My Hope

Recently I heard a sermon by Pastor Steve Scott.  He talked about “Returning to the Purposes of God, Resisting the Press of the World, and Resting in the Promise of Christ.” 

He made this impactful statement, “Culture is designed to move us from faith to doubt, love to insecurity, community to individualism, contributing to consumerism, and rest to exhaustion.”

How true this is! Without Jesus and without resting in His promises there is no hope. 

We have reason to doubt, to be insecure and fearful, to strive toward individualism. 

Just look around at the attitudes and actions of people trying to make a statement, 

trying to be noticed, trying to be different, 

yet really just blending into the sameness of the culture.

What a consumeristic world. We accumulate and consume everything around us. 

Real values are replaced by temporary satisfaction. Reality is exchanged for virtuality. 

Some years ago I read “Pilgrims Progress Today” by Lael Arrington. She describes virtual reality as “an unsatisfying substitute for the epic adventure of real life.”  I’m thinking about reading it again.  

If you want to read and discuss it with me, comment, email, or Facebook me and I’ll contact you. 

It’s not an easy read. It is thought provoking and troubling.

In striving to individualize, to acquire, to achieve, to add one more credential, 

to climb one rung higher – we are exhausted and without peace.  

It is a world at war with each other and at war with itself.

BUT – our hope – as the hymn-writer Edward Mote wrote, “Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness … On Christ the solid Rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.”

Because of Jesus I can say with assurance, “It is well with my soul…. Though Satan should buffet, tho’ trials should come, let this blest assurance control. That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, and hath shed His own blood for my soul.” (H.G. Spafford)

Jesus brings me back 

to Faith,

to Love,

to Rest,

to Peace,

to Joy.

Thank You Jesus.

Spend time reading some of the promises of God. 

You’ll be refreshed.

And you will find rest.

One Moment

It only takes a moment

                An unkind act

                An angry word

                A reckless thought

And everything changes.

In just one moment

                A doctor’s report

                An accident

                A storm

Everything changes.

What once was … Is now gone

                Comfort

                Security

                Relationship

Everything changed.

Darkness.

Despair.

It only takes one name

                “Jesus”

                One moment in time  - The cross, the grave, the empty tomb

                One word - “loved”

Hope rekindled

Light restored

Joy.

“Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling …

Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee.” (Augustus M. Toplady, 1740-1778)

Fresh and Clean - Again!

Since I retired I have taken on some home improvement projects at the house. The first project was a minor demo to the bathroom which then turned into a complete room make-over (which I am thrilled with) although in the middle of the renovation my husband canceled our TV cable to prevent me watching any more home improvement shows! (Actually we decided together to save money. Yea! More money for home improvements!)

Recently I decided to do some touch up painting here at the house.  We took the old paint can lid to the store to match the paint color. It looked the same. But when I rolled it onto the wall it dried distinctively lighter, fresher, and cleaner than the original paint.  It looked good!

But it made the rest of the wall look bad – dingy, dark, dirty.  Imperfections that went unnoticed before showed up in stark contrast to the fresh new paint.  What started as minor touch-ups has become a major paint job. Again! More work than I had anticipated.

My husband said that over time the UV light changes paint color – what was on the wall now isn’t the same as what went on years ago. Funny how I hadn’t noticed. The change was slow and subtle, but the color was different.  I hadn’t seen it until fresh paint went on.

I think that happens in people’s lives, too. What was once fresh and bright and good can over time become dull, dingy and routine without us noticing. Sometimes it’s an attitude or a thought. Sometimes it’s an action toward others.  Sometimes it’s a heart for God.

I need to pay closer attention, to stay fresh and clean.   

• In my Attitudes 

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 

• In my Thoughts 

Philippians 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

•  In my Relationship with God and with Others 

Luke 10:27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

  

Oh – and my painting project? I still have a way to go before it all looks fresh again, 

but I like what I see so far.

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth 

so that you have sincere love for each other, 

love one another deeply, from the heart. 

1 Peter 1:22

  

Dear friends, now we are children of God, 

and what we will be has not yet been made known. 

But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, 

for we shall see him as he is. 

All who have this hope in him purify themselves, 

just as he is pure. 

1 John 3:2-3

  

Goodbyes and Hellos

“…for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

Joshua 1:9c (KJV)

On the way to the airport with our kids and grandkids who were returning to Austria, I recalled similar trips from past years.  I thought of my mom and dad and all the goodbyes they had said to their children and grandchildren as we set off for mission work in Africa. I thought of all the miles they traveled between home and airports sending us off and picking us up, saying “good-byes” and “hellos.”

Our first send-off was in 1980 with our 2 and 5 year old sons, and over the course of the next 17 years there would be many departures and another grandchild.  My brother and his family also lived and worked overseas so mom and dad had many partings from them as well. During those years I never really thought about how it must have felt to be the ones left behind.

But now…

As one part of our family started their 18 hour cross-country drive, 

and another part of the family begins their intercontinental flight …

I remember.

I remember smiling faces,

Eyes glistening with tears,

Warm hugs,

And prayers in the airport.

I remember brave good-byes

And joyous reunions.

I remember waiting until the last possible moment to go through the security gate so we could take advantage of every minute to talk, then turning for one more wave goodbye.

I remember arriving back in the States looking for their smiling faces amidst the crowd of people waiting for loved ones at the arrivals gate.

I remember them meeting us at the airport with borrowed coats and boots, hoping something would fit because we were coming from a tropical country and there was snow at the airport on arrival.

I remember the long car-rides to and from the airport, complete with snacks in case the children were hungry.

I remember... 

And I am grateful.

Grateful for their support.

Grateful that they never made it difficult for us to leave 

and always welcomed our return.

Grateful for the lessons they taught me about letting go.

Grateful for their trust in a Sovereign God who watched over each of us wherever we went.

Grateful that the same God watches over each of my own dear ones whether they cross country or cross oceans.

Grateful that He is here with me, too.

“If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

    if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,

    your right hand will hold me fast.”

Psalm139:9-10