From Questions to Praise

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Jody Neufeld

Praise the Lord!

Let all that I am praise the Lord.
I will praise the Lord as long as I live.
I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.

Don’t put your confidence in powerful people;
there is no help for you there.
When they breathe their last, they return to the earth,
and all their plans die with them.
But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper,
whose hope is in the Lord their God.
He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them.
He keeps every promise forever. Psalm 146:1-6 (NLT)

Lectionary texts: Ruth 1:1-18, Psalm 146, Hebrews 9:11-14, Mark 12:28-34

The writer of this psalm must have had a vision for elections, economic uncertainties, relationship difficulties, illness, and any other worries in my life! Here, what I believe, are words straight from my LORD to me. And if I am uncertain, the other lectionary texts back it up.

Praise – every day – it’s a step of faith. There are definitely days when “praise” is not inside me. Those are days when all I see are “the giants” (See devotions on October 24 & 25, 2012!). But I have found that if I will put on some praise music or pull out a psalm like good ol’ #146 – I find myself nodding and grudgingly (that means slower and with a more negative attitude than reluctantly) saying, “Yes, LORD, You are worthy of my praise!”. And if I stay with it, my steps move forward instead of wallowing in the muck. Even on the worse day of my life, God deserved praise from me. I can think of many “worse days” – and yes, I can think of a reason to praise Him. And you know what? I can see Jesus fighting a bit of a smile that tells me He understands my conflict as He puts His arm around me and helps me move along in this day. Ruth is a story of Ruth, a woman with great loss. She is “bitter” (Ruth 1:20-21) and if the story ended with Chapter 1, which is all Naomi can see, then the story of Ruth would have ended there too. But God didn’t leave Naomi in her bitterness. He used Ruth, not a child of Israel, to bring Naomi to her place of great praise.

God has proven Himself. If you feel uncertain about trusting God, then I really encourage you to grab a pad of paper and a pen or start a note in your iPhone and write down three things that you are praying about. And do pray about those three things for 30 days. You don’t have to have “fancy” prayers just talk to God about those three things. Tell Him how you need an answer regarding a decision or you don’t know how you can pay your bills this month or someone you love is ill (or you are ill) and then watch. Don’t be surprise if God answers in a way you may not anticipate. He’s been known to do that. Make notes when you see an answer or maybe a leading in a direction. If it’s a decision between to options, I’ve often taken a step toward one answer and had the door slam firmly on that one so that I know it’s the other option. If it’s illness, healing is a wonderful blessing but so is “favor” in moving through doctor appointments and financial blessings in medications and “chance” meetings in waiting rooms with people who encourage us. God is faithful. And it’s awesome to see!

Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. Hebrews 9:14 (NLT)

My LORD invites the questions. Jesus asked questions. He wasn’t threatened by them. Maybe a bit frustrated at times like a parent is when a child asks “Why?” for the third time but never angry and He won’t shut you down. Ask! I am blessed to have a job in publishing that means I read manuscripts that maybe I wouldn’t have been exposed to if I wasn’t in this job. We just released a book, Uncommon Questions by an Extraordinary Savior by Chris Bozung. I was truly blessed by it. Do you know that the New Testament contains 300+ questions from Jesus? Did He need to know some information? Well, He was God so that doesn’t seem likely. Chris suggests “Jesus never asked a question because he needed to know the answer. Jesus’ questions pierce the heart, quicken the thoughts, convict the conscience, and evoke faith.” So let’s not be timid in asking Him questions! Asking questions doesn’t mean lack of faith. I think it means I do have faith that here is where I will find my answers.

The passage from Mark is someone asking Jesus about the greatest commandments. Jesus says it is “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And the second is love your neighbor as yourself.” The man responds that these commandments are more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. And I can see Jesus smile and say, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” By asking a question, the man takes a step closer in his understanding of God and His Kingdom. Whether I know it or not, that is what I really want when I take my worries to God. I want to understand Him and how He is working in my life. And He wants to talk to me about it.

I Am a Friend of God written by Israel Houghton and Michael Gungor, sung by Phillips, Craig & Dean

 

 

 

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Building His Box – Uh, I mean, Church

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Jody Neufeld

Peter and the others had fallen asleep. When they woke up, they saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with him. As Moses and Elijah were starting to leave, Peter, not even knowing what he was saying, blurted out, “Master, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials —one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”    Luke 9:32-33 (NLT)

I grew up going to church at least weekly until I left for college. And there were a couple of times during Holy Week when I would say that I experienced moments when I really felt God near to me. Until one night, in a church that wasn’t my home church, God came near and I committed my life to Him. The next two years I wanted to build a shelter for Jesus to live in so I could go there and I would know where He was and how to call on Him when I needed Him. Yes, I wanted to build a “memorial” to that “tranfiguring” moment that I had witnessed.

Then a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him.”    verse 35 (NLT)

Often in the gospels I read that the disciples “did not understand” and I think that these folks were really dense! But then I realize that I may be no different than those disciples. It isn’t that I am not intelligent enough to understand words – it’s having ears to hear what my LORD is saying.

As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

But Jesus replied,“Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”

He said to another person,“Come, follow me.”     verse 57-59 (NLT)

But Jesus told him,“Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”     verse 62 (NLT)

What God may say to me could include “Follow me without a big house” (or even a small one!). He may be asking me to change where I live and not look back to “the good ol’ days”. He may be asking me to eat a small salad for lunch and give my excess lunch money to a homeless person or save it up to give to the food kitchen that serves a free Thanksgiving feast in a few weeks. “Follow me” – take a look through the gospels to where Jesus went. He is rarely found inside the synagogue, sitting very comfortably in the chair of honor. He is out in the roadways, in the homes, and often with sinners. That will cover everyone I know and those I have yet to meet!

I believe every day, in small ways, I must make a choice to follow Jesus – or not. He has given me a free will with a brain to reason and a spirit to discern. But above all of that is the trust and faith that has grown in strength and knowledge as we have spent time together, Jesus leading and me following. To not follow Jesus is to miss opportunities that are without description or value as His Kingdom is built. I don’t want to miss anything when Jesus is involved! But I should also remember, following Jesus does not involve any safe boxes!

I Will Follow Him written by Franck Pourcel and Paul Mauriat, sung by the good sisters in Sister Act

 

 

 

 

 

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Still Slaying Giants

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Jody Neufeld

David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”      1 Samuel 17:26 (NIV)

The devotion yesterday was reprinted from four years ago. I reprinted that devotion because I am once again facing giants in my life. I wish I could say that I boldly marched toward these giants with my Holy Spirit-given slingshot and put the creeps down with well-placed shots. I did but I had to walk through many miles of desert to get there.

And then last night I was notified that a friend of mine had to have emergency surgery. She has been battling cancer for a number of years and pain has been an almost constant companion. She is living out God’s principles and promises that I am reading in 1 Samuel 17. She went into surgery reassuring the physicians that God was with them. She was keeping her eyes on Who was standing with her. She moved toward her giant without fear because she knew the One with her, just as David did. I receive her testimony and I will be repeating it to those that I meet. But first, I am taking it into my own life.

The army of Israel was paralyzed because all they could see was the giant. All they could think about was how much bigger the giant was than they were. I believe David could see God because he spent so much time with God. He knew what God could do in seemingly overwhelming situations (like attacks by a bear and a lion). David was also the youngest and so he received his encouragement, his comfort from someplace other than his immediate family. He was pretty far down that food chain!

David never doubted that he would prevail over the giant. Why? Because David knew he wasn’t the One with the power to prevail! David knew that he just needed to do what God asked of him and the giant would be defeated. I’m not told that David had any doubts about fighting a heavily armed and armored giant with just a slingshot and some stones. His relationship with God had produced that kind of trust and faith. David spoke rightly when he identified God as living. I do not put my faith in a statue of a long gone, dead god. My LORD is alive and active in my life. He is alive!

And so giants may appear in my life but I am following my friend and David’s examples and spending more time with my LORD so that when a giant tries to bellow his way into my focus, I will keep marching forward, right behind my LORD, putting my feet into His footsteps. I will grab on to His promises, His principles and wrap them around me like armor, learning how to live in His joy that is not defeated by any circumstances of this world.

You made me and formed me with your hands.
Give me understanding so I can learn your commands.
Let those who respect you rejoice when they see me, because I put my hope in your word.
Lord, I know that your laws are right and that it was right for you to punish me.
Comfort me with your love, as you promised me, your servant.
Have mercy on me so that I may live.
I love your teachings.
Make proud people ashamed because they lied about me.
But I will think about your orders.
Let those who respect you return to me, those who know your rules.
Let me obey your demands perfectly so I will not be ashamed.      Psalm 119:73-80 (NCV)

Oh Happy Day written by Edwin Hawkins (1967), sung by the choir in Sister Act 2

 

 

 

 

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Are your Eyes on God or the Giant?

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Jody Neufeld

[reprint from December 3, 2008]

David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”     1 Samuel 17:26 (NIV)

I hope you will take a few minutes today and read 1 Samuel 17. It would be a great story to read before you go to bed…action-packed and the Good Guy wins! There are a few details that I hope you notice. David was not part of King Saul’s army. His older, bigger brothers were. David was seen as too young; too little. He just ‘happens’ to show up to deliver a few supplies from home and overhears the loud-mouth giant doing his twice-a-day taunt. Israel’s army cowers in the bushes as they are scared witless. They see only the giant.

David has spent his time in the fields watching over the family sheep. He also spent time building his relationship with God. He talked to Him. He sang to Him. David listened to Him. So when David heard the giant taunting God’s people – he didn’t see a giant – he heard someone taunting GOD!

I know what a giant sounds like in my life. He blocks the sun in my life and I feel like I am in the dark …better known as doubt. Israel sees only how tall Goliath is or how much armor he has but David sees only how powerful his God is and how much God has already done for him. Israel doesn’t talk about God. David speaks only of God. David knows the giant is there but he sees God more.

Notice that David speaks of the armies of God. What does he mean by that plural? There is only one army of Israel so I don’t think he is talking about that. Maybe David is remembering that God is not just a single…He is hail. He is wind. He has platoons of angels. God can collapse walls, part seas, and produce a thunder storm that can cause the biggest to cower. I think David knew very well who was standing in front of Goliath!

David ran toward his giant. When was the last time I ran toward the challenge in my life? How often I duck my head and pull the blanket over my head! David shows me that I can go on the offensive with my giant because I have the Spirit of God in me! Load up my sling with the power of Jesus and let loose on that giant of depression or alcohol, or abuse or insecurity!!!

David spoke of the armies as belonging to the living God. David did not worship a dead statue. He knew that God was alive and there! He knew God was close and not just an observer up on a distant throne.

David’s story is not one of big miracles like the parting seas that Moses saw or rising from the dead like Lazarus did. David’s miracle was that God saw a heart that was for Him in a fallible man and used David to be a mighty king for His chosen people. He will do that for me and you. I can look at the giants in my life and stumble or I can look at God and walk in victory.

Voice of Truth written by Mark Hall and Steven Curtis Chapman, sung by Casting Crowns

 

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Because I Said So

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Jody Neufeld

[reprinted from July 26, 2011]

Then the word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you with a fatal blow. But you must not lament or weep or let your tears flow. Groan quietly; do not observe mourning rites for the dead. Put on your turban and strap your sandals on your feet; do not cover [your] mustache or eat the bread of mourners.”

I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. The next morning I did just as I was commanded.        Ezekiel 24:15-18 (HCSB)

If you haven’t been with me in the devotion time very long you may not have read this before – there are some hard passages in Scripture that are rarely taught or preached about. Those passages are there because this life in this world is hard. We need to know that others have gone before us and still decided to love, serve, and trust God.

Ezekiel is a prophet of God. He is speaking what God wants him to say to the people of God. Ezekiel isn’t winning any popularity contests by what he is saying but he continues to tell the people God’s truth. And then God tells him that He, God, is going to take away Ezekiel’s wife. She is going to die. “And, by the way, Ezekiel, I do not want you weeping and wailing with grief. Get back out there and get to work like I tell you!” Did God explain ‘why’? Nope.

I would rather study about how Jesus healed and raised the people from the dead. I would rather read how He kept Abraham from sacrificing Isaac. I would rather justify the death of David’s son by saying it was a consequence of David’s sins. But since I am not without sin, that line of reasoning doesn’t make me feel better.

There aren’t good, satisfying answers as to the ‘why’ God took Ezekiel’s wife. And God doesn’t spend His words explaining Himself. Would I understand if He did? Does God care that He caused Ezekiel pain?

“‘For here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to take you out of these countries, gather you from all over, and bring you back to your own land. I’ll pour pure water over you and scrub you clean. I’ll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I’ll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that’s God-willed, not self-willed. I’ll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands. You’ll once again live in the land I gave your ancestors. You’ll be my people! I’ll be your God!       Ezekiel 36:24-28 (The Message)

Here is the loving, caring LORD that I count on to hold me and heal me. Like a child, I want love and gifts. But God is also Father who sees danger and the need for lessons where I do not.

One day, my then two-year-old twins were playing in our driveway. They had been told not to go into the street. I was sweeping the walk when suddenly one of them took off running down the driveway and into the street. We lived on a corner and there was a car coming down the street and would turn at our corner. I yelled and took off running! I snatched my child up and run back up into the drive. I was beyond upset because my child was in great danger. I was very curt when I spoke and made them both go inside. They cried. I had stopped their fun. They could not understand my reaction and I could not explain the situation so they could understand. It was a “because I said so!” situation.

God understands and knows far above what I do. My comparison of myself and my children is not an adequate comparison but it does give me a point of reference to accept God’s actions with Ezekiel and his wife even when I do not understand. From there I consider that God took Ezekiel’s wife “home”. She no longer had to live in the difficulties and pain of this world. Death is not the end for those who call God – LORD. Death is just the door to the best gift – life with our Father forever and ever. Though I grieve for those who pass through this door and leave me behind, I know that “soon” we will be together again – forever and ever.

Abba Father written and sung by Klaus Kuehn

 

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Once and For All

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Jody Neufeld

Earlier there were a lot of priests, for they died and had to be replaced. But Jesus’ priesthood is permanent. He’s there from now to eternity to save everyone who comes to God through him, always on the job to speak up for them.

So now we have a high priest who perfectly fits our needs: completely holy, uncompromised by sin, with authority extending as high as God’s presence in heaven itself. Unlike the other high priests, he doesn’t have to offer sacrifices for his own sins every day before he can get around to us and our sins. He’s done it, once and for all: offered up himself as the sacrifice. The law appoints as high priests men who are never able to get the job done right. But this intervening command of God, which came later, appoints the Son, who is absolutely, eternally perfect.      Hebrews 7:23-28 (The Message)

Lectionary texts: Job 42:1-6, 10-17, Psalm 34:1-8, 19-22, Hebrews 7:23-28, Mark 10:46-52

The texts this week are testimonies to God’s perfect love to save His children from their sins. His love began in the Law that He gave to help us to know His and His ways for us, correcting us when we faltered. And the Law included offerings done by priests that would be done in repentance and atonement. But it quickly became apparent that 1) the offerings would have to be done again and again and the priests themselves would have to do it for themselves first because 2) they were sinful men and even corrupt in their priestly acts.

And so God had to have The Priest, The Holy One, The One without blemish, who would Himself be the sacrifice once for all. The sacrifice would be perfection and would be The One who could take not only the sins that had so far been committed but could also be the sacrifice for all the sins to come. NO sin would be left uncovered by the Blood of this sacrifice.

And in my mind, maybe that is why the death of Christ is so horrific. It must be such horrific, violent love that it will be forever able to cover any horrific, violent sin that we may think up. This High Priest, Jesus Christ, “got it right” and did not stop there.

The NIV says in verse 25, “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” Even today as I begin another week, I feel so weak. Jesus is right here with me and stands in the gap (Ezekiel 22:30) between me and the Father, speaking on my behalf. And if I get quiet, I can hear what He says. If I have trouble hearing, I can always go to John 17 and begin there.

Mark’s Gospel passage tells me about Bartimaeus who was blind.
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asks.
“I want to see.” Bartimaeus says.
Simple. Direct. No super holy language. No whining. Just the bottom line. What is my bottom line request from Jesus today? Am I afraid to say it? I should be more afraid of what might happen if I do not. His love surrounds me, heals me, comforts me. Surely with Jesus is where I want to be because there is where I will find perfect, unconditional love in the only Friend who has already given His life for me and continues to speak to the Father about me. Come in. Let’s sit a spell and listen to what He says.

Yahweh written and sung by Andy Park

 

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Passionate Life or Safe Life

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Jody Neufeld

[reprinted from June 17, 2009]

But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for I see not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 (WEB)

In Gibeon Yahweh appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

Solomon said, “You have shown to your servant David my father great loving kindness, according as he walked before you in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with you. You have kept for him this great loving kindness, that you have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. Now, Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king instead of David my father. I am but a little child. I don’t know how to go out or come in. Your servant is in the midst of your people which you have chosen, a great people, that can’t be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this your great people?”

The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, neither have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice; behold, I have done according to your word. Behold, I have given you a wise and an understanding heart; so that there has been none like you before you, neither after you shall any arise like you. I have also given you that which you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there shall not be any among the kings like you, all your days. If you will walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.” 1 Kings 3:5-14 (WEB)

I watched The Jazz Singer with Neil Diamond and Laurence Olivier again last night. If I had to choose ten movies to take with me to watch on my flat screen TV on a deserted island, this would be one of the ten! I can relate to Jess Robin in that it I had to reach my goals on my own path. It was never the path my parents wanted me to take and it was never the goal they had in mind. I never saw myself as rebellious but very independent!

God gave each of us gifts and the planting of these gifts have created love and passion for the call that we have been given. All my life I love to care for people. No surprise that I became a nurse. Also no surprise that my best time as a nurse was when I worked for a hospice. My love of teaching and caring flourished during that time. It was not the best paying job I ever had. It was not the easiest job I ever had. It was the best.

Some might ask, “Why aren’t you doing that now?” That season has passed. God is leading me into a new season. It is not clear yet how the passion that I have inside of me will be guided by Jesus’ wise and perfect hand into this new time but I know He will do it!

No matter what your age, do not ‘settle’ for anything less than the passion that God has placed inside you! Like Jess in the movie, following your passion and using your God-given talents may mean stepping out of the boat and trusting Jesus to show you how to walk on the water! Decide who you will follow. And family and friends may not be on board with the plan. It may mean deciding who you will serve.

David was only a shepherd. God saw him as a king that from his lineage would come the King of Kings! Solomon was a king. More importantly he was pleasing to God.

Spend time with Jesus and choose to be a passionate servant for God.

Days of Elijah written by Robin Mark (1999)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5w0Vzc1Ks0

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And Our Journey Continues

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Jody Neufeld

Teach me your decrees, O Lord;
I will keep them to the end.
Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions;
I will put them into practice with all my heart.
Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found.
Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money!
Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word.
Reassure me of your promise, made to those who fear you.     Psalm 119:33-38 (NLT)

This devotion is just what is swirling in my spirit today that I want to say to my LORD.

You turned my life around. My life was so filled with confusion and self-loathing. As I look back on my life I see times and events when You were reaching out to me. You were whispering Your love in my ear and I continued to believe the judgment of myself and others instead of You. You never gave up on me. And when I finally stopped trying to earn Your love and just took what You were freely offering – words fail me but You know my heart and how that battered place has just healed and flourished under Your healing touch.

I have had doubts. Oh how often I have turned to You and asked “Why?!!” And often it is a revisited event and question! Your patience has been unfailing. You never seem to tire of talking to me, in fact, You make me feel like You want to spend more time with me. You want to not only heal my heart but my mind and spirit and protect them from the Accuser. You want me to know Your voice so well that I instantly know who is speaking to me. I will know who to listen to.

I’m weak but with You, we get through. I have learned how very weak that I am. I have learned how very strong I can be with You surrounding me, holding me, lifting me, and providing me with the same rest that You had in a boat in a storm. I can rest in the storm because I know who holds the ocean in His hand. You have never let me down! When I have stumbled, it is when I let go of Your hand and walked away from Your path.

It just keeps getting better and better. And even though the world may see me in the “autumn” of my life, You aren’t done with me. You still have plans for me and opportunities to use me. And I still have so much to learn from You! I feel like a child on the first day of a new school year – every morning! Lessons that I thought I had memorized have new wisdom to give to me, and to be passed on to my children and grandchildren and the many You put into my path. Oh LORD, may I be found faithful.

And now I bow, lay my head on Your lap and listen. Just listen. Thank You for speaking to me.

Through the years written by Barry Gibb and sung by Kenny Rogers

 

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What Does Jesus Do?

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Jody Neufeld

[Jesus said,] “Go back home and tell people how much God has done for you.” So the man went all over town telling how much Jesus had done for him.     Luke 8:39 (NCV)

The years 1995-2000 were wonderfully, terrible years for me and my children. Wonderful because we witnessed a revival in our town that saw over three million people come from all over the world and join in worship. What we saw and learned about our LORD brought us into committing our lives to Jesus Christ. Terrible because we went through divorce, deaths, and the diagnosis and treatment of my youngest son for cancer. I was remembering some of these times as I was reading Luke 8 last night.

There are several times in this chapter that Jesus does not do or respond the way those around Him are expecting.

Jesus tells parables – why? vv 1-10 Jesus tells the parable of the seeds and sowing. He says, “Let he who has ears to hear, let him hear.” It is as though Jesus is telling me that I have all that I need to be able to understand what He is saying but do I want to understand? Then when the disciples ask for an explanation, Jesus repeats the prophet Isaiah that sometimes we have eyes and ears and still do not comprehend what is in front of our faces. Jesus told parables to make His principles more relevant and simple to the people to whom He was speaking. And He is still doing that if I really want to see and hear.

Jesus brings Light. vv 16-17 Jesus came to bring a relationship to God to all people. It was not an exclusive club for the wealthy or the educated. The Father loves and wants to spend time with all His children. Everything that Jesus brings into my life is to shed light, just as the sun causes plants to grow. It is Satan that skulks around in the shadows and tempts me to do things behind closed doors that I wouldn’t do for everyone to see. Jesus reveals.

Jesus’ family. vv 19-21 Jesus’ mother and brothers come to visit Him but can’t get near because of the crowd who want to hear and see Jesus. But Jesus does not push the crowd away so He can visit with His relatives. He explains to those around Him that family is defined as those who hear God and obey. This can be a difficult thing to hear and accept in my heart. I miss my children but I know that we all live and are at work where we are supposed to be. And so we ask God to show us the family we have where we are.

Jesus gets exasperated. vv 24-25 It is good to read that Jesus Himself wondered if this plan of God to have His Good News be spread by us was really going to work. He and the disciples are in a boat and a storm comes up and the disciples are afraid. They are with the One that they believe to be the Messiah – and they are afraid. I see the storms in my own life and I know that Jesus is right here – and yet I am afraid. Where is my faith? It’s right here – Jesus is here to help me build my spiritual muscles.

Jesus wants disciples. vv 38-39 The man who wandered the tombs because he had a legion of demons inside of him was now free and had his mind back. He wanted to follow Jesus wherever He went. The man was so grateful and he saw such love in Jesus. When I came to know Jesus, it was such a sweet, life-changing experience that I just wanted to keep coming to church and singing and listening, no soaking, up His word! It was all about Him and me. No, that was only the beginning. Jesus wants more than just blind followers who just sit thinking about their own comfort and joy. He wants disciples who will go and bring more home to Him and teach them to go bring more.

People laughed at Jesus. v 53 Jesus came to heal Jairus’ daughter. The people laughed at Him when He said the child was asleep, not dead. Have you ever been doing something to help someone and had others laugh at you for it? I’m reminded of a girl I know who befriended someone in her school who was not pretty or smart (so others said) and was laughed at for sitting with this girl instead of her popular friends. She sat with the girl and showed her what Jesus would do. She’s a grown woman now and knows to choose her friends not based on their looks or status but on Jesus and His plan.

Sometimes Jesus does NOT want me to tell. v 56 Jesus has just raised Jairus’ daughter from death but He tells the parents and His disciples not to spread that story. WHAT??? Why would Jesus not want people to know the power of God? We aren’t told. And so there is a lesson for me. Sometimes God teaches me things, shows me things, that are not to be shared now. Maybe later. Maybe not. To tell when Jesus says to be quiet is just as disobedient as to not tell when He says to speak.

This chapter is stuffed full of Good News. There is so much to learn. And most of us have several copies of this wondrous book in our home. How often do we pick it up and read a chapter, a few verses? When the darkness of this world tries to press in and confuse, where do I look for light and clarity? Wonderful days, terrible days. Jesus is there in them all.

Thy Word written and sung by Amy Grant

 

Posted in Luke | Comments Off on What Does Jesus Do?

Rest Well

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Jody Neufeld

If the Lord doesn’t build the house, the builders are working for nothing. 
If the Lord doesn’t guard the city, the guards are watching for nothing.
It is no use for you to get up early and stay up late, working for a living.
The Lord gives sleep to those he loves.           Psalm 127:1-2 (NCV)

The LORD gives sleep to those He loves. My mother-in-law sent this Word to us last night. She sends something from God’s Word to us most every night. She lives over a thousand miles away from us so she doesn’t know what is happening in our lives, day to day. God does.

I haven’t been sleeping well. I believe its because I have a bit of arthritic pain and so some nights are not so good for rest. Does God care if I am sleeping? I believe so because I am His child and my health is important to Him.

As I read the whole of Psalm 127 last night after receiving the Scripture in Mom’s email, I stopped to ask myself if anything in the lines before the promise of sleep were blocking God’s promise of rest in my life. Do these verses speak to the economy and the upcoming election? (I am not going to get political here.)

I went through a five year or so period of time when I worked 60-80 hours/week at my job. I had an opportunity to achieve not only local but national notice in my career. So I would arrive at work at 7 a.m. and work until 7 – 8 p.m. every night and often on weekends. I had a pager with me at all times and eventually even one of those big, heavy cell phones. I was important! I wonder how many people reading this today could raise their hand to similar experiences. The crossroad that God brought me to was twofold. First, it became a not so subtle pressure from my boss that if I wanted to continue in my present position, a graduate degree would be necessary. So in addition to my heavy work week, I was going to have to commit to going back to college. Where did my family figure into this? Second, my marriage was rapidly disintegrating and I had three children that needed a parent who was actually present in their lives and gave more than lip service as to how much they were loved and a high priority. I remember sitting at my desk one day and looking at a photo of my children and thinking how the two older ones would be graduating from high school in three years and gone from our home. I didn’t consciously recognize it at the time but God was lifting the fog of deception. Parents, anyone who tells you that “You can have it all!” is a liar. Yes, you can have a career and family and personal life but there is going to be a price. Time is finite. Something will become the price for doing the “all”. I had to choose my priorities and give time to those priorities based on their importance. I have never regretted making the choices that I did. I do not have a graduate degree today but I do have a family that loves the LORD and I am proud and yet humbled by His faithfulness.

Yes, God does give sleep to those He loves. He does that by faithfully being the keeper of our daily schedules, if I will allow Him to do so. Do the tasks He gives me to the best of my ability every day and leave the success of my life to Him, so He gets all the glory for it!

So if worry about my job and whether I will have health insurance next year is keeping me from resting in peaceful sleep, God has been at His job for a very long time and has brought me through. His promises are to be trusted. My “worth” is not truthfully calculated by this world. They do not know me. They do not see who I am or what I do like my LORD does. Rest comes with knowing that the One that I worship loves me more than I can imagine (Ephesians 3:14-21), will watch over me as I sleep and has all my tomorrows in His hands.

You Are Beautiful written and sung by MercyMe (2010)

 

Posted in Psalms | 1 Comment