Your First Words

When someone asks you to pray for a friend of theirs and you don’t know the person, what are the first words you say in your prayer? Do you ask God to cover the person with prayer for the situation they are experiencing? Do you say what you were asked to pray for and ask God to grant it? I have changed how I pray for people I do not know personally. It is easy to pray for someone I know and to ask God to give them healing or strength, or whatever they are needing in that moment. But when it is someone, I don’t know, I ask God first if they are a Christian. If they are a Christian, then I ask God to give them strength, healing, wisdom, or whatever I have been asked to pray about. But I also ask God that if they are not a Christian to give them many chances to come to Jesus, that is first and foremost important in my mind. God uses tragedies and crises to bring people to Him. Far too often it is the only time they will think about God. The second thing I pray for is the person who has asked me to pray for the one I don’t know. That person can have an influence in the situation that I can’t have. So, I pray for wisdom and strength and opportunities for that person to be with the one in need of prayers. Then I pray for the person and their situation.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:2-6, (New International Version or NIV).

We are to be people who pray. We are told to pray with thanksgiving in our hearts. I count it a privilege to pray for others. My prayers are not long, rather they are concise and to the point. I talk a lot of things over with God in my prayers and they come all day long rather than waiting until one specific time to pray. I watch for things to pray about, and I am thankful for the many answers to my prayers. But I think that when praying for someone I don’t know, but have been asked to pray for, it is important to pray for an open door to speak of Jesus for the one who has asked me to pray for the stranger. You ask me to pray for someone with cancer and I will pray for them, but I will also pray for you to have the opportunity to speak to them about Jesus and to show them God’s love. Paul asked the Colossians to pray for opportunities to speak about Jesus. We can do no less.

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:5-8, (NIV).

I pray in the privacy of my home and when I drive if I am alone. I think that where we pray is important to be alone and in a quiet place. I am the only one home most of the day and so it is easy for me to pray while I am doing my daily tasks. As someone comes into my mind, I say a prayer for them. If someone asks me to pray through our church prayer chain, I can stop and do so immediately. God already knows what the need is, I don’t have to speak elaborate words to tell Him. Many religions chant basically one or two words over and over again. God isn’t impressed with that, so keep your words short to say what you are praying about.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. Romans 8:26-27, (NIV).

There have been many times when I don’t know what to pray for or how to proceed with praying. It is during those times that I ask the Holy Spirit to intercede on my behalf. There have been times when words fail me, and I know that the Holy Spirit is praying what I can’t say. This is comforting to me. I know that the prayers of the Holy Spirit will be in line with God’s will when I can’t clearly see what I am to do or what I am to ask for. Sometimes when praying for strangers, I rely upon the Holy Spirit to get my words right before God.

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17:13-23, (NIV).

Jesus prayed for His disciples. He prayed that God would protect them from Satan. He prayed that they would have joy and that they would know the truth always. Jesus prayed for you and me too, that we would also know the truth and that we would realize that we don’t belong to this world, but to the heavens. We are to spread the good news just as the disciples did. Jesus prayed for unity, and I see so many factions within Christianity these days, but unity in Jesus is still achievable. We are all part of the same body, but we don’t all have the same function (1 Corinthians 12:12-31).

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-23, (NIV).

Your first words should always be a prayer of thanksgiving to God for the opportunity to pray for another person. Pray continually in an attitude of prayer. Rejoice in all things and you will live a much brighter tomorrow.

Until next time…Katherine

When and How To Pray

I can’t help but think of the many people who have gone on to be with the Lord who helped me learn to pray. I have hinted at this several times with a sentence here or there in this blog. Prayer has become something we seldom hear people talk about anymore. Let’s delve into the subject a little. The first place to begin, I think, is with the model prayer.

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.  Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’” Luke 11:1-4, (New International Version or NIV).

The first thing we learn is that Jesus prayed often. This should help us to know that we also need to. The next thing we learn from this passage is that the disciples wanted to know how to pray. They were simple, humble men and they were not well educated in how to pray, so they asked Jesus to teach them. I never went to the people I learned to emulate in prayer to ask them to teach me. I just sat and listened to their honest and sometimes eloquent prayers. That’s how I learned. Luke records this as a private moment where Jesus teaches His disciples to pray. I think that is how it was, the disciples knew that people would be asking them to pray for them. They probably didn’t know how to handle the situation, so they asked Jesus to teach them a better way to pray.

 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. “This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:5-15, (NIV).

This passage from Matthew was part of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus is teaching a massive crowd of people how to live a better life in harmony with each other. The passage before is where Jesus teaches the people to not be hypocrites when giving an offering or helping someone who is poor. He is teaching that we are to give help but not gain glory for ourselves in the giving.  When I was younger, I would want people to know that I had sacrificed greatly to give the little that I had to help others. I am thankful I finally grew up in the Lord to a better maturity. I don’t seek glory anymore. I am always appreciative when someone thanks me, but if they don’t know it came from me that is even better.  Jesus continues this line of thinking about self-edification when teaching about prayer.

I have heard long-winded preachers pray long prayers that made me uncomfortable because of how they prayed. Have you ever experienced that? The most eloquent people who I have heard pray are the ones who are the humblest before God. You can tell that their prayer is unscripted and comes from the heart. I can see, as I’m sure all who hear them, that they are true and authentic faithful people of God. Jesus teaches that the attention-seeking prayers of people have already gotten their reward. He doesn’t want us to pray like them. When we pray, we are not to draw attention to ourselves. That doesn’t mean that we don’t talk things over with God that have to do with things we need or want. It means that the conversation is strictly private between you and your Maker. I like that too.

Jesus also teaches us not to repeat over and over the things we are praying about. He wants us to get straight to the point. I have seen in movies how the Buddhist religion chants their prayers. They sound like they are saying the same sentence over and over and over again. It seems to me that they think the more words they speak, the more they are listened to as if that golden Buddha is deaf! Well, truthfully, he is, because he’s not the one true God! So, does that mean we should never pray in public?

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:13-16, (NIV).

James is teaching that we are to pray for each other in a group setting at church with the elders presiding. I have heard many prayers in church, and some have been very meaningful to me personally. It is as if God knew what I needed to hear that day. I’m sure you have had the same feeling at one time or another. It is also a time to encourage each other and the time I am most encouraged is when someone prays specifically for me. There are times in all our lives when we are too stressed or spiritually drained and overcome with heartache to be able to pray. Hearing someone else praying for us during such times is healing and gives us strength to battle another day. Knowing that people are praying for me always gives me courage and strength. I think that small groups at church are important for connecting with each other more privately to pray for each other. We are all private people and don’t want to share before the congregation our problems, but in a small group we care about one another and that makes for a bond of trust that helps us to open up about our struggles so others can pray for us. I love that too.

Jesus teaches us how to pray. James elaborates on that teaching and so does Paul. In every letter, he says that he is praying for someone and that someone is praying for him in his ministry. How beautiful that is. I pray in public when in a small group or a Sunday School class. But I do most of my praying in private. Sometimes I let the person know that I am praying for them, but not always. I trust that the Holy Spirit will place someone in my mind for the reason that they need to be prayed for, so I do pray for them. Other times I have a list of people that I know who require prayer, and so I pray for them too. It isn’t a long, drawn-out prayer, but a simple, straight-to-the-point prayer. I have never thought of how long I pray or how many times a day I do so, I just do it. I hope you do too, for prayer is needed in our world today in so many places.

Until next time…Katherine

A Good Lesson In How To Fight Enemies

I love the Old Testament Bible stories because I learn so much about life from them.  Recently in our morning Bible time my son read to me from the book of Nehemiah.  Nehemiah was a captive slave and cupbearer for King Artaxerxes in the city of Susa.  He had a visit from his brother who had come from the city of Jerusalem which had been decimated in the destruction of the temple of God and the taking of captives many years earlier by King Nebuchadnezzar.  Nehemiah wanted to know how the Jewish people who had escaped captivity and exile were doing.  He was greatly troubled to hear how badly the city wall needed to be repaired and you can read between the lines to know that the people were taken advantage of by everyone in the area. In fact, Nehemiah was so troubled that King Artaxerxes noticed his downcast attitude and questioned him about it.  As a result, the King gave Nehemiah permission to return to Jerusalem, which was located in Judah, and rebuild the city walls, gates, and oversee the rebuilding of the temple also.  This did not make some of the local men who had been greatly benefiting from the survivor’s plight living in and around Jerusalem.  They were angry at Nehemiah and they did everything they could to stop the wall from being rebuilt.  We begin in chapter four.

When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?” Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!”

Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders. So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.

But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it.

But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.” Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.” Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.” Nehemiah 4:1-12, (New International Version or NIV).

Sanballat, a Moabite of Horonaim (Nehemiah 2), was one of the local officials in Samaria and had an army at his disposal (https://biblehub.com/commentaries/clarke/nehemiah/4.htm).  He did not want to see the walls of Jerusalem rebuilt.  One can only imagine why.  I mean, he must have had some sort of scheme going to make a profit off the misery of the Jews living there.  Perhaps he made them pay him for protection from other tribes and clans or maybe he just liked to see them suffer.  Tobiah, an Ammonite tribal leader (Nehemiah 2) wasn’t any better than Sandballat and he seemed to be rather cozy with the other enemies of the Jews.  The Arabs led by Geshem (Nehemiah 2) always hated the Jews and so did the people of Ashdod.  There is a lot of bad blood between these foes and the Jews who were merely surviving in Jerusalem.  I think most of us will find this hard to imagine because we have not lived through the ravages or threat of war on our soil and next to our cities, towns, and villages.  So we can see that trouble is brewing for the workers and when the scriptures say that the enemies were mocking the workers, I don’t think it was just with words but also their words backed up with action.  There were probably nightly raids, sneak attacks, and the like going on but I love Nehemiah’s response.  He prayed.

The first line of defense when going up against some evil foe is to pray.  Nehemiah didn’t send for an army from Susa to protect the workers, he just prayed.  I think we can all learn a great lesson from this because when you know the work you are doing is something God called you to do then you can be fearless in asking God for help.  Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Now that is a bold prayer, calling on God to punish the mockers for their evil deeds.  Wow!  I don’t hear anything about forgiving their sins in this prayer, do you?  No, when you are in the middle of a battle you need to be honest with God in your prayers and Nehemiah was certainly honest.  What happens next is typical too.  The enemies ramped up their rhetoric into action and so Nehemiah did the same.  But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. Prayer is the first line of defense and then the second is to take every kind of precaution you can for your own protection.  Every worker carried a weapon and knew how to use it, even when they went to the river to wash up or go to the bathroom they took their weapons with them.  You know what this tells me?  It tells me that they lived their life on high alert expecting the worst and preparing for it while praying to God for the best.  We can learn to do that too.  You don’t want to go into battle with just prayer but with whatever else is practical to have and in this case, it was weapons. 

Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work. From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me. Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!” So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. At that time I also said to the people, “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day.” Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.  Nehemiah 4:13-23, (NIV).

Nehemiah was a very faithful and focused man who was not easily rattled by his enemies.  He also adjusted his battle plan on a needs basis as he went along each day overseeing the work on the wall. I think that we can learn a lot from his life, don’t you?  The wall gets built and the people were safe as long as they abide in love and obedience to God.  We should do the same.

Until next time…Katherine

James Has The Answer

There have been times in my life when it seemed that my prayers were not being answered.  I have even wondered during those times if my prayers are even being heard by God.  Perhaps you have wondered this too.  Well, I have some good news and some bad news concerning this issue…actually, it is James who has the news to tell.  Let’s look into this matter of why our prayers might not be heard or answered a little more closely.

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.  James 4:1-3, (New International Version or NIV).

I have to be completely honest here.  There are many times in my life that I have seen God at work in other people’s lives and I have wondered why God doesn’t work in my life that way.  I have seen brothers and sisters get the best job or a new car or really nice home and I have wondered why I have to live in such a dump.  Aren’t I as good as they are in God’s eyes?  I have even wondered why someone else’s husband appeared to be such a good father and mine wasn’t that good of a father or a husband.  Yet others may have looked at me and thought why they couldn’t have a husband that worked all the time and provided material things for the family and wasn’t around to bother them.  Actually, God did answer my many prayers, just not in the way that I had intended, my marriage ended in divorce and he wasn’t interested in co-parenting our young son thus eliminating the problem.  But I digress!  My point is that there are times our prayers seem to be stalled out and we don’t get any answers and James tells us why.  When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.  This sure has been true in my life.  I prayed for money to keep the marital home but the truth was that I did not need it.  The marital home was far too expensive for me to maintain after the divorce.  I did not need such a large home or such a large expense.  God provided me a small home that fit my budget even though it wasn’t really what I wanted it was what was best for me and my son.  My motivation for wanting to keep the marital home was really prideful.  I felt ashamed of the divorce and I didn’t want to give up my former life or my former home because I wanted people to think I was doing well in spite of the real truth.  The real truth was that I was broken and damaged and financially going under.  I didn’t want to lose the comfort that my marital home gave.  I didn’t want to have to decide what to keep and what to get rid of from the home; I wanted to keep it all.  God saw my need and met it beautifully but it took me a few years to appreciate what He provided.  Perhaps what you are praying for is much different.  You may be praying for good health or for children to come along to make your family more complete.  Maybe you are praying that God will supply you with a spouse.  Whatever the reasons for your prayers, just remember that the answers will come, but if your motivation for asking is wrong then God will not answer in the way you desire.  Let’s see what else James has to say on this subject.

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”  Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.  James 4:4-10, (NIV).

I had never really thought of my prayers being with wrong motives and I did not think of myself as adulterous.  I am not the “other woman” and yet James says plainly that when we ask God for things out of selfish motives we are committing adultery against God.  Where does this idea come from?  Of course, it is obvious to anyone who studies the Old Testament that God called his sinful people adulteress when they turned to other gods and did not honor the one true God.  In fact, the whole book of Hosea is about the sinfulness of the nation of Israel.  James not only states the problem but he also gives us the cure.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.  As Christians, we are to have a higher standard because we have a higher calling.  We are to live as Jesus lived, and that doesn’t mean a penthouse apartment stuffed with every toy known to mankind.  Jesus gave up the comfort and honor of being in heaven to walk among us and to teach us a better way of honoring God.  We are to follow this example, to be humble and not arrogant, to be kind and not wicked, to be loving toward others and not out for what we can get from others.  James reminds us that we can’t live by the world’s standards and God’s standards at the same time; this is what double-minded means.  My grandpa used to say that you can’t sit on both sides of the fence; you have to choose one side or the other.  So it is for Christians, we have to either follow Jesus or the world and the devil is in charge of the world.  We all know how it ends for those who choose to not follow Jesus, right?  Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.  Powerful words.  Do we grieve over our sins?  I think most of us do, at least over the big ones we commit.  But do we grieve and cry and mourn when we pray asking God for something that is for our own pleasure and not a real need?  Oh now, James, you are stepping on some toes here!  But the truth is what we all seek, and this is truth being spoken here.

“Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me, since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord.  Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.  For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”  Proverbs 1:28-33, (NIV).

God does not answer prayers from people who do not fear or obey Him.  James has taught us well and we need to listen to him today.  I hope this helps you as much as it has helped me today.

Until next time…Katherine

Fear Not

According to R. C. Sproul the two words Jesus spoke most often were “Fear Not!” I think Jesus understood us humans very well. We are always fearful of something in one form or another. I mean, think about it for a moment and realize that we are pretty good at disguising our fears in many ways. Some fears are straight up and easy to spot like being fearful of what others will think of us if we: have to speak in front of them, don’t look fashionable, smell bad, are made fun of, and so forth. But others forms of fears are more subtle and perhaps you don’t really think of them as rooted in fear. What about the adult that is afraid of the dark because of a childhood experience. Or someone who fears they will become ill like their parents so they wash their hands often and sanitize everything in sight. Or the one who won’t go near a dog or cat because they are afraid they will get bitten. Most fears are rooted in some past experience but some are hard to detect the reason why. I think this is why many people choose not to do certain activities. I, for one, am first to speak of one of my fears. I won’t put myself in situations where I might be asked out for a date because I am afraid of being hurt again. I have a hard time trusting men would be another way to describe my fear. I rationalize my fears by saying that I’m too old to date and remarry or that I’m too fat to date, or I love the single life. But the real truth is that I fear being hurt so I avoid the whole dating scene. What fears do you have? How do you handle them? I know that I am a strong and courageous woman but I also know it is because I place my trust in Jesus. Let’s check out some of the “Fear Not’s” of Jesus.

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves. “But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to the courts, and scourge you in their synagogues; and you shall even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. “But when they deliver you up, do not become anxious about how or what you will speak; for it shall be given you in that hour what you are to speak. “For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. “And brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. “And you will be hated by all on account of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. “But whenever they persecute you in this city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you shall not finish going through the cities of Israel, until the Son of Man comes.

“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. “It is enough for the disciple that he become as his teacher, and the slave as his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! “Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. “What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. “And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. “Therefore do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows. “Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. “But whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 10:16-33, (New American Standard Bible 1977 or NASB77).

I wonder how the first hearers of these words must have felt. Put yourself in their place and think about that for a moment. Do you think that you would become anxious and fearful at these words of Jesus? I think I would be and yet the ending of this passage also gives me hope as I am sure it must have the first hearers of the words. To think that God knows the number of the hairs on our head! Let’s face it, some of us have far fewer hairs than we used to on our heads but God keeps track of them all. How detailed this is, how comforting to know God cares that much for us.

And He said to His disciples, “For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. “For life is more than food, and the body than clothing. “Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; and they have no storeroom nor barn; and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! “And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life’s span? “If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why are you anxious about other matters? “Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these. “But if God so arrays the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O men of little faith! “And do not seek what you shall eat, and what you shall drink, and do not keep worrying. “For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. “But seek for His kingdom, and these things shall be added to you. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. “Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Luke 12:22-34, (NASB77).

I can’t help but think of how difficult the lives of the disciples were who first heard these words spoken by Jesus. But really today isn’t any easier for many Christians.   We also face things and situations and people that make us fearful and filled with much anxiety. Yet Jesus is reminding the first hears of these words and us today that God is watching over us. God will protect us. God knows what our future is and we are secure in Jesus. I have always loved this passage because I find it so reassuring to me. There is nothing more delicate than a beautiful lily bloom and the same God that dresses the lily also provides clothing for me. Wow! That is really something to take in and ponder. Birds don’t worry about where the next day’s food supply is because God provides for them just as God provides for you and me. Wow! God knows the date of our birth and the date of our death and so we can trust that the provision of God will be adequate to meet our needs.

I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos, because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” And I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; and in the middle of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His breast with a golden girdle. And His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire; and His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been caused to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. And in His right hand He held seven stars; and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as a dead man. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. Revelation 1:9-18, (NASB77).

If you are outside of Jesus then you have every reason to fear the future and God. If, however, you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior then you have no reason to fear the future. How comforting it is to know that we do not have to live in fear any longer. God will keep His promises to us because we are covered in the blood of Jesus and have been adopted as sons and daughters through Jesus. I love that Jesus spoke of fear so much because by nature we are fearful people. Praise be to God for sending Jesus to dispel our fears.

Until next time…Katherine

When Prayers Seem To Go Unanswered

If you have been a Christian for very long I am sure that you will understand this posting. There are simply times in our lives when our prayers seem to be going unanswered. It’s almost as if our words are being sucked into a vast black hole somewhere in outer space and God never hears them.   Do not fear, Jesus knew that there may be days, weeks, even months when our prayers will be delayed in being answered. How do I know this? Take a look at what he told the disciples.

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ ” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:1-8, (New International Version or NIV).

In many ways this passage is comforting, to know that God will eventually answer our prayers. But in another way I find it slightly disturbing. The widow represents a person in distress. Widows during Biblical times were often destitute and in need of someone to take care of them. Think of the story of the widow Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth (Ruth 1:1-22) and how destitute they were. The judge represents authority and someone who should dispense fairness and help. Unfortunately this judge is corrupt and doesn’t plan on giving any aid to the destitute widow. She, however, does not give up and she continues to seek justice from the corrupt judge. Some people think she was nagging the judge and perhaps she was but she eventually got results. It’s like that old adage “The squeaky wheel gets the grease!”   She is persistent and does not give up. I think that is the part that disturbs me, the fact that she had to nag and be persistent. I would rather think that our loving God would immediately answer our prayers and give us the help we need immediately. But God’s timing is not always our timing and yet God’s timing is perfect. We live in a world that is confined to a timeline yet God lives without the constraints of time. The corrupt judge gave in and helped the destitute widow basically so that she would go away and be quiet and not bother him anymore. As Jesus says in this passage how much more will our loving Father God give us when answering our prayers. Yes Jesus ends this story with a sad remark. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth? Are we so weak that we can’t remain diligent and persistent in our faith journey? Many will become discouraged and give up.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.   And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:19-31, (NIV).

We know that Jesus is returning, we just don’t know when. We must keep ourselves pure and holy and encourage each other to continue to show God’s love to others and to do good deeds in the name of Jesus. This is not easy with so much negative, so much sin, in the world. Yet each and every generation has had to face difficult times because sin never stops being active in our world. I believe that our prayers are important for one another and I spend time each day praying for others. We need to continue praying for others as this is one way to encourage one another. We also must be patient and realize that the situation we are praying about did not jump out of nowhere. It took time for the situation to evolve into what it is now and so it will take time for God to untangle the mess. Our patience is important but so is not giving up on praying for answers. Jesus taught the disciples this important fact and so we can also learn from His teaching. The good news is that when we are hurting and worried and crying out for advice and help and relief we are not alone!

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. Romans 8:26-30, (NIV).

How comforting to know you are not alone when you are in Jesus! Keep praying, keep asking, keep looking for the answers you long for. They will come and you are not alone.

Until next time…Katherine

Hearing Jesus

I think that our world is filled these days with noise clutter. I mean it seems that everywhere I go there is noise to filter out of my hearing. Loud vehicles driving past my house, loud commercials on television, loud music everywhere, people noise in restaurants and shopping places, loud sporting events…everywhere we go it seems there is noise. I remember being a young mother and thinking that I would never stop being pestered by my children. The noise of their innocent chatter was sometimes hard to listen to. These days during this season of my life I sometimes wish I could hear their little voices again! But of course time passes and children grow up and other noises become distractions in their place. That is why I think it is imperative that we find some point in our day to sit and listen to the quiet. I like to drink tea and so often my time of resting my ears comes while I am sipping a hot cup of my favorite tea. Our brain needs a break from the constant confusion that noise brings.   Quiet is important to our souls for it is in the quiet that we can hear God calling us or we can hear what Jesus is saying or we can hear the nudge of the Holy Spirit beckoning. We can’t hear Jesus if we are constantly surrounded by noise because noise is distracting to our souls. Distracted people are neither hot nor cold against God.

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:14-22, (New International Version or NIV).

I have often thought that the description of the Laodicea church sounds very familiar. I think it describes much of the western world. When a country is wealthy enough that the people do not go hungry or naked or lack possessions there is a tendency to stop believing in God. People begin to believe that their prosperity was all their own doing. They don’t need God any longer because they already have everything that makes them comfortable so they stop hearing God’s Word and stop worshiping Him. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. Jesus is speaking directly to the lukewarm Christian but do these Christians hear Him? I don’t think many of them do or else they would repent before they are lost for eternity. These people think that they are Christians but Jesus is warning them that they are not saved. Why aren’t they saved? Because they are lukewarm, neither hot not cold. Jesus will spit them out meaning that He no longer is protecting them and they are not saved as they think they are. I fear that there are many today who are in the process of being spit out by Jesus and they don’t see it or hear it or know it. So be earnest and repent. What a stern warning Jesus gives them and us. Are we hearing?

“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. John 10:1-6, (NIV).

We must know Jesus well enough to hear His voice when He calls to us. We are the sheep in this parable and we hear the voice of our Master and we obey only Jesus. We do not listen to others who come saying that they are our master, instead we know that they are false and lying to us. We know the voice of Jesus because we listen for it. What happens over time is what makes me realize how important quiet times and listening are to our faith walk.

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:11-14, (NIV).

Our faith must continue to grow; we can’t do that if we are not listening to our Master’s voice. We must read the Bible and think about what we read and then apply what we know is right to do and we know what is right to do because we read God’s word. It is a cycle of growth, read to hear, then acts upon what we hear, then grow in our faith and then read, hear, act, grow. We can not stay at the same level of faith as when we first believed, if we do then we are forever babes in Christ and we are lukewarm and eventually spit out of the mouth of Jesus. I believe that is why we must continue to listen for God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit to guide and instruct us in our faith walk. Are you hearing Jesus speaking to you through God’s Word, through prayer, throughout daily life?

The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. Matthew 13:10-17, (NIV).

We must guard our hearts against becoming callous and continue to hear our Lord.

Until next time…Katherine

 

I Am Officially Old

It struck me this morning that I am officially getting old. I was born in the year 1955, need I say more? That was last century and I doubt that I make it to the middle of this century, at least I hope not! I can’t imagine being 100 years old. Well, I can imagine it and that’s probably why I don’t want to grow that old! Longevity runs in my family, I have an aunt who is past ninety and still living in her own home. God bless her! I had a great-aunt who lived to be 99 years old. My great grandmother was 96 years old when she passed. My grandparents were both 82 when they passed and so was my father. My mother lived to be 86 years old before passing away. So you see, longevity does run in my family. Growing old never really bothered me until I began to get phone calls wanting to talk to me about signing up for Medicare, the old folks health insurance here in the USA. I can’t be ready for that, can I? Well, yes, actually I am ready for that! But I just finished my master’s degree eight years ago!!! I haven’t even found a job yet! My son is a freshman in high school! How can I be that old already? Yet here I am! Yes, I am officially old.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, (New International Version or NIV).

I have decided to approach getting older the same way that I approach every other day in my life, by giving God the glory and continuing to pray for good health, for escaping poverty, and for my family to all be in heaven one day with me. I can rejoice because I am alive and doing well. I can rejoice because I won’t die of starvation especially with all my fat cells! I can rejoice because the sun continues to shine each morning and I wake up to see it. I can rejoice because I still have a reason to live and a job to do in taking care of my family. I can rejoice because I can see, can hear, can move around, and can be a good role model to younger women. I can rejoice because I am still in control of my brain and can think and reason and laugh and enjoy life. I can rejoice because I have made it into old age and some of my beloved family members did not have that privilege and I feel that I owe it to them to enjoy the time God gives me here on earth. Yes I can always find a reason to rejoice.

I can pray too. I can pray for people who need some prayer support. I can pray for my family that they will get on the righteous path or stay on the righteous path so that they will be with me in heaven. I can pray for people I don’t even know like all of you who read this post. I can pray for circumstances beyond my control but not beyond God’s control. I can pray for my pastors and their families. I can pray for missionaries. I can pray for the persecuted and those who live in countries that are hostile toward God. I can pray for my country and leaders too. I can pray for forgiveness and I can pray that God helps me to forgive those who have tried to destroy me. I can pray and ask God to give me a forgiving heart and attitude. I can pray God will help me to remain faithful. I can pray for wisdom. I can pray for the needs you and I have. Yes I can pray.

I can give thanks also. I can give thanks for my daily food and for good health and for a beautiful world to live in. I can thank God for the beautiful sunrises and sunsets that I see. I can thank God for the seasons and the rain and snow and watching the crops grow. I can thank God for safety and for my life and for the lives of others. I can thank God for my church and many friends who encourage me along the way. It is so easy to find reasons to thank God but what about some of the bad things that have happened to me. Can I really thank God for them?

Being the only sibling left alive has been something I have had to wrestle and cope with. When my brother died at nearly 23 years of age I wanted to die too. He was such a light in our family, such a fun loving person. And then years later my only sister died at the age of 60. Her family needed her so much and so did I! I miss my family dearly. Then there was the divorce and it was so tough on me; I still haven’t completely healed from it although I am much better than I was ten years ago when it was completed. And adjusting to living as a single Mom was pretty tough too. Watching my middle daughter go down a path I don’t agree with in becoming a transgender person has also been hard to deal with. There are so many lost dreams in my desires for her. And knowing that there are people who lie about me, avoid me or hate me also makes me sad.  Yet I know that there are those who do. Then there are all those surgeries and illnesses that I endured through the years. I suffer today from some of the after effects of those illnesses and this has caused me a lifetime of discomfort and sometimes pain. How can I really and truly thank God for the negative things that have happened in my life? How can I come to terms with the fact that all of these were a part of God’s will for my life? Yet the Bible says to give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. When I was younger I really struggled with the idea that God allows negative and downright bad things to happen to we Christians. How can we cope with this?

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, (NIV).

I realize now that the negative things in life, the bad things I have encountered, served a purpose in my life. For one thing they caused me to go to the Bible for understanding and comfort and find what the right thing to do was. The negative things I have endured made me grow up into maturity not only as a person but as a Christian. The bad made me weak and in my weakness God could mold me and make me stronger and that was not a bad thing for me. Faith grows when we have had everything else stripped away from us. Faith grows when we focus on God which is the most important thing we can do. Faith grows when we endure adversity.  Faith shows me who I really am in regard to God.

One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ ” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use? Romans 9:19-21, (NIV).

I am created by God through the cells of my parent’s body. I would not exist had God not made it so. I am here because God made it happen. I am His child because I belong to Jesus. I have come to understand that fact and accept it and appreciate it and be thankful for it. That is faith! And I do not fear getting old because God is older than I am and will take care of all my needs!

Until next time…Katherine

It’s Labor Day

In America the first Monday of September is always Labor Day, a time that officially ends summer for most people as school and colleges and universities begin their school year. It is a good time for a break, just as the hot days of summer are coming to an end and before the harvest time begins, a time for family and food and fun. We have a lot of holidays to celebrate in America and so I hope that you are spending some time relaxing and enjoying your day. I was thinking about this holiday and something came popping into my mind, something that I want to share with you all.

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:35-38, (New International Version or NIV).

Instead of thinking about our own holiday I wonder if we shouldn’t be thinking about the harvest that is in need of workers. Granted many of us are thinking of the kingdom of God and how to get the word out that Jesus is coming to judge the world and everything in it, that there is such a place as heaven and a place called hell and that souls of this world will go to the place of the master they have served in their lifetime.

Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.” John 4:31-38, (NIV).

Can you imagine that Jesus thought the souls of people were ready to be harvested while He still walked the earth more than two-thousand years ago? Should we also should be concerned today? Every generation will face death just as they have faced being born. The window of opportunity to tell people of the love of Jesus and how He died for us so that we don’t have eternity in hell is short. It is the burden of every Christian in every generation to see the fields needing harvested, to see the souls needing Jesus as their Savior.

Here are some practical things we can do this Labor Day to honor God. First we can pray and give thanks to Him for everything we have, everything! God is so generous and gives us more than we need, family, house, furniture, cars, food, clothing, and so much more. We are to be thankful and give God the glory for our many blessings. Second we can show others our attitude of thankfulness and be generous to others. Generosity isn’t just in money or possessions but it is also in our attitude. When we have a generous heart it shows and people respond even if it is only to our smile. Third we need to look for opportunities to help our community and be the one who makes a difference to those who are struggling. Perhaps all they need is an encouraging ear to listen and give wise counsel, or maybe they need something we can easily part with and fill their need. I can’t tell you how many times I sold things on a garage sale at a price that was far under the actual resale value because I felt that person needed it and didn’t have much to spend, that is one way to help others. Or give it to them for free. Clean out your closet and take the extra to one of the charities in your local community where they will gladly use it for those in need. Send some money to a missionary on the mission field where you can’t go but they are willing to go. Do something this Labor Day to show others you see them and value them and love them with the love of Christ. Don’t just sit at the lake and drink beer because you must have your own day your own way. Be generous and loving and kind and thoughtful and caring and you will never regret it!

Until next time…Katherine

Back To School

This is the first day that my son begins his freshman year in high school. I know that he will do well but I also know he is a bit nervous. Changing from elementary school to middle school was quite a change but now to be going into high school; well that is a big change in his life. It is a big change in my life as well. If I am perfectly honest I am more nervous than he is. I know that the beginning of high school means an end is coming in four short years, when he will graduate and move into the real adult world as a full time adult! I will be alone for the very first time in fifty years! Now that is frightening if I ponder it for too long. For him this is an exciting time in life as he has the tools at his disposal to succeed. However when the occasional epic fail comes along he still has a cushion of a safety net under him with teachers, coaches, pastors, and me as his parent to help him through it all. I hope he uses this time wisely to learn as much as he possibly can about life and it is my job as his parent to make certain he is completely prepared for adulthood.

Have I taught my son everything he needs to know? Does he know how to sew on a button in case one falls off his shirt? Does he know how to run a washer and dryer? Does he know how to cook so that he won’t starve and does he know what to cook that is healthy for him? Does he know how to clean his room and run a vacuum cleaner and scrub a floor? Does he know how to be responsible as an employee at his job? Does he know when to see a doctor and when to tough it out? Does he know how to show respect to his elders and to any girlfriends he might have? Does he know how to get out and meet people and enjoy conversations without arguing or becoming angry because not everyone believes what he does? Most of all, does he know Jesus? Does he want to submit to Christ in obedience and live a joy-filled life? Does he know how to drive a car safely? So many things he will be learning and some he has always learned.

At my church there are parents who are sending their loved ones off to college and some of those colleges are several states away from their home. For some it is the first child out of the home while for others it is the last one to leave which will cause them to cope with an empty nest. I was thinking about this and contrasting it with my daughter and her husband who are sending their first born to first grade this year. It won’t be long and she will be all grown up just like her mother! I know this because it doesn’t seem that long ago that I sent my daughter off to school. Life has a way of rushing some of us before we are ready to be empty-nesters. For the single parent an empty nest means coming home to an empty house and no one to talk to at the end of your day. That can be a bit frightening; at least it is for me. Can any of you relate to this?

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:1-4, (New International Version or NIV).

If you are going through an empty nest or the future of one is looming over you don’t worry! Jesus has everything all worked out for we Christians. We will one day be in a large house with many rooms where we will never be alone! We will have people who love us and care about us as much as Jesus does. I have often wondered if we will be sharing a room or if we won’t need a bedroom at all or what it will be like! Will we need a kitchen in heaven? Will we have a music room? Will we just have one huge living room where we all hang out together? I don’t really know, but I do know that I will never be lonely again. I love that! Jesus is preparing a special place just for you and just for me. Will the walls be painted our favorite colors? Will the furniture be in our favorite styles? I don’t know but I am excited to anticipate what my special place will be like especially when I consider how beautiful this world’s creation is. Perhaps my room will be filled with trees that won’t make me sneeze and have itchy eyes. Maybe my room will be filled with lilacs that never die! Or maybe I will live on a large rose petal. I just know that Jesus is making it for me and He is making a place for you too. We will be able to meet and greet each other and get to know all about each other and we won’t ever be lonely again.

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. John 14:23-24, (NIV).

Summer is almost over and many are returning to school. I think that perhaps this is a great time to remind us adults that we also need to continue to learn. Jesus tells us to listen and obey His teachings. If we want to be at home with Jesus and share that special place He is preparing for us then we need to go back to school, back to learning, back to reading our Bibles and obeying what Jesus teaches us. As I age I find the Old Testament to be so interesting and I spend some time reading it and studying it. I don’t neglect or avoid the Old Testament like I did when I was younger. There is much to be learned in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Jesus knew the scriptures and often quoted them from the Old Testament. I find comfort when reading the Bible and I find my thirst is satisfied. That is what Jesus gives to me, peace and comfort and that I don’t have to dread or fear that day not so far off when my son will graduate from high school and move into the adult world.

As school begins for my son and for so many other children, youth, and young adults, I challenge every person reading this to pray for the students that they will learn what is most valuable for their future as adults. Pray that they will build good bridges to their future. Pray that the teachers and coaches and pastors will also be good role models to the students and teach good things worth knowing about life. Pray that students will feel cared for and taught with love and compassion. Pray that educators will get along well together and work as a team for the benefit of each student they teach. Pray that everyone be safe and no mass destruction ever comes to threaten our schools. Pray that God will be honored by Christian students and that peace will reign in the classroom this year. Thank Christian teachers and pray for them because they have a tough job. Pray for each student you know and I will pray for the students I know and we will cover each student with prayers as they attend school this year and learn about the world God created through science, math, language, and all the rest. Then pray that God will open your eyes and ears as you study the Bible and learn as well for we are never too old to learn something new.

Until next time…Katherine