Kissed by the Spirit

“At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.” Luke 1:39-40 (NIV)

Faith in God is described as a valuable pearl in the gospels, and those we befriend who share our faith, are as valuable as the pearl of faith itself. We benefit in so many ways by having wise friends of faith, who know us and share our joys, our sorrows as well as our beliefs.

Before Jesus was incarnated, Mary, who was a special and blessed young woman of faith, shared a special friendship with her older cousin, Elizabeth. Once Mary got past the initial shock of her virgin conception, she was so thrilled, she couldn’t wait to share the news with her closest friend, Elizabeth. 

Imagine having an incredible visit from an angel, greeting you with “Hello favorite one!” and then telling you a divine conception is taking place in your womb. After Mary surrendered to God’s plan, she was bursting with joy, which is evident by her lengthy response expressed in the first chapter of Luke. 

Upon realizing that she would become the mother of the long awaited, and hoped for, Messiah, her first action was to take a long trip, to visit and share the news with her dearest friend, Elizabeth. 

Before cell phones or cars, her only way to tell Elizabeth, was to travel by donkey on a 90 mile trip to the hill country of a town called Ein Karem. Mary and Elizabeth obviously had a special friendship that transcended their generational and geographical distance. 

We may have friends of faith like this, who live far away from us, but thanks to cell phones and cars we have easier ways to keep in touch with them. To have a community of friends who share our faith is like having a cherished, priceless pearl.

When Mary and Elizabeth finally reunited, they probably exchanged stories, and learned that the same angel, Gabriel, was sent to announce the birth of their miracle baby boys. What an amazing family with these two special women in it, who both became a part of God’s salvation plan. 

I can imagine the discussions that were made in heaven, to arrange for the special day when Gabriel was sent to earth, first to tell Elizabeth’s husband Zacharias, about John and next, to go to Nazareth to tell Mary about Jesus. Mary and Elizabeth were now connected by more than being relatives and best friends, they were both part of the same divine salvation plan of Almighty God. 

They weren’t the kind of cousins who grew up as childhood playmates because of their age difference, but they both shared a bond as women of faith. 

Mary had to be selective in choosing who to share her exciting news with. It was well worth the ninety mile trip to meet with the one person she knew would believe in her and rejoice with her. Sometimes we need to be selective in who we confide in, especially regarding matters of faith. 

Our personal faith is like a precious pearl of great value, which means we can be truthful and vulnerable with those who are on the same page with us spiritually. Friends of faith are as valuable as a pearl, since they make us feel safe, which is why Jesus told us “do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot”. 

(Matthew 7:6) 

If you have a likeminded friend or relative who understands you, believes in you and shares your perspective of your Christian faith, it’s a gift from God. I am thankful for the friends in my life. I’ve been blessed with new friends, as well as those I have known for years. 

I have met friends through churches, and some through my workplace over the years. Some live in the neighborhood and some live out of state, but I’m glad I don’t have to travel ninety miles to share news with them. I’m also thankful for cell phones, computers, Facebook groups, emails and all manners of communication.

This is a tribute to every valued pearl of friendship, whether new or from years past, and I thank God for all of you and pray for His blessing on all your friendships today. 

Lord, thank you for enriching our lives with friends who share our faith. Unify and strengthen us through your Spirit and bless every pearl of friendship in our lives today. Amen

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Romans 12:2 (NASB)

Our redemption comes by faith in the blood of His cross, which is our only hope of salvation, but becoming transformed into a new creature in Christ, requires the renewal of our minds, and that is a lifelong process. 

God loves us just as we are, but He also sees our potential and He knows that we were made for more. That’s why He is always working to renew our minds, every day of our lives. While He is transforming us into the image of His Son, He uses everything that happens in our lifetime to make us a  better version of ourselves.

We may be asking God to remove the unpleasant, painful or confusing situations in our life, but it is through adversity that He transforms and renews us on our journey of faith. During the most difficult situations, it’s hard to truthfully say to Him, “Your will be done,” but when we do, it’s another step toward letting God renew our minds and transform us for the better.

Through every trial or test, the Lord works to bring out shepherd like tendencies that are within us. If Jesus is our Chief Shepherd, then we are all mini shepherds, and whether we know it or not, those shepherd urges are within each one of us. 

Shepherd like tendencies give us the urge to seek, lead and feed His sheep. I remember times when I felt like a failure in this area, with no patience, but God never gives up on us. We will again find ourself praying for the sick, visiting the lonely or redirecting some lost sheep, because those sheep were led into our pasture for that very reason. We are all gradually being turned into mini shepherds. 

By nature, I seek whatever is good for me, but as the Holy Spirit renews my mind, I start thinking more like a shepherd, looking out for the other sheep that are in my pasture. Here is one small example of how it happened in my life. 

Soon after I became a widow, I missed not having my husband to share the events of my day with. Although I regularly talked to God, I was thankful to have my long time friend of fifty years. I could pick up the phone anytime and share my thoughts with Helene, and always enjoyed her wisdom and insight. Three years after my husband passed away, she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. 

Her illness progressed with rapid deterioration, but I remember wanting only to step up and be the friend she needed in that difficult time. I remember thinking that the most important thing to me was to be a good friend, rather than to have a good friend.

Something changed within me and my way of thinking about friendship was being transformed. Helene ultimately chose to refuse all further medical treatment, went into hospice and passed away only three months after her initial diagnosis. 

When my son was placed in a Nursing Facility after his traumatic brain injury, I looked around one day and saw all the people sitting alone, like lost sheep, who never receive a visit from a friend or a relative. I felt the Holy Spirit evoking that shepherd urge within me, and in that moment I knew I was to be their friend. They were the sheep that God put into my pasture, asking me to be a mini shepherd to them. 

Mother Teresa cradled in her arms about 16,000 dying people in Calcutta over the span of her ministry. Someone once asked her how she converted so many dying people, who never heard of Jesus, and only knew the popular religions of India. She said that she asked each person who was dying in her arms, “Do you want to give your life to Christ ?” and they responded by asking her, “Who is Christ, is He like you?” 

What a beautiful question. Those who she held in her arms never heard the gospel or read one verse of scripture, but they would gladly receive the One called Christ, whose love they felt, while being held in her arms. 

Allowing ourselves to become His body on earth, is at the heart of being a mini shepherd. There are souls who God sends into our lives, who may be looking at us today and asking each of us, 

“Who is Christ? Is He like you?” 

We are the mini shepherds of Christ in this world and we answer that question with our actions. We are His voice, His eyes, His hands, His feet, and His body on earth, until He returns. 

Someone once told Mother Teresa that what she was doing is only a drop in the bucket, compared to all that is needed in this world, and she replied, “No, it’s a drop in the ocean, and the ocean is forever changed by it.” Every act of kindness is ocean changing.

Lord, help us to be your mini shepherds, and to see people through your eyes, so that they can see You in us. Amen

“I thank my God every time I remember you.”

Philippians 1:3 (NIV)

The words in this scripture can be said about many friends or loved ones, who have impacted our lives at some time, in a special way, whether they are still living or not. 

Today, I am remembering my friend Michelle, who left this world way too soon. We worked together for many years and became friends, even though she was young enough to be my daughter. Wherever I look in my home today, I can see the things that Michelle hand made and gave to me as gifts over the years that I knew her. 

She was a talented craftsperson and her handiwork is in every corner of my home, from the bedazzled glass case where I keep my reading glasses, to the holiday wreaths I hang on my front door, to the many pairs of earrings in my jewelry box, and even the crocheted hat and scarf that I wear on these cold winter days. 

Wherever I look, I see signs of her creativity, which reminds me of our friendship, and the twelve years we worked together. 

I can never forget a true story that Michelle once shared with me, that stands out above all else. She was at a gas station one day, pumping gas in her car, when she noticed a man choking in the car next to her. She rushed over, and took action, by  bringing him out of his car and doing the Heimlich maneuver on him, which saved his life. Naturally, the man was very grateful and I never forgot that story since the day she shared it with me. 

Sadly, Michelle couldn’t save herself, when she was unable to breathe from a blood clot which infiltrated her lung, over a year ago. She had trouble breathing and called her sister, who quickly drove to her house to bring her to the hospital, but it was too late, because Michelle collapsed walking outside her front door. 

Paramedics tried to resuscitate her, but she passed away in the nearby Emergency room. She was only 44, and it’s heart breaking to lose such a young friend, who was kind, creative, generous and had a great sense of humor. Anyone who knew Michelle, knew her special love for all babies, children and animals. I still miss her, knowing she had so much more to live for. 

The man she saved at that gas station, may never know of her fate, but he is probably still sharing the story of how a woman, who was a total stranger, saved his life one day, when he was choking. 

I believe that angels surround all of us every day, and they may spare us unknowingly from danger, accidents and tragedies, through their divine intervention. In some instances, the angels that God sends to us are just people, who are at the right place at the right time, reacting to a person’s desperate need, doing whatever it takes to save their life. Michelle was definitely someone’s angel that day at that gas station. 

There is so much we will never have answers for in this lifetime, since God’s thoughts and His ways are nothing like ours. I’m sure each person cherishes the memory of someone who was like an angel in their life, who they still thank God for, every time they remember them.

We are meant to keep living our lives with faith and hope, while keeping the memories alive of all those who have blessed us. We celebrate their life instead of dwelling on the timing or circumstances of their death. I believe we are all meant to become somebody’s angel at some time. 

It’s  good to be aware and prepare ourselves for the day that God may send us to help someone at the right time and place. Not everyone will save a life physically, but we may be called upon to give some type of spiritual or emotional support, and to become somebody’s angel, at a providential moment in time. In honor of all those who have been like angels in our lives, we open our hearts to do the same for someone else, someday, in some way.

Lord, instead of looking for answers to the unexplained sorrows in this world, help us to make the world a better place by acting on the opportunity to become somebody’s angel. Amen

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

2 Corinthians 9:8 ( NIV)

We are blessed through many small graces along the way, even during the most difficult tests and trials in our lives. In all things, at all times, He gives us what we need, in small, subtle ways, so that in the end, we may abound in every good work. 

We might miss recognizing these small graces, while we are waiting for that one big answer to our prayer. 

Small graces are those subtle signs of God’s abundant love which He shows us in various ways. He gave us five senses to use, and minds to reason with, so that we will see, hear and awaken to what the Holy Spirit is saying and doing.

If we make ourselves more aware of the small signs that appear every day, they are the signs of His grace, and proof that His presence is with us and working in our lives. If we don’t look and listen for it, we can easily miss it.

God said to us through these words, “My grace is sufficient for you, and My power is perfected in your weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

I remember when my son, Jon was still in the coma after his accident, and I went to the UPS store to pick up his mail. A different clerk was working the desk that day, and as he brought me Jon’s mail, he stopped and asked me how Jon is doing. He then proceeded to tell me that since he first heard about his accident, he started praying every day for him. I was touched by his compassion, and yet, I never saw that clerk again. 

What are the chances that a total stranger, UPS store clerk, would stop to tell me that he has been praying for my son? It’s very unlikely, unless God is sending me a sign, that His grace is sufficient for me and that He is with me in this trial.

I remember the day I went to the bank to bring my legal guardianship papers for Jon’s bank account, and as I was explaining the situation to the banker, an older lady, who was a customer there, walked up to me. She apologized for overhearing what happened to my son and asked his name, saying that she wanted to add him to her prayer list. Another total stranger approaches to tell me they were praying for my son?

This was not a coincidence, but another small grace of God.  

Sometimes God sends another type of grace as a sign, like the story shared by a man regarding his serious fear of flying. He had to fly somewhere to speak for his particular ministry, and to calm his anxiety, before boarding the plane, he read the scripture in Matthew 6:26, where Jesus said His Father takes care of all the birds of the air, and how much more important we are to God, than those birds. 

With that scripture in his mind, he boarded the plane and sat in his window seat. Right outside his window, perched on the wing of the plane looking at him, was a small sparrow. He knew it was no coincidence, but a small grace and a sign of comfort that came from God. 

Small graces can come through someone’s words, prayers, a kind deed or an unusual sign in nature. It’s like a whisper in our ear or a tap on the shoulder assuring us that God is here, and His grace will bring us through it all. His power is made perfect in our weakest moments. His grace is with us at all times, in all things, and for all that we need. 

Sometimes, He simply leads other people to us, who are going through the same trial that we are going through. This happened after becoming acquainted with the parents of another man in the same Nursing Home as Jon. He is there after suffering a deadly fentanyl overdose, yet woke up after being on life support. He is almost the same age as Jon, and is now awake but still unable to speak. His parents and I share the grace and unity of having adult sons who both survived a brain injury. 

God’s presence can be felt through meeting others, who share a similar adversity. I believe God purposely brings them our way, as one of His many graces to encourage us and give us strength. 

Then there are those surprise grace filled moments of progress, like the day Shantel, a nurse assistant, told me that Jon set off the emergency door alarm and then turned to her and said “I’m sorry.” 

He has had some intermittent moments of clarity like that. 

Fourteen months after his accident, his progress continues as he started walking longer distances on his own. 

Lord, thank you for all the small graces that we receive each day. Open our hearts to recognize that it is You, who sends us signs of your Presence, along with blessings of comfort, grace and love. Amen

(Matthew 6:9-13)

Jesus gave us the Lord’s Prayer to pray, but also to use as a template for all prayer. In breaking down one line at a time, maybe we can better understand what He is teaching us:

      Our Father who art in heaven;

God is the King of the universe and yet He wants us to address Him as Father, because we are sons and daughters, not subjects or servants. He has a beloved son, but He wants to be our Father as well. A child doesn’t need to earn His father’s love with good deeds. A natural father loves his children from the day they were born, before they could do anything right or wrong. God also loved us first, before we even knew of Him. 

     Hallowed be Thy name;

The name of God is to be hallowed, which means to treat it as sacred and holy, because He is sacred and holy. I love the contrast of the first and second line in this prayer. He is our loving intimate father but He is also the most high, sacred and holiest God. We are loved by a holy God who also wants His children to be holy, as His Spirit searches and purifies our hearts.

     Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven;

This line reminds us that there is more to come and our life in this world is not all there is. God has a coming kingdom, and until that kingdom comes, He desires that we let His will be done in our lives. In all that we pray and ask for, our wishes and desires are still yielded to His will, saying as Jesus said, “Thy will be done.” We can say it because God always knows what’s best for us and we trust in His perfect will.

      Give us this day our daily bread;

Bread is nourishment, and for us it is both physical and spiritually nourishing. Jesus is our daily bread of spiritual nourishment. Everyone is on a quest for nourishment, but sometimes we look for it in all the wrong places. We look for it through relationships or things we can buy, but Jesus called Himself the living bread of heaven. Jesus is our daily bread and no other bread satisfies the soul and spirit as He does.

      Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; 

We are reminded that forgiveness needs to be a two way street. Here is the biggest challenge in the entire Lord’s prayer. Every statement in this prayer is one that Jesus talked about regularly. He reminded us many times about forgiving others, through his parables. If we want to be forgiven, He says we must forgive others. There’s an old Irish proverb “We bury the hatchet but mark the spot.” Forgiveness is easier if we have a short term memory, and forget where all the hatchets are buried. 

       Lead us not into temptation, but  deliver us from evil.

The previous parts of the Lord’s Prayer pertain to things which we  can take control of, by lining our will up with God’s. We seek His daily nourishment, we allow ourselves to be loved and fathered by Him, and we forgive our enemies, but this last line is a plea for divine help. It’s asking for what only God can do, in keeping us from all evil. He is our good shepherd, who delivers us from evil. An old testament title for God is “El Gibor,” which translates from Hebrew to, “God, our hero.”

Jesus saves the best line for last, in the conclusion to this prayer, that God is our true hero, who delivers us from all evil.  After the many times we have all experienced His deliverance from evil, it’s easy to finally say, 

“To Him be the kingdom, the power and the glory, now and forever.”

Amen

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 ( NIV)

My grandmother’s first born, my mother, was a perfectly healthy baby, until around 9-10 months old. She developed a sore on the shin of her leg, which got worse until it turned into a festering ulcer. The medical diagnosis was some type of TB osteomyelitis of the bone. 

In that year, 1914, the medical recommendation was amputation. Once the bacteria spread to the bone, it would cause swelling of the surrounding tissue, cutting off the blood flow, causing nearby tissues to die. To prevent this, doctors preferred to amputate as soon as possible.

My grandmother was not a meek personality, and she was pretty outraged at the thought of amputating her baby’s leg. When she emphatically said “NO !” to amputation, the doctor referred her to Evanston hospital, where a research study was being done for TB of the bone, at the time. 

My grandmother took her baby there and my mother became a test patient in that research study. I don’t know all of the details, but it may have involved a treatment combining medicine with a new surgical procedure of scraping the bone clean of the infection. They did the treatment and as a result, my mother was totally cured. 

She grew to adulthood and lived a full life, all because she had a strong willed mother and a faithful praying father. My grandfather was the one person in the family that I never met, since he died before I was born. My mother always spoke of his gentle nature and his steadfast faith in God. He took all three of his three children to church every Sunday, and the faith they grew to live by, was learned from him. 

I’m sure my grandfather’s prayers had a huge effect on how everything turned out, and my grandmother’s immediate resistance to amputation, made the two of them, the perfect parents that my mother needed, at that time in her life. 

It took the spunkiness of my grandmother, which led to learning about the research study, as my grandfather’s prayers and trust in God, led to a successful outcome. Whatever our personalities are, we are the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles or godparents that we were created to be, according to God’s perfect plan.

I remember the deep, ugly scar in my mother’s leg, but she never had any deficits or weakness in her leg. I thank God for a trial procedure that saved her leg from amputation.

Medical professionals do all they can do, but we always need to trust God to do the rest. 

God gives the wisdom to those professionals who develop cures, and He gives us the faith to entrust our Iives and our family’s lives, to Him. Trusting in the Lord, not leaning only on our own understanding, always directs us in the right path.

Lord, we submit every problem or decision in our lives to you. Lead us in the path of wisdom, as we put all our trust in you, more than on our own understanding. Amen

My grandmother holding her first born, my mom, in 1914

“But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to Me.”

John 15:26 (RSV)

The Holy Spirit’s purpose is to bear witness of Jesus. He is eager for us to be witnesses, through our words and deeds, of what Jesus did and taught. He desires that we share Christ with others, but He is most powerful when we intentionally invite Him to come and join our day.

We have just entered the holiday season, and we’ll probably be with friends and relatives, who we don’t see on a regular basis. Some of them may have perspectives that greatly differ from one another, and it usually leads to many challenging discussions. We probably should invite the Holy Spirit to come and take control of our conversations this holiday season, to turn the focus on the goodness of God, rather than endless political debates. 

I’ve learned that the day flows in a more positive direction if I start by inviting the Holy Spirit to come into it. 

If I ask Him to come, He intervenes, but in some cases, He does more than intervene. He will actually hijack the conversation and turn the topic to Christ and His redemptive work on the cross. 

When I was working full time in an operating room of a large hospital, I used to pray before going to work. 

I always asked God to guide the hands of the surgeons, to operate with skill and wisdom, but the most powerful prayer was in inviting the Holy Spirit to come into the room and make His Presence known. It always seemed to result in a peculiar and abrupt shift in the topic of conversation. 

One time, while we were between cases, there was a conversation going on between two other people in the room. Neither one of these men were religious, and yet the discussion suddenly shifted to the topic of God’s forgiveness. 

It sounded like one man had heard a true story of a murderer who found forgiveness in prison, through repentance and faith in Christ, but he was adamant that such forgiveness could or should never happen. I was silently listening, as he went on and on, insisting that murderers can never be forgiven.

After listening for a few minutes, I could only think of one thing to say, so I said, “I understand how you feel, but Jesus forgave all of His own murderers from the cross.” He shook his head no, saying that it was ridiculous. 

God’s mercy is ridiculous, because no one deserves it, but that’s how much God loves us. I said nothing more since my purpose is not to persuade anyone, but I was thankful to present the image of Jesus on the cross, forgiving the worst of humanity. 

It’s the ultimate act of mercy, that Christ died for all sinners, and an honor to be able to speak of it, in the middle of a work day. The Holy Spirit uses our words to plant a seed or to water it, and He does it in His own timing.

I believe that the Holy Spirit hijacked that whole conversation into a discussion about God’s forgiveness. 

I also believe it was a result of inviting Him into my work place that morning. He brought wisdom and truth through a few simple words, which will bear fruit at a later date.

One other day, a coworker was talking about aging and dying, which is a common subject among health care workers, but then, in the midst of the conversation, she paused and said, “I don’t want to die.” She was a perfectly healthy woman, and it was a strange and abrupt shift in the conversation. I paused in thought, and then said, no one wants to die, but dying is where we meet Jesus, and since He has promised us eternal life, we don’t need to fear death. 

The Holy Spirit moved her to shift the topic of that conversation. I just listened and said what came to my mind, since He gives us the words to say. (Luke 12:12) Even though I didn’t say anything profound, I believe the Holy Spirit used those words for a purpose, to give her hope and comfort, by drawing her closer to God.

One time a conversation led me to pray a brief prayer with a coworker who was very stressed in caring for a disabled child. After that, his life took on a new direction, and he told me he felt renewed strength, having a more personal relationship with Jesus. He and his family later moved out of state, where he started a better job. We lost contact over time, but I am sure God is still blessing him. 

It still amazes me how a few words spoken or a brief prayer, at the right moment in time, initiated by the Holy Spirit, can transform someone’s destiny. The Holy Spirit hijacks conversations in order to bear witness of Jesus and His truth. He does all the work, but He uses simple words of comfort or truth, which He gives us to say. Our words become a seed that later grows into a work of grace in someone’s life. 

Jesus said that each person will receive the seed of faith in a different way, depending on the readiness of the soil of their heart. We never know whose soil is ready for the seed we plant, but the Holy Spirit does. We also may not know whether we are the planter of the seeds or the waterer of the seeds, but we do know that God causes all the growth.

Lord, thank you for your Holy Spirit, and we invite you into each day with us, as we listen for our cue to say whatever you put in our hearts to say. Give us words of kindness and truth, to water seeds of faith that will grow according to your timing. 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 this meditation will share some thoughts on the veterans in my ancestry. My father served in the army, my uncle (mother’s brother) was a Marine in WWII, and my oldest brother was an Air Force fighter pilot, around the time of the Viet Nam war. Both my uncle and my brother died serving their country, so we are a family who gets a little teary eyed, when we hear American anthems being sung.

As a child, my first introduction to a war hero was the picture of my grandmother’s only son, John, a Marine, who died in World War II. 

I remember spending time in her small, humble home, where I still recall an entire area in her living room, dedicated to him. It was a memorial area 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 also remember browsing through my grandmother’s scrapbook, which was full of photos of people who were special in her life, like her deceased husband and her siblings, even though I didn’t know any of them. Her son, John, was a Purple Heart Marine hero, who died in WW2,  killed by a hand grenade, in Iwo Jima, as he attempted to rescue a fellow marine. 

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

After my uncle died, he wrote to my grandmother, to say that he knew her son as a man of faith, who made the ultimate sacrifice as Jesus described, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)

A scrapbook is very special to the one who put it together, but even more meaningful when it can be shared with others. It’s much more than a collection of photographs, it’s a memorial of someone’s character. My grandmother was able to share and keep the memory of her son alive through a cherished scrapbook.  

Mary had a place in her heart where she pondered and stored every cherished memory of Jesus’ life. 

She had her own mental scrapbook of memories, miracles, conversations and images that she treasured along the way. When Mary and Joseph searched for twelve year old Jesus and found Him in the temple, He told His parents that He had to be in His Father’s house. Mary treasured that moment, keeping it in the scrapbook of her heart, long after Jesus was gone.

We may have our own memories of how we once searched for and found Jesus. We remember all those events in our lives, and each meaningful moment that He made an impact on us, leaving treasured memories in the scrapbook of our own hearts.

A scrapbook has a twofold purpose, it’s a comforting reflection for the one who keeps it, but it’s also meant to be continually shared with other people. 

My grandmother’s scrapbook and memorial to her son, made me feel like I knew my uncle John, even though I never met him. 

The memories we hold of loved ones who have passed from this life, are a treasure, and by sharing them with others, we remind ourselves that they are still living forever. Jesus promised, all who believe in Him will live, even if they die. The shared memory of our loved ones today, will continue to bless and comfort many more people tomorrow. 

Lord, we honor the memories of all of our loved ones, but especially today, the many veterans, who dwell in the scrapbooks of our hearts. As we share their memories, help us also to share and reflect on your memory as the Lord of all our hope, who died to give us eternal life. Amen

My uncle, John C. Cooper, died in Iwo Jima in 1945

Me with my grandmother in 1958

“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 his own daughter’s name. Her voice was shaken but she followed his instructions as he calmly guided her to a safe landing. 

The young rookie pilot said 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 the young pilot. 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 flying through this life, 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

“Jesus said to him, “‘Everything is possible to one who has faith.” 

Then the boy’s father cried out, 

“I do believe, help my unbelief!”

Mark 9:23-24 (NAB)

Faith is knowing that everything is in God’s hands, and even when things seem to be getting worse, and our faith is weakening, it’s okay to come honestly to Jesus and say, 

“Lord, help me in my unbelief.” 

Those were the words of the father of a demon possessed boy. He barely had faith to believe that his son could be delivered, but He came to the right person. Every miracle begins by coming to Jesus, even when our faith is weak. 

When the father of that boy heard Jesus say, “anything is possible to the one who has faith”, he figured that excluded him. He had very little hope, but he had a whole lot of honesty, when he said to Jesus, “Help me in my unbelief.” 

It’s easy to get the impression that Jesus only responds to people of great faith. He praised the Centurion who said “Only say the word, Lord.” He was impressed by the woman who said “If I can just touch the fringe of His garment.” He shared  the example of the gentile woman who humbly persisted in faith, saying, “Even a dog can receive the crumbs that fall from the table”. 

There’s no doubt that God responds to great faith, but He also responds to great honesty. Jesus was touched by that desperate father’s honest plea, “Help me in my unbelief, Lord.” God desires an intimate relationship with us, and intimacy requires honesty. Scripture shows us that God loves a heart open to Him in truthfulness.

Jesus wanted to help those who were struggling to believe that He had truly risen on that third day. He made an effort to convince His disciples that He was risen in body, and wasn’t merely a ghost or a spirit. He removed their doubts, by asking for something to eat, and eating food in front of them. Then He showed them His scars and His wounded side. 

Jesus went as far as to offer all of the disciples, not just Thomas, to touch Him and feel His scars, saying, 

“It is I, myself. Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” 

(Luke 24:39)  

God is patient with everyone who is struggling to believe for something. He was patient with the father in this story, He was patient with His disciples, and He is also patient with us today. He doesn’t expect us to fake it, and pretend we believe, or to give up and profess unbelief. 

We learn from the father in this story that there is a third option, to ask Jesus to help us in our unbelief. 

I don’t always feel a confident assurance when I pray for my son, Jon. Almost every day I ask Jesus to help me in my unbelief, and He is still extending His nail scarred feet and hands towards me, inviting me to touch Him, and go a little deeper in believing. I have learned that He won’t scoff at the areas where we are weak and set back with doubts. 

As we remember His unconditional, relentless love for humanity, and all the various levels of faith among His believers, we can still almost hear Him saying to us today, 

“Touch Me and see how much I love you.”

Lord, whatever level our faith is at, help us to remain intimate and honest with you, as you help us in our times of unbelief. As we touch you by faith, draw us closer in our devotion to you. Amen