Weather forecasts are constant, it seems to me. I turn on the news, it includes a weather forecast for the day and usually the week. Often, the news even leads with the weather, especially if rain, snow or a storm of some kind is expected. I turn on my car radio and again I hear the current weather prediction along with speculation about temperatures and other weather conditions expected in the days ahead. Everyone seems pretty concerned with weather in general and with weather specifically, when it includes the possibility of tornados, hurricanes, extreme heat or cold, or other severe weather events.

I guess we want to know the most recent weather prediction so that we can prepare in advance for what is to come. If I know it’s going to rain, I take my umbrella with me even though at the moment, the sun is shining brightly. I may look foolish for the moment, walking down the sunny street with my umbrella, but later I will be vindicated when it’s pouring rain and I have my umbrella with me. I then have the satisfaction of knowing I prepared well for the coming storm.

However, that is not always the case. More often, as it happens, I have left my umbrella in my car, so it is not with me when I need it most. I am caught off guard and unprepared for the current rainstorm. Such is life. Life’s storms usually take me by surprise, catching me woefully unprepared to weather them. (pun intended) And sometimes the storms I do prepare for, never come. Ever have that happen? The weather people talk incessantly about the coming snowstorm and how much snow there will be. People, including myself, flood the grocery stores, leaving shelves virtually empty as we stock up for the impending snowfall, which will prevent us from being able to leave our homes and obtain food.

So I prepare and I anxiously await the coming storm, along with everyone else. I anticipate schools being closed and look forward to how I will spend the time. But then, the promised snow does not materialize or it is much less than predicted, causing no disruption to my daily routine, nor to anyone else’s. All that time I spent worrying about the coming snow and how I would get my driveway clear and how I would get around – it was for naught. The cause of my fear and anxiety never became reality.

Still, I feel like there are potential storms brewing all around me every day. There are constant rumors of storms. The headlines and the news are full of warnings and dire predictions which would turn even the most ardent optimist into a despairing, fear filled pessimist, given enough time. The assaults on my psyche are relentless. From climate change to war to disease to high prices to shortages – there is no end to the predictions of possible coming storms. And then, of course, there are the “end times” predictions which have been around for years and are still present in abundance today.

So do I spend my time preparing for the storm? And if so, which storm? Can I prepare for all the different types of storms simultaneously? Or should I just be preparing for “the end times” storm? If I am busy preparing for storms that may or may not come, when do I actually live this life I have been given? As I ponder these questions, I am reminded of two stories. One about a field mouse named Frederick, the other a story Jesus told about “a certain rich man” whose land produced a good crop.

As the second story goes, this man had so much abundance that he had no place to store all his crops. Our story continues –

“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’ 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 12:18-21)

This rich man thought he was prepared. Well, he was prepared to face a famine, he was prepared for earthly life but he wasn’t at all prepared for heaven. He prepared for one type of storm, but another storm (death) came for him. Jesus sums it up this way –

“What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)

Frederick’s story is quite different. He and four other field mice were preparing for the cold winter that was coming. Frederick’s four friends worked tirelessly storing up nuts and grains and other food supplies and straw for warmth when the weather would turn cold. Frederick, however, didn’t appear to be doing much of anything. As they were busy laying up supplies for the winter, Frederick’s four friends questioned him about what he was doing while they worked so hard.

Frederick assured his friends that he, too, was working hard, laying up a store of supplies for the winter months to come. Winter came and eventually, the nuts and grains and straw and such were all used up. It was then that Frederick shared with his friends what he had stored up for just such a time as this. He had stored up the summer sun’s rays complete with their golden beauty and their warmth. He had stored up the vibrant colors of summer which he now recalled in detail for his friends, so that they also could see the colors in their minds, brightening for them an otherwise gray winter day. And Frederick had stored up words – words which he now used to tell stories and to entertain his friends, taking their minds off of winter’s cold dreariness and making the time pass more quickly and more pleasantly.

What Frederick had stored up, did not run out – no one could take it from him, but he could share it freely with his friends. Reminds me of Jesus’s admonition to His disciples in Matthew –

“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)

So maybe the question is not which storm do I prepare for, but how do I prepare for all the storms that inevitably come in and out of my life? Do I collect more stuff and build bigger barns, or do I find a way to lay up treasure that can’t be taken from me? Peter mentioned this very thing when he said –

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3-5)

That’s the kind of inheritance I want – one “that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for me.” How do I prepare for the coming storm? What kinds of things can I be doing now? Matthew 6 gives me some good ideas, saying –

“But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. . . . But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. . . . But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:3-18)

Giving, praying, fasting – these are things to be doing in preparation for the coming storm. What else?

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

Ok, acting justly, loving mercy, walking humbly, following God – what else? Like Frederick, I want to have plenty stored up in preparation for the coming storm. And the storm is coming, make no mistake. Jesus told His disciples this –

“As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:4-5)

Winter came for the field mice, death came for “a certain rich man” and persecution is coming for believers. (it has already come for believers in many parts of the world today) The time to prepare for the coming storm is now. To that end we are advised –

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25)

I find more advice about preparing for the coming storm in Ephesians, which gives me these clear instructions –

“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. . . . put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:11-18)

“The day of evil” referenced above – that’s definitely a category five storm that I need to be getting prepared for now! Fortunately, God Himself provides me with the armor I need to weather the coming storm. And He not only supplies what I need to face the storm, God also promises to be with me in each and every storm that comes into my life, threatening to destroy me.

“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 31:8)

Like Frederick, the field mouse, in preparation for the coming storm, I want to store up things that will not perish or run out, things that no one can take from me – but things that I can share with others. To that end, I will do what the psalmist did –

“I have stored up Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11)

Having God’s living Word stored up in me, means I have the sword of His Spirit protecting me as I fight life’s daily battles. God’s Word protects me and guides me through life’s storms. So I will continue to prepare for the coming storm, taking Paul’s advice to the Philippians –

“Finally, brothers, 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 4:8)

the storm is coming – I will prepare. I will –

“Set my mind on things above, not on earthly things.” Because “I have been raised with Christ, I will set my heart on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” (Colossians 3:1-2)

sincerely, Grace Day

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.” (Matthew 6:6)

Do you have one? Do you have a prayer closet? Years ago, after seeing the movie War Room, it struck me that I should have a prayer closet of my own. That solitary place, providing me with a solitary space in which to be alone with my Heavenly Father, God. It is that audience of one that I so desire. Who doesn’t wish to have someone’s undivided attention? To have someone’s sympathetic and understanding ear any time of day or night? Such is the power of the prayer closet. I can enter in at any time.

“Therefore, since I have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let me hold firmly to the faith I profess. . . . Let me then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that I may receive mercy and find grace to help me in my time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)

This morning, I took a long walk in one of my many prayer closets. That’s right. You heard me correctly, I have multiple prayer closets! After all, a girl can never have too many closets, can she? As I walked alone in the cool stillness of the early morning, surrounded by the myriad hues of green that are abundant at this time in late summer, tree branches towering over me beneath a clear morning sky, I realized I was in perhaps my favorite prayer closet of all. With every step I found myself crying out to God, taking Him at His word to “cast all my cares on Him because He cares for me.”

But it occurred to me today as I petitioned my Heavenly Father, that prayer is so much more than petition. I don’t want to neglect prayer’s other aspects and thereby miss out on all the prayer closet experience is meant to be. Surrounded by the beauty of creation, I found myself praising God – simply rejoicing in who He is. As I recalled our past together, I became overwhelmed with gratitude for His constant compassion, mercies, forgiveness, provision, protection, – the sheer power and comfort of His constant presence – my prayers of thanksgiving fell far short of what I feel and of what I know to be true.

“Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men.” (Psalm 107:21)

This led me to prayers of confession as again I realized “He does not treat me as my sins deserve.” I prayed David’s prayer – “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. . . . Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. . . . Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.” (Psalm 51:7-10)

Praise, thanksgiving, confession – then intercession. So many people came to mind who I wanted to pray for as I walked freely about in my outdoor prayer closet.

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:18)

Today, I am reminded that prayer is so much more than my personal petitions before God. Part, actually much, of my time in the prayer closet, I would do well to “be still and know that He is God.” I would do well to cease my endless petitioning and to listen instead for the still, small voice which is His alone.

“My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:27-28)

“The Sovereign Lord . . . wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back.” (Isaiah 50:4-5)

As I walked in solitary silence, just my Heavenly Father and I sharing the early morning together, I felt His assurance that He would be with me as I faced whatever this day’s challenges turned out to be. It was time for me to leave my prayer closet – this sacred space I shared with my Creator.

However, I entered almost immediately into another of my many prayer closets – probably my least favorite, but one I spend a lot of time in, nonetheless. I am talking about my car. I had somewhere to be, so I entered into the prayer closet that is my car. With the radio off, God and I were able to continue our conversation. I think of my car as a prayer closet on wheels – a portable, private sanctuary if you will.

Then there’s the time I spend on my bike, which is another of my prayer closets, there’s the shower, the kitchen sink, my favorite chair, actually my whole house now that I live alone, is one big prayer closet. Anyplace can be a prayer closet, anyplace can be holy ground, anyplace can be that burning bush where we meet with God. Anyplace where we decide to enter in to that private, sacred time alone with our Creator is our prayer closet.

“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 guide me, Your right 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)

God is omnipresent. As the Psalm says, there is no where I could go that He is not right there with me. Consequently, the world is my prayer closet. Alone in a crowded airport, I can pray. In my classroom, I can pray silently. (God has really good hearing) God’s creation recognizes that all the earth is a prayer closet for those whom God has created.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” (Psalm 19:1-4)

Thank You, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of prayer. Thank You, that all the earth’s a prayer closet, filled with Your presence. You are never more than a prayer away.

“For in Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)

sincerely, Grace Day

Ever feel weary? or worthless? or powerless? or unproductive? – listless? lifeless? If you are feeling any or all of these things, chances are you may be a branch without a vine. Oh, maybe you were attached to a vine at some point in your past, but now you find yourself disconnected, distant and alone. You no longer have the energy to be productive. You find you have lost your place and your purpose in life. You, my friend, are a branch without a vine. (not unlike a rebel without a cause)

A branch on its own doesn’t last very long, does it? It soon withers and dies without producing whatever fruit it might have produced had it stayed connected to the vine. But a branch connected to a vine, lives, and not only lives but thrives, growing strong and producing much fruit. This must be why Jesus told His disciples –

“I am the Vine; you are the branches. If a man (branch) remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” (John 15:5-6)

This word picture of a vine that gives life to every branch connected to it, helps me to understand why I feel so devoid of energy, ability, strength, direction, wisdom and purpose when I don’t stay connected to Jesus, who clearly said that He is The Vine – the source of all life. Connected to Him, I want for nothing, but have everything I need in abundance. Jesus’s supply is infinite – it will never run out. That must be why, as The Vine, Jesus issues this invitation to you and to me –

“Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.” (John 15:4)

Other translations say, “abide in Me and I will abide in you.” The idea is the same either way. It is the possibility of a constant connection as a way of life that is being offered to me and to you. Too good to be true? Yes. But true, nonetheless. We branches are invited to live connected to the true Vine, Jesus Christ. In Acts Paul explains it this way saying,

“For in Him (Jesus) we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)

That describes life lived “abiding” and “remaining” not only close to, but connected to the true Vine, who is Jesus. When I start to become disconnected from the Vine, for whatever reason, I feel myself weakening, as I am no longer receiving the nutrients the Vine provides me continuously. But as long as I stay connected, I have everything I need in order to live a productive life and bear much fruit. Paul reminded the Philippians of this when he said to them –

“And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

A branch is created to live connected to a vine. A branch on its own dies. So for a branch, finding a suitable vine is a matter of life or death. And there are a lot of vines out there that may appear to be able to sustain life, but in the end, it turns out that they can’t deliver what they promised. The world is full of these false vines. That’s probably why Jesus was clear with His disciples when He said to them –

“I am the true Vine, and My Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” (John 15:1-2)

I wonder if that’s why I sometimes become disconnected from the Vine? I want to avoid the painful process of pruning. I see it coming and I go in search of a vine with a more benevolent gardener – one who will leave me alone and let me do my own thing. Of course, left alone to my own devices (or vices) I will surely wither and die. Pruning is part of a caring gardener’s task. Even though pruning is not pleasant at the time, but actually quite painful, it is for the branch’s good. It is for my good, too, as a branch connected to Jesus. Pruning helps the branches to grow stronger and to be more productive. It will do the same for me, if I stay connected to the Vine.

As a branch in God’s garden, on His living Vine, I find my place and my purpose – to bear fruit – fruit for God’s kingdom. Jesus told His followers –

“This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples.” (John 15:8)

The community and connection I crave, I find with all the other branches as I abide in Jesus, the true Vine. When I feel my strength or my faith fading, I realize in those moments that my connection is weakening and I may be disengaging from the Vine, turning my attention and focusing my efforts elsewhere. My joy and peace and gratitude slowly began to ebb away as I cease to “remain” or “abide” in the Vine. It is in these times that I realize I am losing my connection and I need to return and reconnect with the Vine, the source of all life.

Remaining or abiding implies permanence, implies constant, unbroken communion between branch and Vine. That’s what is necessary for me to live a “fruitful” life. Apart from the Vine, I can’t do anything lasting or worth doing. I’m glad Jesus offers me a permanent place on the Vine. I don’t have to worry about being let go – unless I’m the one that lets go. But that would be a foolish choice on my part, since apart from the Vine, I perish.

As a beloved branch on Jesus’s Vine, I have a permanent place and He supplies everything I need. The vines on the other side of the fence may appear greener, but they are not. Most branches learn that by experience and return to abide in the true Vine. Still, keeping connected remains a challenge as there are many things in this world that actively seek to separate, we, the branches, from our Vine. Good thing that when I am too weak to hold on to the Vine, the Vine holds onto me. I find this promise from Romans sums it up perfectly,

“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 from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35-39)

thank You, Heavenly Father, for Your promise that nothing in all creation will separate this branch – me – from the true Vine, You.

sincerely, Grace Day

“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

These familiar words are prayed often in churches of all different denominations, churches on every continent, churches in many different countries all around the world – these words are prayed by solitary individuals and they are prayed corporately by large gatherings of people. Every hour of every day, somewhere in the world this prayer is being prayed in many different languages simultaneously. But the words remain the same, the request is the same – believers everywhere are asking for God’s kingdom to come to earth, for God’s will to be done, for life on earth to look like life in heaven.

This request has not changed over the centuries and today we continue to pray – “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” We are still waiting to see this prayer answered. And yet I read what Jesus said about this very thing back in His day –

“After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ‘The time has come,’ He said. ‘The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!’ ” (Mark 1:14-15)

That was more than two thousand years ago, when Jesus said God’s Kingdom was close at hand. In fact, Jesus told this good news to everyone who would listen,

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” (Matthew 4:17)

I don’t think the people realized just how near heaven had come. Heaven was in their midst. The promised, long-awaited Messiah had come and was now walking among them, but they did not realize it because they did not recognize Him.

“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. . . . He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him.” (John 1:14, 10-11)

“His own” were currently oppressed by the Roman government. They had long been desiring and looking for a powerful political leader to arise who would overthrow this government and set them free. This would be the deliverer that God had promised His people so long ago. Or so they thought. They were expecting a person with position, with power, with wealth and influence – they were not expecting a baby born in a stable in an obscure village such as Bethlehem was, a baby born to poor parents who had no fame or fortune at all – they were not expecting a baby such as this to be the Savior of themselves and of the world.

So the very people who were waiting and watching for the Messiah from heaven, did not recognize heaven even when heaven came down to earth in the form of God’s only Son, Jesus. God’s Son didn’t fit the profile they had constructed of their Messiah, even though ironically, Jesus fulfilled every single prophesy of their own prophets, all of which had been meticulously recorded in the Old Testament.

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for Me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. (from days of eternity)” (Micah 5:2)

The prophet Micah predicted it – a baby born in Bethlehem would bring with His birth, the kingdom of God to earth. The angels proclaimed as much on the night of Jesus’s birth, saying –

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.” (Luke 2:14)

Later Jesus, Himself, would say –

“The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is already among you.” (Luke 17:20-21)

Jesus brought the kingdom of heaven with Him when He came to earth, but He didn’t remove it when He left and ascended into heaven. He left His Holy Spirit here with us.

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you. 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.” (John 14:16-19)

Christ abides with us here through His Holy Spirit, which Paul referred to in this way in Colossians 1:27 saying about the mystery of Christ’s presence –

“which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

God’s kingdom has come and His kingdom is on its way. Both are true. The kingdom of heaven is here, but not fully or completely as the battle between good and evil still rages daily everywhere we look. We are surrounded by this war being waged all around us and as if that’s not enough – this same war is also being fought within each one of us every day. No wonder we are exhausted!

As I look around, often evil appears to be winning. I begin to feel discouraged and defeated. However, I am reminded that I am to be calling down the kingdom every moment of every day. That’s the prayer – isn’t it? “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

So that’s what heaven looks like? – God’s will being done instead of my own. I keep waiting passively for the kingdom to arrive when as it turns out, it’s already here and I have an active role to play in calling down the rest of the kingdom in its fullness, which I so desire to see here on earth. As an intercessor, I am “called” to be calling down the kingdom through prayer – to pray for the people and the situations around me every day. And there’s more.

What does “calling down the kingdom” really look like? It looks like turning the other cheek until I lose count. It looks like a helping hand, it sounds like kind words being spoken instead of hurtful ones. It looks like forgiveness rather than revenge, generosity instead of selfishness. It is peace replacing violence, empathy replacing judgement, truth replacing lies, care replacing indifference, humility replacing pride, kindness replacing cruelty, acceptance replacing rejection, love replacing hate. All of these are choices I can make every day. They are hard choices. I will need courage and perseverance to continue to make these hard choices every day in the face of opposition – which is others choosing the opposite of what I am choosing.

Calling down the kingdom is hard work. If I want to see more of heaven here on earth, I have to follow God’s instructions about “loving my neighbor as myself,” knowing that God considers everyone and anyone my neighbor! I don’t get to pick and choose. That makes it a bit more challenging, doesn’t it? I find more instructions about how I can bring about God’s kingdom here on earth in Romans 12 –

“Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. . . . Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. . . . Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, . . . Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:9-21)

The kingdom has come! The kingdom is coming! I want to be a part of calling down the kingdom every day until it is fully and completely established here. And so I will continue to pray along with others all over the world –

“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

sincerely, Grace Day (aka kingdom caller)

A friend just recently adopted another dog, giving her current dog a playmate and companion to keep her company while my friend is at work. Another friend is currently fostering two dogs after the recent death of her long time dog. And another friend currently has three dogs as she recently adopted one more. Why do I bring this up? These women are all single, due to death or divorce, so they live alone. However, their reputations remain untarnished no matter the number of their dogs because, as far as I know, “crazy dog lady” is not a thing.

But if my friends were currently collecting cats instead of dogs, they would all be called “crazy cat ladies.” Right? Now if they were married or children still lived at home, then “crazy cat lady” wouldn’t apply. Or if said women had cats but also had a dog or dogs, then the “crazy cat lady” label isn’t applied. Why is this so? Who makes these rules anyway? Apparently, for single women, dog ownership is socially acceptable, even cool, but cat ownership will get you labeled as weird, eccentric, or worse.

And what about horses? If a woman has horses that’s not a problem, no stigma associated with horses. No “crazy horse woman” category exists. In fact, being a “horse woman” sounds aristocratic, athletic, noble and even exciting. So what about single men who might have a cat or cats? I don’t hear people whispering about “crazy cat men.” Seems like men get a pass and are exempt from this label. That hardly seems fair.

Then there’s fish. Fish seem to be a safe choice for pet owners of both sexes. You can have as many fish as you want and no one calls you crazy. You are considered a collector, especially if they are rare tropical fish that you are acquiring. Even pet ownership of hamsters, guinea pigs or lizards doesn’t seem to carry with it the stigma that cat ownership carries with it for single women. Some would say the same for those who have snakes as pets but here I beg to differ. I think anyone who has a snake or snakes as pets is “a crazy snake person” be they male or female, whether they live alone or in a house full of people – I am willing to apply the “crazy snake person” label. (I apologize if that’s not very inclusive)

So who’s getting a bad rap here? cats or single women? or both? Labels, like “crazy cat lady,” whether deserved or undeserved, can be so confining and misleading too. These labels once acquired, tend to stick to us just like those name tags they give you at meetings and gatherings of all kinds. Sometimes you just want to peel the label off and start fresh. You don’t want people defining you by your past nor by your current circumstances. Sure you share a house with multiple cats, but there’s so much more to you than that.

I think perhaps this is how the woman at the well must have felt. We read her story in John chapter four. Even though we don’t know her name, we know quite a bit about her. She was a Samaritan woman from the town of Sychar. Jesus and His disciples were traveling through Samaria and stopped there for rest. Jesus waited by the well while His disciples went into the town to buy food. It was the middle of the day, so no one was there until a Samaritan woman came to draw water. This was unusual because all the women came to the well early in the morning when it was still cool and again in the evening when the midday heat had passed.

But here she was in the middle of the day when she knew she would be alone. She wanted to be alone because she knew how the people in her town viewed her. She definitely felt defined by her past and labeled by her current circumstances. Her solace was in isolation. That way she didn’t have to face the daily pain of open ridicule and rejection, the constant hurt of being judged or maybe more likely misjudged.

But Jesus was different. As the Samaritan woman approached the well, I’m sure she was surprised to find that she was not alone. No one ever came to the well at this time. And the stranger was a man and a Jew! She must have been shocked to find herself alone with such a person. But before she could retreat, Jesus said to her, ” ‘Will you give me a drink?’ The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?’ (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)”

“Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.’ ”

The woman questioned Jesus as to how and where He would get this water because she saw He had nothing with which to draw water from the well. She didn’t know who Jesus was, but Jesus knew all about her, including her past and her present circumstances. When she asked Him for the living water He spoke about, Jesus asked her to go get her husband, to which she replied,

” ‘I have no husband,’ she replied. Jesus said to her, ‘You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.’ ”

It’s not surprising that this woman felt defined by her past and labeled by her current situation of living with a man not her husband. Everyone else judged her, but Jesus offered her something else – living water – forgiveness, acceptance, restoration. Jesus offered to her what she needed most – Himself. We read as their conversation continues –

“The woman said, ‘I know that Messiah’ (called Christ) ‘is coming. When He comes, He will explain everything to us.’ Then Jesus declared, ‘I who speak to you am He.’ ”

Jesus revealed Himself to her! The woman at the well’s response?

“Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, ‘Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?’ They came out of the town and made their way toward Him.”

Jesus was fully aware of this woman’s past and of her present situation. Still, Jesus knew that neither of these things defined who she truly was. She was more than “the crazy husband lady” who had a whole collection of husbands in her past. She was more than a Samaritan, who Jews refused to associate with at that time in history. However, even though Jesus was a Jew, He recognized her infinite worth, He saw who she was in God’s eyes, not man’s blind vision of who they believed her to be.

And so the story of the woman at the well unfolds into this unlikely ending. Remember, she had returned to town to tell the people that she had met the Messiah.

“Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him (Jesus) because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I ever did.’ So when the Samaritans came to Him, they urged Him to stay with them, and He stayed two days. And because of His words many more became believers. They said to the woman, ‘We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.’ ”

The woman at the well was now welcome in her town, where before she had been an outcast. After her conversation with Jesus, she didn’t keep the good news to herself about where to find the living water, she shared it immediately with the very people who had shamed her and shunned her for so long. How could she do this so generously? Perhaps because she was now forgiven, accepted and set free, she was able to forgive those who had caused her so much pain. She invited them to experience the healing and joy that she herself had just experienced.

Jesus knew the Samaritan woman’s label, but He saw through it to the person He had created her to be. And she fulfilled that purpose for which He had created her, when she boldly shared what had been so generously given to her, when Jesus met her personally, one on one, right where she was and revealed Himself to her. She believed Him and it changed her life forever.

We are more than our labels, dear readers. Don’t allow the culture to define you – your Creator has already done that.

“For we are God’s workmanship/masterpieces, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

sincerely, Grace Day

Yes, I have recently seen the movie “The Sound of Freedom” – hence the title of this post as I ponder the question – “What does freedom sound like?” “Just what are the sounds of freedom?” I have never lived in a communist country, never lived behind the iron curtain, never lived under a dictatorship or in a country subject to tyranny, filled with chaos and ruled by fear. So maybe I take the sounds of freedom for granted, maybe I don’t even recognize them for what they are.

But I think the opposite of the sound of freedom is silence, an eerie silence – a silence so heavy that its weight cripples the hearts and souls of the people it envelops – a silence so deep that any questions, any cries, any authentic human communications are masked, are muffled, are misunderstood, are misinterpreted, are stifled, stilled and eventually suffocated beneath silence’s all encompassing blanket. It is a silence filled full with fear, with uncertainty, with dread – so full that there is no room left for voices to enter in, to be heard, to make connections with other voices, that they might find encouragement, hope, friendship, community, wisdom, guidance – but the silence separates, isolates, eliminates all possibility of any cries for freedom being heard and being shared.

Freedom, however, is not silent. Freedom cries out with courage and conviction. All God’s creation cries out continuously in praise and worship –

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” (Psalm 19:1-4)

Freedom can’t be silenced. When Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem riding on a colt, the crowds were rejoicing, praising God and shouting – “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” The Pharisees demanded that Jesus silence the crowds of people but Jesus replied –

“if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:38-40)

Freedom has many voices, many sounds. Freedom can’t be silenced. Tyranny tries, oppression attempts to suppress, while evil seeks to eradicate every voice leaving only a fear filled, compliant silence – an empty space once filled with the wonder of words telling our stories, connecting us in a thousand myriad ways to those who have gone before and to those who will come after. Freedom is the legacy we leave unless silence takes its place. But freedom will not remain silent.

Our world is full of the sounds of freedom. Church bells ringing out on a Sunday morning from multiple churches – must be why Dr. King said repeatedly in his “I have a dream” speech, “Let freedom ring!” Freedom sounds like bells ringing out across the land. In some places maybe freedom sounds like drum beats heard far and wide, a call to come together for worship.

Freedom is the sound of firecrackers and fireworks on the fourth of July, the National Anthem being sung by the crowd at a sporting event, the music of a marching band in a parade, the voices of a congregation singing hymns, the music of every concert from jazz to country western, to classical.

Freedom is the sound of the prayers of the parishioners at a Catholic mass, the sound of the prayers of a family around the dinner table, the sounds of prayers offered up by ordinary citizens for their country and for those they love as they cry out to God day and night. They are not silent. Freedom is not silent.

Freedom is the sound of a cheering crowd at a sporting event, the sound of applause, a standing ovation, whether on Broadway or a high school production, the sound is sweet. Freedom is the sound of rejoicing and celebration – singing Happy Birthday or dancing at a wedding. Freedom is the sound of lament and loss, too. Free to gather in our grief at a funeral, freedom allows us to weep and wail together. Freedom brings us together in our joy and in our grief. It is silence that separates and breaks our bonds of trust.

What does freedom sound like? As a teacher, it sounds like the hustle and bustle of an ordinary day in the classroom, students’ questions, or the loud chatter in the cafeteria, or the debate team practicing for their meet, learning the value of free speech. I imagine at a construction site freedom sounds like the hammering of nails, the sounds of drills and saws and other equipment as workers shout above the noise.

Maybe freedom sounds like a judge’s gavel or a jury deliberating long, or the oath each participant takes to tell the truth – the sounds of the system designed to keep us free from harm when we leave our homes to shop or meet up with friends for a meal or go to the park for a walk – that we might be free to do all these things and more in safety, without fear that we will be attacked or robbed or hurt as we go about our ordinary pursuits.

In the movie, the sound of freedom was the sound of the laughter of the rescued children at play – finally free from their lives as slaves of those who had kidnapped and sold them, they were free at last from fear and abuse – they were at peace, they were finally safe and free. It had taken an extraordinary, heroic effort to locate and rescue these children, but they had been set free. They had their lives back. They now had hope and a future.

You and I have been set free as well, dear readers. That’s why Jesus came – to set the captives (that’s us) free. In Isaiah it says He came to –

“to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.” (Isaiah 42:7)

We are all captives to sin, in need of a rescue, in need of a Savior to set us free. That’s why Jesus came – to set us free from the sin that so entangles and enslaves us. The cross and the empty tomb bear witness to the success of His mission. It is done – our freedom has been secured.

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

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)

I am so grateful to have been rescued and set free. I never want to take the sounds of freedom for granted. The sounds of freedom that surround you and I, as we live here in this free country, are a constant reminder of how fortunate we are. I want to be sure I add my voice to the “sounds of freedom” each and every day so that freedom never goes silent.

“Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things; . . . The Lord has made His salvation known and revealed His righteousness to the nations. . . . Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn – shout for joy before the Lord, the King. Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the Lord, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with fairness.” (Psalm 98:1-9)

singing, shouting for joy, jubilant song, making music, harps, trumpets, blasting rams’ horns, the sea resounding, rivers clapping, mountains singing for joy – these are the irrepressible sounds of freedom – the praise and worship of the Creator of the universe – these sounds of freedom will never go silent – they cannot be silenced

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17)

let freedom ring!

sincerely, Grace Day

I suddenly felt isolated, alone, totally cut off from the outside world. I needed to let someone know of my situation, but how? SOS came to mind, but no one uses morse code anymore. At least I don’t think so. SOS used to be the internationally recognized distress signal for boats, a call for help sent out in hopes that someone nearby would receive the SOS and respond. Although eventually replaced with “mayday” as the official maritime cry for help, today SOS is still synonymous with someone in dire distress being in need of a timely rescue, whether at sea or on land.

Full disclosure – I was in my own home when this happened. Alone, yes, but that is normal as I now live alone. So why did I suddenly feel so isolated that I thought an SOS was the proper and necessary response to my situation? I discovered that my cell phone was dead. Immediately, I felt the need to communicate with someone, anyone – but I couldn’t. My cell phone was dead and I no longer have my trusted land line. What if someone is trying to reach me? I wondered. How can I reach someone, anyone, without going physically to where they are?

Now that I couldn’t reach anyone by phone or text, the need to make contact with another person became overwhelming. I felt I should at least let someone know that I couldn’t be reached, but ironically that would require me being able to “reach” someone. Normally I would accomplish that by calling or texting but that was not an option at the moment. Hence the thought of an SOS or maybe smoke signals? drum beats? snail mail? (although, by the time anyone would receive my written communication, certainly I would have a new phone? – actually by the time anyone receives snail mail, the information contained therein is now “old news”, obsolete, no longer relevant)

I repeatedly turned my cell phone on, but each time it started the process, then said “powering off” like it had a mind of its own. My phone had been working fine earlier in the day and I had charged it earlier, so I couldn’t imagine why it wouldn’t turn on now. Was I going to need a new phone? This one seemed to have a mind of its own, turning itself off each time I turned it on. I had no idea how long my phone had been turned off, since I didn’t turn it off myself. Apparently, my phone turned itself off without consulting me first, without so much as a friendly heads up or even a polite “peace out.”

So you can imagine my surprise and shock when I discovered I had been disconnected from the outside world for an unknown period of time. This was very unsettling to me, as was the prospect of being incommunicado overnight alone and the possibility that I might need a new phone. In the meantime, I headed for evening church, taking my dead cell phone with me of course (out of habit) although it would do me no good in an emergency.

And emergency driving conditions are exactly what I encountered on my drive home from church. It had been sunshine and white fluffy clouds when I went into church, but when I came out it was a torrential downpour that showed no signs of abating. As I made my way home, I could barely see the cars around me or the lanes at times, even with the windshield wipers working overtime. Thankfully, traffic was moving very slowly, with some vehicles pulled off to the side under the overpasses.

In situations like this one, I am glad I have my Triple A auto club membership. They are always just one phone call away with reliable roadside assistance. I have called them many times over the years and they have always come to my rescue. But now the irony was not lost on me as I navigated this storm, that should I need Triple A’s help, I had no way to contact them. My phone refused to turn on and stay on.

And where have all the phone booths gone? Are public pay phones a thing of the past? I still see phone booths in movies, but then those are old movies. Then I began to wonder, do gas stations even have phones for people to use? Do businesses have land lines anymore? I think of all the years I drove before cell phones. We all did. And somehow we all survived. But at the moment, I am seriously questioning how in the world we all managed to travel and get where we were going and meet up successfully without cell phones. How did we do it? I am trying to remember.

A cell phone would have totally changed the iconic movie “An Affair to Remember” – but cell phones have changed many things, I realize now, as I am without mine for the moment. And in these moments I feel, as I said, totally cut off from outside communication, isolated and alone. (when you live by yourself, you don’t have someone else’s cell phone to rely on) This surprised me. It’s not like I’m on a deserted island. Why do I feel so disconnected without my cell phone? I don’t remember ever feeling this way when all we had were land lines.

However, in those times when I find myself most alone, I also find I experience most vividly my Heavenly Father’s presence with me. I feared being cut off from communication with the world around me, but it’s precisely in those moments that I discover the comfort and peace that God’s constant presence abiding with me brings. God receives every SOS I send out. He doesn’t miss a one.

“I called on Your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea: ‘Do not close Your ears to my cry for relief.’ You came near when I called You, and You said, ‘Do not fear.’ ” (Lamentations 3:55-57)

“O Lord my God, I called to You for help and You healed me. O Lord, You brought me up from the grave; You spared me from going down into the pit.” (Psalm 30:2-3)

“I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” (Psalm 40:1-2)

“In my distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and You listened to my cry.” (Jonah 2:2)

God’s word promises me that He hears each one of my desperate cries for help, each SOS I send out when I am alone and afraid. His response?

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” (Isaiah 43:2)

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

every SOS I send out is received and responded to by my Heavenly Father – I am never disconnected, separated or cut off from His presence or from His love or from His continuous watchcare over me –

“for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

“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 me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

sincerely, Grace Day

Ever feel like you’ve become obsolete? outdated? unnecessary? In today’s fast paced, everchanging culture it’s easy to feel that you’ve been left behind, that you are no longer useful or valuable to anyone. Perhaps you believe yourself to be overlooked and discarded, thrown away, now relegated permanently to society’s junkyard. Feeling broken, whether physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually – is actually more often the norm than the exception for us human beings, who live in this world while anxiously awaiting our redemption, our rescue from the junkyard. We probably feel broken because we actually are broken. We have been broken creatures ever since sin entered into the garden and subsequently into our lives here on earth.

We are broken beyond repair – beyond hope – or so we are told often and our culture reenforces this lie. But God’s word tells us something different. God’s word tells us the truth. And the truth gives hope to you and to me. Yes, it’s true that you and I are broken – BUT we are not broken beyond repair, which means there is hope. Always there is hope.

“The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” (Romans 8:19-23)

So it’s not my imagination! Things are hard right now. Life contains pain and loss and suffering currently. BUT the good news is that this is not the permanent state of things. There is hope! We are looking forward to the time when “creation will be liberated from its bondage to decay.” (“creation” – that includes you and me) Furthermore, we are going to be adopted as children of God and our bodies redeemed!

We are not irredeemable. We are not irreparable. But we are irreplaceable. God knows us each by name and we are not interchangeable to Him who created us. You and I, dear readers, are unique and irreplaceable to our Creator. Jesus put it this way –

“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) In Isaiah I read –

“Since you are precious and honored in My sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life.” (Isaiah 43:4)

And that’s exactly what God did – ultimately giving Himself, Jesus, His Son, on the cross in exchange for our lives. Jesus came to redeem us because to Him we are irreplaceable.

It is interesting that our junkyards are also commonly called wrecking yards or salvage yards today. Those names both aptly describe the situation, since wrecked cars usually end up in junkyards along with other broken things, all waiting to be salvaged or saved from the junkyard. I think I know how they feel. (except for the fact that they are inanimate objects and therefore they have no feelings) But they, like me, are in need of a rescue. They are in need of repairs and restoration to bring them back to full function and usefulness once again. They need to be revived and redeemed.

I am glad my Heavenly Father is in the salvage business because I need to be rescued from the junkyard and restored to what He intended for me all along. My Creator specializes in rescuing, redeeming, reclaiming, reviving, repairing, and restoring that which has been relegated to the junkyard and given up for lost. Jesus made this clear when He said –

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

You could say that God is working full time in the salvage or salvation business and you would be right. The need for His rescue is infinite and He is able to meet our need.

“because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.” (Hebrews 7:24-25)

God saves completely and He restores completely, too. His word reassures me of this truth.

” ‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’ ” (Isaiah 1:18)

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees and be careful to keep My laws.” (Ezekiel 36:25-27)

Now that’s a makeover! That’s restoration and transformation. That’s the completed and the ongoing work of God’s salvation. Even when I’ve wrecked my life and ended up discarded in the junkyard, God is willing and able to salvage me and to restore me. King David had kind of wrecked his life and was headed for the junkyard BUT he cried out to God desiring redemption, repair of what was broken and restoration of his relationship with God.

“Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (Psalm 51:7-12)

God rescued David, God will rescue you and I too, when we cry out to Him like David did. We will receive our complete restoration when God rescues us from the junkyard. His word tells us –

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

Because God is in the salvage business, I have hope and a future and so do you, dear readers. We need not despair. God is in the restoration business and we are His works in progress.

“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)

sincerely, Grace Day

We held hands as we circled around her hospital bed, praying for a miracle, knowing it was only a miracle that could bring our friend back to life at this point. Due to an unintentional drug overdose, she had been too long without oxygen and now she was on life support in hopes that brain function would return and she would recover. Friends had performed CPR, then the doctors and modern medicine had done everything within their power to revive our friend and to restore her to health, but to no avail. Still, family and friends were holding out hope that this wasn’t the end, that she would start breathing on her own again and experience a complete healing.

As we gathered around her, praying over her, we were desiring a miracle of the magnitude that Lazarus received. Lazarus had been dead in the tomb for four days, yet Jesus called him back to life and Lazarus walked out of the tomb, grave clothes and all! We desired nothing less for our friend. Like Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, we were not willing to let her go, to live life without her. And so we prayed for a miracle.

We prayed for the miracle that we desired. We prayed for the only outcome that we considered miraculous – her physical restoration and return to life Lazarus style – well, life here on earth that is. Even Lazarus would still have to face death again someday in the not so distant future. But in the moment our sole desire was for our friend to receive the miracle of a physical healing and return to life with us.

We did not get the miracle we prayed for that day. Our friend was taken off life support and she subsequently passed from this life into the next without regaining consciousness. We are left behind, faced with the monumental tasks of mourning her loss, celebrating her life and ensuring that her legacy lives on, surviving her death.

No, we didn’t get the miracle we asked for that day in the hospital room – but does that mean no miracles occurred? I don’t think so. We were looking for a very specific miracle to take place that day. Our disappointment in not receiving that particular miracle, has the power to blind us to the many miracles that we have already received and continue to receive even during this tough time. Our disappointment may produce in us doubt at the very time when we most need to believe in the One to whom we prayed for the miracle in the first place.

Our God may seem most distant at the time when we most desire His presence. Today as I struggle with my disappointment at not receiving the miracle I asked for and with the inescapable grief that comes with loss – I decide to trust the promises in His word more than I trust the promises of this world – starting with this one –

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18) God has said that He will –

“comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” (Isaiah 61:2-3)

It’s a miracle that the Creator of all the universe loves me (and you, dear readers) with a love so incomprehensible that it caused Him to come here personally in order to save me (and you) from a fate that isn’t worse than death, our fate IS death, apart from Him.

“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

“He made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:7-8)

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

It’s a miracle that God forgives me all my sin.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

“He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:10-12)

It’s a miracle that Jesus died on the cross in my place, to pay my sin debt.

“But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by HIs wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

It’s a miracle that I have been given the free gift of eternal life with Christ.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

It’s a miracle that I have a place waiting for me in heaven!

“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)

It’s a miracle that I am invited to spend eternity with the Creator of the universe, who in a happy coincidence is none other than my Heavenly Father who loves me. It’s a miracle that He knows me by name and that He cares for me.

“The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made.” (Psalm 145:9)

So many miracles – the miracle of forgiveness and second chances – the miracle of redemption and restoration – the miracle of the prodigal son returning home and the miracle of a father rushing out to receive him – the miracle of the reconciliation of the unreconcilable –

on a day like today it is good for me to remember that the Red Sea did part, manna did fall fresh every morning, the wall around Jericho did come down, barren women did give birth, the blind were given sight, the hungry masses were fed, hard hearts were broken, broken hearts were healed – and the tomb stands empty because death has been defeated!

life is full of the undeserved miracles of a gracious and loving Heavenly Father – I cling so tightly to this place because I have no idea what God is preparing for me – I am like the child C.S. Lewis refers to who –

“wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.”

It is true, in my human, finite state, I cannot comprehend what my Creator is preparing for me – so I pray for the miracle of remaining here rather than the miracle of going to the place He is lovingly, with great anticipation, preparing just for me –

“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)

we didn’t get our miracle today, or did we? Our friend certainly received the miracle of a welcome home with the outstretched arms of her loving Heavenly Father, who was waiting and ready to receive her into the home He has been preparing for her all along. No, we didn’t get our miracle today (the one we prayed so earnestly for) – BUT – our friend, she got her miracle today!

sincerely, Grace Day

Moses didn’t want to do it – travel alone, that is – and neither do I. Navigating the perils and the pitfalls of life here on earth, living life as one cast out of Eden’s perfect garden, is not something I feel equipped to do on my own. I need help. And fortunately for me, my Creator offers me the help I so desperately need, freely and abundantly, new every day.

“I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2)

Speaking as one who is directionally challenged, I admit my constant need for direction both literally and figuratively every day. Just last week I found myself lost when the road ahead was closed and I was forced to choose an alternate route that was new to me. And it hasn’t been that long ago that I took a wrong exit and was hopelessly lost, finally realizing I was heading in the opposite direction of my intended destination! A display on my car’s dashboard told me which direction I was heading (N/S/E/W) providing me with confirmation that I was way off target, but not telling me how to find my way to where I needed to be. Full disclosure – I don’t have GPS in my car or on my phone because my phone is a flip phone.

This seems to happen to me in life also. I find myself wandering around, without direction, and therefore going nowhere. This wandering life leads me to wonder where I should be headed (pun intended) as I search for my purpose in this life. My Heavenly Father has something to say about my dilemma. He says to me –

“Trust in Me with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Me, and I will direct your paths. (or make your paths straight) (Proverbs 3:5-6)

If I ask my Heavenly Father, He not only gives me directions, but He also goes with me. In fact, I experience what King David talked about in Psalm 139 when he said of God –

“You hem me in – behind and before; You have laid Your hand upon me.” (Psalm 139:5)

This was true for the Israelites when they were in the desert searching for the Promised Land – God was with them and God was leading them.

“By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.” (Exodus 13:21-22)

However, there came a time in their desert wanderings when due to their sin and rebellion against God, God told Moses He was no longer going to go with them. The Israelites would still be given their Promised Land, God would send an angel before them to drive out their enemies – but God Himself would not go with them. You might think that inheriting the land “flowing with milk and honey” and having their enemies driven out ahead of them, would have satisfied Moses, but it didn’t. Moses didn’t want the reward if it came without God’s presence. His response makes that clear –

“Then Moses said to Him, ‘If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that You are pleased with me and with Your people unless You go with us? What else will distinguish me and Your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?’ ” (Exodus 33:15-16)

I feel like Moses did all those centuries ago – I don’t want to travel solo – I desire that God’s Presence go with me or I don’t want to go at all! No matter how desirable the destination, if God is not there, that is not where I want to be either. Moses didn’t even want the long anticipated Promised Land if God’s Presence wasn’t going to be there with Him and with the people. He made that very clear when he pleaded with God to continue to go with them in their journey through the desert.

I agree with Moses. What, except for my Heavenly Father’s Presence, distinguishes me and you and everyone else who invites His Presence into their lives, from “all the other people on the face of the earth?” It is God’s abiding Presence that makes all the difference. The Israelite’s identity was as God’s chosen people – it was His Presence that set them apart. Without God’s Presence, they were no different than the pagan peoples surrounding them, whether they inhabited the Promised Land or not. My identity is in God’s Presence with me, not in His gifts. God’s abiding Presence is what assures me that I am seen, known and loved by my Creator.

“I am the good shepherd; I know My own and My own know Me -” (John 10:14)

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)

Moses had to plead with God not to send the Israelites on without His Presence. But not too many years later, we find Moses reassuring Joshua of God’s continuing Presence with His people. Moses told Joshua this –

” ‘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.’ Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, ‘Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their forefathers to give them, . . . 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)

Those words are still true today for us as God’s children – I don’t have to travel solo, you don’t have to travel solo, dear readers, through the desert that is this world. We have God’s eternal promise that He will “never leave us nor forsake us.” So you and I don’t have to be afraid nor discouraged, despite the often overwhelming circumstances that surround us on a daily basis because – “The One that is in us is greater than the One that is in the world.” It is our Heavenly Father’s abiding Presence that guides us, keeps us, protects us and provides for us each day.

I never have to travel solo, even though I am alone. I am so thankful for His promise to be always with me, and His promise to direct my paths, especially since I am directionally challenged and so easily lose my way. But even when I feel lost, I am reassured that I am not traveling solo, God is with me, it is –

“in Him I live and move and have my being.” (Acts 17:28)

Jesus bids me “take up my cross and follow Him” – when I am following Jesus, I am never traveling solo!

sincerely, Grace Day