Category: In Search of . . .

When I was growing up I just couldn’t stand looking at my “buck teeth”. Those two teeth in the front that seemed to be the first thing anyone would see when I opened my mouth to speak. Bugs Bunny mouth, I and others, called it! The size of my feet also concerned me. What was a young lady going to do with size 9 feet? To say nothing of the length of my neck . . . . ugh!

At that time I was sure there was no one else who suffered with the flaws of their body. I felt alone and watched with envy as other young ladies seemed to move through life without a care in the world. Today, several decades later I realize I was not alone. I, like all the other young ladies and young men, bore the same kinds of burdens: shoe size, clothes, and friendships, etc.  

In our adult lives our anxieties may have pivoted to concerns about our achievements. Could I have achieved more in my career? Why don’t I seem to be able to make a good impression on the right people? Is there a life-partner out there for me? Will each member of my family hit the benchmarks that I have planned for him/ her? Did I save enough, will my bank book be able to cover my present and future needs? What of my spiritual life, am I meeting God’s expectations for me? Is happiness and success an attainable goal? These are but a few of the questions that bug us.

*Psalm 139 has become my song of hope and encouragement when I face such anxieties. The Psalmist must have experienced similar concerns and received inspiration which led him to pen these words. 

Below I am sharing this Psalm and I have inserted between the verses some of the questions that we ask of life. It amazes me that the Psalmist seems to answer these questions with deep core principles which have stood the challenge of time:

§ –  My Father, I feel alone and anxious. Are You there?

I have searched your heart and know you inside and out. I know when you sit down and when you rise; I discern your thoughts before you think them. I walk beside you all day long, and when you lie down at night, I’m there. I know everything you do and say.  There’s not a word that comes from your mouth, that I don’t know beforehand. I am behind you, in front of you and all around you wherever you go. I have touched you and drawn you close to Me. (Vv.1-5)

§ – My Father, can you help me understand and believe that I am important to you?

I can’t comprehend such knowledge. It’s so wonderful that no matter how hard I try to understand, I can’t grasp it all. Where can I go to leave the presence of Your Spirit? Where shall I run that You’re not already there? If I were to launch out into space, You’d be there. If I were to tunnel into the depths of the earth, You’d be there. If I had wings and could fly to the ends of the earth or to the most remote island in the sea, Your presence would be there and Your arms would be ready to hold me. Even if I hid in the dark, everything around me would be as visible to You as in the daylight. Darkness to You is as light as the day. (Vv.6-12)

§ – My Father, sometimes I feel like I’m a mistake. Why do You care for me? 

 I shaped you before you were born; I put your bones together while you were still in your mother’s womb. (V.13)

§ – When life gets difficult, help me to remember that I am special, and that you have plans for me. 

I praise you, for this body is incredibly and wonderfully made. Your whole creation is amazing. When I was developing in my mother’s womb, You knew everything that took place. To You nothing is hidden or mysterious. You saw my unformed body inside the womb. You knew how long I would live before I was born. (Vv.14-16)

§ – Each day, dear Father, can You help me to feel precious and close to You?

How precious are Your tender thoughts toward me, O Lord. There are so many of them, they never end! If I could count them, they would be more in number than the grains of sand on the sea shore. Every morning, You are still there for me. (Vv.17, 18)

§ – Thank You Father for Your promises. Please keep reminding me that You keep all Your promises.  I’m holding You to them!

O Lord, search my heart; test me so I can know my thoughts as You know them. Let me know if there is any wicked way in me, and then help me walk in the way I should go. (Vv.23, 24)

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Today’s Goal: To live confidently and fully by accepting who I am, knowing that my life was planned in great detail by my Father who loves me. 

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*Taken from the paraphrased Bible – The Clear Word by Jack J. Blanco,  Copyright © 2003 by Review and Herald® Publishing Association P.O. Box 1119, Hagerstown, MD 21741-1119.

For a number of months I have been experiencing discomfort in my shoulders and arms. The pain has become progressively worse, to the point that it sometimes interrupts my sleep at night. My doctor did a series of X-rays and tests but she could find no reason for the problem. I went to a second doctor and still no relief. As the weeks rolled by I became disconcerted that no one seemed to know what was causing my discomfort. My anxiety and frustration grew and I wondered if this would be the quality of my life from now on. Was it all in my head? Would it get worse? Would I become incapacitated? In frustration I went back to the doctor, “there must be something you can do.” I said to her. She determined that the next step was to try physical therapy. 

The appointment was made and the sessions began. I was into my third week of physical therapy and had had minimal progress. Then one day Jacob, my physical therapist, was massaging my shoulder and I exclaimed, “Aah, that is it. It’s right there.” Jacob became alert and continuing to give attention to that area he said, “I guess you can now write a piece titled, ‘In Search of Relief’.” We laughed and joked about it but the thought stuck with me.

There was another woman who, like me had become frustrated and discouraged because of an undiagnosed physical problem. Her problem was worse than mine however, because she had lived with it for 12 long years.  She had been losing blood and no one seemed to know why. A previously energetic, friendly, fun-loving woman was now a listless, “bag of bones”. She had spent all her money on ever possible doctor and remedy. No one knew the cause of her disease and so no one had a cure. Fatigue grew with each day and the growing lethargy darkened her mood and her outlook on life. She lived with the thought of death constantly on her mind. She tried to keep herself clean and presentable but as her debility grew she was less and less able. An odor now enfolded her frame. She was ostracized by her friends and neighbors and she was required to live outside the city away from everyone. Weak, lonely, penniless, and desperate, she was ready to give up on life when she heard that there was a man in town preaching about “fulness of life” and doing unbelievable things.  He was feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and in some instances, actually raising people from the dead! She mulled it over for several days, 

“Should I take the chance to go in to town, will He be able to help me? She went back and forth on the risks then finally, “This is my last chance.” she decided, “I know it’s against the law to mix in with people but what do I have to lose?”

“So Jesus went . . . and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him. Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.” Mark 5: 24-29. 

She didn’t have to wonder, she knew instantly that she was healed. Gone was that certain sensation that accompanied her to bed each night, rose with her each morning, and sapped her energy and joy throughout each day! Her limbs felt warm and strong and she just felt like shouting for joy. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt so vibrant. Her problem was solved! Thinking  about that woman’s relief and comparing it with my own— there was no comparison. I multiplied my relief by tens of times and that must have been how she felt.  Her joy was indescribable!

We live in very difficult times, many people walk around carrying large, unbelievable burdens and are in search of relief. After weeks, months, sometimes years of living like this, they feel that no one understands or cares about them. They are the people who stand on the side of life’s road as others walk by and seem to look right through them. They are the exhausted, invisible, despondent, depressed, and desperate. They are the people who desperately try to find affordable housing but the red-tape is so long they don’t know where to start. They are the people who try to function with untreated physical pain— a tooth ache that they have been bearing for days, because they have no health plan. They are parents who look into the eyes of their children and see hunger and despair and they are unable to ease the misery. A growing number of such  people are choosing to do desperate things— they choose to end life for themselves or for others, all because they can see no relief in sight. What, if anything, is our role? Can we bring them any relief? 

In trying to understand his social responsibility, a young man once asked Jesus, “who is my neighbor?” Jesus answered him with a story about a man who had been attacked by thieves while traveling. The man lay on the side of the road dying while people with the means went by him choosing to cross to the other side to avoid this unpleasant inconvenience. Finally, one man decided to be of help. What a relief that must have been for the victim to look up through his pain and fear to see that finally someone cared to help.

“But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”  And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.”  Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”” Luke 10: 33-37. 

I think Jesus says the same to us today, “Whoever is in need, that’s your neighbor. Go and do likewise.”  We need to take the time to find out and provide the relief that our neighbors seek. It may be inconvenient at times but it is more than an inconvenience for the person who is in dire need. Jesus in another story explained social responsibility in an even more poignant way. 

“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’” Matthew 25:37-40. 

I know that Jacob, my physical therapist, felt professional satisfaction in being able to help me. It will be the same for us as we slow down and take the time to bring relief to those in need of a smile, a kind word, forgiveness, tolerance, friendship, a helping hand offering food, or clothing.  Not only will those in need be blessed but we too will experience an inner joy and a feeling of renewed purpose as we intentionally seek to make a difference in someone’s life. 

Today’s Goal: To be on the watch for people in need and to do whatever is in our power to bring relief. 

It was evening, the sun was setting with the splendor that only the desert knows. The sky turned a brilliant red as the golden orb threw its last rays, casting lengthy shadows across the camp. Moses, its soon-to-retire leader, sat in the shadow of his tent enjoying the first gust of cool air. It would be a cold night but he was accustomed. He looked toward the glow coming from the tabernacle in the middle of the encampment and his thoughts roamed back to his early beginnings. “What a journey this has been”, he thought.

“It began an evening no different from this one,” Moses recalled, “when I was about to make my way home with the sheep.” Moses noticed a glow from a bush up ahead. He, being curious, went over to check it out. Amber and red flames jumped from the bushes but the branches remained upright and un-scorched. “What’s happening here?”,  he puzzled and then came the voice.

It was the Voice that Moses would grow accustomed to over the years to follow. Moses remembered just how scared he was when he first realized that this was the voice of God. His stuttering took over as he realized his inadequacy for the task to be completed. 

“So Moses thought, “I will turn aside to see this amazing sight. Why does the bush not burn up?” When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him from within the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” God said, “Do not approach any closer! Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” He added, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. . . . And now indeed the cry of the Israelites has come to me, and I have also seen how severely the Egyptians oppress them. So now go, and I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” Exodus 3: 3-6; 9, 10.

God was calling him to be a leader! “I tried that 40 years ago in Egypt and what a disaster I made of that!” Moses parried. As a young man in pharaoh’s palace Moses enjoyed astronomy and playing the lute. He wrote poetry and songs and was amazed that when he sang his stutter went away. A bigger challenge was his quick temper. That anger was to be his undoing, it would turn his life upside-down. He remembered it as if it were yesterday.

“Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, “Why are you striking your companion?” Then he said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Exodus 2: 11-14. 

His rash behavior had made him into a fugitive for 40 years. Hiding in the desert, he lived as a simple herdsman relegated to wielding a shepherd’s staff instead of a ruler’s scepter . . . and he still stuttered!

 Turning back to look at the bush Moses pleaded, “P-p-please God not m-m-m-me. They w-w-won’t take me s-s-seriously. They will l-l-laugh. I st-st-stammer!” Then God asked Moses a question that was to change forever the way Moses saw himself. 

“The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” The LORD said, “Throw it to the ground.” So he threw it to the ground, and it became a snake, and Moses ran from it. But the LORD said to Moses, “Put out your hand and grab it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand — “that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” Exodus 4:2-5. 

Sitting by his tent at the close of this unbelievable career, Moses cradled the staff now worn and polished by years of service. He had not won the “burning bush” argument, God had taken him back to Egypt with his shepherd’s staff, his stammering, and his temper, to be His deliverer for the children of Israel. God had used him in the courts of Pharaoh doing miracles that confounded Pharaoh and had left Moses breathless with wonder. Using Moses and his staff, God had turned rivers to blood, blanketed the land of Egypt with frogs, flies, and locusts; and yes, He brought death to the defiant Egyptians’ first-borns. Then there was the night-race to the Red Sea where Moses lifted the staff, and God made a dry passage through the Sea to safety. This same staff had provided water in the desert and changed bitter water into drinkable water. Then there was the high point— his delivering of the Ten Commandments written on marble by God’s own finger to the children of Israel. What a life for a boy who started off as an adoption in the palace of Pharaoh! 

“This Moses whom they rejected, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush. He brought them out, after he had shown wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years.” Acts 7:35, 36.

“Indeed, wh-what a life I have had!” mused Moses. Turning to stare at the glowing Presence in the tabernacle at the center of the camp, Moses continued to reminisce on his near 40 years of leadership. He had had rough times but through it all God had been good to him. God had comforted him when the children of Israel maligned him, assured him when he doubted, forgave him when he stumbled, and sustained him when he felt like giving up. Moses would always cherish the memory of his intimate relationship with his God, his Father, his Friend. He would be forever grateful that God, knowing him better than any one else, had chosen to remain with him even when he had failed as a leader.

His reminiscing having ended, Moses sat in stillness with his Friend. The sky had lost its golden glow and all the earth seemed enveloped by the softness of night. He looked towards the purple-blue sky littered with twinkling stars and a sliver of silver moon. He pulled his cloak around him in the cold night air and whispered, “Th-thank You F-Father.” Yielding himself to the majesty of the moment, Moses closed his eyes and quietly began to hum. His spirit soared and welling up from deep within him came a song of praise:

“Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; And hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. Let my teaching drop as the rain, . . . For I proclaim the name of the LORD: Ascribe greatness to our God. He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He. . .” Deuteronomy 32: 1-43. 

Not all of us have had, or will have experiences as spectacular as Moses. We may not lead nations, battle the elements, or even lead small teams. But as we look at our lives we can, if we are thoughtful, see where God has led us as faithfully as He led Moses. Starting with a simple question, “What is in your hand?”, God took an ordinary stammering man with a shepherd’s staff and performed the most remarkable feats of the ages. 

There are feats that God wants to partner with us to complete today. Looking in our hands we may see nothing of worth or significance. But in the eyes of God, it is all that He needs to complete His work in our neighborhood. Could it be the telephone by our bedside, the pen on our desk, or the lightly-worn coat in our closet? For some it could be the wide welcoming grin that comes so quickly and naturally, or the warm words of cheer that make the discomfited feel worthwhile. It may be the flowers of the retired gardening enthusiast. It might be the thoughtfully crafted and worded greeting cards of the introvert, or the patient spirit of the shy individual who provides the listening ear for the tired or discouraged person. These “ordinary” acts are as important as the the work of the influential industrialist who employs scores of people in underserved communities, or the investments in health projects of the fortune five-hundred entrepreneur.  

If we would take the challenge to look at what it is we have “in our hands”, like Moses,  we will be able to give thanks and sing God’s praises for the victories we gained, the loses we survived, and the mistakes He carefully guided us through. Like Moses, we may revisit those precious times when our Father God showed His tender love by the people He sent at opportune times to provide encouragement to our lonely, doubting, or tired hearts.

Daily, our Father goes in search of genuine and sincere servanthood. Will He find it in us?

“Then he sat down opposite the offering box, and watched the crowd putting coins into it. Many rich people were throwing in large amounts. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, worth less than a penny. He called his disciples and said to them, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the offering box than all the others. For they all gave out of their wealth. But she, out of her poverty, put in what she had to live on, everything she had. Mark 12:41-44.

What makes our service valuable in the sight of God is our sincerity in reaching out to bring joy and a better way of life to our neighbors. We all have a purpose to fulfill, lives to enrich, and eternity to gain. We are repositories of the stories of our walk with Jehovah, God. Stories of His kindness and unfailing love. No matter how small or ordinary, we are called to share our blessings at every opportunity. Give it a try!

Today’s Goal: To listen for God’s direction as we seek to use ordinary things in our lives to bring happiness and beauty to the lives of others. 

“If you must talk to us, cover your face. Please!” Yes, you heard correctly. The children of Israel asked Moses to cover his face before he attempted to speak to them. I am sure you are asking, “Was Moses that ugly? Did he have an accident of some sort and became disfigured?” The answer is “no” to both these questions. 

Moses had just come back from a trip to the crest of Mount Sinai where he had spent 40 days in communion with Jehovah. It must have been quite an incredible experience because on his return to the valley where the children of Israel awaited him, his face had such a glow and radiance that it was difficult for them to look at him.

 “Now when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand —when he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to approach him. But Moses called to them, so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and Moses spoke to them. After this all the Israelites approached, and he commanded them all that the LORD had spoken to him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking with them, he would put a veil on his face.” Exodus 34: 29-33. 

Standing in the presence of Jehovah God, Moses had watched with rapt attention as Jehovah wrote with His finger the Ten Commandments on two marble tablets. Then Jehovah explained to Moses His plans to protect and care for the children of Israel. Moses received a preview of the battles they would fight and the miraculous victories they would have over nations larger than themselves. He listened as Jehovah described their final arrival in the land of “milk and honey”— a journey filled with events so inconceivable that Moses could not help but be impressed and awed. No wonder his face glowed!

 There was another occasion that individuals came away from meeting with a member of the Godhead and had a startling physical reaction. This was recorded in the New Testament where two men, tired and discouraged, trudged back to their village of Emmaus. On their way they met a fellow traveler who asked them the reason for their utter despondency. 

“Where have you been?” They answered. “Don’t you know that on Friday they crucified our only hope of deliverance from Roman oppression?  We are now the butt of jokes. They are calling this dead man, “the King of the Jews”. Our dreams and hopes are wiped out!”

The stranger seemed unfazed by their story and in an even, comforting tone began to encourage them. They listened with growing interest as he unfolded the deep meaning and promises of the Scriptures. 

“And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Luke 24: 27.

They were spellbound by His knowledge and understanding. On arrival in Emmaus they invited this remarkable person to stop and refresh himself at their home. It was during the meal that they realized— “You are Jesus! We are talking with Jesus!” They looked at Him then at each other. Between crying and laughing they repeated, “It’s Jesus! He is here, with us!”

They could hardly stand still. Gone was their fatigue. They immediately took the 7-mile journey back to Jerusalem to share their news. Rushing into the house of their despondent friends they shouted, “We spoke with Jesus! He has promised that even with what is happening now, everything is going to work out alright! His Father has plans afoot to fix everything!”

“And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.” Luke 24: 32-35.

Moses’ face shun, and the men from Emmaus had “heart-burn”! The experience of the disciples in Jerusalem was equally remarkable. Although barely educated, after spending time with Jesus they became insightful, indomitable, zealous preachers and healers! When Jesus was with them, He had made them a promise and waiting and praying together in a closed room in Jerusalem, the Gift had arrived! These ordinary, uneducated men became bi-lingual and some even tri-lingual preachers!

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?” Act 2: 1-8. 

They went about the city exuding excitement. They spoke of Christ and His promise of eternal life to anyone who would listen. They had faith enough to do supernatural things— they made the sick well, the lame walk, and the blind see!

“Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?” Acts 3: 11, 12. 

They had faces that glowed. They had voices that rang with cheer and good news. They stood out! They shun with  the good news of salvation in Christ. People couldn’t help but be drawn to them wanting some of what they had. They were daunted by nothing, not even the authorities’s threat of beatings and imprisonment.

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. . . . So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” Acts 4: 13, 18-20. 

Think about the people in these three stories. . . . . The unveiled face is not a one-dimensional, stoic, emotionless facade. It is a face that faithfully displays the character and affect of Christ. It lights-up with excitement at good news; it softens with compassion for the hurting; it warms in empathy for the sorrowing;  it relaxes with kindness to the weak; and calms with patience for the ill-tempered. The unveiled face of the Christian is reflective in forgiveness when maligned;  blushes in anguish when tempted; darkens in anger at injustice; brightens in joy at the success of others; explodes in laughter and happiness at the beauty around; and is fervent at the awareness of the Holy Spirit’s leading. Oh, for a face like that!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22, 23.

“Not so fast”, you say. “Certainly there must be some risk to the unveiled face— the face that reveals that we have “been with Jesus”? Christ as He walked this earth experienced rejection, misunderstanding, distrust, and mistreatment.  Won’t we risk the same?” 

I agree. It takes courage and a strong conviction to be willing to live unveiled. Moses was misunderstood and even maligned by his own sister and brother. The two men from Emmaus bore the hardship of retracing their steps 7 miles, and the possibility of ridicule, and Peter and John faced imprisonment. Interestingly however, they all seemed to disregard the risk when they weighed it against their mission. They all did it because “they had been with Jesus”. 

Paul, writing to the Corinthians explains that this radiance that comes from knowing Christ can be ours too. We can live unveiled— walking spectacles for Christ, showing others His love and calling them to become reconciled friends with Him. 

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us the message of reconciliation. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making his plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!” God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-21.

Are we brave enough to let the world see Jesus in us? Do we radiate an aura of His presence? How are those who don’t know Christ benefiting from our transparency? Do we share healing words and promises of wellness and joy to those we encounter? Do we speak against wrong and uphold justice? Do our stories of Christ’s  goodness to us overflow to others? 

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:10.

Today’s Goal: To be a spectacle for Christ by living fully, joyously and transparently, doing acts of kindness, and speaking  words of peace and healing. 

“Show me your company and I will tell you who you are.” I cannot count the number of times that my grand-aunt chided me with those words. It was her way of guiding me in the careful choice of friends. She wanted me to be safe and and to make good decisions even when I was not with her.  She was therefore very particular in vetting the friends that I kept. 

Recently, as I read Hebrews Chapter 11 I thought about my grand-aunt’s admonition. This chapter is called by some, the “Hall of Faith”. I looked at the list of men and women and I wondered,  “If they were my contemporaries would my gran’ have been comfortable with them? Maybe Enoch, Abel, Noah, and Moses would have been OK, but would she have allowed me to be friends with Samson? How about Rahab and Jacob?” Interestingly, the writer of Hebrews says of these individuals, 

“But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.” Hebrews 11:16. 

I am not suggesting that my grand-aunt’s counsel was not good, but we should be careful not to write-off people, or ourselves because of present behaviors! Samson was a womanizer who although he had a special calling on his life, allowed his eyes to lead him to choose women who ultimately led to disaster. Rahab was by profession, a prostitute, a woman no one cared to be seen with. Jacob was, from birth a cheat and a liar, and this broke up his family. The thief on the cross with Christ, although not mentioned in Hebrews, received from Jesus the same promise (“. . . He has prepared a city for them.”) as the “Hall of Faith-ers”.

“And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you today you will be with Me in Paradise.”” Luke 23: 43.

None of these individuals would have been welcome in my home. If we are honest, in Samson’s presence we would carefully guard our females; in conversation with Jacob we would take everything he said with “a grain of salt”; we would be super critical of Rahab watching for the first signs of coquettish behavior to justify our coolness; and we would hide the silver and down-play the value of our belongings to discourage the thief.  So can we justify their place in the Hall of Faith? 

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Hebrews 11:13.

Hebrews 11, precedes the name of each of these individuals with the phrase, “by faith . . .” and there is the key! Each one of these individuals came to the place of “faith” at different points in their lives. Jacob came in his mid-life desperation, Samson came at the lowest point in his career, Rahab came while she was still enjoying notoriety, and the thief on the cross came but minutes from his death. What is common to all of them is that they saw a need for change,  they acknowledged it, and by faith they accepted God’s offer. Let’s take a look at the lives of each of these individuals and see if there is anything there for us.

Samson’s Experience:

Samson was a debonair judge in Israel. All the women swooned over him, and the men had a healthy respect. His tall elegant body, and commanding personality stood out wherever he went. Now however, in chains, beaten and defenseless he leaned against a marble column in the temple of the pagan god, Dagon.  His emaciated frame was covered in black and purple bruises, and his head a mass of tangled hair matted with mud, blood, and sweat.

“Now the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice. And they said: “Our god has delivered into our hands Samson our enemy!” When the people saw him, they praised their god; for they said: “Our god has delivered into our hands our enemy, The destroyer of our land, And the one who multiplied our dead.” Judges 16:23, 24.

Samson’s head throbbed with hot, searing pain  and every muscle in his body was on fire. He had lost everything. Gone were the expensive clothes for which he was known, and gone was the “buff” young man that all the women swooned over. In place, Samson’s feet were bare, his clothes scant and filthy, his arms and legs sapped of the strength that once ripped apart lions and defied armies.

“So Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother . . . Now to his surprise, a young lion came roaring against him. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand.” Judges 14: 5, 6. 

 The loud exultant jeers of the crowd reverberated on the cold marble floors and  went like a dagger into Samson’s frame. His confident, unflinching, defiant, eyes were gone. Remaining were empty, disgorged, swollen sockets oozing a mix of blood and tears. In the fog of his pain came disjointed memories of his parents’ warnings. “Why didn’t I see that I was headed for disaster?” He moaned.

“Now Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. So he went up and told his father and mother, saying, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, get her for me as a wife.” Then his father and mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your brethren, or among all my people, that you must go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” And Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she pleases me well.”” Judges 14: 1-3.

Unbearable was the pain of knowing that he had not only disappointed his parents, he had disgraced his God. In deep sorrow he called out one last time to Jehovah to forgive him and to use him to avenge His enemies. 

“Now the temple was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there—about three thousand men and women on the roof watching while Samson performed. Then Samson called to the LORD, saying, “O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!” Judges 16: 27, 28. 

The pillars on which Samson leaned for support would become his weapon. Placing his faith in the God of his youth, Samson groped for the pillars and his last thoughts came as he felt the power of God course through his limbs shaking the building and reducing it to jelly. 

“And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars which supported the temple, and he braced himself against them, one on his right and the other on his left. Then Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life.” Judges 16: 29, 30. 

Samson’s final use of his gift was in complete acknowledgement that all that he had was from God, and without Jehovah he was nothing. Samson in faith became a new person!

Rahab’s Experience:

Rahab sat pensive in the down-time between customers. She contemplated the news that was the buzz in Jericho. The army of Israel was approaching and through their God, they were defeating all the nations in their path. She looked to her mantel where unmoving, stood Asherim, her god. Instinctively she knew she needed more. In this time of social and political upheaval she knew her own wiles could not save her, neither could Asherim. She pleadingly looked to him but his wooden eyes stared empty and his wooden arms hung lifeless. Her money, her notoriety, her crafty ingenuity, were all powerless in the path of the God of Israel. The world around her was careening to an end and she would not land on her feet this time. 

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her door. Opening she saw two men whom she instantly knew were foreigners. “What can I do for you?” she said a little impatiently having interrupted her musings on her future. They introduced themselves and Rahab, looking furtively out on the street, quickly pulled them into the hall. “How can I help you?” she repeated. 

“Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there.” Joshua 2:1

Most of the night was spent in talk. Rahab peppered the Hebrew men with questions about their God. They, as best they could, introduced her to Jehovah, who through a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, had brought them out of slavery and was fulfilling His promise to bring them to a better life. She listened enthralled by the idea that their God actually spoke and made promises that He kept. Her eyes widened as they told her how He quenched their thirst with water from a rock, satisfied their hunger with heavenly bread, and revealed Himself in peels of thunder and bolts of lightening that shook the earth and brought them all to their knees in awe and wonder. 

She pondered, “These men have come to me, the most unlikely, the most despised person in Jericho. Despite my sullied reputation, they are inviting me to join with Jehovah’s people, to be a part of their victory!” This was no chance meeting she decided— this was a Divine appointment. This all-powerful God had sent them to her no less! Rahab made her decision.

“Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, and said to the men: “I know that the LORD has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites . . . . For the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on earth below! Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the LORD, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s house, and give me a true token, and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.”” Joshua 2:8-13.

Rahab’s decision made all the difference. Not only was she and her family saved and joined to the people of Jehovah, but history tells us that through her line came the Savior of the world— Jesus. 

“. . . .  Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse,  and Jesse begot David the king. . .  .  Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob.  And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.” Matthew 1: 4-6, 14-16.

Through faith, Rahab, the prostitute, became a new person. She received a new heritage.

Jacob’s Experience:

Jacob sat alone in the dark, mentally and physically tired from the journey as well as the stress of planning and strategizing to meet his brother. After several years away he was returning home — a rich man but haunted by the bad-blood that he had left there. Jacob could not remember a time he wasn’t restlessly seeking more from life. From birth, everyone knew that Jacob got what he wanted. Some said he was ambitious, and driven. He would use any means to achieve his goal.  He envied his brother’s birthright and by devious means he got it. 

“Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.”  . . . But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.” And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?” Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.  And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils . . .” Genesis 25: 29-34.

He was the second born son but he yearned to have the blessing and approval due the first-born child, and aided by his mother, he got that too. 

“He went to his father and said, “My father!” Isaac replied, “Here I am. Which are you, my son?” Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I’ve done as you told me. Now sit up and eat some of my wild game so that you can bless me.” But Isaac asked his son, “How in the world did you find it so quickly, my son?” “Because the LORD your God brought it to me,” he replied.” Genesis 27: 18-20. 

That ruse almost took his life. He became a fugitive, ending up with his uncle hundreds of miles away from home. Through the years he had made deals with God— “God, if you bless me I will . . .” etc., etc. Some of those promises he kept, but over and over his scheming nature got the better of him. On the other hand, God had always kept His promise.  Proof? Jacob was returning home a wealthy man. 

Jacob admitted, “This pickle is my fault. It is all my doing. Will Esau forgive me? Will God forgive me and take away my restless, covetous, and unscrupulous traits?” 

“Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother . . . . saying, “Speak thus to my lord Esau, ‘Thus your servant Jacob says: “I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now. I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.” ’ ” Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies. And he said, “If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape.” Then Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you’: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant . . .  . For You said, ‘I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’ ”” Genesis 32: 3-12. 

Jacob sat alone and lonely battling with his feelings of guilt. He yearned to be trust-worthy, to be a man of his word, content with God’s will for his life. He wanted a change and desperately sought that change from God. 

It was a moonless night— as dark as his thoughts, when Jacob heard movement behind him. He jumped to his feet. 

“Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” 

So He said to him, “What is your name?”

He said, “Jacob.”

And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” . . . . So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” Genesis 32: 24-30. 

Through faith Jacob, the scoundrel, would become God’s faithful, devoted emissary!

The Thief’s Experience:

Lanu had been a thief from childhood. He had no choice it seemed— It was either stealing or dying from hunger. He chose to live, so he became a thief. It started small as he stole just to meet his daily needs but after a while he realized that he had the skill to do even more. He staked out the homes of the rich, and sometimes the not-so-rich, and with the agility of a cat he was in and out with their treasures while they slept but inches away from him. He was good at what he did and he made a good life for himself relying on his wits. His last heist was the most daring and having entered the home of one of the town’s magistrates, he was caught red-handed by the guards who seemed to have been waiting for him. 

His trial was quick and his sentence was death. Hanging there on the cross his life-choices haunted him. What was all the wealth he had amassed doing for him? It all seemed pointless as he hung there. Lanu’s thoughts were interrupted by the jeering shouts of his accomplice. Through the pain he thought, “Unbelievable! He is joining with the crowd to taunt an innocent man.” 

“Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left. And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads  and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said,  “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.” Matthew 28: 38-44.

Lanu had heard of Jesus and several times he had stood on the fringes of the crowd to listen as Jesus taught. More than once he was convicted by the words that he heard but each time he convinced himself that this was not convenient, what would his friends think. There was too much going on. He even remembered one occasion when Jesus told a story that now seemed so applicable to him.

“The seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth choke the word, so it produces nothing. But as for the seed sown on good soil, this is the person who hears the word and understands. He bears fruit, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13: 22, 23. 

 Life was so good then and his future so sure that he saw no need for the option which Jesus offered. He was free, unencumbered, and made his own rules. But now life was not good nor was it sure any more. He had messed up, he had chosen wrongly. Even as he felt the life draining from his body, he decided— he would choose life and so he cried out to Jesus for help. He hoped it was not too late. 

“Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.”  Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:39-43. 

Lanu, died to one life and received another. In faith, he became a new person!

What can we learn from these individuals? Can we see traits of them in ourselves? The arrogance and stubbornness of Samson, the unreliable schemer in Jacob, the devil-may-care-I’ll-do-it-my-way of Rahab, or the excuse-making, dishonesty of the thief? Are we brave enough to look?

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8, 9.

Samson, Rahab, Jacob, and the thief on the cross, had one thing in common— They looked in the mirror and they didn’t like what they saw.  They were at the end of making excuses for who they were and they wanted to change. It is not by chance that their sordid lives are recorded in the Bible. Their weaknesses, their mistakes, and their final redemption are recorded for our benefit. We can be guided by their lives.  Let’s join the group that cashed in on this wonderful gift. 

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith . . .” Hebrews 12: 1, 2. 

Today’s Goal: To take an honest look in the mirror, and believing what we see, ask God to make the needed changes.

Cay said, “I especially like “The place of challenge and crisis is always holy ground – it is a place of opportunity–” I will certainly take these words with me into the new year.”  I share this insight with you Cay. As we are bombarded with challenges this year may this thought serve to buoy us up. As Joshua was met at his place of challenge so too will we be if we are alert and waiting for direction.

It was early morning and Joshua had had little sleep. There was silence in the tents around him but he knew that it would not be for long. With the rising sun would come the energy-sapping whining of a people who could only see the glass half empty.

“Why are we here?” They whined. “Our food  has run-out, our children’s lives are in jeopardy and you don’t seem to have one solid idea as to how to fix this.” In despondence, Joshua trudged away from the camp wishing to separate himself from the accusations swirling in his head. His feet took him toward the walls of Jericho and there he stood feeling small, inadequate, and out of ideas. A lonely place for a leader. Jericho was the answer to their problems of food and security. . . But how? How were they going to get in?

Joshua gazed at Jericho all sealed up and impenetrable and felt a growing tightness in the pit of his stomach. He could feel the panic setting in as cold sweat pooled in his armpits, and trickles rolled down his back.  He rubbed the knot at the nape of his neck and slowly released a heavy sigh. 

“Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” He said, “No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant?” The captain of the LORD’S host said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” Joshua 5:13-15.

It was at this dark moment of greatest challenge that God’s messenger came to Joshua. “God is still with me!” Joshua was re-energized by the thought. He stood alert, waiting and listening for the directions of his God. The directions came.

“Am I hearing correctly? Am I misunderstanding God’s message?” The directions ran contrary to Joshua’s military mind  but he would follow them. Off came his shoes, and he stood bare-footed and vulnerable before his God. The trumpet, usually the instrument of celebration, was going to be a weapon of war, and added to that they were going to do seven days of marching. No fighting, just marching and trusting.

“What a spectacle we will be” he thought, “Our enemies will think us strange and laugh at us! But we will do it . . . for God.” Joshua recalled past experiences with his God, and was strengthened. He let go of his own strategizing, took hold of God’s promise, and executed God’s plan. God did not always take the conventional or logical route to solving problems– so blowing the trumpets as they went, they marched around Jericho for six days, no doubt to the amusement of the on-lookers. Then came the seventh day of march and Joshua gave the command!

“And the seventh time it happened, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city!” Joshua 6: 16.

Their shouts were in celebration of victory- even as they stood, unarmed, and still outside the high walls of Jericho. Their shouts were of faith and praise– praise that inhabited the time-defying world of God. As their shouts subsided there came loud, deafening, thunderous rumbles as the thick impregnable walls of Jericho fell apart like a match-stick house under a giant’s feet. The unseen was now reality! Their faith was made real!

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrew 11:1

The Jericho victory that we talk and sing about today is grounded in the fact that even in the tightest, darkest, hopeless of places, God is there and all is well. Our singing about Joshua and his victories must become for us one of the most poignant and firm reminders of the faithfulness of our God. 

The place of challenge and crisis is always holy ground – it is a place of opportunity– opportunity for us to take the step of faith into God’s timeless realm where the past, the present, and the future are one. A place where our needs and their satisfaction by God are all one. In this holy realm, God in defiance of time, continuously displays His love and advocacy for us. 

In recent times, we seem to be constantly in a place of challenge or crisis: A seemingly uncontrollable pandemic is taking the lives of family and friends, jobs are lost, large bills confront, natural disasters are rampant, and abuse and disenfranchisement seem the order of the day. These are all challenges that hit us in the pit of our stomachs and make us question if God cares about us, or worse yet, whether there is a God at all. Like Joshua we may feel alone, helpless, and hopeless.

Despite all of this, let’s stop and think. How did Joshua deal with his problem? Can we use his experience as a guide? Here’s how he did it: Joshua looked squarely at his problem. He stood still and listened for God’s leading. He believed based on past experience, and he stepped out in faith. He gave praise and thanksgiving even before receiving the victory. 

Child of God, stand in reverence and with dignity in your place of challenge and crisis, whatever and wherever it may be. Stand, knowing that  all is well because you are on holy ground! The victory is sure  . . . but first there is marching to be done!

I know that Bible stories often seems so long-ago and far-away, but secular history tells us that these countries did and do exist and history chronicles many of these events and the individuals. Secular historians may not attributed these miracles to Jehovah God, but rather to fortune and flukes of nature. Many people today say the same thing when there is sudden “good fortune”. The Bible tells us differently, and my personal experiences and the experiences of friends convince me otherwise.

Dear readers, have you had any of these “good fortune” experiences that you would like to share? Let us hear from you. I look forward to your sharing and I will also share some of my experiences in future blogs.

Today’s Goal: To look squarely at the problem no matter what it is (that takes courage doesn’t it?), present it to God and listen, then in faith step forward giving praise and thanksgiving all the way.