Safety Lesson

As I slid toward the edge of the roof, I grabbed the safety belt.  Then I realized the belt wasn't anchored so the safety belt would be no use to me and accompany me over the edge! What was I thinking when I came up to the roof?

We had just started ministry in our first church.  The church needed a new roof. The enthusiastic young pastor had a great idea- to save money the congregation would tear off  the three layers of old roof.  Sounds like fun! 

The assumption was the men would be  on the roof scraping the old shingles to the edge.  The women were on the  ground tossing the old shingles into the dumpsters.  Being a too independent female, I bucked against my assignment.  I watched the men on the roof for a couple of evenings.  I thought

"How hard is that?" 

"I'm not afraid of heights." 

"Why not me?"

"I'm going  up."

So I scrambled up the ladder without announcing my intent.  I didn't ask or inform, just took action.  I was up there for, oh, one minute and felt my feet slipping toward the edge.  I wasn't worried, yet.  A safety belt was within  my reach.  Unfortunately the belt had not been tied off so the belt became my companion, not my salvation, and slid with me toward the edge.

In chapter 1 verses 3-5 Micah announces The Lord is coming down from His dwelling place to the so-called high places of the earth.  The mountains melt like wax before Him.  He comes to combat the idolatry and oppression of the so-called high places.  The people called these high places but The Lord is higher than any high place created.

Many  times in Israelite history God has made it abundantly clear:  Do not worship false gods.  Those high places were the locations of worship to false gods.  The Israelites were doing what "everyone else was doing."  Perhaps they wanted to fit in.  Perhaps they thought they could handle the false worship as well as worshipping The Lord. Perhaps they didn't want to be told what to do, even by God.

That day on the roof, and too many times before and after, I have been just like those Israelites.  I think I know

better than rules,

better than the experienced and mature,

better than God.

I am too often just like Israel, afraid to be set apart from the world to worship the one and only God.  I rebel against His loving ways because  I want what I want. Israel and I think we can make high places, really high  places to show off.  Yet God is higher and  more powerful than anything we can think or make.

God is holy.  He  is so  powerful that those stable and sturdy mountains become like wax and melt.  He loves me so much that when I stray He will come to bring me back to safety, and His safety belts are always tied off!

Pride

Rebellion

Stubbornness

Desire

These threaten  my safety in this world.  They cause me to slide toward the edge.  Thankfully, God is with me and continues to send other "Micahs" me to guide me to the better life, with God, not in spite of God.

I learned a few life lessons that day slipping down the roof.  Check the safety equipment before you need it!  And life is safer following God rather than following my pride, rebellion, stubbornness  and/or desire. God loves me enough to put my feet on solid ground, His ground, even when I get myself close to the edge.  He is the reason I did not go over the edge that day and so many other days since!

                                                                                                                                               

The Quest to be a Better Mushroom

I was drawn to the tree stump.  As I drew closer I saw them.  A cluster of small brown mushrooms.  They were well camouflaged.  They blended into the old stump.  I pulled my phone from my pocket and snapped their picture but had no idea why!

I've started my study of the Book of Micah.  I wanted the challenge of studying one of the prophets.  I choose Micah because it is labeled as a "minor prophet" (meaning it's shorter) and one of my favorite verses is found in Micah.  Follow my blogs to find out which one!

The first verse of Micah lists Micah's credentials.  He was from Moresheth.  He lived during the reigns of Kings Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah.  The Lord's message came to him in visions.  The messages were directed to Samaria and Judah. The second verse tells me to "Listen Up!  God, the Holy One has accusations!" 

I flipped over to 2 Chronicles to read about the reigns of these three kings.  They all were kings of Judah, the Southern kingdom of the Israelites. Israel, the Northern kingdom, had no good kings.  My Marine friend in my Sunday School class used the advertising slogan for Marine recruitment at that time to describe the kings of Judah, "A Few Good Men."

2 Chronicles lists each king's parentage, length of  reign, accomplishments, failures and God's evaluation.  As I began the study of Micah I totaled the years of reign for these three kings who ruled during Micah's lifetime.

16+16+29= a long haul.  Micah's message was  may be short in the number of pages in The Bible but he preached his messages over many, many years.  Ironically, a span close to the  number of years of my own lifetime!

Then I pondered those mushrooms.  They were gone the next day.

Just yesterday in Bible Study I was reminded that God left me here on earth to influence others on His behalf.  Am I like those small brown mushrooms?  Clustered with other like-minded, so I won't stand out?  Do I look like every other believer?   Camouflaged so my message might not get noticed?  Do I have a small message of God's amazing grace like too many other believers?  When the weather changes to slightly warmer, do I disappear?

Today I want to learn from a different variety of mushroom that I photographed that day just a few feet from the tree stump.  Large, almost white and standing alone in defiance of the grass!  This proud mushroom survived several days.

The first two verses of Micah tell me to live a long life for God, to stay with God for the "long haul" of life, and to pay attention to His expectations. I want others to hear about the Big God of whom I am learning.  I want others to hear the Good News as the only way to survive this crazy life.  I'm hoping to become a better variety of mushroom, sharing the glory of God!

Head to Galilee

"Mom can go now?"  The teacher's comment snapped me out of my reverie.  It was my son's first day of kindergarten and I had become lost in thought.  I thought this day was the end of freedom, care free, unstructured days of fun.  Now our calendar would be controlled by the school calendar.    I thought my influence would diminish as teachers   became more a part of his world.  I thought  it was an ending.

I read the last chapter in Mark.  It was days ago but again I've been lost in my thoughts, pondering an ending. 

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Salome and Mary the mother of James went and purchased embalming supplies.  Early the next morning they headed to  the tomb to finish the final care of Jesus' physical body.  They discussed a obstacle. How were they going to move the huge stone Joseph of Arimethea had rolled across the entrance?

When they arrived they saw that very heavy stone moved away from the entrance!  Inside the tomb a young man clothed in white waited for them.  They were startled.  "Don't be so surprised.  Aren't you looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified? He isn't here. He has come back to life!  Look that's where his body was lying.  Now go and give this message to his disciples including Peter.  Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee.  You will see him there just as  he told you before he died!"

Trembling and bewildered the women left, too afraid to say anything. The most reliable and oldest manuscripts end the gospel here.

Talk about a surprise ending!  These women had thought hope had ended, had died.  The changes in the world hadn't quite happened as they expected.  This Good News, this really Great News shocked and bewildered them.

Some thought the book shouldn't end on just a note.  So verses 16: 9-20 were added to serve as quick summary of what happened.  The disciples didn't believe Mary Magdalene when she delivered the message that Jesus was alive.   They didn't believe until he showed up at dinner and rebuked them for lack of faith and stubbornness.  Then He gave them instructions to go and preach to all creation.  He promised they would see amazing proof of belief.  Then He was taken to Heaven and the disciples went and preached everywhere and witnessed amazing signs.

I've never liked endings, especially unhappy endings.  I would have added those verses also.  I always want to end positive.  If something has to end, I want to be looking forward to what comes next.

On the first day of kindergarten, I remembered what my mother said when asked what her favorite age of child rearing.  "Whatever age they were at the time.  I loved them all."    She knew there were more, perhaps different, good memories coming.  She treasured the past memories and anticipated the new memories.

The young man in white gave me the "clue" to handling an ending-- Head toward Galilee!  Why?  Jesus is waiting there.

When change comes the form of an ending, go to

G o on

A s before

L ed by  God

I n faith

L ong for God's comfort

E xpect God's care

E ager to see God's work.

There really are no endings with God, only more beginnings.  Whatever God leads me to, will be my favorite because, well, Jesus is waiting for me!

A sunset may seem like an ending but it's a promise of a new day, another beginning.

The Bookends

"Bookends!"  As I finished  reading Mark 15: 42-47  the word popped into my mind.  This can't be an original thought. Have you noticed that two men named Joseph were called to care for Jesus at His most vulnerable times?

Joseph, the husband of Mary, cared for Jesus at the beginning of His earthly life.  This Joseph was called to be the earthly father of Jesus.  He is the one and only person that we know the name of who was present at Jesus' birth.  We don't know much about Joseph the father.  He was an obedient man.  When the angel gave him instructions about Mary's situation, he obeyed, against social norms of that day. ( see Matthew 1:18-25).  Later when the angel told him that the child was in danger he took his family to Egypt.  After Jesus is 12 and stays in the temple while both His parents were headed home, we don't hear of Joseph the father again.

Joseph of Arimathea cared for Jesus just after He ended His earthly life.  As evening approached on the day Jesus died, this Joseph approached Pilate and asked for Jesus' body.  After the centurion verified His death, Pilate released the body to Joseph.  He bought linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the cloth and laid it in a tomb.  Finally he rolled a stone against the entrance.

These two Josephs have a few attributes in common.  They were

J ust -

O bedient - responded to God's call

S ervant - put Jesus' physical needs before their own

E xpectant - eagerly awaited The Kingdom

P roper - followed the laws of the land

H ad a small but very important role in His mission.

I ponder why these two men were selected and remembered for their common yet vital ministry.

A third Joseph answers my query.  The Joseph in Genesis who experienced betrayal and slavery at the hands of his brothers and rose to power in Egypt reminds me that God is control of the "Big Picture".  "You intended to harm me but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."  Genesis 50:20

God has The Plan.  God is in control of The Plan.  God calls ordinary people to play a small part in His Plan, even people like the Josephs, you and me.

God is faithful from beginning to end.  I have couple of other bookends that remind me of His control and His faithfulness.  The sun comes up every single day and sets every single day.   His faithfulness will continue until the very end of time.  The bookends remind me.