Quests are supposed to be about finding something, presumably something of value.  Quests are about finding answers, not creating more questions.   Or are they?  My last quest left me full of unanswered questions and lacking the item I so diligently sought.

Quite unsatisfying if you ask me.  Searching for something that doesn’t exist, or for something that was but now is not.  Is anything permanent anymore?

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.”  (Luke 21:33)

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

Man builds his monuments that he might be remembered, while he returns to dust leaving behind his monuments – empty, speechless, unable to tell his tale, when there is no one left to remember who it was that made the monument in the first place.

We toil to make a mark while we are here, to leave a footprint that will endure in our absence, giving evidence that we did indeed pass through this way.  But our footprints fade a little with the passing of each generation, until like footprints in the sand they are completely obliterated by waves and wind, as if they had never been at all.  And when there is no one left to tell the story our footprints once told, no one left who knows our story, no one left to carry our memory in their heart, the erasure is complete.

What then is it that will last?  The things I hang onto or the things I let go?  Is it the skyscrapers, proud monuments to man, that will endure or is it the bridges, lowly paths providing passage to connect us on our journey?  Will it be the things that I accumulated or those things I gave away?

These are all queries of life’s quest, life’s quest to find meaning and purpose amid the mundane.  And each of us is on that particular quest whether we realize it or not.  We may be on our own personal quest for fame or fortune or happiness or love or health or peace or knowledge or understanding or for some rare treasure that we want to possess; but underneath it all, our quest is simply to make sense of the life we are living.  We want answers to life’s questions, that is our quest.  We spend our time dealing with the queries of our quest.

Jesus asked some relevant questions of those He spent time with,  such as, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?  Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”  (Mark 8:36-37)  or “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”  (Matthew 6:27)  or ” ‘But what about you?’ He asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’ ”  (Matthew 16:15)

Jesus asked this last question of Peter, but truthfully He also asks this question of each one of us personally.  And just like Peter, my answer to this question makes all the difference in the world.  An eternal difference.  A truthful answer to this question leads me to a successful conclusion of my life’s quest.  The answer to this question leads me to the answers of all the other queries of my quest.

“Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ ”  (Matthew 16:16)

Jesus said, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  (John 8:32)

A quest is a grand adventure and life is definitely a quest – a quest for answers.  So part of questing is questioning, the most important part.  There cannot be a quest without questions.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”  (Matthew 7:7-8)

“Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”  (Jeremiah 33:3)

happy questing my fellow questers!     sincerely,         Grace Day

 

 

 

 

 

that’s what we are – treasure carriers.  Now this may be hard to believe and take some getting used to – but it is true – we are treasure carriers.  This seems a contradiction because I have been a treasure hunter, a treasure seeker but do not think of myself as a treasure carrier or a treasure holder.  I may long to discover hidden treasure (like people do when they search their attics and basements in hopes of finding something of value among all the broken, discarded, outdated items classified officially as junk), but it would not occur to me to imagine that I already possess and carry great treasure within myself.

There are pleasure seekers and treasure seekers;  there are ring bearers, cup bearers, banner bearers and armor bearers; those who come bearing good news and bad.  But treasure?  There are those who carry treasure?  and these treasure carriers walk among us on a daily basis?  and I am one of them?

Treasure is usually under lock and key, guarded well, not easily accessible to just anyone.  Or it is hidden away in unknown, secret places.  (hence the allure of treasure maps)  Treasure is not for the masses, but only a select few perhaps, such as those who are royalty or those who are pirates by trade.  There are safes and bank vaults and museums for art treasures.  There are keys and locks and alarms and armed guards.  We go to great expense, to great lengths to protect our treasures and to keep them safe.  We take great care to provide places worthy of housing our treasures, places such as palaces and museums in which we keep what we deem to be of great value.

The crown jewels of England are stored in the Tower of London.  Museums are large, beautiful buildings fit for housing precious paintings, sculptures and other valuable works of art.  Except for treasure that lies buried beneath the ocean on sunken ships from times past, most treasure is kept in surroundings matching the exalted nature of the treasure it contains.

That’s why it is so surprising to me that I should carry a treasure of priceless value in my earthly body.  It makes no sense.  But this is what Paul meant when he said, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”  (2 Corinthians 4:7)

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 explains it this way, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.”  That’s the treasure – God’s Holy Spirit – come to live in me; to live in anyone who asks Jesus for the gift of His life giving presence.

Paul wrote in his letter to the Colossians about, “the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.  To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”  (Colossians 1:26-27)  Glorious riches, in me?

I am the “jar of clay” Paul was talking about in 2 Corinthians, as containing this treasure.  Some translations say “earthen vessels”, which I love for how accurately it describes me, seeing as how we were formed from the earth.  “the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”  (Genesis 2:7)

“for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust.”  (Psalm 103:14)    God knows how we are formed because He is the One who formed us! God told Adam, “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”  (Genesis 3:19)

So my earthly body hardly seems a suitable place, a place worthy of housing treasure of any kind, let alone the glorious riches of an eternal, imperishable, living Creator.  Beautiful, valuable treasure deserves an equally beautiful, expensive dwelling place.  But God chose to make His home with me and in me?

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”   (2 Corinthians 4:7)

Jesus said in John 14:23, “If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching.  My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”  Paul says to the Ephesians, “I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts though faith.”  (Ephesians 3:16-17)

“And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.”  (Romans 8:11)  So there it is.  God’s Spirit lives in me.

I am carrying this imperishable treasure around in my perishable body, this treasure of great value is housed in this home made from dust!  Isaiah 57:15 tells me something about where God dwells, “I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

That’s the contradiction that is beyond my understanding.  The Creator of the universe who dwells in unapproachable light also dwells with me, His Spirit lives in me!   And because I am a broken, earthen vessel, the light of this treasure of His Presence shines out through each and every crack for all to see!

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you;  . . .   And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees and be careful to keep My laws.”  (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

I am a jar of clay, I am an earthen vessel,  I am a treasure carrier!

sincerely,          Grace Day

 

 

 

how many times have I heard that instruction?  well, every time I’ve been on a plane getting ready for takeoff, I’ve heard that instruction as part of the pre-flight routine that every airline observes.  Now when I say I’ve heard this instruction, a more accurate admission would be that it has been given while my mind is busy with other things, such as wondering if I remembered to pack ? or if I remembered to turn off ?.  or I’m thinking about whatever or whoever it is that awaits me at my destination. All this preoccupation leaves little chance that I am truly hearing these pre-flight, in case of emergency, instructions.

Nevertheless, the instructions, “put on your own oxygen mask first, before attempting to assist or to care for anyone else around you.” are given before every flight as part of the “what to do in case of an emergency speech.”  Why?  because without my own oxygen mask on, I would be totally incapacitated, unable to help myself, or anyone else.  I would be useless.

This instruction to put on my own oxygen mask first, reminds me of an instruction Jesus gave in Matthew 7:5 when He said, ” You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”  Good advice for anyone who wants to help someone else.  I need to take care of my own mask or my own plank first, before I can be in a position to offer assistance to someone else.

Putting on my oxygen mask first, before doing anything else, makes perfect sense in light of Jesus words in Luke 6:39, ” . . .  Can a blind man lead a blind man?  Will they not both fall into a pit?”  If I’m not connected to the oxygen source myself, I can’t help anyone else to get connected to the same life saving oxygen source.  It just isn’t possible.

Jesus offered other survival instructions as well.  “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.  Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”  (Luke 6:37)  In each case, something is required of me first, some action I need to take before I can relate rightly to other people.

Jesus gave the ultimate survival instruction when He said, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)  I am not to sit back and wait to see how others will treat me before I decide my actions towards them.  I am to put on my oxygen mask first, then treat them well, minister to them, serve their needs.  I can do this because my needs are met as I am already attached to the life giving source of oxygen.

I have heeded the instruction to put on my own oxygen mask first.  I am plugged in. I am connected to the source that sustains life.  And that makes all the difference.

Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the gardener.   . . .  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.  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.”  (John 15:1,4-5)

sincerely,         Grace Day

“And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”  (Genesis 1:3)

Moses spoke to the Israelites saying, ” ‘ Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law.  They are not just idle words for you – they are your life.’ ” (Deuteronomy 32:46-47)

“My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.  Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.”  (Proverbs 4:20-22)

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

Jesus said, “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” (John 6:63)

I’m seeing a pattern here, a pattern of words as nourishment, nourishment for our souls.  God’s words are life to us; they are life giving, life changing, life sustaining, power-packed words, every one of them.

The writer of Hebrews summed it up best when he said, “For the word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”  (Hebrews 4:12)

There is power in this living word to convict me, to change me, to sustain me, to fill me full of wisdom and joy, to empower me to live the life that God has called me to live. This living word is eternal.  “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  (John 1:1)

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

Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.” (Luke 21:33)

I want these living words living in my heart.  I will proclaim along with King David what he wrote in Psalm 119:11, “I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.”

sincerely,    Grace Day

 

 

 

 

 

I must confess to you, dear readers, that I have never been on a quest before – well never officially or on purpose anyway. nothing that I’ve signed up for or prepared for, or trained for in anticipation of participating in this thing called a quest.  The notion of a quest implies something of great purpose, a noble, worthy, cause to pursue something of great value at great personal expense, a journey both dangerous and exciting.

And yet without my noticing, I find myself embarked upon a quest of sorts these past few days for the commonest of objects (or so I thought until my search began). It started without preparation or planning, I simply sought to purchase the needed item when I was at one of those large stores that has everything from food to clothes to household stuff to electronics to hygiene to cleaning supplies. I mean there is nothing these stores don’t stock, except the item I wanted to purchase.

So my first revelation was that this item is no longer common place or easy to find. This new knowledge has turned my casual search into a full blown quest.  Scarcity has a way of making an item more desirable if not more valuable.  My quest now involves going from store to store in search of this elusive item.  Not exactly scaling mountains to find the object of my desire, but driving in crazy, city traffic might just qualify as daringly dangerous.  Certainly my persistence in continuing to seek out this item even though I am met with defeat (a no, we don’t carry that) at each store, should count for something, right?

And so my quest continues, leaving me discouraged and defeated because I cannot find and purchase the object of my quest, the item I desire to obtain and possess, the thing I have determined that I need, that I must have and cannot believe that it no longer exists. (except in memory of days gone by)  It is sad but true, my quest for the ever elusive recipe card has ended in failure.  The irony of this failed quest is that I, myself, am not a cook. (so I don’t need recipes, therefore I don’t need recipe cards) I sought these for a friend.

Questions from the quest abound.  Why has this once common household item vanished from store shelves? (was there a conspiracy or collusion?)  Do people no longer cook?  Or do they pull up recipes on their phone, eliminating the need to have them written on a recipe card?  Or with all the cooking shows available now are people just “winging it” rather than following a recipe?  Then there’s eating out or having premade dinners delivered, (like Nutrisystem or Weight Watchers) again no need for a recipe.

I have actually experienced the loss of other unrelated products that I have used. They just mysteriously disappear without notice from store shelves, giving way to other brands and other products in their place.  Some things just cannot be found, that once could be found, no matter how long or how diligently I look for them. So this is not my first unsuccessful search in life.

Sometimes I feel like that with God.  I have felt His Presence, known His comfort and His mercy and then I look for Him again and feel like He’s not there.  I feel the need to search for Him, to find what I once possessed.  It’s then that these words are particularly reassuring to me.  ” ‘Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.  I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord”

This is the reassurance that I long for.  My quest to find God will not end in defeat but in victory.  I have His word on that!  He will be found by me if I am seeking Him.  When I am experiencing hardship or difficulty of any kind I am likely to feel more keenly my desire to “find” God and to know that He is with me.

These words in Isaiah 46:1 remind me that, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”  He is ever-present, I don’t have to go on a quest and search hi and low for Him.  When my pain in this life is great I can know that, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”  (Psalm 34:18)  God is present with me, He is close; my quest to know Him will not prove fruitless.  God will never disappear.  ” ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’ ”  (Revelation 1:8)  ” . . .  from everlasting to everlasting You are God.” (Psalm 90:2)  God will not simply cease to exist, like the recipe cards I sought apparently did.

God will not become unavailable or impossible to find.  On the contrary ” . . . He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.   . . .   the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”  (Psalm 121:3-4 & 8)

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”  (Matthew 7:7-8)

“Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”  (Jeremiah 33:3)

“I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.”  (Psalm 34:4)

My quest to find God will not end like my quest for the no longer existent recipe cards.  Not only did God promise that He would be found but He actually is on His own quest seeking my heart!  “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.”  (Revelation 3:20)

I may be the seeker but I am also the sought after!  (see post “the pursued”)

my quest for my Creator is a quest that will end well!

sincerely,      Grace Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lord,

open my ears, my eyes, my mind, my heart, my spirit to You –  to hear what You would speak, to see what You would show me, to learn what You would teach me, to believe all that You are, Your truth, and to receive Your presence, Your Holy Spirit.

open my hands, that I would not hold on so tightly to the things of this world with my fists clenched, closed to everything and to everyone, mirroring my heart – admitting no one –

open my hands, lay them out empty, with nothing to offer up, nothing to give in exchange, no longer full of my dreams and my plans, no longer full of self, palms toward heaven, ready to receive what You want to fill them with.  You alone are the Giver of every good gift.

and grant that I would be grateful for what You give, not wanting something more or something different as Eve did in the garden so long ago, but that I would be content because I trust in Your goodness and Your grace towards me, knowing that

“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)

“In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:  ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.  For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.  Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ ”  (Matthew 13:14-15)

I don’t want to be like the people Isaiah talked about Lord.  I cry out along with King David,  “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”  (Psalm 51:10)

and God says to me, “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.    . . .   you will be (Mine) My people, and I will be your God.  I will save you from all your uncleanness.”  (Ezekiel 36:26-29)

and I answer “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law.  Teach me Your way, O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name.”  (Psalm 119:18 & Psalm 86:11)

sincerely,       Grace Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the line wasn’t that long but it was not moving so I was both bored and in a hurry at the same time.  (but I often operate in “hurry mode” so that’s nothing new) lacking a magazine display to catch my eye and help me to pass the time by reading the headlines, I eventually noticed a brightly lit screen at the counter near the register, advertising the lottery.  Pictures and words flashed as the screen displayed ads for different jackpots, rotating through a sequence of ads and then starting over again.

It was at this point that one particular lottery ticket ad caught my attention.  It displayed the amount to be won, odds of winning, number of winners at this location in the past etc.  It all looked so glamorous and exciting.  It all looked so possible.  And there in the middle of the screen, in big, bright, bold letters were these words,  “Gamble Responsibly – Gamblers’ Addiction Hotline ___ ___ ____.”

So there it was.  The very same neon sign that was inviting, encouraging, yes even enticing me to buy some lottery tickets, (to gamble)  was also providing me the number to call to get some help should my gambling become an addiction.  The cause and the cure together on the same sign.  How convenient!  How thoughtful of the lottery people!  Were they in essence saying, “we know this might ruin your life even though it looks like fun now, so we want you to call this number, not us, when your life falls apart and you are bankrupt.”

This contradiction stuck with me as I left the store.  The same slick, shiny ad that promised me a chance at a richer, brighter future also predicted that I might need the help of a hotline if I purchased their product and oh so thoughtfully provided me with the number they knew I would eventually need.

“Gamble Responsibly” is an inherent contradiction.  Gambling by definition is taking a chance, risking something in the hope of gaining something more.  It is risky behavior, which is why people find it so exciting.  Risky behavior is the opposite of responsible behavior, so by definition there is no such thing as “responsible gambling.”  If there were, it wouldn’t be gambling, it would be a routine purchase of a sure thing.  If I am gambling, I am taking a risk – whether a small one or a big one – but a risk nonetheless;  so I am not being responsible.  I can’t be both responsible and risky at the same time.  This is the contradiction that leads to my conviction.

Life is full of contradictions.  I am full of them myself I realize as I eat my high calorie dessert and drink my diet, zero calorie soda.  So much for consistency.  I stand corrected, convicted by the contradiction of my own actions.

And that’s not the only contradiction that convicts me.  Luke 6:46 asks the question of me, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”  I live out that contradiction in my life all too often.  If I say that Jesus is the Lord of my life, then I must do things His way rather than relying on my way, which is often self serving instead of serving others.  I can’t say that Jesus is Lord of my life and then refuse to follow His directions, but instead “lean on my own understanding.”

There is no escaping the contradiction of the following words; “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar.  For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.  And He has given us this command:  Whoever loves God must also love his brother.”  (1 John 4:20-21)

The contradiction of someone claiming to love God but hating the people around them, is quite convicting.  Just as I can’t gamble responsibly because that’s an impossibility, I can’t love God and hate other people at the same time.  It is an impossible contradiction that convicts me to my core every time I find myself attempting to do just that. The conviction is that I am a liar.  I am a liar if I am saying I love God and then living in a way that is not loving towards others.  I can’t live in a way that does not support my claim of loving God.

The contradiction of words versus deeds is always very convicting.  There are these words in James 2:14-17, “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?  Can such faith save him?”

The contradictions in the following words of 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, are also very convicting.  “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him.”

And finally Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:10, “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.”   A contradiction that convicts me every time.

sincerely,     Grace Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

being a bridge may be the only job where lying down on the job is actually doing the job    

bridges provide connection,  that is their purpose –  some bridges are life saving connections.

Jesus is the Bridge, the life saving connection between God and me.  Jesus is my living bridge.

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

Jesus laid down in order to fulfill that purpose, His purpose, in coming here.  What He laid down was His life.

“The reason My Father loves Me is that I lay down My life – only to take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord.  I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.  This command I received from My Father.”  (John 10:17-18)

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”  (John 15:13)

If I am to be a bridge for my friends, then I am going to have to learn to lay down my life over and over again, because every time I “stand up for myself” I am no longer providing a connection that someone needs in that moment to walk across on their journey toward Jesus.  Jesus is the ultimate life saving Bridge,  He who provides safe passage for each one who walks across Him, who laid down His life for us all, straight into the arms of our waiting Heavenly Father.

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”  (Mark 10:43)

sincerely,         Grace Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

it is said that the eyes are the windows of the soul.  well, what about hands? seemingly ordinary, our hands play such extraordinary roles in our everyday lives, that I and maybe you, too dear readers, take for granted.  Our hands are symbols of hard work, of help, of healing, of hope and more.

Hands are in every facet of our vocabulary.  We talk about lending a hand, handing something or someone over, we each have given and have received at one time or another –  a hand me down, a hand out, a hand up or a hand off. (well, okay that last one maybe only if you play football do you receive a “hand off”)  At school the students receive “hand-outs” and are asked to “hand in” their work, which will be “handed back” at a later date.  We say someone “had a hand in it”, (could refer to a good or a bad deed) if they contributed to the outcome of something.  I may ask someone to “hand it over” or to “give me a hand”.

We say someone is “hands on” if they are involved and participate personally. Even a clock has “hands”, maybe that’s why we talk about “the hands of time”? Criminals get “handcuffed” and a person will say their “hands are tied” if they feel there is no action they can take in a particular situation.

Hands have a language all their own.  (both literally and figuratively)  In greeting, we shake hands or high five with our hands or anything in between.  We wave hello and goodbye with our hands.  To show respect there’s the hand in military salute, the hand placed over the heart in pledge or the hand placed on the Bible (with the other hand raised) in promise to tell the truth.

We say someone is “handy” if they are good at something, particularly at fixing things.  We say someone is a “handful” if they are hard to “handle”.  We say someone is “hand picked” if they are personally chosen for some particular position or opportunity.  And “hand made” is now back in vogue; considered special, unique and more valuable than something that is mass produced or “store-bought”.

We take someone by the hand to lead them, place our hand over their hand to guide or teach them.  We extend the hand of friendship, lend a helping hand, raise holy hands to heaven.  We join hands in unity with others, we clap hands in applause, showing our approval and support.  We raise our hand to ask a question, to be heard.  A “show of hands” determines the outcome of a proposal.  If something or someone wins by a large margin, we say they won “hands down”.

Hands even have their own language, sign language, or more correctly, ASL, (American Sign Language) which is a language in its own right, with its own rules of syntax and grammar.  Here the hands do the talking in beautiful, expressive motions which speak as eloquently as any tongue could, if not more so.  And even those of us who don’t know sign language often “talk with our hands.”

Hands reveal a lot about the person they belong to.  Strong, hard, rough, calloused hands reveal someone who works hard with their hands day in and day out. Softer hands may point to a softer kind of work.  Many hands are adorned with rings and fancy nails, while others remain plain and inconspicuous.

Also interesting are the games we play exclusively with our hands.  Think about thumb wrestling, charades, and the classic game of rock, paper, scissors.  All hand games.  We say someone has a “hot hand” if they are shooting well in a basketball game.  (or is that poker where you have a “hot hand”?)

Allstate tells me I am in “good hands” with them.  I would like to believe that and be at peace.  But I wonder   . . .   in whose hands do I really want to rest?  mine? (taking matters into my own hands)  those of some well known leader or celebrity? those of my financial adviser?

God says “It is I who made the earth and created mankind upon it.  My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshaled their starry hosts.”  (Isaiah 45:12)

“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand.”  “No one can deliver out of My hand.  When I act, who can reverse it?”  (Isaiah 42:6 & 43:13)

If the Creator of the universe says He will hold my hand, I think I will take Him up on that offer.  It’s the best one I’ve received.  (no offense to you, Allstate)  These are the hands I want holding onto mine.  Jesus hands, the hands that healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, fed the five thousand; hands that washed the feet of His disciples and then were nailed to the cross,  these, these are the hands that I want to hold onto.  These are the hands I want holding onto me.

“But he (Thomas) said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were,  . . .  I will not believe it.’  Jesus came and stood among them and said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see My hands.  Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.’ ”  (John 20:25-27)

Thomas saw the nail pierced hands of Jesus and believed.  Jesus’ hands told him everything he needed to know.  The same hands that formed man from the dust of the ground, that formed the woman from the rib of the man, the hands that made Adam and Eve garments of skin to clothe them when they were naked, these are the very hands that were nailed to the cross in my place and in your place.  These are the hands I want holding me.

My Heavenly Father says to me, “For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”  (Isaiah 41:13)

The song says, “He’s got the whole world in His hands”.   John 10:28-30 tells me, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one  can snatch them out of My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.”

In my Father’s hands are help, healing, hope and heaven.  No better place to be!

sincerely,          Grace Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I always seem to be in pursuit – of – ?  of what?  well, of so many things actually.  (no wonder I’m so tired)  I confess.  I am now or have been at any given point in my life in pursuit of (in no particular, rather very random order) the perfect job, a specific job, a place to live, the perfect shoes, friendship, the right guy, lasting love, the easiest diet, the best pizza, the secret to success, the best workout routine, the truth (about anything), a good plumber, an honest financial adviser, the best sale/deal on anything, excellence, a college degree, happiness, my lost keys, jeans that fit right, the perfect hair color, the perfect hair cut, the matching sock, my other earring, an affordable airfare, someone who understands me, a reliable car, the best restaurant, love, acceptance, forgiveness, reconciliation, God – and this list is not complete by any means.

Suffice it to say, I am living in pursuit mode.  I spend my time seeking after, yes, searching for and running after –  well, you saw the list.    Whether things tangible or intangible, things to be attained or things lost, needing to be found, my pursuit is in progress.

It is no wonder that I never knew I was being pursued all this time.  How did I not know this?  I guess I’ve always been so busy chasing after, yes pursuing, all these aforementioned things and more, that I never looked back to see who might be pursuing me.  Why would I?  It never occurred to me that I was worth pursuing. Who would go to that kind of trouble on my account?

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”  (Jeremiah 31:3)  God loves me?  God is pursuing me?  God is drawing me to Him?

“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.”  (Psalm 139:7-10)

There is no place that I can run to where God will not be right there with me.  His pursuit of me knows no boundaries, no limits.  As diligently as I’ve been pursuing all my various “pursuits”, God has been equally diligent in patiently pursuing me even while I pursue the pleasures and the profits of this world.  And all this time I thought I was pursuing God.  Turns out, it’s God who’s been pursuing me all along. I just needed to stop and to be still.

“Be still, and know that I am God;”  (Psalm 46:10)

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.  . . .  Who of you by worrying (I would add by pursuing) can add a single hour to his life?  . . .  For the pagans run after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”  (Matthew 6:25-34)

I would much prefer to be the “pursuee” than the “pursuer”.  Turns out I have been the pursued all along.  But I was much too busy pursuing to let myself be “caught” by the One pursuing me with an everlasting love for me that I cannot fully understand nor explain.

” ‘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)

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”  (Luke 19:10)  Jesus came to pursue lost people like me and to give me forgiveness and eternal life.

“This is love; not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”  (1 John 4:10)  God is the pursuer!  I am the pursued!  Which means I must have some value in God’s eyes for Him to go to such great lengths to get my attention and to make a way for me to be reconciled to Him. Such great lengths as to send His Son, Jesus to live here with us, then die to pay the price for my sins, then rise from the grave, defeating death once for all. Leaving nothing for me to do but to believe in His name, accept what He did for me and stop trying to earn my own way to God.

I thought I was pursuing God.  But God’s been pursuing me since before time began.  “All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.”  (Psalm 139:16)

And God is still pursuing me today.  Even now He calls to me, “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.”  (Matthew 11:28-30)

Yes, my Heavenly Father is pursuing me.  That means I can cease and desist, I can take a break from all my earthly pursuits and rest secure and satisfied in Him.  I may never find the perfect pair of shoes or of jeans.  That pursuit is elusive and unsatisfying.  I can give up all my personal pursuits.

I AM THE PURSUED!  (which means I am valued, I am loved and I am cherished by my Creator)  I am the pursued and I have been found!  You too, dear readers, are THE PURSUED!  I pray that you are found as well.

“Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God; He to rescue me from danger, Interposed His precious blood.”  (hymn – Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing)

sincerely,            Grace Day