What Do I Know?

"because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." James1:3 NIV I circled "you know" when I read this verse. Do I know? What do I know about perseverance? I'm not an athlete or an artist who practiced or trained. I'm not sure I've worked for something for a really long time.

The story behind the curious photo: I was assigned to be the photographer at the church cook-out. When the rain came, the cooks stayed with the fire. I got in the car. Who persevered through the circumstances, me or the cooks? How do I know? I usually check The Message for a fresh perspective. “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.”‭‭ James‬ ‭1:2-4‬ ‭MSG‬‬ (Bold added by me.) I made a decision when I was 22 years old that I wanted God on my life journey. I remember standing in the baptismal water thinking "it's you and me God". Looking back, I can't imagine facing life without God. Perhaps my faith journey is the closest I've tried to endure. Over 30 years ago, I had a diagnosis of a serious disease. Amazingly, I only experienced a few of the symptoms and some even disappeared. Then 19 years ago I heard the dreaded "C" word- cancer. There were a few centimeters hiding behind golf ball sized scar tissue. A radiologist being diligent saved my life. Then again I've heard a life changing diagnosis. I continue to get good reports of a well managed challenge. I like to think God has kept my life health challenges on the small side so I can learn more about trust or perseverance. How can I be sure God is with me in those life challenges? Past experience. I judge on past actions and life choices. God is consistent so I can put my trust in His plan and His promise to never leave me alone. I need to hang with God and not try it on my own. My quick trip into my favorite reference, Strong's Concordance, gave me a bit of insight into the word "know". More than one of the definitions listed helped me. "Be sure." "Be Resolved." I conclude that I do know God has "my back" in my life on Earth. Maybe perseverance is repeating it over and over as a reminder, as an anchor for my journey. I am resolved and sure due to past experience which will carry me through my future. To be resolved is my choice to depend on God rather than risk following my inadequate planning. Let's Engage: What jumps off the page for you? Think of 3 times God has had your back? Take time to thank Him. Jot down a few words of praise for your bulletin board. What have you learned about perseverance from a life challenge?

IT

 

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds," James 1: 2 NIV

Ever noticed when one appliance is not functioning, it gets lonely so at least one other appliance joins the repair needed list?  Often life feels like we juggle many trials at once.  Our prayer for one at a time seems to be ignored. Real life is many kinds of trials.  Trials are not something we choose or schedule. Life challenges happen at the inopportune moments.  Superstitious folks think bad happens in sets of three.  Some exhale a sigh of relief when the third trial is identified.

James is a realist.  He reminds us trials of many types will be a part of life.  It's a guarantee.  James gives advice as a prelude to our experience of this fact of life.

First, he opens the advice with "consider".  My favorite study aid is Strong's Concordance.  When a word in scripture "jumps off the page", I look up the Greek or Hebrew word in Strong's to get a better understanding of the word's meaning.  A couple of synonyms (same as words) spoke to me:  Command and lead.  Consider makes me think I have to weigh options of whatever noun is coming in the sentence.  I can waiver on how I handle what comes next in life.  Command and lead remind me to be assertive, proactive and optimistic.  If I face a trial with the understanding that God will lead me through the situation, I will attain the "it."

Second, the it, the goal, the ability to endure life, is pure joy.  Handling life trials seems a strange path.  Yet the fact of life is we are not in control or command of all we see.  Life is intertwined with so many people and events.  One of Strong's description of joy gives me focus.  "Calm delight" is a characteristic I've noted in the spiritual giants I've known.  I think of it as  I Trust.

Pure joy is not cart wheeling happiness.  Pure joy is trusting assurance based on experience with a God who joins, protects and leads. IT- I Trust.

Third, "brothers and sisters" remind me God knows us so well.  He brings flesh and blood, warm to the touch, friends, sometimes closer than a sibling, to assist us with the trials of life.  He never leaves us alone.  He is with us always and so are the rest of our tribe, or family, of believers.  You recognize them by their slight smile of assurance that God is greater and the twinkle  in their eye which encourages us to IT- trust and follow God, God alone.  These people remind me of IT- I Trust.

To restate James' advice for living:  Be resolved to live through real life events with calm delight.

Let's Engage:

What Aha do you see in this verse?

Who is a spiritual giant in your life that you recognize has the calm delight?

When life delivers challenges, obstacles and trials, which member of your tribe of believing brothers and sisters will you call?

Who are you to be a brother or sister to, who needs to be reminded to trust our loving and merciful God?

I'm back!

 

Some of my ancestors

James 1:1, NIV - ’James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.”

Greetings!  It's been a while.  I've been distracted by many things since I've last written.  No excuse because the biggest obstacles are plain laziness and procrastination!  This is another attempt at  "Another Beginning", my blog.  Glad I follow the God who believes in second, third and even fourth chances.  I do appreciate grace!

I enjoy writing and formulating a point from my musings while reading scriptures. Putting aside my online Bible app, I took my faithful old Bible in my hands, hoping to find the next book of the Bible to  ponder.  Nothing really sparked my creative juices until one of the half dozen emailed devotionals lit the "light bulb" of an "AHA"!  The scripture that day came from the book of James.  James tells us to be not just hearers of The Word but doers.  I like doing. So here we go "doing" the book of James.

James is a key name in my family.  My dad and brother are James.  My uncle and cousin are James.  There are several James' in my ancestry chart!  Many children in our family have James as a middle name, like my son. 

The traditional view of the author of this book is James, the half-brother of Jesus.  I like to think of the family connection.   The author, James, grew up in the same household as Jesus (!!!!) and also has a broader view of family  as he opens his letter with greetings to the 12 tribes.  He knew who his tribes were.  I know my biological tribe of James' because of the name and relationship. Now I'm greeting my potential online tribe, whoever they are who read my blog musings.

A tribe is a social division of communities by social, economic, religious or blood ties.  A tribe has a common culture.  We can build an online tribe with the common culture of believing that Jesus' blood saves us from the penalty of our sins and establishes the opportunity to have a personal relationship with God and each other.

I am not an "old dog who can't learn new tricks!" The past year I've learned to Zoom, participated in several online bible studies and made new  friends online.  I'm .expecting new ideas and perspectives from an online "tribe".

During the past year I've appreciated the value of connecting with people online. I hope some of you will engage in discussion.  What light bulbs of enlightenment does the scripture offer you?  Leave a comment, please, or send me an email.  I've resolved to respond in a bit more than my customary one word replies.  So let's build a tribe together! (Be sure to click the subscribe link so you'll know how consistent this restart of the blog will be.  My goal is once a week. OR send me an email and I'll personally let you know.)

LET'S ENGAGE

What word or phrase jumps off the page for you?

What is your favorite greeting? ( I had a friend who always asked me "What did the Lord teach you today?"  I tried to be ready with an answer whenever I knew I'd be seeing him.)

What has the Lord taught you today?

T he

R eason

I

B log:

E ncourage Endurance with Excitement for THE Eternal.

Am I Part of The They?

 

Am I part of The They?

I felt badly for the little fellow. Been there and felt the same way. An outsider.

It was the beginning of the mating season for the jackass penguins.  The penguins were pairing up for the season.  The single bird watched as the pair of penguins hopped up the rocks and entered the opening of their own little cave to multiply the species.  Seconds after the pair disappeared into their dwelling my single friend hopped up the same rocks and entered the same cave.  Immediately, he was booted from the nesting place  and literally bounced down the rocks to the ground.  Rejected. 

We've all been in a similar situation.  So desiring to be included yet excluded.  Yearning to be one of The They.

We and They conjure feelings of inclusive and exclusive.  The need to belong fuels our quest for inclusion and  makes the bite of exclusion very painful and personal.

"I came so they might have Life and have it abundantly" is my theme verse to discover the meaning of Abundant Life. 

Examining the next word in John 10:10b, generate the questions, "Who was Jesus addressing when He spoke these words?"  and "Can I be a part of that They?"

As John 8 begins Jesus was teaching in the temple courtyard.  He engaged in a theological discourse with the Pharisees, the religious leaders of the day.  He leaves.  As He walks He notices a blind man  and heals him.  The newly sighted man is called before the Pharisees for an explanation.  The healed man gave an upsetting testimony so they expelled him from the synagogue.

 

“Jesus heard that they had put him out [of the synagogue], and finding him, He asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

John 9:35 AMP 

https://www.bible.com/1588/jhn.9.35,41.amp 

 

Without getting theological, psychological and sociological, lets' stop and relish the words, "Jesus heard....and found him..."  Consider the impact of Jesus' actions.  He responded to the single person excluded by the religious leaders. 

What must the Pharisees thought? Who is this guy to challenge our way of life?

The disciples? This will get interesting, be ready to exit stage left!

The average person in the on looking crowd? Would this Jesus come find me, please?

 

Here's the good news. This Jesus will, and has already come for you.  in a very personal fashion Jesus sees something within me, you and all the rest of The They.  That something is our need to belong and have relationship with God and others like us.  He cares so much He came, died and rose to make the way.

 

“He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we’ve learned: that there’s one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus, who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free. Eventually the news is going to get out. This and this only has been my appointed work: getting this news to those who have never heard of God, and explaining how it works by simple faith and plain truth.”

1 Timothy 2:4-7 MSG  Emphasis added.

https://www.bible.com/97/1ti.2.4-7.msg

 

The earthly world divides us into We and They. Jesus includes and joins.

Am I part of the They in John10?

Yes.  All includes me, and you.  Everyone includes me and you.  No longer to feel like the rejected penguin. Jesus, The All in All, notices you and me, hears us and finds us.  

To So or Not to Sew

 At last!  I'm able to continue  my blog journey of The Abundant  Life. I'd signed myself up for three online Bible studies.  (What was I thinking?)

My theme verse is a fraction of  verse 10 of John 10, "I came so they might have Life and have it abundantly."  The plan is consider each word to discover the meaning of Abundant Life. 

The world's interpretation of abundance is accumulation, control and visible. This view is quite enticing and seems so available.

Here's a recap of what I've discovered so by mediating on each word.  Abundant Life is more of Jesus, not worldly stuff.  Abundant Life is eternal, not temporary.  Abundant Life is about following, not trailblazing.  Abundant Life is for our benefit and fills our deepest needs.

"I came so..." I've been pondering the word "So."  (Hearing the word "So" brings visions of my glorious new sewing room. 

 

I'm being brutally honest with this photo of my untidy room.  Be kind.... creativity is messy!  In my room,  large pieces of fabric are cut into small bits to be sewn into particular patterns to create intricate designs. 

Some ask, why cut large pieces of fabric into small pieces only to sew them back together to make a large piece? My answer to this why: It is my expression of creativity. The process gives me enjoyment, satisfaction and anticipation.

As humans we long for purpose, for ourselves and the circumstances affecting us.  The why question is often the first a small human asks.  If you are a parent or have interacted with young humans, remember back to a  child whose response to any request is why.  It can be exasperating to the adult and occasionally the adult's response is "because I said so."  This   response is totally unfulfilling in the quest to make sense of the chaos in the world.

Too often in life, we ask the wrong question.  On one of my overseas adventures, an official asked me from where I was coming.  My recitation of my recent itinerary confused him.  Rather he was frustrated.  His English was limited. English is my only language.  We had a failure to communicate.  Three times he asked the same question until he had a revelation and altered his question to "Why are you coming?"  My  answer satisfied him and he welcomed me to his country.

Perhaps we don't dwell on the Why Jesus came question enough.  Today's thinking has inspired me to consider the Why. Sometimes I avoid the question thinking it a sign of doubt.  Yet today it generates anticipation.  Jesus invites me  to a unique opportunity. Jesus brings us a way of life the world cannot.  What seems to be bits and pieces  of life, He actually has a special design just for me  and you.  Jesus invites you, and me, into His creative design for life.  He can use the bits and pieces of our life, sometimes made messy by our own misdirected efforts, into a unique plan, a purpose.

 

The word "So" in this portion of verse 10 in John 10 brings anticipation  "So" is a conjunction, a joining word, an alert that something important is to be revealed. The why question will be answered.

Some ask why Jesus came.  "So" is the signal of the answer given.  Jesus came to earth to offer me, and you, not just Life, but Abundant Life.  My mind visualizes Jesus opening a door and inviting me, and you, into His abode. It's not the famous church school rendition of Jesus knocking on a door with no handle, asking to enter.  Rather it's a rendition of the Ghost of Christmas  Present in The Muppet Christmas Carol.  The giant character, whose presence swelled to fill the room,  joyously holds open the door and invites Scrooge to enter and "Know me better, man!"

We may feel like waiting for His invitation but the invite was proffered years ago.

 

“But those who wait for the LORD [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] Will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired.”

Isaiah 40:31 AMP

https://www.bible.com/1588/isa.40.31.amp  (emphasis added)

 

 

Isaiah 40:31 has always fascinated ,me.  The irony of waiting and binding together.  The definition of the Hebrew word for wait includes "to collect, bind together."  Jesus came to collect, what seems to us, chaotic bits and pieces of everyday life to join (or stitch) together to give us a purpose, a part of the master design of life.  Our role is to spend time in anticipation, hope and trust.

Sounds too simple yet, anticipation builds as I explore His description of this Life.  Remember He calls it abundant!  Abundant Life must be big, fill the room big, super-power big.  Oh right, Jesus does have super powers, like flying as an eagle, like fatigueless energy, like victory over death.

Perhaps as the Ghost of Christmas Present  invited Scrooge, Jesus invites you, and me to step through His open door of Abundant Life and know Him better, people!

Guts

 

I(Jesus) Came So...

I know how you feel.   Words I only speak rarely.  I've heard them given as token comfort. There was no comfort when I don't perceive a common experience. These words only comfort when the same or very similar experience is apparent.  I reserve these words for occasions when my gut tells me I can relate, share, bond, minister.

 

Here's a fragmented photo of my most recent celebration as a breast cancer survivor. (18 years and counting, thanks to God.)  No diagnosis  is the same but some of our reactions can be.  I do share these with those who have an inkling.  (My adorable assistant in this  photo holding the 8 fingers to add to my 10, didn't have a clue as to her purpose in the photo. Thanks be to God!)  My husband and son definitely are survivors in their own way..  They journeyed through that season with me.  They  understand and share the importance of the photo commemoration.

I'm moving on in my blog journey of The Abundant  Life and  my meditation of the fraction of  verse 10 of John 10, "I came so they might have Life and have it abundantly".(At the rate I'm writing, I'll understand Abundant Life when Jesus comes back.!)

When I was a child a local religious organization had outreach TV commercials that opened with the phrase "The word for the day is...."  (made quite the impression if I'm reminded after nearly 60 years!) The word for today is Incarnation.  A dictionary would define this big theological word as "a person who embodies in the flesh...."  Remember Joseph's dream when he was told Mary would  give birth to a son who would be called Emmanuel which means God with us. Matthew 1: 23.

My brain attempts to comprehend this impressive word, Incarnation, as God slipped into human flesh so our limited human brains could just begin to understand the mystery of relationship with God.  He came in such a way so I'd know He knows.

I had a colleague who experienced a horrible family loss.  Her family thought a trip would help.  Her grief encompassed her. Our feeble attempts to minister missed the mark.   She needed the ones who shared and understood her tremendous loss.   The decision was made that she should fly home.  I volunteered to drive her to the airport.

 

As we drove she shared some details of the tragedy.   I could not imagine the pain and depth of her misery.  My gut told me I shared no such experience.  My role was to listen, let her talk and get her safely on her way to people who could comfort her. I'd delivered her to the gate for her return home.  I got in my car and drove to the nearest fast food stop.  My thought was a cold drink.  My gut was signaling---I needed to throw up.  Her bits of grief and misery shared in the past hour hit me in the guts.

 

Jesus' Incarnation reveals the depth of God's compassion. God, Himself, revealed His compassion by being in the flesh.  He felt deep compassion for the widow whose only son had died (see Luke 7:13).  The Greek word for the day is "splagchnizomai".  I  won't try to use it in a sentence. It denotes a depth of emotion which comes from the bowels, the guts, really,  really, deep. Gut feelings are as deep as you can get- gut feelings. (In Biblical times the stomach was considered the seat of emotion.)  On a gut level, Jesus knows, even when we think no one else does.  His compassion for our plights is deep, splaghnizomai deep, gut-wrenching compassion.

 

God absolutely understands.  Jesus wore the flesh of man as God Himself.  Hence my "AHA' verses in Hebrews:

 

“For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin.”

Hebrews 4:15 AMP

https://www.bible.com/1588/heb.4.15. 

 

“Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].”

Hebrews 4:16 AMP

https://www.bible.com/1588/heb.4.16.amp

 

 Only God can know how we feel.  Take comfort, friends,  when no one knows how it feels, you are never alone.  God, absolutely and completely, knows. and He is the source of compassion, straight from the gut.

 

 

G od

U nderstands

T otally

VBS

 

Virtual.  A well used word in this season of life.  Everything I experience seems to be virtual, not actual face to face interaction, but electronically based.  Church, shopping, fun.

Even VBS (Vacation Bible School) was virtual.

 My husband and I are regularly "hanging out" with the five year granddaughter during the pandemic. Her church provided a backpack full of fun and learning about Jesus.  Three days we re-experienced Vacation Bible School through an elementary kid's perspective.

One day's activity included making pretzels.  Yummy and fun.  I took the liberty to share with her my views on the care and feeding of yeast. I don't doubt she'll use said pearls of wisdom as an adult.  She remembers literally (her favorite word) everything from the time my mind wandered at a stop light when she was 3 to how any puzzle pieces Papi actually  placed in the correct spot.  She was more enthused about me using her hand to measure the salt.  Hopefully, Gammy's legacy as a cook will be useful to her future culinary adventures.

I've revisited my earliest memory of Vacation Bible School. I was just a year older than my granddaughter.  l distinctly remember it was not our "home" church and it was just down the street from our home.. I suspect we had recently moved into the neighborhood and Mother thought I'd make some friends. (Or Mother needed some "Me" time apart from my little brother and I.)  

My lifetime friends were not found that week but this VBS had a lifetime  impact. No names or faces exist in my memory bank. The clearest memory of this week in my childhood was memorizing the 23rd Psalm.  The familiar words still resonate in my crowded memory.

As I continue to ponder "I" in my theme verse, John 10:10b :  "I came so they might have Life and have it abundantly",  Psalm 23 reminds me what Jesus is to me. Just past my theme verse in John's gospel, Jesus describes Himself as "The Good Shepherd."

“The LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, to guide and to shield me], I shall not want.”

Psalms 23:1 AMP https://www.bible.com/1588/psa.23.1.amp

As a lifelong city-girl, I checked the internet for the job description of shepherd.  The Amplified version of verse 1 of Psalm 23 matched the primary roles of a shepherd of my online study, to lead the sheep of the flock to nourishment and to guard from Life's dangerous circumstances.

I was surprised at a role I expected to see listed but found missing, the economic benefit of wool production.  Finally I arrived at a section on "Shearing." The point of shearing, was not the economics  and it was inspiring!

Shearing gives the  sheep cleanliness, comfort and protection.  Shearing is for the welfare of the sheep not the benefit of the shepherd. 

·         Shearing removes buildup of manure and other distasteful matter.  Who wants to live in  smelly unclean clothes?

·         Shearing controls the body temperature of sheep.  As a mature women who has years of experience with hot flashes, I can relate to comfort of body temp.

·         Shearing frees the sheep to flee from predators.  I'm guessing flight is a sheep's first and best defense against hungry hunters.   Sheep focus on eating so intensely I think they wonder off from the flock and forget to consider their environment for potential danger.

Jesus, my Good Shepherd, has sheared me and continues to shear me, not for His benefit but for my welfare.   Jesus came to be the ultimate sacrifice and to cleanse me from my sins.   Regret is not my first choice for guiding my life.  Too often I wallow in regret, ignoring the absolute fact that Jesus has died for my many failures, faults and outright sins.  He "sheared" these deficiencies for my welfare, not His benefit.  He sees something of value in a relationship with this unclean "sheep" and Himself cleans me up.

Jesus, my Good Shepherd has sheared me for my comfort.  My ill advised life choices  put me into "hot water".  If I merely follow His guidance and involvement, I'll spend time in those cool, refreshing pastures more often.  Pasture time is for my welfare, not His benefit.  Jesus offers me a daily life of less "hot" and more even.

Jesus, my Good Shepherd offers me a streamlined life.  He offers an abundant life with simple priorities and achievable goals.  My worldly thirst for more and temporary creature comforts (the predators)  complicate my life.  How much of the Abundance of Life have I missed by refusing to be sheared of unnecessary" wool"?  Why attach so much importance to the "wool" I hang onto? The wool of the world is  full of dirt. sweat and unmentionables?

My discoveries on my inquiry on the Abundant Life:  There is the world's temporary offering of a life of abundance and then, there is Jesus'  Abundant  Life,, true, fulfilling and eternal,

There is the false abundant life this world compels us to chase OR

There is Jesus' Abundant Life, bought and paid for by the Shepherd Himself.

·         Jesus' Abundant Life is for my welfare, not His benefit.

·         Jesus' Abundant Life is gained by more and less--more relationship with The Very Good Shepherd, and less of the weight of the worldly "wool."

·         Jesus' Abundant Life is not about accumulating more worldly "wool".  Rather my life's journey allows The Good Shepherd to shear  the world's weighty wool to benefit me with a life more "amazing" than I can imagine,  Jesus' Abundant Life.

 

VBS =

 V ery

B est

S hepherd

who leads me, and you, to the Very Best Abundant Life.  Schedule more time with The eternal VBS for a bit of "worldly wool shearing" today. It's for our benefit!