Month: July 2025

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

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

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

Luke 10:40-42 (NAB)

There has always been debate and different opinions in interpreting the gospel story of these two sisters. Martha was actively serving Jesus, Mary was sitting at His feet, adoring Him, but both are really necessary. 

Martha was doing all the work by herself and finally complained, asking Jesus to make Mary help her. 

The difference between the two sisters is that Martha talked about Mary to Jesus, while Mary immersed herself in listening to what Jesus had to say, and He never did tell her to help Martha. Jesus saw Martha’s anxiety and told her that Mary had chosen the better part, which will not be taken from her. 

Since Jesus said that Mary chose the better part, some interpret that to mean that labor is not highly valued. Instead of taking one scripture out of context, reading the whole gospel gives us a more rounded picture. 

Jesus never downplayed our labor and service for God, but actually said that there is a great need for “more” laborers in His Father’s harvest. (Matthew 9:38)

The two sisters, along with their brother, Lazarus, knew and loved Jesus since their youth, yet they each had different personalities and different ways of expressing their love for Him, just as every person today has. Martha was dedicated to hospitality, but Mary longed for private time and intimacy with Jesus. 

By telling Martha that she is anxious about too many things, Jesus wasn’t saying that her service and labor do not count, only that worship and adoration needs to come first. Time spent listening to Jesus at the start of each day should come before our service and labor for Him. 

Everyone leads busy, hectic lives, and we all feel Martha’s anxiety at  times. We were all meant to do both, serve God and worship Him. When Jesus said that Mary chose the better part, it’s to our advantage to begin each day spending time alone with Him, so that we can work with much less anxiety than Martha worked under. 

One of my favorite lay speakers said:

“Lord, help us to be more like Mary so that we don’t have to work like Martha.” (Chris Stefanik)

It isn’t a statement to undermine work, but a reminder that there’s a proper order to follow, so that our work is done in the right spirit, with joy, and not resentment. 

Spending quiet, intimate time with Jesus prepares us to serve Him, and not vice versa. 

Jesus said that the better part will not be taken away from Mary, which is an interesting statement. Maybe He was warning Martha that it’s too easy to lose ourselves in our labors, even if those labors are for God. Hospitality and serving Jesus pleases Him, but we also need to listen and hear what He is telling us. Mary dedicated her time listening to Jesus. 

Maybe Mary chose to give Jesus her undivided attention, while she could, having an intuition that His time on earth would be brief, since He was crucified only three years into His ministry. Life passes by quickly, and the intimate, private time spent with Him, prepares us to live with Him eternally. 

Lord, help us to follow Mary in choosing time with you first, so that we may serve you without anxiety. Bless our quiet time as well as our labors, which are all for your honor and glory. Amen 

“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”

1 Timothy 6:19 (NIV)

A few years ago I lost a dear friend of fifty years. We used to spend holidays together and she was like an aunt to my children. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and passed away within a few months. Her husband died of a heart attack three weeks before her, and they were childless. 

I met with her niece and nephew who came in from California, so that the three of us could clear out their home. 

We worked hard together to sort through their belongings, and at the end of their visit, I had them over to my house for dinner, as we shared memories of my friend and her husband. They left me with some boxes of home decor items, to either keep or give away. 

After keeping a set of wine glasses, I put photos of all the items on my neighborhood website, to give away for free. The last free item to be picked up, was a picture frame made of carved wood. A very kind woman who picked it up, cherished the unique frame, telling me that she planned to use it to display a photo of her great grandfather. 

Then she said something which I’ll never forget, 

“We are all caretakers of our treasures for a little while, until they are passed on to other loving hands.” 

I knew my friend would have been pleased that such a thoughtful person was the new owner of her picture frame, and especially in the use she intended for it. The last item was now in good hands, and yet her wise words remained with me, stirring my thoughts. 

I thought about the “treasures” we have in this life. Jesus touched on the topic of treasures, telling us not to store up the kind which can be packed in boxes, destroyed or stolen, but to store up the treasures that will last for eternity.

In today’s scripture, Paul wrote to Timothy, encouraging us to be rich in good deeds, by sharing and giving to others, reminding us of the age to come, and how we are to use this life to build the foundation for the next. 

In meditating on the advice of Paul to Timothy, and that lady’s wise words, I am reminded that we are all caretakers, not owners. God is the owner of everything we have been given, and it’s up to us to turn each treasure into an everlasting one. The treasures we are given were meant to be shared, whether it’s through monetary giving, serving others by using our talents, being someone’s listening ear, sharing our faith or praying for others. From the smallest act of kindness to the greatest test of showing mercy by forgiving those who hurt us, it all counts toward eternity.

We are all amazingly interconnected, more than we realize. One day, the Lord will reveal how something we once said, or a kind deed we once did, bore fruit for eternity. He will introduce us to the souls of people in heaven, who benefited from those eternal treasures that we once shared with them. It will be a day to rejoice and be thankful that we sought to share our treasures, which in the end, are passed into the loving hands of Jesus. 

Lord, help us be good caretakers of our treasures, and keep our priorities focused on eternal rewards, so we won’t be distracted by the transitory rewards and stressors in this life. 

Amen

“And Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation any one who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”

Acts 10:34-35 (RSV)

War is never good, but it can help reveal and shine a light on the virtue and goodness of a person, against the backdrop of prejudice and injustice. The Marine branch of the military used to be restricted only for Caucasian recruits. Black men could serve in the Navy and the Army but were not accepted in the Marines until FDR changed that in 1941, when civil rights activists brought the issue to the forefront.

The World War II conflict on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima, began on February 19th and ended on March 16th, 1945. It was a short one, lasting only one month until the island was secured, but only after a loss of 6,800 American lives.  Kamikaze suicide bombers were something the U.S. never dealt with before. 

There were 900 black marines in Iwo Jima during World War II, and one of them was Thomas McPhatter. He once jumped into a foxhole, and found a white marine who was bleeding to death after being fatally wounded. The soldier was still alive, holding onto a photo of his loved ones, and McPhatter prayed with the dying man, staying with him in the foxhole, until he passed away. 

On February 23, 1945, a group of six Marines on that same island were carrying an American flag and heading for Mount Suribachi, to proclaim victory. McPhatter was there and knew what the men were trying to do, but he noticed they needed a flag pole to hoist the flag. He quickly rummaged through a nearby scrap pile to find a suitable pipe or pole and gave it to the six flag bearing Marines. As the flag was raised high on Mount Suribachi, it also raised the morale of the many soldiers who witnessed it that day. 

I know of one marine who was there that day, and was inspired by seeing the raising of the flag, because he was my uncle. He wrote about it in a  letter to his mother, who is my grandmother, who saved all his letters. My uncle John died in March of 1945, while saving a friend. He was awarded a Purple Heart, and though I never met him, I heard all about him from my grandmother and the letters she saved. 

McPhatter and my uncle were both Marines, close to the same age, both were stationed on the same island in 1945. They both witnessed the flag raising on Mount Suribachi. Outside of skin color, they had a lot in common, and I often wondered if they ever crossed paths. McPhatter survived the war, and came home. He rightfully received awards and medals, and lived a full life to the age of 87. 

I’m thankful that the government desegregated the Marine branch of the military, so that men like McPhatter could be recognized and rewarded for their service, just as my uncle John was. 

The photo of the Marines raising the flag is iconic and the photographer, Joe Rosenthal, was recognized for it and won a Pulitzer Prize. It became the most famous combat image of World War II. Unfortunately, most history books make little mention of how that flagpole was found by Thomas McPhatter. 

While it’s easier to change laws than men’s hearts regarding prejudice, God is continually in the process of changing people’s hearts. Some hearts change just by witnessing the virtue and sacrifice that a man will make for his country and for others. 

Lord, thank you for the good men and women of all branches of military, who left us their stories of sacrifice, which continue to inspire and change hearts. Bless all those who gave their time, their life, or their limbs for this country, as we celebrate freedom today. Amen

Happy Fourth of July!🇺🇸

“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.”

John 15:26 (KJV)

There is not a single verse in all of scripture, where the word Trinity is found, yet it has been an accepted tenet of Christianity, going as far back as the first century apostles, teachers and martyrs of the faith. 

The scripture verse above, from the gospel of John, reveals a Trinity without ever saying the word Trinity. It simply says that Jesus sends the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father. It includes the three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

There’s something beautiful about getting to know each person of the Triune God. Since the gospels hint at the different roles of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we were meant to have a relationship with all three persons of the Trinity. In my feeble human words, I will try to describe what I’ve learned about the Trinity.

God the Father, is the Designer in Chief. He is worthy of praise, since He not only created everything, but also custom designed each person’s personality, talents, and traits. 

Scripture tells us that God is love, and that His nature is a paternal one, calling us His sons and daughters. 

When we suffer afflictions, hardships and trials in this life, we may feel scarred and weak, but our Heavenly Father, reassures us, saying,

“My power is perfected in your weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

God doesn’t make mistakes, despite what is happening in our lives. He is a loving Father who is perfecting His power in us, through the very things we might perceive as weaknesses and afflictions. When we keep this perspective, it deepens our relationship with the Father. 

Jesus, the Son, is the physical image of the invisible God. He revealed His Father’s love for us, and He did it through His actions of service and sacrifice, by His incarnation, death and resurrection. Since Jesus loves us through His actions, He requires action from all those who are in a relationship with Him.

During His ministry, Jesus highlights people whose faith was expressed with action. In His parables, He praised the widow who gave her last cent and a woman who persisted in knocking on the door of an unjust judge, until she received justice. He reminds us through the story of the Good Samaritan, that actions count more than we realize. Jesus’ primary message is to follow Him and become doers of the word, and not just hearers. (James 1:22)

The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is referred to as the Spirit of truth. We live in a time where people create their own truth, but the Spirit reveals His truth to us. He is also called the Helper, and He helps by correcting, teaching, guiding, and comforting us when we need it most.

I especially love the comforting part.

We can call on the Holy Spirit at any moment of any day, and He hears and answers us. When we need comfort, there’s no greater comforter than Him. If we pray and ask for His Presence, He comes bringing along His truth, in a gentle and comforting way. 

We could never know the beauty, truth and goodness of God, or be able to say in faith, that Jesus is Lord, without the Holy Spirit’s revelation to us. (1 Corinthians 12:3)

In times of hardship, the Holy Spirit continues to communicate the  Father’s love, reminding us to keep our hope in Jesus Christ. He guides us in the path that is best for our eternal well being, beyond the temporal circumstances. 

Life is much more exciting, when we seek a friendship with the Father, who designed us, the Son who put His love into action for us, and the Holy Spirit, who comforts and guides us. Our faith will be impacted in new ways, by having a relationship with each person of the Holy Trinity.

Lord, teach us more about you as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Send the comfort of your Spirit, as you lead us in a path that best fulfills your divine purpose in our lives. Amen

“And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”And he hurried and came down, and received Him joyfully.”

Luke 19:5-6 (NASB)

Zaccheus was a wealthy man, and a chief tax collector, but he wasn’t a believer. He was very curious about who Jesus was, so much so, that he went to extremes to get a glimpse of Him. Luke tells us that he was too short to see Jesus in the crowd, so he climbed up a Sycamore tree to get a bird’s eye view. Most people would consider it extremely odd for a distinguished, wealthy tax collector to climb a tree, for any reason.

Jesus walked over to the tree and called Zaccheus to come down, saying He was going to his house. After making many enemies over the years and being despised by most people, Zaccheus might have doubted if he was redeemable, until Jesus called his name that day and he was touched by grace. 

Something changed in Zaccheus when Jesus went to his home. He went from being an oppressive, dishonest tax collector to a repentant believer who joyfully turned over half of his wealth to the poor. He even went a step further, by paying back every person he ever wronged, giving back four times the amount that he extorted from them. 

Zaccheus was showing the same mercy to others that he received from Jesus, something we’re all asked to do. He is a classic example  of “radical redemption”, and it all began when he went to extremes out of curiosity. 

When curiosity leads to extreme behavior of any kind, it might be a sign of a spiritual hunger for God. Just like Zaccheus, every person has an inner longing for God’s love and mercy, but some may feel unworthy of it.  Thankfully, Jesus knows how to meet any person wherever they’re at.

Many years ago, I had a church friend named Ed, who shared his own story of how curiosity led him to redemption. He was raised Jewish, but considered himself an atheist. His curiosity led to the extreme undertaking of getting hold of a Bible and reading it entirely, from start to finish. He did it in order to acquire enough knowledge of scripture, to debate and disprove the beliefs of people he met.

After reading the whole Bible, the Holy Spirit began working within him, and he had a deep conversion to the faith. He surrendered his arrogance and became a believer in Jesus. 

He later found a church, married and raised four sons. Today, they have four daughter in laws, ten grandchildren, and all are following Jesus. 

Ed’s curiosity culminated in a life long friendship with Jesus. I still marvel at how God continues to bring people to the faith in each generation. 

We may have loved ones or friends who are driven to extremes out of some kind of curiosity, but Jesus knows the real hunger that is within them, and He’s knocking on the door of their hearts. He stands at the door of every human heart, calling their name, as He called Zaccheus down from the tree. He reaches people in the most extreme places, because He has most extreme love and mercy to give us than we could ever ask for or imagine. 

Lord, thank you for curiosity and the hunger that is within every human heart. Call every one of our loved ones and friends to you today, and by your grace, shower them with love and mercy. Amen

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4:12 (RSV)

This is a profound scripture verse for believers to pause and meditate on. There is something about the name of Jesus. God sent us His son, but He also sent us His name to pray in. God almighty selected that name and sent Gabriel to Mary, telling her to name the baby in her womb, Jesus. 

It’s the only name that is given to all mankind, which can make us whole. He gave us His name, to pray in, because in His name, we have the benefits of a complete salvation; physical healing, mental wholeness, redemption, and peace. In His name, anyone’s life can be transformed and healed in body, mind, soul and spirit.

Jesus could just look at a person and know the exact pathology within them. He knew what was needed to fully heal someone. 

Scripture tells us that God has the hairs of our head numbered. If He knows the number of hairs on our head, then He also knows the status of every cell in our bodies, and what we hold in the deepest places of our mind, soul and spirit. 

Jesus always was, is now and forever will be, the greatest of all physicians. He can see us inside and out, and He is the true source of complete healing. There is power in His name. He may choose to heal miraculously or by using medical professionals. Whoever He heals, His intent is to heal them physically, mentally and spiritually.

Jesus said to all those He healed, 

“Go in peace, your faith has saved you.” He spoke as if peace, salvation and healing were one and the same. 

There is a special Greek word for the “Jesus” kind of healing. It’s a word used in today’s scripture verse and throughout the New Testament. The word “save” or “salvation” in Greek, has a more expanded meaning than in English, which can enhance our understanding of Jesus and His name. The word is “Soteria.”

Soteria is a Greek word used about 46 times in the New Testament. In English it means salvation, but in Greek, it refers to salvation through wholeness and complete healing. When Jesus used the term to “save” as in the verse, 

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost,”

(Luke 19:10) the word “save” is translated as “soteria”, which means an all inclusive salvation; healing of body, mind, soul and spirit. 

Bible commentaries define Soteria, as: “a restoration to a state of safety, soundness, health and well being.” 

Salvation has a much broader meaning in Greek, than in English. 

To top it all off, when Soteria is translated into Hebrew, it becomes the word “Yeshua”, which means salvation. The word Yeshua, is translated into English, as Jesus. 

It’s the word that keeps on giving! 

So, the name of Jesus means salvation-the complete healing of body, mind and soul and spirit. Maybe that’s why He told us, 

“If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:14)

Some of the greatest scientists were Christians, such as Copernicus, Isaac Newton, Gregor Mendel, Blaise Pascal, Louis Pasteur and many others. The name of Jesus inspires medical research, inventions and discoveries that help mankind. He also gives insight to physicians, to correctly diagnose and prescribe the right treatment.

Whether we go to church or to the medical clinic, putting our faith in the name of Jesus, is to know that He is our Soteria, the true source for our complete wholeness and well being. 

Lord, we ask in the name of Jesus, that you bless each reader and their loved ones with the wholeness of soteria healing of body, mind, soul and spirit. Amen

“For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him.

He only is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress; I shall not be shaken.”

Psalm 62:5-6 (RSV)

I know something about waiting, though I don’t always do it very well in silence. Since I‘ve been finding my way through a maze of Federal agencies, with not so helpful people, I’ve had several phone calls, trying to get the health care my son needs. I encountered many people who don’t understand nor can they refer me to someone who does. The waiting continues and so do the prayers. 

I waited over a year before getting approval for Jon’s SS disability. I knew it would take a while, but when the government finally sent the first check for him, I went to the bank to open the account. Thinking it would be a simple process, the bank requested my original letter from SS, which I couldn’t find. I tried giving them every other letter that SS sent, but they could not open a disability account without having that one sole, sacred letter. I was told to go to the SS office and get a copy of it and then come back. 

When I arrived at the SS office, I expected the usual two hour wait, like so many times before. A clerk was sitting at the front door entrance that day, screening the purpose for each person’s visit. After asking why I was there, she took my information, went on her laptop and reprinted the letter I needed. I did not have to wait in line at all and was in and out of the SS office in less than 10 minutes. It was a miracle of God’s perfect timing, and that lady was like an angel, who led me out of a maze. 

Between Medicaid, ACA Federal marketplace, and Social Security Disability, getting accurate answers was literally like walking through one maze after another. The majority of people I dealt with were not helpful. 

I could call Medicaid, speak to three different people at three different times, and get three different answers to the same question. One  person told me my son wasn’t even in their system, even though he was for two years. 

With every step forward, I seemed to fall two steps back.  All I could do is pray for the way out of the current maze. 

Jon’s doctor ordered a CT scan of his brain three weeks ago but it wasn’t approved because Medicaid claimed they never received an order, yet the doctor claimed he sent it. The Director of Nursing called me from the Nursing home yesterday, to say he finally received authorization for the CT scan and it will be scheduled. Now I pray that Jon will lie still and get a readable scan. I thank all of you meditation friends who told me you were praying for him. 

There is no way to navigate through the confusing mazes of this life, unless God remains our rock and our fortress. However long we wait, our hope must be solidly placed in Him, not in agencies or misguided people. 

Reading the Psalms during times of distress, reinforces my faith, gives me peace instead of letting anxiety shake me. As I read the words of the Psalmist, I look up and say, 

“For you alone, Lord, my soul waits in silence.”

Even though we trust God, it’s still hard to accept those long waiting periods, before everything finally gets straightened out. That’s why God sends helpful people to us along the way. Each helpful person we meet is like an angel, shining some light in the darkness. They are like a sign from God that He is really with us, sees what we’re going through, and cares for us. Then we can silence our soul, keep waiting and not be shaken. 

Lord, you are truly a refuge in a day of distress, and in your goodness, you care for all those who wait for you. Help us to trust, as you send us helpers to lead us out of every maze and into your light. Amen