STRENGTHENING THROUGH SUFFERING

“³Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” Romans 5:3-5 (NIV®)

One of the most difficult things we will ever have to do in life is to stand by and watch when our loved ones face trials and suffering. Two of the times that have caused me the most heartache involved my daughter and son. These times have come to mind recently; although now, I am looking at them with a different perspective.

The first was Shannon’s spinal surgery, which she had two years ago. I thought about it a few weeks ago, when she told me about getting her flu vaccination at school. She said that when she approached the nurse with her sleeve lifted up and a smile on her face, the nurse was surprised. Shannon was the only student the nurse had seen that day who was not apprehensive. I could not help but think of the four weeks prior to her surgery, when she had to bank blood each week, in case she needed it. I also thought of the numerous tubes, IV’s, injections, and other medically invasive procedures she endured. In a small way, I could now see how those experiences had strengthened her.

The second was Andy’s experience at The Citadel. It was a strange mixture of pride and fear that I felt the weekend we left him in Charleston, South Carolina. I knew that attending this military college was a dream he had; the first step in his path toward a career in the U.S. Army. While I was happy for him, my heart sank when we left him in front of Padgett-Thomas Barracks. I knew he would be made to endure physical and psychological trials, which would push him to his limits. Not only would I not be there to support him, I was not even permitted to communicate with him those first several weeks, which included his birthday. When it was over, he shared with me a lot of what he went through. Now, as he prepares to leave for Afghanistan, I actually find some comfort in the fact that he had that experience. I believe he has been prepared, at least to some degree, to endure the hardships of war.

God saw Bret and me through those times when our children suffered and there was nothing we could do. All the while God knew He was strengthening and preparing them. Thanks be to God for His infinite wisdom.
—Erin Meyer

CHALLENGES

“¹⁰God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. ¹¹We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. ¹²We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” Hebrews 6:10-12 (NIV®)

I was watching the news recently when a segment about an experienced surgeon who was helping in Haiti was broadcast. It was interesting—about how he set up a field hospital. They showed a teenage boy who had lost his entire family. All he could do after such trauma was sit and stare. He had to be spoon-fed. He did not acknowledge anyone or anything. The doctor, who was also a child psychologist, said the best thing that could be done for the teen was to always have someone by his side.

When faced by challenges, do we not sometimes do the same thing? Like ostriches, we bury our head in the sand and often refuse to acknowledge the problem until it becomes so big we cannot ignore it. As Christians, we cannot let ourselves ignore problems, whether big or small. We cannot allow the devil an opportunity to work in our lives! We need to confront these challenges—these things that are a thorn in our side and distract us from the will of God.

Take time to write down three “big” problems in your life; these are the things that need much prayer and work from God. These cause you stress and may even make you angry at God. Write three “little” things—the things that are not a big deal now, but that, if they go unchecked, could spiral out of control. Once you have written these things down, put this list in a place where everyone in your household can see it; and ask all your family members to do the same. Whenever you see these lists, send God a quick prayer for another member of your family. If you live alone, make a special effort to pray for the prayer requests listed in this week’s bulletin. Do this every day for a week, making a special effort during your normal prayer time to pray for your family.

I do not know if the boy knew this, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother, and there is a God in heaven who is always with us. As Jesus said, “. . . I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20b (NIV)
—Jonathan Rainous

NEEDED: A “RIGHT SPIRIT”

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 55:10 (ESV)

“Pleasing God doesn’t mean that we must busy ourselves with a new set of ‘spiritual’ activities.” This statement by Philip Yancey caused me to recall an insight I had received several years ago. Perhaps this may come as a surprise to some of you, but doing housework really gets old! I particularly dislike dusting, especially intricately carved pieces. At that time, our bedroom set was one of these, full of little curlicues; and I had developed a rather negative attitude toward cleaning in general, until one day the Holy Spirit really dealt with me. I was dusting and polishing away on the bedroom furniture, kind of gritting my teeth and grumbling under my breath, when all of a sudden it hit me!

Our home had been dedicated to God. Our house was a gift from the Lord, on loan from Him, so to speak. Since He owned it all, I was dusting His furniture, a very simple concept; but it was attitude changing.

I am still not fond of doing housework, but an altered perspective makes all the difference. After all, I am really doing my chores for Him. As the Scripture affirms “. . . fear the LORD and serve him faithfully . . .” I Samuel 24:12 (ESV) Consider what great things He has done for you.
—Nancy Stauffer

HUNGARY, MISSION, AND JOHN KNOX

“‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.’” Mark 1:17 (NIV®)

During the Lenten season of 2005, I was preparing to leave for William Carey University in Pasadena to study for a summer mission trip to Hungary. My thoughts were how appropriate it was to be doing this during the time of year when our Savior and Lord died on the cross for us. Jesus said, “follow me and I will make you fishers of men,” and this is what William Carey University endeavors to do—make us fishers of men. Following morning devotionals at 7:30, we spent ten to twelve hours a day in study as they tried to prepare us in as little time as possible.

William Carey University is the U.S. center for world missions and the largest university in the world dedicated to mission work. Their mission statement is the great commission found in Matthew 28.

You may wonder what mission there could be in Hungary. They have housed within their borders 16,000 refugees, few who spoke English and knew little or nothing of Jesus. Many are also Christians from Muslim countries who had been persecuted by Islam. There I felt God’s presence as I never have before.

Due to politics, the Hungarian government required us to spend several hours each day teaching English to their border guards. What an opportunity this was! During forty years of Communist occupation, many, if not most, had abandoned their faith because religion was seriously discouraged and sometimes punished.

During my time in Budapest, I attended a Scottish Mission Church. When their famous Chain Bridge over the Danube River was built by Scottish engineers, naturally they brought John Knox Presbyterian faith with them. Some of you know I am a student of Reformation Church history. Listening to the heavy brogue of Pastor Kenneth McIntosh, I would close my eyes and imagine I was hearing Knox.

I thank God for this experience.
—Bill Lafferty

AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!” Psalm 100:4 (ESV)

It is mentally healthy to be thankful. It is impossible to be thankful and at the same time grumpy, cantankerous, critical, broken-hearted, sad, or ill-tempered. Besides, nobody likes a person who is self-centered, and being thankful draws us out of self-centeredness and helps us to focus on God and others. There is great power in thanking God repeatedly even for the same thing. It protects us from roots of bitterness and poisons of envy and jealousy, the despair of discontentment and dissatisfaction. It is healthy to keep an attitude of gratitude.

After being robbed, Matthew Henry, a well-known 17th century Bible scholar wrote,

“Let me be thankful, first, because he never robbed me before; second, because although he took my purse, he did not take my life; third, because although he took all I possessed, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.”

Sometimes, we are not thankful because we have too much. What if the birds only sang once a year? . . . Daffodils and tulips bloom only a short time every year. Is that why we love them so? What if we had turkey only at Thanksgiving, instead of any time we wanted? There is no such thing as seasonal food anymore. Do we appreciate it less?

In Arizona, where we lived for many years, it rained about once a year. I missed the rain so much—the drama of the lightning and thunder, the music of the raindrops, the smell of the air, fresh and clean.

Writer Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet not so small) gifts. How can God entrust great things to one who will not thankfully receive from Him the little things?”

This Lenten season, let us have an attitude of thankfulness. May we get a new reverential fear of grumbling and complaining and be determined not to find fault. “Watch those sighs,” suggests practical Christian author Joyce Meyer. May we be more determined to tell people we appreciate them, use good manners, and thank people. We can easily open our mouths when we are unhappy and rattle on about our problems, but it takes a great deal of effort to stay positive. For me, the most wonderful thing about receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit was at last being freely able to voice my thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave His all for even me to conquer sin, death, and the grave. May we live a life of gratitude. May a song of praise always be in our hearts and on our lips.
—Noreen Mocsny

KEEP YOURSELVES FROM IDOLS

“²⁰And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. ²¹Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” I John 5:20-21 (ESV)

I have been a collector almost as long as I can remember. When I was about eight or nine years old, my dad and I began collecting sports cards together; and I really enjoyed doing this with him. Even as I grew up, got married, and moved away, we have continued to talk about sports and other kinds of collectibles. Collecting has been a part of my identity for so long. I have even learned to praise God for the collectibles that I have and for the memories that they give me of watching sports or studying history.

Here is what I have realized over the past five to seven years—it is an idol that I worship at different times in my life. I do not think about them constantly, but there are seasons when my thoughts and affections are focused toward them. These seasons of idolatry are a hindrance to the worship and adoration I should be giving to my Lord Jesus Christ. I want to be done with collecting because I am tired of negotiating with myself and my Lord as to how much I will be involved with it, thinking that I will not make it an idol “this time.” I want to be done with it because I have enough things going on in my mind that deserve more attention. I want to be done with it because there are more pressing things to be seeking, like His kingdom and His righteousness, instead of seeking the way to build up my kingdoms of collections and sets. I want to be done with it because the Holy Spirit has graciously worked on my heart and mind to refine me to this point. I want to be done with it so that I may find Him more and more to be the true God and eternal life.

I am not saying that all hobbies are idols and that you must do what I do, but I want to challenge you this Lenten season to think about where your thoughts and affections are focused. Are you seeking to build up your own kingdoms and your own glory in some way that is supplanting the true God? If you are, then you are worshipping an idol. Keep yourself from this, and consider it rubbish compared to your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
—Andy Koesters

CONSIDER IT PURE JOY

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” James 1:2 (NIV®)

Lately, I have been trying to make headway in considering it pure joy when I run into various trials. The Bible says to do it, so out of love for God, I want to take it seriously. This all started recently when I read the above verse during a study on the book of James. A word I had not noticed before jumped out at me—the word pure. Pure means no mixture; nothing else is present. In pure joy, nothing else is present but joy.

This caught my attention because the normal human reaction to trials is to grumble, whine, and complain. I do not have a gift of martyrdom, and I do not want to get a black belt in trials, but I cannot shake the fact that God says pure joy. He does not say be sure to look for the good in the midst of the negative—He says pure joy.

So how do we get rid of the negative, whining, complaining, and grumbling? We take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ (II Corinthians 10:5), and we set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:2). In other words, we ask God to take away the complaining while it is still in the thought stage, before it becomes an action. Then we focus our minds on the good things to be gained by trials.

What are these good things? James 1:3-4 says the testing of our faith develops perseverance, which can make us mature and complete, not lacking anything. Paul says that hardships happen so we might not rely on ourselves, but on God (II Corinthians 1:9). Paul even says he delights in hardships and difficulties because God’s grace is sufficient, and His power is made perfect in our weakness (II Corinthians 12:9-10). In trials, we are forced to rely on God and His strength. We learn to hope in God, not something else. This makes us mature.

I have learned we do not need to wait until something catastrophic happens to practice. Daily irritations and stress give us plenty of homework in “smaller” things; so when bigger storms of life come, we already have experience doing it God’s way.

During Lent, we think of what Jesus suffered on our behalf; and we have Him as our model. Hebrews 12:2 says for the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross.

If God permits a trial in our lives, it is to point us to Jesus. If God takes that trial away, it is to point us to Jesus. Either way, we win; so “consider it pure joy.”
—Wendy Detroy

MUSIC TO HIS EARS

“Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.” Psalm 96:1 (ESV)

Yes, I sing in church; and I have sung in church from the time I was a little boy going to Sunday School. I like to sing, but I am not likely to ever win any accolades for my feeble attempts to carry some semblance of a tune.

I truly appreciate the wonderful singers and musicians at ECC, and I love many of the Christian artists, past and present, who have offered their gifts to the Lord and to the world.

We all have different gifts, and we give them in different ways. God likes variety—one look at His creation shows this. I think He delights in variety, just as most humans do.

My point is that I do not have to be a great singer to sing a new song. Solomon sang from his heart, and the pages of Song of Solomon are full of his praises. David, a simple shepherd and later king, wrote song after song (or psalm after psalm)—I often wonder how many of his songs never made it into written form and into Scripture.

People sing everywhere. Go to a sporting event, and you will probably be asked to stand and sing the national anthem before the game. School supporters sing the school fight song to encourage the team. (I wonder . . . How many of these people show the same enthusiasm for the Lord on Sunday morning in church?)

Psalm 96 says we are to “sing to the Lord a new song”—there is no disclaimer saying “professionals only” or “must be qualified.” He does not ask us to line up before judges and belt out a tune to see if we are good enough to earn a shot at a coveted award. (If that were the requirement, I think church would be awfully quiet most Sundays.)

We have a good reason to sing, and God wants to hear us. The songs we sing do not have to be sung aloud—what God wants is a song from our hearts. Singing to the Lord shows our love for Him, our happiness in Him, and a true appreciation for who we are as Christians.

I love to listen to the children sing. They do not care if they are out of tune, if they are out of sync, or who hears them. They sing with sincerity and honesty—so should we. God smiles at our songs. Even the most feeble attempts or the worst warbles are music to His ears!
—Terry Eshom

PUTTING CHRIST AT THE CENTER

“^13bBut one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13b-14 (ESV)

All of us are extremely blessed to attend a church that provides us with numerous opportunities for fellowship with other Christians. As time goes by, I realize more and more that my strongest friendships are consistently with the people who share my faith in Jesus Christ. Recently, however, I have been noticing that merely having friends who are Christians is not enough. The way I see it, there are two different ways you can go about having a relationship with another Christian—the relationship either has Christ as its center, or it does not. It is that simple.

I have had my fair share of the type of friendships that are not in Christ. Usually the way it works is, instead of using Christ as the example for how to live my life, I acquire the standards of that particular friend. The automatic thought process I go through is that if they are a Christian and they are doing it, then it certainly must be all right. Most of you can probably see the fallacies in this logic. Instead of encouraging each other in the pursuit of Christ, we hinder growth completely.

Having a relationship with Christ as the center is clearly the superior alternative. It will always be a challenge to live in the world without becoming like the world, but it certainly makes it easier when we have people in our lives who genuinely desire to see us live in Christ. This type of relationship is healthy because both parties hold each other accountable for their actions, as well as for their spiritual growth. They share the Word of God between them to serve as an encouragement during difficult times; and they remind each other that when those struggles come along, they do not labor in vain.

I strongly encourage you to proactively seek to make Christ the center of all your relationships. Every day will present us with new obstacles that make it more difficult for us to press on toward our ultimate goal of eternal fellowship with the one and only true God. Being able to share mutual encouragement with the people in our lives, makes it easier to remember that straining forward to what lies ahead should not be our biggest burden, but rather our biggest joy.
—Hannah Salzbrun

ON MY HONOR

“²¹‘If you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the LORD your God will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin. ²²But if you refrain from vowing, you will not be guilty of sin. ²³You shall be careful to do what has passed your lips, for you have voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God what you have promised with your mouth.’” Deuteronomy 23:21-23 (ESV)

Strange as it seems, I had never really given serious thought to the meaning of “vow” before our small group began studying the Westminster Confession. Seemingly, we vow to do things all the time. As children, we vowed to our parents “to be good.” Really, this was just a means to get something we wanted for ourselves. Have times changed that much? As young scouts, we vowed to be honest. As adults, we took solemn vows when we swore to do something or to tell the “truth and nothing but the truth” in court. Do we actually listen to the second part of that vow, “So help me God”?

When we take an oath as a church officer, we need to consider the weightiness of so solemn an act. At a wedding, one vows many things before God. Are we still holding up our end of the deal? When we make a vow to the Lord, we must stand good for it. The Lord requires we fulfill our vow or He considers it sin within us.

Webster defines a vow as a solemn promise or pledge. We give these vows voluntarily; and if given in God’s name, they need to be taken as a serious matter. The vow must be kept. We need to be watchful of what passes from our lips or is written with our hand. We need to remember that all we have belongs to God. When we promise/vow to repay that loan, we must make every effort to do so.

My prayer is to have God’s favor in all I do. Do you think that God only wants half an effort? He will give you more than 100% back . . . if you favor Him with your best efforts. Ecclesiastes 5:4-7 tells that God will not destroy the works of your hands, but you must fear God when you vow in His name.

An oath is to be made with great care and faithfulness. It is not to be made to any creature, but to God alone. God has given us the tools to fulfill the necessary duties through faith, along with His mercy and grace to fulfill any vow made in His name.
—Bill Weidus

WHEN HE WAS ON THE CROSS, I WAS ON HIS MIND

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, . . .” Ephesians 3:20 (NIV®)

My first “awareness” of Jesus happened when I was around eleven or twelve. I was sitting in a worship service at a Methodist church when the pastor said, “Sometimes I can see Jesus sitting beside some of you.” Oh, how I prayed that he saw Jesus sitting beside me!

Growing up, I always said and believed I was a Christian. It was not until my early 30’s that I actually prayed the prayer of salvation and turned toward Jesus. This was a direct result of College Hill Presbyterian Church’s Evangelism Team “cold calling” on me (another story for another time!).

To be honest, when I prayed the prayer of salvation and decided to turn my life over to Christ . . . I was only half convinced that my life would change. I was divorced, raising a child alone, not wealthy—full of fear of the world. Would this work when everything else I tried had failed? I knew who Jesus was, and I believed there was no way I could live like He wanted me to (I just was not “good” enough). My story is how God took my “small as a mustard seed” faith and changed my life.

My son and I joined a small Presbyterian church that was close to our apartment. I began reading the Bible, attending church and Bible studies regularly. Before I knew it, the church had become my family (another “need” had been fulfilled!). God did not stop there . . . I started getting involved in “extra” things—trips to College Hill for Evangelism Training, small group studies every Sunday night—my biological family was calling me “religious” and fearing that I might join a missionary group somewhere and disappear!

My “small as a mustard seed” faith was snowballing, and God was pushing the snowball. Of course, I did not know God was doing it. He worked behind the scenes to lead me to Him, and I grew stronger in my faith. I am so thankful to be His child!

This is a story of what God can do if we give Him the tiniest bit of faith. My saying, “OK, God—I’ll give you a try ‘cause I’ve tried everything else,” was all He needed. He took a sad, scared, poor, hopeless woman and used her in so many ways when she did not even know He was doing it. This is what our God can do, and He does it continuously. Praise Him!
—Sandy Irwin

GOD’S PERFECT TIMING

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:” Ecclesiastes 3:1 (ESV)

God’s timing is perfect. Although I know this, I find that I still want things when I want them. For instance, when I decided to write a devotion for this booklet, I worried because I was not getting any ideas. I wanted my topic right then and there. I struggled so much that it kept me awake half the night. I found myself begging God for the idea. Then I remembered God is faithful, and He would give me an idea in His perfect time. Wow! What a great topic, “God’s Perfect Timing.”

In the Old Testament, specifically in Genesis, God illustrates the importance of time. He let us know how long it took to create the world and all that is in it, and He said it was good. Later in Exodus 8, He allows Pharaoh to dictate the time in which Moses would pray to the Lord to take away the frogs. I often wonder how the Egyptians would have felt had they known it could have been sooner. Tomorrow? What was Pharaoh thinking? Obviously his timing was not good. Later in Scripture, after being told he would soon die, Hezekiah implored God to spare his life. God gave Hezekiah what he wanted. In that additional fifteen years, Hezekiah produced a wicked son. (II Kings 20:1-11 and 21:1-17) These are only two examples of why we must trust God’s timing and not our own.

In the New Testament, Jesus frequently dealt with timing issues. When Mary, His mother, approached Him at the wedding in Cana with the problem of no more wine (John 2:1-11), Jesus said to her, “‘Dear woman, why do you involve me?’ Jesus replied, ‘My time has not yet come.’” John 2:4 (NIV®) All of the events that led up to Jesus’ betrayal, death, and resurrection were centered on God’s perfect timing. Throughout Jesus’ life, political and religious leaders tried to kill Him, but to no avail. It was not yet time. The chief priests and elders plotted to arrest and kill Jesus, “‘But not during the Feast,’ they said, ‘or there may be a riot among the people.’” Matthew 26:5 (NIV®) They obviously wanted to control the time. This, however, was not to be. Jesus was arrested, tried, and crucified during Passover. It was His time. The chief priests and elders were not in charge. God was. We are not in charge either. God is. His timing is perfect. Even when events in our life feel out of control, God is in control. He knows what we need and when we need it. To Him be glory forever!
—Jennie Baumgartner

THE CROSS AND THE SINGLET

Luke 9:18-27
“And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’” Luke 9:23 (ESV)

In my first year at Colerain High School, I decided to try wrestling, something that was not offered at White Oak Junior High. Despite the seemingly endless need to lose weight, it was something I enjoyed; and I was the top first-year wrestler in my weight class. Each week, this earned me the right to wrestle an upperclassman for the chance to wear the school singlet (uniform) on the junior varsity squad for the next match. Due largely to my inexperience, I lost every one of those wrestle-offs.

At the end of the season, it was time for the sectional tournament, which was held at Cincinnati Gardens. As luck would have it, the upperclassman who beat me weekly was sick, so I was chosen to represent Colerain in the 105 lb. division. This was going to be my “Rocky” moment. I was so pumped up and motivated by the time I took to the mat that I knew this match would be like no other. Within the first minute, my eyes were lifted heavenward; and I beheld an unobstructed view of the ceiling in the Cincinnati Gardens. This was because I was flat on my back getting pinned.

Desire and determination are fine, but they are no substitute for the experience that comes from years of daily training. I believe this is something Jesus was trying to convey when He exhorted His followers to take up their cross daily. There is not much glamor in wrestling practice, but there is zero chance of success without it.

Faithfulness to Christ is not about waiting for some grand opportunity where we get pumped up to do some heroic Christ-like act. It is about the daily disciplines of prayer, study, worship, and fellowship. These are the things God uses to prepare us for that to which He calls us. If we truly desire to give our best to God, then let us not neglect the daily taking up of our cross.
—Dave Matre

LIFE’S LESSONS—IN NEW ORLEANS?

“. . . ¹⁰so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, ¹¹filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:10-11 (ESV)

Last July when we left for New Orleans, I really did not know what to expect. Looking back, I think I got more than I anticipated. After spraining my ankle on the first day and spending the evening in the Slidel Hospital Emergency room, I did not really expect much from the trip. After a day of doing nothing, I decided to push through the pain and go to the worksite the next day. I then spent the rest of the week helping a single mother, Catherine, get her house in livable condition.

On Wednesday night, we went to the levy wall to feed the homeless. On the drive down, I realized that I was scared. I silently prayed that God would let me make it through the evening and that I could serve Him in some way.

We started out by serving people. Then Charles, the leader of our group, told us to go and talk to someone and share the Word of God. So off I went with my friend, Karin. We saw a man sitting alone and walked over to him. He introduced himself as Karl, a construction worker who had emphysema. At first, I did not know what to make of Karl—he seemed nice, offering advice about going to college and not having boyfriends. He told us about his life. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, he said, “Aren’t you ladies supposed to be sharing the Gospel with me?” Karin and I just stood there with our jaws on the ground. After praying with Karl and leaving, I realized that even though Karl did most of the talking and we did the listening, this was what God had intended.

Sometimes being a witness is not about preaching, but about listening. During the period of Lent, we look forward to celebrating Jesus’ death and resurrection on the cross and knowing that He died for us to save us from our sins, even when we did not deserve it. Every day of our lives, we should ask Him to fill us, so that we can be “filled with the fruit of righteousness.” This only comes through Him, so that we may be servants of Christ and live for Him, because He died for us.
—Lauren Houston

COINCIDENCE?

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:18 (ESV)

When writing one of these devotions, I usually try to be current with what is happening now; but sometimes it is good for us to recall the Lord’s faithfulness in the past.

Back in 1974 through a trip to Cincinnati to visit Debbie Cox (now Snyder), I met the great people at the college and careers group at College Hill Presbyterian Church. I had been lonely, and this truly was an answered prayer. I returned home to West Virginia; and after talking to my parents, I handed in my resignation at work and made plans to move to Cincinnati. When word got out at work that I was moving to Cincinnati, some of the people in the drafting room gave me the name of a company called PEDCo located in Atkinson Square. Also, my sister worked with a woman whose sister worked for a company called P. E. Development Company and gave me the phone number of the sister.

When I finally arrived in Cincinnati and started looking for work, I searched for PEDCo and even Atkinson Square but could find neither. I then called the number given to me for P. E. Development Company and was granted an interview for a receptionist job. In the course of the interview, it was discovered that I had some graphics background and was offered a piping drafting job at a higher rate than the receptionist position. The personnel lady took me on a tour of the office. When I entered the steno pool, I noticed a cartoon on the wall. It had Eskimos and an igloo on it. Looking closer, I noticed that someone had written PEDCo (P. E. Development Company) on the igloo. What a coincidence (?)! To my surprise, I had been given directions to go to the same company by two totally different sources. I knew that this was the place I was supposed to work.

God was faithful to lead me in the right direction, provide higher pay than expected, and ultimately introduce me to my husband at this company. God is good all the time; all the time, God is good.
—Becky Powell

DIXITQUE DEUS (AND GOD SAID . . .)

“And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” Genesis 1:3 (ESV)

The Creator God raised Jesus bodily from the tomb very early in the morning, on the first day of the week. The first day of the week! Did God not begin His work of creation on the first day of the week?

Genesis tells us about creation; John’s Gospel tells about the new creation. Like Genesis, John also begins, “In the beginning.” For John writes, “In the beginning was the Logos and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was God.” John goes on to say that everything that exists was created through the Logos. In Genesis, God speaks; and things come into existence. When the Creator God speaks, being results.

The Creator God says to the darkness, “Shine!” How can the darkness do this? It cannot. For the darkness cannot emit light. It is, after all, darkness. Yet the Creator speaks, and the darkness obeys. So there was light!

Jesus (the Logos) says to Lazarus, who was dead, “Lazarus, come forth!” Corpses cannot hear, much less obey. (After all, the darkness cannot shine.) Yet Jesus speaks life into Lazarus. The dead man obeys. Jesus said to the paralytic, “Stand up! Walk!” The paralytic cannot do this. (After all, the darkness cannot shine.) Yet Jesus speaks, and the paralytic stands and walks.

Jesus says to the deaf, “Hear!”

To blind He says, “See!”

To the darkness God says, “Shine!”

And to us the risen Christ says, “Follow me!”

—Donald Carlson

LESSONS FROM ZACCHAEUS

“. . . ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.’” Luke 19:5 (ESV)

Ron DiCianni, a Christian artist, painted a picture of a kneeling leper, in shadow and darkness except for the arm reaching out to Jesus. Color and healing seem to creep down the arm, and even a tiny blue flower growing from the dry ground seems to proclaim new life. I wonder how he would have painted Zacchaeus?

Zacchaeus, like the leper, was ready to receive healing. I can only imagine how badly he yearned for transformation. Had he heard Jesus’ teaching that it is very difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom (Luke 18:24-25)? He was rich. Did he know what the locals thought of him?

They concluded he was a sinner (Luke 19:7), probably because tax collectors were known to become rich by using their position of power to collect the necessary money for taxes plus extra for themselves. When Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was coming, he dearly wanted to see Jesus, even when that meant perching in a sycamore tree for a better view. Jesus saw him there and really saw. He saw Zacchaeus—his sin, his desperation, his riches, and his poverty. So it was that he invited Himself and His disciples to dinner. Imagine the gasp of the crowd. Touch anything unclean, and you become defiled. Would association with a hated tax collector not be an act of approval? Would it not bring defilement?

Thankfully Jesus was not controlled by popular opinion. How much better is God’s way of healing the leper rather than being made unclean by a touch! How much more glorious it is to bring Zacchaeus repentance, forgiveness, and salvation than to ignore the stigma of sin! One of the Life of Christ videos portrays Zacchaeus as buoyant, thrilled beyond words with his new status. He uncovers a hidden safe in the wall and brings out the contents as he proclaims, “. . . ‘Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.’” Luke 19:8 (ESV) Jesus came to bring abundant life (John 10:10), and I assume Zacchaeus lived it as a true son of Abraham.

What do I want to remember from this account?

• Diligently seek Jesus and transformation. Zacchaeus made it a priority as should I.

• Do not hold tightly to money—or talent, time, intellect, or any other resource. God calls us to give freely.

• Look for God’s higher calling of transformation rather than the world’s easier call of tolerance. Let us pray for opportunities that bring God’s healing and grace to others.

—Ruth Cload

GOD REIGNS!

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel—which means, ‘God with us.’” Matthew 1:23 (ESV)

Two little girls were once studying a portrait of Queen Victoria. “What’s she doing?” asked the little girl. The other gazed hard at the picture, then replied, “Oh, nothing. She’s just reigning.”

As the nations rage, as the churches struggle, and as our inner being is ravaged by our sinful nature and wrong actions, we find in Scripture that God did not stoop from Himself, but in Himself to His creation.

As we look at the name Immanuel in the Hebrew, and interpreted in Greek as God with us, God in Christ is the Savior of believing Jews (Hebrew) and believing Gentiles (Greek).

C.H. Spurgeon says he believes this title “Immanuel” contains the whole history of our redemption. In other words, our Majestic God (the Godhead) is with believers in the Christ, where the divine alienation is renewed and justice vindicated on God’s part. It means the Godhead is operating for believers, resolved to save and to bless them. So Jesus, Immanuel, is God WITH us.

Not only is Immanuel with us, He, in the Person of the blessed Holy Spirit, is God IN us. He not only mingles with our life, He charges Himself with working within our inmost being, our soul.

The Holy Spirit brings us to our Savior through our situation—our needs, loves, shames, and sins. He is sanctifying our single lives— helping us in our private struggles, temptations, and conflicts. He is the Inspirer of our most deep and sacred confessions. This God in us, wrings from us, “My Lord and my God.”

We have Immanuel reigning over our struggling soul as well as our chaotic world. His burning heart beats within His children. This is the Immanuel we need; and thanks be to God, this is the Christ via our Holy Spirit that every believing child of God has.

“And He shall reign forever and ever . . .” Hallelujah!
—Jo Youst

OUR NEEDY CHURCH

“And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.’” Mark 2:17 (ESV)

“Church,” Wiggly Toddler broke the church’s quiet as he pointed to the wooden cross behind the pastor and communion table. “Jesus loves da church.” I smiled, whispering that it was called a “cross.” Yes, son, Jesus does love the church. He tapped his foot on Mrs. Verhagen’s chair in front of him. Building momentum, his wiggling earned him a tour through God’s beloved “church,” winding around loving, smiling faces, and ending in the nursery.

Slightly Older Son proudly passed the communion plate, slowly, not uttering a sound. I look at him in his suit, standing reverently. I remember my conversation with him just yesterday when we were in our time-out room. He quickly sing-songed a prayer of forgiveness and tried the doorknob, thinking we had concluded our talk. “No, wait,” I said, as I prayed for words to help him connect forgiveness with the cross. “Did teasing your brother make your heart dirty? Did Jesus get hurt on the ‘owie’ cross to make your heart clean?” His eyes grew big, and he stopped fidgeting. “Oh. Uh-huh.” He remembered the picture of Jesus on the cross from his Children’s Bible. Now, as he stands beside me during communion, hungrily eyeing the bread in my fingers, I wonder if he also see forgiveness.

We confess our sins silently, together—wading through stench and muck; dealing with rights, hurts, grudges, disobedience; battling; the Holy Spirit uncovering the righteous excuses of parenthood and baring ugly, habitual sins of selfish pride; taking eyes off “prideful other” and revealing failed compliance with God’s way in self. Throughout the church, fallen, needy people come before the throne of grace, earnestly asking to be cleansed once more . . . humility received and hearts unbound—washed, softened, molded, restored.

For His Glory, we are a “Needy Church,” each slowly growing into a realization of our dependence on His constant transformation. May Easter’s blessings of redemption remind us of the beauty of corporate forbearance, patience with each other, forgiveness, and redemption!
—Christy Claydon

ENDURANCE

Hebrews 12:1-3
“¹. . . let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ²looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1c-2 (ESV)

No words can adequately describe the feelings that ensued when I was told I had cancer. Why is this happening to me? What good could possibly come from this terrible disease? The doctors indicated the prognosis was good. There would be many challenges in this unplanned journey, but many good things would occur as well.

An analogy can be used comparing this to a race or marathon, like the one my niece ran in October. Anyone preparing for a marathon needs to have a plan for each leg of the long, grueling race. Fortunately the doctors were putting the plan together for the race that had been set before me—one which would require endurance, perseverance, and survival. It would be faith, hope, prayer, and the grace of God that would send me to the finish line.

One of the good things that resulted was the incredible number of “cheerleaders” (always important for a successful race). It was an awesome blessing to see the church family surround me and become dedicated, diligent prayer warriors to provide encouragement and love. These folks were visibly embracing one of their own who was hurting and suffering. It was at times difficult, but in the end quite rewarding, to be the focus and recipient of what can be described as powerful prayer by those who endured with me.

The best thing which happened was being declared cancer-free. Seeing God work through the hands of doctors, the results of medicines, and the healing from prayers was very humbling. I felt many were participating in this “race” with me, and each had important roles using various gifts in order for a successful finish. I am still determining how I can use what I learned through this ordeal, but it is clear that God is not finished with me yet.

Despite all of the challenges I encountered, I cannot stop thinking this is incredibly small compared to the sacrifice Christ made for us. His entire life on earth was focused on saving mankind from sin. He persevered through excruciating pain of crucifixion and endured the cross so that we might have eternal life. During this Lenten season as we approach Easter, let us not forget how precious life is and live it to the fullest. We need to endure through life’s trials, looking to Jesus.
—Teala McQuilkin