Joy in the Journey

  See I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame. Romans 9:33 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2a   The other day I was sent a link to the most adorable video of Down syndrome kids dancing to a popular song. Later in the day I was telling my friend Mary about it and when I named the song and the artist I mispronounced his name. She commented on the song and my mangling of his name. When I told her I’d never heard of him or the song prior to that day she was shocked. “Where have you been living?” She asked me. “Under a rock?” I laughed, not at all offended, she knows me so well, and said, no. I then explained how a lot of secular things escape my notice. This morning that conversation came back to me as I was reading Scripture and thinking of other songs, different songs. One lyric ra...

  Peter replies, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “this very night before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” Matthew 26: 33-34 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. Luke 22:21 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus on the night he was betrayed , took bread and when he had given, thanks he broke it and said, “This is my body, which if for you, do this in remembrance of me. 1 Corinthians 11:23-24 (emphasis mine) “On the night he was betrayed.” In his letter to the Corinthians Paul refers to the events of the Last Supper, labeling them by those words, “on the night he was betrayed.” Today is Holy Thursday. In liturgical churches there is often a reenactment of the events at the table, the foot washing and the first celebration of the Eucharist or Lord’s Supper. It is the beginning of the end of the beginning. Jesu...

What to Wear Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Matthew 6:25 This morning while I was getting ready for work, I was saying to myself, what to wear, what to wear and this verse popped into my head. The first thing I thought was that if I had given it a little more concern last night, I wouldn’t be wasting precious morning minutes on it. Then something a little more weighty crossed my mind. There I was standing in front of my “main” closet, the one in which I keep the clothes appropriate for the current weather. Keep in mind these aren’t designer anybody clothes. It’s pretty much store brand, what was on sale and I had a coupon stuff but still, I have plenty of choices. So there I stood, taking into account the weather outside, the temperature in our classroom and what I had going on during the day. As I gazed at pa...

  Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:23 As I was with Moses I will be with you; I will never leave you or forsake you. Joshua 1:5b Shirley Temple died this week. That was sad for me because I adored her when I was a child. As soon as I heard the news songs and scenes filled my mind, but one stuck. I don’t remember which movie it’s from but precious, precocious little Shirley struts around singing “When I Grow Up.” Eventually the butler, Arthur Treacher I think, starts singing it too. So there it was, “when I grow up, in a year or two or three.” I suppose that one stuck with me because I’ve just decided, at the tender age of fifty-six, what I want to do when I grow up. It’s a great idea but I don’t know if it’s God’s will so for now, I’ll bloom where I’m planted. But bloom how? The what I want to do is finally pretty clear but who do I want to be? Y...

  Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says; Come from the four winds, O breath and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” “I will put my spirit in you and you will live,”   Ezekiel 37:9, 14a If you’ve never read Ezekiel 37 I highly recommend it. If you have read it, read it again, read it out loud. It’s so powerful. Reading it it’s easy to think how great it would have been to live in that day, to see a valley full of dry bones become standing human beings, with flesh and skin (Ezekiel 37:4-8) and eventually breath (verse 9). Can you imagine it? Now think about this. How many people do you see each day who look done. Their faces are closed and drawn. If they catch your eye they might smile but does that smile reach their eyes? The words I hear most often at work are “I’m so tired.” We work hard, fair enough but it isn’t strenuous physical labor. The tired of which these ladies spe...

  The Lord came and stood there, calling “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak for your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:10 Our Father in His infinite mercy speaks to me, to my heart through His Word, certainly but He knows me better than I know me and so He uses music. I love music and songs tend to get stuck in my head. In my years of walking with Jesus He has used songs to inspire me, guide me and comfort me.   A little while ago I was listening to a few of my favorite worship songs. I started with some that have been my support system for the last few days. Then I thought about one that I love but haven’t heard for a bit. Listening to it I realized the truth of the title, a line that is repeated over and over throughout the song. “You won’t relent until you have it all, my heart is yours.” For the last few days I’ve been working through a section of a Bible study that has been rather difficult. It’s on suffering and breaking free. Sounds fun right...

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites. I AM has sent me to you.” There is a worship song that I just love. I can’t say it’s my favorite because before I could finish typing that ten others would cross my mind as “favorite.” In any case the name of the song is “Great I Am.” The lyrics say just what you would expect from the title that God is indeed the great I AM, holy, powerful, unique, awesome, in the truest sense of the word. I love that song! The bridge includes the truth that the enemy runs from God, that even the mountains tremble in His presence. All true. Listening to the song just a few minutes ago, hearing the words repeated “the great I AM” something occurred to me. I Am, what? As Christians we don’t ask that question because we know or think we do, what that means. It’s the name of God Yahweh, the great I AM. But indulge me for a moment and think about it. God is the great I AM.   If anyone else said to any of us, “Hel...