Kissed by the Spirit

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

Revelation 3:20 (RSV)

Although Jesus calls everyone equally, everyone may not respond to Him in the same time frame, or with the same magnitude of faith. 

Responses matter to Jesus, because He wants to be invited into every part of our life. He is too gentle and polite to barge in and take over. It’s in the most desperate times, that we can hear Him calling our name, or knocking on the door of our hearts, until we respond and invite Him in. 

Jesus talked about the ten lepers that He healed, asking why only one leper returned to thank Him. He expects us to hear His voice and follow Him, because His sheep hear His voice, and they follow Him. Jesus wants responses, and there are so many scriptural examples, making it clear that He appreciates our response to Him, when He calls our name, before or after He heals us, or while He is politely knocking on our door. 

I’m going to share two stories on the topic of responding to Jesus. The first one is a trip down memory lane for me. Although there is an actual street about a mile north of my home, called Memory Lane, I’m sharing this from the memory lane in my heart.

I used to write letters to Ted, my oldest brother who was an instructor Air Force pilot, who was stationed in various countries over the years. For some odd reason, ever since he joined the Air Force, I had an obsession of concern for his safety, and earnestly prayed for him. Even twelve years later, while he was in South Korea, at the height of his Air Force career, I felt an urge to send him a letter with this sentence in it, 

“If you’re ever in a time of danger, call on Jesus.” It’s not very profound, and I don’t know why I felt such intense concern, since it was 1982, long after the Viet Nam era and our country was at peace.

Not very long after that letter, his F-16 jet crashed during a routine mission, and after a ten day search, the crash site revealed that he had died on impact. The cause of the crash was later found to be an electrical wire malfunction in F-16 planes. It took a few more years to prove, but after further investigation, the accident report was changed to read that the cause was electrical wire chafing, and not pilot error. 

I believe that my overwhelming sense of urgency to pray for him and write to him, was a response to the Holy Spirit. I trust that the same Holy Spirit stirred my brother’s heart at an important time in his life, leading him to respond and call upon Jesus, finding peace in his final seconds of life. 

Yesterday, I was visiting patients in the hospital as part of the volunteer ministry I do every Sunday. I visited one patient, who was in his mid seventies, and asked if I could pray for him. He said “Don’t bother, it won’t do any good anyway.” 

He said it with a look in his eyes, which I read as meaning he was facing a terminal diagnosis. Rather than asking any questions, I told him God can do anything, but the most important thing is that we have the peace of knowing it is well with our soul. So I asked again if I could pray that God’s presence would give him peace from this day forward, and he responded yes. Half way through the prayer, he started crying, but I knew that they were tears of comfort and peace. 

In the next few minutes, we agreed together that God’s presence was in the room, and that He will never leave him, and he agreed that eternal life is his greatest gift. 

His very first response to me may have been a negative one, but after praying, he found hope and peace. Jesus was obviously knocking on his door, he heard His voice, and he responded by opening the door of his heart to Him. As I walked out of that room, I felt a sense of awe, that something beautiful, but from another world, just took place in there. A part of heaven is in every hospital room, calling, knocking and whispering to every heart.

We are all carrying a cross, and though we don’t understand it, there is meaning and purpose in our loved one’s suffering, as well as in our own. We don’t need to fully understand things here and now, but the grace of God will always lift us out of our despair and give us peace. As we respond to the One who suffered for us, He changes our hearts, before changing our situations. 

The Holy Spirit is drawing us closer to Jesus each day, and we are all called to respond to Him in some way. The same Spirit leads us to others who are ripe to respond to His voice or a polite knock on their door. The Good Shepherd is a “gatherer.” He is in a continuous phase of gathering His sheep closer and closer to Himself, but it needs to start with each one’s response. 

Lord, you call us all closer, knocking on the door of our hearts daily, and you lift us out of our despair and give us your peace. Send your Spirit to lead us and others to continually respond to you. Amen

“We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. 

2 Corinthians 4:7 ( NLT)

Although the word “resilience” is not mentioned in this scripture verse, it is surely implied. We are all fragile clay jars that contain the great treasure of resilience. Webster’s dictionary defines resilience as the ability to recover, spring back or recoil after some sort of compressive stress. Our resilience is because of Christ living within us. 

Compressive stress refers to being squeezed, crushed or intensely pressured. I think everyone has gone through something at some time, that felt like any of the above. Some things cause us to feel squeezed beyond our capabilities, and yet God gives us the grace of resilience to recoil and spring back. 

I believe that we are all more resilient than we think. While we are in the eye of the storm, we feel like we will never recoil or spring back, but resilience has a way of emerging within us, over time. 

If we stop and think about all that we have already been through and  recoiled from, we would admit that a resilience somehow developed within us. Paul wrote that the great power that is within our fragile clay jars, our bodies, is from God, and not from ourselves. The beautiful mystery of it all, is that in every affliction, we have resilience because of Christ, who dwells in our mortal bodies.  

(2 Corinthians 4:11)

I call it a mystery because we have resilience even when we don’t know that we have it. We are all like David, the shepherd boy, more than we realize. We all face a Goliath of some sort, at some time in our lives. We never expect to face the giants that we face, and we are not seeking to be heroic either. But like the humble shepherd boy, we put our fragile trust in God, using the stone in our hand and let a little faith take action. We step forward, and God does the rest, because the power to overcome giants comes from Him, who is within us.

With every Goliath we face and every trial in our lives, resilience is built up within us, because Christ dwells in us. A person may tell us how strong our faith must be, to handle what we are going through, and yet we never feel strong or resilient in the moment. We just keep moving forward, one day at a time.

It’s beyond positive thinking or mind over matter. It’s not some “thing” that empowers us, it’s someone, and that someone is Christ in us. 

Our resilience develops as we face a giant in some form, whether it’s a medical problem, loss of a loved one, financial stress or encountering some new source of anxiety. I felt intense anxiety five years ago, in taking on the new role as a caregiver for my late husband, during his progression through the horrible illness of ALS.

The role of a caregiver comes with sleepless nights, financial worries, and continually adjusting to medical equipment brought into the home, with exhausting routines, that need to be carried out each day. Besides that, there’s a deep sadness in watching your loved one suffer daily, with no hope of a cure. Yet, even in the deepest darkness, the light of Jesus still shines within us. His light also gave my husband the resilience needed to leave his fragile clay jar and meet Jesus.

During that period, I felt like my clay jar was about to crack, but Jesus was within me, building my resilience through every stage of the pressure. I didn’t know it at the time, but as I look back, He made me resilient.

The power of this scripture says it best, 

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”(2 Corinthians 4:8-9)

We might be briefly knocked off our feet, but we will rise again, because an enduring light dwells within us. It shines through the frail clay jars of this earthly body, and it’s the Spirit of Jesus. He is always within us, giving us the strength to recoil and spring back. He never allows us to be tested beyond what we are able to endure, since He knows each of our limitations. 

“God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it.“ (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Lord, we give you all the glory and gratitude for making us resilient, despite how fragile and weak we may feel at times. Thank you for your Presence within us, and we trust that we will overcome all things in the power of your name. Amen

“We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. 

2 Corinthians 4:7 ( NLT)

Although the word “resilience” is not mentioned in this scripture, the meaning of the words written, imply it. Webster’s dictionary defines resilience as the ability to recover, bounce back or recoil after some sort of compressive stress. This translation refers to us as fragile clay jars, that are pressed by compressive stress. 

Compressive stress is feeling squeezed or pressed against. It can be brought on by some kind of loss, illness, strained relationships or any situation that we never planned for. Some problems cause us to feel stretched beyond our capabilities, yet by God’s grace, in time, we will recoil and spring back. 

I believe that we are all more resilient than we admit to. We don’t always feel like we are going to recoil and spring back when we’re in the eye of the storm, but resilience has a way of emerging within us, over time. 

If we stop and think about what we have overcome over the years in our lives, we will admit that a strength has somehow developed within us, and that strength comes from Jesus. Paul emphasizes the point that our great power is from God, not from ourselves, because the life of Christ is dwelling within our mortal bodies. 

(2 Corinthians 4:11)

The beauty of resilience is that we have it, yet don’t always recognize it within ourselves. Like David, we will each face a Goliath of some sort, at some time in our lives. We humbly face our giant with a little faith in our heart and a simple stone in our hand, and as we put one foot in front of the other, moving forward, God does the rest. The power comes from God, not from ourselves.

Then one day, someone tells us how strong our faith must be, to handle what we are going through, but we never thought of it as strength at the time. We only know that there’s no other option than to keep moving forward, trusting God, as we go.

It’s much deeper than mind over matter or positive thinking. It’s not something emerging from deep within us, it’s someone within us-Jesus.

This resilience of Jesus is placed within all believers, whether we face a Goliath in the form of a medical diagnosis, loss of a loved one, a financial loss or going through any kind of stress or intense anxiety. We may feel like our clay jars are going to break, but Jesus is within us, building our resilience through every trial, making us over comers through Him.

The power of this scripture says it best, 

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”(2 Corinthians 4:8-9)

We might be briefly knocked off our feet, but we will rise up again, because an enduring light dwells within us. It shines through our frail clay vessels, and it’s the Spirit of Jesus. He is within us, helping us to recoil, rise and endure, because God will never allow us to be tested beyond our  capacity to endure.

(1 Corinthians 10:13)

Lord, we give you all the glory and gratitude for making us resilient, despite how fragile and weak we may feel at times. We carry your presence within us, and trust that we will overcome all things in the power of your name. Amen

“Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.”

2 Samuel 9:7 (NIV)

Children are the innocent victims of  so much suffering resulting from the devastation of wars. It reminds me of this Old Testament story about a young handicapped orphan, and how God changed his destiny, giving him new life, hope and restoration. 

Mephibosheth was a healthy little boy, born into the royal family of King Saul. He was the son of Jonathan, David’s closest friend, but he became crippled from a fall at five years old. Soon afterward, there was a war and his entire royal family was killed, leaving him as a disabled orphan. The enemy took over any wealth or land that was his by inheritance, so that he was not only handicapped and orphaned, but homeless as well. 

A friend cared for Mephibosheth in their home, in a city called Lodebar. It was a place of desolation after the war, and the very word, Lodebar, translates to mean “nothing”. So he was literally living in the land of “Nothing” as a nobody, and went from being a royal prince to a disabled pauper. It all happened through a series of events that the little boy had no control of. 

Anyone who has ever lost their health, loved one, income, home or even their sense of self worth, can probably relate to the misfortune of this young boy. We probably all know someone who desperately needs some type of restoration. It could be physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, or financial. 

Mephibosheth was completely helpless and left with nothing, but the Lord is fully attentive to the prayers of the destitute, and would later turn the little boy’s destiny around for the good.  (Psalm 102:17)

Eight years later, after David became king and freed his nation from their enemies, there was peace in the land. David wanted to show kindness to any surviving relative of his beloved friend, Jonathan, so he sent out a search party to find Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth. He was 13 years old by the time they found him in Lodebar, and brought him to the king’s palace. 

King David adopted him as his own son, and restored all the lands of his inheritance. Mephibosheth lived in the royal palace, with the royal family for the rest of his life. He dined at the king’s table with his children, having gone from prince to pauper, and then restored to royal prince again and son of the king.

God is our King, who searches for all those who feel like they are living in the land of Nothing, as a nobody. He has prepared a place for His children in His heavenly kingdom, seating us at His table, as His own adopted sons and daughters.

He has also given us a purpose to fulfill here and now, by being a part of His search party to find all those who feel like nobodies in a land of Nothing. We are to go out on the highways and the byways, and  invite others to become God’s sons and daughters. Whatever they have lost, is restored by becoming joint heirs with His son, Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:17)

David had compassion on Jonathan’s boy, Mephibosheth, and he saw great value in him, beyond his physical handicap, just as God sees great value in us, beyond our flaws and shortcomings. He lifts us up, restores our dignity, baptizes us into His family, and names us after His own son, “Christ”ian.

God is loving and kind to us, just as David was to Mephibosheth. The core of God’s nature is to restore and show mercy, just as David did for the young man, asking, “How may I show My kindness to you?“  

(2 Samuel 9:1)

God searches the world for people who might feel like nobodies in the land of Nothing, and He restores them as a part of His family. He does everything for their eternal good as Peter wrote,

“The God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, and strengthen you.” (1 Peter 5:10)

Lord, We pray for all those who have lost everything due to war, wildfires, hurricanes, or other disasters. Help us to search for and comfort those who feel like nobodies all around us. We ask for the spiritual, mental, physical and emotional restoration and salvation for all who need it, especially innocent children. Amen

“Behold, how good and pleasant it iswhen brothers dwell together in unity.”  Psalm 133:1 (RSV)

I once heard a famous Israeli folk song, composed of the lyrics from this scripture verse. It was sung in a catchy melody in Hebrew. I was studying Hebrew at the time, so I 

bought the tape and played the song in my home. Soon, my boys, who were three years old at the time, were singing the entire song together  in Hebrew after listening to the tape. 

I still remember their voices singing in unity, and in Hebrew, yet. I wish I had a video to capture that memory, but in the 80’s, we didn’t have cell phones at our fingertips as we do today. It made me aware that just as a parent receives joy in seeing their children dwell together in unity, how much more pleasing is it to God, our Heavenly Father, to see us dwell together in unity?

Scripture, unfortunately, is filled with stories of dysfunctional siblings, divided families, and brothers who didn’t dwell in unity, which left many parents broken hearted. It all began with the very first family. 

Adam and Eve’s two sons, Cain and Abel, presented the first murder scene in scripture, committed by a brother against a brother. In Genesis, Abel was the first victim of murder, and a martyr, who was a type and foreshadowing of Jesus. Abel and Jesus, in their innocence, both suffered early deaths at the hands of angry brothers. Abel was killed by Cain, and Jesus was betrayed by brothers in the faith, the religious authorities of His time.

Through the 3,000 years of biblical history, inspired scripture reveals a deeper meaning through these many stories of sibling rivalries. Every betrayed brother in biblical history is a mysterious hint of the coming of God’s own beloved son one day. Jesus represents all brothers who were ever unjustly scorned, betrayed and mistreated by their siblings.

Isaac and Rebecca had twin sons, Jacob and Esau. Jacob was the son who was closer to his mother, and observant of the faith of his parents. Jacob is a subtle reminder of Jesus, but his brother Esau, was a carnal man, who had no regard for his family’s faith or his own birthright. Esau eventually hunted down his own brother, Jacob, attempting to kill him, but God protected Jacob, and he became the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. 

Out of Jacob’s twelve sons, Joseph, was his most beloved son, which stirred hatred and jealousy among the other eleven brothers. Joseph was mistreated by his brothers, who abandoned him, leaving him to be sold into slavery. 

Joseph and Jesus were both beloved sons of their father. Both were betrayed by their brothers, and falsely accused, and both forgave those who once persecuted them. 

Moses had a brother and a sister, Aaron and Miriam. His siblings were loyal to him up to a point, until they became jealous and started to question his authority and exclusive leadership. Miriam was struck with leprosy because of her rebellious attitude towards her brother, but Moses prayed earnestly for her and she was healed. Moses was humble and forgiving, and so was Jesus, who healed many lepers and forgave His enemies from the cross.

David was chosen by God to be the next king of Israel. As the youngest among a large family of brothers, he never received the respect he deserved from his siblings. Jesus also never received the respect He deserved from the Pharisees and Sadducees. David and Jesus both endured disrespect even though they were both chosen by God. 

David’s own son, Absalom, betrayed his father, seeking to overthrow his throne and take over his kingdom by force. It was heartbreaking for David as he later mourned the death of his son, Absalom, after he was killed. Jesus was betrayed by Judas, a close friend from within His inner circle. Jesus wept in advance over the city of Jerusalem, knowing many would reject Him. (Luke 19:41) 

Both David and Jesus were betrayed by someone close to them. 

God put each of these stories in scripture about betrayed brothers, to prepare people to know that His own son would also be betrayed by his own brothers. Jesus is preeminent among all betrayed brothers in history. 

Jacob, Joseph, Moses and David teach us by example to be humble and forgiving, and they were all exalted to positions of leadership, in spite of the betrayals they suffered. 

Jesus taught that those who humble themselves will be exalted, and it is true throughout biblical history. God exalted Jesus, who is the root and offspring of David, the bright and morning star, and He now sits on the throne of heaven as King of kings and Lord of lords.  (Revelation 22:16)

Any parent can understand how pleasing it is to see their children dwell together in unity. We are the sons and daughters of God, and as a Father, He has joy when brothers can live in unity, whether it is in a family or among the nations of the world.

Lord, the whole world desperately needs peace and unity among brothers of families as well as among nations. Give all people a desire to please you first, by forgiving others, living in unity, and fill us with your love and peace. Amen

(Mike (left) and Jon (right) age 2)

“For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name;and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth He is called. For the Lord has called you like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit.”

Isaiah 54:5-6 (RSV)

Yesterday presented many new things to pray about, all within a twelve our period. My hair stylist texted me at 1 am to cancel my appointment because she was in a motorcycle accident, and underwent surgery yesterday morning. Her surgery went well, but it certainly brought back memories of my son’s motorcycle accident a year ago this month. 

Then I encountered a new problem. I opened my sliding patio door in the morning for fresh air, but then it wouldn’t close again. Something blocked it from closing, leaving it open two inches. After searching the door tracks up and down, and trying to clear out anything that might be jamming or blocking the track, it still wouldn’t close. Having a door that won’t close is not good on so many levels of concern.

I prayed and asked God for wisdom in what to do or who to call. My neighbor’s husband is handy so I called there, but he wasn’t home. I called a local handyman that was recommended on my neighborhood website, but he wasn’t available until after 2 pm.

I thought about all the women I know who have handy husbands, who can probably fix a jammed sliding door, and how fortunate they were. I started verbalizing all my grief to God, telling Him that I have no one to help me. My son, Michael, is very handy, but he lives over 900 miles away and my two nephews are handy but they live about 30 miles away. 

Then I recalled all the times that something needed repair in the past, and how God always sent me the right person at the right time, and the problem was solved. In the midst of my anxiety, I decided to put my trust in Jesus. I asked Him to be my husband and handyman, and to fix my jammed patio door.

Meanwhile, my neighbor’s husband came home around 1 pm and he stopped by to check my door. When I went to show him how the door was jammed, I was stunned! The door glided all the way without a problem. An hour earlier at 12 pm, it absolutely would not close at all. 

No one touched the jammed door between 12 and 1, so what happened in that hour? 

Then I ran across this scripture,

“And in that day, says the Lord, you will call me, My husband.”

(Hosea 2:16) 

That day was yesterday and I did call Jesus my husband, as well as  the best handyman, ever. When we cling to Him, God will take on the role of our Father, friend, husband, physician, or whatever we need at that time in our lives. He does it because He loves us, and He sees and hears us in distress. He sees our hearts, and when we pray, He turns our grief into joy. The psalmist says it best,

“When anxiety was great within me, His consolation brought me joy.”(Psalm 94:19)

Lord, you are all good and powerful, yet you care for all of us, as we bring our needs before you, turning our anxiety into joy. Thank you for being all we need, as we cling to you in trust and faith. Amen

“Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV)

I’ve always focused on the last part of this scripture only, that “the joy of the Lord is our strength,” but in the first part of this verse, I discovered a a meaningful message as well.

Nehemiah was a governor of the province of Judah. He obtained permission for the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, after the Jewish people had been exiled for seventy years. They were finally given permission after all those years to worship in their holy city, Jerusalem. They didn’t have all of the land yet, which God once promised them, and they didn’t possess their own nation, but they were presently given access to a city. That was a start and a great blessing, after living in exile. Nehemiah’s advice was to celebrate in that present moment.  

That is the message that I received,  to rejoice in the present moment, instead of dwelling on the things we or our loved ones do not have yet. Nehemiah’s people did not have their own nation, but they had Jerusalem. He told the people to eat choice food, and drink sweet drinks to celebrate, which is symbolic of cherishing the present. To eat, drink and celebrate isn’t a selfish behavior, because Nehemiah told them to share it with others who had nothing, and they did. 

This story gave me a new and different outlook in how to find my joy in hardship or difficult situations. Especially in dealing with a loved one who is disabled in some way, whether it’s due to dementia, disease, addiction, birth injury, or traumatic brain injury, if we meet the person where they are, and love them for who they are, we find the blessings in the moment, which leads to real joy.

We can become so anxious, looking for any sign of improvement or progress, that we miss out on the present human connection with someone. If we become so wrapped up in who they once were, what they lost or what they can achieve and become in the future, we might be missing the joy in the present moment. When we miss out on the present moment, we are not eating the choice food or drinking the sweet drinks that Nehemiah said to do. If we let go of all our expectations, our heart can open up to the human bond of love here and now. 

We don’t have to be injured or ill to want to be loved for who we are, with all of our faults, flaws and infirmities. No one wants to feel that they have to get better first or reach certain milestones to please the one who loves them. 

The same goes for how we respond to an ill or injured loved one. Whether their illness or injury is physical, mental or emotional, we meet them where they are here and now, because love is patient, enduring and it fully dwells in the present. 

Love is unconditional and does not remain in a state of gloom and depression over past illness or injury. It embraces the present moment.

If we knew that today would be our last day with our loved one, how would it change our way of interacting with them? We would probably forget about everything else, except showing love to them and finding joy in that last moment. To treat each day as if it is the last day with someone is a real game changer. When we dwell on watching for signs of improvement, we are no longer enjoying them as they are, and they can sense it as well.

I never thought about this before and it was not a theme that I planned to write about, but my last visit to the Nursing Facility taught me a new outlook regarding my expectations. 

Jon wouldn’t eat much, and he wasn’t trying to talk much that day either. He just sat and stared at people. Some days he is more active than others, but I tend to always visit him with the same intense searching for signs of progress. 

I looked at how sad he looked sitting and staring at people, and decided to go and just put my arm around him, cheek against cheek, hugging him. Then he lifted his good arm up and put it around me, to hug me back, which was a first. I wish I had a picture, but it gave me a moment of joy to know he could and did express love in return. Some residents sitting nearby saw it, and I could hear their gasps of excitement in seeing that moment.

That was my present moment of eating choice food and drinking sweet drinks, which was also shared with those onlookers. It taught me that treating each day as our only day, changes everything. Jon might not eat or talk some days, but he can and does receive and express love. 

If we metaphorically compare our situation to Nehemiah’s, we may not have the entire nation yet, but we can find joy in having the holy city of Jerusalem. By treating each day as if it is our only day, we find blessings in the present moment, as we realize love outlasts everything else. 

Instead  of grieving over what a loved one lost or does not have, because of illness or injury, we can celebrate here and now, by loving them for who they are, and sharing our joy with others. That’s how the joy of the Lord gives us our strength. 

Lord, help us to cherish the present with all of our loved ones, especially those who are ill or injured. Give us patience to learn to celebrate and live in the moment and to share the love that we have with others. Amen

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”

(Hebrews 13:2)

We can show hospitality to angels, unknowingly. The writer of Hebrews tells us that we may encounter angels in disguise without ever knowing it. I’m writing about three true stories that were shared by honest, sound minded, and reputable men, related to the topic of meeting angels in disguise.

A doctor from a small town in the southern U.S., who had a deep faith in God, once flew to Chicago for a medical conference. When he arrived, he decided to take public transportation instead of a cab. He took the el train and after he got off at his stop, he realized he got off at the wrong stop. Like a marked man, he stood alone and vulnerable on a strange street in a dangerous Chicago neighborhood. Wondering what to do next, and standing there in a suit and tie, holding a briefcase, he realized he was being watched. 

A nefarious looking bunch of individuals spotted him, and began walking towards him, and the doctor had a feeling something very bad was about to happen. At that moment, a cab pulled up and the driver said, “Get in, you don’t belong here.” He got in the cab, escaping the glaring onlookers and was driven safely to his destination. After thanking the driver, he took his briefcase and got out of the cab. As he turned around to pay the driver, the cab was gone, as if it just disappeared. 

We can think of other explanations, but I personally think that an angel in disguise of a cab driver was sent to protect that doctor, because it was not his time yet.

Another Christian man who is 92 years old recalls how he had lost his job in the mid 1960’s and he went through a really hard time financially. Many other trials were happening in his life at the same time, and his faith was being tested to the max. 

One day as he was driving, he saw a hitchhiker, and decided to pick him up. The hitchhiker didn’t say much but seemed to be in great need so the man gave him a $5 bill (which was worth a lot more in the 60’s) and then dropped him off at his destination. The quiet man thanked him and got out of the car. 

As he started driving away, he glanced in his rear view mirror, but the man was gone. He stopped the car and backed up, looking in all directions but the man was nowhere to be seen. He believed it was an angel sent to test him, to see if he would still show kindness and generosity, while going through his own financial problems. He was glad he showed compassion to that hitchhiker. 

Another man told me that many years ago, he was driving down Route 83 in Mount Prospect, in my own neighborhood, where there is a railroad crossing. The railroad crossing lights were off and he and the car in the lane next to him were about to drive across the tracks, when a stranger in white clothing ran into the street out of nowhere and waved his hands telling the cars to stop. He and the man in the lane next to him both stopped and got out of their cars to see why the stranger was stopping traffic. 

As soon as they stepped out of their cars, a speeding train whipped by so fast even though no warning lights ever went on. The stranger told them that the warning lights were not working. Before they could ask the stranger how he knew that the lights were not working, the stranger in white was gone.

If angels are not sent to test our faith, they are sent to protect us from evildoers, to warn us of danger, or to guide us in the right direction. 

What a gift angels are to the family of God. I ask angels to surround me every day, and I don’t need to encounter an angel in disguise in order to believe in their constant protection of us. Since scripture tells us that we may encounter an angel while unaware, it’s a good reason to show kindness to strangers. 

The book of Hebrews further explains the purpose of angels here in our human world:

“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”  (Hebrews 1:14)

Angels are sent to minister to us because we are the heirs of salvation. Their role is to help us stay safe in order to live the number of our days so we can grow in our faith in God. Angels know whether it’s our time or not, and they will intervene to save us from life threatening circumstances. They work invisibly along side us, doing their part to help us get to heaven and to help us do our part in bringing others with us. 

They occasionally take human form to accomplish their mission, and we never know when we are showing kindness to an angel in disguise. Whatever they do is to advance God’s purposes here on earth through us. 

Lord, you are so good to us by sending all those wonderful angels to protect us, guide us, to test our faith and to bless us. Please continue sending angelic help to fulfill your purpose in us, as we help others to find eternal life. Amen

“Blessed are those who find wisdom, and those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.”  Proverbs 3:13-15 (NIV)

I ran across this verse of scripture after a very strange dream I had last Saturday night. Dreams don’t always make sense, or leave us with a special meaning. In fact, I hardly ever remember what I dreamed, but once in a while, a dream stays with me  and leaves me with a message or a meaning to meditate on.

I dreamed I was talking with some new people in a church. It became late and everyone said goodbye and one lady named Sophia, looked at her watch and it was 11:30 pm. I am never awake at that hour, and I remember looking at her watch and being surprised at the time. We headed out the door together, but the weird thing is that we were both walking home, not driving. She mentioned where she lived, which was in my neighborhood, so we decided to walk home together. 

It was very dark outside, and we had to walk in the street since there was no sidewalk. I looked down at my clothing, which was also dark in color and thought of the danger as cars were driving past us on the dark street. Then I looked at Sophia’s clothes and they were very bright and lit up. As we walked, I felt safe with Sophia walking by my side. She lit up the path as we walked down the dark street.

She disappeared briefly as we passed some tall bushes, so I called out to her, “Sophia, where are you?” She answered me and reappeared, coming out from behind the tall bushes. I was relieved to hear her answer me, and then we continued to walk on the lighted path.

Before we ever arrived home, I woke up from the dream, and wondered what it could all mean, since all the details remained in my mind. That’s when I came across the beautiful scripture in Proverbs today. I know that the name Sophia in Greek translates to “Wisdom.” I wondered if Sophia in my dream, was a symbol or representation of God’s wisdom. 

Walking in the dark feels like a lot of the experiences we go through in life. We encounter unexpected difficulties and some trials can make us feel like we are lost, trying to find our way on a dark street, all the while feeling vulnerable to danger. We may have no idea which way to go or what to do, and we desperately need direction. We need God’s wisdom to come and light our path.

In the book of Proverbs, wisdom is a woman, and referred to as “she” or “her” throughout the whole book. Christian and Jewish theologians agree that wisdom is personified as a lady in the book of Proverbs. The Hebrew word for wisdom, “Khachmah” is even a grammatically feminine word. It convinced me that Sophia, the woman in my dream, was a symbol representing God’s wisdom.

God wants us to seek His wisdom in every difficulty we face. It’s the most valuable of spiritual gifts because wisdom gives us strength and understanding, long before our prayers for deliverance or healing are ever answered. Wisdom changes our perspective of things, and builds up our faith, which leads to peace. That’s why Solomon spoke about wisdom as an investment, saying that wisdom yields a better return than gold, and is more profitable than silver. 

I am pretty quick to ask God to remove a problem, but I am learning that He wants me to first ask for His wisdom regarding that problem. Asking for wisdom is not usually the first thing I think to ask for, but when I do ask for it, God gives it, and I realize I should have asked for it a long time ago. I recognize now, that Sophia in my dream, was reminding me to seek first His wisdom so that I can walk in the light each day. 

When I lost sight of Sophia in the dream, I called her and she answered and reappeared from behind the tall bushes, and then we walked on together. Those tall bushes are like the problems that distract or blind us from God’s wisdom during times of distress or trouble. Instead of letting anger or fear take over in the moment, if we ask for wisdom, God gives it to us, and lights up our path. 

When I encounter any challenge, or people who are difficult to deal with, 

I think God wants me to first ask for His wisdom to understand things and people better. David understood this, when he said, 

“Your commands are always with me

 and make me wiser than my enemies.” (Psalm 119:98)

 God’s wisdom makes us wiser than what our emotions dictate to us.

Walking in the light of God’s wisdom, means seeing His perspective in every problem. If we ask Him, He will give us wisdom in every challenge and difficulty that we face, which leads to peace.

When we left the church to start walking home, in the dream, Sophia looked at her watch and it was 11:30 at night. In that part of the dream, God was telling me to live like it’s always the 11th hour, as if the day is almost done. It reminds me of Paul’s words to the Romans,

“The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” (Romans 13:12)

No one knows the day or the hour of Jesus’ second coming, but if we pray for wisdom, and wear His armor of light, through all the trials in our lives, He will guide our path until He comes again. Nothing is needed more in the 11th hour than to seek God’s wisdom. 

I woke up before ever reaching my home in that dream, probably because wisdom is meant to strengthen our faith and guide us in the present, before we reach our final destination in Heaven. 

Lord, give us the wisdom to see your perspective in all the situations of our lives. Let us walk in the armor of your light, and lead us to the peace that passes all understanding. Amen

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”

2 Timothy 4:7-8 (RSV)

Paul wrote this in a letter to Timothy, who was like a son to him. It was his last letter written from prison, before he was martyred. He writes about fighting the good fight, keeping his faith to the end, about crowns and awards for all who love to see the appearance of Christ on that day. 

It’s all beautiful to meditate on, but we can get the impression that Jesus is far away from us, living in a far off kingdom of heaven. 

It’s easy to think that way, while we function in a very material world all around us, but the kingdom of heaven is also all around us. Jesus lives within His people and works through His people, who are among us. He is doing His will here on earth, according to His will in heaven, each time we pray, “Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”

God sends us heroes of the faith, through the church or through those who lived before us, and left their inspiration by example. The heroes of the faith might be our own parent or a grandparent, a minister or the saints who lived and died for Christ, centuries ago. It might be those who wrote sacred scripture under the Spirit’s inspiration, which builds up our faith to this day. These heroes of the faith deserve to be honored, and Paul, the apostle, was just one of them. 

Historians tell us that Paul traveled 10,000 miles over his lifetime, and preached for a period of 30 years, while he wrote 14 out of the 27 books which compose the New Testament. That’s a lot of miles, a lot of writing and a lot of the kingdom of heaven brought to earth, through one man, for the glory of God.

A film was made in 2018 about the life of Apostle Paul. It was filmed on the island of Malta, and starred James Faulkner as Paul and Jim Caviezel as Luke, his companion. The movie is called “Paul, Apostle of Christ”.  Seeing this movie was like unwrapping a gift. It shed so much truth on how valuable Paul was to the early church at that particular time in history. 

The movie merged church history and scripture with some fiction, in order to tell the story of Paul’s life. One of the fictional aspects in the film, was of Paul having flashbacks to the days in his life when he was Saul, when he used to hate and persecute the church. 

He is reminded of an image of a little girl’s face, who he saw being martyred along with her family. This flashback continues through the film and builds up to a powerful ending later. 

The early church suffered under Nero, who hunted down and killed many Christians during Paul’s ministry, but character and virtue develop out of adversity, and the early church was a unified family, faithful to Christ even in the threat of imprisonment or death. The believers who survived Nero, worshipped in secret underground churches. 

Paul constantly preached love and forgiveness, leaving all vengeance to God only. Some believers left the church and formed a resistance group, becoming obsessed with fighting the oppressive Roman government. Paul tried to warn them that this was not the good fight that he wrote about. Hate breeds more hate, and Paul taught to “not be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil with good.”  (Romans 12:21)

He preached that to live is Christ, and to die is gain, so that whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Paul lived all that he preached, and the fruit of his ministry was how he encouraged others throughout his life, even through his letters from a jail cell. Jesus still brings the kingdom of heaven to earth, by living in the hearts of all believers today. 

He asks us to pray for one another, encourage one another and stay unified in Spirit by loving one another.

Paul died by martyrdom, shown at the end of the movie, and was instantly transferred to heaven, and welcomed by a large throng of believers who died before him. 

Suddenly, a happy little girl ran out from the heavenly crowd to greet him with open arms, and Paul lifts her up and hugs her. It’s the little girl from his many flashbacks, who was once martyred along with her family. 

The movie ends with the look of overwhelming joy on Paul’s face, surrounded by believers in heaven, as he turns around and sees Jesus standing before him.

We owe it to honor those throughout history who suffered for their faith, who led us by example, and fought the good fight of faith. We also owe it to uphold in prayer, all who are suffering for their faith today in other nations around the world.

Thank God for the heroes of the faith in the early church, like Paul, Peter, Luke and all other apostles and leaders. May we carry on their legacy of choosing to overcome evil with good, and fight the good fight of faith to the end.

Lord, thank you for the saintly examples you send to us, and for great leaders you have raised up in the church to spread the faith, and for sacred scripture, which inspires us to fight the good fight of faith, so that we may meet you, our victorious Savior in heaven one day. Amen