legacies left

Posted on by Grace Day

The music is modern, meaning loud, amplified electronically, the words are on a screen generated by a computer, as is the music, the dress is casual – sneakers, jeans – no hats or high heels here – all this perhaps incongruous with the high, vaulted ceiling, the rows of wooden pews, and the tall stained-glass windows on both sides of this sacred space we call a sanctuary. Time has brought about many changes, but this old church building still stands despite more than a century of changes and challenges all around her.

Today, we tend to worship in auditoriums or auditorium like buildings, perhaps making us feel more like spectators than participants in worship. However, this old church’s sanctuary lives up to its name. Typically, a sanctuary is a place set apart as sacred or holy. It is a place where we come together to worship God. A sanctuary is a safe place, a place of refuge and rest, a place of protection and peace. A sanctuary is the place we go to meet with God.

Such is the sanctuary in this church built in the 1890’s. The neighborhood surrounding the church has changed often, but the church still stands, a constant in this ever evolving culture. As I sit in the pew, I find myself wondering about the people who occupied these pews a century ago. Who were they? What were their lives like? Do they know their legacy of faith continues to this very day?

I found some clues in the writing on some of the stained-glass panels. There are names and dates such as – “World War Heroes 1917-1919, Company 128th Infantry A.E.F.” (interesting that it doesn’t say “World War 1”, but at that time people did not foresee that there would too soon be another world war). Another pane contains “Mr. Campbell W. Parker and Mrs. Mary M. Parker and daughter Nettie”, while another reads, “Rev. and Mrs. John Bushong/ Rev. and Mrs. David O. Darling” and another with the names “Rev. and Mrs. Charles T. Price”.

These people and so many others have passed on years ago, but they left us a legacy that lives on in this sanctuary, a sanctuary which today is a place of hope, of protection, of safety, peace and worship. This century old sanctuary is truly a place set apart in this world full of despair, violence, worry and chaos.

However, I think the world today is not so different as I imagine it to be from the world the people who worshiped in this sanctuary before us inhabited a century or half a century ago. At least in regard to those things that truly matter, I don’t think all that much has changed. As King Solomon correctly observed –

“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, ‘Look! This is something new’? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9-10)

So true! The human drama that is this life really hasn’t changed, even though clothing styles, music, food, pastimes, modes of travel, ways of earning a living, and so on have changed over time. However, we still face the same struggles that those before us faced, such as having to deal with crime and violence. The first murder happened quite early in human history, in the first family actually. It took place between brothers. Cain murdered his brother Abel out of jealousy, because Abel found favor with God, while Cain did not.

“Nothing new under the sun.” We human beings continue to deal with jealousy, greed, selfishness, pride, comparison, hatred – all of which lead us down a path that too often ends in violence, crime, harm and hurt, and sometimes murder. We deal with the hurt of broken relationships, whether that be within marriages, families or friendships – the pain is real. Ever since sin severed our relationship with our Heavenly Father, our other relationships have been subject to fracture as well.

Our human quest for identity, meaning, purpose and value in this life hasn’t changed with the centuries. We still want to know that we matter. We still search for a place to belong. We still desire connection and acceptance. We find these things in the sanctuary of God’s house when we come together to meet with Him there. This has not changed over time.

Perhaps it is only the outward form of things that has changed. A century ago, among those who entered the sanctuary there might have been blacksmiths, pony express riders, newspaper reporters, – instead of today’s car mechanics, mail truck drivers, podcasters. Jobs may have changed, but our need to be productive through meaningful work remains unchanged. Likewise, our need to connect with and to know our Creator God remains constant throughout our human history. King Solomon described it in this way –

“He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

Created in God’s image, we were made to know and to worship Him. To this end King Solomon built a temple for God to inhabit and we are told – “the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God.” (2 Chronicles 5:14)

For centuries men have been building churches, cathedrals, sanctuaries – places where God’s people could gather together to worship Him. As I sit in this particular sanctuary Sunday after Sunday, I am grateful for the people who built this sacred space over one hundred years ago and for those whose faithfulness has preserved this old sanctuary even as all around it, buildings have deteriorated with the passage of time.

Those whose names are mentioned on the stained glass and countless others whose names I do not know, have left us the legacy of this sacred space, a beautiful space, still standing in the middle of a profane world, a world that desperately needs to meet with God. I am thankful for the legacy their faithfulness has left to us today – this space in which to worship God.

Someday, when we are worshiping God together in that sanctuary not built by human hands, I will get a chance to meet all those who have worshiped in this sacred sanctuary over the past century. I will get the chance to thank them for their faithfulness in preserving this sacred space and passing it down through the generations. I will thank them for leaving us this legacy.

sincerely, Grace Day

it was the sunflowers

Posted on by Grace Day

I suspected the sunflowers from the very beginning, and in the end, it turned out to be true, my suspicions proved to be correct – it had been the sunflowers all along. Now sunflowers probably seem like they should be the least likely suspects when any type of wrongdoing or crime occurs. After all, they are so cheerful. They don’t seem capable of deceit or malice of any kind. At least that’s what I’ve always thought, until now. I believed sunflowers to be a trustworthy flower.

But that all changed with tonight’s unexpected mystery drama. It started as an ordinary errand – me running into Meijer to pick up just a few things before heading home. It ended with me at the self-checkout scanner, discovering that I no longer had my credit card in my hand. Ok, that requires some explanation.

I entered the store, car keys and credit card in hand. Normally those two items are in a pocket of whatever I’m wearing at the moment, but my attire was void of pockets and it was just a quick stop, not major grocery shopping. I made my rounds quickly and was headed for self-checkout. At this point I passed the flower/plant area located right across from the checkout and seeing a large selection of beautiful sunflowers there, I decided to treat myself to some sunflowers to brighten my kitchen and keep me company. (sunflowers are supposed to be good company, being known as a friendly flower and all)

So I began pulling out different bunches of sunflowers from the black buckets of water that held them, so as to better compare the blooms and decide which bouquet I wanted to take home. My decision finally made after some brief agonizing over which was the prettiest, the freshest, of all the bunches of sunflowers, I proceeded to the checkout line. There I relaxed, pleased with my impulse purchase, as well as with the speed with which I had navigated my way through the large store, successfully selecting all the items on my list, thereby completing my task. I could cross it off my to-do list. However, my relaxed and self-satisfied state of being was abruptly cut short.

Imagine my shock when I wheeled my cart up to the scanner and discovered only my car keys in my left hand, no credit card! I could not check out. I needed to backtrack, to retrace my steps in order to see where I had dropped my card. Of course, the sunflowers were my first stop, but I did not find my card there. So next I went to produce, specifically the strawberries. There I had had a brief conversation with a stranger, a fellow shopper. We lamented together the lower quality and the higher price of the strawberries currently, as they are not really “in season” anymore.

She and her husband were still in this area as I sped through, and she became aware of my situation. She was very kind and concerned, looking with me in the area where we had stood and talked. Then I was off to continue my reverse route in the store. Not finding my card, I began to worry that it would fall into unscrupulous hands who would then use it to purchase all kinds of things that I could in no way afford. I thought of the melting ice cream in my shopping cart. (priorities?) I thought about checking with the store to see if a good Samaritan had perhaps found my card and turned it in.

Then I came to my senses and made a plan. Leaving my cart at the checkout place in the care of an attendant, I went to my car to get my phone and a different credit card. I called to report my card lost and put a “lock” on it. Then I got back in an even longer line to check out. After checking out, I couldn’t give up the feeling that my card was still somewhere in the store, as yet undiscovered. So I decided to take one last tour of the store in search of my lost card.

This time my search was calmer because my card was already “locked”, no one could use it. I definitely got my steps in as I walked again everywhere I had been previously. You can cover a lot of ground in big stores like Meijer. I’ll never know my step count because I don’t have one of those devices, but I’m guessing it would have been an impressive number if a count were kept. So I’ll count extra steps as an extra blessing for the day.

Then, because my eyes were on the ground, I found a penny! Somehow that’s always a big deal to me. Don’t ask me why, must be a childhood thing. Also, I ran into the kind lady and her husband again, as they were still in the store. I thanked her and assured her that things were taken care of even though I was still searching. This time I went in the order in which I had shopped, instead of the reverse order, which means my very last stop of my very last search, was – you guessed it – the sunflowers.

I scanned the floor and the tables on which the black buckets of water filled with the bouquets of fresh flowers sat. I had looked into the two buckets holding the sunflowers previously, but this time I stuck my hand down into the water among the stalks of the sunflowers. Nothing in the first bucket, BUT – in the second bucket as I felt around, reaching all the way to the bottom of the bucket, I felt it! My credit card! I was right all along. It had slipped out of my hand when I was pulling out sunflowers to examine before deciding which ones I wanted to buy. This was the last thing I did before entering the checkout line.

The sunflowers were harboring, actually hiding my credit card all this time. But they did proffer a peace offering of sorts. When I pulled my credit card out of the water, a packet of that stuff you put in the water to keep your flowers fresh longer, came out with it! The sunflowers I had purchased, didn’t have one of those packets attached, so perhaps this was their attempt at appeasement, their apology for pick pocketing my credit card? (and for melting my ice cream, for causing me stress, panic and worry)

As I write this, the guilty sunflowers have been cut down to size and are sitting in a ball jar on my kitchen table. They certainly are a cheerful, friendly flower but I don’t know if I can ever look at them the same way again. We’ll see how I feel about them in the morning. Right now they remind me of the short-lived panic I experienced when I realized I had lost my credit card. How easily my peace and composure were shattered – until I came to my senses and realized there were readily available solutions to this problem. I was not in danger, no one was hurt.

It was a minor, unexpected inconvenience – a mystery that was rather quickly solved. My Heavenly Father is with me in the deep hurts and tough circumstances of this life. But He also cares about my mundane mystery of the missing credit card – He provided the kindness of a stranger, a penny, extra steps and that stuff for the water to help keep my guilty sunflowers living and lovely longer. (although, if I had not decided last minute to buy sunflowers, none of this would have happened – maybe there’s something to be said for sticking to one’s list with no deviation? – no, what fun would that be?)

I sure was filled with all kinds of worry and panic though, when I first realized my credit card was no longer in my hand but somewhere in the very large, very full of people store. In fact, I was surprised at how quickly I became fearful and anxious. And in this life, there is always something, usually many things, that can make you and me fearful and anxious. But our Heavenly Father does not want us to live full of fear and worry. Jesus told us this –

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

The sunflowers sitting on my kitchen table are God’s “lilies of the field”, clothed in perfect splendor. When I look at my sunflowers, instead of remembering my temporarily misplaced credit card and my accompanying panic and worry – I will enjoy their cheerful beauty and the peace their presence brings me because they proclaim God’s infinite care for all of His creation, including me. God takes care of them. He is taking care of me day by day.

It was the sunflowers who hid my credit card – it is the sunflowers who shout God’s goodness and glory from my kitchen table –

sincerely, Grace Day

a seat at the King’s table

Posted on by Grace Day

I sat at the King’s table today. Actually, there was no table in the room. Our chairs formed a circle around the room where we had come together for study and fellowship. During this time, we took communion together, fulfilling the scripture which says –

“For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26)

Proclaiming both Jesus’s death and His return? This might not make sense, given that if someone is dead, why would you be expecting their return. BUT – these disciples who were at the table of the Last Supper with Jesus, (which also turned out to be the first communion observance) witnessed not only Jesus’s death, but they also witnessed His resurrection and His subsequent ascension into heaven, with the promise that He would one day return. Luke gives an account of this in Acts, saying –

“After He (Jesus) said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.’ ” (Acts 1:9-11)

When I come to the Lord’s table for communion, I am celebrating and commemorating Jesus’s death, burial, resurrection, ascension and promised return, all simultaneously. It is definitely a table full of hope, hope because Jesus is coming back! Jesus told His disciples –

“if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:3)

A seat at the King’s table – this is what is offered to me and to you – now and in eternity.

“Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” (Revelation 19:9)

That’s us! Something to look forward to, but in the meantime, God’s provision is never lacking. A seat at my Heavenly Father’s table is always available to me and to you, too, dear readers, even in our darkest, most difficult, dangerous times. King David knew this to be true personally. He wrote about his experience of God’s presence, protection and provision, made manifest through a seat at God’s table – King David wrote in Psalm 23 –

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:4-5)

My Heavenly Father is present with me in each and every valley I travel through on this earthly journey. And just like He did for David, God prepares a table just for me, right where I am, when I am tired, discouraged, fearful, anxious, defeated, doubtful – surrounded by my enemies – both physical and spiritual – feeling unable to take even one more step of faith – it is then God bids me “take a seat at His table” where “my cup overflows” – even while I am still in the valley, still surrounded by my enemies.

At God’s table, in His presence, I experience His abundant provision for me and His protection surrounding me, even when I am in this most dangerous of places – “the valley of the shadow of death.” You know what I find most comforting and encouraging about this truth from God’s word? It doesn’t say “when I have fought my way through the valley on my own, when I have scaled the mountain and arrived at the top – then He will prepare a feast for me as a reward.”

No. Like God did for David, my Heavenly Father prepares a table of provision for me at my moment of greatest need, when I am too weary to continue, when the circumstances in my valley have filled me with fear, with doubt, with despair – it is then God prepares my place and bids me sit at His table, and my cup overflows right there in the valley while my enemies look on. (maybe with wonderment, surprise, even envy?)

At God’s table I experience renewal and restoration, just like David experienced when he said this –

“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)

David understood the honor, the provision, the protection, the restoration that comes from having a seat at the King’s table. When he was king, this conversation took place –

“The king asked, ‘Is there no one still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?’ Ziba answered the king, ‘There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in both feet.’ . . . When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. . . . ‘Don’t be afraid,’ David said to him, ‘for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.’ . . . So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons. . . . And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table, and he was crippled in both feet.” (2 Samuel 9:3-13)

What a beautiful picture of the protection and the provision that a seat at a king’s table provides for the one who is fortunate enough to receive an invitation to dine at the table of the king. Like Mephibosheth, you and I are extended such an invitation. There is a seat at the King’s table prepared specifically for me and one specifically for you, dear reader. And like Mephibosheth, our invitation is permanent, we can always eat at the King’s table “like one of the King’s sons (or daughters) ” because that is what we are.

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1)

When I am walking through the valley, even the valley of the shadow of death, I will remember that I have a seat at the King’s table. He has already prepared it for me and His table is present even in the valley, right here, right now, not later, not someday – my Heavenly Father’s table is fully prepared before me today. Why would I not take my seat at the King’s table? There I always experience rest, renewal, restoration and the truth of these words –

“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.” (Isaiah 40:31)

grateful to have a seat at the King’s table today and every day –

sincerely, Grace Day

churching?

Posted on by Grace Day

Is that even a thing? churching? If defined as the act of going to church, churching has been taking place for centuries. But I have to think that churching looks very different today than it did in era’s past. Actually, my experience in attending church today is markedly different from the experiences I had as a child going to church. Perhaps this could be explained by the fact that times change and the church has changed along with the “times” or along with current culture.

The music certainly has changed. I remember singing from hymnals accompanied by piano and organ. Nothing was plugged in or amplified. Now we sing from a large screen up front, drowned out by drums and electric guitars. Fog fills the air and lights are flashing. Oh, I forgot to mention that it’s dark, like a movie theater. That’s why the stage lights are so dramatic.

No wonder the pastor’s words stuck with me when he said from the pulpit on a recent Sunday morning, “this is not an entertainment center. You want entertainment, go to AMC or a football stadium etc.” (this church service was taking place in daylight, no fog, no stage lights, no band) His words got me to thinking about myself, about my own attitude when I go to church. Do I attend church on a Sunday morning as a passive spectator, expecting to be entertained? Do I come as a consumer, shopping around in search of the “best experience” that meets my criteria or needs.

Or do I show up as an active participant, ready to engage in worship and in learning from the hearing of God’s word? Do I show up desiring to serve or expecting to be served?

“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 10:45)

Do I come to give or to receive?

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus Himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” (Acts 20:35)

All good questions I would do well to ask myself. What does God’s word say about “churching”?

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)

“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; bring an offering and come into His courts. Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth.” (Psalm 96:8-9)

“Let us go to His dwelling place; let us worship at His footstool -” (Psalm 132:7)

“Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. . . . Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.” (Psalm 100:2 & 4)

These verses give me some clues as to what might be involved in the activity of “churching.” I am to come into His presence with “joyful songs.” I am to “bring an offering”, I am to “give thanks to Him and praise His name.” I am to worship God and give Him His due – “the glory due His name.” I am to do this in community with others. I am told “not to give up meeting together.”

So maybe the purpose of “churching” is to meet with others and to meet with God – both simultaneously? King David said –

“I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’ ” (Psalm 122:1)

In fact, at that time, God’s gift of His Holy Spirit hadn’t been given to everyone, only to selected prophets such as Isaiah or kings such as David. The Israelites made a tabernacle to house God’s presence during the years they wandered in the desert. Later, King Solomon built a temple in Jerusalem to house God’s presence. In both instances, something remarkable took place.

“Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” (Exodus 40:34-35)

“When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled His temple.” (1 Kings 810-11)

God showed up! God showed up so much that He filled the tabernacle in the desert and later, He filled the temple in Jerusalem too! God wanted to meet with His people then. God still wants to meet with people today. But today things are a little different. Then, God’s holy presence filled the building that human hands had built for Him. Today God’s Holy Spirit presence fills a temple not built by human hands, but by Himself – individual people, created in His own image – that’s you and me, that’s anyone who invites God’s presence into their hearts and lives. God’s word confirms this truth –

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Jesus told the woman at the well that “churching” was going to be different than it had been in the past.

“Jesus declared, ‘Believe Me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. . . . Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.’ ” (John 4:21-24)

So location wasn’t going to be the important part of worship anymore. Sounds like what I was taught as a child – that “church” isn’t the building, it’s the people. Jesus confirmed this when He said –

“For where two or three come together in My name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20)

I like the translation which says, “there am I in the midst of them.”

It is both exciting and comforting to realize that through His omnipresence, Jesus is right there in the middle of things when we come together to worship God, to pray, to sing, to thank Him, to give to Him, to serve Him, to hear His word proclaimed and taught, to repent, to confess, to encourage each other, to bear each other’s burdens, to take communion together – “churching” involves much more than what any particular culture attempts to reduce it to at any point in history.

Governments and civilizations have tried to interfere with and to eradicate true churching over the centuries. But they have not succeeded. Today, “churching” in China may take place on the “down-low” so to speak, BUT make no mistake, “churching” is going on big time in China! It is taking place secretly, in homes, in small numbers – but “where two or three are gathered” – God is right there in the middle of it all. And that’s where God should be – in the middle, at the center of our “churching” experience. We come together to meet with God and give Him glory.

In our western culture, true “churching” may not be as visible as the mega-church, very public production we have come to call “church”, but it is happening, nonetheless. Every time two or three gather together to read God’s word, to pray, to serve, to sing, to worship – God is in the midst and “churching” is going on! Which brings me to a further description of “churching” from God’s word –

” ‘It is written,’ He said to them, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer’ ” (Matthew 21:13)

Prayer – that’s “churching” in action! Calling on the name of the Living God, Creator and Sustainer of the universe – that’s what God said we should be doing when we enter into His house, His gates, His courts – as the psalmists called them. Jesus drove the money changers out of the temple saying His Father’s house was for prayer, not commerce. I’m thinking the pastor who said “this is not an entertainment center” would concur that amusement is what the world offers. Something different is needed from the church – truth, hope, redemption, forgiveness, restoration, reconciliation, healing . . .

The true church is more akin to a hospital than an entertainment center. After all, it was Jesus who said –

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:31-32)

We are all in need of healing, we are all walking wounded in this world. I know I need to be bandaged up daily from the hurts and hurdles that inflict pain and suffering on my soul and my spirit. With broken hearts and shattered dreams, we limp through life apart from our Creator, when all the while healing and abundance awaits us. Jesus said –

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

That’s the truth. That’s the Good News. Abundance awaits. The mission of the church is to proclaim God’s truth – truth which will set the captives (us, you and me) free. True worship, true “churching” can take place anywhere, anytime because, as Jesus told the woman at the well, “God is Spirit and true worshipers are to worship Him in spirit and in truth.” The result of true “churching”?

“The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.” (Matthew 11:5)

true churching says – ” ‘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)

not entertainment, not commerce – “churching” is not a spectator sport. It is the living out of all Christ has called me to, shared with other believers also called to this higher calling.

“you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5)

that’s churching at its best!

sincerely, Grace Day

in sight full

Posted on by Grace Day

That’s how I would describe one of my prayer walk partners and friends – insightful. There are other adjectives I could use as well, caring, funny, smart – but if I had to pick two that stand out? that would be courageous and persistent – both hugely important assets in life, both particularly necessary attributes for my prayer walking friend. I admire his persistent pursuit of Jesus, perhaps because I too am running that life race. And running that race requires courage and endurance. The apostle Paul advises us –

“Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

So we are prayer walking and running this race together, he and I, and others with us. Now as I said, running this life race requires of us the utmost courage and endurance. But I think even more is required of my friend and he has shown himself equal to the task. You see, dear readers, there is something I have thus far neglected to tell you about my friend. Probably because it is not the most relevant nor important thing about him, still it is something – something worth mentioning. My very insightful friend is blind. (pun and irony fully intended)

My friend, like the apostle Paul, has a “thorn in the flesh” to bear in this life. However, Paul’s thorn in the flesh, which God chose not to remove, did not disqualify nor deter Paul in any way from his calling in Christ. Paul carried out all that God gave him to do, sharing the Gospel, visiting churches, writing letters from prison, suffering for Christ – his thorn did not prevent him from submitting to God’s will for his life and in so doing, Paul lived out the life of purpose and meaning that God had planned for him.

I pray my prayer walking friend is finding this to be true for himself as well. His lack of physical sight in no way disqualifies or prevents him from finding his calling in Christ and from living it out. I feel like I’m still trying to find my way and my calling, and I have physical sight. But it is spiritual sight that is needed, spiritual sight that is essential actually to live this life in a Christ honoring way. After all, we are told –

“We walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

My friend has learned this skill out of necessity perhaps, so he has a head start on the rest of us – BUT – walking by faith alone is an essential life skill that each of us must master at some point in our Christ following journey. Better sooner than later. You and I think sight so important, so necessary to our earthly lives – BUT consider this truth –

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)

Again, my friend is ahead of the game. Not distracted by temporary “seen” things now, he is freed up to focus or to “fix his eyes” on what is unseen, what none of us can see, but what all of us need to focus on – the eternal things of God, those things that matter most in the end. This is my prayer –

“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law.” (Psalm 119:18)

Again what matters is spiritual sight, rather than physical sight. It’s what Paul prayed for the Ephesians –

“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.” (Ephesians 1:18-19)

Our culture may consider physical blindness a handicap, something that renders one weaker or at a disadvantage – BUT – the Lord said to Paul, when Paul asked to be healed –

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”

Paul’s response? whining, complaining, anger, giving up, running away, despair? No, Paul’s response to God’s refusal was this –

“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 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.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Surprising maybe BUT – we know what God did with Paul’s handicapped, surrendered life! a lot! Reminds me of a modern day Christ follower, Joni Erickson Tada. She has served God her whole life, accomplished much for others and for the kingdom, all from the confines of a wheelchair. Some would call her handicapped, but her life says otherwise – it has been rich, full of purpose and accomplishment, more than most for sure. This is a reminder to me that –

“with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

I see the evidence of this truth in my insightful friend’s life. It takes courage and persistence for him to show up each day and navigate life’s challenges without physical sight. But he does and this must give inspiration and hope to others that they too can overcome the challenges that they face in their lives and be victorious. I am inspired by my insightful friend, remembering this truth from God’s word –

“I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

There may be those who watch my insightful friend walking down the street with his rod out in front of him and wonder why? Jesus disciples asked the same question of Jesus once. This is how that conversation went –

“As He went along, He saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.’ ” (John 9:1-3)

Such is the case with my insightful friend. His physical blindness creates in him a dependence on God, which allows the work of God to be displayed clearly in his life for all to see and for God to be glorified. God has given him inward sight in full measure, hence the term “insightful” seems an apt description for him. When he talks with others, he is able to listen to them, without being distracted by physical appearances. He “sees” others as they truly are simply by listening to them. Just maybe, it’s a little easier to listen to God’s voice too, without all the visual distractions of the world?

Someone told my friend that blindness was the hardest handicap to live with. I don’t know if that’s true or not. What I do know is that my friend doesn’t walk in darkness nor alone. Jesus made that clear when He said –

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

My friend may be blind, but he sees with the sight that we all long to receive from God – the sight the hymn talks about – “I once was blind but now I see.” Paul (then Saul) was made blind as he journeyed on the road to Damascus. The result? Paul was at last able to see clearly who Jesus really was. It changed his life forever. Sometimes we have to lose something of lesser value in order to gain something of greater value.

I know my insightful friend sees with the eyes that count, the eyes of the heart, the eyes of faith. He walks like I want to – by faith and not by sight. Sometimes when you have sight, it’s too easy to forget the faith part and rely solely on sight, therefore on self. My friend doesn’t have that option – he walks by faith twenty-four/seven. After all, what we need to see, can’t be seen with human eyes anyway.

“So we fix our eyes . . . on what is unseen. . . . what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)

sincerely, Grace Day

captive

Posted on by Grace Day

alcohol

damaging, dangerous

drains life away, drop by drop

I stand helpless

watching them

die.

I wrote those words as a child, but they are just as real and as painful to me today, as they were the day I wrote them. Perhaps you, too, have lost someone you love to addiction? Addiction is a living death. Your captive loved one is still alive technically, but actually already dead in many respects, as they are not able to live in the fullness and the richness of life that our Creator prepared just for us and designed us to enjoy. Instead, we sell our souls into the captivity of addiction and enter into a lifetime of slavery.

But there is hope, even for those appearing to be too far gone to be revived. That hope of rescue and restoration is in –

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

This is good news! There is a Deliverer! Jesus said this –

“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)

and in Isaiah I read this –

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners” (Isaiah 61:1)

captives set free – prisoners released from darkness – that’s good news! Alcohol holds many captive, but alcohol is not the only enslaver. New ones appear without warning even as we are busy doing battle with our old familiar captors. Fentanyl is a relatively recent, but very real enemy, a foe who fools its unsuspecting prey by not announcing its presence until it is too late.

And addiction is not the only enemy who holds us captive. Fear holds many people captive for a lifetime, while greed, envy and lies are also formidable foes who can hold us hostage indefinitely. Fortunately for us, we have a Deliverer who came to set us free from anything and everything that threatens to hold us captive.

To those who battle addiction He says –

“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.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

To those who fight against fear –

“For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ ” (Romans 8:15)

To the greedy, Jesus asks –

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

To those consumed by envy and worry about what others have that they don’t have, Jesus says –

“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? . . . So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ . . . But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” (Matthew 6:27-34)

To those in bondage to lies, Jesus declares –

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

Knowing Jesus sets me free because Jesus is the truth!

“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 came “to proclaim freedom for the captives” – that’s you and me, dear readers – Jesus came to set us captives free! I don’t have to live as a captive to alcohol, drugs, fear, greed, worry, envy, lies or anything else, ever again, because I know –

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

You and I have our Heavenly Father’s promise –

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

from one liberated captive to any others out there –

sincerely, Grace Day

pain perks?

Posted on by Grace Day

That doesn’t sound right, does it? There’s an upside to pain? Well, there is the very familiar mantra – “no pain, no gain” which would seem to support the theory that pain does have its perks. Then there’s the saying – “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.” Again, this seems to imply that there’s an upside to pain. Athletes would probably agree with this theory. The road to an athlete’s success, no matter what the sport, is probably paved with considerable pain, in addition to dedication and sacrifice. If you are watching any of the Olympic sporting contests currently in progress, you are seeing the results which are only achieved through the painful process of preparation that all athletes endure in order to realize their goal.

Of course, theirs is physical pain primarily. However, not just athletes, but each and every one of us endure emotional, mental, physical and spiritual pain as a part of the process that enables you and me to run life’s race and be successful. The apostle Paul knew about this. Paul would have preferred to bypass the pain, but he didn’t get a pass.

Paul had, as he himself described it – “a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of satan, to torment me.” What did Paul do about this? We find the answer in 2 Corinthians.

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ ”

Paul’s request was met with a definite “no.” How did Paul respond to having his request refused? Not in the way I would have expected him to do, nor in the way I think I would have responded. Paul didn’t pout or complain or argue or give up or walk away from his calling in Christ. He did just the opposite. Paul embraced his painful situation. How do I know this? I read Paul’s response after his request was turned down. Paul said –

“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 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.” (2 Corinthians 12:8-10)

I don’t know about you, but “delight” isn’t what comes to my mind when I am insulted, or when I am going through a tough time or when things are just so hard and painful that I want to give up, I want to quit. I prefer comfort to pain and ease over difficulty. BUT – if anything worthwhile is to be accomplished, pain and struggle will be a part of the process. Just ask any Olympic athlete – it is pain and having obstacles to overcome that lead to victory.

Paul had some things figured out in this regard. He endured many hardships in addition to his painful “thorn in the flesh.” Paul was shipwrecked, beaten and imprisoned many times. In Philippians, Paul shares with us his secret to enduring and even overcoming life’s painful trials and hardships. He says –

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13)

Paul saying that he can do all things through the strength that God gives him, takes on a whole new meaning for me when I read Paul’s own account of the things he has experienced. Paul tells us –

“Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.” (2 Corinthians 11:24-27)

That’s not a complete list, but you get the idea. Paul did not get the pain free life that Jabez requested and received. Still, Paul had no regrets. In fact, Paul said this in his letter to the church at Corinth –

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17)

Paul’s been beaten, shipwrecked and imprisoned – none of that sounds very “light and momentary” to me. Yet that’s how Paul describes what he’s been through, saying the outcome of enduring these things will be an “eternal glory” for him, an outcome which will “outweigh them all”, meaning the hardships he has survived and overcome. This victory will make all the pain and suffering Paul endured worth it. I bet that’s how these Olympic athletes feel when they make the team or when they win a medal and take the podium to stand and receive their reward. James agrees with Paul on this matter. James says –

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)

So I can be joyful in painful circumstances because the outcome will be better for me than if I had not encountered and endured pain in this life? I think Peter would attest to the truth of this. How do I know? Well, Peter said this –

” . . . now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:6-7)

And Peter also said –

“But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.” (1 Peter 4:13)

So the perk of pain is a good outcome – one that cannot be achieved apart from pain? It would seem to be so. Consider this –

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.” (Romans 8:17)

No suffering – no glory. No pain – no gain. I can expect pain in this life. Jesus told us –

“If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also. (John 15:20) Jesus also warned us –

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

I can’t avoid pain in this life BUT – it does have its perks. What I endure, persevere through and overcome now, produces in me those things that my Heavenly Father desires, preparing me for what is to come. I want to be able to say along with Paul these words –

“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)

Yes, pain has its perks. I am in the race of my life. I am in the race for my life. The pain of it is producing in me perseverance, as James said. Perseverance allows me to endure and eventually to overcome. Then I will receive that “crown of righteousness” Paul talks about. Definitely better than any Olympic gold medal! And we can each receive this prize – it is available to “all who have longed for His appearing.” So –

“let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, . . . Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1-3)

fighting the good fight, keeping the faith –

sincerely, Grace Day

living a lie

Posted on by Grace Day

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

That’s what Jesus told His disciples. But what is truth? And how can we know it? Jesus answers this question saying –

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) Jesus further tells us –

“Thy word is truth.” (John 17:17) – this referring to God’s Word found in the Bible.

Which makes sense because Jesus is the Living Word – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1 & 14)

There’s that word “truth” again. Truth – what we are told will set us free. Truth – what we search for, what we long for, what we say we want to know. Or do we? Are there times we prefer our lies to the truth?

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

We are so easily deceived. Lies lead us into captivity and eventual death. Truth sets us free and leads to life. The choice is ours to make every day. But we have an enemy actively working to deceive us and to destroy us. Jesus warned us about this, saying this about the devil,

“He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44)

The battle between truth and lies continues in full force to this day. Satan hates what God loves. God loves us, we who He created in His own image, so naturally satan wants to destroy us by any means necessary. And if satan can get us to believe a lie and destroy ourselves, that just makes his labor to destroy God’s beloved creation that much easier. It started in the garden, when satan succeeded in getting Eve to doubt God’s goodness (the truth) and to believe a lie instead of the truth she already knew. Today the strategy of lies over truth is the same and it is still effective in destroying its victims – us, you and me and the people we love.

One inescapable example currently, is that of the transgender movement and its impact on individuals and on our culture. This ideology begins with a lie, is sustained by lies and ends with its victims living a lie. How does this happen? First, transgenderism starts with a false premise, in other words, with a lie. The lie? – that one is in the wrong body, that there’s been a mistake and we need to correct this mistake as soon as possible. Young impressionable children and mixed-up teenagers searching for their place in this world are particularly vulnerable to this lie, especially if they believe the further lie that – they will be happy and life will be better when they are in the body of whichever sex they are not currently. So if this is a lie, what is the truth? What truth does God’s own word (which is truth) tell us about this issue?

“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27)

What else do we know to be true from God’s own word?

“For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” (Psalm 139:13-14)

and there’s more truth about us, about you and me, about who we are as God’s creation –

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

Some translations say “masterpieces” but you get the idea – God doesn’t make mistakes. Each one of us is created in our Heavenly Father’s image. We are perfectly designed and wonderfully made by a loving Creator with His good purposes in mind. Knowing this truth gives each one of us a sense of identity and purpose – we can know Whose we are and where we belong in this world. Unfortunately, if we don’t know this truth, we will believe the lie, any lie put forth that sounds good or reasonable to us at the time.

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

And like Eve in the garden, we are deceived by a lie, in this case multiple lies, the alluring lies and false promises of transgenderism. Starting with the assertion (lie) that one is unhappy because they are in the wrong body, the next step is to “correct” the mistake. Here the trans ideology is sustained by multiple lies such as – puberty blockers do no harm, (they do much long term harm) puberty blockers’ effects are reversible, (they are not) life will be better when I become whichever sex I am not currently, (life will still have pain, loss and its share of hardships) transitioning will solve all my problems, be they emotional, mental, physical, spiritual, etc.. (no, it will just create a new set of problems in addition to the problems I already have)

Then transgenderism ends in a lie, the lie of attempting to live as someone you are not – an illusion that has to be sustained and is only sustained by continuous use of hormones not natural for your body, hormones which must be taken for the rest of your life in order to perpetuate the lie. Often, this lie is also sustained by body altering and mutilating surgeries, which then necessitate further plastic surgeries to cover up the damage done. This leads to a lifetime of pretending to be someone you are not – living a lie – instead of living in the freedom and in the fullness of who God created you to be all along.

Ironic right? In the quest to live “their truth” or to be their “authentic selves” those that fall prey to the lies of transgenderism end up creating a false persona through drugs/hormones and through body mutilating surgeries, which remove otherwise healthy body parts. Then this supposedly authentic persona who is in reality living as a fake person, must be meticulously maintained via medical interventions for the rest of their lives. Hard to believe children are becoming life-long patients of medical professionals at such young ages, not to mention sterile and stunted in their growth if the counselors and doctors get the children into “transitioning treatments” early enough.

Transgenderism requires trusting in self, rather than trusting in Creator God. Transgenderism says we will recreate ourselves in our own image, because we know better than God what is best for us. And the end result of this rebellious quest is death – sterilization, no longer able to produce life, no longer able to be fruitful and multiply as God commanded.

Transgenderism starts with a lie and ends with its victims living a lie, rather than being their authentic/true selves. Instead, they are held captive by the very lie they are forced to live – the lie they chose – the lie they created for themselves.

Truth is what can and will set each one free. God is Truth – satan is “the father of lies.” Satan wants to destroy what God has created and loves – us! Lord God, You are our only hope against this false ideology of trans that is destroying so many children body, mind and spirit. We pray for Your Truth to be proclaimed and known and embraced about the goodness and the rightness and the perfection of all You have created, including us – Your children, created in Your image. May Your Truth set us free from the tyranny of the lies of transgenderism.

“We are Your people, the sheep of Your pasture. It is You who have made us, and not we ourselves.” (Psalm 100:3)

sincerely, Grace Day

fighting the good fight

Posted on by Grace Day

I have lots of favorite movies. One of them is “Akeelah and the Bee” probably because one of my all time favorite lines comes from this movie. It’s a memorable line not only because I didn’t see it coming, but also because it changes everything, including the outcome of the story. The words took me totally by surprise and instantaneously changed my opinion of the character who said them – probably because the words were so “out of character” for the person who said them. But in order to appreciate the line, you first need to know something of the backstory that precedes the character speaking those words.

So I’ll give you the short version of this movie’s plot. In this movie, Akeelah, a girl from a poor public school in L.A., wins her local spelling bee and eventually she makes it all the way to the National Spelling Bee. One of her competitors is Dylan, a boy who has been to the National Bee before and is expected to win this time. Dylan is very competitive, and in the movie, we see the pressure Dylan’s father puts on him to win at all costs. We assume Dylan shares his father’s vision of success and how to achieve it.

That’s why what happens when Akeelah intentionally misses her word toward the end of the spelling bee, when only she and Dylan are left in the competition, is such a surprise. Dylan knows Akeelah missed her word on purpose, essentially giving him the win. I expected Dylan to take the win and never look back. As Akeelah returns to her seat next to Dylan, she tells him, “it’s yours now.” BUT – Dylan replies, “You missed that word on purpose. Either you do your best, or I don’t want it!” Wow! I did not see that coming.

Dylan then proceeds to purposely miss his word too, so they are both still in the competition. From there they go on to become co-champions of the spelling bee, because neither one misspells another word. What surprised me was that Dylan didn’t want the win if he didn’t earn it outright. Boy did I misjudge Dylan! I thought he wanted to win at all costs and didn’t care how he got there. But as it turns out, Dylan didn’t want the win “given” to him by his competitor doing less than her best.

Apparently Dylan isn’t the only one who feels this way about competition and winning. I am reminded of another favorite movie of mine, “Brian’s Song.” This movie tells the true story of two Chicago Bears football players, Brian Piccolo and Gayle Sayers. They are teammates but are competing for the same position on the team. Sayers is playing with great success until he gets injured in a game. This gives Brian the opportunity to play and sets up the scene I remember from the movie. Brian encourages Sayers in his recovery. He brings a weight machine to Sayers house and Brian also works out with him. Brian pushes Sayers to keep going during their workouts together, saying, “I’m going to beat you, Sayers, but you have to be at your best.”

Piccolo didn’t want to get playing time in the games by default, because his competition for his position was injured. He wanted to earn his playing time outright, by true ability and hard work – by beating out the best of the best, not some weaker, injured opponent. Piccolo didn’t see any honor in beating someone while they were down or at their lowest point. So he helped his competition, Sayers, to grow strong and be at his best. Otherwise, a win had no value, no true meaning for Piccolo.

This brings me to a third recollection that is inescapable at this point. It is the true story of what happened at a women’s softball game between Central Washington and Western Oregon in April 2008. A batter for Western Oregon hit a home run with two runners on base. But as Tucholsky, the batter, was running, she missed first base, went to double back and her right knee gave out, leaving her unable to run the bases and score the home run which she had just hit. (the first in her four year collegiate softball career) The only option was to allow a teammate to take her place on first base and count her hit as a single. BUT – two players from the opposing team (Holtsman and Wallace) offered to carry Tucholsky around the bases, allowing her to touch each base and home plate with her foot, thereby allowing the run to count. The rules prevented the batter’s own teammates, trainers or coaches from doing this. Only players from the opposing team are allowed to do this, which they did, making it possible for the batter’s homerun to count.

This story has always been memorable to me because it goes against everything one would expect in an athletic contest. Why would you help your opponent in their moment of need, knowing that it will only add to their score and increase the likelihood of your defeat? Yet that is precisely what the two young women from the opposing team did for the batter of their rival team. They knew she had hit the home run, they watched her do it. They saw clearly that she was injured and unable to run the bases on her own, and they knew the rules. Her own teammates could not come to her assistance. If they did, it would be an out.

The decision was the opposing players’ alone to make. Putting aside any self-interest, two players from the opposing team, Holtsman and Wallace, came to their competitor’s assistance and made sure she got the credit for the home run she had just hit, even though she was clearly unable to run the bases on her own strength. Those two young women, with their act of kindness, of courage, of compassion, of empathy, of fairness – with their desire to see the right thing done, turned an otherwise forgettable college softball game into an unforgettable memory, leaving a legacy that will continue to inspire others for years to come. They may have lost the game, but they gained the opportunity to gift the world with their real and lasting picture of a true win for everyone.

Maybe winning at all costs isn’t the best mantra to live by after all? Maybe sometimes the cost of winning is just too high – especially when that cost is the loss of human lives, lives caught in the crossfire of the competition to win, no matter the consequences to others. We all witnessed this as a nation, not too many days ago now. When did wishing harm to and doing harm to our competitors become acceptable? When did wanting our opponents dead become an alternative to the process of competition – be it in academics, sports, business or politics?

I think we all want to live in a world where we feel safe enough to attend an event, whether an athletic competition, a worship service or a political gathering where we can hear for ourselves what a candidate has to say. If the world is not safe for one, it is not safe for any of us. If I am wishing harm to others who I perceive as believing or thinking differently than I do, I am essentially wishing harm to myself as well. If I want the freedom to support a particular candidate without fear of repercussions, then I must ardently desire that same freedom for those supporting an opposing candidate to be able to assemble in safety and peace without fear.

John F. Kennedy said, “A rising tide raises all boats.” We all share in the legacy of freedom left to us by our founding fathers through the Constitution. It is something we would do well to cherish and to protect. We are either all free, or we will all be slaves to fear and divisiveness, which will be our downfall. Those that want to see our country fail will never have to fire a shot. We will do their dirty work for them.

But I refuse to see others, even opponents and competitors as enemies. Competition is supposed to make us stronger or better. Athletics and business are examples of this. We strive to be the best version of ourselves or to make the best product or to provide the best service. However, we could take a lesson from Dylan or the other examples and not want to win because our competition is injured, but because we have achieved a level of excellence in our particular arena.

Politics, like athletics, is a competition. But it should be about who has the best ideas for our country – not about vilifying one’s opponent. I don’t want to hear how bad the other guy is, I want to hear how good you are at your job. Let it be a competition of competence and excellence vying for the public trust, rather than two enemies attempting to annihilate one another. Nobody wins in these situations and we don’t get good leaders this way.

With all the divisiveness that surrounds us, we can be persuaded to see enemies in people that are simply our fellow Americans. And we can feel surrounded by evil as well, when events happen like the one last weekend. What to do? I will take these words of Paul in Romans to heart and let them be my guide.

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is Mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:17-21)

That’s it. If I am fighting against evil, I can only overcome it by doing good. Paul gives some other instructions about how I can fight the good fight of faith. He says –

“Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. . . . Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another.” (Romans 12:9-16)

No matter what happens in this world, I am called to fight the good fight of faith. These instructions in Romans make clear how I am to go about that. I am to “overcome evil with good.” That’s all I can do – continue to fight the good fight each day, which means loving God and loving others. If I do this, one day I will be able to say along with the apostle 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)

fighting the good fight, keeping the faith,

sincerely, Grace Day

another unexpected encounter

Posted on by Grace Day

There is an old (undoubtably outdated) saying – “another day, another dollar.” This saying originated from American sailors, who in the 19th century, were paid a dollar a day on long voyages, where each day was pretty much the same as the day before it had been and therefore their days at sea were fairly monotonous.

Not so, however, my daily prayer walks. Now you might think that my walks would be the same each day, just like the sailors’ days at sea. And I do usually walk the same route around the neighborhood at about the same time each day. (you would think I would get bored and mix it up a little, but no, I tend to be a creature of habit) Yet even with keeping to the same route and the same schedule, no two walks are ever the same. Of course, the weather is constantly changing, but it is much more than that.

It is the joy of the unexpected encounter, which always takes me by surprise, then leaves me uplifted and thanking God afterwards. I receive these “chance” encounters as gifts from God, as reminders of His constant presence with me and with others, wherever we are. Today’s encounter was pure joy. I came upon another walker who appeared to be on her phone as she walked (not unusual) although she was listening rather than talking. We had said “hello” in passing a few times previously, and today was no different. Well, no different at first, and then it was.

Turns out she was listening to “Our Daily Bread” which I recognized as a daily devotion from God’s word. So I walked with her and we listened together to God’s word to us as we walked. What a great way to start a new day – breakfast with a friend! I guess I should explain that one. There’s a reason this particular daily Bible reading is called “Our Daily Bread.” In Matthew, Jesus says something interesting in His response to satan, when satan tempts Jesus in the desert, after Jesus had been fasting for forty days and forty nights. Their conversation goes like this –

“The tempter came to Him (Jesus) and said, ‘If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” (Matthew 4:3-4)

Get it? God’s Word is our daily bread. We need to eat physical food every day. We need God’s Word every day. Food gives my body the strength and energy I need to be able to do everything that the day will require of me. Likewise, God’s Word gives me the wisdom, direction, teaching, hope, truth and inspiration I need in order to deal well with every situation and person I will encounter that day. I can’t survive long without either one – physical food or God’s Word. God told the Israelites as much when He told them this –

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

God’s words are life to you and to me! In John I read this –

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. . . . The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1-2 & 14)

The Word – the Living Word – that’s Jesus! No wonder Jesus said this about Himself to His disciples –

“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty.’ ” (John 6:35)

Jesus is the Living Word – which explains why we are told we aren’t meant to live on just physical bread alone, but truly by “every word that comes from the mouth of God.” The first is simply survival. The second leads us to the life that God intended for us – the life that Jesus talked about when He said –

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

Every day I am hungry for physical food and I am intentional about eating the food my body needs to keep going. There are even favorite foods that I crave. I will go to great lengths to find, purchase and prepare these foods. But I have to ask myself, am I as intentional about being fed from God’s Living Word? God’s words are life to me. They feed my mind, my heart and my spirit. God’s Word sustains me. Apart from His Word I grow weak and weary and I lose my way. Jesus told His disciples this –

“The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” (John 6:63)

There it is again – God’s words are life. No wonder when I turn to God’s Word, His words fill my heart with hope, they renew my mind, they light my way, they lift my spirit, they give me life. As I walked with my new found friend, the two of us listening together to God’s Word being read out loud, I realized how hungry I was for God’s word, starving actually. His word fills all those places in me that the world cannot fill, that the world cannot satisfy. My mind, my heart and my spirit long to be filled with His Living Word daily. Nothing else will satisfy the longing of my heart and soul.

What a special time we had in those few moments of feasting together on God’s Word, my new friend and I had. We discovered we had much in common in addition to being sisters in Christ. I gave my Heavenly Father thanks for His gift to me of another unexpected encounter of the very best kind – breakfast with a new friend from His Daily Bread. It’s like Jesus told His disciples –

“I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:48-51)

sincerely, Grace Day