a beautiful sight

Posted on by Grace Day

Some images stay with me longer than others. Some are etched forever in my mind and maybe in my heart as well. Maybe it’s because some occurrences are outside of the expected or the ordinary and that makes them unforgettable. At any rate, some recent baptisms at my church brought back to my mind the picture of a past baptism that I was privileged to witness. All baptisms are special and deeply personal, so why do I still recall this particular one? Well, this will take some explaining.

In my more than one-hundred years-old church sanctuary, there is no baptistry. In those days, as in Jesus’s day, baptisms probably took place in lakes or in rivers. Today, most modern churches have baptistries, eliminating the need to seek out rivers or lakes for this purpose. However, not being a modern church, we use a huge, and I do mean huge, washtub filled with water in which to baptize people. The person being baptized kneels or stands in the tub and the person performing the baptism stands next to them but outside the tub, reaching over to lower the person being baptized beneath the water and then raise them back up again. Maybe not as scenic as being baptized in a river nor as easy and convenient as in a modern baptistry, but these washtub baptisms are just as sacred and inspiring as any baptism anywhere in the world.

Still, there is one baptism that stands out to me not only because of the beautiful picture of God’s love for each of us that baptism vividly portrays, but also because this particular person faced a most unusual challenge to being baptized. The individual being baptized was wearing an ankle monitor. He had been released from prison, but conditionally. That is to say, he was not fully released. He had not completely paid his debt to society according to the law.

This is the reason he wore the large black device around his ankle. His movements were restricted and his whereabouts had to be monitored twenty-four/seven. He was serving the remainder of his sentence outside of prison rather than in prison. The electronic ankle monitor was a reminder to him (and to everyone else) that he was not yet fully free. This ankle monitor was a constant visual sign to strangers and friends alike that this person is a criminal, one who has been convicted of a crime. (whether the label is deserved or undeserved is an unknown)

Anyway, can you imagine the challenge the ankle monitor presented for this person desiring to be baptized? This electronic monitor cannot get wet. At all. Not under any circumstances. But this person desired to be baptized. He wanted to follow Christ’s example, and he didn’t want to put off his baptism to a more convenient time or to some unknown time in his uncertain future. Maybe he was taking to heart these words –

“I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)

or maybe this admonition –

“Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 4:7)

or maybe he had heard the story of the Ethiopian eunuch –

“Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ Philip asked. ‘How can I,’ he said, ‘unless someone explains it to me?’ . . . Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, ‘Look here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?’ And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.” (Acts 8:36-38)

and knowing this story, once he knew and believed “the good news about Jesus”, he must have asked the same question as the eunuch – “Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” He was determined to show publicly what he had decided privately – that he was going to follow Jesus. And nothing was going to stop him, not even the inconvenience of an ankle monitor. He determined to follow Jesus in baptism and I was witness to his testimony that day along with many others.

What did it look like? How did he get baptized and keep his ankle monitor dry? It was an extraordinary feat. With help from men on both sides of the washtub, they lowered him beneath the water while his leg with the ankle monitor remained above the water, his foot propped up against the side of the washtub. At one point, all that was visible of him was his lower leg sticking up above the water with the ankle monitor securely in place above his foot. Then the rest of his body emerged from under the water as he was pulled upright, setting his dry foot on the ground outside the tub. Success!

We had just witnessed the miracle that baptism symbolizes – forgiveness of sins – new life – a fresh start. The person just baptized may not have received a clean slate or a pardon from local law enforcement (hence the ankle monitor remained) BUT he had chosen to take God up on His Word and he was no longer condemned in God’s sight.

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2)

His new life had already started, even though he was still serving his court ordered probation.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

“We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.” (Romans 6:4-7)

This man was now free – despite the continued presence of the ankle monitor. He had God’s promise –

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

“the Son”, Jesus, had indeed forgiven him and set him free

sincerely, Grace Day

game over?

Posted on by Grace Day

“It is finished.” Those were Jesus’s last words, spoken as He hung on the cross. John records the event for us saying –

“Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’s lips. When He had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” (John 19:28-30)

I need to be clear, however. These were not Jesus’s last words – just His last words spoken from the cross upon which He hung. Contrary to all appearances, Jesus was not finished. Nor did Jesus say, “I am finished.” He said, “It is finished.” What was it? It was Jesus’s rescue mission. The purpose for which Jesus had come in the first place was now accomplished. Jesus came to make a way where there had been no way. Jesus made a way for you and for me to be rescued and to be reconciled to our Creator, God. There had been no way – until Jesus came. Jesus not only made a way for us – Jesus is the way for us. Jesus Himself said this –

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ ” (John 14:6)

On the cross, when Jesus took His last breath, “bowed His head and gave up His spirit” His followers surely thought this was “game over.” Jesus was buried in a tomb cut in the rock and that seemed to be the end. Except that it wasn’t. Three days later that tomb was empty and Jesus spent the next forty days hanging out with His disciples and others, reassuring and instructing them before His ascension into heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for you and for me.

Jesus’s followers learned an important truth the day Jesus rose from the dead and was once again spending time with them. They learned that with Jesus it is never “game over.” Why had they doubted? Did they not remember the time Jesus called Lazarus to come out of the grave, after Lazarus had been dead and in that grave for four days?

“On His arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. . . . ‘Take away the stone,’ He said. . . . So they took away the stone. . . . Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’ ” (John 11:17, 39,41-44)

Did they not remember the time Jesus brought back to life the deceased son of a widow, even though the funeral procession was already in motion, carrying his coffin to his burial sight?

“As He (Jesus) approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out – the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. . . . Then He (Jesus) went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, get up!’ The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.” (Luke 7:12-15)

Or how about the time Jesus brought a ruler’s dead daughter back to life? It wasn’t game over for this father or for his daughter. This ruler had the faith to put his hope in Jesus.

“a ruler came and knelt before Him (Jesus) and said, ‘My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.’ Jesus got up and went with him, and so did His disciples. . . . When Jesus entered the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd . . . After the crowd had been put outside, He went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.” (Matthew 9:18-19, 23-25)

With Jesus, no matter how dire the circumstance appears, it doesn’t have to be “game over.” No one should know this better than the criminal hanging on the cross next to Jesus. They were both being put to death by crucifixion. Talk about your dire circumstance. I think this qualifies. The situation was going steadily downhill. This appeared to be a circumstance completely devoid of hope, at least for the three individuals nailed to the three crosses. And yet the criminal on one side of Jesus said this –

“Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)

WHAT? Is he delusional? By all appearances, this is a “game over” situation for all three individuals nailed to their respective crosses. And yet this guy makes this wild request of Jesus. Clearly, this criminal doesn’t believe it’s “game over” for Jesus – he thinks Jesus is coming into a kingdom and not just any kingdom BUT Jesus’s own kingdom where Jesus has the power and the authority to decide who comes in and who stays out. So, because he believes it’s not “game over” for Jesus, by extension, this man has hope that maybe, just maybe, it’s not “game over” for him either. Hence, his bold, outrageous request of Jesus to “remember him” when Jesus “comes into His kingdom.” Jesus’s reply?

“Jesus answered him, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise.’ ” (Luke 23:43)

GAME ON! This criminal’s impending physical death was NOT the end. As He hung there on that cross, Jesus was literally in the process of conquering death, paying our sin price and providing eternal life for anyone and everyone who would believe on His name, believe enough to humble themselves and ask Jesus to save them from their dire circumstances, just as the man on the cross next to Jesus had done. Jesus’s reply made it clear that it was not “game over” for Himself and it was not “game over” for the man making the request of Him either.

This is good news for you and for me, dear readers. It is not “game over” for us ever, no matter what kind of circumstances we find ourselves in. Consider Job – it was looking pretty bleak for him. His friends weren’t much help and Job complained that he couldn’t even find God. But then Job says something pretty surprising given his dire circumstances, showing that even in his darkest moments, Job didn’t believe it was “game over” for him because his faith was in God. Job believed in God’s goodness, in God’s ability to right the wrong of his circumstances, in God’s promise to bring him through his trial. In the middle of devastating loss and pain, Job declared –

“But He (God) knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10)

Job did not believe it was “game over” for him, even though he had lost everything – his possessions, his children, his health. While it certainly looked like there was no coming back from these losses, Job held out hope because of his faith in God. With God it never has to be “game over.” Consider what Jesus said –

“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’ ” (Matthew 19:26)

Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, reminded them of this truth – that God

“is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,” (Ephesians 3:20)

There will come a time when my (and yours too, dear reader) earthly game is over BUT – that’s not the whole game – that’s not even half time. That’s more like maybe three seconds into “the game of life” – the life that we were created for. We were created for eternity and in eternity there is no “game over” – ever! That’s pretty good news, right?

So, I can take heart when the apparent “dead end” circumstance comes into my life. It is not “game over.” With God, it will be another new beginning. My Heavenly Father will not give up on me – ever. (nor on you, either) I have His word on that.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

King David faced a lot of dead ends and dire circumstances, situations where it appeared that all was lost. However, each time, he knew it was not “game over” for him and he said this –

“Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:6)

in Christ there is no “game over” in my future nor in yours!

sincerely, Grace Day

company, courage and comfort in the chaos

Posted on by Grace Day

Ever feel overwhelmed with the demands of daily life? Ever feel unseen and unheard? Ever feel invisible and alone? Perhaps this describes the human condition in our modern world – a world where cyberspace competes with real life spaces and AI competes with reality. Too many people today feel anxious and isolated amid the chaos of these turbulent times. But it’s not just in our modern era that we humans often feel alone and overwhelmed by the chaos of events. Job experienced much chaos, loss, uncertainty, fear etc. and yet he had both comfort and hope while engulfed in chaos because Job knew God would never abandon him. In fact, when Job’s circumstances appeared hopelessly dire, Job said this –

“But He (God) knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10)

Job did not believe satan’s lie that he was unseen, unheard and alone. Job believed that God saw him, was with him and would bring him through his devastating circumstances into a better time and place. This belief was the hope that sustained Job during his season of turmoil, loss and grief. During his ordeal, Job often complained that he couldn’t find God or hear God or feel God’s presence. Job wondered aloud where God was. Yet even though Job felt he had lost track of God, Job still acknowledged that God hadn’t lost track of him, saying “But He knows the way that I take . . .”

Reminds me of what Jesus told His disciples about God’s ever vigilant watch care over each and every one of us –

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31)

The NLT translation says that a sparrow doesn’t fall to the ground “without your Father knowing it.” What a comforting, if unfathomable truth! God watches over and keeps track of all living creatures, so He is most certainly watching over you and me, especially since God created us in His very own image. God will not forget about us or lose track of us. The prophet Isaiah says this about my Heavenly Father-

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands; your walls are ever before Me.” (Isaiah 49:15-16)

When life is chaotic and I, like Job, am feeling forgotten and unseen by God, I can know that despite appearances, I am not forgotten. My name is engraved on His palms and He knows “the way that I take.”

God’s ever-present presence is my comfort and my hope amid the chaos of this world. When I feel alone, unnoticed, unseen, unheard – knowing there is One, my Heavenly Father, who is with me, who does see me, hear me and watch over me – this brings me the peace and the courage I need to weather the storm. The same is true for you, too, dear readers. God sees you, hears you, and abides with you wherever you are and wherever you go. King David knew this to be true. He wrote about his experience in this Psalm –

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will hold me fast. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to You; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You.” (Psalm 139:7-12)

and in another Psalm –

“He will not let your foot slip – He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you – the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm – He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:3-8)

Daniel’s three friends experienced God’s company, courage and comfort when they were thrown into the chaos of the king’s furnace as a punishment for their refusal to worship the king’s image of gold. God was with them in that literal furnace. He kept them company and delivered them unharmed from that chaos. They were not burned. They didn’t even smell like smoke! God’s presence surely gave them all they needed. His peace, comfort, protection, hope and courage sustained them in that life threatening environment of the furnace.

God’s presence provided the same things to the Israelites as they traveled from Egypt to their promised land. It was God’s presence that brought them safely through the chaos of the Red Sea, of their desert wanderings and the chaos of the battles that were necessary for them to fight, in order to conquer their enemies and enter into their promised land.

Today, God’s abiding presence keeps me company in the chaos, comforts me and gives me the courage I need in order to emerge victorious from the chaos that surrounds, much like the three emerged victorious from their furnace. I am not alone in the chaos! This is good news. I have the promise of God’s word which says clearly that He will never leave me. This promise is for you, too, dear readers. You are not alone in your chaos. The God who knows when a sparrow falls is watching over you and me. And He never falls asleep on the job! So, take heart! Jesus said –

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

our instructions – God’s promise –

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. . . . The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:6 & 8)

sincerely, Grace Day

an issue of trust

Posted on by Grace Day

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1)

Seems like it wasn’t that long ago I was writing about walking weighted – walking while wearing a weighted vest. And now I am thinking about God’s direction to throw things off as I run this life race in order that I might travel light, unencumbered by what is unnecessary. Those “things” would be anything that would hinder me or hold me back from running this life race well – this race that God has marked out for me to run.

So why do I hold onto what I don’t need, those things that weigh me down unnecessarily? Is it just coincidence that the current chapter in a book my friends and I are reading is titled “Simplicity”? This chapter is challenging each of us to clear away the clutter in our homes and in our lives, thereby simplifying our lives and making room for what is truly important.

As I sort through some of my possessions, I realize that for me this might come down to an issue of trust. Is my trust in all the “stuff” that I own, or is my trust in God? I worry that I might need a particular item at some point in the future, so I am reluctant to part with said item. After all, it will save me the cost of buying a new one of whatever it is when the need arises. So the problem seems to be that I’m afraid I won’t have what I need when I need it and I don’t trust my Heavenly Father to provide for me. God’s Word clearly says otherwise –

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)

So, do I believe Him? That’s a lot of “all”s – four to be exact. If I believe this promise from God’s word, then I can let go of all the stuff I’m hanging onto and carrying around with me “just in case” I might need it someday. Although, in my defense, where clothes are concerned, I firmly believe that everything comes back into style if I will just hang onto it long enough. (even bellbottoms) That being said, maybe I should take my Heavenly Father at His word. Jesus was pretty clear about this issue of worry, provision and trust. He said –

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. . . . Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? . . . Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25-34)

I don’t need to spend my time, my days and my nights consumed with worry. If I truly trust God to provide for me in the future, maybe I can part with the overabundance of possessions that fill my spaces and weigh me down in the present as I travel through this life. Although I don’t currently have any storage units, I pass by plenty of these places in my daily travels. They always remind me of the guy in the Bible parable who built the “bigger barns” so he had a place to store all the excess that he had accumulated. Having done this, he was satisfied BUT the very same day this happened –

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:20-21)

Now that’s a wakeup call for sure! I need to ask myself – what am I collecting? and where am I storing it? Jesus has some guidance for me, and for anyone of us, in this area. He said –

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

Isn’t that the truth? These “earthly treasures” really don’t hold much value, nothing that lasts anyway. They say a new car depreciates drastically the minute you drive it off the lot. Clothes go “out of style” or out of current fashion very quickly because clothing companies want you not to be satisfied with what you have BUT to continue endlessly updating your wardrobe. The only thing that gets outdated faster than fashion is electronics. Phones, computers and such are outdated and obsolete before anyone even has the time to figure out how to operate their current version. (how many “windows” are there now?)

I’m glad heaven has a secure storage space, a place big enough to accommodate whatever treasures I wish to accumulate. Rather than holding onto temporal treasures, which as it turns out, aren’t really treasures at all because they end up having no lasting value, I want to trust that God is keeping secure for me any treasures I have waiting for me in heaven. I agree with Paul who said this –

“I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12)

God is able to guard my heavenly treasure (which probably doesn’t need a lot of guarding because there are no moths, no rust and no thieves) and keep it safe for me until “that day” when I arrive home. And I bet I know just where my Heavenly Father is storing all my heavenly stuff. Jesus gives me this clue –

“In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:2-3)

So Jesus is preparing a room for me – a space that can hold secure all my treasure, and in a happy twist – it is Jesus who IS my treasure! His presence is the reward that can’t be stolen or corrupted or taken away from me by anyone or anything. I am assured of this in Romans –

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 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 (me and you too, dear readers) from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35-39)

Jesus said that I get to be where He is – with Him – for eternity! I don’t need to store up stuff here. I won’t need it. I have an imperishable treasure waiting for me in heaven. I am free to let go of all the things that clutter my life, distract me or weigh me down here on earth. My Heavenly Father provides all I need for today and for eternity.

“Your mercies are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:23)

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

sincerely, Grace Day

hope

Posted on by Grace Day

“the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.” (Romans 4:17)

It’s cold and gray, damp and dreary this morning as we walk through the neighborhood just like we do every Saturday morning. I’m remembering that only a few short weeks ago when we walked these same streets, they looked quite different. Everything was buried under a covering of snow, snow that seemed in no hurry to leave and in fact definitely overstayed its welcome. Today all that snow is gone, revealing what has remained out of sight for so long – brown, barren lawns and lifeless, barren tree branches. No signs of life – nothing seems to have survived the winter’s snow, ice and bitter cold.

It was then that I saw them – the daffodils. Fully up, standing tall, lots of them filling the small front yard – a small sea of yellow, white and green in the middle of a brown yard with no other signs of life. But there they were – beautiful daffodils, braving the cold on this dreary, sunless morning – a reminder that all is not dead despite appearances. A reminder that new life is on its way. Lots of it. This is only the beginning. It happens every year. We call it spring.

Why was I so surprised by the appearance of the daffodils today? Maybe because it was so cold and so gloomy that I didn’t think conditions were right for the appearance of new life? The daffodils were definitely a surprise and they definitely seemed out of place against such a harsh landscape. But they were such a gift to my weary spirit this morning. Those daffodils were proclaiming a message of hope that cannot be ignored or be silenced. A message of hope that we all need after a long winter. All is not dead. Life is returning after winter’s slumber. Reminds me of Lazarus being called back to life from the grave by Jesus Himself.

Seeing the daffodils today, reminded me of the hope I have in my Heavenly Father “who gives life to the dead.” My God is in the business of resurrection. Dreams, relationships, things I think long dead or impossible – these are the very things that God is able to revive and to restore. God says in Isaiah –

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:19)

Hope – Jesus’ appearance on earth brought us hope. We read in Luke –

“The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.” (Luke 7:22)

The daffodils’ unexpected appearance today reminded me that God brings life out of what appears to be dead. That’s a hope that does not disappoint. I need not give up on any dream nor on any person. With God there is always hope.

“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’ ” (Matthew 19:26)

“Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who hope in Me will not be disappointed.” (Isaiah 49:23)

I wasn’t disappointed today. I was instead reminded of the hope I have in my Heavenly Father. After all, He is –

“the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.” (Romans 4:17)

sincerely, Grace Day

my car knows best?

Posted on by Grace Day

Maybe you recall from some previous posts that I am dealing with a new car after twelve years of being comfortable with my previous car. Now I bought the exact same kind of car, but even so, apparently a lot changes in twelve years. My new car is very bossy. It seems to think it knows better than I do and consequently it does a lot of things without consulting me first. It bothers me that my car seems to think it knows best, rather than allowing me to be the one calling the shots. A battle is definitely brewing between my car and myself. It is a battle to decide who’s in charge.

I guess it’s not all negative however. For instance, when I get into my car, my seat automatically adjusts to a position that I have previously chosen and “set” with the controls. When I open my door to get out of the car, my seat automatically slides back, giving me more room to get out, I guess making my exit from the car easier. It’s a nice gesture on my car’s part. I guess I can live with that.

Then there’s the lights. My car is in charge of them. I used to be the one turning them on and off manually. Not so anymore. My car decides when the lights come on and go off. And my car does this with the “brights” also. My car turns them on when she deems it necessary and turns them off when she decides it is appropriate to do so. I have to admit though, my car seems to get this right. When there is oncoming traffic, she turns the brights off in plenty of time, so as not to “blind” the drivers in the approaching cars. She does a better job than I would do actually, because sometimes I forget to turn off my brights and I definitely don’t like it when approaching drivers fail to turn their brights off. I guess they don’t have a car that makes those critical decisions for them?

Then there’s the radio. Now sometimes I am listening to a favorite song or an interesting discussion or some news and I arrive at my destination but I want to continue listening for a few more seconds or minutes. In the past, I would turn off my engine to save gas but continue sitting in my car listening to the radio. I can’t do that anymore. When I turn off the engine, my car turns off the radio. So if I want to continue listening to the radio, I have to keep my car running even though I am sitting in a parking space or in my garage. Doesn’t my car realize that I want to save gas AND continue to listen to my radio program at the same time? Previously, the two were not mutually exclusive. Why should I have to choose one over the other now? My car refuses to negotiate on this point.

Then there’s the seat heater. My old car had this feature and I loved it. I could have it “off” or on “low” or on “high.” I was in charge of this decision. Now my new car decides if it is cold enough for the seat heater to turn on or not. I can see by the lights on the button on the dash for this feature if it is off, or if it has one, two or three lights on. Because it has been very cold this past month, I usually see three lights lit on the seat heater control when I first start out. But soon it has been turned off. Now if I were in charge of this decision, the seat heater would still be on. I like being warm. But my car has decided that my seat is warm enough and has made the decision for me to turn it off. I guess my car thinks it knows best. But I disagree. I really want to be the one in charge.

I have mentioned my car’s bad behavior in the carwash in a previous post. My car also does this when I pull into the garage. She beeps frantically, panicking because she erroneously believes I am going to hit what’s in front of me. But if I stop before her beeping starts, I am not far enough into my garage to allow the garage door to close behind us. My car does not understand this and no amount of reasoning on my part can change her mind. (if she has one, which she doesn’t – she has only preprogramed instructions better known as A.I.)

My car is also a bit of a hypocrite. She won’t let me play the radio once the engine is off, but she leaves the lights on after the engine is off and even after I get out of the car, her lights are still on, even as I walk away from her. I have a confession – I always stop a short distance away and watch, waiting to be sure she turns off her lights. She does, but what if she forgets? Leaving car lights on is what drains your battery and then your car won’t start. I once had that happen with the interior ceiling light of my old car. I turned it on to search for something, then shut the car and walked away. When I returned, the battery was dead.

Another thing my car does is turn herself off when I am stopped in traffic. She restarts automatically when I take my foot off the brake. I guess this is good because it should save gas, thereby saving me money, and that is always a good thing. Although I have noticed that sometimes my car restarts when I am still stopped in traffic. I don’t know why. Did she just decide on her own that she had been idle too long? Who knows? I thought that was my decision to make – when to take my foot off the brake and activate my engine, but I guess not? Ultimately, my car is making that decision for me.

And so I am participating in this battle of the wills with my car. Who is really in charge here? Much of the time, I feel like it is my car who is making the decisions. She won’t even start if I don’t have my foot on the brake. I feel like this is unnecessary. My old car would start without that as long as it was in “park.” In fact, with really older cars, we used to start them with one foot on the gas to rev the engine, to get it going if it was having trouble starting. (of course the car was in “park”)

My car will beep alarmingly if there are cars passing to the right or to the left of me. She beeps when I pull in or out of parking spaces if she thinks I am getting too close. (sometimes that is the only way into or out of a parking space – you cut it close, but you make it – you have a visual of the situation)

I guess my car is just looking out for me. She is trying to protect me from harm with all the warning beeping going on and with the working of my headlights for me. She tries to save me gas, and she turns off her own lights and locks herself up as I walk away. I had to turn off the lights and lock my old car myself. I kind of liked being in charge of those things. Although, I guess if I forgot to do those things I would end up with a dead battery or a stolen car or the contents of my car taken. So maybe my new car does have my back. Although she does lock herself up before I am done unloading the groceries and this is annoying.

Still, I have to ask myself if my relationship with my car mirrors in some aspects the relationship that I have with my Heavenly Father. Is it a constant battle for who will be in charge? Do I question whether my Creator knows best? I certainly question whether or not my car knows best. I feel like my A.I. driven car (pun intended) has an agenda and I’m not really sure what it is or if I can trust it.

My Heavenly Father definitely has an agenda for me, an agenda He does not hide from me, an agenda I can trust because I can trust Him. He’s pretty upfront about His plans for me and His intentions towards me. In Jeremiah and Isaiah respectively, I read –

” ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ ” (Jeremiah 29:11)

“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!” (Isaiah 30:18)

Jesus told His disciples –

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

Psalm 121 also makes clear to me that my Heavenly Father does have my back and (unlike my car) does know best –

“My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip – He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you – the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm – He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:2-8)

” . . . in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:3)

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

“I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.” (Isaiah 46:9-10)

God knows best – my car? not so much . . .

sincerely, Grace Day

what fuels the fast?

Posted on by Grace Day

Although the better question might be “Who fuels the fast?” not what. Either way, this organized period of prayer and fasting that my church has been observing is drawing to a close officially tomorrow. Tomorrow is day twenty -one. Then what? Do I and others who have been doing this return to gluttony? (assuming gluttony is the opposite of fasting) Is fasting considered only a temporary fix? And just what is it that is supposed to be “getting fixed” by the fast in the first place?

I think the idea of the fast in general was that it would make room for something much better in each of our lives, if we accepted the challenge of fasting from something. The choices are many although the most common choice seems to be fasting from food or from certain types of food, such as sweets. Many I know were fasting from particular foods or from favorite soft drinks or from sugar or from caffeine. Jesus set the standard pretty high when He went into the desert for forty days and forty nights and fasted.

BUT – Jesus didn’t just not eat. He did something. He prayed. It wasn’t about what He wasn’t doing so much as it was about what He was doing. Praying! That’s what sustained Jesus during His time in the desert – prayer. That’s what fueled His fast – prayer. We read in Matthew 4:4 –

“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” (Matthew 4:4)

Jesus was spending His fasting time with God, being sustained by God’s living word. Maybe that’s why my church’s guide is titled “Prayer and Fasting”? Prayer is time I spend with God. Prayer is what fuels my fast. God is Who fuels my fast. God’s Living Word is the food that gives me life. Moses reminded the Israelites of this when he told them –

“Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you – they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.” (Deuteronomy 32:46-47)

Jesus said something to His disciples that shows me another way I can both fuel and fill my fast. Jesus’s disciples were concerned about Him not eating, and this is the conversation that ensued –

“Meanwhile His disciples urged Him, ‘Rabbi, eat something.’ . . . ‘My food,’ said Jesus, ‘is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.’ ” (John 4:31 & 34)

So following Jesus’s example, I want my food also to be doing God’s will – going where God leads me, doing whatever He asks me to do, serving those He asks me to serve – this is how I fill the spaces fasting leaves empty. Make no mistake. Something has to go. That’s a part of fasting – letting something go in order to make room for something better, something more necessary, something essential. This will be costly. But it should be costly. King David said this when Araunah offered to give David for free all that King David needed to make an offering to God –

“But the king replied to Araunah, ‘No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.’ ” (2 Samuel 24:24)

Fasting is costly. Whether that cost is in calories or in time – fasting comes with a cost. Whether I’m giving up a food group or an activity from my daily schedule – if it is costly, it will leave a space. Reminds me of the words to the Christmas carol – “let every heart prepare Him room.” Preparing room or making room means letting go of some things, perhaps many things, in order to make room for something or for someone truly essential to enter in and to fill that newly vacated space in my life. That’s fasting’s purpose – to help me make room for God. When I invite Him in, I want to have a place in my heart and in my life already prepared to receive Him.

“Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is He, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty – He is the King of glory.” (Psalm 24:7-10)

My Heavenly Father wants to come into this mess I call my life and stay with me through it all. Why would I not invite Him in? He is ready and willing to fill my empty life with the fullness of His abiding Presence.

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20)

“Jesus replied, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.’ ” (John 14:23)

lift up the gates! throw open the doors! let the King of glory make His home with you and with me!

sincerely, Grace Day

Lost and found

Posted on by Grace Day

I couldn’t believe my eyes. It had been there all along. I’m talking about my missing Sunday newspaper. I assumed it had never been delivered because about three weeks ago, Sunday was the day of the all day snowstorm. Afterward, my driveway had been cleared, leaving mounds of snow on either side. And our street had been plowed, leaving snow piled high on both sides of the street. I didn’t even bother looking for my paper that day or in the days afterward, because I thought it had never arrived in the first place. The bitterly cold temperatures remained with us in the days after the storm, as did the snow which continued to cover the ground.

So imagine my surprise just a few days ago, when upon arriving home from work, I saw my newspaper lying on the ground next to my mailbox. Enough snow had melted during the day to finally reveal the truth – my paper had been there all along! And my paper was no worse for the wear. It was wrapped in plastic as usual and it was not wet nor damaged in any way. However, this paper was now definitely outdated. It was literally full of yesterday’s news. Many things had happened in the intervening weeks, rendering the contents of my newly found newspaper virtually irrelevant.

Still, this discovery was an unexpected surprise and in some strange way a reminder to me not to give up on what is lost because there is hope that it might yet be recovered at some future time. Could it be that what I presume is lost, might not be lost after all, but just temporarily hidden out of sight, buried beneath whatever life has dumped onto my life? (like a few feet of snow) It was just such an unexpected discovery, probably because I hadn’t been looking for my missing paper. I held no thought that it was even there.

I choose to take hope from my mundane miracle moment of discovering something I thought missing, gone forever – something that was actually there all along, just out of sight, buried beneath a few feet of frozen snow. I had only to wait for the thaw to reveal its presence.

This incident reminds me of a much bigger “lost and found” story, one with a happy ending. It is the story of the lost son. Unlike me, who had forgotten about my paper and had no concern for it, this father never forgot about his lost son. He was always watching and waiting for his absent son. Then one day this father’s faithful hope was rewarded. It happened like this. The son said to himself –

“I will set out and go back to my father . . . But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. . . . But the father said to his servants, ‘For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” (Luke 15:18-24)

That’s definitely cause for celebration – when what is lost is found! The father, who never gave up on his lost son during his son’s absence, said this to his older son –

” ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ” (Luke 15:31-32)

Be reminded, be encouraged – like the father, I will always keep watching, keep waiting for the thaw to reveal what has been presumed lost to now be found. Great joy awaits! God will find you! The lost will be found!

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10)

that’s me and you and all those we love . . .

we can sing with the hymn – “I once was lost but now am found” – thanks to our Heavenly Father’s amazing grace – He is always watching and waiting for our return – ready to celebrate when we do

sincerely, Grace Day

so many haystacks – only one needle

Posted on by Grace Day

The old adage is – “looking for a needle in a haystack.” But what if there are multiple haystacks? That was my situation. I was looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. Except in my case, there are many haystacks, too many haystacks to count, actually. I didn’t even know which haystack I should be searching through in order to find this very specific needle – a needle that I desperately needed to locate in a timely manner. Translation – I needed to find the title to my car and I have very important papers stacked and stowed away in many different places throughout my home. This search loomed before me, monumental if not downright futile. I had filed this title years ago. I had not planned on needing it anytime soon. But life always has other plans, and life was demanding this document.

And so I began my diligent search. Now I don’t remember what I did yesterday, completely. (days do have a habit of running together) So, how was I supposed to recall where I put this very important paper for safe keeping so many years ago? (yes, my car is old, but not ancient and no, I don’t have a safe, so any haystack of papers could be the haystack which contains this desired document – the title to my car)

As I flitted from haystack to haystack, my sense of futility increased. I should have been more methodical in my search but the clock was ticking. I would burrow in a little ways, give up and move on to another haystack. Rhetorical question – do all straws look alike? Do all pieces of paper containing various info have a certain similarity that makes sorting through them ridiculously time consuming? In the midst of this extensive search, I did discover some long-forgotten papers and mostly outdated documents that are no longer relevant. Maybe I can eliminate some hay and by extension some haystacks that are no longer needed. But would this bring me any closer to finding my needle?

As I reflected on my futile search for the ever elusive needle, I couldn’t help but think that my current predicament was sending me a message. Could this be a metaphor for life, a message that I would be wise to heed? Is my life so full of haystacks (which are quite perishable, by the way) – that the truly important, imperishable things in my life are now buried beneath mounds of hay and therefore impossible for me to access easily or even at all? Maybe I am more like Martha than Mary? And I know what advice Jesus gave to Martha –

” ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’ ” (Luke 10:41-42)

Martha was maintaining many haystacks. Mary had found the needle and she was not going to let go of it, lest the needle be lost in all the hay that inevitably fills our lives. The needle is like the pearl of great price. It is the imperishable, hidden among the perishable under all the straws of the haystack. When the haystack catches fire, the needle is revealed.

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8)

I can too easily let God’s living word get lost amid all the words that the world is constantly speaking to me and to anyone who will listen. Apparently there are about 2.2 million new book titles published every year. (I googled that) And one estimate is that there are over 158 million book titles in the world. That’s a lot of reading. More than I can hope to read in my lifetime. Haystacks full of books. My bookshelves are overflowing with books. But which book is the needle that I am searching for because it is the “must read” out of all the books or straws in all the haystacks?

That book is God’s living word, the Bible. How do I know? Well, consider what is said about this particular book.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)

God’s word is going to endure. It will outlast all the other books full of the words of men.

“Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; You established the earth, and it endures.” (Psalm 119:89-90)

And God’s word has other essential benefits. Consider what Jesus said –

“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” (Matthew 4:4)

God’s word nourishes and sustains me. King David had this to say about God’s word –

“How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from Your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.” (Psalm 119:103-104)

Moses instructed the Israelites concerning the words of God –

“Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you – they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.” (Deuteronomy 32:46-47)

God’s words are life to me. The Bible is the book I never want to lose, I don’t want it to end up buried under a haystack of other books. The Bible is the needle or more accurately the compass that directs me in God’s ways. In Timothy I read –

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

and in Psalms King David says –

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. . . . The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” (Psalm 119:105 & 130)

When you finally find the needle, you don’t put it back in the haystack where it is again lost. You hold onto it! I don’t want to become so distracted by or enamored with all the words in other books, that over time I accumulate so many other words, that God’s word is lost and forgotten, buried somewhere deep in a haystack. The psalmist has a better idea of where I can keep God’s word –

“I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11)

my heart, much better and much more accessible than being buried in a haystack beneath the weight of the words of mere mortals, words that are too often lies – words that do not lead to life

But I know whose words are true, whose words do lead to life –

“Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’ ” (John 6:68)

“Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.” (John 17:17)

sincerely, Grace Day

what fills the fast?

Posted on by Grace Day

My church is getting ready to do twenty-one days of prayer and fasting. Most people think of giving up food when they think of fasting. And that is typical. But there are other things that one can give up such as screen time, (tv or computer) phone time, social media time etc. Most of us do spend an inordinate amount of time on our phones. So if we put our phones down – what would we do? What would we put in the space where our phones have been? How about conversation with an actual human being who is physically present with us? Do we remember how to do that?

As I look out over the high school classroom I am in today, most every student has phone in hand and eyes glued to their phone. No one is reading a book, no one is writing anything on paper or on a computer, even though they each have a Chromebook through the school. (Except for myself, I am writing this, so it does involve screen time for me, but I am not consuming social media content or scrolling randomly – I am writing this)

As I contemplate what I will “fast” from or in other words, what I will give up, it occurs to me that perhaps I should be giving at least equal thought to what it is that I will put in the place of what I give up or eliminate from my diet or from my daily schedule. This could potentially be more impactful than what I give up. After all, if I give up cookies but fill the void that leaves with ice cream, pie, pastries and candy, does this provide me any benefit? (I think the idea is not just to give something up, such as twinkies and Cheetos, but to then replace said food items or whatever it is that I give up, with a better option – say broccoli and asparagus?) This cautionary tale from Matthew comes to mind as I consider fasting and filling – what will I put in the space fasting leaves empty in my stomach, in my daily schedule, or in my life?

“When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.” (Matthew 12:43-45)

These words remind me that when I fast from something or eliminate something from my life – I had better be intentional about what I choose to fill that now empty space – because the void created by fasting will not remain empty. Something will fill my stomach or my time or my mind or my heart. If I don’t intentionally choose what that will be, lesser things will gain access and occupy the spaces in my heart, in my mind, in my daily routine and in my life – spaces that were meant all along for my Creator to fill as His abiding place. After all, I read in Ephesians –

“And God placed all things under His (Jesus’s) feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.” (Ephesians 1:22-23)

My Heavenly Father wants to fill all the empty spaces in my mind, my heart, my daily routine, and in my life. However, too often I let other things fill those spaces and crowd Him out. Why would I let fear, anxiety, strife, (mind) anger, hate, unforgiveness (heart) phone scrolling, computer time, social media (daily routine) and lack of identity and purpose when I live for myself (creates those empty spaces in my life – creates an empty life actually) – why would I allow these things to fill my life, leaving no room for the presence of God’s gift – His Holy Spirit? I want to make room for this gift God promised to me and to you and to each one of us who will make room for Him. Jesus told His disciples this –

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see Me anymore, but you will see Me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.” (John 14:18-20)

maybe fasting is supposed to be about making room for the filling of God in me and in all the newly cleaned out spaces of my life?

maybe fasting without the filling of God’s presence is futile?

today I will start the filling by following these instructions –

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! . . . whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” (Philippians 4:4 & 8)

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:1-2)

let the fasting begin so that the filling may follow! I will use these instructions from Hebrews as my guide while I embark upon this journey of fasting, following and filling –

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1-3)

“throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” – that’s what fasting is asking me to do – eliminate what’s holding me hostage and make room for the freedom of God’s filling – I’ll keep you “posted” on my progress during this fasting and prayer journey (pun intended)

sincerely, Grace Day