Month: October 2025

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by Me.”

John 14:6 (RSV)

Today is Halloween, and the only ghosts I am thinking of today, is the Holy Ghost, who gave courage to the souls of saints, disciples, and apostles who were martyred in the first century persecution of Christians, under the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero. 

It reminds me of an old movie which depicts this historical period. The movie was Quo Vadis, made in 1951, and contained historical facts mingled with a fictional story involving a young couple, named Marcus and Lygia. She was a convert to Christianity through St. Paul’s ministry and Marcus was converted through her. 

Their lives were caught up in the times they lived in, when Romans owned slaves, Christians were blamed for all bad things that happened and Emperor Nero had an intense hatred of Christianity.

Paul and Peter were pillars of the early church, who encouraged the faithful during a tough period. 

A secret code was developed for early Christians, as a fish symbol, which we still see today on pins or bumper stickers. It’s a symbol developed by that first century church. Greek letters that spelled out the word for fish, was the secret acronym that stood for “Jesus-Christ-God-Son-Savior.” 

If a Christian saw the fish symbol on a home, they knew that another Christian lived there. 

Halloween is the eve of All Saints day, although it’s better known for horror movies about gruesome deaths, ghosts, and haunted houses. The Quo Vadis movie led me to think about a different side of death at this particular time of year. 

After watching a movie older that’s older than me, it was surprising to see how Christ centered that secular Hollywood production actually was. It depicts Christians being  rounded up, thrown to lions, crucified or burned by the orders of Nero. The Christians were united in faith, singing hymns and worshipping Jesus, as they died in peace, with smiles on their faces. Roman citizens never saw such bravery in people of any other faith.

Remembering all those saints in the first century who sacrificed their lives for Christ, the very first martyr was Stephen, who was stoned to death. The disciple known as little James was also stoned, Big James, the son of Zebedee, was beheaded, while Matthew, Thaddeus, Thomas, Nathaniel, and Simon the Zealot(Zee) were killed by sword, arrows, ax, or spears. Philip and Andrew were crucified. Peter was crucified upside down and the apostle, Paul, was beheaded. 

John, the younger brother of James was the only apostle not martyred, but he was banished to the island of Patmos, where he wrote his epistles and the book of Revelation. He was set free and at the age of eighty eight, and died in Ephesus.

The disciples, whose lives were transformed by Jesus, grew in faith and maturity over time, and they all lived holy lives to the end. 

“Quo Vadis ?” is a question in Latin, meaning, “Where are you going?” It makes me want to ask myself the same question. I hope to go in whatever direction the Holy Spirit can best lead me to a deeper faith, staying close to Jesus. 

The Quo Vadis movie is not morbid or frightening like most Halloween movies. It’s a classic, which memorializes the saints who gave their lives to follow Jesus as their Lord and Savior. 

This Halloween is a good day to draw our inspiration from those heroes of the faith who lived and died long before us. We remember the brave martyrs who shed their blood to follow Christ, and reaped an eternal reward in heaven. 

It’s a day to reflect on courage, instead of fear, on the Holy Ghost, instead of haunting ghosts, and on eternal life, instead of death. 

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Lord, may we always have the faith and courage to go in the direction that leads us closer to you, as we honor the legacy of our loved ones and all those first century martyrs. Amen

“On my bed I remember you;

 I think of you through the watches of the night.

Because you are my help,

I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I cling to you;

your right hand upholds me.”

Psalm 63:6-8 (NIV)

David wrote about praying to the Lord for help, through all the watches of the night, indicating either very early in the morning or very late at night. Whether early or late, there is a special and sacred time to talk to God, in the quietest hours of a day. 

A group of 25 Christians in South Korea started an early morning prayer meeting in 1980. The pastor believed that there is something special about early mornings, since the Exodus deliverance, falling walls of Jericho and resurrection of Jesus, all occurred in the early morning hours. Today, that morning prayer group in South Korea has become a church of 100,000 members.

For some people, the early morning hours are special and for others, the late night watches are favored for connecting with the Lord. Whatever time of day our hearts are most open to focus on God, is a time when something special is going to happen, as we talk to Him in those quiet, sacred hours of the day.

A true story about someone’s late night prayer, was when a young college student was studying for an exam in her dorm. After studying all night, she was unable to unwind and fall asleep, so she decided to take a walk. Being raised in a Christian home, she prayed, asking for an angel to protect her as she prepared to take a very late night walk. 

After walking for a while in the peaceful moonlight, she spotted a man leaning up against a tree, looking at her. She was startled to see anyone outside at that time of night, but she kept walking to her dorm, looking straight ahead, grateful that the strange man never followed her. 

The next day she heard about a rapist in that particular area, so she notified the police to tell them about the man she saw, and after arresting a few men, they needed someone to identify the suspect in a line up. Since the victim was unable to do so, they called the young college student to come in and she identified the man she saw that night. After pointing him out, she asked the police for permission to speak to him. 

With detectives at her side, she asked the man if he remembered her and he did. Then she asked him why he didn’t attack her that night. The man scoffed, and answered, “Attack you? With that big dude by your side?” In that moment she realized that the 

“big dude” was her guardian angel, who was walking along side her. Each one of us has a 

“big dude” guardian, walking beside us every day of our lives. Praise God for our guardian angels.

Another true story is about Sheila Walsh, a Christian singer who was also once a host on the TBN television network. She struggled with depression for years, since her father committed suicide when she was only five. One day in 1992, her depression brought her so low, she checked herself into the psych unit of a hospital. While placed on suicide watch, a nurse would go into her room to check on her every 15 minutes throughout the night. 

In the latest part of the night, a man she never saw before, stepped into her room, stood beside her and handed her a little toy stuffed lamb, saying to her, 

“The Shepherd knows where to find you, Sheila,” and then he disappeared. 

Sheila woke up the next morning, wondering if it was real or all a dream. Then she saw the stuffed toy lamb lying on the floor next to her chair. Sheila believes that the man who came into her room was an angel, who left a gift behind as proof. She has since recovered and shares her story with many others. 

Nothing can stop the good Shepherd from comforting His lambs, no matter what places their distressed mind or heart leads them to. The Lord is a fortress and refuge in our times of sorrow and brokenness. When we pray in the quiet watches of the morning or night, He touches our hearts. If He thinks it necessary, we may see our angel in some form of disguise, since they are assigned to always guard and hold us up. (Hebrews 13:2)

Lord, thank you for how you meet us during our prayers in the quiet early morning or late hours. We believe you are always with us, protecting, blessing and healing us in every way that we need it. Amen

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Ephesians 5:1-2 (RSV)

Being called to be imitators of God,  means to walk in the kind of love that Jesus demonstrated. God is doing a continuous renewal project in each of us, with the goal that we all learn to imitate the sacrificial love of His son. It’s a lesson that requires a lifetime to learn. We may have a heightened awareness of this lesson during the most challenging times in our life. That’s because God does His deepest work in us during the hardest trials. 

People spend a lifetime, pursuing education, wisdom, meaningful relationships, and financial success, all to attain a level of contentment during our brief life span. When we are facing a crisis, all those things seem to fade into the background, being reminded of our own mortality. The only essential question after all is said and done, is whether we have walked in the kind of sacrificial love that Christ asked us to imitate. 

I’m sure there are many people on this group reading list, who could share their own personal stories of how they once experienced self giving love, at a difficult stage in their lives, and I wish I could listen to all their stories. 

Two years ago, I came across a true but difficult story about sacrificial love. It happened on October 7, 2023, at the kibbutz in Israel, Kfar Aza, where the first wave of mass murders took place, by Hamas terrorists. Hadar and Itai, who were in their early thirties, were parents of ten month old twin boys, at the time. They quickly hid their babies in their safe room as Hamas terrorists were breaking down their front door, on that fateful morning. 

Sadly, both parents were instantly killed, but I can imagine their last prayer to God was for Him to save their babies. The twins were in that safe room for thirteen hours until found by an IDF soldier who is in the photo below. As first responders searched through the remains of a once vibrant community of young families, that soldier heard babies crying and found their twins in the safe room. The parents acted in sacrificial love, placing themselves in harm’s way, praying that their babies would survive and they did. 

Jesus sees each person as those babies, hidden in a safe room, scared, confused, hungry, and alone. His love for us is sacrificial, as those parents who gave their lives to protect them. God is also like that heroic soldier who found the babies in a dark place, 13 hours later, and brought them into the daylight, carrying them safely in His arms. 

The twins, Roy and Guy, who are over two years old today, are being raised by their aunt and uncle who had three boys of their own under the age of seven. I attached the only pictures I could find of the twins today.

As I looked at these photos, I was moved, because I could see Jesus in that soldier’s picture, like a good Shepherd, carrying those helpless babies to a new chance in life. 

Then I looked at the picture of the twins walking side by side, and recalled the close bond that all twins have. Those boys will be blessed to have each other for the rest of their lives. 

God loves us with a much greater love than any natural parent has. He tells us through this scripture, as He speaks to all who have ever felt alone or abandoned:

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you.”

(Isaiah 49:15)

There will always be a new day of hope, despite the inexplainable sorrows of yesterday. God gives us new mercies with many new chances to walk in His love. As we put our trust in Him, we have hope for every new tomorrow that He gives us. 

Lord, help us to remember that there will always be a new day to walk in love, by imitating you, for the glory of God, every day of our lives. Amen 

“Whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water.”

“The woman left her water jar and went into the town and said to the people, “Come see a man who told me everything I have done. Could he possibly be the Messiah?”

John 4:14-15; 28-29 (NAB)

I forget that the woman at the well was so excited about Jesus, that she left her water jar behind, when she ran off to tell her friends about Him. She came to the well as part of a daily routine to draw water. She met Jesus there and everything changed. Sometimes, what starts off as very routine, can become a providential moment, when we leave our empty pursuits behind, to seek the more lasting gifts. 

The woman at the well became a living gospel of persuasion to her friends and neighbors. Because of her enthusiasm, people listened to her news of meeting the Messiah. She had the kind of zeal that makes others stop and listen, because she found not just something, but “someone” who changed her life that day. 

I once had a coworker who was so excited about a cookbook he read, he revised his entire lifestyle and dietary habits according to it. All the recipes were based on a list of foods which keep the brain and heart healthy, while eliminating a list of foods that do not. He was convinced that those recipes guaranteed a long healthy life, and he couldn’t stop sharing the author’s perspective in  that book.

My coworker’s zeal to change his lifestyle based on a cookbook, got me thinking. He treated a cookbook with a reverence as if it were a guarantee of eternal life. He was willing and ready to revise his entire lifestyle, and persuade everyone he knew, about his new found beliefs. 

It all reminds me of another book, one with a recipe that guarantees eternal life, whose author is God. Within the gospel of John, Jesus shares His recipe for eternal life, and the main ingredient is living water. Only Jesus can give us that living water, just as He told the woman at the well. I wondered if my coworker would be as zealous to change his entire lifestyle to follow Jesus’ words in the gospel.

If only I could be as persuasive of the gospel as he was about a cookbook. I wish I could persuade people of words that Jesus spoke, that not only give us wisdom for this life, but promises for eternal life as well. The woman at the well had the same kind of persuasive enthusiasm as that coworker, except her joy was grounded in hope of eternal life, not nourishing her temporary body.

Some people reject the words of Jesus in the gospel because they don’t want to be governed by a code of conduct written by someone else. Whether they acknowledge it or not, they are already living by a code of conduct written by someone else. People follow rules for health, fitness, parenting, management of finances and ways to achieve happiness. Everyone hopes for a long, healthy and prosperous life, by following some set of rules in order to achieve those goals. 

Christianity is so much more than following a set of rules. It’s a daily, living relationship with Jesus, whose Spirit lives in us. Our faith might have started out as a routine, but turned into a lifestyle that brings inner peace and joy. Knowing Jesus leads us to leave our empty, shallow goals behind us, just as that woman at the well, left her empty jar behind.

Jesus wants to give everyone His living water and shine His light in the dark, thirsty places of this world, and we just might be the only gospel some people will ever read. Instead of investing our energy in trying to lengthen our lives, we invest our energy in following and trusting Jesus, whose presence brings peace, joy, meaning in this life as well as for life eternal. The Holy Spirit will always guide us to discern which ingredients are good for our souls and which ones are not.

Lord, we ask you to give us a wise  balance in caring for our bodies as well as seeking your living water, to nourish our souls, so that we may live better lives, and not just longer ones. Amen

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

Here’s a thought to ponder; 

We will all meet Jesus one day, and will stand face to face before Him. 

It will happen on the day when we transition from this temporary life to the eternal one. What if, on that day, Jesus says to us, “Thank you for visiting Me in my loneliness”, or “Thank you for giving me something to eat,” or “Thank you for giving to Me, sacrificially, from your heart”. 

We might at first wonder what Jesus is talking about, but this scripture describes an after death life review. He will remind us of those times in our life, when we visited someone who was sick or lonely, or when we helped someone in desperate need, or gave a sacrificial, monetary gift from the heart. As Jesus said in the gospel, He will also say to us on that day, 

“As often as you did it for the least of them, you did it for Me.” 

We all know that we are supposed to see Christ in others, but one of the last places we look for Him is in our own place of our pain. When a crisis strikes, it’s very difficult to see Christ at all, much less in others. 

Since my son’s motorcycle accident, I learned early on, that I have a choice. I can either dwell on the tragedy, or search for the face of Christ in the midst of that tragedy. Jon’s traumatic brain injury and disability, is what first led me to the inside of a Nursing home, where he now lives. Prior to that, I never gave much thought to Nursing homes. My mother took care of my father and my grandmother in our own home. Years later, I took care of my husband and my mother in my home. Fortunately, my family had very little need for Nursing homes at all.

The Nursing home became an eye opener for me. I became more aware that God wanted me to look at the faces of lonely people who are living where Jon now lives. I needed to decide what part of reality I would permit my mind to dwell on. Instead of dwelling on how or why a tragedy happened, I needed to find the face of Christ in those faces all around me. Once I looked outside of myself, the Holy Spirit showed me that Christ was right there, in each resident of that Nursing home.

There is a scripture that has always been like a compass, guiding me in certain times of my life. Jesus said, “Whoever has been given much, much will be required in return…”(Luke 12:48)

Being “given much,” can refer to many things. Most people think of wealth, but we are given many other gifts like wisdom, knowledge, faith, talent or innate skills attributed to various personality types. The more we are given by God, the more we are required to share with others. God almost never gives us gifts to keep for ourselves. 

The body of Christ in the world is composed of many people, many parts but one body. We all have a role to fulfill in order for His body to function successfully in this world. Staying alert to what I have been given and how to share it, has always been a guiding principle that helped me focus on the path that God laid out for me, even after a crisis of some kind.

Jesus referred to Himself as the King, who will return in glory, to sit upon His throne and separate the sheep from the goats, in the final judgment. He said that the sheep will be blessed by His Father, for the kind deeds they did for His son. Jesus then explains that whatever kindness we do for the least of people around us, we are actually doing for Him.

As long as we wake up with breath in our lungs, and a beating heart, it’s another day to look around, and see who God has led into our lives. In spite of the hardships or sorrows we have overcome, we need to remind ourselves that we are here to serve the king of Kings, and until He returns, He shows us how to do it, with the instructions He left us in the gospels.

The “least among us” may mean something different to each person, but that’s the beauty of the body of Christ, different callings to help different people, but all of us working as His one body.

Lord, awaken us to see your deeper purpose in the painful complexities of this life. Show us your face in others and help us to be your hands and feet in this world. Amen

“Lying back on Jesus’ chest was one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.”

John 13:23  (NASB)

John, the apostle, in the writing of his gospel and epistles, never identifies himself by name. Instead, he refers to himself as, “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” Some Bible scholars thought he did it out of modesty, but most agree that John wanted to be remembered by his affectionate posture with Jesus, which was more important to him, than his own name.

John was known for his posture of laying His head on Jesus’ chest. He wanted his readers to find their own intimate posture with Jesus as well. We all have a posture of our soul with Jesus, which is how we picture ourselves being loved by Him. The posture of our soul is a reflection of our spiritual self esteem. We cannot physically lean on Jesus today, but we can do it through visualization, prayer and meditation. 

As we close our eyes and imagine ourselves in the presence of Jesus, we take note of our posture. Some may see themselves laying their head on His chest, as John did. Others may see themselves kneeling before Him or lying face down on the ground in awe before Him. Whether we picture ourself standing, sitting or kneeling, our posture with Jesus reflects our sense of safety, security and intimacy with Him. He loves us and considered us worthy to die for, and He deserves our response to His love. 

Isaiah wrote, 

“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” (Isaiah 53:4) 

Jesus not only died for our sins, but  for all of our griefs and sorrows, which He also bore on the cross.

He invites us today to cast all of our cares upon Him and to become like children, uninhibited and trusting. His yoke is easy, and He receives us with open arms, because He is the gentle Lamb of God. Whatever posture our soul has found, Jesus wants us to surrender all of our worries to Him.

While we visualize ourselves reclining with Him, we lean in a little closer. Our mind is still distracted by the many worries of the day, but as we rest our head on His chest, our anxiety is transferred from our head to His heart. In this posture we are able to hear His heart beat, and in listening to Jesus’ heart, we find ourselves caring about the things that He cares about. He then lifts our burdens and gives us His peace. 

Jesus’ shoulders are broad enough and His heart is big enough for everyone to lean on Him at once. In this posture, we know that we too, are the disciple that Jesus loves. We are His beloved ones, and if we could look into His eyes, we would see how much He has loved us all of our lives. While we rest in this posture, He turns to us and says, 

“My peace I give to you, and I am with you always.”

Lord, thank you for bearing our griefs and carrying our sorrows. As we rest our head upon your heart, we are comforted with the peace of knowing we will always be your beloved disciples too. Amen

“While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

Mark 5:35-36 (NIV)

When Jairus summoned Jesus, time was of the essence. His daughter was dying and he needed Jesus urgently. Jairus was probably overcome with fear, in the moment that his friends told him that it was too late, because his daughter had already died. Those words had to be a gut punch for him. He had so much  hope and faith that Jesus would come just in time, to heal his young daughter, but it appeared that Jesus was a few hours too late. 

Just when Jairus received the devastating news that his daughter died, Jesus told him “Don’t be afraid, only believe.” What if just when our hopes were crushed, Jesus spoke those same words to us while we were praying? What would our response be?

Jesus was never late, He just lived according to God’s perfect timing. He was meant to arrive at Jairus’ home after his daughter died, to bring glory to God by raising her from the dead. His little girl was one of three people in the gospels who were resurrected from the dead. When we think God is late in answering our prayers, we must remember He has  reasons for His timing.

In the story of Lazarus being resurrected, Jesus was thought to be four days too late. He told Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even if they die.” His message is always about believing, despite the way things may appear to us.

In another instance of Jesus raising someone from the dead, He walked into a funeral procession while it was in progress, which obviously looked like he arrived too late. We don’t hear this gospel story as often as the first two, but it says that Jesus felt pity for the mother, who was a widow, weeping as the body of her only son was being carried to a burial place.

Jesus told the widow not to weep and then touched her son’s coffin, saying, “Young man, arise!” Immediately, the young man came to life, sat up and talked. This miracle happened in the village of Nain, in the area of Galilee. (Luke 7:11–17)

These three stories of resurrection involved three people who all died prematurely. Jesus told their loved ones not to be afraid, not to weep and to only believe. We learn through these stories that Jesus may purposely delay an answer to our prayer, because He has a specific time in mind to do it, according to His reasons. 

God’s purpose always seems to be about timing, even in Old Testament stories. He didn’t free the Hebrews from slavery until all ten plagues first came upon Egypt, and the blood was applied to every doorpost. He didn’t part the sea until the last minute as the people stood trembling at the shore, while the Egyptian army closed in on them. He didn’t send them manna, the bread from heaven,  in the wilderness until the people were hungry enough to appreciate it. There seems to be a pattern of  delay that transforms fear into faith before the answer finally comes. 

Fear is an interesting thing. We cannot always control our initial fear reaction in the moment, but we can keep fear from setting up shop in our minds and hearts. That’s where choice comes in, as Jesus told Jairus “only believe.” 

Our minds process about 50,000 thoughts a day, and it requires a very intentional and conscious effort to “only believe” as Jesus said. I am trying to practice this each day, by letting faith take negative thoughts captive, and prioritize my choice to believe Jesus, despite what I see or feel. 

Scholars say that  “Fear not” is a phrase that appears about 365 times throughout the bible. It’s no coincidence that it’s there 365 times. It’s enough for every day of the year. God knows that human beings are easily swept into fear but if we fill our hearts and minds with God’s promises, we will rise up each day with renewed faith that overcomes fear, and “only believe”. Without faith, we are told it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6)

There are so many things that we cannot take with us into eternity, like wealth, fame, and material things. We are reminded in 1 Corinthians 13, that the three greatest things to strive for are Faith, Hope and Love. All three help us grow in purpose and meaning, but faith along with God’s timing is what brings healing, peace, leads us in the right paths and renews our strength.

Lord, we trust in you and pray our faith will take captive all thoughts of fear and doubt, and raise us up to only believe, as we wait for answers according to your perfect timing. Amen

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home.”

Luke 15:3-6 (NIV)

Jesus describes an image of the good Shepherd who is so happy to bring His lost sheep home. One thing is certain from this passage; God loves all the black sheep of this world.

Black sheep are people who are either at odds with their family or who never quite fit into society. They may have mental health issues, controversial opinions, or substance addictions that separate them from being a part of societal norms. Black sheep wander far away from the rest of the flock. Most families have a black sheep in it, some may be a child who was raised in the faith, but  grew up to reject it. This is why any parent can deeply relate to this parable.

One lady I have befriended at the Nursing home has been a black sheep most of her life. She used to  sincerely believe as a young child but after decades of wrong choices and drug abuse, she figured she had gone too far, and that God would never love her or accept her back again. Every so often she says that God is disappointed in her, and I have to keep reminding her to look forward and not at the past. I try to convince her that God never stops loving anyone. She struggles to believe but I do believe that the good Shepherd is carrying her home on His shoulders. 

My son Jon has been a black sheep in the family for years. He always stood in opposition to the opinions or advice of the family. He distanced himself from all friends and family for a four year period prior to his motorcycle accident. Though there never was a dispute or a conflict with anyone, he disappeared, changing his cell phone number and address, with no one knowing why, or where he was during that period. Only after his accident, the family was able to reconnect with him, even though he is now unable to speak. 

God is looking for all the black sheep of this world, in every culture, ethnic origin and religious identity. Jesus, the good Shepherd, searches diligently for the complicated lost sheep of the world, who are running away from the flock, entangled in the messes and misfortunes they made out of their lives. The mercy and love of God is revealed in Jesus’ words, with the image of a Shepherd who never gives up His pursuit of all souls.

In the song that is attached, Ben Fuller sings to all the black sheep of this world because as a recovering alcoholic, he was one himself. One line in the lyrics say that “amazing grace can be a pesky thing”, since the Shepherd’s love is relentless. In His search for the black sheep, there is nowhere He won’t go to save them.

Then he mentions the hound of Heaven, which comes from an 1890 poem, written by Francis Thompson, centering on the relentless love of God who is in pursuit of lost souls. It’s the poem that influenced J.R. Tolkien who later wrote his Christian themed works, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. 

We are living in days of black sheep, who will finally recognize their Good Shepherd, and the inexhaustible mercy and love which has been pursuing them all the days of their life.

Lord, thank you for your relentless love and mercy that seeks all the black sheep in the world, to draw them close and carry them back to the fold, on your shoulders. Amen

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 1:6 (NIV)

This scripture verse tells us that we are God’s good work, His project, His pride and joy, and yet we are still a work in progress, which He intends to finish one day. It’s good to know that He is still working on us, and that no one is finished yet. 

Paul said the same thing to the Ephesians, that we are all God’s workmanship. (Ephesians 2:10)

It was a steady theme in his many letters. God is doing a special work in each of us. 

We all get disturbed by trials but Peter wrote to the church, “Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal before you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you.” 

Yet it always surprises us, when we receive a dreaded phone call, an unexpected medical test result, or have to deal with a person who gets under our skin, or suffer a hurtful response from a trusted friend or relative. Each trial is part of His work to shape us into Christ-like people.

(1 Peter 4:12) 

Fiery trials come in many ways, but scripture calls them “fiery” because they still surprise us as much as something bursting into flames would.

If we could all watch a movie of our entire life, from the beginning to this present day, some scenes would make us laugh and some would make us cry. Some would leave us with a sense of achievement and others with a sense of shame. Our faith waxes and wanes throughout the various storms we face in our lives, and yet somehow, we pick ourselves up and keep moving forward. That’s where God’s grace comes into play.

God’s grace is perfected through our weaknesses, by transforming them into strengths. That’s because He who began a good work in us, intends to bring it to completion. Christianity is a forward bound faith. We were meant to keep looking ahead, to learn what God is trying to teach and accomplish in our lives. God never looks backward, and neither should we. 

Jesus spoke a lot about forgiveness. We are to receive His forgiveness, forgive others, and forgive ourselves. He brought redemption to the most unlikely people. He broke some cultural rules, but He healed many broken people, and He is still healing broken hearts today. Jesus had a special knack for frustrating the traditionalists, but a gift for giving hope to the hopeless. His message was and still is, that redemption is a costly, but free gift, that He paid for all people.

The anecdote to stress is to keep hoping in God through it all. Jesus told us His Father knows the number of hairs on our head, every moment of every day. Since we are that valuable to God, how can we not trust Him to finish the plan He once started in us? 

Thank you to all who offered their prayers for Jon. He is still in the hospital but doing much better. May God give us grace to continue doing a good work in him and all of us and our loved ones. 

Lord, we trust and acknowledge that you are doing a good work in us, and we pray for your grace to strengthen us by transforming all weakness into strength. Amen

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers,

nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:38-39 (NAB)

This has to be one of the most uplifting and faith inspiring verses in scripture. Nothing can separate us from the love of God, no accident, disease, tragedy, or desperate situation. Not even the most extreme malevolence that reigns in high places can separate anyone from God’s love. No human or spirit being, or force of nature, can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. He is with us every moment, both in wakefulness and in our sleep. 

I was reminded of this fact yesterday. While I was sleeping, I dreamed that someone was telling me that Jon was sent to the hospital from his Nursing home. I wasn’t given a reason in the dream, but at that very moment, I was awoken by the sound of my cell phone buzzing. It was 3am and the Nursing home was calling. His nurse told me that they were sending Jon to the hospital due to vomiting and low oxygen saturations. 

It’s kind of crazy that I dreamed it, in the moment I received the phone call. I arrived at the hospital to find Jon very sleepy, but resting with good vital signs. The nurse said that his CT scan was interpreted by the weekend radiologist, as a bowel perforation. The attending ER doctor came into the room to tell me that he thoroughly examined Jon and his scans, but did not see any sign of a perforation. His plan was to admit him and treat him for an intestinal infection. 

It was a Sunday morning which started out with some drama, between my dream, the 3am phone call, initial talk of a bowel perforation and then the calming presence of the doctor who assured me he saw no sign of a perforation. Instead of quickly sending Jon back to his Nursing home, the ER doctor felt it wiser to admit him, start antibiotics, and observe him.

It’s so easy to forget that in the midst of the many stresses we may be dealing with in the moment, that Jesus is right there with us. He not only knows what we are about to go through, but He is right there next to us, speaking His peace to us, even when we don’t hear it. That dream was a confirmation that the Lord, who knows everything, was preparing me to not fear, and later sent words of peace through the doctor. Since nothing can separate us from God’s love, everything will be alright.

There is another true story about words of peace and someone’s surprisingly good outcome. A monk named Nectarios, lived over a hundred years ago in Greece. He was a humble and exceptionally kind, loving man who shared the love of God with everyone. He helped children, the poor, the outcasts, the homeless and prostitutes. He was falsely accused of the same things Jesus was, by the corrupt orthodox clergy, who were his superiors of his day. In spite of being slandered and treated badly by the hierarchy who were over him, he forgave them all. 

He eventually became very ill and was admitted to the hospital for late stage prostate cancer, and doctors said he wasn’t strong enough to make it through surgery. He shared a hospital room with a younger man who was depressed after being paralyzed from a work accident. That man told Nectarios that God has forgotten him, and that he feels useless, being unable to ever work or support his family again. Then he  asked Nectarios, “Why didn’t God just let me die?” Nectarios turned to the man and said, “Have faith, my friend, God has a surprise for you.”

Within minutes of their conversation, Nectarios breathed his last and passed away peacefully. The man in the bed next to him suddenly regained movement of his hands and feet. He stood up, walked around the room, and everyone realized that a  miraculous healing took place.

The man who once thought that God’s love was too far away from him, realized nothing separates us from His love. God was there all along, and his roommate was probably praying for him. The man had a change of heart and mind, which is called “metanoia” in Greek. The greatest miracles are those that change the heart and mind, turning someone toward Christ, which is what happened that day. We can all live by Nectarios’ last words, and trust that “God has a surprise for us.”

Lord, thank you for your inseparable love, that changes our hearts and minds, helping us to live with the kind of faith in you that will always expect surprise blessings. Amen