More than a Declaration

Near the end of his life, Joshua gave a farewell address to the people of Israel. You can read it for yourself in Joshua chapters 23, 24. He reminded them that God had been fighting FOR them. He challenged them to:

Cling to the Lord.

Love the Lord.
Fear the Lord.
Serve the Lord.
Choose Him.
Obey Him.
Incline their hearts to Him.

Loving God is ACTIVE, not passive.

It involves choosing,
Following,
Serving,
Obeying,
Fearing,
Turning away from things of the world that distract us from Him,
Turning to Him in wholehearted adoration and worship.

To love God is more than just a decision or a declaration or a profession.

It is a putting OFF and a putting ON,
A turning FROM and a turning TO,
Running the race in pursuit of the goal,
Giving one’s life in the service of the Master,
Choosing His way over my way,
His thoughts over my thoughts,
His way over my will,
His Word over the world.
It is choosing THIS day and EVERY DAY to serve Him,
To choose life – HIS life,

Father God,

This day, today I again choose You!
Help me make choices that honor you.
Keep me from being distracted by anything that would draw me away from your will for me today.
Amen.

One Day at a Time

In a recent radio broadcast Dr. David Jeremiah was teaching about the prophet, Elijah. In the course of the message he said, “If God gave the widow a full barrel of flour (enough to last through the famine) she would learn to trust in the barrel instead of in God.” (You can find the details of the miracle in 1 Kings 17:8-16)

 

This brought to my mind these lyrics by Marijohn Wilkin, 1974 

“One Day at a time, Sweet Jesus, that’s all I’m asking of you.

Just give me the strength to do every day what I have to do.

Yesterday’s gone, Sweet Jesus, and tomorrow may never be mine,

Lord, help me today, show me the way, one day at a time.” 

Or how about this classic hymn, written by Swedish hymnist Lina Sandell Berg (1832-1903)

“Day by day and with each passing moment

Strength I find to meet my trials here.
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best,
Lovingly it’s part of pain and pleasure
Mingling toil with peace and rest.”

The widow in the Bible did not get a full barrel of flour. What she did get was strength for each day

– one day at a time! But she only received the strength and the nourishment when each day she went to the pantry and dipped into the barrel.

 So we are promised strength for each day. But we need to go to the source daily to receive from His abundance exactly what is needed. Grace, direction, inspiration, forgiveness, comfort, mercy – whatever the need He provides! When I try to manage on my own, to conjure up my own solution, I go away hungry, weak and unsatisfied.

Father,

Forgive me for those times I doubt your provision and think I can manage on my own.
Help me each day to drink from the water of your Word,
to feast on the meat of the Word
and to rely on Your provision and strength for each day –
one day at a time.
Amen

Special Fathers

On this Fathers’ Day I pay tribute to some special fathers. 

• To my own Father, William B. Haken, who shaped my life in amazing ways. He taught me so much about living unselfishly and working hard. He loved God, Mother, family and others. He took care of many others often going above and beyond to be available to those in need. His counsel was wise and his teaching inspired. He lived out the words of Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men.” God took him early, age 68, and I still miss him.
• To my Father-in-law, Clyde Cowles, without whom I would not have my wonderful husband of (almost) 44 years. God took him at the age of 56 so we did not have much time together, but I am eternally grateful to him and still very much in love with his son, Peter.
• To my husband, Pete. You swept me off my feet and took me on a world of adventure – to live in Chicago, Tennessee, Nigeria, Kenya, PA and Kansas – and to travels in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and coast to coast in the United States. You taught our children so much about life and hard work. You led our family with faithfulness, steadfastness and firm resolve. You stayed true to your values and instilled them in your children. I could have no better father for our children.
• And a special tribute to Peter, Tim and Markus, the fathers of our seven grandchildren. You are showing your children what it means to be loving fathers and faithful husbands, men of integrity who work hard and are loyal to God and to your family. One day your sons will be honorable young men and your daughters will know what to look for in a man because of your examples. I am so proud of each of you and grateful that we are family. 

So Happy Fathers’ Day to each of these special men! I am so grateful that God put you into my life and into my heart. You are loved.

The Gift of Mom

I thank God for the gift of my Mom.

Her love for Him and her obedience to His Word are forever an example to me

of a woman who walked with God.

She was independent yet submitted to the leadership of our Dad

because she trusted God to guide him.

She was strong, yet yielding and flexible.

Her life was marked by honesty and integrity.

Generosity and hospitality touched those in her sphere of influence.

She was faithful and loyal to God, family, friends and country.

She was stoic and brave, bold yet kind.

And she loved us fiercely,

     supported us unselfishly,

          disciplined us kindly

               and taught us Biblically.

Her life inspired, motivated and encouraged me to be who I am.

In the years she's been gone I think of her often... 

and miss her always.

In the 3 week period which includes the day of her passing, her birthday, and Mothers' Day

I reflect on the woman she was

and I thank God for blessing me with her.

I love you, Mom. 

Glorious Day

Yesterday was a cloudy, gloomy, blustery, cold and oppressive sort of day.

Seems like there have been a lot of them lately.

I miss the SUN. 

But today! What a difference!

It’s a clear, bright day without a cloud in the sky.

Sunlight is streaming through the windows.

The air is crisp, still, peaceful, calm.

Even the colors seem more vivid.

I feel my spirits lifting even as I type these words.

I got to thinking about what a difference a day makes.

And I thought of Heaven.

This world we are living in is like living in a fog -

oppressive, gloomy and gray, blurry and indistinct.

But one day!

Oh! On that day,

When we see Jesus,

the difference will be astonishing,

everything will become clear -

colors brighter, distinct, glorious

and shining with the radiance of the SON!  

“For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face. Now we know in part, but then we shall know even as we are known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12 

 "What A Day That Will Be"  - by Jim Hill.

There is coming a day when no heartaches shall come

No more clouds in the sky, no more tears to dim the eye

All is peace forevermore on that happy golden shore,

What a day, glorious day that will be!

What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see,

And I look upon His face, the One who saved me by His grace;

When He takes me by the hand and leads me through the Promised Land

What a day, glorious day that will be!

There'll be no sorrow there, no more burdens to bear,

No more sickness, no pain, no more parting over there;

And forever I will be with the One who died for me,

What a day, glorious day that will be!

When that day comes, I know where I’ll be.

And up there, friends, the SON is always shining!

Blessings,

Ruth 🎔

LIFE

 Signs of LIFE greet us as trees bud and Spring flowers lift their heads skyward.                          

This time of year is always welcome after the cold stark winter weather.

LIFE

A beautiful word! 

Living
Invigorating
Fulfilling
Energizing
LIFE

It feels good to get out into the garden and clear away the dead remnants of the winter, to prepare the soil for the emergence of new growth, to plant and water and watch.

But so many people are walking around with dead barrenness of the soul, when they could be experiencing LIFE!

This is the message of Easter! Jesus died and rose again so that we could have LIFE, and have it more abundantly! (John 10:10) He came to make us ALIVE when we were dead in trespasses and sins. (Ephesians 2:1) At the tomb of Lazarus Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the LIFE. He who believes in Me, though he may die, yet shall he LIVE.” (John 11:25) And in the words of the most well-known of all Scriptures John writes, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting LIFE.” (John 3:15). “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal LIFE through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 3:23) From His death on the cross, and the power of the resurrection comes the hope of eternal LIFE. And it’s all because of Jesus!

It’s a choice. This Easter choose LIFE!

Pass it On

“… and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.” (Judges 2:10) 

Joshua, leader of Israel, and all his generation died. And the next generation did not know the Lord or even what He had done for them!  

Astonishing, isn’t it?  Why didn’t they know? 

They degenerated into a nation where everyone “did what was right in his own eyes.” They forsook God, bowed down to the gods around them, and so angered the Lord that He turned His hand against them “so that they could no longer stand against their enemies.” (Judges 2:11-15) 

Joshua had told them to pass the stories down. He established memorials as reminders so that when the children would ask questions the parents would tell them about the Lord. (Joshua 4:4-7; 20-24).The people said they would serve the Lord and live in obedience to Him, and Joshua set up another memorial as a visual reminder of their commitment. (Joshua 24:14-24) 

So why didn’t their children know? 

Had they not passed down the stories of their ancestors’ miraculous delivery from Egypt, the Red Sea crossing, the manna and water by which God nourished the travelers, His protection along the journey? Had the younger generation not heard how the walls of Jericho fell or that the Jordan River stopped flowing long enough for their fathers to cross over? 

Who dropped the ball? Who stopped telling? 

And now, today, we see what is happening around us and we wonder why God is not revered and worshiped - why there is such a humanistic, self-reliant, godless philosophy pervading every aspect of society – why Christianity and Biblical principles are foreign, even offensive, to the next generation. 

When did we stop telling our children what God did in our own lives? Why did we allow the memorials to be taken down, the Bible to be thrown out, and God removed from our institutions of government and higher learning? When did we become so busy living that we stopped teaching the true life lessons? 

Another generation has arisen who “does not know the Lord nor yet the work which He had done” and perhaps that fault lay with us. Is it too late?

Pass on the stories of God’s deliverance. Give hope to the despairing. Comfort the sorrowing. Point them to Jesus and never ever stop telling the next generation the wonderful works of the Lord. 

 “Things we have heard and known things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.” Psalm 78:3-4

Thanks, Mom.

This morning as I drove to meet friends for a birthday breakfast I found myself thinking about my mom. On birthdays we should remember and celebrate the mother who carried us, then brought us into the world at great pains to herself.

And we should be thankful.  

I thought about the sacrifices mom made, the love she gave, and the lessons she taught. Some of those lessons I didn’t fully appreciate until many birthdays had passed.

I remembered how strange it was the last couple years that she didn’t even know when my birthday was! And how I felt those last months when it was my turn to care for her right up until the moment she took her last breath and met her Savior face to face.

I would do it all over again.

Today I miss her.  

And I thank God for her.

I wish I could tell her.

But somehow I think she knows.  

Face to Face

On Christmas day, 2017, a former co-worker met her Savior face to face.
It had to have been a joyous moment –
seeing the One who died for her so her sins could be forgiven,
the One who had gone to prepare a place for her.
She is experiencing what we someday hope to experience -
leaving behind her fears and failings, her disappointments, her work, her sickness and pain.
For her there is no more political instability, economic uncertainty, or threat of religious persecution. There is joy, peace, rest and delightful reunions with loved ones who passed on before her.
She worships at the throne of the One whose love never fails.

But for those who remain behind the place will not be same.
Every absence of a loved one leaves a void, a gap we can return to time and time again to remember, to mourn, to laugh, to reflect, to love.
Did we sometimes have different opinions about projects and procedures? Absolutely!
Did we sometimes disagree? You betcha!
But those times are forgotten and insignificant in light of the loss of a friend, a beloved peer.

So, entering into 2018 I take these thoughts with me:

1. Be present in the moment. We don’t know how many moments there will be.
2. Love those around me while overlooking petty differences.
3. Be a blessing to those whose lives intersect with mine.
4. Spend time with each other.
5. Do the important things.
6. Finish well.

Teena, you were loved and you will be missed, until we, too, see Him face to face.
We were blessed to know you.

The hymnwriter, Carrie E. Breck, expressed her thoughts this way:
in the hymn entitled, Face to Face, (1898).

Face to face with Christ, my Savior,
Face to face—what will it be,
When with rapture I behold Him,
Jesus Christ who died for me?
    
Refrain:
Face to face I shall behold Him,
Far beyond the starry sky;
Face to face in all His glory,
I shall see Him by and by!

What rejoicing in His presence,
When are banished grief and pain;
Death is swallowed up in vict’ry,
And the dark things shall be plain.

Face to face—oh, blissful moment!
Face to face—to see and know;
Face to face with my Redeemer,
Jesus Christ who loves me so.

Good News to ALL the People

The Good News is for everyone.
not for an exclusive few,
or those who feel superior 
or deserving
or hold prominent positions
or have particular conditions,
not for a certain strata of society 
or ethnicity
or nationality.
The good news is for the down-trodden and destitute,
for the uplifted and ambitious,
the rich
and the poor,
the young
and the old,
and the in-between.
The angel said, "Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord!" Luke 2:10, 11.
Good News!
A Savior!
The Apostle Paul further explained the Good News:"Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
"And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago." Ephesians 1:13
A Savior! 
Good News! The GREATEST News!
We need not struggle to save ourselves.
Long before we were born, Jesus, The Son of God, came "to seek and to save the lost."  Luke 19:10
And THAT Good News is for everyone!

GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY!

The Angel brought it.

“And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.” Luke 1:30-31 

Mary accepted it.

“And Mary said, ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.’” Luke 1:38

Joseph believed it.

“' Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.  And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.'
Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:  And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.” Matthew 1:20-25

Shepherds confirmed it.

And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, 'Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.' And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.” Luke 2:10-15

Fear not!

We need to hear  these same words today. As crisis looms, tragedies abound, war threatens, nations are divided and relationships fractured…

“Fear not!” 

To quote Simeon, a wise elderly man from the temple in Jerusalem, “Lord…mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.” Luke 2:29-32

Fear not! Salvation has come! His name is Jesus!

Am I bored yet?

So what HAVE I been doing in retirement?
It's hard to believe that I started on this new journey over 3 years ago,
But I did.
And it has been good -
And enlightening.
Have I been bored you asked?
God has given me ongoing opportunities to teach Bible classes (which I love),
To enjoy time with friends and family (which I also love!)
And to work on projects such as these:

Several other writing projects are in the works. My typing fingers are itching to get to them!

We have had the privilege of caring for Pete's mother who will be celebrate her 90th birthday in January. Since moving her here in February we have been helping her adjust to her new life in Kansas.

So... No,
I'm not bored yet and don't plan to be anytime in the near future.
What I AM is a child of God,
Grateful to belong to Him,
and rejoicing in the strength He gives!

Love,
Ruth