POTPOURRI III

A Challenge for Change -- I heard something on the radio program Haven Today a couple months ago that challenged me, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. A blogger named Amy Gross was being interviewed. She has quite a large following at http://www.momstoolbox.com/ and promotes a program that definitely caught my interest. It is called The Bible in Ninety Days and is just what the name implies – a plan that encourages people to read the Bible from cover to cover in just ninety days.

The Bible in Ninety Days is not original to Amy Gross, however. A man by the name of Ted Cooper developed it. His is an interesting story, actually. He was an agnostic to begin with, but as his children began to grow and ask questions, he began to wonder. Wanting to settle the issue once and for all, and to do it quickly, he decided to read the Bible through. He divided the number of pages in a Bible by ninety so he could be done in three months time, and began to read. Halfway through the Old Testament he accepted Christ as his Savior. His life was changed and as he grew, he wanted to share what had happened to him with others. He began to develop study notes and a curriculum to go along with the Bible-reading.

Amy heard about this plan and did it for herself – several times – and then shared it on her blog. From there it has continued to grow as she has encouraged others to do The Bible in Ninety Days along with her. As I listened to her describe the plan a question immediately came to my mind – “But what good does racing through the Scriptures like that do? Can I get anything of value for my life from it, or is it just a notch in my belt to say I’ve done it?”

Amy answered my questions almost before I was through thinking them. First of all, she shared the study guide that she uses. It is called SOAP. After reading the Scripture passages for the day (which usually takes about an hour), she chooses the one thing she believes God might be telling her that day. Then with her Bible and journal she applies SOAP:

***S: Scripture – She chooses one small passage out of the reading – it might be only a

*****verse or two – that she believes the Lord is using to speak to her that day and writes
*****it in her journal.

***O: Observation – She asks herself the question, “What is God telling me here?”

***A: Application – Then she asks, “How can I apply it to my life?

***P: Prayer – She prays, asking God to show her how and to enable her to make that
*****application in her life.

There are other benefits from reading the Bible in this manner, Amy says. First, reading the whole Bible in just ninety days helped her to get an overall perspective on the Scriptures and to see how wonderfully and miraculously they fit together. Then, it answered many of the questions she had had over the years. And finally, it changed her. Her relationship with Christ grew as she read and listened to His Word. II Timothy 3:16, 17 says, after all, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

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Every few months Amy issues the challenge again to join her in reading the Bible in ninety days. The official Challenge begins again in a week, on July 5th. Of course, you don’t have to do it with her in the Challenge. I considered starting The Bible in Ninety Days on my own back in April when I first heard about it, but I had just begun the series of 43 messages on the book of Revelation by Dr. David Jeremiah called Escape the Coming Night and I was already spending two or three hours a day listening to them. The timing worked out just right that I will finish that series this week and be ready to begin The Bible in Ninety Days Challenge next week.

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If you’re interested in reading more about this yourself, check it out at on Amy Gross’ website at http://www.momstoolbox.com/. She’s got a lot of other interesting things there, too, as well as the link to the ninety-day reading schedule. An hour, or hour and a half, a day may seem like a lot to carve out of one’s day, but I think all of us can generally find the time to do what is really important to us. I may have to get up earlier in the morning, or cut out something else of less importance to get it done, but I want to challenge myself to accomplish this in full. I challenge you to do it, too!

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Hot, Hot, Hot! – It has been sooooo hot the last week or two! Hannibal, MO, where we had our family reunion last weekend, was so hot and humid that the first thing I did when I got to town was to go straight to WalMart to buy some cooler clothes than the ones I had brought with me. I could have dealt with it if the air conditioning had been working correctly at the hotel, but that first day, at least, it was nearly as miserable inside as it was outside. Bob doesn’t call it Missouri. He says “Hannibal, Misery.”

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It’s been nearly as hot and muggy here in NW Indiana, though, this week as it was there. Every time I e-mail my son-in-law David, however, and am tempted to complain about the heat I just feel foolish. He is stationed in Iraq and Julie told me last night that the temperature there lately has been 124 degrees! It is a dry heat, but David said it is like being in an oven, and when the wind is blowing, it is like a blast oven. It’s hard for us to imagine, isn’t it? He gladly told Julie of a little relief they had the other day. It only got up to 100 degrees that day. A virtual cold snap!

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It’s all relative, isn’t it, and dependent on our perspective. I am sure when David gets back to steamy Alabama he’ll be thankful for the weather there! Somehow, we managed to live through these same hot, humid temperatures back before the days of central air conditioning. We now endure them only long enough to hustle from door to car to door and back again. I remember, as a kid, sitting in front of a fan with a tall glass of ice water to stay cool, or spending my days at the pool. Now if the electricity fails, or my air conditioner goes out it is a calamity! We are so spoiled… Nevertheless, I thank Him for modern technology once again in allowing us the luxury of central air!

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Imagine living your life in the blast furnace of heat in Iraq and Israel – the part of the world where this Scripture was given – in the days before electricity, and the feeling behind this verse becomes even clearer: “O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.” (Isaiah 25:1, 4) He is faithful to meet all our needs; a refuge to us from the storm and from the heat, a way through the floods and the fire. Praise His name!

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Pumpkin, the Prodigal Pup – Okay, I just can’t resist sharing another Pumpkin story with you.

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Julie called the night before we left for Hannibal in tears. Pumpkin was lost. They’d been looking for hours and had not found her before night fell. Julie was broken-hearted and the kids were crying. Somehow (they think she was chasing a rabbit), she had found a loose board in the fence and in a matter of minutes disappeared out of their backyard. Julie especially was kicking herself because the dog didn’t have her collar on. She’d had a sore on her neck so Julie had removed the collar a day or two earlier to allow the cut to heal. Now, unless someone took her to a vet or the pound and they found the microchip identifying her, she might be gone for good. And what if she got hit by a car, or grabbed by a coyote? The precious, pampered little pound puppy who had only been with them two months had quickly worked her way into their hearts and home and now they were worried sick about her.

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I was heartsick, too. I had to get up early to leave for Hannibal, but it was well after 3:00 AM before I finally fell asleep. I was praying that somehow the Lord would protect Pumpkin wherever she was during that night and bring her home. It was hard to imagine that the sweet blessing that Pumpkin had been to Julie and the kids since David left for Iraq was gone for good. I reminded the Lord (as if He needed reminding) of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and even the lost son of which Luke 15 speaks, and the rejoicing when they are found! (Okay, I know comparing a lost dog to a sinner who accepts the Lord doesn’t quite work, but still…) I asked Him to show those children who were praying with all their hearts His glory in miraculously returning their pet.

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After her own sleepless night, Julie got up early and went out to hang up posters around the neighborhood. She gathered the phone numbers of all the vets, pounds, and police departments in the area to call and ask them to be on the lookout for Pumpkin. She was just about to start calling when the phone rang. Someone in the subdivision had found Pumpkin the night before and seen one of the posters!

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They hurried over to get her. It was just as Julie had imagined – Pumpkin had ended up several streets over, just on the edge of the subdivision where she would have been out on the highway if she had gone any further, and seen a man out in his yard. She had run to him, flung herself over on her back with belly exposed, and begged for love and attention! The older couple, dog-lovers themselves with three dogs of their own, took her in for the night and were all set to take her in to their own vet the next morning to look for a microchip when they saw the poster.

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The rejoicing over the prodigal pup was great! Julie called me as we were on our way to Hannibal and told me the good news. Oh, such relief – and thanksgiving to God! I could enjoy the reunion now without worrying about my grand-puppy (just kidding about the grand-puppy part!) “Rejoice with me; for I have found the [pup] which I had lost!” Julie laughingly told me later that Pumpkin’s overnight adventure had cost her another $50, as she took homemade cookies and a gift certificate to Cracker Barrel to the people who had found her later that evening.

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Julie tells me every time she mentions Pumpkin, what a wonderful, sweet, smart, good little dog she is and how they feel so blessed by God to have her. She has helped them through a difficult time. Just last night, she said, Hannah was praying and thanked God for Pumpkin – her doggie-sister! It took Hannah a while to adjust to having a dog, and in fact, it seemed she was a little jealous of the attention Pumpkin received at first. To hear her call Pumpkin her “doggie-sister” was new and a step in the right direction! Of course, a little later last night when Julie stopped to pet Pumpkin and say (in baby-talk), “Oh, what a good girl you are, Pumpkin! Such a good girl!” she heard Hannah plaintively ask, “Aren‘t I a good girl, too, Mommy?” *Sigh.* It’s a good thing God gave her a doggie-sister to prepare her for when she gets her adopted siblings from El Salvador!

A LOVE LETTER FROM OUR FATHER

My dad went home to be with the Lord seven years ago this week. The last Father’s Day we celebrated with him was just eight days before he had his massive attack. A year later we wondered how we would get through that first Father’s Day without him, but the Lord graciously had planned a diversion for us to make that day go by more easily – our biannual family reunion. There was a huge empty place at the reunion that year, but being with the big extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins, not to mention Mom and our siblings, for four laugh-filled days helped us to get through it.

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This year our Ward Family Reunion falls on Father’s Day weekend again. We’ll be thinking about Dad, I am sure, but rejoicing once again at the thought of him enjoying the wonders of Heaven! We’ll be looking forward, too, to our Great Family Reunion someday with him and all the family of God! Isn’t it so awesome that God not only provided salvation for us, but also made us a part of His family? We’re not going to Heaven alone – it will be one big reunion for all eternity! And the best part is that God Himself is our Father! As much as I love and honor my dad, and thank the Lord for giving him to me, there is no comparison between the love and sacrifices of our earthly fathers to the love and sacrifice of our Heavenly Father.

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Since I am at the reunion today, I’m going to take a pass on writing a full “Sundays with Cindy” this week and instead share something I’ve been saving for almost a year now for this day. It is not original to me (the author is unknown), and you may have even seen it before, but it is so exciting and heart-warming and humbling and – well, you’ll see if you read it and stop to think as you do about the great love our Heavenly Father has for us. It is a love letter to us from our Father, and I hope it means as much to you as it did to me when I first read it. If it doesn’t make you feel special and truly beloved, I don’t know what would…

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My Child,

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You may not know me, but I know everything about you. (Psalm 139:1)

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I know when you sit down and when you rise up. (Psalm 139:2)

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I am familiar with all your ways. (Psalm 139:3)

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Even the very hairs on your head are numbered, (Matthew 10:29-31)

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For you were made in my image. (Genesis 1:27)

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In me you live and move and have your being, (Acts 17:28)

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For you are my offspring. (Acts 17:28)

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I knew you even before you were conceived. (Jeremiah 1:4-5)

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I chose you when I planned creation. (Ephesians 1:11-12)

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You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book. (Psalm 139:15-16)

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I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live. (Acts 17:26)

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You are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)

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I knit you together in your mother's womb (Psalm 139:13)

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And brought you forth on the day you were born. (Psalm 71:6)

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I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me. (John 8:41-44)

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I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love, (1 John 4:16)

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And it is my desire to lavish my love on you (1 John 3:1)

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Simply because you are my child and I am your Father. (1 John 3:1)

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I offer you more than your earthly father ever could (Matthew 7:11)

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For I am the perfect father. (Matthew 5:48)

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Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand (James 1:17)

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For I am your provider and I meet all your needs. (Matthew 6:31-33)

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My plan for your future has always been filled with hope (Jeremiah 29:11)

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Because I love you with an everlasting love. (Jeremiah 31:3)

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My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore, (Psalms 139:17-18)

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And I rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)

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I will never stop doing good to you (Jeremiah 32:40)

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For you are my treasured possession. (Exodus 19:5)

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I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul (Jeremiah 32:41)

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And I want to show you great and marvelous things. (Jeremiah 33:3)

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If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me. (Deuteronomy 4:29)

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Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4)

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For it is I who gave you those desires. (Philippians 2:13)

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I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine (Ephesians 3:20)

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For I am your greatest encourager. (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

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I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

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When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you. (Psalm 34:18)

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As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart. (Isaiah 40:11)

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One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes (Revelation 21:3-4)

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And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth. (Revelation 21:3-4)

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I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus, (John 17:23)

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For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. (John 17:26)

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He is the exact representation of my being. (Hebrews 1:3)

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He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you (Romans 8:31)

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And to tell you that I am not counting your sins. (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

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Jesus died so that you could be reconciled. (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

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His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you. (1 John 4:10)

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I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love. (Romans 8:31-32)

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If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me (1 John 2:23)

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And nothing will ever separate you from my love again. (Romans 8:38-39)

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Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen. (Luke 15:7)

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I have always been Father, and will always be Father. (Ephesians 3:14-15)

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My question is…Will you be my child? (John 1:12-13)

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I am waiting for you. (Luke 15:11-32)

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Love, Your Dad,

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ALMIGHTY GOD

IT'S ALL RELATIVE

We’ll be heading for Hannibal, MO this coming Friday to attend the 2010 Ward Family Reunion. I’m excited about that! Our family reunion happens every other year, and I think I speak for most of the family – we look forward to it eagerly!

There are around 150 Wards, now, stemming from Grandpa and Grandma Ward (Harris and Gladys), and the number continues to grow every year through births and marriage and even adoption. I’ve lost track of the exact number again, but I’d say in the four generations that have followed them so far, Grandma and Grandpa have done pretty well for themselves! They are both in Heaven now, but I (the second of Generation 2) remember them both well and to this day still love and miss them. Grandpa died in 1973, and Grandma lived almost 21 years without him. My granddaughter Sara was the first of Generation 4 and she was only five months old when Grandma went home to be with the Lord. Generation 4 never knew Grandma and Grandpa, and now here we are—in a few years we will no doubt begin Generation 5. Time and their legacy march on.

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All eight of Grandma and Grandpa’s children are still alive and I so look forward to seeing my aunts and uncles at these reunions! Some of them are embarking into their eighties now. I dread the day when someone is missing from our reunion here on earth. We’ve already lost two of their spouses – my own dad and Uncle Sam. Praise God, we will have a grand reunion in Heaven, though, for most of my family knows the Lord as their Savior, and someday “the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (I Thessalonians 4:16, 17) For now, though, I will cherish the time I get to spend with them at our reunions and treasure the memories we have of good times together.

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And then there are the cousins. I have twenty-seven first cousins among the Wards. My cousin David went home to Heaven at the young age of 44. One of the regrets of my life has been that I never really got to know David as an adult. I have wonderful, funny memories of him as a little boy and young teen, but by the time he grew up we had gone our separate ways – he in the Air Force and me with my little family out to Colorado. That time in Colorado was where God wanted us, and I am glad for the years we spent there, but I didn’t have many opportunities to keep up with my extended family being so far away. I missed many weddings and reunions and other family gatherings during that time. We had returned to Indiana when David died, though, and I suddenly realized how precious my family was to me, and I never wanted to have regrets like that again. I wanted to really know my cousins. That is when the reunions really became important to me. Our family website and message board, called the Gab, which was begun the night after David’s funeral by his brother Reid, became an invaluable tool, also, in drawing us all closer together.

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Even the younger generations look forward to our reunions! I don’t know of too many teenagers who look forward to family reunions, but our kids have always been excited to pick up right where they left off two years before and share the excitement and fun of playing jokes on each other and especially on the aunts and uncles! There have been many a TP’d car – and even a few Saran-wrapped ones! Playing tag at midnight in an old cemetery, scavenger hunts, picnics and games, variety shows we put on ourselves, lots of time in the pool – all this and more kept them coming back for more.

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Bob’s family is having a mini-reunion this afternoon out at a cousin’s house. It’s not the big three-day, organized event that the Ward’s have biannually, but I am really happy Bob is going. His family is not close at all, and Bob has not seen most of these aunts and uncles and cousins in decades, but he has fond memories from his childhood of them. I hope he has a great time. It didn’t work out for Robbie and me to go because he has to leave for it straight from church this morning, but he went armed with pictures and I am sure, knowing Bob, he’ll be bragging on his kids and grandkids!

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Marriage and family was the first of God’s institutions here on earth. The Bible tells of many different family dynamics in the stories of the Old Testament, and teaches principles for living within our families in the New Testament. We see husband/wife relationships and parent/child relationships, of course, but then there are also stories of sibling rivalries (ie. Cain and Abel, Joseph and his brothers, Leah and Rachel), in-law relationships (bad—Laban and Jacob; good—Naomi and Ruth), and intergenerational bonds (Lois, Eunice and Timothy.) We see uncles mentioned (Saul’s and David’s) and even cousins (Mordecai and Esther, and Mary and Elizabeth.)

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Family is extremely important to God. Not only was it the first of His institutions, but it also is what he uses to illustrate our relationship with Him and with one another. He is our Father. ”After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.” (Matthew 6:9) Romans 8:14-17 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” What an amazing and awesome truth!

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As believers, we are brothers and sisters in the Lord and are to treat one another as family. “Rebuke not an elder, but treat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.” (I Timothy 5:1, 2) The church’s relationship with Christ is likened to a bride and her groom and a marriage. “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.” (Revelation 19:7-9)

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I love my big earthly family and am so glad that death does not separate us forever when we know Christ as our Savior. How awesome to be part of an even larger family – the family of God! “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,” (Ephesians 3:14, 15) Won’t that big family reunion in Heaven when we are all gathered at the marriage supper of the Lamb be wonderful! It thrills my heart here on earth to sing His praises at our little worship service at our family reunions. I can’t even imagine having all eternity to sing His praises with my brothers and sisters from every tribe and nation and people and era of this world when we are all together before His throne!

THE GOOD NEWS AND THE BAD NEWS

It’s been one of those weeks. Good news for one daughter. Bad news coming from the other daughter. Which should I tell you first? Let’s start with the good news…

At last! After two years of jumping through hoops, cutting through red tape and shelling out nearly twenty thousand dollars—so far—there has been some real action in Julie and David’s adoption process! When they started this journey, they were approved to adopt up to three children up to age four. Over this last year, though, as they have prayed and learned more about the situation in El Salvador, the Lord has been laying on their hearts the plight of the older children who are languishing in that country’s orphanages.

The government agencies until now have been totally closed to international adoptions, and very seldom even allowed domestic adoptions to go through. Thousands upon thousands of children have spent their entire childhoods in overcrowded orphanages, therefore, only to be kicked out in their late teens into a world where they have no one who cares about them or who is willing to help them get their start in life. Julie and David had started praying fervently that somehow God would work a miracle in the hearts of those who control these policies and open up the orphanages so that at least some of these children could find real homes and loving families. (Their adoption was to go through a lawyer and be done privately, catching those little ones before they were lost in the orphanage system. Even these private adoptions were very few and far between and the last two years had stopped altogether.)

The miracle happened this week! Suddenly, the orphanages in El Salvador have been opened to international adoptions and Julie and David’s agency was given the names of several children, including one sibling group, who have been approved for adoption. For Julie and David, who all along were thinking they would adopt babies or toddlers, this was an exciting answer to prayer – and a challenge. Should they continue in their quest for little ones, or was the Lord calling them to open their hearts to these lost children who had little hope of ever having a home and family?

The sibling group caught their eyes—and captured their hearts. They were two sisters, Mirna and Karen, ages ten and six, and their little four-year-old brother Daniel. They knew nothing more than their names and ages, but somehow, as they prayed, the Lord began impressing these children upon them. They felt God’s leading to tell the agency that they were very interested in Mirna, Karen and Daniel and to ask for more information. They found out on Friday that the lawyer was given permission to go to the orphanage this coming week and talk to the children and take their pictures. He was also told by the government agency that if Julie and David decide they want to adopt them, that the agencies will do all they can to expedite the approvals and processes!

Now, we don’t know for sure yet if these are truly the children the Lord intends for them to have, or if they are another stepping stone to the Lord changing Julie and David’s hearts and direction, but it is encouraging and a joy to see what has come to pass this week, and at last to be able to pray for three little orphans by name. David and Julie are not naïve. They know that taking this huge step, if it is to be, won’t be easy. There will be many hurdles – emotional baggage, language barriers at first, new and different family dynamics, the logistical issues of doubling the size of their family, the expense of the adoption (it could be another $20,000 before they are all done) and so on. If anyone, with God’s help, can handle it, though, I know they can. They have felt for a long time that besides the adoption, the Lord may be leading them into some kind of orphan ministry. This would certainly be a first step in that direction! Regardless of how this turns out, praise the Lord for answered prayer!

That’s the good news. Now for the bad news…

Poor Laurie and Fernando. It is one spiritual battle, one trial after another in their lives. They are so worn out, and fighting discouragement as Satan hurls his arrows at them. The last week or two have been hard. Melissa’s broken wrist and surgery, being threatened with a $600 fine because Sara wouldn’t open the door to two truckloads of people demanding entrance and her signature on papers supposedly for the government when her parents weren’t there, and now this among other things…

They took an overnight trip to Guayaquil to pick up my niece Rachel at the airport. That evening they got a call from the alarm company that alarms were going off all over their house! Fernando had forgotten to leave keys to the new house with his family, but he called them and asked if they could at least drive over there and see if robbers were carting their things out the gate. They called back and said, no—there were no robbers but they could see water pouring out from under the back door! Fernando then called William, the fellow who had installed the alarm system, and asked if he would please go over there and try to get over the wall and into the house to see what was going on.

William called back a while later. He got over the wall (and was shocked by the electric fence on top of the wall in the process) and managed to get the door open and then let Fernando’s family in. A pipe had broken under the sink in one of the bathrooms upstairs and the entire second floor was running with water, the water was pouring down the stairs and covering the first floor with several inches of water, as well. To make matters worse, water was pouring through most of the ceiling on the first floor, also. The alarm control box had gotten wet, too, and shorted out, and was a loss.

They could not drive home over the mountains at night (Rachel didn’t get through customs until 2:30 AM anyway), but bless their hearts, Fernando’s parents and several of his siblings stayed for hours, wet-vacuuming out the water and cleaning up the mess the best they could. When they got home the next day, the laminate floors upstairs were already beginning to curl up and water was still dripping through the ceilings downstairs. None of their possessions seemed to be ruined, but they will have to replace the floor and repair the ceiling. They can’t ask their landlady to do it, even though it was her pipe that broke and not their fault, for fear that she will kick them out of the house.

Please pray for them as they deal with one more thing that is a strength-zapper, money-waster and time-robber—just the very things that Satan knows will hinder the ministry and discourage them. The more they see fruit for their labors, the more Satan fights them. They are counting their blessings that it wasn’t robbers, it wasn’t an accident driving through the mountains, no one got hurt or killed and so on. They know God is in control and for some reason allowed it. Still, after the last few months, they are exhausted and it is hard humanly-speaking to keep praising and thanking God even in the midst of yet another trial.

There’s good news and there’s bad news…

The bad news is that we fight against Satan and all his cohorts. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

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The good news is that Satan and all his cohorts cannot separate us from the love of God. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38)

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The bad news is that Satan is like a roaring lion, seeking to devour us. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (I Peter 5:8)

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The good news is that God is greater than Satan and is here with us in the battle. “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (I John 4:4) “Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” (I Peter 5:9, 10)

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The bad news is Satan uses every trick and wile and lie and deceit and temptation and weakness to fight against us. “He [Satan] was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:44)

*
The good news is God has given us resources to fight against Satan. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” (Ephesians 6:10-18) Notice it is persevering prayer that enables us to use the armor of God.

*
The bad news is Satan never gives up. “And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.” (Job 1:7) He is constantly, as long as he is the prince of darkness and this world, at work. “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” (Ephesians 2:2, 3)

*
The good news is that the victory has already been won over Satan! “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” (John 12:31) ”And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (Revelation 20:2, 10)

I would say to Laurie and Fernando and all who are exhausted in the battle, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9) We understand their weariness, and so does the Lord. Let us pray for strength and rest and comfort for them, and that they will feel the presence of God at their side and going before them as they face the battle against the adversary.

II Chronicles 20:15 says, “Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed…for the battle is not yours, but God's.” Satan will be defeated – he is defeated already! Victory is the Lord’s—and victory is ours! That’s the GOOD news!

FEAR NOT, ONLY BELIEVE

One of a parent’s greatest fears is that their child will become seriously ill or injured, or that they might even die. I’ve been through that trial many times. Whenever I hear of a parent facing a situation like that I can truly empathize. No matter how great one’s faith, or how spiritually mature a Christian parent may be, it is traumatic to see your child suffering and know that you are helpless to take the pain away. Grief and fear are natural. I’ve struggled with it, even though I knew in my mind and believed with all my heart that God is in control, and that He loves us and wants only the best for us. Guilt then mingles with the other emotions running rampant through you, for you wonder, If I am truly trusting God, why am I so afraid?

*
My cousin and her husband were suddenly faced with that kind of situation this week when their not-quite-six year old ended up in surgery for a ruptured appendix. Gangrene had already set in, and if they had not gotten him in when they did, he could have easily died. I have not talked to Wendy yet, but I am sure she and Rick went through all the emotions I have described. Disbelief at first that this is actually happening, fear, worry, grief, helplessness, guilt -- the emotions lead to tremendous stress, and the stress leads to exhaustion. Praise God, little Dima is going to be just fine, but I am sure it will take Wendy and Rick just as long to recover from this ordeal as it will Dima!

*
We got a phone call yesterday from Ecuador that our nine year old granddaughter Melissa had been injured and was in surgery. I’ve been dreading a phone call like that, hearing that one of our children or grandchildren had been hurt or was seriously ill and we were so far away that we could not go to them. Praise the Lord, though, it turned out to be only a badly broken wrist, and although the recovery may be long and painful, she will recover very nicely in the end.

*
Both of these heart-wrenching events this week will be short-lived and in a few months they will simply be distant memories. For the parent of a severely handicapped or chronically ill child, though, the battle goes on – and on and on. For the parent of a terminally ill child, or even the bereaved parent, it can be a nightmare that seems to have no end.

*
The Bible tells of a man named Jairus who came to Jesus when his twelve year old daughter was lying at death’s door. “And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him…While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.” (Mark 5:22-24; 35-42)

*
Jairus was terrified. His daughter was his only child. He was a ruler in the synagogue, and you may recall, those men down at the synagogue weren’t too happy with Jesus – in fact, they were seeking a way to get rid of Him. Jairus, though, believed in Jesus. He may have kept that belief a secret from the other rulers, but still, when it came to his child’s life, he did not hesitate to confess his belief. What were Jesus words to Jairus? “Be not afraid, only believe.”

*
Jairus had already realized who Jesus was, and trusted Him enough to come to Him in his moment of great need, but still he was afraid. Jesus recognized that Jairus would naturally be afraid. He did not reprimand him for that fear, but instead was telling him to set aside that fear and cling to his belief in Christ.

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In this account of Jairus’ daughter, and again in the story of the nobleman’s son (John 4:46-53), we see parents who are torn apart with grief and fear at the illness of a child, and whose children did, in fact, die. Again, in the story of Lazarus of Bethany we see a beloved brother who is sick and dies. (John 11:1-45) In each of these cases that daughter, son and brother is raised from the dead because of the belief of those who loved them, and also as Jesus said in John 11:4 “for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.” These were miracles that would shine a light on Who Jesus really was for the people of that day and show them that truly, He was the Son of God.

*
We still see miracles of God these days even though Jesus no longer walks this earth. Children, and adults, too, recover from their deathbeds, or are even miraculously resuscitated. Why does not God answer our prayers every time, when a believer calls unto Him for the miraculous healing of a loved one? The simple answer is, I don’t know. I do know, though, that He is working in the lives of that one and all those around him or her in His own way and for His own purpose. I do know that He loves us with an everlasting love and hears those prayers and always answers – although sometimes the answer is no. I do know that He knows what is best for us and that He is in control.

*

It is not wrong to be afraid. It is wrong to cling to that fear. There comes a time when we must set it aside and cling instead to our belief in Christ and His love for us, regardless of the outcome. Trust Him. Fear not, only believe.

THE STUPIDS STEP OUT

Many, many years ago someone in our family brought home a ridiculous little children’s book called The Stupids Step Out. It was the first in a series about the Stupid Family and their confusion in accomplishing the simplest of tasks and understanding the simplest of concepts. We laughed at the Stupids’ idiosyncrasies and well, stupidity, but unfortunately, we also recognized there is an awful lot of the Stupids in us from time to time! Now whenever we have one of those foolish moments when we are caught in public doing something ridiculous, we laugh and say, “Well, the Stupids step out!”

My sister Cheree and I somehow tend to feed off each other and promote public stupidity when we are together. We also call them our “Lucy and Ethel moments.” It’s hard to say which one of us is Lucy and which is Ethel, but one of us will usually lead the other into trouble and the other sister will blindly follow. Then we laugh our heads off at ourselves – and continue to giggle at the memories of those moments for years to come.

For instance, there was the time we were in a department store and Cheree asked, “Which way do we go?” We were standing next to the escalator and I answered, “Up there.” No sooner had she put her foot on the first step, though, when I said, “No wait! It’s that way!” Too late – one of Cheree’s feet continued to go up the escalator while the rest of her was planted firmly at the bottom, struggling to pull back and go the other way. Somehow she was stuck, and I was laughing so hard I was no help to her whatsoever.

I give Cheree a lot of credit for doing most of the driving when we travel, but we have had several “Stupids Step Out” moments on the road – like the time we got confused about which way to go and she ended up driving ‘round and around the little island upon which a traffic light stood, to the amusement, or perhaps the disgust, of all the other drivers around us. Then there was the time we were trying to go through a toll booth when the man ahead of us apparently lost part of the change he was throwing into the basket. He pulled up to the gate but the gate refused to go up. We were stuck then, too, so I suggested, “Just throw our money in and maybe the gate will lift.” Cheree did as I said, and sure enough, the gate went up. The other driver went through, but as we tried to scooch through, too, right behind him, the gate came crashing down on the roof of Cheree’s car, leaving a yellow paint streak down the roof as we went on through! Oops!

As the older sister, there have been several times when I have had to point out her “Stupid” moments. Fast food places tend to confuse her, I think. For instance, I have very sweetly (and loudly) announced to her several times, “Cheree! You threw the basket (or the whole tray) away! You’re not supposed to throw the basket (or tray) away!” Everyone in the place turns to stare. We wouldn’t want anyone to miss out on your “Stupid” moment, would we, Cheree? The best time, though, was when she paused to talk to a man as we were leaving a fast food place. “Get in, boys!” she said several times to her sons during the course of the conversation with the man. “Get in!” It suddenly dawned on me what she was doing. “Uh, Cheree,” I interrupted and gently pointed out, “look what you’re doing.” In her mind, I suppose, she was holding open the car door. In reality she was holding open the flap of the trash can and ordering Brian and Steven to get in!

I have plenty of “Stupid” moments, too, as she would be happy to share with you. There was the time we went down to Spring Mill State Park and Inn to finalize the plans for our upcoming family reunion with the director of sales. I hadn’t had much success in getting her to return my calls. “Why are you getting dressed up for this meeting?” Cheree asked. It was also supposed to be a relaxing little getaway. “I want to look professional! I want her to take me seriously this time!” I stated strongly.

Unfortunately, we didn’t look very professional when a little while later we had another one of those Lucy and Ethel moments. We were trying to take a huge luggage cart out to the car to bring in our suitcases and cooler when we went through a wrong door. What we had taken for an exit turned out to be a stairwell, and somehow we got the cart stuck, unable to move forwards or backwards. “Do you ladies need some help?” a voice behind us asked. “Oh, no! We’ll get it,” we answered with only a harried, hot and sweaty glance at the speaker. We were sure people were wondering why anyone would try to take a cart up the stairs, rather than the elevator. We struggled for a bit longer, laughing at ourselves in this ridiculous situation, until finally a man came along and we gave into his offer of help.

A little later, as we waited in the lobby for our appointment, a lady walked by and Cheree said, “I think that’s the woman who caught us stuck in the stairwell! I’ll bet anything she’s the woman we’re supposed to be meeting!” My heart sank, but I said, “No way! That can’t be her! Oh, my goodness – if it is her, I hope she doesn’t recognize us!” A couple minutes later she came back and asked, “Are you Cynthia and Cheryl? I’m Tanya! We have an appointment, don’t we? And aren’t you the two ladies who were stuck in the stairwell?” She started to laugh. So much for professionalism and being taken seriously! What could we do, but laugh with her – and then Cheree tattled on me and my earlier remarks!

To make matters worse, a couple days later I had to call Tanya and ask her if she could see if I’d left my phone charger there. “Just a minute,” she laughed. “I have your sister on the other line asking if I can look for her glasses she left behind!” Lucy and Ethel!

I could go on and on with our “Stupids Step Out” stories – some of which are just too gross to share! We come by it naturally, I suppose. My mother has those moments from time with her friends or daughters, and I have them with my girls, too. We’re certainly not the only Stupids stepping out, though! Julie just told me the other day of a story she heard at the post office, which is what started me thinking about this whole thing to begin with…

She was standing in line behind a woman who was chatting with the clerk, and Julie and the other customers couldn’t help hearing their conversation. “I was just at WalMart,” the woman confessed, “and I was standing in a food aisle. The only other person in the aisle was a man. Suddenly he asked, 'What’s for supper?' I turned around to see who he was talking to, and since there was no one else there, I timidly replied, 'Macaroni and cheese.' He asked, 'What?' I spoke up a little louder, 'Macaroni and cheese!' He looked at me strangely, and again said, 'What?' Thinking perhaps he was deaf or maybe mentally challenged, I moved right into his personal space and repeated very loudly, 'I said – Macaroni and cheese!!' The man said, 'Uh, just a minute, Mike! I'll have to get back to you. There’s a handicapped woman here who seems desperate for some macaroni and cheese!' It was then that I noticed he had a Bluetooth in his ear and he wasn’t speaking to me at all! I was mortified, but he disappeared around the corner of the aisle and a moment later was back, shoving a box of macaroni and cheese into my hands! Feeling too foolish to even try to explain, I quickly took the box of macaroni and cheese to the checkout and paid for it, even though I really didn’t need it at all!”

By this time, all the customers and clerks in the post office were practically rolling on the floor laughing. It was after she left that the clerk told them all, “This is the same lady who last week told me she had accidentally barged into a funeral procession and was so embarrassed that she turned on her lights and followed the other cars all the way to the cemetery!” Julie said she couldn’t help giggling about it every time she thought about it, and that night as she relayed the story to me we were both laughing till we cried.

Ahh, the Stupids! Perhaps you know one or two – or perhaps you are one, yourself! We all have those moments, and we can’t always blame them on getting old, either! It certainly helps if you can laugh at yourself! And why not? If everyone around us is laughing, we might as well join them! I’ve always considered myself a fairly intelligent person – until the Lord has His ways of keeping me humble!

God has a sense of humor, I just know it! Look at the humor in His creation – all His funny-looking creatures on land and sea, and their funny behavior, both instinctual and practical. And then there are humans. The Bible tells us that God created us in His image. If He did not have a sense of humor, neither would we! The Bible tells us that happiness, joy and merriment are good things! “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance…” (Psalm 15:13) “…he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.” (Proverbs 15:15) “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine…” (Proverbs 17:22)

We can laugh at the Stupids, both fictional and those who walk among us, but let us not confuse these occasional moments of silliness with what God calls foolishness. There are Stupids, and then there are Fools. God calls one a Fool who:

Does not believe He exists. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. (Psalm
14:1)
Blasphemes His name. …the foolish people have blasphemed thy name. (Psalm 74:18)
Despises wisdom. …fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)
Is shameful. …shame shall be the promotion of fools. (Proverbs 3:35)
Lies and slanders. He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander,
is a fool. (Proverbs 10:18)
Thinks he is above God’s standards. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes…
(Proverbs 12:15)
Makes a mockery of sin. Fools make a mock at sin… (Proverbs 14:9)
Is quick to anger. He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly… (Proverbs 14:17)
Speaks foolishly. A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
(Proverbs 18:7)
Causes trouble. It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be
meddling. (Proverbs 20:3)
Loves his sin. As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
(Proverbs 26:11)
Turns away from God. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as
God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish
heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. (Romans
1:21, 22)

These are just some of the traits of a Fool in God’s eyes. The Bible goes on to tell us that the carnal man, in all his worldly “wisdom,” human strength and might thinks that the things of God, His word and His people are foolishness and weakness. I Corinthians 1:18-31 says, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”

God, though, tells us that it is the worldly man who is foolish. “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men.” (I Corinthians 3:18-21)

The apostle Paul called himself a fool for Christ’s sake. (I Corinthians 4:10). I may be a Stupid sometimes, but if I must be a Fool, may it always be a fool for Christ’s sake!

OUR HUMBLE HOME

This has been a week of little unexpected blessings for me. I haven’t done anything special, or gone anywhere, but it makes me happy and grateful when the Lord just drops little joy-fillers into our lives to uplift and bless us.

The series of messages I told you about a few weeks ago by Dr. David Jeremiah on the book of Revelations continues to encourage and exhort as I’ve delved into the study each day. You wouldn’t think that a book on prophecy would have so much practical and personal application for our lives here and now, but I have gleaned so much already that has drawn me closer to the Lord and made me love and praise Him all the more, and made me want to serve Him better.

I have been excited, too, as Bob put in some new flowers and plants in front of our house, and have enjoyed the color and variety as they began to flourish – a sure sign that despite the chilly weather we’ve been experiencing, spring is here! We put out a new American flag (we usually swap out the old one every year or two when they start to look a little grubby) and it was then that I noticed the colors of our new flowers were the red, white and blue of the flag. The colors really popped against one another! Just looking at them gives me a happy heart!

Then there are the DVDs I borrowed from my mother last week. The sound of old-time Southern Gospel music has filled our home this week as Robbie and I, and Bob when he is around, have listened over and over to five or six Gaither Homecoming DVDs. The music is sometimes energetic and catchy, sometimes quiet and peaceful, but always uplifting and glorifying to the Lord and a blessing to me.

The true highlight of our week turned out to be something very different, however. We don’t have company very often, and when we do, it is usually family or people who know us, and the way we live, very well. Where for many years our home was a busy hub of activity and we had large groups of people in weekly, since Robbie’s illness we have grown accustomed to living quietly and to ourselves. This week, though, Bob’s boss and his wife were coming to visit – and I have to admit, the thought made me a little nervous.

I had met Ray and April briefly several years ago in Canada, but to tell the truth, I was rather nervous then, too – probably more because I was out of my element then. I knew they were very nice people and had done a great deal already for Bob as he has worked for them, but as I prepared for their visit I kept wondering what they would think of our home and Robbie – and me. Bob told me several times, “Cindy, quit worrying about it! Ray and April are very kind, down-to-earth people. It will be fine!”

I hoped most of all they would like and appreciate Robbie, looking beyond the disabilities and drool and seeing him for the very special, sweet person he is. We see him through eyes of love and know all the funny, loving, gentle qualities of his personality, but others just meeting him might not recognize the special gift that Robbie is. Anyone who knows us knows how much we cherish that boy, and they had certainly heard enough about Robbie from Bob. Now I hoped as they met him in person for the first time, they would understand why we love him so much and why we thank God for blessing our lives with him.

I worried most of all, though, about what they would think of our house and the way we live. I knew they have a summer home in Canada and a winter home in Florida, and a motor home, as well. Our house is old and in a transitioning neighborhood. It is clean and neat, but there’s nothing fancy or updated about it. Our list of to-do’s (paint the living and dining rooms and hall, put in new flooring and cabinets in the kitchen, refinish some of the interior doors, redo the bathroom downstairs, etc) is long, but somehow we never seem to have the time or money at the same time to get these jobs done. Robbie’s bed is in the middle of our living room. Despite all the HGTV I watch, our favorite décor is comfort over fashion, and family photos over current trends.

Bob was absolutely right! I wasted a lot of worry over what Ray and April would think. They were lovely, kind people and I enjoyed having them here immensely. “Down-to-earth” was the right term to describe them. They seemed to really like Robbie, and of course, he was smitten with them! They actually seemed to love our house, and even our neighborhood, as well! It turns out, they are renovating an old farmhouse in Canada that was built in the 1800’s, and then added to in 1932. (Our house was built in 1928.) They could appreciate the age and character of our house, and the fact that it wasn’t updated.

The thing I had worried about all week turned out to be a wonderful blessing. I think we all enjoyed a good time of fellowship, and a strengthening of our relationship and friendship. What’s more, the Lord used these two sweet people to remind me once again of lessons I thought I had learned long ago:

When will I ever learn to focus on the more important, spiritual things, rather than on the earthly, temporal concerns of this life? Rather than worrying about how people might judge our house, I ought to be more concerned with how they see our home. I get caught up with cleaning, rearranging, putting out the best dishes and candles on the table, serving a delicious meal – all to make a good impression. It is nice when guests appreciate our house and the meal, but am I as concerned that their spirits are nurtured and fed, as well, when they enter our home? The focus ought not to be on the impression I make of myself or my home, but on them and how we can minister to them.

Does love live here? When people enter our home will they feel the love of Christ and the love we have for one another? Will they know that we love them, too? There is no fireplace in this house, but will they feel the warmth of our love? I Corinthians 13 tells us that love is self-sacrificing, patient, kind, truthful, pure, unfailing…”Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth:…And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-8, 13) The Bible also says, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (I John 4:7, 8) Our love is a testimony to others that He lives within us.
*

Can they feel the joy of the Lord? The walls may be drab and need a coat or two of paint, but may the joy of the Lord color our home! Do others see joy in our faces and hear rejoicing in our words when they come into our home? Do they receive a warm welcome and feel that we are truly glad to have them here? The Bible tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10), our light (Psalm 89:15), our prosperity (Psalm 35:27) and a crown (I Thessalonians 2:19.) “Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.” (Psalm 32:11) What a testimony when we can rejoice in adversity; when we can glorify God for victories and praise Him in all things!

Can they feel the peace of God? Is our home tension-filled – a place of strife and anger, or do others feel comfort and peace when they enter? When we live at peace with one another, when we are patient, when we live harmoniously and in unity, it shows. The décor of my house may not always be harmonious (Bob’s mounted trophy deer hangs just above my palm trees and sea shells) but I hope our lives are, and that they are a testimony to the peace that passes all understanding when others come into our home. Ephesians 4:2-3, 31-32 says, “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”

Do they sense that Christ is the center of our home? Do they feel His presence here? Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20) If our home is filled with His love, joy, and peace they will know that He is present in our home. There is a plaque by our front door that reads, “…Choose you this day whom ye will serve… but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15) We have chosen to follow the Lord and make Him the head of our home. There is an old saying that goes, “Christ is the head of this house, the unseen guest at every meal, the silent listener to every conversation.” I pray that our conduct and our conversation, our lifestyle and our lives will be a steadfast testimony always that Christ dwells here in our hearts and in our home.

I’ve been praising God for the little unexpected blessings He’s sent me this week, including the blessing of having guests here this week. I hope their visit here was a blessing to them, too!