He Holds The Children In His Hands

In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
    let me never be put to shame.

In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
    incline your ear to me and save me.
Be to me a rock of refuge,
    a strong fortress, to save me,
    for you are my rock and my fortress.

Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
    from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.
For you, O Lord, are my hope,
    my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
Upon you I have leaned from my birth;
    it was you who took me from my mother’s womb.
My praise is continually of you.

Psalm 71:1-6 NRSV

 

My birth family did not attend worship. I never attended Sunday School; but, thanks to some wonderful neighbor ladies I was able to go to Vacation Bible School. I was confirmed; but, that was because I wanted to affirm my baptism. I would find rides or walk the few miles to the classes at church. I attended services with my grandmother when I was very young and stayed with her at times. I remember some of those services being in the Finnish language, which I did not understand. But, in spite of a very minimal formal Christian education, I came to know and to trust God. He came to me when I was not able to go to Him.

 

Family life as I grew up was pretty chaotic and there were many times, as a young child, that I simply had no one to turn to. I feared for my safety and felt very alone. So, I turned to God for comfort and for safety and for love. There were many nights that I could not sleep because of troubles in the household. Weekends were usually the most rough. I remember hiding knives and ammo in the evenings before our parents came home on Friday and Saturday nights. But, I must stress that in spite of the many times of trouble, there were also many good times, as well. There are many children growing up today who do not have the benefit of these good times.  

 

But, where and to whom shall a child turn when they are afraid? One of the few songs that I knew from Vacation Bible School was "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands."  In order to rest without fear and to be able to fall asleep in peace, I would often envision myself laying in the comfort and safety of God's great hands. He came to me. He was and is my strong fortress to save me. He is my refuge and strength. He was and is with me always. He is with you always. 

 

There are children today who live in much greater fear than I did. My heart goes out to them and I pray that they will live and rest in the comfort and safety of God's hands.

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 5:1-15 Confess That You Have Been Made Whole

John 5:1-15 NIV
Today, as yesterday, we have a healing. Jesus asks the lame man if he wants to get well. Why would he do this? I'm thinking, as I said yesterday, it may well be that not everyone actually wants to get well. It might appear to some that being made whole is going to include a change or two. You just might have to pick up your mat, walk, and follow Jesus. At the least you might have to publically acknowledge that Jesus is the reason you have been made whole.

This lame man was unaware who Jesus was when he was healed so he could not tell anyone who had healed him. But, later Jesus saw him again and stopped to talk to him; exhorting him to "stop sinning or something worse may happen to you." (vs 14) Now that the man knew who had healed him, he went and told the Jewish leaders that it had been Jesus who healed him.

May God help us to openly and publically confess that we, too, have been made whole through the blood of Jesus the Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 17:11-19 - Whole?

Luke 17:11-19 NIV
God answers prayer and he answers it abundantly. In the story of Jesus cleansing the ten lepers only one was made only. His faith made him whole.

What have you been asking for? What have you been receiving? When God heals you or when you get exactly what you want; ask yourself this:  Have you actually received the whole blessing that God gave you or only that little portion that you wanted and asked for? Sometimes, I think, we truly don't want to be made whole in His sight. We only want what we want and we get it we go about our merry way satisfied with less than God would have us receive.

Give thanks to the LORD and receive and live in His abundant grace!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Matthew 9 - Your Sins Are Forgiven

We have, in chapter five, six different episodes or movements. Jesus is busy healing both physically and spiritually. In the episode in which he is eating with the tax collector Matthew whom he has called to "follow" him, Jesus is questioned regarding eating with sinners. His response connects the physically ill with spiritually ill:  "On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matt 9:12-13 NIV)

Sadly, I have witnessed many a person who, for whatever reason, do not have as full relationships with Jesus Christ as they could have. Although, they confess Christ, they have not quite gotten to the place where they fully trust him for their daily needs; to forgive them their trespasses; or that the kingdom has come for them, even now, through his death and resurrection. They live day to day, suffering in many ways; without really being able to enjoy the life that God has given to them. Ultimately; although, they are still quite young, they are quite worn out spiritually, emotionally, as well as physically.

This is definitely not to say that we don't need doctors. God has provided us some tremendous gifts in the advancement of medicine and many men and women who know how to apply that knowledge and gifts. It is a reminder that the physical and spiritual work hand in hand. When our spirits are low, often we are more susceptible to physical ailments and when we are physically ill our spirits are in danger of becoming ill as well. The whole person must be cared for. In order to be made whole, we need to be able to hear and receive these words: "Your sins are forgiven."

Jesus did a lot of wandering around, getting in trouble, for forgiving the sins of others. Ultimately, he died on the cross to take away the sins of the world. "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:2) He died that we might be made whole.

But, there is a whole world out there that does not know this. They do not the great and awesome works of God. Someone must tell them.

"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matt 9:35-37)

As Jesus, called that sinful tax collector, Matthew, to follow him, so he calls you. Will you follow? Will you have compassion on those who are harassed, helpless, and like sheep without a shepherd. Is the Lord of the harvest, asking you to go out into his harvest field?

But... before you head out to that harvest field; take this bit of knowledge with you: your sins are forgiven you, too, in the name of Jesus Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Hosea 14 - Repent and Be Blessed

This last chapter in Hosea has a little different tone than the preceding. The preceding chapters were mainly warnings: fall away and suffer the consequences. Today we hear that all who go to the LORD with repentant hearts will be blessed; will be forgiven.

God does not wish for any of us to be separated from Him and from His love. He calls us to turn again (repent) to Him so that we might be made whole.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 71 - Aging

It is inevitable that with each passing year, we will change.  Our bodies grow weary, some of us begin to lose memories of the past, we grow old and sometimes we wonder, or rather are made to wonder by others, if God has forsaken us. 

God has not forsaken us. He is our strength when there is none left within us. He is our rock and our fortress.  Our faith should not be weakened with the passing day, but grow strong as we learn day by day, minute by minute, to depend on Him for our very breath. Our faith shall grow stronger as each day the hope of living "whole" in His kingdom is renewed. Though we have seen troubles, many and bitter, God will restore our lives again; from the depths of the earth, he will bring us up again. He will give us comfort. (vs. 21-22)

Even when we are old, we will remember with thanksgiving the God who has been with us and will be with us all of our days.  He is our hope and our salvation.

God's Peace - Pr. J