hope

the paraplegic

Posted on by Grace Day

My friends and I were praying over the prayer requests from people in our church, which they have submitted online. We do this once a week as a group. The requests are many, often anonymous, always heartfelt, often overwhelming, usually filled with a mixture of pain, despair, uncertainty and hope – perhaps hope in this desperate, last-ditch effort of sharing their deep need online with strangers.

Ours is such a large church and so many of the requests are anonymous, that I don’t know if I have ever known any of the people we are praying for each week. But of course, that’s the beauty of this thing called prayer – I don’t have to know. God knows everyone perfectly. He knows every situation and every need. How can I be sure of this? Well, the prophet Isaiah describes God in this way –

“He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.” (Isaiah 40:26)

Do you know how many stars there are? Google tells me there are one septillion stars. I can’t really get my mind around that number. Just our own galaxy alone, the Milky Way, has over 100 billion stars, including our sun. So I guess if God knows the names of all those stars, He also knows the names of all the people who have submitted prayer requests, anonymous or not. And then there’s this –

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

If God knows the number of hairs on my head and on your heads, dear readers, then I can be assured that He knows the names and the situations of all those I am praying for, even though I don’t know those things. The NLT translation says, “But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.”

God knows. I don’t need to know in order to pray. I don’t need to know because God knows it all, sees it all and watches over it all. Nothing escapes His notice. He is omniscient. The author of Hebrews confirms this, saying –

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13)

So, this week there was a request for prayer for someone’s son who is now a paraplegic. No names or details were given. I found myself wondering how old is this son, how long has he been a paraplegic and what caused his condition – accident, illness, sports injury – what happened to him? What is his story? BUT – curious as I am, I don’t need to know all this in order to pray for him. God knows this person’s story and is continuing to write it even now.

I couldn’t help but think of the story of the paralytic told in Mark and in Luke. He was carried by his friends on a mat – this was before wheelchairs – to a place where his friends thought he might receive healing. His friends had heard the rumors of someone called Jesus who was healing people. They were willing to help their friend by transporting him to where Jesus was preaching and teaching. Here’s what happened –

“One day as He was teaching . . . Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, He said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.’ ” (Luke 5:17-20)

Not exactly the response they were looking for – they sought a physical healing for their friend. That was their priority – that their friend would once again walk. Instead Jesus told him his sins were forgiven. Some in the crowd, namely the Pharisees, took issue with this response saying – “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Our story continues –

“Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, ‘Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk?’ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . ‘ He said to the paralyzed man, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’ Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.” (Luke 5:22-25)

So how did I pray in response to this mother’s request for prayer for her paraplegic son? Before me was the desire for a physical healing. But her son needs more than this temporary fix. We all do. You and I and this paraplegic son, like the paralytic on the mat in front of Jesus, need a spiritual healing much more than we need any physical healing. A spiritual healing, which begins with forgiveness of sin, lasts for eternity. Any physical healing we experience in this life is temporary at best, as our bodies will eventually wear out. Even Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead, did eventually die a physical death.

The paralytic asked too little of Jesus. He desired a temporary healing. Jesus wanted to give him an eternal healing of his soul, which is why Jesus forgave him of his sins. How could I best pray for this paraplegic? I thought of God’s promise to me, to you, to this beloved son –

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

Currently, her son is suffering from depression due to this change in his circumstances. BUT – God wants to give him hope and a future irregardless of his physical circumstances. God didn’t take away the apostle Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” (whatever that was) BUT it didn’t change the call of God on Paul’s life. Paul’s life was full of meaning and purpose as he lived out God’s purposes for him rather than his own.

I prayed that God’s truth would set this paraplegic free to live out God’s good and eternal purposes for his life. I prayed he would find his identity, purpose, place and calling through knowing Jesus, his Savior and ultimate healer. God wants to give him “hope and a future” – that’s a direct quote and a promise. I pray that he will receive all that God wants to give him, starting with forgiveness and eternal life and all the good gifts God’s presence brings to us each day – His peace, comfort, wisdom, provision, protection, hope, joy – it’s a long list.

Joni Erickson Tada has lived a life full of meaning, purpose, accomplishment and service to so many people around the world – author, artist, activist for those who are disabled – her list of accomplishments is long. And she has done it all from a wheelchair! I pray this for the paraplegic son on today’s prayer list – a life full and overflowing with all his Creator wants to give him. I pray he know the truth – that God’s love for him is unwavering and that God’s call upon his life remains intact despite any physical disability. God’s answer to this paraplegic son is perhaps the same as His response to Paul –

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

Paul’s response?

“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)

I pray this son, this child of God, experiences God’s limitless power in his life, a life that is truly made perfect and strong because of, not in spite of, his newly weakened state.

sincerely, Grace Day

I’m tired

Posted on by Grace Day

Can you relate? Maybe you’re tired too? Maybe for you fatigue has become a constant companion. My tiredness is a weariness not just of body, but more often of mind and of spirit. It is a tiredness that leads me into discouragement and then into despair. And despair leads me into hopelessness. Hopelessness leads me to give up. Sound familiar?

Nothing new under the sun. Our human struggle continues unchanged at its core from the beginning of time. Must be why over two thousand years ago the apostle Paul wrote these words to the churches in Galatia –

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:9-10)

“not become weary”? Seems impossible as I, and many I know, are already plenty weary. Paul’s admonition is a bit belated if you ask me. But it does come with an instruction. The instruction? Don’t give up! Keep on going! More specifically, I am to keep on doing good. The promise? I will reap a harvest! Something good will result if I don’t give up hope, if I don’t stop doing what I’m called to do.

BUT – I’m tired. So was Diana Nyad. So was Florence Chadwick. They were tired. Utterly exhausted actually. Let me tell you their stories. Diana Nyad is a swimmer who swam from Cuba to Florida successfully in 2013. However, that was her fifth attempt. Her previous four attempts failed. With each swim she faced many obstacles – the danger of sharks, the stings of jellyfish, ocean currents, adverse weather conditions, physical exhaustion, mental fatigue – the list is long. Nevertheless, Diana persevered. She did not give up and in the end she did reap her harvest. She accomplished her lifelong goal of swimming from Cuba to Florida at the age of sixty-four.

Florence Chadwick was also a swimmer. On July 4th, 1952 she set out to swim the twenty-six miles from Catalina Island to California’s coastline. Fifteen hours into her swim, a heavy fog set in. Florence couldn’t see the land ahead of her. As the fog grew ever more dense, Florence despaired, feeling success was too far away from where she was currently. Florence lost hope and asked to be pulled into the boat.

Although she didn’t know it at the time she made her decision because of the fog, Florence was only a half mile from shore! She had swum twenty-five and a half miles! Due to the fog, she had no idea how close she actually was to land. She was so close to completing her task and reaching her goal when she gave up. If only she had known! If she had known how close she really was, she would have persevered despite her tiredness and she would have received her reward. But she lost sight of her destination and consequently, she lost hope.

That’s me. Is that you, too, dear readers? Tired. Discouraged. Losing hope. BUT – God’s word tells me and you not to give up. The thing is – I don’t know how close to or how far I currently am from land. I don’t know when my breakthrough or my harvest is coming. I don’t know how close or how far I am from seeing long prayed prayers answered. Life is too often filled with fog, obscuring my vision of the future. I am swimming upstream in dangerous waters, waters filled with sharks and jellyfish and swift currents that constantly try to take me off course. That’s life. It’s exhausting. No wonder I’m tired.

BUT – God tells me, don’t give up. Trust Him. Keep going. Keep going and I will “reap a harvest” if I don’t give up. He also says, “at the proper time” I will reap that harvest. Only my Heavenly Father knows when that “proper time” is. Like the swimmers, I can’t see the land. I just have to trust that it is there and keep on going, not knowing how much longer I will need to persevere on this path to which God has called me. Only God knows the end from the beginning. I will trust Him even when I am tired – especially when I am tired. I have this encouragement –

“standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” (1 Peter 5:9-10)

” . . . 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)

It will all be worth it if you and I don’t give up, dear readers. God will make you and me “strong, firm and steadfast.” Today I may be exhausted, weary with the weight of the world on my shoulders BUT – Jesus said –

“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)

This is good news! Great news! My Heavenly Father wants to give me rest. And not just physical or mental rest, BUT – rest for my tired soul. The best kind of rest. Isaiah wrote these words regarding what God does for those of us who find ourselves tired –

“The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; (ok, I feel a little better about my tiredness) 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 40:28-31)

Reading those words, I’m feeling less tired and ready for a little soaring above the fog – care to join me?

sincerely, Grace Day

P. S. fun fact – the rest of the story – swimmer Florence Chadwick did try her swim again two months later in September and did succeed in completing it despite the same conditions of dense fog. The difference? This time she didn’t give up. She set a new record, besting the men’s time by two hours. She later did this swim two more times. Thank You God, for not giving up on us and for giving us multiple second chances!

today’s prayer

Posted on by Grace Day

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)

Lord, the world is full of crushed and broken people, people left full of empty spaces after tragedy comes like the thief in the night, robbing them of their loved ones, robbing them of their peace and of their joy – leaving them with gaping holes in their hearts and in their lives – spaces that need to be filled – spaces that only You are able to fill.

There are many in Texas right now in desperate need of You, Heavenly Father. Their hearts have been broken wide open and their spirits crushed by the loss of their loved ones who were swept away by the flood waters which most certainly came as the thief in the night, leaving behind destruction, devastation – raw pain, open wounds – everything laid bare – all the cracks and holes in our hearts and our souls exposed for all to see.

Who will enter in to such overwhelming grief and sorrow? You, Heavenly Father, have said that You will enter in and that You will stay with us through whatever we encounter. We have Your promise –

“The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)

Lord, I pray that Your Presence enter in and fill all the empty spaces, all the open wounds, fill every crack and crevice currently filled with pain, with Your comfort and hope and love – You alone must fill these spaces if the people are to continue on after so great a loss. Please be the Lifter of every head, the Healer of every broken heart and the Mender of every crushed spirit. Lord Jesus, may those suffering loss know that You truly experience and carry their pain right now in these unbearable moments and days. We know You do because Isaiah said this about You –

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. . . . Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:3-5)

“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” (Psalm 68:19)

Lord Jesus, You Yourself are described as a man of sorrows. You know what it is to grieve and You too, have been crushed in spirit. We know You cried when Lazarus died, even though You knew You were going to bring him back to life in just a few moments. Yet still, You cried. You understand our grief. And You grieve right along with us.

Let Your Presence fill, sustain and protect all those left wounded and defenseless in the wake of the floods. Let them remember the promise of Your words –

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. . . . 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 41:10 & 13)

Lord, those who are grieving need Your help now as never before. May they experience today this reality, described in Your Living Word –

“The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)

Heavenly Father, enter in to all these shattered lives, fill all the empty spaces with Your restoring, redeeming, life-giving Presence which “fills everything in every way.” (Ephesians 1:23) Be mighty to save. Quiet their mourning spirits with the infinite, unfailing love You have for each one of us. May they know with assurance that just as “not a sparrow falls to the ground without Your knowing it” – You hold in Your hands each one that the flood waters took from our hands. As they grieve, may it not be as those without hope – BUT –

“May the God of hope fill them with all joy and peace as they trust in You, Lord, so that they may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

Lord God, let Your love, stronger and deeper than any flood waters, surround those who are mourning, let Your love fill all their empty spaces, may Your love sustain them and carry them. Heavenly Father, we pray for all impacted by this flood, the same thing the apostle Paul prayed so many centuries ago,

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19)

Heavenly Father, heal every hole in every heart, create a new spirit in the crushed and fill every empty space with Your abiding love.

sincerely, Grace Day

a solitary sentry

Posted on by Grace Day

“Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint from hunger at the head of every street.” (Lamentations 2:19)

When my children were young, these words seemed ever before me as a constant imperative. Actually, as I write this I am convicted and reminded that this kind of prayer is a necessity no matter the age of my children. Have I grown weary in the carrying out of my sentry duties? Now these words come to mind –

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

I am definitely feeling weary and discouraged, but I don’t want these feelings to cause me to abandon my post, to forsake my sacred calling as a sentry. Like Habakkuk –

“I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what He will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.” (Habakkuk 2:1)

A sentry is defined as “a guard or watchman whose job is to stand and keep watch to protect a place.” So I am to do two things as a sentry – stand and keep watch. Both of these actions, standing and watching, are more challenging than you might initially think. Both require much perseverance and endurance. In 1 Corinthians I am given these instructions –

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men (women) of courage; be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13)

In Ephesians I am instructed with these words –

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then . . . And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:13 & 18)

Standing and praying, waiting and watching, guarding and protecting – the work of a sentry is the carrying out of a sacred assignment. In Matthew I read this –

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.” (Matthew 24:42-44)

“Stand firm,” “keep watch,” “always keep on praying,” – this is my assignment as a sentry. I am waiting and watching always, ever vigilant at my post. Shepherds were the sentries of their day. They would stand at their posts, watching, guarding, protecting their sheep continuously. If they left their post at any time, a predator, such as a mountain lion, could enter in to steal, kill and destroy the sheep under their care.

Shepherds kept watch during the long nights in order to guard what God had entrusted to them from any enemy attack. They were solitary sentries, alone at their post, although there were other solitary sentries watching over other flocks on other hillsides. But the work of a sentry is done in solitude.

Today I am a solitary sentry – standing firm, watching expectantly, praying fervently – waiting for my Lord’s return. Shepherds, being the sentries of their day, were witness to the announcement of Jesus’s first appearance.

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ ” (Luke 2:8-12)

This monumental announcement came to the sentries, those at their posts, waiting and watching faithfully, through many years of long, cold, dark nights. The reward of these faithful sentries?

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.’ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ ” (Luke 2:13-15)

Did you catch that? “When the angels had left them and gone into heaven”, meaning angels came to them, delivered miraculous, wonderful news to them personally. And not just a few angels either. The text says, “a great company of the heavenly host (aka angels) appeared.” They appeared to the sentries, those who were at their posts – standing, watching, waiting – just as they had done through the watches of many a night before this particular night when the heavens opened, filled with light, angels and music.

A praying sentry watches out for the bad, waits with hope for the promised good, believes that like the shepherds, they will eventually behold the beautiful if they stand firm at their post, praying without ceasing. This is my assignment, perhaps yours, too, dear readers? Actually, we each are needed at our post of prayer and watchfulness. It is a solitary calling, each one of us at our particular post on the wall, crying out to God, standing, watching, waiting. The sentry is the first to spot danger and sound the alarm, the first to receive good news and make it known.

This is an exciting time to be a sentry. We are waiting on Jesus’s return to earth, even though we do not know the day nor the hour. Which should make us all the more vigilant as sentries. My assignment as a sentry is described by Isaiah in this way –

“I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give Him no rest till He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.” (Isaiah 62:6-7)

I am a weary, lonely sentry in a dark world full of deaf ears BUT the One who keeps watch over me, the One who knows when a sparrow falls, is the perfect sentry over all creation, a sentry who never slumbers nor sleeps. He will enable me to stand firm at my post as I call out to Him day and night –

“Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, let Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10)

Come Lord Jesus, come quickly!

sincerely, Grace Day

the battle rages

Posted on by Grace Day

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

Jesus spoke those words to His disciples shortly before He was falsely accused, arrested, tried, found guilty and put to death on a cross. I wonder if His disciples recalled those words as they mourned His death following His crucifixion? At that moment in time, it certainly wouldn’t have appeared to His disciples as if Jesus had indeed overcome the world. His body lay in a tomb. It looked as though the world had won the battle.

However, only three days later, the disciples’ situation looked very different. The tomb was empty! Jesus was spending time with them! The disciples had been grieving Jesus’s death. Now they were celebrating His return, His presence with them! In seemingly an instant, everything changed. The tomb was (and is) empty. Death had been and is defeated. The disciples went from despair to hope, from doubt to faith, from disillusionment to fulfillment, from grief to joy, from fear to courage, from being abandoned and adrift to becoming bearers of the Good News. They were now Christ’s ambassadors, entrusted with carrying out His Great Commission to “go into all the world and proclaim the gospel.” The disciples were to let the world know the battle was won! Jesus had defeated death!

It is true, Jesus has defeated death, BUT – the battle is still raging today. My battle is still raging today and I’m guessing maybe yours is too? I see it and I feel it all around me. I am fighting it. I see those around me fighting it too. It is a battle fought on all fronts – physical, mental and spiritual. After all, we are triune beings, created in the image of a triune God, our Heavenly Father. So of course the enemy of our souls attacks our bodies, our minds and our spirits. I read in 1 Peter –

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” (1 Peter 5:8-9)

And that is definitely true today. Many around the globe live in countries where they are being persecuted for their faith even as I write these words. There are famines and wars and rumors of wars all around us. The battle rages around us and within us. I might as well get used to it because this will continue until the day of Christ’s return, when He will set all things right. Jesus said the outcome of the battle is secure – He has overcome. But until He comes again – the battle continues to rage on all fronts.

The apostle Paul was familiar with doing battle – both external and internal. He described His internal battle in this way.

“For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing. . . . When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:18-25)

No wonder I am weary! I am fighting a daily battle within myself (basically I am fighting with myself) and I am fighting many battles without, simultaneously. I would wager you are too, dear readers. While good and evil face off within me, I must also face physical illnesses and challenges, (as do so many I know), face interpersonal challenges (being called to love your enemies is hard work, as is just getting along with friends, family, coworkers and strangers alike) and battle the lies of this world (which enslave) with God’s sword of truth. My Heavenly Father knows the battle is raging. That’s why He provides armor for me to wear and a weapon for me to use.

“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17)

As I watch those I know and love battle illness, loss, loneliness, lies, hurt, fear, depression, anxiety, persecution etc., I watch our world battle with hatred, cruelty, violence, lies, poverty, fear and persecution simultaneously. There seems to be no peace from the battle at present anywhere I look. BUT – it makes a difference where I look. When I look to Jesus while I am in the midst of the many battles I seem to be fighting today and every day, I can “take heart” from these words of Jesus, spoken to His disciples before He sent them out into the world where He knew they would face many battles – trouble, hardship, persecution, rejection, unbelief –

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

Yes, the battle is raging all around me BUT – Jesus tells me not to be troubled or afraid. My Heavenly Father doesn’t call me to live my life in fear, but rather to live my life with courage, as I face and fight the battles that surround me. After all, He has given me His sword of the Spirit with which to fight each lie, each loss, each assault and accusation. I can know –

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

I have His instructions for battle from centuries ago, still applicable for today –

“Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.’ ” (Exodus 14:13-14)

A good battle plan for me and for you, too – don’t be afraid, stand firm, wait on God, trust God, be still, let Him fight for me, let it be His strength, His way and His will that wins all the battles in my life. Let the victory be His alone!

I have His promise –

“And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 5:10-11)

I remember that –

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.” (Psalm 18:2-3)

yes, the battle rages – BUT – I will put on the full armor of God, stand firm, be still, trust God, wait on God – the battle is His –

“This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. . . . You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’ ” (2 Chronicles 20:15-17)

As I fight my many battles, I need to remember these words from Chronicles. I don’t have to be discouraged or afraid even though the challenges and obstacles are many. (they seem like a vast army for sure) God simply asks me to show up – to take my position, to stand firm, and then I will have a front row seat to witness God’s deliverance. God calls me to face the enemy, (be it illness, lies, hatred, injustice, cruelty, division, betrayal, persecution) while assuring me that He will be with me when I do.

After all, my Heavenly Father is a God who does the unimaginable, the impossible – even when the battle rages. King David knew this, which may be why he said this about God-

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:5)

King David knew a thing or two about fighting battles. He fought the giant Goliath as well as many physical battles with horses, chariots and armies of men. He fought interpersonal battles with members of his own household and he fought spiritual battles within himself, eventually crying out to God –

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)

As for me, when all my battles have ceased, I want to be able to say –

“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)

today, while the battle rages, I will stand firm, I will take up the sword of the Spirit with confidence, knowing Jesus has said – “but take heart! I have overcome the world.”

sincerely, Grace Day

what do I pray for?

Posted on by Grace Day

I’m sitting in an unfamiliar classroom today. Actually, for the last few days now if truth be told. Why is this noteworthy? Because I’ve worked as a substitute teacher in this large high school every day of this school year and pretty much every day for the past couple of school years – ever since reopening after covid, actually. So I’ve been in just about every classroom there is, including orchestra, gym, life skills, science, math, English, Spanish, art, history – if it’s a class, I’ve probably subbed for it at one time or another.

So why would this classroom be the exception? Well, I’m currently subbing for an exceptional teacher who has been here for years and almost never misses a day of school. (hence no need for a sub in this room until now) This math teacher has faithfully fulfilled his duties year after year and is currently the longest serving teacher in this building. That’s remarkable in and of itself, because inner city public high schools have a high rate of teacher burn out, leading to a high turn over rate for teachers.

By now you must have realized that something unforeseen, unplanned and unwelcome has happened in the life of this faithful teacher to cause his absence in the first place, let alone during the final weeks of the school year, which are so critical for the students who are taking exams and hoping to pass their classes, so they don’t have to repeat them next year. And you would be right. Something unexpected has come into this teacher’s life – the diagnosis of an aggressive cancer.

At present, he is in a fight for his very life. He is undergoing chemo treatments in hopes that the cancer can be eradicated, allowing him to return to his normal life. Maybe “normal” isn’t an adequate description of his life before cancer, or of anyone’s life for that matter. “Normal” is different for each one of us. Suffice it to say that the goal, the hope, the desire, is for him to be able to return to his “pre-cancer life.” That’s why cancer patients endure the hardship inflicted on their bodies by chemotherapy. They believe and hope that after their body is nearly destroyed in the process of killing the cancer, they will survive, their health will be restored, and they will take up again the life they were living before the appearance of this deadly disease.

To this end, many of us are praying for this teacher. We are praying for his recovery from this disease. We are praying for restoration of his health and for his life to continue for many years to come. We don’t know how to pray any differently. I admit, I don’t know what else to pray or how else to pray. BUT – these words of the apostle Paul give me pause and point me to a very different perspective. Paul says this –

“now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

now that’s a different perspective! Paul continues –

“If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!”

He doesn’t know? Are you kidding me? Isn’t it obvious? But Paul’s not done. He continues –

“I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.” (Philippians 1:20-26)

So there you have it. I guess I don’t have the apostle Paul’s perspective yet. Maybe one day I will. Paul says to die is gain and he says he “desires to depart and be with Christ.” Why? Because Paul says that’s “better by far.” Why don’t I feel that way? I’m pretty attached to life here on earth at the moment, even with all its sorrows, pains, losses, uncertainties, strife, hardships, illnesses, famines, wars, crime, all kinds of suffering – WOW! and that’s only a partial list! Yet I want to stay here for as long as possible? And not only myself, but when I am asked to pray for others who are ill, their request and my request on their behalf, is always to heal them and to prolong their life here on earth.

Why? Maybe it’s like what C.S. Lewis said about us – “It would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.”

That’s me, I’m sure, with earth as my mud puddle and heaven the holiday at the sea that I am doing everything I can to avoid. I guess that’s because I truly can’t imagine what heaven will be like. It is the unknown. Earth is the known, the comfortable, even with all its troubles and trials. I read in 1 Corinthians this about what awaits me –

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

You and I have God’s promise of something better, but still we hang on to what we have here now. Actually, when God created all this, it was good, very good. It was a perfect paradise, that is until Eve made her ill advised choice and everything went south. Still, there are echos of the eternal here on earth to this day. It’s like Thorton Wilder said in his play “Our Town” –

“We all know that something is eternal. . . . There’s something way down deep that’s eternal about every human being.”

But our attachment to the temporal is strong. Emily voices this in “Our Town” when she says –

“Good-bye world. Good-bye Grover’s Corners . . . Mama and Papa. Good-bye to clocks ticking . . . and Mama’s sunflowers. And food and coffee. And new ironed dresses and hot baths. And sleeping and waking up. Oh, earth, you are too wonderful for anybody to realize you.”

And so it is, wonderful, that is. Even this fallen version of the original garden given to Adam and Eve is filled with the beauty of God’s creation everywhere we look. From sunrise to sunset, “the heavens declare the glory of God.” There are many God given joys here in this life, so it’s hard to fully understand that God is preparing something infinitely superior for us when we leave this earth. Our minds just can’t conceive of such a thing. So we pray to remain here at all costs.

What do I pray for? I find myself pleading with God for the physical healing of loved ones, family and friends who are ill, so that I and others that love them might have more time with them. Loss is painful. I don’t want to experience that pain. I don’t want to lose those I love to death. But as I pray for the temporal physical healings of those that ask me to pray for them, I am convicted to pray for more than just the physical. I am convinced I am to pray for their eternal spiritual healings with equal, if not more urgency.

Still, I find myself often conflicted as to how I should pray. It is then the story of the paralytic comes to mind, reminding me that “God is able to do more than I could ever ask for or imagine.” The paralytic simply wanted the physical healing that would allow him to walk again. But Jesus said to him, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” The Pharisees took issue with Jesus’s statement to the paralytic. Jesus responded by saying –

” ‘But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . .’ Then He said to the paralytic, ‘Get up, take your mat and go home.’ And the man got up and went home” (Matthew 9:2, 5-7)

That day the paralytic received both a physical and a spiritual healing from Jesus. He had sought out Jesus desiring only to be set free from his paralysis. But Jesus wanted to give him so much more. Jesus set him free from his sin. It wasn’t either/or, it was both!

Today I know too many who are fighting cancer or other physical ailments that make their lives hard, painful and a challenge just to get through the day. How do I pray for those I love? What do I pray for? I naturally pray for their physical healing, assuming that we all prefer more time in our mud puddle to departing for our holiday at the sea.

As I pray for what I humanly desire, my Heavenly Father reassures me that in His perfect will, all outcomes are good for those “who love the Lord and are called according to His purposes.” The apostle Paul was on to something when he said that whether he remained here on earth or he died and went to be with God – either way was a win for him!

It’s just not a win for those of us who are left behind when our loved one dies. But knowing it is a win for them brings me comfort and gives me peace, joy and hope when I need it most – when I am mourning their loss. Or more aptly put, my loss of them, as they are not lost in the least but are found, now home in the place prepared just for them. Jesus confirmed this when He told His disciples –

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:1-3)

Today, surrounded by so many people I know desiring a miracle healing, wanting prayer – what do I pray for? I will pray God’s will (not mine) because His will is “good, perfect and pleasing” always.

I will pray – asking my Heavenly Father – “Your kingdom come, Your will be done.” And like Paul, I will know that either outcome is a good one. Because God is good.

“The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made. . . . The Lord is righteous in all His ways and loving toward all He has made.” (Psalm 145:9 & 17)

sincerely, Grace Day

mom’s day memories

Posted on by Grace Day

Another Mother’s Day without Mom has come and gone. These days are always bittersweet for me. I used to spend them with my Mom, but now that’s not an option. Mother’s Day may be bitter because Mom is no longer here with us, but it is also sweet because the memories of her that keep me company, are good ones. Still, they are a poor substitute for the real thing – my mom. I have to say I feel cheated out of more time with her. There were things we wanted to do – a trip to her alma mater, a trip to our old vacation spot, a genealogy to research – so many questions I want to ask her now, but time has run out. I always thought there would be more time – more time to spend with her when things slowed down. But I was wrong. Life never slowed down, and time ran out.

At least the memories I have are good ones. It’s just that there are not nearly enough of them. I would have liked to have had more years of memories made, before I no longer had the opportunity to spend time with mom. But we don’t get to choose the number of our days. So I will be grateful for all the years I did have with mom, even as I continue to feel her absence keenly as the years come and go without her. I guess we never outgrow our need for our moms.

And time has a way of preserving the good memories and letting fade away any not so good memories – the typical mother/daughter struggles of the teenage years, for example. I am left with memories of her love and faithfulness and self-sacrificing service for her family and her friends, for her church and her community. A good role model but awfully big shoes to fill.

Yesterday, I chose to be grateful for the years I did have mom, even as I couldn’t help but grieve the years I’ve been without her. She left me a legacy of love that time will not erase. This is something that brings me joy every day, not just on Mother’s Day. I will honor mom’s legacy by trying to live a life of faithful service as she did. This is a challenge that will keep me fully engaged, one that is not for the faint of heart. Mom persevered through many tough trials and situations in life. She didn’t quit, she did not give up. And in the end, she was victorious over those situations that could have defeated her. And we were all the better for it.

As a recipient of Mom’s legacy, I want to honor her by carrying it forward. She was never a victim, always an overcomer. She overcame by staying the course, never giving up. In today’s culture we are all too ready to jump ship when things get tough. Consequently, we don’t experience the reward that awaits us at the end of our long, tough road. Reminds me of these words –

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

Mom never gave up. She never gave up on anyone, her family or her friends. That’s a part of her legacy. Never give up hope. There is always hope for restoration, for reconciliation. Her faith believed these words of Jesus –

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

In one of the Ten Commandments we are told to “Honor your father and your mother,” – I want to continue to do that even though Mom is no longer here. I can honor her by living out the legacy she left to me – her legacy – a legacy of love, of hope and of faith. She gave my sisters and me so much in life. Upon reflection, it appears she gave us just as much or more in death.

Thanks, Mom. I think I’m still learning the lessons you tried so hard to teach me while you were still here. Your efforts were not in vain. They are making a difference daily in my life. Wish you were here with me, but your legacy and memory remain to guide and to keep me company on my way. Wish I would have told you these things before it was too late. Hope you know how much you are loved, Mom.

sincerely, Grace Day

out of the ashes

Posted on by Grace Day

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been burned. I’ve been burned more often than I would want to acknowledge and I have the scars to prove it. I’ve flirted with fire, I’ve played with fire, I’ve been in the fire, surrounded by flames and consumed by the fire. I have walked through fire and by God’s grace come through the flames, but not unscathed. It is no wonder that at this point I feel I am more ash than flesh. I am a hot mess for sure!

What hope is there for those of us who have been reduced to ashes by life’s unavoidable fiery trials? Can we ever be whole and productive again? I have nothing to give to God but my scars and my ashes. What can He possibly make of my life from this worthless offering of my scars and my ashes? It is nothing. It is not enough. Ashes are an end result, not raw material for a new beginning. Or are they?

Job knew something about fiery trials, ashes and being covered with unsightly scars. (well in his case they were sores or boils, like that’s any better than burn scars) Job had lost everything. He was literally sitting among the ashes. He had nothing to offer God but his ashy self and his sores. What could God possibly do with such a pitiful offering? Well, Job believed that God could do something very good with his life. In the midst of his suffering, with no end in sight, Job said this about God –

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

Can gold come from ashes and sores? That would be a miracle. And a miracle is the only answer for a situation such as Job’s. Fortunately for me, my Heavenly Father is in the miracle business. He is a God of miracles. Nothing is too hard for Him.

“Ah, Sovereign Lord, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for You.” (Jeremiah 32:17)

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

In the hands of my Heavenly Father, maybe my ashes can be resurrected into something useful and beautiful. If I give Him my ashes, will He give me something better in return? I think Isaiah has something to say about this. In Isaiah 61, I read about what God is able to do, what He wants to do and indeed what He will do for me. (and for you, too, dear readers) God desires –

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

That seems like a really good trade-in to me. I give God all I have to give, which at this point is mostly just scars and ashes, that’s what’s left after life’s many fires, and in return, He gives me a crown of beauty. Why wouldn’t I take God up on this offer? Do I think it too good to be true? Certainly ashes and scars are not sufficient raw material out of which to fashion something beautiful. And yet I am promised a “crown of beauty.” If I think that what I offer up to God is not enough for Him to be able to do His work, I would be right and I would be wrong simultaneously. My offering is not enough (it never is) BUT that fact does not stop God from doing the impossible and making something beautiful out of my ashes. He alone can do such a miraculous thing!

Reminds me of someone else who didn’t have much to offer, not nearly enough to meet the current need, but he offered up what little he had to Jesus anyway. He trusted Jesus and let go of what he thought would sustain just himself, only to see his offering become enough to feed five thousand plus people, with plenty left over. This shows me that God –

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

And that is just what Jesus did that day on the mountainside when He fed a multitude of hungry people. They didn’t just receive enough food to tide them over until they could return home, they ate until they were full and there was still food left over – twelve basketfuls to be exact. The people hoped only for a little food to assuage their hunger. But Jesus wanted to fill them up and He did exactly that. It’s like what the Psalmist said about God as our Provider –

“The eyes of all look to You and You give them their food at the proper time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.” (Psalm 145:15-16)

God always exceeds my meager human expectations. I’m like the paralytic who desired only a physical healing, but received from Jesus forgiveness of his sins and eternal life – much more than he initially asked for or ever thought to ask of Jesus! I think God exceeded Job’s expectations too. Job had nothing left of all his former wealth to offer to God, but look how Job’s story ended. Job said to God –

” ‘My ears had heard of You but now my eyes have seen You. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.’ . . . After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before. . . . The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first. . . . After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so he died, old and full of years.” (Job 42:5, 10, 12 & 16-17)

Jesus certainly exceeded expectations that day on the mountainside when He fed a multitude of hungry people with just five small loaves and two small fish. That story had a better than expected, miraculous ending as well.

“Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ‘Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?’ Jesus said, ‘Have the people sit down.’ . . . the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, He said to His disciples, ‘Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.’ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.” (John 6:8-13)

Out of five small loaves and two small fish Jesus provided a feast for five thousand men (and who knows how many women and children) and had twelve basketfuls of excess food left over. If I will just offer to Him my scars and my ashes, I’m pretty sure He can make something beautiful out of what I bring to Him, even though it’s not much to work with. In Isaiah He 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)

Yes, that’s the miracle transformation I am looking for, the miracle that I desire. And my Heavenly Father is the only one that can perform such a miracle. He is in the transformation business. In Isaiah I read these words –

“This is what the Lord says – He who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, . . . ‘Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.’ ” (Isaiah 43:16, 18-19)

My Heavenly Father is the only One who can do a new thing in me, with me, for me – He alone can perform the miracle that is needed to turn my ashes into beauty. I can’t do anything with my ashes, but my Creator can and He will if I give every last scar and ash to Him. I am going to take Him up on His offer.

I can trade my scarlet garments for those white as wool. All my righteousness is as filthy rags BUT –

“He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness,” (Isaiah 61:10)

My Heavenly Father will certainly replace the ashes of my life with His crown of beauty and I will say with Job –

“when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”

out of the ashes – gold! something to look forward to with certain hope because God keeps His promises . . .

sincerely, Grace Day

He is everything

Posted on by Grace Day

He is the lifter of my head.

“But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.” (Psalm 3:3)

He is the holder of my hand.

“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand.” (Isaiah 42:6)

He is the bearer of my burdens.

“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” (Psalm 68:19)

He is the collector, the counter and the keeper of all my tears.

“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in Your book.” (Psalm 56:8 NLT)

He is the watcher of my ways.

“the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:8)

He is the fixer of my feast.

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” (Psalm 23:5)

He is my light in the darkness of this world.

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, 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)

“You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.” (Psalm 18:28)

He is the forgiver of my sins and my healer.

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

“Praise the Lord, O my soul, . . . who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,” (Psalm 103:2-3)

He is the ordainer of my days.

“All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:16)

He is my shelter in the storm.

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. . . . He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” (Psalm 91:1 & 4)

He is my rescuer in times of trouble.

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

He is my provider.

“The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food at the proper time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.” (Psalm 145:15-16)

“He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all – how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)

He is my protector.

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

“You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” (Psalm 32:7)

He sings me to sleep at night.

“The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)

He leads me in the right direction.

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

“He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:2-3)

He comforts me in my sorrow.

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)

He is my one constant in this ever changing world.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

He is the One who loves me no matter what.

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

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

My Heavenly Father is all these things to me and so much more – He truly is everything to me.

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

sincerely, Grace Day

a curious connection

Posted on by Grace Day

Do you ever find yourself thinking random thoughts that don’t appear to be connected in any way and then later these thoughts connect themselves in curious ways that make perfect sense? – well at least to you, if not to anyone else. Such is often the case with me. Actually most of my thoughts are very random and unrelated, so when they connect themselves into something that reveals a new insight or a larger truth, it is always an exciting moment on my otherwise mundane journey of everyday random thoughts.

Such was the revelation my random thoughts revealed concerning the connection between the thief on the cross and the workers in the vineyard parable. You don’t see it? Well, I never did either, until now. You remember the workers in the vineyard parable, right? This was a story that never made sense to me. Actually, the outcome seemed obviously wrong because it appeared to me to be unfair to some of the workers involved. Let me explain or better yet, let Jesus tell you the story, just as He told it to His disciples –

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’ The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius.” (Matthew 20:1-9)

Well, the story continues with all the workers getting paid a denarius, including those who were hired first and had worked a full day in the hot sun. Naturally they grumbled against the owner, because they felt this was unfair. The owner’s response?

“Friend I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?” (Matthew 20:13-15)

So what does this have to do with the thief on the cross? You know, the one that was crucified on the cross right next to the one on which Jesus hung. Well, actually there were two men being crucified for their crimes that day along with Jesus, one on either side of Him. Their conversation in those final moments reveals everything about the condition of their hearts. Luke records for us that very eye-opening conversation which went as follows,

“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him: (Jesus) ‘Aren’t You the Christ? Save Yourself and us!’ But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into Your kingdom.’ ” (Luke 23:39-42)

This is surely a surprising, even apparently non-sensical request for the criminal to make, considering that Jesus’s situation doesn’t appear to be any better than his own. They are both suffering the exact same fate at the moment, being crucified on crude wooden crosses while an angry and curious crowd of spectators watch and wait. Both are headed for identical outcomes of death, it would seem. And yet, this criminal dares to ask the impossible of Jesus, who at present, is hanging on a cross next to him. We can safely assume that this man has done more bad deeds than good ones in his life, but despite this, he cries out to Jesus with his last breath.

There can be only one reason why he would dare to do this, to make such a preposterous request. Unlike the criminal hanging on the other side of Jesus, who mocked and taunted Jesus with his last words, this thief believed Jesus to be exactly who He claimed to be. The only thing more unexpected and surprising than the criminal’s audacious death bed ask, is Jesus’s death bed answer to him.

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

Jesus’s answer is surprising on every level. First of all, Jesus states that He will be in paradise. How is that possible? And then to promise this criminal that he also will get to go to paradise after the life of crime that he has apparently lived? This is unbelievable. This is preposterous even! But it is also true! Jesus is who He has always claimed to be – the Word become flesh to dwell among us – the promised Messiah – the Christ – the Son of the Living God – the Savior of the world – the Lamb of God and Lord of all.

Because Jesus is exactly who He said He was, He is able to do the impossible, which is exactly what the criminal on the cross beside Jesus asked of Him that day – to do the impossible, the unbelievable; to grant him the unmerited, the undeserved – forgiveness, redemption and eternal life. That’s a really big ask. Especially when it is directed at someone who appears to be in no position to grant such a request at the moment. BUT things are not always as they appear to be. The thief on the cross next to Jesus had faith. He believed Jesus was who He claimed to be and that Jesus could and would grant his request.

Fortunately for the thief on the cross, not only is Jesus able but that day, Jesus chose to show him mercy and grant his request. Jesus’s answer to him makes that clear. So what does the criminal on the cross have in common with the vineyard workers? – especially those hired on at the eleventh hour? It seems to me, they all had nothing to offer but everything to gain.

The criminal on the cross offered Jesus nothing in exchange for what he was asking of Jesus, but Jesus granted his request anyway. The criminal received what he did not deserve and could not earn. Those late hire vineyard workers received wages they hadn’t earned also. The owner extended them an invitation that was unlikely and unexpected at that late hour of the day when little time to work was left, but they accepted and went to his vineyard anyway, with little to offer the owner. But the owner rewarded them as if they had worked all day, from the very first hour. They had little to give but their gain was great.

I feel my own connection to the vineyard workers and to the criminal on the cross. I have nothing to offer Jesus but everything to gain when I accept His invitation to come work in His kingdom or I boldly request of Him what no one else has the power to give. Even though I have nothing to offer Him, Jesus stands ready to give me everything. Why would I not cry out – “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”?

Like the vineyard workers and the criminal on the cross, I am thankful that this is true of God –

“He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” (Psalm 103:10)

There is hope! Even in the most seemingly hopeless situation there is hope. The workers who had waited all day in vain to be hired ended up with a full day’s wages after receiving and accepting an unlikely, last minute invitation. The criminal hanging on the cross had the audacity to take Jesus at His word and to ask Jesus for what he did not deserve but longed to receive. Because he humbled himself and acknowledged the truth of who Jesus is, Jesus granted his impossible request.

The accounts of these people give me so much hope. I can always cry out to my Heavenly Father, even though I have nothing to offer Him but my need and my brokenness. He has everything to offer me and stands ready to do the impossible so that I might receive it. Indeed, in Isaiah I am told –

“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion.” (Isaiah 30:18)

Like the criminal on the cross, I can believe despite what appears to be happening in this world at the moment, that the Christ on the cross will indeed “remember me when He comes into His kingdom.” I will have the faith to believe and to make my impossible request of Jesus. I have nothing to give to Him. He has everything to give to me. The criminal on the cross understood this even though he had never heard these words spoken by Jesus to His disciples –

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

Jesus remembers me, He will remember you too, dear readers – ask Him!

sincerely, Grace Day