The Unexpected
I heard some time ago that you’d better watch what you ask for in your prayers, because you just might get it. I don’t know if this is true or not, but I have prayed that my life would reflect Christ. I have also wondered what Christlikeness in a believer like me would look like. I found out that some pruning takes place, and it can be painful. Some things can be unexpected.
My own life has been changed in unexpected ways in recent months with the decline of my sister. She lived in Cincinnati until late June or early July. She had a small but nice apartment, and had been there for a few years.
Marian had been showing signs of dementia early on, disturbing dreams that she could not separate from reality, and what her doctor called “night timers,” or her inability to cope with oncoming darkness. There were other episodes which were equally disturbing.
Carol and I have made several trips to Cincinnati, and were on our way home from one back in early summer. While driving, I received a call from Marian’s best friend at her church. Marian had taken a fall in her apartment and hit her head. She made it to her apartment door and called for help, which came. The apartment manager called 911, and they took her to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where she was diagnosed with a brain bleed, which is essentially a stroke, caused by the fall. It also made her dementia worse. It was determined by the UCMC and others that Marian could no longer live alone.
Our brother in law is a Baptist minister in Northern Kentucky and he is on the board of The Seasons of Alexandria, a beautiful, new facility for those who need constant care. Dan was instrumental in getting us a place there.
I live about 3 ½ hours from the Seasons, but my other sister, Anita, and brother, Buddy, live in Florida, both a thousand miles or more. So, being closest, and since Marian has no family of her own, at first I was pretty much put in charge of things. I eventually got Health Care Power of Attorney. My sister, Anita, worked in the financial world, and understood that much better than I do, so she took charge of Marian’s finances. Anita already had her name on Marian’s bank accounts, so it seemed logical that she should take the lead. I found out a bit later that we also needed Durable POA, but according to the Seasons, Marian was incapable of understanding all of that, so they were reluctant to allow that to happen. This meant we needed to go to court and obtain Guardianship for Anita on behalf of Marian. Currently, we have Emergency Guardianship, and will finalize that at a court date later this year. We obtained the legal services of an attorney, who is a cousin of ours, and he has led the way through the courts and other legal stuff for us.
Early in this process I began to see all that was yet to come and began to feel overwhelmed. Medicare would be running out, we would apply for Medicaid, spend down Marian’s money, and a lot of other things were constantly building up in my mind. I began to call on God for guidance, and at one point, looked up and said, “Lord, I CAN’T DO THIS!!” Then a calm voice went through my mind, “I know, but I can.” A bit later he led me to Isaiah 41:10, and the line, “...I will help you,” shone like a beacon. I adopted that as my anchor during this difficult time, and as of now, 5 or so months later, I am still leaning on it. I also saw something in the 23rd Psalm that reminded me, if God is my Shepherd, I lack nothing.
I am surprised at my sense of calm. We still have Medicaid to get approved (everything is in and we have made application, but it is highly detailed and tricky), and not much left in the way of financial resources. The care is really good at the Seasons, but the cost is also substantial. Somehow, I am not worried; somehow God will supply our needs, and we will get Medicaid, of that I have no doubt.
My daughter, Brit Eaton, said to me, “Dad, God may be working on you first.” She is right. He has been working on the situation and me at the same time. My trust and faith has grown during this time, not because of who I am, but of who He is. “I lack nothing,” and “…I will help you,” are what I am leaning on.
With Christ in our lives, we lack nothing. He will help. He might even do the unexpected from time to time.
Thanks be to God.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Kingdoms
Kingdoms
A couple of years ago, our church conducted a study called Kingdom Come. The study was about six weeks long and led up to Easter. I was part of a small group hosted by my daughter.
Our pastor, in his first sermon on the Kingdom series, preached on the kingdom of this world vs. the Kingdom of Christ. Our world teaches, “get,” “get ahead,” “push,” “work harder to make more,” “look out for #1,” “negotiate for more”. The Kingdom of God teaches, “receive,” “love,” “give,” “sacrifice,” “take care of others,” “put God first”. The Kingdom of God also compels the world to “repent,” and “believe”.
As to kingdoms, there is one basic problem. We Americans don’t have a king. Our founding fathers determined from the outset that we would not have a king, an absolute monarch. We have a president and a congress, both elected by the people. We have the courts and other bodies, and all of these are supposed to keep each other in check. A king (or queen) is an absolute monarch who has the authority to call all the shots. The UK at least has a parliament and a prime minister, but her Majesty, the Queen, is ever present.
What is the Kingdom of God? How is the Kingdom of God carried out in our lives?
I read a book a couple of years ago called The Gospel of the Kingdom, by George Eldon Ladd. Ladd makes several excellent points in clarifying this topic, but I will mention only a couple.
One, the Kingdom of God is the Lordship of Christ in our lives. This is what Christ meant when he said, “The Kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21) This process began at conversion and will continue as time goes on, provided we nourish that relationship with Christ.
Two, the Kingdom of God is both present and future. In other words, it’s here right now, growing, being nourished, reforming us into the image of Christ. Also, the kingdom of God will be established on earth when Christ returns to take up his rule in the universe after he has made all things new. The connection between the two is, we have eternal life now, and when he returns. It is growing within us.
I have also begun to realize that the kingdom can look pretty unspectacular. No parades; no celebrities trying to gain attention; no lightning bolts from heaven; no mighty warriors riding in to eliminate the enemy; no heroes; does not seek revenge; does not boast; only Christ at the center of it all. It makes its presence known by displaying Christlike attitudes and acts of kindness where nothing is expected in return. It forgives someone for a wrong doing and then moves on. It may even be hidden. It manifests itself as Christians seeking to display Christlikeness in the world.
It also gets us ready for Christ’s return and the future kingdom.
Let the Kingdom of God come alive in your life. Accept Christ today and surrender to his Lordship. His is the perfect kingdom. He is the perfect King. His Kingdom is the only one that will last through eternity.
Thanks be to God.
A couple of years ago, our church conducted a study called Kingdom Come. The study was about six weeks long and led up to Easter. I was part of a small group hosted by my daughter.
Our pastor, in his first sermon on the Kingdom series, preached on the kingdom of this world vs. the Kingdom of Christ. Our world teaches, “get,” “get ahead,” “push,” “work harder to make more,” “look out for #1,” “negotiate for more”. The Kingdom of God teaches, “receive,” “love,” “give,” “sacrifice,” “take care of others,” “put God first”. The Kingdom of God also compels the world to “repent,” and “believe”.
As to kingdoms, there is one basic problem. We Americans don’t have a king. Our founding fathers determined from the outset that we would not have a king, an absolute monarch. We have a president and a congress, both elected by the people. We have the courts and other bodies, and all of these are supposed to keep each other in check. A king (or queen) is an absolute monarch who has the authority to call all the shots. The UK at least has a parliament and a prime minister, but her Majesty, the Queen, is ever present.
What is the Kingdom of God? How is the Kingdom of God carried out in our lives?
I read a book a couple of years ago called The Gospel of the Kingdom, by George Eldon Ladd. Ladd makes several excellent points in clarifying this topic, but I will mention only a couple.
One, the Kingdom of God is the Lordship of Christ in our lives. This is what Christ meant when he said, “The Kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21) This process began at conversion and will continue as time goes on, provided we nourish that relationship with Christ.
Two, the Kingdom of God is both present and future. In other words, it’s here right now, growing, being nourished, reforming us into the image of Christ. Also, the kingdom of God will be established on earth when Christ returns to take up his rule in the universe after he has made all things new. The connection between the two is, we have eternal life now, and when he returns. It is growing within us.
I have also begun to realize that the kingdom can look pretty unspectacular. No parades; no celebrities trying to gain attention; no lightning bolts from heaven; no mighty warriors riding in to eliminate the enemy; no heroes; does not seek revenge; does not boast; only Christ at the center of it all. It makes its presence known by displaying Christlike attitudes and acts of kindness where nothing is expected in return. It forgives someone for a wrong doing and then moves on. It may even be hidden. It manifests itself as Christians seeking to display Christlikeness in the world.
It also gets us ready for Christ’s return and the future kingdom.
Let the Kingdom of God come alive in your life. Accept Christ today and surrender to his Lordship. His is the perfect kingdom. He is the perfect King. His Kingdom is the only one that will last through eternity.
Thanks be to God.
Walking Daily
Walking Daily
I read something by C. S. Lewis sometime back that caught my attention. It was about mysticism. Lewis was saying that a mystical experience, one that lies outside the realm of reality or rationality, does not prove one’s spirituality, mainly because anyone of any religious persuasion can experience it. It can even be drug induced. Lewis compared a mystical experience to an event in a journey. He said that the journey is not as important as arriving at one’s destination, provided we are headed in the right direction.
Likewise, an event like an emotional experience should be kept in perspective. Something like that may provide some much needed encouragement, or be like a breath of fresh air for the moment, but we should not depend on these experiences for the entire journey. Emotions tend to be untrustworthy.
A little while back, I had been praying about a need to experience God in a special way. Looking back, I don’t really know what I was asking for. Then it hit me, I was already experiencing God in my everyday life. The emotional highs were only an occasional thing with me, but maintaining an obedient, daily walk with Christ, fed by prayer, his word, worship, and doing good works, or at least attempting to, was what my walk was all about, and still is.
My whole walk of faith seems to be a daily journey toward my goal, while avoiding some of life’s ‘potholes’ and climbing out of those I’ve fallen into. Not much really terrible has happened in my life, and I don’t experience moments on the mountain top that often either. I live mostly in between the two. My goal is simple: keep going, grow, and finally, make it.
My dad’s walk with Christ was a journey; day in and day out, walking the walk, so to speak. He would experience occasional moments of joy or happiness in worship leading the music, where he would do a kind of “laugh/cry,” but his faith was deeply grounded in Christ, who helped him deal with reality…sometimes a very bitter reality. Two infant deaths, laid off from his work for nearly two years, two broken arms during that time (same arm), my mom bed-ridden during the last five years of her life, two daughters in college who later went through tough divorces, financial struggles, trying to raise five kids, and the rest of life’s burdens, these kept him familiar with the bitter realities of life, but his faith kept him upright. It kept him pointed in the right direction.
I can almost hear dad now. If I could, I’d ask him, “Dad, how in the world did you do it?” He would say something like, “Boy, you HAVE to have God in your life. I don’t see how people make it without God. Stay with God, don’t EVER give that up. It’ll give you strength so sometimes you feel like a bear-dog [one of dad’s favorite metaphors]! You don’t always feel like that, but, you know what I mean. When you don’t feel like that, God keeps you through the rough times. You just have to keep going and God will help you.” Pretty straight forward, don’t you think?
We are like a small boat anchored in a stormy body of water. Without an anchor we would not survive. We may be battered and thrown around, or even take on water, but anchored we can survive. Dad and mom both survived life’s major storms, and ultimately made it to Heaven because they were anchored in Christ. We live in a world that gets more complicated every day. Somehow, we need to find that anchor that helps us survive. Christ is that anchor. He is capable of helping each of us adjust to the times and circumstances we live in.
We need to guard against desiring an experience more than Christ himself. These experiences may come occasionally and when they do we should enjoy them and then get on with our walk. A daily walk of faith is the answer. That may be the hard part, but it is the part that counts and will keep us upright.
Consider this prayer: Lord, help me to not seek after some mystical, unexplained experience or lots of emotional highs solely for themselves. Help me to walk with you daily on my faith journey with the assurance that you are walking with me. May I continue like this until my time comes to leave this world. If you will that I should have an unusual experience of some kind, I will glean from it what I can, and return it back to you, grateful for the moment. Thank you for your promise to be with us even unto the end of time. After all, that promise is the best part of our journey. Amen.
Thanks be to God
I read something by C. S. Lewis sometime back that caught my attention. It was about mysticism. Lewis was saying that a mystical experience, one that lies outside the realm of reality or rationality, does not prove one’s spirituality, mainly because anyone of any religious persuasion can experience it. It can even be drug induced. Lewis compared a mystical experience to an event in a journey. He said that the journey is not as important as arriving at one’s destination, provided we are headed in the right direction.
Likewise, an event like an emotional experience should be kept in perspective. Something like that may provide some much needed encouragement, or be like a breath of fresh air for the moment, but we should not depend on these experiences for the entire journey. Emotions tend to be untrustworthy.
A little while back, I had been praying about a need to experience God in a special way. Looking back, I don’t really know what I was asking for. Then it hit me, I was already experiencing God in my everyday life. The emotional highs were only an occasional thing with me, but maintaining an obedient, daily walk with Christ, fed by prayer, his word, worship, and doing good works, or at least attempting to, was what my walk was all about, and still is.
My whole walk of faith seems to be a daily journey toward my goal, while avoiding some of life’s ‘potholes’ and climbing out of those I’ve fallen into. Not much really terrible has happened in my life, and I don’t experience moments on the mountain top that often either. I live mostly in between the two. My goal is simple: keep going, grow, and finally, make it.
My dad’s walk with Christ was a journey; day in and day out, walking the walk, so to speak. He would experience occasional moments of joy or happiness in worship leading the music, where he would do a kind of “laugh/cry,” but his faith was deeply grounded in Christ, who helped him deal with reality…sometimes a very bitter reality. Two infant deaths, laid off from his work for nearly two years, two broken arms during that time (same arm), my mom bed-ridden during the last five years of her life, two daughters in college who later went through tough divorces, financial struggles, trying to raise five kids, and the rest of life’s burdens, these kept him familiar with the bitter realities of life, but his faith kept him upright. It kept him pointed in the right direction.
I can almost hear dad now. If I could, I’d ask him, “Dad, how in the world did you do it?” He would say something like, “Boy, you HAVE to have God in your life. I don’t see how people make it without God. Stay with God, don’t EVER give that up. It’ll give you strength so sometimes you feel like a bear-dog [one of dad’s favorite metaphors]! You don’t always feel like that, but, you know what I mean. When you don’t feel like that, God keeps you through the rough times. You just have to keep going and God will help you.” Pretty straight forward, don’t you think?
We are like a small boat anchored in a stormy body of water. Without an anchor we would not survive. We may be battered and thrown around, or even take on water, but anchored we can survive. Dad and mom both survived life’s major storms, and ultimately made it to Heaven because they were anchored in Christ. We live in a world that gets more complicated every day. Somehow, we need to find that anchor that helps us survive. Christ is that anchor. He is capable of helping each of us adjust to the times and circumstances we live in.
We need to guard against desiring an experience more than Christ himself. These experiences may come occasionally and when they do we should enjoy them and then get on with our walk. A daily walk of faith is the answer. That may be the hard part, but it is the part that counts and will keep us upright.
Consider this prayer: Lord, help me to not seek after some mystical, unexplained experience or lots of emotional highs solely for themselves. Help me to walk with you daily on my faith journey with the assurance that you are walking with me. May I continue like this until my time comes to leave this world. If you will that I should have an unusual experience of some kind, I will glean from it what I can, and return it back to you, grateful for the moment. Thank you for your promise to be with us even unto the end of time. After all, that promise is the best part of our journey. Amen.
Thanks be to God
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
God Will Take Care of You
God Will Take Care of You
In the Nazarene hymnal, Sing to the Lord, this hymn comes under the heading, God Our Father: His Guidance and Care.
Hearing about God’s care and His guidance in the everyday situations of life is comforting. The thing is, we can depend on that guidance and care in all major and minor events of life, and even at death. This is His promise; and according to the hymn, we can depend on that.
This is a wonderful hymn that I have known all my life. I first heard this hymn when my dad would select it to be sung in church.
I also heard it recorded by a gospel group, I think it was the Rangers Trio, one of my favorites. I got the idea that my trio, a group I sang in during three years of high school and one year of college, could do a good, simple arrangement of it, and it did not take long for us to work it up, and eventually we recorded it.
Words and music to this hymn were both written in 1904; words by Civilla D. Martin, and music by her husband, Walter Stillman Martin. Civilla was a writer of many hymns and gospel songs, and Walter was educated for the ministry at Harvard. He was Baptist for a while, but switched to Disciples of Christ. He eventually travelled the country holding evangelistic meetings.
The opening line encourages us to never dismay no matter what. I’m certain we have all been there. It is not easy to let go of our struggles. Pressures and fears overwhelm us and we get to the place that we don’t know what to do next. The second line tells us with a powerful metaphor to abide beneath His wings of love. Psalm 91:4 speaks of resting in His care. “He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.” The Psalms are full of references about resting in the loving care of God.
The second verse speaks of danger, toil, and how we could very easily fail if we are not careful. The third verse reassures us, saying that He will supply our every need, and nothing we ask will be denied. The context of this second thought is asking for His help during times of stress, and He will never deny meeting our needs during those times. Things may not work out like we want, and will be in God’s good time. The most important thing is that He will use this as a time of growth and maturity for us. He will also help with the details of what we are struggling with. However, His most important priority is us.
I especially love the fourth verse, which talks about His taking care of us in any test, any struggle, and the fact that we can lean on Him. This refers to the moment in the upper room at the last supper, where Christ and the disciples are together, and John was reclining next to Him. Remember that the disciples did not sit at a dinner table like we do, but reclined on the floor. That posture allowed John, the youngest disciple, to lean close to Him. The picture is one of closeness and intimacy. We can lean on Him and he will bear the load with us. He works on us and helps us through the details of our struggle.
The chorus reminds us that He helps us with everything, everyday, no matter what.
One of the problems that frustrates us when faced with trials of this sort -- at least it is for me -- is waiting on God’s timing. We wish He would take care of everything quickly. Instead He treats us as if we can mature during the process -- and we wind up doing just that. We get to the place where we can push fears aside -- that feeling of dread in your gut. The troubling issue is still there, but you can look to Christ for help and He will help you approach it with more confidence than you have had before -- all the while making things happen behind the scenes.
God is good. He cares. I found a brief line in Isaiah 41:10, “...I will help you.” that I have been leaning on that line a lot lately. He will help in ways we cannot imagine. Talk to Him honestly and then learn to relax while He works on you and your issue. You might be surprised at how things turn out.
Thanks be to God.
In the Nazarene hymnal, Sing to the Lord, this hymn comes under the heading, God Our Father: His Guidance and Care.
Hearing about God’s care and His guidance in the everyday situations of life is comforting. The thing is, we can depend on that guidance and care in all major and minor events of life, and even at death. This is His promise; and according to the hymn, we can depend on that.
This is a wonderful hymn that I have known all my life. I first heard this hymn when my dad would select it to be sung in church.
I also heard it recorded by a gospel group, I think it was the Rangers Trio, one of my favorites. I got the idea that my trio, a group I sang in during three years of high school and one year of college, could do a good, simple arrangement of it, and it did not take long for us to work it up, and eventually we recorded it.
Words and music to this hymn were both written in 1904; words by Civilla D. Martin, and music by her husband, Walter Stillman Martin. Civilla was a writer of many hymns and gospel songs, and Walter was educated for the ministry at Harvard. He was Baptist for a while, but switched to Disciples of Christ. He eventually travelled the country holding evangelistic meetings.
The opening line encourages us to never dismay no matter what. I’m certain we have all been there. It is not easy to let go of our struggles. Pressures and fears overwhelm us and we get to the place that we don’t know what to do next. The second line tells us with a powerful metaphor to abide beneath His wings of love. Psalm 91:4 speaks of resting in His care. “He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.” The Psalms are full of references about resting in the loving care of God.
The second verse speaks of danger, toil, and how we could very easily fail if we are not careful. The third verse reassures us, saying that He will supply our every need, and nothing we ask will be denied. The context of this second thought is asking for His help during times of stress, and He will never deny meeting our needs during those times. Things may not work out like we want, and will be in God’s good time. The most important thing is that He will use this as a time of growth and maturity for us. He will also help with the details of what we are struggling with. However, His most important priority is us.
I especially love the fourth verse, which talks about His taking care of us in any test, any struggle, and the fact that we can lean on Him. This refers to the moment in the upper room at the last supper, where Christ and the disciples are together, and John was reclining next to Him. Remember that the disciples did not sit at a dinner table like we do, but reclined on the floor. That posture allowed John, the youngest disciple, to lean close to Him. The picture is one of closeness and intimacy. We can lean on Him and he will bear the load with us. He works on us and helps us through the details of our struggle.
The chorus reminds us that He helps us with everything, everyday, no matter what.
One of the problems that frustrates us when faced with trials of this sort -- at least it is for me -- is waiting on God’s timing. We wish He would take care of everything quickly. Instead He treats us as if we can mature during the process -- and we wind up doing just that. We get to the place where we can push fears aside -- that feeling of dread in your gut. The troubling issue is still there, but you can look to Christ for help and He will help you approach it with more confidence than you have had before -- all the while making things happen behind the scenes.
God is good. He cares. I found a brief line in Isaiah 41:10, “...I will help you.” that I have been leaning on that line a lot lately. He will help in ways we cannot imagine. Talk to Him honestly and then learn to relax while He works on you and your issue. You might be surprised at how things turn out.
Thanks be to God.
Saturday, August 3, 2019
Construction Ahead
Anybody else get tired of dodging orange barrels? Please say yes, because I definitely do. On the other hand, it is absolutely necessary, and in many cases, long overdue; like at our local Kroger, for example, with potholes eager to swallow your car.
Construction and orange barrels are part of life. Maintaining that construction, and even expanding it is also part of it. Without it we simply do not see growth or repair around us. Only deterioration.
So it is with our spiritual lives.
I used to think that if I could only achieve a certain level of spirituality I would be home free. Temptation would flee like a “scared deer,” to quote my dad. That was 64 years ago, and I have not achieved it yet.
Instead, I am growing, maturing, learning, still making mistakes, and still having to occasionally ask forgiveness. I am much further down the road than I have ever been, but am now going through some testing like I have never seen before. That testing is revealing a lot about myself, and it is painful. I’ll get to that in a moment.
I saw a quote on Facebook recently that was taken from the devotional The Praying Woman. God has already prepared the way. He’s just preparing you [me]. I added the word “me” in brackets, because the quote is so pertinent to my life right now.
Jesus’s words in Matthew 6:8 say the same thing. “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Just think, before we even ask…amazing.
However, if that is the case, why do we have to ask? We must remember, asking is for us…not God. We need to commune with him. He “already knows…”
My oldest sister, Marian, is in a rehab facility in Northern Kentucky. She lived alone until recently, and took a bad fall in her apartment just a few weeks ago. It caused a minor brain bleed, but it also accelerated an approaching battle with dementia. Since she has no husband and no children, and my other sister, Anita, and brother, Buddy, both live in Florida, I am pretty much directing traffic getting the care Marian needs…myself being 3.5 hours away…one way. Anita is managing Marian's finances, and Buddy stands ready to do his part when the time comes.
I have learned a lot about myself during this time. I don’t like surprises, but have found out life has a lot of them. I am a quiet, introverted person, loving solitude, but have found out you can’t have that all the time. The details have had me fretting, which never helps. My tendency to worry has me putting too much immediately at the front; take care of this NOW. What I have learned is that taking this one step at a time, one issue at a time, while still trying to plan ahead is the only way to manage this. Sounds complicated, right? Oh yeah, it definitely is that and more. The worse part is watching your beloved sister gradually being lost to it all.
I must say, God has taught me a lot about all the details, medical, legal, etc, but mostly he has taught me a lot about myself, my faith, which has been weak at times, and my not so good ability to trust. I must also say, these things have been getting stronger. I have learned that it is not how you feel, it is what you know.
I have shared a lot about this with my daughter, Brit Eaton. I mentioned to her once that, rather than see all those details getting worked out, almost as if by a miracle, I have watched myself get stronger, be calmer, better able to manage things, and the details are slowly falling into place. It is almost like God is working on me first, and taking care of the details as they come. She replied, “Yeah, and that is the most important part, right?” She’s so wise.
I have found scripture a steadying force in my life as well. I am leaning on a line in Isaiah 41:10, “…I will help you.” That promise covers me like a blanket.
This kind of thing can get very expensive also. However, Paul reminded us in Philippians 4:19 that, “My God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory.” Yeah, I need that one also.
Jesus reminded us in the Sermon on the Mount that our Father in heaven thinks we are much more important than birds and other creatures that depend on his care daily.
The most important lesson I have learned is that I have not “arrived” yet, and after 64 years of being a Christian I still have some growing to do. I am still under construction. But, I am ready to grow some more.
Thanks be to God for what he is showing me.
Anybody else get tired of dodging orange barrels? Please say yes, because I definitely do. On the other hand, it is absolutely necessary, and in many cases, long overdue; like at our local Kroger, for example, with potholes eager to swallow your car.
Construction and orange barrels are part of life. Maintaining that construction, and even expanding it is also part of it. Without it we simply do not see growth or repair around us. Only deterioration.
So it is with our spiritual lives.
I used to think that if I could only achieve a certain level of spirituality I would be home free. Temptation would flee like a “scared deer,” to quote my dad. That was 64 years ago, and I have not achieved it yet.
Instead, I am growing, maturing, learning, still making mistakes, and still having to occasionally ask forgiveness. I am much further down the road than I have ever been, but am now going through some testing like I have never seen before. That testing is revealing a lot about myself, and it is painful. I’ll get to that in a moment.
I saw a quote on Facebook recently that was taken from the devotional The Praying Woman. God has already prepared the way. He’s just preparing you [me]. I added the word “me” in brackets, because the quote is so pertinent to my life right now.
Jesus’s words in Matthew 6:8 say the same thing. “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Just think, before we even ask…amazing.
However, if that is the case, why do we have to ask? We must remember, asking is for us…not God. We need to commune with him. He “already knows…”
My oldest sister, Marian, is in a rehab facility in Northern Kentucky. She lived alone until recently, and took a bad fall in her apartment just a few weeks ago. It caused a minor brain bleed, but it also accelerated an approaching battle with dementia. Since she has no husband and no children, and my other sister, Anita, and brother, Buddy, both live in Florida, I am pretty much directing traffic getting the care Marian needs…myself being 3.5 hours away…one way. Anita is managing Marian's finances, and Buddy stands ready to do his part when the time comes.
I have learned a lot about myself during this time. I don’t like surprises, but have found out life has a lot of them. I am a quiet, introverted person, loving solitude, but have found out you can’t have that all the time. The details have had me fretting, which never helps. My tendency to worry has me putting too much immediately at the front; take care of this NOW. What I have learned is that taking this one step at a time, one issue at a time, while still trying to plan ahead is the only way to manage this. Sounds complicated, right? Oh yeah, it definitely is that and more. The worse part is watching your beloved sister gradually being lost to it all.
I must say, God has taught me a lot about all the details, medical, legal, etc, but mostly he has taught me a lot about myself, my faith, which has been weak at times, and my not so good ability to trust. I must also say, these things have been getting stronger. I have learned that it is not how you feel, it is what you know.
I have shared a lot about this with my daughter, Brit Eaton. I mentioned to her once that, rather than see all those details getting worked out, almost as if by a miracle, I have watched myself get stronger, be calmer, better able to manage things, and the details are slowly falling into place. It is almost like God is working on me first, and taking care of the details as they come. She replied, “Yeah, and that is the most important part, right?” She’s so wise.
I have found scripture a steadying force in my life as well. I am leaning on a line in Isaiah 41:10, “…I will help you.” That promise covers me like a blanket.
This kind of thing can get very expensive also. However, Paul reminded us in Philippians 4:19 that, “My God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory.” Yeah, I need that one also.
Jesus reminded us in the Sermon on the Mount that our Father in heaven thinks we are much more important than birds and other creatures that depend on his care daily.
The most important lesson I have learned is that I have not “arrived” yet, and after 64 years of being a Christian I still have some growing to do. I am still under construction. But, I am ready to grow some more.
Thanks be to God for what he is showing me.
Saturday, June 8, 2019
Glorious and Scary
Glorious and Scary
Carol and I traveled to California to celebrate our 50th anniversary in June of 2019. We had a terrific time, and our two daughters, Brit and Janea, and their families went with us.
We left John Glenn International Airport in Columbus with no hitches. The flight seemed long, mainly because I was in the very back row and it was really noisy. I only could see a white wall on my left and a guy going to Minneapolis on my right. The flight was full and I did not get to sit with Carol. The guy and I did talk and that helped. I also read some.
The trip from Minneapolis was, to say the least, eventful. There were storm warnings out all day, and a flight attendant told me there had been tornado sirens going off as well. As it turned out, we had a 2 hour delay, sitting on the plane on the tarmac, waiting for permission to take off.
We finally got that permission, and after we left, things really got interesting. I was by a window this time, next to Carol, and at one point, I looked out my window in time to see a MASSIVE, forked lightning bolt flash off to the North. My response, “Yikes, this is going to be…interesting!”
It was.
The flight was REALLY rough, as storm winds pummeled our plane that now seemed really small by comparison. The pilot tried to get above the storm and at one point wound up at about 37,000 feet, maybe more. It did not help a lot, but we finally made it to San Diego, and good old “terra firma” never felt so welcome.
One scene that I now wish I had taken a picture of was one of those “God specials,” where He seems to work overtime to create something really spectacular. The dark blue storm clouds were beneath us with lightning flashing off and on inside them creating a ghostly scene. The horizon above the clouds was clear and a lighter blue. A breath taking sliver of the moon, looking like a small banana, was just above the horizon seemingly suspended in mid air. I felt small and vulnerable in the tiny (by comparison) steel thing we were in, but I also felt protected by the Lord of All who made all of that, who was probably feeling a flood of creativity. I could envision Him saying, “Hmm…yeah…that’s good; no wait…that’s VERY good!”
It was scary and glorious at the same time. God does that occasionally. My daughter Brit Eaton said it was God showing me a bit of his glory.
I decided to check out some scripture about this. Psalm 19 came to mind first.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” This is obviously the glory part, which, at the same time, can be a bit scary.
However, we don’t have to recoil in fear as he is also our heavenly Father and we are his children. Just think, our Father made all of this.
Here is a different look at the One who created that breathtaking scene above the clouds. Paul puts it this way:
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4; both scripture quotations from the NIV)
My MVNU students used to hear the words “transcendent and immanent” in church music classes in an attempt to put God into understandable perspective. Of course that is a feeble effort, but we now understand Him to be beyond all time and space, eternal, his own eternity. He is also at our side walking with us as we journey on.
Just think, we are the sons and daughters of the Creator. It does not get any better than that.
Thanks be to God.
Carol and I traveled to California to celebrate our 50th anniversary in June of 2019. We had a terrific time, and our two daughters, Brit and Janea, and their families went with us.
We left John Glenn International Airport in Columbus with no hitches. The flight seemed long, mainly because I was in the very back row and it was really noisy. I only could see a white wall on my left and a guy going to Minneapolis on my right. The flight was full and I did not get to sit with Carol. The guy and I did talk and that helped. I also read some.
The trip from Minneapolis was, to say the least, eventful. There were storm warnings out all day, and a flight attendant told me there had been tornado sirens going off as well. As it turned out, we had a 2 hour delay, sitting on the plane on the tarmac, waiting for permission to take off.
We finally got that permission, and after we left, things really got interesting. I was by a window this time, next to Carol, and at one point, I looked out my window in time to see a MASSIVE, forked lightning bolt flash off to the North. My response, “Yikes, this is going to be…interesting!”
It was.
The flight was REALLY rough, as storm winds pummeled our plane that now seemed really small by comparison. The pilot tried to get above the storm and at one point wound up at about 37,000 feet, maybe more. It did not help a lot, but we finally made it to San Diego, and good old “terra firma” never felt so welcome.
One scene that I now wish I had taken a picture of was one of those “God specials,” where He seems to work overtime to create something really spectacular. The dark blue storm clouds were beneath us with lightning flashing off and on inside them creating a ghostly scene. The horizon above the clouds was clear and a lighter blue. A breath taking sliver of the moon, looking like a small banana, was just above the horizon seemingly suspended in mid air. I felt small and vulnerable in the tiny (by comparison) steel thing we were in, but I also felt protected by the Lord of All who made all of that, who was probably feeling a flood of creativity. I could envision Him saying, “Hmm…yeah…that’s good; no wait…that’s VERY good!”
It was scary and glorious at the same time. God does that occasionally. My daughter Brit Eaton said it was God showing me a bit of his glory.
I decided to check out some scripture about this. Psalm 19 came to mind first.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” This is obviously the glory part, which, at the same time, can be a bit scary.
However, we don’t have to recoil in fear as he is also our heavenly Father and we are his children. Just think, our Father made all of this.
Here is a different look at the One who created that breathtaking scene above the clouds. Paul puts it this way:
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4; both scripture quotations from the NIV)
My MVNU students used to hear the words “transcendent and immanent” in church music classes in an attempt to put God into understandable perspective. Of course that is a feeble effort, but we now understand Him to be beyond all time and space, eternal, his own eternity. He is also at our side walking with us as we journey on.
Just think, we are the sons and daughters of the Creator. It does not get any better than that.
Thanks be to God.
Saturday, May 4, 2019
Priorities
Priorities
I had another breakthrough the other day. The way these usually go, I will go through a time of testing, or something, read a scripture passage that I have probably read dozens of times, and it will finally get through. It may clarify a specific issue, or, as in this case, put another issue into perspective.
Here’s how it went. I had been reading some things by authors I admire. I read where the idea of “soul sleep” is fairly prominent among some of these authors. This is the idea that nothing happens after we die until the return of Christ at the Great Resurrection. I decided to do some internet research and sure enough, there is quite a bit of disagreement over what happens right after we die. Does our soul leave our body and go to its eternal destiny, or do we fall asleep until the return of Christ when we will be resurrected and joined with him? There are passages that seem to speak to both points of view, and there are good people on both sides of this issue.
I must confess, it confused me a bit because I have always felt that the soul leaves the body at the moment of death, and, in the case of a believer, goes to Paradise, or something like that, to be with God. The soul of an unbeliever goes to a darker, more desperate place. It may be best to describe it as going to be with God…or not. The final destination is later.
Not long after that, someone came to my door wanting to share with me some information about their faith. I knew very little about this church, and spoke to the person briefly. I was given a brochure and the person left. We actually had a few things in common. I found out later, however, that the faith this person is part of is not trinitarian, in other words, does not recognize God as co-equal, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus, according to them is completely separate from the Father and is therefore less than the Father.
After that, the Holy Spirit decided it was time to show me the meaning behind a verse I had seen many times. At first I did not get the connection.
Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.
It is found in Titus 2:13. “…while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ…”
There it was! As my sainted dad would say (who, I am convince is with God today, by the way), “There it is, plain as the nose on your face!” I discovered this verse thinking about the visitor at my door.
You can do your own research on this, and by all means, start with the Gospel of John, chapter 1. Talk about clear!
Now, what does this have to do with priorities or the other issue of what happens after we die? To acknowledge that Jesus Christ is indeed “Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us,” (Matthew 1:23, KJV), is by far the more important issue. Acknowledging who Christ is determines what we will be in this life and what the next one will be as well.
Ok, so what will happen to me right after I die? I think I will go to be with God…I hope. However…and this is important…I will find out someday one way or the other. Whether I go to be with God or remain asleep until Christ’s coming, either one will be fine with me, just so I am with Christ. For now, however, I will serve Jesus Christ…God with us…with joy and hope in my heart.
I was almost giddy with joy when I saw this. I almost wanted a celestial “high five,” but decided that if He gave me a high five, it would probably kill me. Instead, I will settle for falling on my face before our Great God, Jesus Christ, in joy, praise, and gratitude, and try to live my life accordingly.
In the meantime, I won’t worry about dying or what happens after that.
Thanks be to God!
I had another breakthrough the other day. The way these usually go, I will go through a time of testing, or something, read a scripture passage that I have probably read dozens of times, and it will finally get through. It may clarify a specific issue, or, as in this case, put another issue into perspective.
Here’s how it went. I had been reading some things by authors I admire. I read where the idea of “soul sleep” is fairly prominent among some of these authors. This is the idea that nothing happens after we die until the return of Christ at the Great Resurrection. I decided to do some internet research and sure enough, there is quite a bit of disagreement over what happens right after we die. Does our soul leave our body and go to its eternal destiny, or do we fall asleep until the return of Christ when we will be resurrected and joined with him? There are passages that seem to speak to both points of view, and there are good people on both sides of this issue.
I must confess, it confused me a bit because I have always felt that the soul leaves the body at the moment of death, and, in the case of a believer, goes to Paradise, or something like that, to be with God. The soul of an unbeliever goes to a darker, more desperate place. It may be best to describe it as going to be with God…or not. The final destination is later.
Not long after that, someone came to my door wanting to share with me some information about their faith. I knew very little about this church, and spoke to the person briefly. I was given a brochure and the person left. We actually had a few things in common. I found out later, however, that the faith this person is part of is not trinitarian, in other words, does not recognize God as co-equal, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus, according to them is completely separate from the Father and is therefore less than the Father.
After that, the Holy Spirit decided it was time to show me the meaning behind a verse I had seen many times. At first I did not get the connection.
Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.
It is found in Titus 2:13. “…while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ…”
There it was! As my sainted dad would say (who, I am convince is with God today, by the way), “There it is, plain as the nose on your face!” I discovered this verse thinking about the visitor at my door.
You can do your own research on this, and by all means, start with the Gospel of John, chapter 1. Talk about clear!
Now, what does this have to do with priorities or the other issue of what happens after we die? To acknowledge that Jesus Christ is indeed “Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us,” (Matthew 1:23, KJV), is by far the more important issue. Acknowledging who Christ is determines what we will be in this life and what the next one will be as well.
Ok, so what will happen to me right after I die? I think I will go to be with God…I hope. However…and this is important…I will find out someday one way or the other. Whether I go to be with God or remain asleep until Christ’s coming, either one will be fine with me, just so I am with Christ. For now, however, I will serve Jesus Christ…God with us…with joy and hope in my heart.
I was almost giddy with joy when I saw this. I almost wanted a celestial “high five,” but decided that if He gave me a high five, it would probably kill me. Instead, I will settle for falling on my face before our Great God, Jesus Christ, in joy, praise, and gratitude, and try to live my life accordingly.
In the meantime, I won’t worry about dying or what happens after that.
Thanks be to God!
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Alone With God
Alone With God
I went to Barnes and Noble a few years ago to finish out a gift card my choir gave me. I picked up The Way of the Heart by Henri Nouwen. At the time, I was starting to leave Science Fiction behind. SF, as the pros call it, had been a favorite genre of mine, and I still respect it a great deal. However, I was being led in a different direction; one of spiritual enrichment.
The first section of the Nouwen book, which I still own, deals with solitude. I am an incurable early riser, and I love the early morning time with coffee, my books, breakfast, writing in my journal, or whatever I happen to be working on at the time. Ok…I confess, sometimes it includes morning tv during breakfast, then journals, books, etc.
Nouwen has some stern things to say about solitude. He says that solitude is more than just alone time. True solitude can reveal your true self. Solitude can conjure up past failures even though forgiven, current failures, and those places in our lives that we never realized were troublesome in the first place. Nouwen calls solitude “the furnace of conversion”.
Also, according to Nouwen, solitude does not include books, coffee, Cheerios, my computer, or my journals. It is only me alone wrestling with my inner self. Temptations, mind wandering, inner struggles are all there. I would call it risky. Nouwen calls it dangerous.
However, the time of quiet for me, being alone with God, is usually early in the morning. Carol is upstairs still asleep. I am typing away with my coffee close by. Clocks tick. Appliances run. Traffic zooms by on Middle Belleville Road, while I await the sunrise.
I may never get to the place of solitude where so many saints of the past left all to live alone. I do find the early morning hours a good time to get alone with God using whatever helps I need and listening to what he has to say. I love my NIV Study Bible, my Lucado, Buechner, Mother Teresa, or other devotionals, and anything else I may be reading at the time. I love the quiet time of prayer. I love to write down my thoughts, some profound, most not so much. This is a time of refreshment for me; a time to think, meditate (I almost said, ‘medicate’ — that too). It is a place where we gather new strength, receive nourishment through God’s word, prayer, and general communion with him.
If God is calling you to get alone with Him on a regular basis, then nothing is as important as that. It may be something that takes a concerted effort to make happen.
It is helpful on many levels to spend some regular time alone with God, using whatever helps you may want to include. It may require you to deliberately set some time aside, or you may find it sort of naturally like I did, with a good time becoming available as a result of other factors coming into play. Your best time may not be early in the morning, but whenever it is, set it aside. If your days are busy, it may only be a few minutes, just pondering a verse or two in your Bible. You will learn a lot about yourself, but most of all you will be partaking of the spiritual food available through Christ.
Whatever the call is, just do it.
Thanks be to God
I went to Barnes and Noble a few years ago to finish out a gift card my choir gave me. I picked up The Way of the Heart by Henri Nouwen. At the time, I was starting to leave Science Fiction behind. SF, as the pros call it, had been a favorite genre of mine, and I still respect it a great deal. However, I was being led in a different direction; one of spiritual enrichment.
The first section of the Nouwen book, which I still own, deals with solitude. I am an incurable early riser, and I love the early morning time with coffee, my books, breakfast, writing in my journal, or whatever I happen to be working on at the time. Ok…I confess, sometimes it includes morning tv during breakfast, then journals, books, etc.
Nouwen has some stern things to say about solitude. He says that solitude is more than just alone time. True solitude can reveal your true self. Solitude can conjure up past failures even though forgiven, current failures, and those places in our lives that we never realized were troublesome in the first place. Nouwen calls solitude “the furnace of conversion”.
Also, according to Nouwen, solitude does not include books, coffee, Cheerios, my computer, or my journals. It is only me alone wrestling with my inner self. Temptations, mind wandering, inner struggles are all there. I would call it risky. Nouwen calls it dangerous.
However, the time of quiet for me, being alone with God, is usually early in the morning. Carol is upstairs still asleep. I am typing away with my coffee close by. Clocks tick. Appliances run. Traffic zooms by on Middle Belleville Road, while I await the sunrise.
I may never get to the place of solitude where so many saints of the past left all to live alone. I do find the early morning hours a good time to get alone with God using whatever helps I need and listening to what he has to say. I love my NIV Study Bible, my Lucado, Buechner, Mother Teresa, or other devotionals, and anything else I may be reading at the time. I love the quiet time of prayer. I love to write down my thoughts, some profound, most not so much. This is a time of refreshment for me; a time to think, meditate (I almost said, ‘medicate’ — that too). It is a place where we gather new strength, receive nourishment through God’s word, prayer, and general communion with him.
If God is calling you to get alone with Him on a regular basis, then nothing is as important as that. It may be something that takes a concerted effort to make happen.
It is helpful on many levels to spend some regular time alone with God, using whatever helps you may want to include. It may require you to deliberately set some time aside, or you may find it sort of naturally like I did, with a good time becoming available as a result of other factors coming into play. Your best time may not be early in the morning, but whenever it is, set it aside. If your days are busy, it may only be a few minutes, just pondering a verse or two in your Bible. You will learn a lot about yourself, but most of all you will be partaking of the spiritual food available through Christ.
Whatever the call is, just do it.
Thanks be to God
Monday, February 11, 2019
Keeping Grace
Ok, I’m going to tackle a tough one. These are in no way the words of an expert, just some thoughts that hopefully don’t ramble too much.
Grace is our greatest God-given blessing. It is hard to imagine why it exists, except for the fact that the primary characteristic of the Father is Love.
When did grace begin? It seems that the plan of salvation was already in God’s mind when he created things. When Adam and Eve fell, it was put into motion. Israel experienced it on numerous occasions. When Jesus came, grace took on flesh. His death was the greatest expression of grace. After all, he took our place. We should have been punished, but he was punished for us. When he was resurrected, that plan of grace that existed before time began was confirmed.
We have nothing to do with the call of grace. That is all God’s doing. Even when we accept Christ, we do so at God’s calling. John 6:44 states, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.” (NIV) Initial grace takes place when God calls us to himself. At the age of nine, I felt that gentle tug on my heart to give myself to Christ. I wanted whatever mom and dad had, and that in itself was the beginning of the call of grace on my life.
Saving grace is what brings us to Christ. Paul stated in Ephesians 2:8 that we are saved by grace, and not by works. If we were saved by works, some would be able to achieve it, and some would not. It’s not something we have to achieve anyway. It’s a gift.
Sanctifying grace is that which constantly remakes us into the image of Christ, putting to death the old self in us. Second Corinthians 3:18 states, “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (NIV) Ups and downs, successes and failures are part of this process. Bruce Demarest states, "God uses life’s painful misfortunes to drain us of self-sufficiency, and lead us to trust and depend on him.” (Seasons of the Soul) Someone else said that we grow more during times of crisis than any other time.
As many of you know, my oldest brother, Tom, died last May. Tom was a likable, generous guy who had a lot of friends but had never made a profession of faith, in spite of being raised in a Christian home. He had attended the Fairfax Church of the Nazarene some, and really liked the pastor, Jack Bimber. Jack had attended God’s Bible School in Cincinnati, and my other brother, Buddy, got in touch with Jack and asked him to check on Tom during his stay in the hospital and other facilities. Jack and Tom talked about Tom’s confessing his sins, but Tom could not see how he could possibly confess every sin he had ever committed. Jack, wisely, told him he did not have to. Just, “Roll them all up, put them in a basket, give them to God, and begin your walk with Jesus.” This made perfect sense to Tom, and from that point on, Tom enjoyed Jack’s visits, read scriptures, and prayed with him. My family is confident that grace took Tom home to heaven. This is grace that prepares you to move into eternity. It was there for Tom, and he took it.
In the broadest sense of the word, our entire lives are being sustained by grace. God’s grace calls us, saves us, makes us into his image, forgives us when we fail, keeps us from falling (Psalm 37:24), lifts us back up, warns us of potential danger, takes us through life, and then finally takes us home to be with Christ at the end of life.
Grace is ours for the accepting. It delivers us from constantly having to strive to achieve God’s favor. We are his beloved. We are his sons and daughters. He loves us with a love that is beyond comprehension, and that love is expressed in grace.
Thanks be to God.
Ok, I’m going to tackle a tough one. These are in no way the words of an expert, just some thoughts that hopefully don’t ramble too much.
Grace is our greatest God-given blessing. It is hard to imagine why it exists, except for the fact that the primary characteristic of the Father is Love.
When did grace begin? It seems that the plan of salvation was already in God’s mind when he created things. When Adam and Eve fell, it was put into motion. Israel experienced it on numerous occasions. When Jesus came, grace took on flesh. His death was the greatest expression of grace. After all, he took our place. We should have been punished, but he was punished for us. When he was resurrected, that plan of grace that existed before time began was confirmed.
We have nothing to do with the call of grace. That is all God’s doing. Even when we accept Christ, we do so at God’s calling. John 6:44 states, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.” (NIV) Initial grace takes place when God calls us to himself. At the age of nine, I felt that gentle tug on my heart to give myself to Christ. I wanted whatever mom and dad had, and that in itself was the beginning of the call of grace on my life.
Saving grace is what brings us to Christ. Paul stated in Ephesians 2:8 that we are saved by grace, and not by works. If we were saved by works, some would be able to achieve it, and some would not. It’s not something we have to achieve anyway. It’s a gift.
Sanctifying grace is that which constantly remakes us into the image of Christ, putting to death the old self in us. Second Corinthians 3:18 states, “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (NIV) Ups and downs, successes and failures are part of this process. Bruce Demarest states, "God uses life’s painful misfortunes to drain us of self-sufficiency, and lead us to trust and depend on him.” (Seasons of the Soul) Someone else said that we grow more during times of crisis than any other time.
As many of you know, my oldest brother, Tom, died last May. Tom was a likable, generous guy who had a lot of friends but had never made a profession of faith, in spite of being raised in a Christian home. He had attended the Fairfax Church of the Nazarene some, and really liked the pastor, Jack Bimber. Jack had attended God’s Bible School in Cincinnati, and my other brother, Buddy, got in touch with Jack and asked him to check on Tom during his stay in the hospital and other facilities. Jack and Tom talked about Tom’s confessing his sins, but Tom could not see how he could possibly confess every sin he had ever committed. Jack, wisely, told him he did not have to. Just, “Roll them all up, put them in a basket, give them to God, and begin your walk with Jesus.” This made perfect sense to Tom, and from that point on, Tom enjoyed Jack’s visits, read scriptures, and prayed with him. My family is confident that grace took Tom home to heaven. This is grace that prepares you to move into eternity. It was there for Tom, and he took it.
In the broadest sense of the word, our entire lives are being sustained by grace. God’s grace calls us, saves us, makes us into his image, forgives us when we fail, keeps us from falling (Psalm 37:24), lifts us back up, warns us of potential danger, takes us through life, and then finally takes us home to be with Christ at the end of life.
Grace is ours for the accepting. It delivers us from constantly having to strive to achieve God’s favor. We are his beloved. We are his sons and daughters. He loves us with a love that is beyond comprehension, and that love is expressed in grace.
Thanks be to God.
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