It’s Friday. The disciples are shocked, scattered, and shattered. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. They thought there was a future, a plan. They risked everything they had to follow Jesus. Now that plan is destroyed. Terrified, they wonder what is next. Will the Roman soldiers be coming for them?
We have all had our Fridays. A midnight phone call, a pink slip at work, a bad diagnosis, an “I don’t love you any more.” We are devastated. Brokenhearted. This is not the way it is supposed to be! We had a plan, we were all in, and now that plan is in pieces. We wonder if there is another shoe to drop.
It’s Saturday. The disciples are in pain. Mary must have been in agony. Still in shock, they are constrained by the laws of what might be their last Sabbath Saturday. They cannot even care for the body of their Lord. And God seems silent.
After devastating life events, we too experience those dark Saturdays. Caught between the familiarities of what were our lives only a few days ago, we are now in uncharted territory. We don’t know what to do. We are spent and exhausted. We can’t even imagine moving forward. And God seems silent.
It’s Sunday! He is risen! His disciples wonder if it could possibly be true. Everything changes. There is now hope and a future. They get a new plan, and gradually they understand that this was the plan all along. They get new marching orders. They rejoice and sing a new song.
We finally get a Sunday. That which was dead comes to life again. We discover that we can move forward and put one foot in front of the other. We don’t go back to where we were, but we get a different kind of good, one that we could never imagine. God gives us a new plan and a new direction, one that we slowly realize as our destiny from the beginning. We get a new purpose. We can actually be happy again.
Spring seems to bring a round of special occasions and invitations. There are weddings, showers, graduations, and other events that take place before many of us disperse for summer. In our family, we have a round of birthdays coming up, but come to think of it, every month is birthday month in our big family. You may be receiving invitations to one event or another every week. But I wonder if you have ever been uninvited?
Have you ever heard about a party or special event and wondered, “Why wasn’t I included?” You may wonder why you are not an A-lister or part of the in crowd. Why are you left out? Maybe you are the wrong color or gender; maybe you wear the wrong clothes, or don’t live in the right neighborhood or drive the right car. And the big lie you believe: “You are not good enough!” If you buy into that lie, I wonder if you have ever worn yourself out trying to get good enough. It’s exhausting.
I was thinking about these things this morning, Good Friday. It is always the heaviest, hardest day of the year for me as I remember how Jesus suffered. But in many ways it is the best day of the year. I guess that is why it is Good Friday. Because of today I am invited to a party like no other. John writes about it in the Book of Revelation. I can’t think of enough superlatives to describe it, so I will compare it to another big event that is coming up. And no, I am definitely not invited to this one! In a few weeks the world is going to witness the big elaborate coronation of King Charles. England will pull out all her jewels and pageantry. But it will pale in comparison to the coronation of King Jesus. I am invited! And my invitation came because of Good Friday.
In every other religion I can think of, man has to work himself up to a god. Keep enough laws, do enough good things, stay away from all the “don’ts” and then maybe, he will be good enough to reach his god or whatever form of peaceful place he has imagined. Christianity is the only religion (and I hate that word) where God comes down to man. God says, and I paraphrase, you can’t get good enough to reach me; you can’t do enough good things to be in relationship (better word) with me. You are separated from me because you are sinful and I am holy. So I will come down to you. I will come in the form of a human, live a sinless life, and suffer and die on a cross to pay for your sins. I will make a way, and it is the only way because without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin (Heb. 9:22). And not only that, I am going to conquer death by rising from the grave and going back to Heaven to prepare a place for you.
Here is the invitation: “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends” (Rev. 3:20). You may be wondering how to RSVP to your invitation. All you must do is agree with God that you are a sinner, believe that Christ died for your sins and ask for forgiveness. Then turn away from your sins. If you would like to open your heart to Jesus on this Good Friday, you can pray something like this. The words are not what are important; it is the attitude of your heart.
Lord, I confess to you that I am a sinner.I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe that He died for my sin and that you raised Him to life. I want to trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord, from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do your will.
If you have ever traveled with me you know that I am not a light packer. I like to be prepared for every possible occasion, so this might mean five pairs of shoes, multiple outfits per day and lots of makeup and hair products. Making decisions about what to pack overwhelms me, so I end up packing way more than I need. Or use. I have just never mastered the travel system of three black pieces and a few accessories. One time I got to Rome and discovered that my luggage was lost. No change of clothes for three days! I’m not going to let that happen again, so I bought a new carry-on that can hold enough for a couple of days.
I’ve always called myself a “more is more” kind of girl. I like stuff and I have a lot of it. Now I am trying to let go of some of my things and it’s a struggle. A few years ago, when I was enthralled with Downton Abbey, I began collecting china teacups. I was excited to find some of the patterns that I saw on the show, but now I wish I never started. Those pretty teacups are taking up valuable real estate in my china cabinet. And I never use them.
By now you may be wondering where I am going with all of this. I don’t know about you, but I have found it hard to tear myself away from the drama in Ukraine that is playing out before our eyes. I almost feel guilty for going about my daily routine when there is so much suffering on the other side of the world. I watch the people, cold and hungry, sometimes walking for miles, while carrying babies and dragging a suitcase. One suitcase! What do they put in that one single suitcase?
I ask myself what I would pack in that situation. What things would be the most essential? I would probably pack a change of clothes, something sensible and warm. I would not be concerned about having just the right outfit; warm and dry would do. What else? I would probably include essential paperwork and documentation and cash, if I had any. Medications would be more important than mascara. Since my electronic gadgets have become so important to me I would pack a cell phone charger and pray for cell service and Internet. I would really like to take my laptop, but that might need to be left behind. And a Bible. I saw one man on television whose home was destroyed and he was crying over his lost Bible. I get it. I would hate to go through a war without a Bible.
A war (even watching one from afar) causes one to re-examine one’s priorities. What are the things that matter? These people in Ukraine are going to lose every earthly possession. It looks like there will be nothing left even if they are able to return. They will lose their houses and all the contents, things they may have spent a lifetime acquiring. Their cars have been blown up as well a their businesses and schools. And those things are not trivial. I think about family photos and mementos and little trinkets that children have made. Some people must leave their pets. And many are leaving behind precious loved ones, men of fighting age and those who are too old or ill to make the treacherous journey.
So what are my essential things? My family and friends, my two dogs, and some form of Bible. My thing that is most precious to me is the one thing that can never be taken away, even if I lose my life: my relationship with Jesus. That is the most practical thing I can ever pack. It never gets old, worn out, or depleted. It doesn’t take up any space, it is suitable for every eventuality, and it can never be lost or stolen. And if I don’t have a Bible? I would hate that, but I have spent years hiding God’s word in my heart. As I watched that man who was grieving over his lost Bible, my thought was, “Now it is your turn to be a living Bible to those around you.”
May America never experience what we are watching on television. And may God bless all those impacted by this terrible war.
“ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38-39.
In my previous blog I wrote about Cooper Kupp, the LA Rams wider receiver who went from being a zero-star college recruit to Super Bowl 56 MVP. But there is more to the story of this remarkable man. In 2019 the Rams lost Super Bowl 53 to the New England Patriots. The score was an embarrassing 13-3. Kupp had to watch helplessly from the sidelines due to a torn ACL, but he was just as devastated as his teammates as they walked off the field in defeat. But then something happened
Kupp says as he was walking off the field toward the tunnel something caused him to turn around. In that moment God gave him a vision: the Rams would come back somehow and win a Super Bowl, and Kupp would walk off the field as the MVP. He kept this vision mostly to himself, revealing it only with his wife, because obviously this was not the type of thing you could go around sharing. People would think you were nuts! Or a braggart. But when he talks about it today he gets choked up, giving all the glory to God. He says he saw it as clear as day. And when this postseason began, Kupp says he began to play differently. He believed. “It was written already and I just got to play free, knowing that I got to play from victory, not for victory.”
I got to play from victory. I have been thinking about that statement for days. What would it be like if we lived our lives from victory and why don’t we? Because if we are Christians, if we really believe what God has revealed to us in His word, then we know that Jesus has already won, and we get to share in His victory. What if we didn’t worry about all the millions of things we humans worry about, and just did our best, knowing that we are assured of victory?
Now just because God gave Kupp a vision of winning didn’t mean it was going to be a piece of cake. There would be setbacks, busted plays, tackles, sacks, and plays that didn’t work. The opponents would score some points. And there would be some hard hits with bruised and sore bodies the next day. And that is just like life. Even if you are a Christian, even if you believe and trust God and His word, you are going to take some hits. You may lose ground, get bad calls, and have to endure trash talk. We are not immune to the sufferings of this life, and we will all experience difficulties and loss. But playing from victory means we are able to live with the end in view no matter what hardships life gives us.
It may look hopeless sometimes; the Rams were behind with only six minutes left to play. I recently had a birthday, and all my birthdays are now big ones now. My friend Kay likes to remind me that we are in our fourth quarter. But if there is anything this football season has taught me, it is how much can be accomplished with only a few seconds left on the clock. Heck, I might even go into overtime. As Believers we do not have to be anxious or depressed about our current circumstances because we can see that scoreboard and know that ultimately we will win. And Cooper Kupp would be the first to acknowledge who the real MVP is. Jesus Christ left it all on the field for us.
Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. 1 Peter 3:18 NLT
In my last post I wrote about the spectacular fall I had at OU during a football game. It was one of my more attractive moments! Since then I have been getting some physical therapy for balance, and part of the therapy involves proprioception, that I also mentioned in my last talk. Briefly, our bodies have specialized nerve endings in our joints and muscles that send messages to the brain about the position and movement of our body parts. For example, close your eyes and extend your arm out to the side so that it is parallel to the floor. Now, with eyes still closed, bend your elbow 90 degrees toward the ceiling. You were able to do that without looking because your proprioceptors were able to tell your brain the position of your arm. Your brain was then able to move your arm properly without the benefit of sight.
Part of my balance therapy requires standing on a squishy foam board and performing movements with my feet, head, and arms with my eyes closed. These movements challenge all of my lazy balance systems at the same time. This is more difficult than you might think. Apparently balance is a “use it or lose it” mechanism. And one of the best ways to strengthen it is to confuse it by making it unstable and then removing eyesight. I can tell you…I don’t like it! I want to be on firm ground with my eyes open.
As I was performing these movements yesterday I was thinking about how much life is like that. We want to be on firm footing and to be able to see where we are going. We want to know what is ahead and figure out how we are going to handle it. When life removes our familiar supports, when things are unsteady and the future is uncertain, we don’t like it. At least I don’t. And this is where walking by faith comes into play.
Walking by faith means we trust God’s promises even when we can’t see where we are going. It means we trust in the goodness and purposes of God even though we may be going through severe and frightening trials. The Bible encourages us to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). We keep our eyes fixed on the eternal things that we cannot see now, and not on the temporary things that we can see (2 Cor. 4:18). We have hope, not hope as a wish, but hope as a secure anchor that we can trust when we are going through stormy seas.
Here is my true confession: I hate trials and I would rather not have to walk by faith. I want to be able to look ahead and see good things…many more years with my husband, happy lives for my children and grandchildren, a good report in My Chart, a lower number on my bathroom scales and a higher number in my bank account. But I often say, with all the moving parts in our large family, if everyone is at a good place…don’t breathe. Because life can change in a moment. Trials happen, and those trials require faith. And walking by faith through those trials develops my trust muscles.
This much I know: God is a good God…all the time. Even when things don’t look good, I know I can trust my good God. His purposes toward us are always for good, not only for my good, but also for His bigger plans down the road that I cannot see right now. And not only is He good, he is a way maker, and a promise keeper. He makes a path for me, and goes before me and behind me. He is my anchor.
Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters— a pathway no one knew was there!Psalm 77:19 NLT
Most dogs are loyal, and my Max and Ruby are no exception. They are my constant companions. As I write these words, they are right here beside me. If I leave the room, they will follow. If I go upstairs, they go upstairs; when I come down, here they come after me. And when I get comfortable to read or watch television, Max especially wants to be cuddled up with me. He takes his job of lap dog seriously. As you can see, his favorite position for a car ride is right behind my neck. There are times when I think, “Could you get any closer??”
Occasionally, Ruby will go off on her own. Usually it’s to go take a nap in a new location; she has her favorite spots. But the other night while Jerry and I were watching television I heard a strange noise coming from the bedroom. Ruby had gotten into the wastebasket and had strewn the contents all across the floor. When I found her she was happily chewing on a small piece of cardboard. She hasn’t pulled a stunt like that in a long time, and she knew she was in trouble. They both know what they are allowed to do and what is off limits. But sometimes the temptation to do what they want is too strong. When they are staying close to me they stay out of trouble.
This week our Community Bible Study focused on the 15th chapter of John, and the concept of abiding in Jesus. We had to look up the meaning of the word abide. I thought it means “to dwell” and that is actually one meaning. Another definition is “to accept or act in accordance with,” as “I will abide by your decision.” But I really like the way Rick Renner explains it in his book, Sparkling Gems from the Greek.” The Greek word for abide is meno, and it means “to stay, to remain, or continue.” It conveys the idea of being “rooted, unmoving, and stable.” The Bible tells us in 1 John 3:6 that anyone who abides in Jesus will not sin. It’s when we wander away that we get in trouble. The temptations of the world become too much for us to resist.
This problem of temptation goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden, but Jesus has given us the remedy: abide in me (John 15:4). When we abide in Jesus, He also abides in us, permanently and steadfastly. There have been times in my life when I felt that Jesus was holding onto me while I was losing my grip on Him. I guess Jesus is better at abiding than I am. But what a wonderful promise! “Remain in me and I will remain in you” (NLT). It’s like an extra layer of protection. He knows I will not be able to abide without His help, because He also tells us in the next verse that apart from Him we can do nothing. He doesn’t just issue commands and say, “Good luck!” He comes to dwell in us to help us obey His commands. What a wonderful and gracious Lord we serve.
The winter storm we have been experiencing all across the nation has led to widespread power outages. We woke up this morning thanking God for our power, and as I write these words we are still on line. But there are many who have lost power, and others whose power is unstable. We are currently sitting at a temperature of -4 degrees with a wind chill of -21. At those temps it doesn’t take long for a house to cool down. And for the homeless it is a life or death situation. It is dangerously cold! I was supposed to have an important Zoom call this morning, but others on the call have lost power, so we are changing plans. We are so reliant on power and an outage changes things quickly.
As I was thinking about the importance of power this morning, my mind shifted to spiritual power and what it is like when we lose that kind of power. In the first chapter of Acts, Jesus promised the disciples of a power that would come to them after He departed. And in the very next chapter it happened, just as Jesus said it would. The Holy Spirit came in like a rushing wind and filled them with power. This power enabled them to do the work they were called to do. Likewise, when we receive Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us and empower us, instantaneously and permanently. While we can never truly lose this power, we can, in a sense, become disconnected from it. The Bible calls this the quenching of the Spirit. It can flicker and dim, just like what some of my friends are experiencing this morning.
What would cause a power “outage” in the life of a believer? 1 Thessalonians 5 gives us some instructions. The first thing that comes to mind is sin. Disobedience. While we are secure in our salvation, we still live in a sinful world with trials and temptations. And we still have that pesky free will that often yields to temptation. That is why the apostle Paul admonished us in Romans 12 to present our bodies as a living sacrifice (not giving in to the temptations of the flesh). He went on to tell us that we are not to follow the behaviors and customs of the world. Instead we are to let God transform the way we think.
And that brings me to the second reason we might lose our power: we neglect God’s word. For me, this is where that transformation of thought occurs. Where I have my “aha” moments. I need to think God’s thoughts and see the world through His eyes. The only way I can do this is through studying the Scriptures. The bible is where God reveals His heart to me, where He tells me how He sees others and me. In order to put on the mind of Christ we must know the mind of Christ. God’s word guides me. David said, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” Ps. 119:105 NLT. There is nothing like a power outage to revel how much we need light!
The other way we can lose our power is through prayerlessness. Prayer is where I meet with God and get my spiritual batteries charged. Oh, the mistakes I have made when I have gone off alone without consulting God. My car is not going to get out of the garage unless it has gas in the tank. When I run low on gas, it is time to get to Quiktrip and fill my tank. In the same way, Christians will soon venture off God’s path and run out of spiritual gas without the constant filling of the Spirit we receive through prayer. I’ve heard it said that power failures are prayer failures.
Finally (and this might have gone first), is pride. When we start getting real with God we will see what a problem pride is and how it keeps us from being all we can be in God’s kingdom. We get so full of self there is no room for the Holy Spirit. And we lose power. We are told that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5). Life is tough enough. I certainly don’t want to go up against opposition from God Almighty.
Sometimes the storms of life cause power outages, just like the winter storm we are enduring now. We need to be prepared because storms are inevitable. Confession of sin, Bible study, prayer, and humility all serve as backup generators for the sudden storms of life. I must always be on guard against the things that disconnect me from God’s power and I must continually rely on His grace.
Thank you, Lord for the gift of your Holy Spirit. Please give me the grace to stay connected to you.
We had an unpleasant incident in the back yard a few weeks ago and I am left with an image I can’t erase from my mind. Before I relate what happened, I need to remind you of our ongoing battle with squirrels. While I still think they are fun to watch as long as they stay away from my house, they have caused so much damage that I feel like I am at war with a cute, furry enemy. I understand they are just doing what squirrels do and I really would like to peacefully coexist with them, but they are continually tearing up the cushions on my patio furniture in order to line their nests with the stuffing. Pretty smart, but costly to me! When they are not doing that they are trying to find ways to chew their way into my attic or antagonize my dogs. As a matter of fact, Max and Ruby are sitting on the back of the sofa next to me, barking loudly at a squirrel who is sitting about a foot away, separated by a window. I think the squirrel is laughing.
And this is where the story begins. Max and Ruby have chased the squirrels since they were puppies. I have always just laughed at it because those squirrels are way too fast and too smart. Ruby especially pursues them. As you can see from the picture, she has a long vertical leap and would climb the tree if she could! Whenever I let the dogs out, she runs for that tree hoping to chase a squirrel.
A few weeks ago when I let the dogs out, I watched Ruby run for the tree as usual. Then I heard the scream! I didn’t know a squirrel could make that noise, but I instantly knew what happened. At first it looked like Ruby had nipped its tail, and I thought it would get away as it continued to climb. But then it dropped to the ground. I quickly screamed for Jerry to come out. Max was barking and Ruby was shaking the squirrel like a rag doll. Miraculously both dogs remembered the commands, ”Drop,” and “Leave it!”
The next part is the part that haunts me. I stood over the squirrel, waiting for Jerry to come and do something, watching it gasp for breath. As it did, its eyes looked right into mine. I remember thinking, “This shouldn’t be.” Even as I stood there I recalled the verse from Matthew,
What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. Mt. 10:29 NLT
I saw the dying squirrel and so did God. I wonder if He too thought, “This shouldn’t be.” As I have ruminated over this incident, I keep going back to the Garden of Eden. The world was perfect. There was no death, no killing between the species and no murderous intent between humans. There was no COVID, no riots, no dirty politics, no anger, and no hatred. You know the rest of the story. Satan came into the garden, and humans began doing what humans do. They disobeyed God and sin came into the world, and with sin, death. Before you put too much blame on Adam and Eve, let me tell you something I know to be true. I would not have done better. That forbidden fruit, those lies from Satan…they would have gotten to me too.
Sin and death. We have seen and experienced so much of it these last months. How blessed we are that God provided a remedy when He sent His Son to earth to pay the price for our sins. If we accept this payment, we gain eternal life. When our earthly life is over we just slip into our heavenly life. Romans 6:23 tells us that the payment for sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ.
The things I see on the nightly news? They shouldn’t be. And they grieve the heart of God. If he cares about a sparrow (or a squirrel) that falls to the ground, how much more does He care about our human condition? His answer? Repentance. That’s a churchy word that means we agree with God that we are sinners, we ask for forgiveness and accept the sacrifice of Christ as payment for our sins, and we turn away from sin and follow Jesus.
Repentance is the only remedy I can see for our country. It will not come from a president or any elected official. It will not come from Wall Street, our universities, or our entertainment industry. It can come only from God. I invite you to join me in prayer, for both personal and national repentance, asking God to send a new Great Awakening.
Lord, we are a nation in trouble. The blessings we have enjoyed have come to us not from our own goodness or superior wisdom, but solely because of your grace. We have turned our backs on you and followed our own desires. We have gone after that forbidden fruit, and it has left us broken and dying. These things should not be. Please forgive our land. Return us to you. Heal us and help us to fulfill our destiny as a nation. We ask and believe in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Anyone want a refund on those black-eyed peas yet? We are only one week into 2021 and already we need a do-over! It feels like we have already made a wrong turn and have ended up right back into 2020. It is hard to believe the events of the last few days. This is the year things were supposed to get better. If we could just endure 2020, make it to the finish line, turn the calendar over on January 1, things would be better, right? And yet here we are with the brokenness of our world smacking us right in the face every time we turn on the television or pick up a newspaper. Many of us have been praying for a revival, a new Great Awakening, but the world seems more sinful than ever. Where is God when the world seems so dark? Did we miss His directions?
First of all, God is not bound by our human calendar. He operates on His own timetable and the fact that our calendar has flipped over to a new year does not obligate Him to anything. Secondly, God has His own agenda, His own plan. If you read the Bible all the way through (and I strongly recommend that you do), you will see that God is moving all of history toward an end to this world. I am not saying the end is today. People have thought that we are in the last days ever since Jesus ascended to heaven, and we are. There is no doubt that we are getting closer to the end of human history.
In my last post, I shared a verse of scripture that has really spoken to me in these early days of 2021:
Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters— a pathway no one knew was there!Ps. 77:19 NLT
Every year I ask the Lord to give me a verse or a word for the year. I have been trying to hear from Him and settle in on what He is speaking to me. The scriptures that have jumped off the page at me are ones that contain the word “path” or “way” or “pathway” so I have settled on “path,” understanding that it contains the meanings of all three words. I am loving the idea of Jesus as a way maker, the One who creates a path. When we think there are no good options, he shows us a way we have never considered.
Jesus tells us that He is the way (John 14:6), and we understand that He is speaking about the way to the Father, the way to heaven. But when someone tells you the way, there is still the journey. I might ask the way to get from Tulsa to Dallas, but I still have to make the drive. I need to know where to turn, what towns to drive through, and where the rest stops are. I need to know the road conditions. Is there construction? Bad weather? I need to stay on the path and trust that the directions will get me to my destination, even though I will drive through a long stretch of highway that doesn’t look like Dallas. If the person who gave the directions truly knows the way, I can trust the drive.
So that is where we are now. We are beginning our journey through 2021, without much of a road map, but the One who created the road has the directions. He knows the path. We may not know what is ahead, what will happen next week or next month, but He knows. He will show us the way, where to turn, where to stop. And when it looks like we are at a dead end, when we are out of options, He will show us a way; a way we never knew was there.
Fasten your seat belts! The road ahead may be bumpy!
Today is New Year’s Eve and we stand at an intersection between a year we never want to experience again and a year of unknowns. We will remember 2020 as a year that would be hard to believe had we not lived through it. Think about where you were this time last year, what you were thinking and feeling. I think most of us go into a new year with hope and optimism. This is the year I will—-you fill in the blank. I will lose weight, find a new job, read through the Bible, run a 5K, find love. Most of us set off on January 1 with goals, hopes and dreams. We kiss our loved ones, watch fireworks and drink a toast to send off the old and welcome the new. Never at this time last year could we imagine a pandemic was on our doorstep.
As I have thought back over the events of 2020, I think the most amazing thing that happened was the shutdown. The entire world stopped, became silent. Commerce came to a halt. Doors were shut and locked, even church doors. There was no traffic on the street or in the air. It was strangely quiet. Can we just stop and look at that one aspect of 2020, the global shutdown? What a remarkable event! I do not know of another time in history when something of this magnitude happened except the Great Flood of Noah’s day (yes, I believe that really happened). God silenced us, put us in time out. People, WHAT does God have to do to get our attention?
I won’t rehearse all the other hardships and sadnesses of 2020. We all lived through them. But before we completely close the book on 2020, I wonder if you have questioned why, of all the times in history, you are living now, during this remarkable, unprecedented time. It is a question worthy of taking to the Lord, because He tells us in Psalm 139 that He ordained every day of our lives before we were even conceived. So what is His purpose for us, to be living during these extraordinary days?
That question brings me right back to New Year’s Eve. What is His purpose for you and for me as we cross into 2021? What will we be facing? I want to share a verse with you, a verse I found the other day that really spoke to me:
Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters— a pathway no one knew was there! Ps. 77:19 NLT
I think some context is important here. The psalmist is referring to the events in the Book of Exodus, when the children of Israel stood facing the waves of the Red Sea with the army of Egypt bearing down hard on them from behind. God was about to provide a path for them to cross over, a path no one would have ever dreamed could exist.
Like the children of Israel, we too are standing at a precipice. The year 2020 is at our rear, and no one wants to go back to that! But the uncertainty of 2021 lies ahead. We thought things would be better by now. We thought life would be more normal, that this terrible virus would have run its course, that all the unrest of a contentious election would be settled. These are our choices: the Egyptian army of 2020 and the Red Sea of 2021. But God.
God has a pathway, a way we have not seen before, a secret way no one knows about. Today, in these final hours of 2020, will you ask God to show you the path He has for you? And if you do not know God, I urge you with every fiber of my being to invite Him into your life to show you the path. You might wonder how to do that. It is simple, but profound. You agree with God that you are a sinner (we all are), you confess those sins and turn away from them and ask Jesus to forgive you and come into your life to guide you. I would not want to go into 2021 without Him.
Jesus, I believe You are God and You died on the cross in my place because of my sin. Please come into my life, forgive my sin, and make me a member of your family. I turn from going my own way. I want You to be the center of my life. Thank You for Your gift of a forever relationship with you and for Your Holy Spirit, who now comes to live in me. I ask this in Your name. Amen.
bytesfromababyboomer.com 