Gravestones & Significance ~

Play the harp well, sing many a song, so that you will be remembered. Isaiah 23:16

Can you believe we're moving into the last week of July? I can't! I had a birthday on the 20th and it was a very good one. I love that my birthday comes somewhere in the middle of Le Tour de France. Another year has passed and what do I have to show for it? The most imposing part of the year is influenced by the fact that I decided to write a novel in November of 2010. And I'm still working on the details. I even added a character last week--not a main character, but a character to be woven in and brought to life. This has been my concentration when I write, so I've neglected my blogs for many months. I wish I were more prolific, but with all the other things going on in my life, I'm just not. And now that I'm more comfortable with the fact that I'm a writer, I read someone else's work and realize how I fall short of their beautifully written prose. But there is one thing for sure--my writing is my own and no one can take that away. It keeps me going on days when I lose heart about the whole project! I really do appreciate all the encouragement I get from you all.

Today I'm going to summarize the last chapter in Meeting God in Quiet Places: The Cotswold Parables by F. LaGard Smith. Like coming to the end of July,  we've come to the end of the book with Chapter 31. And this last chapter gives us something to think about in regard to our lives. The question is: What will you leave behind when you die? Have you had a significant impact on your world? Have you influenced lives? Have you changed lives? Hmmm...LaGard gives us some thoughts to contemplate today which remind us why we're here. Actually, the graveyard says it all.

The Cotswolds receive many organized groups of ramblers every year, and part of the route they take is through a graveyard filled with ancient gravestones dating back to the 1700's. Some of the gravestones  have little epitaphs which tell the story of the one buried there. Others now appear blank because the words once engraved there have been washed away by time. But the lesson for all of us is clear: whether great or small, they are all on equal footing now.

We're familiar with the urgency of the great--their insistence on having precedence because their work is important to the lives of everyone else. The rest of us must give way and be thankful that someone cares enough to do the work we cannot do. And in England, the class system has always meant that the divide between master and servant was much greater than we'll ever know. But when we look at their graves all these years later, we may ask: Did it matter that one was a master and the other a servant? All the important tasks which the master carried out are trampled under the feet of rambling visitors just as often as the chores of the servant. You'll remember that the wisest man who ever lived was Solomon, who said: "Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.... There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow."

And it was Solomon who concluded that life is meaningless! No matter how special we think we are, generations to come will not remember us. No one will care that we ever lived. As Solomon said: "For the wise man, like the fool, will not be long remembered; in days to come both will be forgotten. Like the fool, the wise man too must die!"

                                                 

OUCH! I don't like to think about myself  like that. I want to be remembered. And I'm looking for some way to lengthen that memory. To accomplish that, I must leave behind something of significance...a legacy that says I helped to create a better world. I suppose I take wife, mother, and teacher for granted. But they aren't to be dismissed. "The hand that rocks the cradle..." and all that. The fact that we raise and teach our children the best we can  is of significance.

Significance is most often added to our lives in small ways. And in so many small ways, our own legacy is associated with those who went before us and gave us guidance and support. What lasts of our lives--our legacy--is the influence we have in changing the lives of others.

Think of the apostles who spent their lives preaching the gospel--the good news brought to the world by Christ. Peter was a powerful preacher, giving his life in service to the early church. But who told Peter about Christ? It was his brother Andrew. It was Andrew who made a significant difference in Peter's life and in the lives of countless thousands, including you and me!
                                

But we can go back even further for the young evangelist Timothy, who also spread the gospel. The scripture says that his faith "first lived in his grandmother Lois and in his mother Eunice." The influence of mothers and grandmothers is so important in the lives of all of us. And not forgetting that fathers play a big part in bringing up children. There is no greater significance in this world than bringing up your children "in the training and instruction of the Lord." We are all interested in our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren having good lives, aren't we?

                                                                                                                              

LaGard says: "Changed lives are our greatest legacy. Changed lives are the gifts that truly keep on giving, generation after generation. No matter how seemingly insignificant our own lives, we achieve significance through the lives that we touch for good. And never are our lives more significant than when the lives we touch are brought to know Christ. For at that point lives are not simply changed, but transformed!"

Take a few minutes to remember those in your past who made a difference by touching your life. If possible, let them know that you recognize their significance in your life and how much you appreciate it. And look around you to see if there is someone in your life right now whose life you are changing or could change. Because of you, someone could take a different path. And not just a different path, but a higher one! 

Give some thought to your legacy and have a great Sunday!

Blessings...Mimi

   

Grasping the Nettles of Commitment ~ Part 2

Tender-handed stroke a nettle,

And it stings you for your pains;

Grasp it like a man of mettle,

And it soft as silk remains.

My new motto is "Better late than never." But I hope everyone had a happy 4th of July! I was happy because I got out of the house and visited with family. It's been a long haul with the smoke-laden skies of New Mexico, but it's better now. There is often a haze and poor air quality, but it isn't oppressive like it was at first.

This is the second half of a valuable lesson for us from Chapter 30 of Meeting God in Quiet Places: The Cotswold Parables by F. LaGard Smith. In the second part of the lesson, LaGard wants us to understand what the parable is saying about our own reluctance to surrender to God. Why are we so hesitant? Because we're afraid it's going to hurt!

LaGard says: "Most of us flounder about, wanting to be fully committed followers of Jesus--thinking about it, coming close--yet never quite getting to the point where we are willing to "grasp the nettle"--to give ourselves wholly to God. To empty ourselves totally of self-will and self-direction. To surrender completely to Christ."


We're afraid of the unknown, asking serious questions about what it would mean:
1) What would my life be like if I really gave my life over to God?
2) What would my family think of me?
3)  How would it affect my job or career?
4) What would it cost me financially?
5) With all this at risk, do I really want to "grasp the nettle" of full surrender?

Remember the story of the rich young man who asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life? He had obeyed all the commandments, though probably without much sacrifice. But when Jesus asked him about giving up all his possessions, his heart couldn't make the complete surrender that was required. Ask yourself about your own willingness to surrender. What treasures in your life are you unwilling to give up for God? Are you holding on to something at all cost?                                        

The prophet Joel tells us that we aren't alone in deciding whether to surrender to God. He says: "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision." And what he's really saying is that most of us go through an entire lifetime in the valley of indecision. We just can't decide whether to surrender to God--or NOT!

The prophet Elijah was on a mountaintop when he asked the people of God to choose between the one true God and Baal. The verse says: "Elijah went before the people and said, 'How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.' But the people said nothing." NOTHING! Saying nothing is saying everything. It says that we haven't given up self to trust in God's leading.

Another man who chose God was Joshua when he said: "As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Joshua's surrender to God was a matter of life and death. And then there was Moses, who said to the children of Israel: "This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life...." Moses was pleading with the Israelites to cling to the God of their salvation--to surrender all for Him.

But no one "grasped the nettle" like Jesus did. Jesus had no possessions to give up like the rich young man who wanted to inherit eternal life. But Jesus knew that surrender to God doesn't lead to death, it leads to life. Sweating drops of blood, His agony was apparent when He prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me." And then He said, "Yet not my will, but yours be done." Not even death was too great a sacrifice. Jesus' surrender was complete because He knew there is freedom in submission. And there is liberation in wholehearted, unwavering commitment!

Can we begin to say like Jesus, "Not my will, but yours"? Are our eyes fixed on Jesus who endured the cross for us? LaGard says: "Through his complete surrender on the cross, Jesus has already grasped the nettle for us. He has taken away the sting of death. All we need to do is to put our hand in his--to feel the softness of his love and never let go!"

It's wonderful to me that we have a choice...we can make the decision or not...it's up to us whether we surrender to God and live our lives through the love of Christ. Stresses and strains make it hard for us to give up our stubborn control, but you can be sure that it will make life more worthwhile in every way.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Blessings...Mimi

         

Signposts on Life's Path ~

Along unfamiliar paths I will guide him.  Isaiah 42:16

Good Sunday morning~ Today in Chapter 29 of Meeting God in Quiet Places: The Cotswold Parables by F. LaGard Smith, we're gently reminded that one of our goals in life is to be an example to others. This parable comes from the many footpaths which are in the area where LaGard takes his daily walks. These paths have many signposts--yellow arrows on gates, posts, trees, and rocks--arrows pointing the direction to the next crossing or turn. And, not surprisingly,  there are also maps and guidebooks to help walkers manuever hill and dale.

Sounds easy, but it isn't always as clear as it sounds. No matter how many signposts and maps are in place, both time and nature may have managed to hide the signposts and cause confusion about which direction to turn, especially for someone who is new to the area. No one is going to get completely lost, but searching for hidden signposts can cause walkers to become disoriented and confused, taking them in a circular pattern for a while, or even into a wall of rusty barbed wire. But once the footpaths and signposts become familiar, they're like old friends waiting to greet you. In fact, LaGard has become so familiar with both, he can now direct visitors toward the right footpath. Taking directions from an American may come as a surprise, but even British walkers are grateful for help  in making their way across the area. In the end, his experienced direction means the ramblers no longer feel lost and confused. 

How does this create a parable that has meaning for our lives? Well, for one thing, we can remember that Jesus is our personal guide when our written instructions seem unclear. Jesus, as the incarnate Word, helps us when we have decisions to make, or are having a confusing time in our lives. In a spiritual sense, He is our friend and personal guide toward the right path. So, where does that leave the written word? Well, we know that Jeremiah said that it isn't within us to direct our own steps. And when we try, we get lost and confused. So even though the Holy Scripture is full of stories, drama, and poetry, it also contains signposts which point us to God. And that's why God's revelation is so important to us.

                                                                                           

But, we should also be aware that the written Word can give us an opportunity to take spiritual shortcuts with the meaning of the text, or find loopholes which take us off the beaten path; therefore, God has given us a personal Guide in the written and spoken Word made flesh. Jesus is our reliable guide--a guide we can safely and confidently follow. Remember when Jesus called the twelve apostles, saying, "Follow me"? He was also calling you and me, saying, "Follow me, for I am the Way." Yes, you're right...following Jesus does mean taking the highest path, and the highest path stretches us to points we never thought to go. At least we can know for sure that it's the right path!

But there's more to following Jesus than simply staying on the right path. Jesus has given us an example to follow in daily life, as well as in death and the life to come. We follow by faith because He is the personal expression of all the written biblical precepts. And we follow in his footsteps because He is the One who has gone before us as our example. 

LaGard says: "But here the metaphor must change. No longer are we 'following' Jesus--as if separated by some distance--but we have Christ in us, bringing life, and strength, and hope. With Christ in us, never is the destination clearer!" So it isn't as easy as it sounds--just like being on a footpath--the path seems easy, but may become confusing without knowing the directions. So we may begin to wonder why more people don't want to follow Jesus and have him intimately involved in their lives. One answer might be that they don't know they're lost! And that makes sense, if those who claim to be leaders are actually following the lost. If people can't tell that you're doing something different, how do they know you're following Jesus? If people are watching you, what do they see?

                                                                                                  

As we make our daily walk, we might want to ask whether people who have never read the Bible for themselves, or people who can't make sense of it on their own, can read the Bible by looking at our behavior. LaGard says: "Whether or not we think of ourselves as spiritual leaders, the truth is that, day by day, we are leading people either to or away from a relationship with God." You might even say that you're a human signpost--a yellow arrow pointing down one path or another. And what makes the biggest difference is whether you are simply following Christ at a distance or whether you have Christ in you!

Ask yourself these questions: Is Christ really at the center of my life? Have I been transformed by his strength and power? Does my relationship with Christ make a difference, moment by moment, in what direction I take? If people follow my example, will I be leading them in the right direction?

                                                                           

Have a blessed Sunday~

Mimi

  

        

Sunsets & Reconciliation with God ~

Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive. 

1 Kings 8:30

Grace and love like mighty rivers
Poured incessant from above,
And heaven's peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love.
                    ----Robert Lowry (1826-1899)

Today we're in Chapter 27 of Meeting God in Quiet Places: The Cotswold Parables by F. LaGard Smith. In this parable, sunsets represent reconciliation to God. LaGard says that "sunsets are a daily declaration of the majesty of God. They speak of infinite beauty and of the power of Him who created the incomparable realms of heaven and earth. They tell of God's greatness and, by comparison, my own smallness." What does he see in sunsets that we can also find? The gentleness that comes with getting older, a clearer meaning of life and loved ones, and an understanding of the end of a life of faith on earth and an expectation of a life to come. All of these are touching and meaningful, but there is an even more appealing image.

No writer captures the imagination as well as the psalmist, and in his vision of sunsets, he sees "heaven reaching down to kiss the earth, and in that rapturous moment bring peace." If the image of heaven kissing the earth is hard to grasp, think on these words of the psalmist: "Love and faithfulness meet together, righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven." Beautiful imagery which brings God and man together, imagery which is at the heart of Christian teaching...it's very essence caught in a sunset--heaven has kissed the earth! The King James version says that "Mercy and truth are met together." In other words, the truth of man's unrighteousness and sinfulness meets with God's mercy in the salvation of man.

                                   
Modern translations speak of "love and faithfulness" meeting together rather than "mercy and truth." But that doesn't mean, as we might think, that our faithfulness meets God's love. We are NOT faithful. We aren't good at keeping our promises to each other, much less to God. We fail miserably at keeping our marriage and other social contracts. In truth, it is God's faithfulness and merciful love that brings us peace. 

And here, I quote LaGard: "The peace of God is not the mere peace of tranquility, as in the 'peacefulness of the Cotswolds.' God's peace is harmony where there was disharmony; acceptance where there was rejection; rightness where there was wrongness. Because of God's own righteousness, whatever is wrong can be put right." And the source of God's righteousness is seen in His love and faithfulness.

And where is the love of God most profoundly seen? In the life and sacrificial death of Jesus Christ: "For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son!" Now that's an image we can all relate to! Christ dying for our sins is a phenomenal event which had been promised by God for centuries. Only God's faithfulness brought about the birth of Jesus. And with this event, God came near. Heaven and earth rejoiced. The heavenly hosts sang, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests." No longer was the abyss of sin standing between heaven and earth. Like the sunset kisses the earth, God had come down to earth, bringing peace between God and man--heaven kissing the earth. 

All of this is mysterious and full of wonder, but in searching for inner peace, we know that it can only be found in reconciliation with God. It is the death of Jesus Christ which makes this possible; we are no longer alienated by sin. Not that we won't have trouble in our lives, but that we can find inner peace in spite of our troubles. Because of God's love and faithfulness, we can even transform our troubles into triumph! And remember--a time is coming when we will have eternal peace living in the presence of God. In the meantime, let the sunsets you see each evening remind you that heaven is kissing the earth!

Have a wonderful Sunday!
Blessings...Mimi

          

Pursuit ~ The Hunt

Set your hearts on things above.  Colossians 3:1

Today we're in Chapter 23 of Meeting God in Quiet Places: the Cotswold Parables by F. LaGard Smith. I enjoy the many true-life stories in this book that have been made into parables for our lives. They're such a vivid and delightful way to reach our hearts and  minds. Jesus taught in parables, but not everyone understood His message. I pray that we'll not only understand the message of each parable, but apply it to our lives. This chapter has to do with a fox hunt. The horse, rider, and dogs chasing the fox are analogous to our chasing the material goods of this world.

LaGard says that it's fascinating to watch the hunt as it tears through his yard, and to see that even when the fox isn't caught, the chase is great fun and ends at the pub. So what does all of  this mean to you and me? Perhaps it can serve as a parable for us to ask whether we're chasing society's style-setters. It's these style-setters who  realistically set the pace for us, as we search for the answer to the question: What should I be chasing to be successful? 

I can think of people who are proud of their frenetic lifestyle--keeping both themselves and their children in the game. And when they somehow catch what they're chasing, they honestly feel that they've gained a little more power and recognition. Not much, but enough to keep them in the hunt. LaGard says: "If I'm honest with myself, much of what I chase after is immediate physical gratification rather than long-term spiritual fulfillment--a meaningless life exercise having little to do with anything soul-enriching or eternal." Does this ring true for you? Have you bought into a jaded culture? I love what Solomon said: "Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind." And he learned the hard way.

And what's the irony here? Foxes usually chase and kill rabbits and lambs, but now the tables are turned, and the hunter--the fox--has become the hunted. Now the fox is being chased for his life! The hunters always become the hunted, which causes LaGard to say: "In our desperate search for earthly fulfillment, humans are hunted down by the very things they chase after. Accumulation brings fear of loss; achievement begs even more herculean effort; and recognition robs me of privacy. When that happens, who is chasing whom?" Have you and I become the hunted?

Jesus warned us in His Sermon on the Mount that all our chasing isn't likely to bring us what we're seeking. He said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal." Our chasing an earthly prize invites others to chase us, basically meaning that we're pursued by advertising, commercials, and other pitches for products. It guarantees we end up the hunted! 

          

Do you and I have our priorities all wrong? Jesus says: "Do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear.' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them." This is the hunt of pagans, not of Christians. As Christians, we believe that God will provide for us, and that chasing after all these things takes all our energy. Yes, I know these "necessities" do not count as accumulation of wealth. But all that energy chasing after these things shows a lack of faith and trust in God. 

              
The way out of this vicious circle comes by seeking, not by chasing. Remember what Jesus encouraged us to do: in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said to "seek ye first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Spending our time seeking God means we'll never be disappointed. We won't be empty, or searching, or discontent. There's no reason to chase after the illusion of happiness, when true happiness can be found in Christ!

I hope you're enjoying a wonderful weekend!
Blessings...Mimi

Inconsistency Reflected In A Greenhouse ~ 2

The spirit is willing, but the body is weak. Matthew 26:41

Good afternoon to everyone! I ended the lesson from Chapter 26 of Meeting God in Quiet Places: The Cotswold Parables by F. LaGard Smith yesterday promising to tell you how to dismantle the panes of glass that make up the greenhouse. Or, more precisely, dismantling the parts of yourself that are ugly and out of place--"pain by pain" as it were. You don't have to work alone on this project: God himself does the dismantling!

 LaGard says: "Jesus is at work in me, completing what he has already begun. As long as I live, he will continue to work with me so that who I am today is never the person I am yet to be. That which needs dismantling is being torn down. That which needs restoring is being built up." Good news for those who don't know how to dismantle their ugly parts.

                                                             

In his beautiful chapter on love in 1 Corinthians 13, the apostle Paul speaks of a different kind of glass--a mirror through which we dimly see ourselves. He says: "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." And LaGard sums it up by saying that looking at our present lives, we can know that "the person we see today is but a dim figure of the person that God has in mind for us to be." How does the metamorphosis take place?

Mainly it involves spiritual growth. You will quickly realize that spiritual transistion requires spiritual growth, as Paul says, "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me." Physical growth requires physical nourishment, and spiritual growth requires spiritual nourishment.
 

Looking down on the greenhouse, the outside is totally out of character with the landscape of the Cotswolds. But inside the greenhouse, tomatoes grow without the soil that we all believe essential to growing food. While the greenhouse remains a blight on the horizon, vegetables are mysteriously growing prolifically--more than they ever could under natural conditions. So what's the equivalent on the spiritual level?

On the spiritual level, the transformation--really a complete metamorphosis from natural to spiritual--happens with the same spirit that mysteriously raised Jesus from the dead! And the source of this power is seen in this passage: "If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you."  Amazing! And truly miraculous!

God sees that you and I are out of character with His goodness and looks for ways to nurture us into newness. LaGard explains it this way: "Through His Spirit working in my innermost parts, God transforms my ugliness into beauty. He cultivates within me a transformed life that flourishes bountifully from the spiritual nutrients of His grace and love." Sounds like the vegetables in the greenhouse, doesn't it? Everything has to have the proper nutrients to grow!
~

And what did we learn about beauty in this parable? We learned that true beauty lies within--greenhouse or person--and not on the outside. God knows that! And letting God accomplish His plans for our lives will mean that we don't have to be a blemish on His spiritual landscape. With God nourishing our lives, there will be an explosion of spiritual growth that will go through the roof!

Blessings on this beautiful Sunday...Mimi

   

 

     

Inconsistency Reflected In A Greenhouse ~

The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.  Matthew 26:41

This weekend we'll be looking at Chapter 26 in Meeting God in Quiet Places: The Cotswold Parables by F. LaGard Smith. And if you're wondering what the title means, I'll explain as I go. We've all had the experience which LaGard describes in the beginning of this chapter: you return to a much-loved place, usually a house where you lived years ago that contained happy memories, to find that it isn't the same as you'd remembered. You're disappointed, filled with great loss as the memories were precious to you, and had been so vividly real when you'd recalled them all these years.

~

And so it was with LaGard as he returned one year to his beloved Buckland in the Cotswolds of England and struck out on a walk to the top of a hill, where he could look out over the beautiful little town and countryside. But this time, instead of looking down on the beautiful village, he was shocked to be looking down on a new greenhouse the size of two city blocks! All the protests by letter and phone from the community had not worked and the greenhouse had been constructed. The massive greenhouse--a sea of glass within the green fields--stole the view from the village. Anger and outrage seemed a mild response to such a vulgar creation--one which "profaned one of the last truly unspoiled pockets of beauty in the English countryside." So what is his point in regard to a parable that we can understand? The greenhouse reflects an inconsistent presence on the landscape, which indeed reflects inconsistency in our obedience to God.

                                                                    

The point is that perhaps God looks down on me and sees how often His glorious plan for my life is profaned. Is God's call to purity blasphemed by my sin? Does it spoil the spiritual landscape? Yes, part of my life is submissive to God's will, but what about that other part? The part that is dark and ugly. Even though I see that it's totally inconsistent with the rest of my character, I accept it as a part of myself--it's just who I am. Like LaGard, I agree with the apostle Paul that saw "another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members." 

How do you want to live your life before God? Are you able to accomplish what you plan? Again, I can speak for myself when I say that I agree with LaGard and with Paul that, "What I want to do I do not do, but what I hate, I do....I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out." Hmmm...I wonder if God is angry and outraged at my poor showing. But surely not...it's only one small part of my life that's in rebellion. But am I deceiving myself? Am I justifying myself by thinking that so small a dark spot can be overlooked? I reassure myself with the knowledge that no one is perfect. And I also reassure myself with the knowledge that the grace of God is promised to all of us humans because we are so imperfect. Being inconsistent is in the very make-up of mankind. And I'm definitely inconsistent in how I think and how I act. 

Listen to what Paul said about excuses for sin: "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" Even if I can hide my sin from you, sin is always glaring to God. Saying that my sin is simply "inconsistent" with the other part of my being isn't good enough. It doesn't begin to describe how God sees my rebellion. So why is it so hard for me to see my sin for what it really is? Why can't I see that my sin mars my walk with God...that my sin is reflected like a mirror of glass for everyone to see? Like the greenhouse, my life reflects my beliefs. Shouldn't I be incensed and outraged at my own sin? Like the neighbors of the greenhouse, shouldn't I be protesting and writing letters to change the result? 

                                                                   

But there is another way...perhaps not easier, but more effective. You and I can decide to dismantle that part of ourselves which is ugly and out of place. After allowing this dark and ugly part of our character to remain for so long, it will be quite a project to take on. But it must be done. And as LaGard says, "Pain by pain, if necessary." A thoughtful image. Tomorrow I'll give you more on the dismantling process in which God and Jesus give us help. 

Have a great weekend with Spring peeping through just a little...just enough to tease our spirits. But we'll take it!

Blessings...Mimi      

  

Gargoyles & Idols ~ 2

A good Sunday morning to you all! The weather is once again cold, but sunny here. There is so much going on in the world that I believe we have to steep our hearts and minds in God's word to find our way. And so today  I'm going to put a finer point on the lesson from Chapter 25 of Meeting God in Quiet Places: the Cotswold Parables by F. LaGard Smith, simply because there are so many good thoughts to be had about worshiping idols. There are gods we don't recognize--money, food, television, sports, politics, or maybe even a religion that doesn't have much to do with God--anything that you put in the place of the one true God.

That has always been the problem. Think of Moses, who had delivered the children of Israel from slavery in Egypt by parting the Red Sea, as he was on the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments. The Israelites were down below, worshiping a golden calf! And then there's Isaiah, who talked about a man who worshiped a god, which--like the gargoyles--he had made himself. Here is the scene he portrayed:

~

Half of the wood he burns in the fire;

over it he prepares his meal, he roasts

his meat and eats his fill. He also warms

himself and says, "Ah! I am warm; I see

the fire." From the rest he makes a god,

his idol; he bows down to it and worships.

He prays to it and says, "Save me; you are my god."

Does this man in Isaiah have something in common with the men who put gargoyles on churches? They don't see that there isn't any security in any god that they have created themselves--that they are trusting in their own weakness! LaGard has something to say about this, and I quote: "Never in our own time have paganism and Christian faith been so muddled together! Never have we as a society been more keen to hedge our spiritual bets, whether through the pluralistic acceptance of all religions, or through worshiping Mammon, the god of shopping malls, or even for literally worshiping ourselves!"

~

What is the end result? These "faith-substitutes" take us backward to ignorance, superstition, and spiritual darkness. And listen to LaGard's evaluation: "Given their ability to deceive us into thinking that we are secure when we are not, our gargoyles are more grotesque and menacing than we might ever imagine! Worst of all, they drain away our faith, leaving us more alone and fearful than ever before." That isn't a good prospect, is it? We end up trusting in our own fearful emptiness.

  Do you trust other gods or the power that created this?

So where can we put our faith and trust? We can be like the psalmist David, who proclaimed, "I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust'." And when we trust in God alone, there is no terror too great, no illness that we can't face, nothing in this world can happen to us that we can't overcome. Gargoyles in whatever form are empty and powerless and cannot save us. But in sublime contrast, our God is alive and offers security and salvation!

Have a wonderful day, but give some thought to whether you have built up idols in your life. If you have, take time to destroy them and trust in God.

Blessings...Mimi

Gargoyles & Idols ~

Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. Jonah 2:8

Notre Dame Cathedral

Today we're in Chapter 25 of Meeting God in Quiet Places: the Cotswold Parables by F. LaGard Smith. LaGard is looking at the gargoyles on St. Michael's church in his village and wondering why they're on a Christian church. But whether the gargoyles are on the facade of St. Michael's, Notre Dame or Westminster, they are a grotesque and menacing sight. Why are they there? What do they mean? 

Well, basically the gargoyles on the churches in London and Paris---as well as other places around the world--were put there to resist the evil in the world; each  one a talisman against the devil and his evil works of darkness. Unfortunately, they don't work. What in the world were the architects and churchmen thinking? No one and nothing protects us from evil except God! Why are Christians worshiping in houses with gargoyles on them? Is someone hedging their bets in regard to their security against evil forces?

Remember the old television show that asked: Who do you trust? Have you thought whether you're trusting in God or something else? Maybe you're hedging your bets by adding a cross or some other  idol to your life. The psalmist David had something to say about idols:  

                                                       

They have mouths but cannot speak,  

eyes, but they cannot see;                                        

they have ears, but cannot hear,

nor is there breath in their mouths,

those who make them will be like them,

and so will all who trust in them.

We have "In God we trust" on our money, but do we really trust in God? Or have we made an idol of something else? For the Israelites making their exodus from Egypt, it was a golden calf. For fear of vampires, there's a cross. For the pagan Goths, it was gargoyles--and evidently Christians as well. But there are other things we depend on to bring us security--something to fall back on in hard times: job security, credit cards, an insurance policy or pension fund. Or maybe it isn't just something material. It could be dependency on friends--the right friends and associates, of course. A college degree is dependable, isn't it? Support from our spouse is always there to depend on. No matter what you place your faith in, you must decide whether it's genuine security or counterfeit. 

Look at Israel's misplaced trust: they put their trust in horses, chariots, and political alliances and had a rude awakening. All their military strength failed them because "they did not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord." They had their priorities mixed up and they lost. Do you trust in God or in burglar alarms, security patrols and handguns? Handguns are a big item in today's world. I even know a preacher who makes guns one of his identifying marks. What does that say about his faith? 

LaGard says: "The problem with putting our trust in anything other than God is that it shrinks our view of God's infinite power. The specific details may vary, whether it's insurance policies, or handguns, or even relationships. But the real problem is that we worship a god too small." And he continues in the next paragraph, "Whatever is not of God is a gargoyle. Whatever is not of faith is only thinly masked paganism. It might as well be a wooden idol!" Hmmm...something to think about today. I'll add a little more tomorrow.

Have a wonderful day with the family!

Blessings...Mimi

Compassion from Five Black Cows~

My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise renews my life. Psalms 119:50

Funny title! But it has significance with the idea presented in this 24th chapter of Meeting God in Quiet Places: the Cotswold Parables by F. LaGard Smith. These are parabless which remind us in a wonderful way how life really works...how God works in our lives to comfort our broken hearts and bodies. So I'll tell you the story of the cows who seemed to feel compassion for LaGard's injury.

LaGard tells about stepping down with his right leg on a long piece of wood which he wished to break in two. Well, not only did the wood give way, but also his right knee. He thought his walking days might be over. Gingerly making his way home, he rested his knee for a couple of days before testing it with a view to caution. Walking stick in hand and limping like an old man, he slowly made his way from his cottage to a nearby equestrian path leading to the next village. His knee was still very painful, and he decided that it was time to see a doctor. He struggled on carefully until reaching a path that lead back to his village. Going from one field to another, he climbed over an easy stile and found himself facing five black cows. 

Now these weren't strange cows--they were very familiar. But the odd thing was that they had never paid LaGard the least bit of attention in all his previous walks. But on this day, the cows stopped their munching and watched his bent body and halting steps. Then--to his amazement--the five black cows began slowly following him in single file. They had never done this before, and he felt that they were saying, "Let's walk with the old guy for a while." 

                                                  

Completely engrossed in making his way, LaGard heard the sound of cows running toward him. Turning around, he saw the five black cows rapidly bearing down on him. They were evidently bored with his limping pace and had decided to run a while. But when he stood his ground, they skidded to a stop, and began playfully butting heads. 

LaGard turned back around and started to walk away. At that moment, he realized that he could walk again! There was still a little pain, but basically he was back to normal. He praised God and hoped the story of "sacred cows" wouldn't turn his village into another Lourdes. And he couldn't help wondering what he would be thinking if he had said a prayer for healing as he crossed the fence into the field of five black cows. Would he have given credit for his healing to a divine miracle? And he had to ask himself why not? And, in any case, he was extremely thankful to God that his knee was healed. 

This is a very long chapter, so I'm going to break it into three parts rather than two. Since I've given you the basis of the story/parable, tomorrow you'll have some thoughts about healing and comfort. Stay tuned for the rest of the story!

And have a wonderful day with the family!

Blessings...Mimi

   

The Value of Sheep Droppings & You ~ 2

Usefulness is a good word to contemplate when you aren't sure about your own value. We're looking at chapter 21 of Meeting God in Quiet Places: the Cotswold Parables by F. LaGard Smith. And the first concept to grasp is that if sheep droppings are valuable, so are you!

We live in a society that compares one person to another constantly, giving prizes and awards to those deemed fit for the honor. But it's a skewed view of who we are and how valuable each one of us is. You can change that perception by finding gifts which God has given to you and you alone. It could be that we take too many of them for granted. So I appeal to your honesty in evaluating your gifts, which are so badly needed by others. I say this because God needs you wherever you are, doing what you do best!

To help you find your personal gifts, let's look at the example of Moses when the Israelites were in a battle with the Amalekites. Moses' job was to hold aloft the staff of God. And as long as he held the staff high, Israel would win, but if he dropped his hands, Israel would begin to lose. In our society, we'd all look at Moses and say how wonderful, brave, strong and super he was. And we'd ignore the two men who helped him save the day. Aaron and Hur saw that Moses' hands were dropping. And the story goes that "When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up--one on one side, one on the other--so that his hands remained steady till sunset." Perhaps we're too proud to hold up someone else's hands, but if you've ever needed support, you can appreciate the value of Aaron and Hur. Because of what they did, the battle was won. Is there something you can do to support someone in trouble, or someone who's hurting?

                                                                    

Yes, we love our super heroes! But in the end, who was more useful in winning the battle? There were soldiers and generals in the field with bravery and courage. There was Moses with the staff of God, leading his nation. And there were the two men whose only job was to hold up the hands of Moses. I think we can agree that they were all important and all played a part in winning the victory. If any one of these men had neglected his part, the end could have been disastrous. Think about this when you find yourself feeling useless and without purpose. Sometimes "holding up hands" is the most important job you can do!

Even your body is a lesson in usefulness. Every part of your body has a purpose--big or small, each part is vital. Think about this: "If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be?" In the eyes of God, "those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor." Just because the values in our society are upside-down doesn't mean that we can't turn ours right-side-up. In heaven, the first shall be last and the last shall be first. The point is: No matter what your gifts are, they are important--maybe even vital! 

                                                                                                                                                         

God has given each of us a mission, and whether you visit the sick, comfort your neighbors, or share God's message with someone, everything you do is of value. Who doesn't enjoy remembering the way Esther saved her nation by bravely approaching the king under threat of death? And, like her, who knows but that you have been brought into the kingdom "for such a time as this"?

LaGard says: "Whenever I start to think that I'm useless, or that my life is a total waste, I remember that 'the whole duty of man" is to 'fear God and keep his commandments'. If I did nothing more than worship and serve the Creator, my life would be worthwhile." Hold on a minute...I bet you hadn't remembered that one! So simple and yet so profound. Make that one of your affirmations this week!

And if you should forget again that you have great value, think of sheep droppings. They will reassure you that your Maker doesn't want any part of His creation to go to waste--especially you!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Blessings...Mimi