I confess – I love a good comeback story. I always root for the underdog – the one facing the impossible odds. That holds true in sports and in life. One of my favorite football movies, “Facing the Giants” is inspiring precisely because the underdog team has to overcome many obstacles as they pursue success on the field. Another favorite movie, “October Sky,” tells the true story of four high school boys from a poor mining community in West Virginia, who eventually win the national science fair, but only after experiencing set back after set back, each one bringing their project seemingly to an end. But each time, the boys regroup and began again. One of the boys even had to drop out of school in order to work in the mines, because his dad had been injured in a mining accident and couldn’t work for a time. Nothing was in their favor, their school had no resources to help them, and yet they persisted and eventually prevailed, winning the National Science Fair in 1960.

By today’s standards these boys were victims – born into poverty, no prospects except to work in the mines as their fathers did, a disadvantaged school with no funds for things more affluent schools would naturally have, such as fully equipped science labs. But they didn’t see themselves as victims of anything nor of anybody. Instead they relied on themselves and their own curious minds and ingenuity. Consequently, not only were they not victims, they were victors in every sense of the word. Because they were winners in the science fair, they were able to get scholarships to college and choose for themselves their future careers. They persevered. They overcame. They became victors.

Overcomers. Indomitable overcomers. Such people were the pilgrims who sailed by ship across the sea for the opportunity to build a better life than the one they left behind. Odds were not in their favor that they would survive their voyage. After all, travel by boat in the 1600’s was not on luxury cruise liners like we have today. It was perilous. It was risky. And if they survived the voyage, they would still have to learn how to survive in the New World. That first winter, forty-five of the one-hundred two passengers from the Mayflower did not survive. The journey was risky, the destination was full of danger, risks and the unknown. Yet still, people came to settle in this land, now our country. The hardships they faced were many and they were continuous. But they did not think they were victims. They persevered. They overcame. They became victors.

Overcomers. Indomitable overcomers. Such people were the pioneers, who headed west in covered wagons into unknown territory until they eventually reached the Pacific Ocean. Well, some of them anyway. This was not the tourist travel of today, the travel of people on vacation. This was travel that involved great risk and many hardships, due to weather, the terrain itself, illness and the problem of finding food to sustain them. (there were no restaurants, fast food or otherwise along their route from which they could order up some food – there were no B&B’s or hotels either) Many pioneers died before they ever reached their intended destinations. Yet still, they set out on the journey west. The hardships they faced were many and they were continuous. But they did not consider themselves victims of anything nor of anybody. They persevered. They overcame. They were victors.

Overcomers. Indomitable overcomers. Such people were the patriots of the Revolutionary War. Willing to fight for the freedoms they had come to this New World to obtain, they risked everything for freedom’s sake. They were oppressed by the British government, oppressed in their status as subjects of the crown, subjects of the current King of England. The British Crown’s rule was strong and far reaching. Their navy, the most powerful in the world at that time. Likewise, British wealth, resources and military might were unmatched. How could poor, unorganized colonists stand up to such a force? – the very force to whom they paid taxes, the very force that had kept them successfully subdued and subservient since their inception. It would not be easy and victory was not certain by any means. But the patriots did not consider themselves victims of anything nor of anybody. They persevered. They overcame. They became victors.

Overcomers. Indomitable overcomers. Such people are our modern day astronauts. They choose to take on great risks when they train and prepare for space flight. The risks are real, as the Space Shuttle Challenger reminded us all in 1986, when it broke apart just seventy-three seconds into flight, killing all seven crew members. The space program did not die, but it would not be the last time that astronauts lost their lives in the pursuit of space exploration. Seventeen years later, in 2003, all seven crew members of the Space Shuttle Columbia were killed when the shuttle disintegrated as it reentered earth’s atmosphere. These crew members were not victims. They pursued and realized their dreams, including exploring space. They persevered to attain their personal goals. They overcame. They were victors – not victims.

Overcomers. Indomitable overcomers. Wilma Rudolph was one such woman. She was one of twenty-two children and she suffered from polio and scarlet fever as a child. Because of this, she wore a leg brace. By today’s standards Wilma would be considered a victim. Fortunately, Wilma did not consider herself a victim. Wilma became a runner. At the Rome Olympics, in 1960, Wilma became the first American woman to win three gold medals in one Olympics. She held the title of “fastest woman in the world.” Wilma persevered. Wilma overcame her obstacles. Wilma was a victor – not a victim.

I think of those that stormed the beaches of Normandy during World War two. Many of them lost their lives, but they did not think of themselves as victims. They would not want us to remember them as victims either, but as the victorious heroes that they were and remain so to this day. Likewise, the Tuskegee Airmen leave behind a legacy of courage, dedication and service to this country and to the world – a world which their efforts and actions helped to make free once again. We all owe them a huge debt of gratitude for their service. Society at that time may have considered them victims but they saw themselves as victors. And indeed their accomplishments, valor and example for others to follow proved them right. They persevered under difficult, dangerous circumstances. They overcame. They were always victors – never victims. They proved that to the watching world.

There are so many individual stories to tell of valor and of victory, that I could never tell them all. One of my favorites, though, is that of Dr. Carol Swain. She was one of twelve children and grew up in poverty, dropping out of high school in the ninth grade. Poor, black, uneducated and a woman, Dr. Swain was, by our culture’s current definition – a victim. Married, divorced and with three children, Dr. Swain obtained her GED, then an associate degree, then a B.A. in Criminal Justice, then a Master’s in political science, followed by a Ph.D. in political science and finally a Master of Legal Studies from Yale Law School. This looks more like the life of a victor than a victim to me. How about you? In an interview Dr. Swain shared something I found very interesting and relevant to today’s culture. In one of her many college classes she was taught that she was an oppressed victim and would therefore never be able to achieve certain things in life. Fortunately for her, at the time she was informed of her victim status, she had already achieved all those things plus more, despite the label they wanted her to wear. (Labels can be so limiting, so confining, so final, if we accept them and wear them as our excuse for everything that we do or don’t do in life.) But Dr. Swain had not been told she was a victim from a young age, so she proceeded to live the life of a victor. And she succeeded despite numerous hardships and obstacles that she had to overcome along her way to victory. Dr. Swain persevered despite her disadvantaged beginning in life. Dr. Swain overcame. Dr. Swain is a victor – not a victim.

We each one face many difficulties, hardships, setbacks, tough times of every kind in our lives. That is the human condition on this earth. Justice Clarence Thomas summed it up in these words,

“Regardless of race, everybody faces adversity and must choose whether to buckle down and surmount it, shaping his own fate, or to blame the outcome on powerful forces that make him ineluctably a victim – forces that only a mighty government can master. The Framers’ Constitution presupposes citizens of the first kind. Without them, and a culture that nurtures them, no free nation can long endure. . . . there is no governmental solution to black America’s problems – . . . In this equal opportunity nation, black citizens must forge their own fate, like all other Americans. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

So many stories of overcomers! America is full of these individual and collective stories of overcoming adversity to achieve success. It is a shame that these are not the voices we are hearing and heeding today. At present, it seems to be the voices of the victims that are taking center stage. Why these are today’s role models, I do not know. We used to celebrate the person who triumphs over hardships and setbacks to emerge victorious. Now it is a competition to be the most oppressed, the most victimized, and therefore the most entitled. There is no valor in victimhood. There is no value in victimhood. There is no honor in blaming others, circumstances, everything and everyone but yourself for what you are doing or not doing with the life you’ve been given.

Have we gone from a nation of indomitable overcomers to one of oppressed victims? It seems everyone wants to claim victim status nowadays. Obstacles in life have never before been the end point – obstacles are the things we rise above and overcome on our way to victory. What is success without the struggle? Nothing. The difficulties that must be overcome define the achievement. The apostle Paul had something to say about this in Romans chapter eight. He was talking about Christ followers being more than conquerors. Ironically, that is the opposite of what Karl Marx would say. He said that “religion is the opium of the people”, a crutch for weak people and nothing more.

However, the life of a Christ follower demands just the opposite of a weak, victim mentality. Following after Jesus is not for the faint of heart. It requires hard core dedication and determination. This life demands standing firm and laying down your life, speaking up when others remain silent and holding your tongue when others have lost their grip on their tongues. It involves overcoming evil with good, hate with love, darkness with light and lies with the Truth. Jesus told us clearly what to expect when He said,

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

I am following the One who has overcome all things, even death. Even though He was crucified on a cross, Jesus was not a victim, but arose the Victor on the third day, defeating death. (without the struggle, where is the victory?) Jesus calls me to live life as an overcomer, not as a victim. Paul says in Romans 8:35-39,

“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, you) from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (italics mine)

“but despite all this, (trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, sword) overwhelming victory is ours (mine, yours) through Christ who loved us enough to die for us.” (Romans 8:37 Living Bible translation – parenthesis mine)

Overwhelming victory is mine in Christ! I am told I am more than a conqueror as a follower of Jesus Christ. My Heavenly Father does not intend for me to live as a victim but as a victor. Today I am free to choose which path I will pursue, which label I will wear. I will face many obstacles, that is a certainty. We all have many hardships, hurts and hurdles on our personal paths in this life. But we can take heart, knowing Jesus said He has already overcome the world.

So I will take heart and continue to fight the good fight. I will choose to live as a victor, not a victim. And I will remember a favorite quote,

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle you know nothing about.” The victor fights the battle – the victim refuses to engage.

sincerely, Grace Day

Ever feel like that? too tired to continue? Maybe it’s more than physical fatigue. Maybe it’s mental and emotional exhaustion that has moved in and taken up permanent residence within you. The uncertainty of current events, the ever present and ever changing COVID related rules, restrictions, predictions and warnings take their toll daily until a day comes when we realize we have no memory of what it was to feel good – to walk out into this beautiful world unafraid and ready to embrace the day. Do you remember living like that? It was little more than a year ago, actually. I confess – it seems that it was a lifetime ago, a memory distant and almost forgotten – a life that so easily slipped away while we cowered in fear.

So today, many of us may find ourselves weary, worn out and at the end of our proverbial ropes. Actually, many of us may have passed that point months ago. What is the way out of this place of perpetual weariness in which I find myself today? You wouldn’t think the book of Jeremiah would be the place to turn for encouragement, considering Jeremiah wasn’t the most upbeat prophet around. Still, I found these words in Jeremiah 6:16,

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.’ ”

Isn’t that what we all desire, rest for our souls? Soul rest is the best kind of rest. When I have soul rest, my body, my mind and my heart can be at rest also. Soul rest is a complete rest born out of relationship with the One who offers me this rest, who promises me this rest if – if what? In Matthew 11:28 I am issued an invitation to rest from Jesus Himself,

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Interesting isn’t it, that Jeremiah and Jesus both use the same words, find rest for your souls. I guess that’s because the desire for and the search for rest is a universal thing, we just don’t realize that it is a very specific kind of rest we actually need to be at peace – rest for our souls. We can get all the physical rest we need and still find ourselves feeling weary and exhausted, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Without soul rest, there is no true rest. Maybe that’s why Jesus offers what is best. Jesus offers what you and I truly need, when He issues us His invitation to come to Him.

What do I have to do to receive this rest for my soul? Jeremiah’s words and Jesus’s words in Matthew tell me the actions I must take – stand, look, ask, walk, come, take, learn, – all actions that are up to me to do. When I decide to do these things, I will find the rest for my soul that Jesus offers to anyone who comes to Him and takes His yoke. I wouldn’t have thought exerting myself with all these actions would bring me rest – but that’s what Jesus promised would happen and that’s what does happen when I take Him at His word and put Him to the test. I come to Him, I take on the yoke, I learn from Him, I look for the “good way” and I walk in it. – the good way is always the harder, more strenuous way – why would I choose that way if it is rest I am seeking? Because Jesus promised rest would be the result.

When I am following Jesus, wearing His yoke, I do find rest for my soul. Jesus gives me His peace and my soul can rest in that peace which only He can provide.

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

And when my soul rests, my body, mind and heart share in that rest – the rest that is the gift of God to His children. Psalm 23 paints a beautiful picture of what that rest looks like as I follow after Jesus –

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:1-2)

restoration, renewal, rest for my soul – what I deeply desire and desperately need – the rest for my soul that Jesus offers to me in Matthew 11:28, (remember?)

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

rest for my soul – is available to me – I can accept Jesus’s gracious, generous invitation to come, take upon, and learn – receiving in return the soul rest that I seek – the answer and the antidote to my current condition of “weary and worn out.”

Now I understand why David wrote in Psalm 62 these words,

“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” (Psalm 62:1-2) then a few verses later David says,

“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him.” (Psalm 62:5)

David was fighting many battles. I’m sure he was tired and wanted rest. I think I understand David’s weariness and longing for rest. I am fighting many battles, too, every day. I bet you are too, dear readers. Long before Jesus issued His invitation, recorded in Matthew, to give rest to anyone who comes to Him, David had already discovered that the true rest he sought could only be found in God. Probably because it is soul rest that David needed and only God could give David that kind of rest. That’s what I want too – God’s rest, God’s peace, – the peace that passes understanding because it doesn’t depend on my circumstances –

My Heavenly Father knows I need rest, He understands my weariness. Psalm 103:13-14 tells me,

“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust.”

My Heavenly Father knows how weak I am and He will provide what I need – rest, renewal, strength to keep going, hope (the reason to keep going) – indeed,

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

no longer weary and worn out!

sincerely, Grace Day

“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)

Now I confess – I don’t spend much time reading Leviticus. It’s not my favorite book of the Bible. Actually – true confession – I don’t know that I ever turn to Leviticus when left to my own devices. But 2 Timothy says “all Scripture”, not just some of it, is important because all of it, not just some of it, is “God-breathed” or God inspired by His Holy Spirit. Jesus weighs in on this issue saying in Matthew 5:17-18,

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”

Leviticus is a book of laws. Moses recorded God’s commands, directions, laws and guidelines for His people, the Israelites, to follow as prescribed in this book called Leviticus. However, the recording of all these rules and regulations doesn’t make for the most riveting reading to be sure.

Leviticus is the third book of the Bible, following Genesis and Exodus. This is a tough spot to be in because Genesis and Exodus are hard books to put down. They are full of action, adventure, intrigue – all the things you would expect from the telling of a family saga, including, but not limited to – drama, romance, conflict, betrayal, war, plagues, floods, struggle, deceit, treachery, valor, faith, miracles and more. Seriously, the first two books are real page turners. There’s a beautiful garden, an evil deceiver, the betrayal of brothers, the trickery of twins, the baby competition of two sisters, the building of a really big boat, the burning of a city by fire and brimstone, the parting of a sea, a burning bush, an abandoned baby in basket, a sibling sold into slavery, the faithfulness of Abraham, the deceitfulness of Laben, the miracle of Moses, who went from murderer to deliverer – there is nonstop action and human drama in these first two books of the Bible.

But that all comes to a screeching halt when we turn the page and find Leviticus waiting for us. Gone are the love stories and the war stories, the stories of sibling rivalry, of victory and defeat. Now instead we read endless lists of rules and regulations and directions for how to carry out these duties, such as required sacrifices and offerings. Indeed, Leviticus chapter one starts right out with the rules and directions for making a burnt offering to the Lord. Then the rules and directions for grain offerings, fellowship offerings, sin offerings and guilt offerings follow. Leviticus continues with rules for special days that are to be observed, rules for food, rules for hygiene, rules for sex, rules for priests to follow – pretty much every aspect of life for the Israelites is covered in this book called Leviticus.

Interestingly, the very last verse of the very last chapter of Leviticus, would make a great first verse and introduction to the whole book. This is because this verse would give me, the reader, a heads up as to what is coming in the following pages. But I don’t read these words until the conclusion of the book, which are as follows –

“These are the commands the Lord gave Moses on Mount Sinai for the Israelites.” (Leviticus 27:34)

A little more than mid-way through this book of seemingly endless laws, rules, regulations and directions for how to live, I come across some words that put into perspective the reason for and the importance of this book, Leviticus, to the Israelites. I read in Leviticus 19:1-4,

“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy. Each of you must respect his mother and father, and you must observe My Sabbaths. I am the Lord your God. Do not turn to idols or make gods of cast metal for yourselves. I am the Lord your God.’ ”

With these words, I start to get an idea of what Leviticus is all about. God is holy and He was trying to help His chosen people, the Israelites, become a holy people, set apart for Him, by giving them these guidelines for life. In chapter 10 of Leviticus I read about the death of two of Aaron’s sons, who were priests. They had not followed God’s instructions to them, but instead

“they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to His command. So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. Moses then said to Aaron, ‘This is what the Lord spoke of when He said: ‘Among those who approach Me I will show Myself holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored.’ ” (they had dishonored God with their disobedient actions) (Leviticus 10:1-3)

As the conversation continues in Leviticus 10, I learn again why Leviticus matters.

“Then the Lord said to Aaron, ‘You and your sons . . . must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean, and you must teach the Israelites all the decrees the Lord has given them through Moses.’ ” (Leviticus 10:8-11)

Why did the people need to learn all these decrees, all these laws, commands, rules, regulations and directions? The answer is there, found among all the laws of Leviticus. I read it in Leviticus 11:44-45 and in Leviticus 20:7, where I find these words,

“I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves about on the ground. I am the Lord who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.”

“Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. Keep My decrees and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy.”

Centuries later, Peter would write much the same instruction saying,

“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’ ” (1 Peter 1:14-16)

As I read this book of rules and regulations called Leviticus, – a book of laws – I discover that it is a book of love as well. Leviticus is the expression of a Holy Creator God’s love for an unholy and rebellious people – the people He created, called and cared for with an everlasting love that would later be more fully revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. But at the time of Leviticus, this is the promise those people had from God –

“Observe My Sabbaths and have reverence for My sanctuary. I am the Lord. If you follow My decrees and are careful to obey My commands, I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit. Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land. I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid. . . . I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep My covenant with you. . . . I will put My dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be My people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high.” (Leviticus 26:2-13)

This is such a beautiful picture of what God intends for us, for me and for you, dear readers. It is no coincidence that in the second to the last chapter of the very last book of the Bible, God is still talking about these very same things. Revelation 21:1-4 tells me,

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, . . . And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ ”

From the garden in Genesis (where God walked with Adam and Eve), to the desert in Exodus (where God went with the Israelites in a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night), to His pledge in Leviticus that it was His intention to dwell among them and to make them His people, to His promise in Revelation that He intends to live with us and make us His own – our Heavenly Father’s intentions towards us have never wavered. He was pursuing His people through the laws of Leviticus then and He is pursuing us still to this day, even now. God will not give up His pursuit of me and of you, until Revelation becomes reality and all our tears are wiped away in His presence. No wonder King David said in Psalm 119:72,

“The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.” David also said,

“Oh, how I love Your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. Praise be to You, O Lord; teach me Your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from Your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on Your precepts and consider Your ways. I delight in Your decrees; I will not neglect Your word.” (Psalm 119:97-98 and 12-16)

Just think, David was describing Leviticus in this Psalm about how he loved God’s laws. (I mean, what book is more full of God’s laws than Leviticus?) David didn’t seem to look upon God’s commands and directions, precepts and statutes as boring or unimportant. Guess I could take a lesson from David and learn to love Leviticus like he did. Then I will be able to say along with David,

“for I delight in Your commands because I love them. I lift up my hands to Your commands, which I love, and I meditate on Your decrees.” (Psalm 119:47-48)

sincerely, Grace Day

Ok, I confess – I’m hearing voices again. But these are not voices of imaginary people or beings. These are the very real voices of very real people who are no longer living. But their voices can still be heard if one cares to take the time to listen and learn. Today, I sit in a classroom surrounded by voices from the past. Their names and their words (commonly called quotes) cover the walls of the classroom. These voices from the past are calling out to me and I am listening. Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, Langston Hughes, Jesse Owens, Marian Anderson and Harriet Tubman are some of the people who are speaking to me this morning. I have previously written about Harriet Tubman (post – C.C. voices from the past #172) so I will share some words of wisdom from some others today.

Thurgood Marshall said, “In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.” Jesse Owens words also instruct and inspire, “Find the good. It’s all around you. Find it, showcase it and you’ll start believing in it.” Where or on what we choose to fix our gaze and our thoughts really does matter. It really does make all the difference. That must be why Hebrews 12:2 tells me to, “fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith.” That must be why Philippians 4:8 instructs me in this way, “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.”

That’s what Jesse was saying, look for the good, the good in people, the good in our circumstances, the good and many blessings of life that each day brings to us. Look for those miracles amid the mundane, as I would say. I can choose to count my blessings and give God thanks. What can I learn today as I sit surrounded by these voices from the past? Will I listen or will I ignore the lessons they have left to me and to you? Will I allow their voices to be silenced forever with the rewriting of history to fit today’s “truth”, a place where their voices are no longer welcome?

I would miss Marian Anderson’s voice and her words of wisdom when she said, “As long as you keep a person down, some part of you has to be down there to hold him down, so it means you cannot soar as you otherwise might.” How true! Oppression holds in bondage both the oppressed and the oppressors. It may look different from the outside, but nobody in such a society is truly free. That’s why I must defend my neighbor’s rights as my own. If some are not free in this country, then none of us are free.

Voices from the past continue to instruct and to inspire me. As I sit with them this morning, Ronald Reagan’s words ring in my ears – ” . . . America is freedom – freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of enterprise. And freedom is special and rare. It’s fragile; it needs protection. . . . (it’s) why the Pilgrims came here, . . . If we forget what we did, we won’t know who we are. I’m warning of an eradication of the American memory that could result, ultimately, in an erosion of the American spirit.” Reagan spoke those words in 1989. I wonder if his voice was heard then? I wonder if anyone besides me is hearing and heeding his voice today?

Voices from a much more distant past also speak wisdom into today. Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas both had something to say about this idea of rewriting human history. Their thoughts arise from “the law of contradiction” which Aristotle says is the basis of all reasoning, the means by which we make sense of the world. This law states that both X and Y cannot be true at the same time if they are mutually exclusive. (my friend cannot be both taller than I am and shorter than I am at the same time. Only one of those possibilities can be true)

In this current time of COVID, the law of contradiction would mean that our elected officials cannot tell us that it is too dangerous for church services to take place while simultaneously saying that massive protest marches are safe and therefore permissible. (or that it’s safe to shop at Walmart but not at a smaller mom and pop shop? – seems like that would be the opposite, less people equals less exposure, therefore less danger from the virus? -seems like the small places should have stayed open, not the big box stores full of people from all over, instead of people from a specific neighborhood)

“So the law of contradiction means we can’t change the past. Truth resides in the past because the present is fleeting and confusing and tomorrow isn’t here yet. The past, on the other hand, is complete. Aristotle and Aquinas go so far as to say that changing the past – making what has been not to have been – is denied even to God. Because if something both happened and didn’t happen, no human understanding is possible. And God created us with the capacity for understanding. That’s the law of contradiction, which the art of doublethink denies and violates. . . . If the past can be changed, anything can be changed – man can surpass even the power of God.” (from Larry P. Arnn’s speech on Nov. 17th, 2020 in Rogers, Ar.)

Wonder what Aristotle would think about events transpiring today? So much doublethink, I think would make even Aristotle rethink his beliefs. Words are being redefined today at a rate so fast that no dictionary could possibly keep current. Thomas Sowell made this interesting observation –

“If you have always believed that everyone should play by the same rules and be judged by the same standards, that would have gotten you labeled a radical fifty years ago, a liberal twenty-five years ago and a racist today.” Same belief or opinion but a different label is put on the person holding that opinion depending on what the popular thought of the day is. So yesterday’s radical is today’s racist. Is there a truth that doesn’t change? Hebrews 13:8 tells me,

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Finally, a person who doesn’t change with every whim of culture and wind of popular opinion or personal preference, but remains constant throughout every era of human history and beyond – the person of Jesus Christ. What connection does the unchanging Person of Jesus Christ have with my search for truth that does not change over time or with the times? John 14:6 answers my question this way,

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ ”

Jesus is the Truth and Hebrews tells me that Jesus hasn’t changed, doesn’t change and won’t change. I can count on His constancy. Because Jesus doesn’t change and He is Truth, I can know Truth that will not change when I know Jesus. Psalm 119:160 tells me something else about what is true,

“All Your words are true; all Your righteous laws are eternal.” In John 17:17 Jesus says as He prays to God for His disciples,

“Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.” So God’s word is Truth and it is an enduring, lasting Truth. I read in Matthew 24:35,

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.”

So I have found Truth that not only will not change over time, but will also stand the test of time. It will remain over time, despite the fact that everything else falls away. In these days of doublethink and deception I do long to know what is true. Decisions based on false facts are never good decisions. Lies can limit my understanding and hold me hostage. Truth is necessary for freedom to exist. That must be why Jesus said in John 8:31-32,

” . . . Jesus said, ‘If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ ”

Freedom – the desire for freedom is what drove those who left their own countries to set sail and cross an ocean in search of a new land where they could live free. This desire for freedom is still the driving force today behind the journeys of those willing to risk everything for the opportunity to live in freedom. Remember the Israelites were slaves in Egypt for four hundred years. God eventually delivered them from slavery into freedom. He sent Moses to lead them out of Egypt and God Himself went with them on their journey in a pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night. God was with them and they were set free. It is interesting what 2 Corinthians 3:17 says,

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

There is freedom in God’s presence. Must be why Psalm 33:12 says,

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance.”

Another voice from America’s past said these prophetic words,

“America will not be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedom, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.” (Abraham Lincoln)

Spoken over a century ago, this voice from the past seems to know what is happening in our country today. If only we might listen to and learn from these voices from the past, what sorrow we might yet be spared! This is a nation “conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” (Gettysburg Address) Too many have laid down their lives defending our freedoms for us to so easily give those freedoms up now without a word of protest. Did they sacrifice their very lives only to see the light of freedom extinguished here and therefore in the world?

One powerful voice from the past proclaimed these words when he delivered the greatest speech of all time (in my opinion). Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at the Lincoln memorial on August 28th, 1963. Much of what he spoke about has been realized in the years following his speech, entitled “I have a dream”, until recent forces have attempted to undo the positive progress that has been achieved. Freedom – the desire of every human heart and the birthright of every American citizen. Dr. King ended his speech with these words,

” . . . when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning: My country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims’ pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring. And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. And so let freedom ring . . . And when this happens, and when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last. Free at last. Thank God almighty, we are free at last.”

I want to add my voice to those voices from the past fighting for freedom. I want to join with them in crying out, “let Freedom ring!”

sincerely, Grace Day

The appearance of the large manila envelope in my mailbox came as if on cue – perfectly timed to arrive just before Mother’s Day. It was full of old photos of our family. Grandparents, parents, siblings, children and grandchildren are represented in various photos. This becomes another trip down memory lane – one I’m not so sure I want to take so close to Mother’s Day, but I am already on memories’ road headed back in time as I look at the pictures my sister has sent. How young we all were! Had our parents ever been that young? (I confess -when we were young, they seemed old – but of course, in retrospect, they were young, especially when viewed from eyes now older than they were in some of the pictures – age is relative and perspective is everything, isn’t it?)

So my journey begins with the old photos and ends with me missing Mom on Mother’s Day. (not that I don’t miss her every other day of the year also) Memories can be good company, especially when they are good memories and I have plenty of those. Still, as we have all learned during this past year, there really is no substitute for the real thing or in this case, the real person, in person. Of course, there does come a time when the in-person experience with the real person is no longer possible. No plane, train or automobile can cross the chasm death creates between us and those we love.

I look at a picture of my first Mother’s Day as a new mom with my Mom and Grandma and my newborn daughter, four generations of women together for a time, until time separated us by her passing. I think back to in-person Mother’s Days of the past and wish for just one more to celebrate with Mom and Grandma. I can still see, with memory’s eyes, Grandma’s garden with the orange poppies blooming and Mom’s backyard with the iris and the peonies coming into full bloom as if for no other reason than to celebrate them on Mother’s Day.

Those flowers continue to come up year after year at the appointed time. And I continue to celebrate my Mom and my Grandma, year after year, and to give thanks for their presence in my life for the years that I had them with me. They left me quite a legacy, these two ladies, one that I hold in my heart and hope to live up to. These words from Proverbs 31:30-31 are apt on this Mother’s Day,

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”

Although my Mom and my Grandma were both charming and beautiful, they were also both full of those intangible, enduring qualities that outlast the years, becoming stronger as time passes. Each of them lived through tough times and faced challenging circumstances in their lives. But both women persevered through the ups and downs and finished well. Kindness, compassion, empathy, perseverance, steadfastness, courage and faith are the legacy they leave me. But these things are not an inheritance. Attributes such as courage and faith are not passed down, they are no one’s to give away. They are acquired in the process of living – of fighting the good fight, of striving to live an honorable life. They are forged in the life long labor of pursuing God.

They finished well, my Mom and my Grandma. That is the gift of their legacy. Their enduring faith, which grew steadily stronger until the end, when it was at its strongest. That is finishing well. This is what I remember and celebrate this Mother’s Day and everyday.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

Thank You, Lord, for the gifts of my Mom and my Grandma,

sincerely, Grace Day

Technology has been giving me an especially hard time lately. Computer problems, phone problems – these only serve to remind me how dependent I have become on the services technology provides me. When technology refuses to render her services to me, I find myself lost and unable to accomplish what I need to get done. This causes me to remember pre-computer, pre-internet times with more than just nostalgia, with something more like longing. Have you ever thought you were born in the wrong historical time period or wished you lived in a different era of human history? The past is often romanticized and we talk about “the good old days.” But each century has had its own challenges. (kind of like “each day has enough trouble of its own”)

Still, in one of my favorite movies, the heroine does exchange her 21rst century, modern day life in New York City for life in the late 1800″s with an English Duke. (if only time travel were actually possible) I’m sure she experienced some culture shock but she choose to live in a different time in history because she fell in love with the Duke who was mistakenly in her world momentarily, but had to return to his own time in history. It was all very romantic, and it got me to thinking – if I could live in any age in history, what would I choose? What would you choose, dear readers?

Would I want to live pre-automobile, when travel by horse or horse-drawn carriage was common? – when farm to table was what people ate three times a day and communication was hand written and delivered by Pony Express? I do remember having pen pals from far away places and loving to get letters in the mail. (although that was snail mail, not Pony Express) I sometimes wonder about experiencing life in centuries past, but I do have to confess – I am quite attached to indoor plumbing and would not easily give that up. (even for a handsome English Duke)

But that choice has never been mine to make anyway. My Heavenly Father, Creator of all the universe, chose the time and the place into which I was born. Those decisions are His alone to make. I can question, but in the end, it is God alone who knows all things. It is God alone who knows the end from the beginning and He has put me here in this place and in this time in history “for such a time as this.” That’s why these words spoken to Esther by her uncle Mordecai are so powerful –

“And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)

By royal position, Mordecai was referring to the fact that Esther had been made queen by King Xerxes, who ruled over one-hundred and twenty-seven provinces, including Persia and Media. By for such a time as this, Mordecai was referring to the fact that an edict had just been issued by King Xerxes stating that all the Jews who were currently living scattered throughout the many provinces of Xerxes’s kingdom were to be killed.

“Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews – young and old, women and little children – on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.” (Esther 3:13)

In an interesting plot twist, Queen Esther, herself, is a Jew, something Xerxes does not yet know. “But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.” (Esther 2:20)

So Esther, a Jewish orphan girl, was now in a position to be able to help her people at the very time when her people needed someone to save them from what was coming – imminent and certain death. However, there was a risk to Esther if she came before the king and revealed her true identity. Esther could be put to death herself. Mordecai’s counsel to her was this,

“Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14)

Esther listened to her uncle. She did not remain silent. She revealed herself to King Xerxes and asked him to intervene on behalf of her people to save them from this decree of death. Xerxes did so and the lives of the Jewish people living in his kingdom were spared. The two day celebration of Purim commemorates this time in their history – a time when God intervened by using Queen Esther to spare their lives. God put Esther in that unique place precisely for such a time in history as she found herself. Esther obeyed God, fulfilling His divine purpose for her.

No greater joy than that – to fulfill God’s good purposes for her. Like Esther, I want to know that I have a divine purpose also. Don’t you? I think we all want our lives to have meaning and purpose. It is no coincidence that this was the topic of conversation this week in my ladies’ Bible study. One woman said, “I want to know, what is my purpose here?” It is the same question we all ask of ourselves at some point. Ephesians 2:10 tells us this,

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

So God does have a plan and a purpose for you and for me, dear readers. God chose such a time as this for me to live upon the earth and He chose this time in history for you as well. (because if you are reading this, you are here now) Perhaps what He has for you or for me to do is not as dramatic as what He called Esther to do. God placed her in a high position so that she could save many lives. Esther could easily have lost her own life in coming before the king, revealing her identity and making her request that he intervene on behalf of her people. But Esther showed great courage when she did not remain silent, but spoke up and took action.

This may seem like a difficult time in which to be alive. 2020 was a year no one would choose, if indeed such choices were ours to make, and the challenges from that year are continuing with us into our current year. However, we were put here for such a time as this. May you and I, like Esther, not shrink back from the challenges of our calling in Christ. For such a time as this, God has us here, now. And He tells us,

“This is what God the Lord says – He who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: ‘I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.’ ” (Isaiah 42:5-7)

God has called you, God has called me – for such a time as this!

sincerely, Grace Day

With conflict and violence a part of everyday life, it seems imperative for you and for me to know how to defend ourselves, how to protect those we love, how to fight for the oppressed, the overlooked, how to fight for the right – how to survive. How do we fight fair or fight to win or fight to survive? There are all kinds of self defense classes and martial arts classes available. I could learn judo or karate or boxing. Assuming the correct stance or posture is essential if I am going to succeed when I engage with my opponent or enemy in conflict. The position or posture I take makes all the difference in the outcome.

In 1 Timothy 6:12, I am told, “Fight the good fight of the faith.” How do I do that? What does that even look like?

At this point, I confess, dear readers, a song is running through my head, playing loud and clear in my mind. I am even singing along because I love the words so much. Here are some of them,

“So when I fight, I’ll fight on my knees, with my hands lifted high, O God – the battle belongs to You! Every fear I lay at Your feet, I’ll sing through the night – O God the battle belongs to You!” (Phil Wickham “The Battle Belongs”)

On my knees, is definitely not the posture I would pick to gain an advantage over my opponent. And hands lifted high in the air, is definitely a posture of surrender to, not victory over my opponent. Or is it? Things are not always as they seem. In this scenario, my surrender is not to my enemy but to God, my Heavenly Father as I cry out to Him in prayer. And as you may have guessed, on my knees, is the posture of prayer before God. Babbie Mason’s song, “Pray On” says this,

“Stay on your knees, for that’s where the battle is won.” Ephesians 6:18 instructs me with these words,

“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.”

This instruction comes after my enemy is identified and I am told how to prepare to fight against him with these words,

“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore 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” (Ephesians 6:11-13)

Most often, I am called to take my stand, by taking a knee – actually by bending both my knees and bowing in prayer before my Heavenly Father, who is able to do immeasurably more than all I ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within me. (Ephesians 3:20)

So my fighting posture is one in which I am on my knees before my Heavenly Father, Almighty God. You see, the battle isn’t even mine – it is God’s. In 1 Samuel 17:47, I read what David acknowledged when he fought Goliath, the Philistine giant, saying, “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.”

There is an account in 2 Chronicles, Chapter 20 of another battle that had to be fought. There were vast armies coming to invade Israel. In response to this alarming news King Jehoshaphat “resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.” (2 Chronicles 20:3) Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel and he spoke these words, “This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. . . . Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’ ” (2 Chronicles 20:15-17)

Then the story continues, getting really interesting. Next we read, “Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, ‘ . . . Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld;’ . . . Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise Him for the splendor of His holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever.’ As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.” (2 Chronicles 20:20-22)

With the weapons of prayer, obedience, gratitude and praise to God, Israel defeated the enemy without a physical fight. Truly, the battle is the Lord’s. And when I join Him in His battle, I am told to fight it on my knees. I am told to pray for my enemies, to overcome evil with good, darkness with light, lies with the truth. I can do all that from a posture of humility and dependence upon God, the posture that puts me on my knees. Like the song says, when I fight, I will fight on my knees with my hands held high, reaching out to my Heavenly Father. This must be the posture I take when I do battle with the enemy. I want to be able to say along with Paul,

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

to that end, I will – “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you (and me) in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

fighting the good fight, sincerely, Grace Day

Everybody needs one, everybody should have one – a pasture pony, that is. Now I confess – I had never heard of this particular breed of horse until my sister told me about it. Turns out, pasture pony, is not so much a breed of horse as it is a job description. So when I say that everyone should have a pasture pony, I am speaking metaphorically rather than literally. I am not suggesting that everyone should purchase a pasture and put a pony in it.

But I am suggesting that everyone would benefit from having a metaphorical pasture pony in their life. You see, owners of individual horses purchase a pasture pony to hang out with their horse so their horse won’t be lonely. That’s right, the pasture pony’s job is to provide companionship for the horse that would otherwise be alone. A kind of a rent a friend, if you will. This is necessary because horses are herd animals and they don’t do well living by themselves. Being isolated from their own kind isn’t good for them. Solution – the pasture pony.

The pasture pony’s sole purpose is to provide comfort, community and company for the main horse. All that is required of the pasture pony is their presence. They don’t have to be pretty (or witty or wise). They don’t have to be a fast runner or a good jumper or have a particular pedigree, they just have to be an amiable companion. I don’t even know if they have to be a great conversationalist. Seems like just showing up to share the pasture and pass the time, fulfills the pasture pony’s purpose. The main horse, the one that is the show horse or the race horse or the riding horse, just needs to know that he or she has a friend. They need the assurance that they are not alone in the barn, not alone in the pasture, not alone in this world. (don’t we all need that same assurance?)

Because companionship is so important to the well-being of the main horse, the horse that is considered the important one, the horse that was bought with a purpose in mind, like riding or racing or jumping or showing, owners are willing to go to the additional expense of purchasing a pasture pony for their primary horse. Horses, like humans, were not meant to live in isolation, separated from others of their kind. In Genesis 2:18 we read what God said about this,

“The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’ ”

At that time, Adam was the only human living in the garden God had made. “Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there He put the man He had formed.” (Genesis 2:8)

Adam was surrounded by every kind of living creature imaginable and all manner of natural beauty and every possible plant and flowering tree and fabulous food at his fingertips, but he had no one with whom to share this perfect, beautiful paradise. Yes, you can be lonely, even in a perfect paradise. Adam was. God saw Adam’s sadness and God provided just what He knew Adam needed in order to live his life fully and productively. Adam needed companionship, community and the comfort that comes with having his own kind around him, instead of living by himself.

We were created to live in community with each other and with our Creator, God. That’s why we, like horses, (and other animals) don’t do well in isolation. We are not designed to live alone. If we have forgotten this basic truth, this past year of lockdowns and forced isolation should have sufficed to remind us all of this. Not being able to be with friends and family for an extended period of time has taken an unexpected toll on our human health. People do die of loneliness, literally. Isolated, lonely people become depressed, some die from drug overdoses, suicide, or from lack of a reason to get up in the morning, lack of a reason to take care of themselves. Loneliness watches a person wither away, body and soul, for lack of human contact and interaction.

We need to be connected to something or to someone outside of ourselves. If not, we wither away and die. John 15:5-6 explains connection this way in these words of Jesus,

“I am the Vine; you are the branches. If a man 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.”

Branches need to be connected to the Life Source, the Vine. When a branch is no longer connected to the Vine, it dies. But while connected, the branch is able to bear fruit, be productive and fulfill its purpose. Alone the branch can do none of those things. And as a branch enjoys connection with the Vine, the branch also simultaneously enjoys connection with all the other branches. It is connection that allows the individual life to flourish. We grow in community, we learn in community, we find our purpose as we find our place in community. We cannot find our place or our purpose in isolation. I guess that’s why Hebrews 10:25 gives us this direction,

“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.”

That must be something the pasture pony does for the main horse, encourage him or her. Earlier I alluded to the horse that was the race horse or the show horse or the riding horse as the one of value. However, it seems to me, there is great value in the pasture pony as well. The pasture pony may be past its prime, not able to be ridden anymore. But its value is in the camaraderie it provides for the other horse. What cost companionship? Who can put a price on the intangibles of friendship and emotional well being of horses or of people? Pasture ponies, though old and past their prime, as it turns out, are indeed priceless.

In these tough times, we could all use a pasture pony, a constant companion. And we need to be a pasture pony for someone else, too. There just may be no higher calling than that of a pasture pony – the calling to be a faithful friend. After all, Jesus said He came to serve, not to be served.

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

sincerely, Grace Day

Today I find myself echoing and sharing in an ancient prayer, a prayer from the 7th century actually. It is the prayer of Habakkuk, an Old Testament prophet of God. It was his prayer then, it has become my prayer now. First Habakkuk says,

“But the Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.” (Habakkuk 2:20)

Wouldn’t that be something? a hushed earth, waiting to hear the voice of God, Creator of all. Reminds me of the words in Psalm 46:10,

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

So Habakkuk prays, “Lord, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of Your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.” (Habakkuk 3:2)

Renew them (God’s deeds) in our day, – what was going on that Habakkuk wanted God to intervene? Well, Habakkuk 1:2-4 gives us a clue as to what was troubling Habakkuk,

“How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? (ever feel like that?) Or cry out to You, ‘Violence!’ but You do not save? Why do You make me look at injustice? Why do You tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.”

Now you understand, dear readers, why I would make Habakkuk’s prayer my own today, why it is so personal and so relevant given what we are witnessing in our world at this time. There is strife, and conflict abounds. Sounds just like what is happening all around us today, doesn’t it? So I guess I understand how Habakkuk felt when he cried out to God, How long, O Lord? I feel Habakkuk’s anger and pain as he asks God,

“Why then do You tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?” and Habakkuk heard God’s words,

“See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright – but the righteous will live by his faith – . . . Because he (the wicked) is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples. . . . For you have shed man’s blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them. Woe to him who builds his realm by unjust gain to set his nest on high, to escape the clutches of ruin! You have plotted the ruin of many peoples, shaming your own house and forfeiting your life. The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.” (Habakkuk 2:4-11) Reminds me of the stones ready to cry out at Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem, should the people be silenced. Then another warning –

“Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by crime! . . . For you have shed man’s blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.” (Habakkuk 2:12 & 17)) This admonition is followed by something to look forward to, words proclaiming hope for the future –

“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14)

I can hardly imagine it! That must be the time when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10-11) Hope – hope on a not yet visible horizon, but hope nonetheless.

I confess – I can feel overwhelmed by the darkness of these days, by the violence and the bloodshed which seem a constant presence with us. Evil appears to have the upper hand. Churches are not fully open and some are still closed altogether, while streets are full of angry mobs and burning buildings. It is now that I want the faith Habakkuk had when he asked God to renew His great deeds in our day; in our time make them known.

Habakkuk wanted to see God bring restoration, healing, peace and prosperity to a land he loved. But he knew that could only happen if the people sought God and returned to God’s righteous ways of living. And so, surrounded by evil, by violence and bloodshed, by oppression and injustice, by destruction and conflict (sound familiar?) Habakkuk prayed. Habakkuk prayed for God’s intervention, for God to enter in – pleading with God, in wrath to remember mercy. Then Habakkuk prayed these words,

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights.” (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

Though . . . yet . . . – that’s a prayer of faith! And I want to make it mine today! Though evil seems to have the upper hand and darkness to prevail, yet I will rejoice in God, my Savior, in whom there is no shadow of turning but only the fullness of goodness and light. I will cry out to Him, I will wait on Him, I will put my hope in Him and in what He will do. For,

“I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” (Psalm 27:13-14)

sincerely, Grace Day

The foods we buy, the medicines we take, the appliances and other things we purchase all come complete with warning labels, whether FDA or otherwise. We can consider ourselves forewarned before we consume something or before we use a particular product. “Keep out of reach of children” is a common warning as is “discontinue use if . . . ” (you fill in the blank) From hair color to power tools, warnings abound about their proper use and potential pitfalls. If only we would read the fine print! (which I confess – in my haste, I often overlook the reading and the heeding of the properly printed warnings of possible problems that might occur with the foods or other products that I purchase)

So today I’m thinking, wouldn’t it be good if life came with warning labels? I mean, I never know what a day will bring and I too often find myself blindsided and unprepared. Maybe some warning labels, like road signs, but for my life, would come in handy. I’ve even thought of what some of those signs might say. See if you think any of these would be helpful.

Danger – failure to forgive may damage and/or cause the death of your relationships.

Beware – hatred is hazardous to your heart.

Look out for liars – they will lead you away from where you intended to go.

Proceed with extreme care – entering gossip and slander zone – much damage done here.

Caution – selfishness and greed may be harmful to your health.

Enter at your own risk – bullying practiced and protected here.

Cannot be held responsible for any outcomes occurring apart from prayer.

Danger – casting of stones may take place at any time without warning!

Travel advisory – (for the road of life) potholes and pitfalls may be more numerous than expected on this road and may be deeper than they appear to be, therefore more dangerous and capable of causing more damage than would otherwise be anticipated.

All of the above could be helpful signage along life’s highway. Too bad we don’t actually have those warnings and directions along our way. Oh, but we do, dear readers! We have all kinds of instruction, guidance, directions for how to proceed, including warnings, – everything we need to walk wisely in this world is available to you and to me. It is right there in God’s Word – the Bible. All we have to do is to open up the Book!

Within this Book, there is a book called Proverbs. This book is full of warnings and wisdom from beginning to end. Any of the instructions from Proverbs would make a good road sign. Proverbs gives us those directions and warnings we need in order to find our way through this life. I will share the content of a few of these road signs with you here, dear readers. (but seriously, the entire book of Proverbs is one giant warning label for life and road sign for this journey of ours)

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” (Proverbs 4:23-27)

“My son, keep your father’s commands and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life,” (Proverbs 6:20-23)

Isn’t that what we are all seeking – the way to life? And now we learn that these words, these road signs from God, are the light that we need in order to find our way. Psalm 119:105 proclaims,

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”

Just what I want from a warning label or road sign, illumination so that I might see the way ahead more clearly. I need warning labels and road signs in my life to keep me safe precisely because –

“There is a way that seems right to a man (or to me) but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12)

I don’t know the beginning from the end like God does, so I need the warning labels that come with life, the warnings and directions that God gives to me in His Word. There is a warning in John 16:33 that is a particularly good road sign because it provides a head’s up for what’s coming (as any good road sign should do) and at the same time, it provides hope too. This hope comes in the form of a spoiler alert, as the sign tells me what’s coming and then tells me how it ends. This actually turns out to be a great source of comfort and encouragement as I continue down the road and don’t turn back. This is what the road sign says,

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

a head’s up followed by hope, just what is needed – indeed, God’s Word contains all the warnings, the wisdom, the hope, the encouragement and the guidance I need to stay on course. That’s why I think my favorite life warning label and road sign is this,

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” (or “He will direct your paths.”) (Proverbs 3:5-6)

That sign contains the warning – lean not to my understanding, the direction – trust God and in all things acknowledge Him, and the hope – God, Himself will lead me, direct my path and make it straight.

a head’s up, direction and hope – such are the warning labels and the road signs God provides for me and for you in His Word – hopefully I will take the time to read them and heed them!

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” (Psalm 32:8)

“Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long.” (Psalm 25:4-5)

sincerely, Grace Day