him, because Sergeant Briggs was driven by compassion, stemming from a family memory. He regretted not being there to listen to his own grandfather, who committed suicide many years ago. God gives people various gifts, both spiritual and natural gifts, but listening is a gift that anyone can give.

Sergeant Briggs has written a book and gives talks about his job experiences. He also pioneered changes, so that all the officers in that particular patrol area, now receive extra training and learn the skill of listening.

Sometimes the most profound advice, sounds too simple. James tells us to be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. If we are quick to hear, then we shouldn’t have the time to plan a response.

Solomon, the wise king, once said, “Fools take no delight in understanding, but only in displaying what they think.” (Proverbs 28:2)

I’m going to keep Solomon’s warning deep within my heart, so I will desire to understand more than I desire to display my thoughts. 

Jesus inclines His ear to us, which He proves every time a prayer is answered, that has been asked in His name. The psalmist knew that God hears us with understanding, saying

“I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.” (Psalm 116:1-2) 

It’s amazing to imagine, that the all powerful and eternal God is inclining His ear to each of us every day. If every person in the world could know that they are truly heard and understood by God, it would change the world. 

Sergeant Kevin Briggs gives us just  a tiny example of the way God inclines His ear to listen to us. God has been listening for a long time, hearing us with outstretched arms. Now He wants to send us into the world to reveal His love through one unified church, listening to understand those around us.

Jesus, Himself, prayed for our unity as believers, and He has always had a remnant of believers, who humbly listen and are interceding in prayer for their nation and the world. (Romans 11:5)

Some people cannot hear the redemption message of Christ, until they feel heard and understood. It starts by listening to the soul who is standing on the bridge near us.

Lord, we love you because you hear all of our pleas. Help us to share the gift of true listening, and to discover the delight in understanding, as we listen with love. Unify your church worldwide and open our eyes and ears to all who need to be heard and understood. Amen

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 14:27 (NAB)

The “Prince of Peace”, is one of many titles of Jesus. It originated from Isaiah’s scripture, which we hear at Christmas time each year, but the Prince of Peace lives in all of us, all year round, through the Holy Spirit. Jesus said His peace is not the kind of peace we find in the world. It doesn’t depend on circumstances and is with us always, in whatever we go through.

I heard a story on the news last year, about a young female rookie pilot, who was taking off in a small plane in Pontiac, Michigan. It was her third solo flight, and after she took off, a veteran pilot who was about to take off, noticed that her front landing gear fell off. He immediately got on the radio, introducing himself by first name and told the young pilot what had just happened. 

With a confident and calm voice, he guided her step by step to make a safe landing. He learned that the young pilot’s name was Taylor, which was his own daughter’s name. Her voice was shaken but she followed his instructions as he calmly guided her to a safe landing. 

Taylor said afterward that his calm voice kept her at peace and helped her to focus on his instructions, as she safely landed her plane. If she had landed the plane on her own, it could have flipped upside down, resulting in serious injuries, or possibly even bursting into flames. 

Being there at the right time to see what happened was the first miracle, and the second miracle was that the veteran pilot became a calming voice of peace to Taylor. That veteran pilot knew exactly what was needed to guide her into a safe landing, and he calmly talked her through it.

There is an unseen kingdom within all of us who believe, and it’s called the kingdom of heaven, and a Prince resides there, whose name is Jesus. He is the veteran pilot who calmly speaks to our troubled souls, talking us through each crisis in our life. It’s  not an audible voice but He speaks His peace deep within our souls. 

It’s easy to forget that the Prince of Peace is dwelling in us through the Holy Spirit, each day. He is with us whether we are doing a mundane task like standing in line at the Post office, grocery shopping, or a more intense task, like visiting a terminally ill friend or relative in a hospital. We need to live in the knowledge that Jesus is truly with us and in us, in whatever is happening, so that we can hear His calming voice that reassures us, it’s all going to be okay. 

Two years ago I was meditating on this truth, on my way to visit a friend who was dying of Pancreatic cancer. Her husband died of a heart attack only three weeks earlier and they were childless. Helene had no family member in her life during the end stage of her illness, but we had a friendship that spanned fifty years. She was like an aunt to my own children and we shared every major life event together, weddings, funerals and much more. 

Her hospice nurse called to tell me that Helene had just lapsed into total unresponiveness. She told me she wasn’t waking up and stopped speaking. I started praying that she could find God’s peace in her unresponsive state. 

As I drove to see her, I was thinking about the fact that the Prince of Peace lives within me. When I arrived at her nursing home, I prayed that He would somehow show Himself to my friend, even in her unresponsiveness. As I reached for the door handle of her room, I whispered quietly to myself, 

“Here comes the Prince of Peace.”

I walked into her room, where she was sleeping and as I took hold of her hand, she immediately opened her eyes, and turned to look at me. 

I was surprised that she opened her eyes and looked right at me, after being informed that she wouldn’t. She couldn’t speak, but I spoke briefly to her about the Prince of peace, and then I prayed for her. 

Two days later she passed away, but I trust that His Presence was with her on that day and in her final moments. 

I often wondered if she saw someone else besides me at her bedside. Did she see Jesus, the Prince of peace?

I sure hoped so.

Jesus speaks in a soft calming voice to us, giving us His peace in all the storms of life. His calming voice brought peace to a rookie pilot who landed a plane without landing gear. His Presence came near the bedside of a dying soul, bringing her His peace. 

We are all rookie pilots, like Taylor, and Jesus is the calming voice of a veteran pilot, who is leading us to a safe landing. Through all the turmoil we encounter on our flight, called life, we may feel like we are flying solo at times, but the Prince of Peace speaks into the radio of our soul, and with a calm and confident voice, He leads us peacefully to a safe landing.

Jesus told us that the kingdom of God is within us. Despite how much the world is in constant turmoil, He promised that His peace will reside in us. As we tune our ears to listen to His calm voice within us, we can go on to share His peace with others. 

Lord, fill us with more of you and your peace. Tune up our soul’s hearing so that your calming voice may continue guiding us safely through any storms we are facing today. Amen

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Philippians 3:20 (NAB)

There’s no time like the general election, to remind us that our true citizenship is in heaven, as Paul wrote in the letter to the Philippians. It almost makes us wish that Jesus would return today, and spare us of all this dissension. In the meantime, our citizenship in heaven guides our earthly citizenship, as we vote, pay taxes and keep trying to live the gospel, and make this world a better place for all.

Division and polarization this past year has risen to the max, and although things seem out of control, scripture tells us to put 100% of our confidence in the throne of grace:

“So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.”

(Hebrews 4:16)

Jesus is our High Priest in heaven, who sympathizes with all of our human weaknesses, fears and frustrations. He has already been tested in every way that we are and now sits on the throne of grace, interceding for us. If we place all of our confidence in anyone or anything else, other than our High Priest, we will end up disappointed.

This week is one year since my adult son, Jon, was placed in a Nursing Facility, after a severe brain injury from a motorcycle accident. I applied for his disability with the Social Security administration ten months ago, and I wondered what the status was. Since I couldn’t get through with phone calls, I went to the office in person, took a number, and waited over an hour. Finally, my number was called and I asked the agent if a decision was made.

The agent told me that he was approved, and they are just behind in sending out letters. While I was relieved to hear it, I said that I wasn’t surprised, since he is disabled. She answered me, “Oh you’d be surprised…” and then she told me how often people are denied, despite having all the medical proof of a disabling condition. 

A resident at the Nursing Home where Jon is, always used to tell me that no one gets disability without the help of an attorney. He would repeatedly tell me to contact an attorney, but instead, I contacted the High priest who sits on the throne of grace. 

I approached the government disability system with confidence, but my confidence wasn’t in the system itself, it was in God. I don’t always have such confidence, and I do find myself worrying about many things, but Jon’s disability was one thing I never worried about. I had a strange inner confidence that however long it took, it would all work out, since God’s timing is perfect, and He gives us the grace to wait.

A government system, like all systems, may be very sluggish to deal with, and some people are unjustly denied the help they need, requiring an attorney. Every system in the world is flawed in some way, because we live in an imperfect, flawed world. There seems to be a time in everyone’s life, when they depend on some system that has failed to function for them in a fair or just manner. 

One example is the many innocent men who were falsely convicted and are serving time in prison. It’s a sad reality, but it’s also another reason to put our trust in the throne of grace. Thankfully there are good people and groups devoted to working on behalf of those men.

In confidently bringing our needs to the throne of grace, we eventually see how the hand of God has been working all along. I could see how God was working in every stage following Jon’s accident. He guided the hands of his surgeon during a three hour tedious brain surgery. He continues to make progress in his recovery at the Nursing Facility. 

Last week I learned that God had assigned the right person to his disability application from day one. 

I am convinced that God has good people on the inside of every flawed institution, and if we approach His throne of grace in confidence, He sends the right people to help us at the right time. 

My son’s case was assigned to a very kind and diligent case worker at the state headquarters in Springfield. Although his Nursing Facility gave her minimal and vague medical information, she called them back until she spoke to the right person, obtaining the precise medical details she needed, to get his disability approved.

A more apathetic employee might have let his application go through the whole bureaucratuc process with vague and incomplete data, resulting in it being denied. Katherine actually went the extra mile in processing Jon’s application. I am convinced that she was assigned to his case by the throne of grace, as a result of many confident prayers being sent up to heaven. 

My point is that the citizenship we have in heaven overrides our citizenship in this present world, which is why we cannot put all our confidence in people, institutions or government organizations. We need to put our full confidence in the One who sits on the throne, who helps us in our time of need.

Our hope is not in the hierarchy of powers or elected leaders of this present age, because we are awaiting a Savior, who will return one day, to bring the whole world under His control. Until He does, He wants us to live an abundant life with peace and joy, by daily approaching His throne of grace, and doing so with full confidence.

Lord, as citizens of Heaven, we turn our eyes to you, and give you all the glory, as we confidently bring our daily petitions to the throne of grace, trusting in your merciful intervention at the perfect time in our lives. Amen

“At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.”

1 Corinthians 13:12 (NAB)

My mother was talented in so many areas. She was an excellent seamstress, a water color artist and very gifted in the craft of embroidery. She once made me a beautiful tapestry embroidered picture which I still have in a frame. As I looked at it one day, I thought of the well known metaphor of the tapestry. 

The backside of an embroidered work of tapestry appears as a cluster of multi colored threads that make no sense. No picture can be seen from looking at the back of a tapestry, but from the front, it is a beautiful work of art. In the same way, we cannot make sense out of the illnesses, losses and tragedies that we experience, but one day, we will see the front side of the tapestry of our lives. 

People of faith trust that there is a design to the sorrows and trials woven throughout our lifetime, like the threads in a tapestry. Research has proven that those who have faith in God, trusting in him as a Master designer, have better outcomes to medical treatment, and live longer and healthier lives.

Jesus never promised a trouble free existence, but He assured us that He will lift and lighten our burdens, when we come into Him. 

(Matthew 11:28-30)

I said something like this once to a lady who had lost her husband, without knowing her faith outlook. She asked, “How is losing someone I loved lifting my burden?” 

I started to explain my point, but then decided to simply acknowledge her suffering, and make a point of telling her that God loves her and that I would pray for her. 

After our conversation she thanked me for the kind words, but I realized how much harder life is for someone living without faith in God. 

The tapestry metaphor doesn’t only apply to those who have lost a loved one, it refers to any loss that is confusing or hard to understand. It can refer to the loss of a relationship, loss of health, or anything in life that puzzles us and leaves us with unanswered questions. 

Without faith and hope in God, no one could survive the sorrow that a loss can cause. The tapestry reminds us that people of faith trust in a Supreme Designer, even when we can’t see the front side of His design. For now it looks like a mass of jumbled threads or a blurry reflection in a mirror, but we believe that God is the designer of the tapestry in each person’s life. He takes our losses and turns them around for the good of our eternal souls.

If we look at the backside of the tapestry of Jesus’ life on earth, most unbelievers would say that He was an innocent victim of injustice, torture and murder through a political system that needed to be overthrown. He definitely was a lamb led to the slaughter, but the front side of His life’s tapestry reveals a completed and beautiful work of salvation. 

In Jesus, we see the love and mercy of God, who never stops weaving opportunities for each of us to draw nearer to Him during our lifetime. The backside view looks like a mess and a tragedy, but God invites us to draw nearer to Him during those times. 

Faith is knowing that there is a front side view to all the tapestries of our lives, even if we cannot see it now. 

Let’s anchor our faith in the Master Designer, who knows how to weave a beautiful work through His choice of colors and threads in our tapestry. We may not always like the color of thread He chooses, but He knows how it will all work in the end, and His perfect design will benefit our souls for eternity. At present we know only partially, but one day we will know fully. 

Lord, help us to trust that the tangled threads we see now, will one day reveal the front side of your perfect design in the tapestries of our lives. Amen

My mother’s handiwork-she told me that the boy is Jesus