Our Goal

"So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it." (2Co 5:9)

I awakened this morning with this thought in mind: "We make it our aim to please Him."  I had to look it up. A biblegateway.com keyword search found the verse. Paul is talking about being away from the body or in the body.  To be away from the body is to be with the Lord. To be in the body requires faith to gain confidence that, no matter what, the Lord is with us.  He has given us the Holy Spirit as a foretaste of, or to use Paul's words a guaranteeing "deposit" on, our heavenly home.

Because Paul knows he will spend eternity with the Lord, he lives his life according to what pleases the Lord. He urges the church to live consistently with the kind of things we will experience in heaven. Sin will be no more in heaven, therefore we do not sin.  When we fail we seek reconciliation with God and continue on trying to live a life pleasing to our Father in heaven.

Paul wants the church to recognize that when Christ Jesus died on the cross, we all died with Him. And when Christ rose from the grave, we all were raised into new life as new creations with Him.  We are to understand that we died to our old bodies controlled and harassed by selfishness and sinful urges and raised into a new body free from the power of sin by the greater power of divine grace.  With grace at work in us we can resist sin at every turn.  Christ have made us free.  We are not helpless.  His victorious power displayed in His perfect sinless life and upon the cross is a power that now resides in the heart of everyone who has faith in Jesus.

So why then do so many believers fail to lead lives pleasing to God?  Why is the divorce rate inside the church as bad as it is outside the church? Why do pastor's commit adultery and run off with another cheating their spouses?  Why is pornography consumed by both men and women in the church at alarming rates? Why are there scandals and ugly politics ruining the reputation of God's children?

The answer is simple.  We are looking at what is seen as a means for self pleasure and not at what is unseen as a means to gain the enduring life God offers through faith.  We are living like Jesus' death and resurrection is of no value other than a consolation that we will get into heaven when we die for simply believing God forgives.

Paul writes at the end of 2 Corithians 4, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2Co 4:17-18) There is real life is inside of each one of us.  If only we would go there for fulfillment, we would learn that walking by faith in the unseen Lord who lives in us is true to who we are and who we are becoming. This is eternal life: to deepen our knowledge and experience of Christ within us through the Spirit.

Saying it and living it are two very different things. All week I've struggled with the old self, the former person I used to be, a slave to my body's cravings.  I am not perfected.  Yet Paul's words compel me to believe in Christ's all surpassing power within me to become who He raised me up to be.  I am dead to the old self and alive to Christ.  I live not as a slave to my former self, but I live for Christ who died for me.  This ideal keeps me in the game.  This thought changes me. I am not alone in this struggle. Christ, the victorious One is in me.  He will give me the victory at every turn when I yield to Him.

So I make it my goal in life to please Him and not myself. In gratitude I long to please God my savior.
Foods that I long for must wait. I long to please Jesus more than I long for certain foods.  Deep down that is my heart's truest desire. I often fail to live according to this desire to please God because I focus on what is immediately seen or experienced. 

There is real wisdom to this discipline of self-denial. It forces our bodies to yield to the Christ made new creature within us.  We begin to see and experience in a very real way the war going on inside between the old fallen creation and the new creation. I am being made new every single day. What a thought!  While my aging body reminds me of deteriorating health and abilities, the Spirit within me reminds me that I am the new creation, a new man in Jesus Christ.  As I live to please Him, I am growing into my new life that lasts forever. I am growing out of the old mortality because it is begin swallowed up by Life! (2Co 5:4)


Lord Jesus, thank You for dying for me and rising for me.  Thank You for making me a new creation!  Help me, empowered by Your grace through the Holy Spirit, to live a life pleasing to You. Help me to forever keep this goal in mind that my heart and my mind and my body might be set free to pursue Your holiness unfettered. In Your Name, Lord. Amen

Barrabas

“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.
   “Barabbas,” they answered.
“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.
   They all answered, “Crucify him!” (Mat 27:21-22)

Yesterday I was part of our after school program's chapel service.  The kids were lead through a short version of the stations of the cross. Our first station was Jesus before the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate. The governor didn't want to execute Jesus because he found nothing in the accusations against Him deserving death.  The politics of the situation, however, led him to sentence Jesus to death by crucifixion.  He even tried to let Jesus go by an old custom to show clemency to a prisoner during the Jewish holy season of Passover.  He offered to release Jesus, a man who claimed himself King of the Jews, or Barabbas, a thief or murderer or possibly a zealot who killed Romans. The crowd called out for the release of Barabbas.

The thought occurred to me that Barabbas represents something for us all.  He is brute force.  He is self will. He represents our desire to do what we will.  Barabbas wanted liberty for Israel from the hand of oppressive Rome and he was willing to use any means necessary to fight them.

Jesus represents the path of obedience to God.  Jesus did not want to die.  He asked God to let the cup pass from him the night before.  Then He prayed, "not my will, but Thy will be done." (Mat 26:39) The way of Barabbas is the sword and fist.  The way of Jesus is the cross; to suffering for the gospel and dying at the hands of evil men silent and humble like a lamb led to slaughter.

Adam and Eve had a choice between obedience to God or following their own inclinations. They chose to follow their inclination to eat of the forbidden fruit at the seductions of the serpent.  They lost paradise. 

All of us make these kind of choices all the time.  Will I do it God's way or my own way?  Often we don't even ask the question. We don't pray and wait for God to direct our steps. We just act on impulse and inclinations. God save us!


The choice of the crowd reminded me of my inclinations of late during this fast. I want to eat what I want to eat. I'm bored with this fast.  My inclination is to cancel my vow to God to fast all through Lent.  I even had a dream last night that I ate fried chicken on Good Friday!  The very day my Lord died for me and in my subconscious I am abandoning Him for fatty foods.  God would have me honor Him with this time of staying close to Him through self-denial.  He offers me life through the way of the cross.  Those who deny themselves find their life. Those who try and grab what they think they want out of life end up losing. (Mat 10:39)

Lord, forgive my selfish inclinations.  The heart is full of sinful thoughts and disobedient desires.  Thank You for acting to save me from this sinful heart. I hold out my heart to You. Wash me clean with Your blood and fill me with Your grace that I might have the strength to persevere unto life eternal. Amen

Dull

"The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!” The manna was like coriander seed and looked like resin.  The people went around gathering it, and then ground it in a hand mill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into loaves. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. (Nm 11:4-8)


I'm in a funk.  Everything seems dull and empty to me.  That's an overstatement, but I am somewhere in that vicinity.  I am not feeling depressed or sad. I just feel...dull.  And I am looking for something to spice up my mood.  Food is often a choice to alter my mood.  A great big fat fried tenderloin sandwich from the Friendly Tavern sounds great right now.  But I just ate fruit.  My stomach is full. 


In general I sense that I have "bottomed out" on this Daniel Fast.  I am not as enthused as I once was.  I appreciate learning to eat differently.  I have enjoyed the fresh foods and the renewed energy.   No, my need is deeper.  I don't need food.  I need God.  But in my prayers, God is silent.  I know He is there and listening.  Somehow that doesn't help this feeling of dullness to lift.  I am in a familiar place where I want to run to old habits for solace. I am fully aware that diversion is not the answer. Waiting on God patiently is the answer.


I have to laugh at myself.  I have stopped blogging because I don't feel like I have anything to offer.  I am not inspired, not impassioned, not feeling anything.  "Do the right thing, Scott, and your feelings will follow!"  So here I am writing again.  All I have to say is, "I'm with the rabble."  


The rabble was the group of complainers and grumblers who made life miserable for Moses and tended to affect negatively all of the children of Israel as they made their way through the wilderness. They grumbled for water, for food, for Egypt where their life in slavery was at least something they knew and understood.  This wandering around the desert for 40 years was just not a good time.  It was scary. It was uncertain.  It required trust in God to lead and provide.  It was a daily test.  At least in slavery they knew they what to expect.  Following the cloud of the Lord with Moses was an adventure with many dangers and unexpected challenges.  The barren wilderness made them want to surrender their freedom and return to slavery.


I am amazed at myself.  I am with the rabble. I want to return to slavery to salted fatty foods.  I want food fixes to my spiritual cravings.  I am resisting the call to wait on the Lord.  I'd rather not.  I want out of this place and I'm feeling fidgety enough to go back.


The rest of the story in Numbers 11 is that God gives the rabble exactly what they are pining for...meat.  Moses told them God would give them meat everyday for a month. They would eat meat until it comes running out their nostrils and they loathe the sight of it! (Nm 11:18-20)  As they ate, a plague stuck them and many died.


Sarah Stout, our nutrionist, reminds us each week of the health threats in all the processed foods we tend to eat.  We are obese, diabetic, heart unhealthy and cancerous.  Our aggressiveness may also be tied to diet.  Americans are slowly eating themselves to death.


If there's one thing I've gained from the Daniel Fast it's open eyes.  I see the health risks and yet, like the rabble, I want to return to those foods that enslaved me and harmed me.  I am an alcoholic in recovery. I know all too well the power of substances as a means for comfort and security.  While I haven't had a drink in 14 years, I know I'm in a place where I could fall.


Thank the Lord of His word that reminds me who I am and where I am heading. I am heading to promise and fulfillment in Christ.  Should I turn back I would perhaps die wandering around looking for something elusive that I never find.  But thanks be to God, I know Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. (Jn 14:6) Those who wait on the Lord renew their strength. (Isa 40:31)


Lord, It is Your grace I need every hour.  Keep me close and don't let me fail You and those I love.  I am fully confident this dullness will pass and Your hand will keep me safe from my old habits.  Thank You for loving me through this wilderness.  Even though I may grumble, I know You are seeing more in me than I can see in myself.  The wilderness is a place to learn lessons and pursue Your perfection through trusting You every step of the way. I have not suffered to the point of shedding blood. (Heb 12:4) Jesus, keep my eyes set upon You. Amen.


Sing with me:


http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/n/ineedteh.htm

I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

Refrain:

I need Thee, O I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
O bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh.

Refrain

I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is in vain.

Refrain

I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.

Refrain

I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;
O make me Thine indeed, Thou blessèd Son.

Refrain

Pruning

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful." (Jn 15:1-2)

I cut back a big bush along side the driveway at my home. It was getting so big it was scratching the cars as we pulled into park. You had to let people out in the street before you pulled into the drive. Elsewise they had difficulty getting out if they sat on the passenger side of the car.

We trimmed the bush way back, like 30% of its former size. I hoped I hadn't killed it. I hoped it would grow back in full at its reduced size. As I watch, parts are growing while others still seem to lie dormant. The thought crossed my mind that God and that bush know what to do to survive and thrive.

As I continue this fast I sometimes feel unimpressed with my progress or my spiritual life. My mistake is to make this about me. I have lost some weight. I feel more energy. I believe I am thinking more clearly. But I sense I've bottomed out on any deeper benefit.

I continue to pray for others, but I have no breakthroughs to report other than one encouraging story which might lead to a breakthrough. In sales an agreement to go deeper into a relationship with a company offering services is a breakthrough of sorts and that happened this week. It's not money in the bank, but it's encouraging.

As I wait and watch the bush and it's slow progress, I realize that I am making progress and my prayers are as well. It's slow and tentative. I moves in some ares, but others lie dormant. I think the bush and I can trust our bodies to God. The Father who prunes us knows how to make us thrive.

Dear Father in heaven, thank You for pruning me, cutting back on fruitful areas to make me more fruitful. I wait on You with hopeful expectation to see what You have planned for us. Help me to be content in my waiting. Help me to enjoy waiting on You so My strength might be renewed. In Christ, Amen.

Patience

"For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." (Rom 8:24-25)

Maybe it's the tan from being out in the sun that brings a contrast between skin tone and hair, but my beard is really starting to look good to me. I began growing a full facial beard since the beginning of November. It was all part of supporting our director of youth ministries, Jon Ellegood, in his "No shave November" fun thingy. He didn't need to wait over four months for his beard to come in full. Granted with black hair the beard looks full much faster. Within three weeks his beard looked full. My blonde beard takes a very long time to come in full.

This is the first time I haven't given up on it. My chin beard grows fast and full, but the hair on the cheeks grows in patches. There are lots of bare spots. It s very discouraging and makes me feel somehow lesser. Several times during these four months or so I have considered giving up and shaving. But since I joked about keeping it through April I have hung on to it. I did No Shave November, Dirt-Faced December, Just Go With It January, Fuzzy February, Manly March and... wait for it... Amish April!

I am glad I kept with it. I am starting to like the way it looks. I may keep it longer since it took so long, but probably not. This week I've been struggling with the fast. I feel myself wanting to eat meats and ice cream and drink coffee. I have great natural substitutes, but I really miss feeding my cravings. I begin to say, "What will it hurt?" I haven't quit, but I've wanted to.

My beard finally coming into its own reminded me of what Paul says of hope. Who waits for what he already has? If we hold onto hope in yet gaining our God's promises, we wait for it patiently. Paul is speaking about the greatest promise: resurrection and the new creation. That is way better than a beard! And God offers a foretaste of this bright future through the gift of His presence in the Holy Spirit.

The desire for this future is great and yet I am tempted to partake of short term satisfactions in earthly delights. There's nothing wrong with enjoying this earth and it's goodness. God models that is enjoying His work of creation by seeing it was "very good." He rested and enjoyed the day of Sabbath. We are also to enjoy the work of our hands and celebrate life along with the Lifegiver. My spiritual efforts are lacking and my cravings are pointing to that fact.

But patience with myself and a willingness to wait out this time of self denial will bring a fulfillment of sorts for things hoped for. I hope for a closer walk with God. I hope for health and balance. I hope for God to act to bring breakthroughs into the lives of people around me. And I hope for God's will to be done in the life of His church that we might shine for Him and build His kingdom by adding new hearts.

Lord, teach me patience and humility to wait on You. I need Your grace to support my desire to keep this holy fast. With You all is possible. Amen

Suit Up!

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Eph 6:10-11)


I haven't been focused on weight loss during this fast.  I have tried to keep my head in spiritual matters and let the flesh be flesh.  It is my spirit that hungers and thirsts for righteousness.  I have had a number of persons mention that I've lost weight.  I cannot deny that I feel lighter. So I finally stepped on the scales to see.  I have dropped 15 pounds.  I put on a pair of slacks that I had become too bulging around the middle to wear.  They fit a little snug, but they fit.  That feels good.


However last night I was watching a little TV and ate several rice snaps dipped in red pepper humus. It was the munching ritual I wrote about a few days ago.  I gained a pound back.


Munching while watching TV is a family tradition going back three generations when the first TV was made available to the public.  I was four years old when I accompanied my father to go and buy our first TV set in Oakland City, Indiana.  I remember the pride and joy he and mom seemed to feel and we brought it home and hooked it up to the rabbit ear antennae.  The munching ritual soon followed.  We weren't the kind to eat dinner in front of the TV, but popcorn was eaten by the gallon!


I write about this because I am feeling stupid for the undisciplined munching that I did last night.  Oh sure I can say to myself "It's all natural." And it is, but my body didn't need it.  And now the devil is guilting me out over it.  


The devil's schemes are fairly simple.  Anything he can do to take our focus off of Jesus and move us down the easy path to destruction he will use.  Why not use natural goods that are good for me in tasty delights that satisfy the salt and munching habit? And in addition, why not use the focus on weight loss to discourage me when one pound is gained?  I will lose it today most likely.  I know in my sane mind that we can fluctuate in weight 3-5 pounds in a given week.  But in my head, the devil's playground, I feel like I have lost.  


Balderdash!


Stand firm in the the might power of God! That's the encouragement of the apostle! It was the verse of the day on www.biblegateway.com.  I have a tendency to be too quick to judge myself harshly. I try to protect myself from this kind of thinking by playing it loose as if I don't care.  But I do care and I do suffer from poor self esteem when it's bad enough.  You could say the devil is beating me down, although I am helping him when I drop my eyes away from Jesus and His glorious presence and power.


So this morning join me in suiting up in the power of God.  Be strong!  Be courageous! Stand firm against such attacks on our hearts and minds.  Enjoy the discipline! And share in God's holiness through this continued fast and season of Lent. 


Lord, my spirit is willing most days.  My flesh is weak every day.  I need You every day, every breath.  Help me to live a disciplined life that is fruitful for You and the kingdom of heaven.  In Jesus' name. Amen.

Temptations

"After Jesus had fasted for forty days and forty nights, he was starving. ³ The tempter came to him and said, “Since you are God’s Son, command these stones to become bread." (Mt 4:2-3)


I have mentioned this passage early in the fast.  I then focused on Jesus' resistance of the devil's temptation by quoting the law of Moses.   "We do no live on bread alone, but on every word out of the mouth of God."  Today however I am coming at this story from the perspective of the tempter.  I'd like to turn this soup into a steak.  I'd like to turn this broccoli into a fried tenderloin sandwich.

The Harry Potter films popularize magic.  With the wave of a wand or the chanting of a spell or the right potion one can move objects, change their shapes and and even cause another to become lovesick or worse.  It's a good thing God has not entrusted me with His powers of the powers of fantasy magic.  I would be selfishly enjoying making the world just the way I want it.

Ever see Bruce Almighty with Jim Carrey?  He had God's power and made a royal mess of the world.  Why?  Because He is only a mortal and doesn't have God's perspective nor His ageless wisdom.  He did  exactly what I would do, serve myself.  After I get me mine, then maybe I'll think of serving others.

Thank the Lord for salvation, for His example and His compassion given to us who trust in Him. Through Christ m selfish inclinations are redeemed.  I become aware of the world and its need for love, hope, faith and salvation.  I join God in His saving work through the church.  I share good news. I encourage.  I pray for the downhearted and broken.  I attend to the needs  of those whom God leads me to serve.

I am not bragging on me, but rather Christ within me!  It is He who has done anything good. Apart from Him I can do nothing.  With Him I can do all things....except turn this soup into steak or this broccoli into a fried tenderloin sandwich.  I can do all things within God's holy will with Christ strengthening me and within my creaturely limits.  I can't fly or breath under water except through technology, but God can make my heart less interested in savory meats and more interested in what He offers, freedom and life eternal.

Last night at our gathering of those keeping the Daniel Fast, one of our group pointed out that temptation comes when we are doing something good for God.  When we are on the right track and doing fruitful work for the Lord, that's when the devil comes knocking.  That's a neat thought.  I'm on the right track.  May I not be an easy pushover, but resolved in the way of holiness, purity and life.

Lord, You resisted the devil with scripture.  Help me to enjoy freedom from my cravings an selfish tendencies. Place Your word in my heart and my mouth that I make resist the temptations to serve myself and not Your holy plan for my fast and my life. Amen! Lord Jesus, Amen!

Viewpoint

Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the LORD showed him the whole land—from Gilead to Dan, ² all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, ³ the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. ⁴ Then the LORD said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.” (Dt 34:1-4)


This passage intrigues me today.  I looked it up because I realized today just how close we are to reaching our goal the embrace of God through the completion of this fast.  Easter is 19 days away!  I feel like Moses on Nebo peering across the Dead Sea and The Jordan River Valley and seeing the Promised Land for the first time. By the description God would have to had given him supernatural sight or else the mountain was higher and the air clearer than it is now!


Moses looked from that viewpoint and saw the future of God's people.  He also looked back and saw that God had promised to Abraham all those centuries ago an inheritance, with land, a multitude of descendants and blessings on the flock and the fields.  


I too look ahead and see that Easter and the end of this special time is drawing near.  New Life and resurrection are the next season.  How will we live differently into the season of Easter?  Will we maintain the holy habits we've practiced?  Will we slip back into unhealthy habits?  Will live like nothing happened?  Will we seek new territory in God's promises?


And I look back. God has been faithful all the way through this fast.  Even when I failed, He kept me.  It doesn't seem like Ash Wednesday was that long ago, but it was near 30 days ago.  God has acted powerfully in the lives around me and in my own heart. 


If I like Moses died today from this view, I think I would die in peace.


Lord, I thank You for Your promises, Your faithfulness and Your willingness to provide.  Amen

Drugs and other Stuff

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.(Eph 5:15-18)

I was chatting with a friend over lunch today and we got on the subject of alcohol and drug addiction. We are working on a music project in the studio. Some say drug use makes artists more creative. My friend disagreed. He's heard mixes from engineers who were under the influence and they may only sound good to someone on drugs. They didn't cut it for him.

I used to be all about mood altering. I became an alcoholic after years of drinking. And I know I tend to use music and movies as mood altering or mood catering substances. I have a friend who has his movies categorized by mood, not genre, but the desired emotional state. If he wants to laugh he watches a comedy. If he is feeling melancholy there are films for that mood. His wife left him. But he's still got his movies.

There are all kinds of ways to cater to your mood. You can try to change your emotional state through activity or diversion. You can deepen your emotional experience by trying to stay in it. Listening to The Beach Boys works for me when I want to capture the "good vibrations" of a sunny day.

Food can be a mood altering or mood catering substance. Today, while watching my friend work over the sound board, I felt the need to munch. Mind you, I wasn't really all that hungry. I ended up eating several handfuls of mixed nuts and raisins. It was an emotional thing. I was idle and munching meant activity. It brought me comfort.

Being mindful of emotional needs is a good thing. Emotions point to needs for love, fairness, safety and purpose. But to feed the emotion with a substance short circuits any self discovery and leaves us stuck in unhealthy cycles. What was I really needing when I decided something to much was a good thing? I suppose it was because I was not doing anything in particular. It's a good thing it was natural food. You should see what I can do to a bag of Tostios corn chips.

Paul says to "be careful how you live." He was guarding the church against immorality, greed, obscenity and impurity. While eating mindlessly isn't any sin you will find in the bible, I think this passage is one of a few that apply to our fast. Eating these pure foods on the Daniel Fast should be a means of grace, not a substance to abuse.

Just as drunkenness leads to loose behavior, unbridled munching, even on pure foods, leads to a cycle of dependence on foods to comfort the emotional need of the moment. Much of my eating has been driven by not paying attention to what I truly need.

Lord, help me to slow down and listen to my body, Your temple, and discover how you want me to spend the moments of my day. When I am idle, let me learn to enjoy simply being with You. Let Your love be more than enough. In Jesus' name. Amen

Framed

"what are mere mortals that you are mindful of them, 
   human beings that you care for them?" (Psa 8:4)

Today my family and I went for a Sunday drive down to Brown County State Park.  It was a gloriously beautiful afternoon with temperatures in the upper 70's and low 80's.  This unusual warm snap in the middle of March has brought revival to the plants, trees, and sidewalks. Trees are in bloom. Bushes are flowering.  People are outside enjoying God's green earth.

But in the park where concrete is at a minimum, the trees remain asleep.  We sat at the West Vista Overlook and saw miles of brown.  Only a few pines and evergreens brought color.  It was still beautiful, though.  Nature is beautiful and inspires poetry, song, life and love.

We've been eating natural, the way Adam and Eve did with fruits and nuts and plants.  I don't know if they cooked or used olive oil, but we are enjoying all natural foods as we seek to walk intimately with God, as did the first couple.  This fast has made me feel alive and aware.  The toxins are leaving me.  My mind is awakening.  My body is gaining energy.  I am lighter and livelier.

As I set there noticing the contrast between the blue sky above and brown landscape below, I was taken in by the picturesque clouds. My daughter Erika is in a creative writing group at church.  I told her, "now would be a good time to read a poem."  She asked "which one?"  "Anything having to do with nature," I replied.  She mentioned she had one she had written for our family's first dog, long since gone. That wasn't going to add to the moment.  I told her to look at the clouds.  They are perfect like the kind you see in paintings. And on the spot she composed this little, but powerful poem.

Blue Hills
by Erika Lynn Tyring

We, as creatures, cannot fathom God's creation
We feel we must compare it to things we know
We think these painted clouds belong on a canvas
But the world is God's canvas
And I am in His frame


The psalmist wrote of the majestic ways of our creator in Psalm 8.  He wrote of the glory of the heavens with moon and stars. In the sight of such awe-inspiring beauty he wonders, "What are humans that God cares for us?"  Why has God made us a little lower than angels and put us in charge of this planet, with its vast array of animal and plant life?

In another place the psalmist wonders at his own body.  Humans are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psa 139:14)  He is amazed at God's intimate knowledge of him.  God sees all. God knows every word on his tongue even before he speaks.  And yet... God cares.  God cares.  Even in the grave God is there.

A good, well chosen frame brings out the best in a work of art.  The unframed painting is nice, but a frame makes it pop and draws out its content.  God has His eyes on us. We are framed in Jesus Christ who brings out our best.  Our Father God chooses to see us through Jesus and His love.

I walked the streets of Nashville and did a lot of praying as I saw ice cream shops and smelled fried chicken, steak and other treats.  I wanted them.  I considered just for today to break the fast and enjoy foods I have denied myself.  The thought quickly left me as I prayed, "Lord, You are all I need."

I thanked God for the beauty of the earth and the joy of knowing His faithfulness.  I interceded for a few friends and continued to enjoy the afternoon.  I enjoyed the day, not simply for sunshine and vistas of natural beauty; but because, as Erika wrote, the unfathomable creator has us in His frame.

Dear Lord, How majestic are Your ways!  Your hand on my life is too wonderful.  Thank You.  Keep me ever hungering for what You have to offer.  Amen.

Oatmeal Again!?!

Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah. (Mat 1:17)

This morning I ate my oatmeal, but felt a little ungrateful.  I wasn't satisfied.  I still wanted something else. Perhaps an apple.  Still hungry. I ate a handful of nuts.  And I am still not satisfied.  I slow down. I feel the food in my stomach.  It feels full, so why am I not feeling satisfied? Something is incomplete.

I opened my bible and read the beginning of Matthew's account of the gospel.  It begins with a genealogy of Jesus from Abraham the first to call on Yahweh, (The LORD) to Christ (The Anointed One).  It's one of those boring unsatisfying lists.  It's boring unless... you know the stories behind the names.

For instance five women are referred to in the genealogy.  That is very uncharacteristic of Israel's lineage lists.  Tamar was a daughter-in-law to Judah, one of the twelve sons of Jacob.  Jacob prophesied on his death bed that the scepter would never leave Judah, meaning kings would come from his descendants.  Tamar's husband, the son of Judah, died.  So did his brother who took Tamar as his wife as was his lawful duty.  Tamar was denied any sons.  So she waited for one of Judah's sons to grow up and give her sons, but Judah never allowed this to happen, fearing that he would lose another child through a marriage to Tamar.  So Tamar dressed up as a pagan shrine prostitute and tricked Judah into sleeping with her.  This lead to the birth of twins of which the younger Perez becomes the ancestor of King David.  His twin Zerah had burst his arm out through the womb first and a red string was tied around his wrist to mark the babe as firstborn, but then he pulled his hand back into the womb and out came Perez. (Gen 38)

Rahab, the prostitute of Jericho who hid the Israelite spies Joshua had sent, was spared during the siege on her city. She married an Israelite named Salmon and gave birth to Boaz.  Boaz  married Ruth the Moabitess who showed great love and loyalty to her Bethlehemite mother-in-law Naomi.  Boaz and Ruth are the great grandparents of King David.

David committed adultery and murder in the case of the wife of Uriah the Hittite, Bathsheba.  She is not mentioned by name.  And of course Mary, the mother of Jesus, was married to Joseph from the line of David. She was pregnant by some kind of spiritual hokey pokey.  Joseph didn't buy it and was going to divorce his betrothed.  Only when he was visited by an angel in a dream did he believe that she was innocent of adultery.

I can see all this scandalous stuff behind the names.  Both men and women failing to meet God's holy requirements.  And yet, God is at work in them and through them and their many generations.  All through the lineage of good and bad kings God remains faithful to His work to redeem Israel and the world.

His work was complete in Christ, the messiah.  Matthew notes 6 sets of 7 generations between Abraham and Jesus.  I see the pattern of creation. In six days the Lord created the heavens and the earth, but on the 7th day God rested making the Sabbath a holy day.  In some sense Matthew is noting through the ages a work of re-creation, of salvation.  After 6 sets of 7 generations, God brings Messiah into the world.  Messiah announces the year of the Lord's favor, an age of grace.  It is akin to Sabbath. The work is complete and a holy time of joy and restful repose dawns.

Back to oatmeal...if I am not satisfied with a stomach full of wholesome food, my need is not physical.  It's spiritual.  Oftentimes in life we are not satisfied.  Even when we have everything we need, we feel like something is missing.  That something is the first thing. Truly it is the ultimate need for all humans.  That need is God.

And this boring unsatisfying list of names points to the quiet and wonderful salvation work of our God. Underneath ordinary and imperfect lives, the Lord is piecing together His plan.  I find that satisfying.  When my eyes are too big for my stomach, when I am feeling unfulfilled, may I always be reminded that God is up to something wonderful underneath the names and the ordinary things.  I find this hopeful, exciting and deeply satisfying.

Funny!  I am not hungry anymore.

Lord, thank You for oatmeal and names and ordinary days and duties.  Thank You for the wonderful works You do among us ordinary folks.  Thank You for bringing Jesus and opening heaven to us all through this Sabbath generation, this age of grace. Amen.

Blessings

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." (Eph 1:3)

The verse above opens Paul's letter to the church and begins a litany of spiritual blessings to the all who are in Christ.  Allow me to list them.

Chose us
Holiness
Blamelessness before God
God's love
Adoption as God's children
Grace (Glorious, that is)
God's Generosity
Redemption
Forgiveness
Riches of God's Grace
God's wisdom
God's understanding
Revealed mysteries
Unity in Christ with all things
We are the object of God's work
Predestined to be for God's praise and glory
Hope in Christ
Sealed in the Holy Spirit
Included in Christ
Hear the Word (Gospel)
Salvation
Truth
Promises Fulfilled
Guaranteed inheritance in Christ
Enlightenment
Hope in our calling
Eyes opened to God's riches
Divine Strength that conquers death
The Authority of Christ Reigning all things

It's quite a list.  I can't comment on all of them individually, but I can say, "Wow!"  Paul was pretty passionate about all that God does to bless His people. Count your blessings. Look at what you have in Christ!

I have a treasure trove of life experiences friends, books, movies and music, photos and other possession I've acquired over time.  When I count my blessings I often think of these relationship and pleasures.  But Paul mentions none of these.  God blesses His church with cosmic universe shaking actions in Christ.

Paul has seen the light. Everything is different because of Jesus.  He sounds like he has found the greatest of all treasures as he goes on and on for three chapters about what God has done in Christ.
God has made known that through Jesus all He had been doing in Israel would now bless all the world.  The world is a new place in Paul's eyes because of Jesus.

I remember my Walk to Emmaus experience.  I left that weekend with my attitude adjusted, my eyes and heart wide open.  My encounter with Christ and His church made me new and therefore everything was new.  New possibilities existed because the creator had touched my life.

The gifts the Spirit of Christ pours into our lives far outshine the fine things of this life. They are gifts that never lose their splendor.  The deeper we go into enjoying the blessings of our life in Christ, the more our eyes are open and our lives enriched.

My stomach is grumbling and the sun is shining. I'll grab lunch, but there's a hunger that on God can fulfill.  May my eyes and heart be open.

Lord, bless You!  Bless You for blessings upon us through You great love in Jesus Christ. May we all  take full advantage of the riches of heaven You pour out into our lives.  Amen

Riches

Whoever loves money never has money enough;
   whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.
   This too is meaningless.

As goods increase,
   so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owner
   except to feast his eyes on them?

The sleep of a laborer is sweet,
   whether he eats little or much,
but the abundance of a rich man
   permits him no sleep. (Ec 5:10-12)

Another selection from Ecclesiastes chapter 5 draws my attention to wealth.  Wealth is a double edged sword.  Our Daniel Fast small group meetings with Sarah Stout on Tuesday nights have made this abundantly clear.  We are driven by the achievement of wealth in this country.  We are wealthier than most people on the planet, most people in history. And our dining choices are affecting our health.

I live comfortably. I always have.  My parents raised me in comfort. We knew how to work and how to save and spend.  I bought my first car with cash because I worked and saved up for it.  But since my graduation from college, I have lived differently.  The 1980's were a time of immense prosperity. Some have called it the "greed" decade.  I adopted the mentality of the culture, "pay somebody else to do it."  I left behind manual tasks around the house after a while.  I lost my confidence in figuring out how to fix things that break. The frustration is too great.  In addition since Michele and I both work. We don't really cook that often.  We heat and serve or we munch on snacks or we go out.

What I am pointing to is that we've adapted to the culture of convenience.  We have the means to pay someone else so we can do what we do...work and create wealth.  The pursuit of wealth is not the goal of life for either one of us.  It never has been.  We've never worked to amass a fortune.  If we make more we tend to spend more just like the good little consumers the market trains us to be.  A Dave Ramsey course would say we should be good stewards and set aside 10% for God, 10% for savings and the rest on expenses.  We haven't practiced exactly that discipline. We give a set amount to the church and other charities as our tithe.  We are generous to others when called upon. And we do not worry about money.  I sleep at night.  We've always been cared for.  So it makes it easy to stay in a culture of convenience.

The writer of Ecclesiastes causes me to think about my relationship to God and the wealth He has entrusted to me.  I am grateful. I am happy that I am not restless or anxious over money and possessions.  Yet I know I could be a better steward.  I am trying not to feel guilt over the comfortable life I enjoy. I am trying to hear God through this look at wealth.

"Sweet is the sleep of laborers, whether they eat little or much." (Ec 5:12a) 

On this fast I have been eating much good food.  I am grateful for the bounteous nature of this country. And I aspire not to riches, but to joy in the Lord and joy in the good things He showers upon me and mine.  And so I find goodness in creation and in my life as a creature of God.  I can say "Amen" to the closing verses of chapter 5 of Ecclesiastes.

"When God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart. (Ec 5:19-20)

Lord, I am so aware of the gifts You shower upon my life.  I am keenly aware of the want and need of others, especially those who live in underdeveloped nations and live in poverty their whole life long.  Yet they share the joy of living in Your love just as we wealthy ones in America.  Thanks be to You for occupying our hearts with joy in living.  I praise You for family, friends, health and wealth.  Teach me to be a good steward and live openhandedly to my neighbor.  In the name of the One who surrendered all, Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Vow

"When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it." (Ec 5:4-5)


I opened the bible this morning to a particularly pertinent and timely passage.  Ecclesiastes is a favorite of mine.  It is part of our scriptures wisdom literature.  The book is wise and smacks of authenticity.  Anyone who has lived for very long begin to wrestle with the kinds of question the writer did some 3000 years ago.  If we die what is the purpose being alive? What's the point all all our work, sweat and aspirations if none of this really matters in the long haul of eternity?  Perhaps we draw the same conclusion.  Life is meaningless...without a right relationship with God.


In the Today's New International Version translation the chapter heading for Ecclesiastes 5 is "Fulfill Your Vow to God." I could stop right there.  In fact the writer urges concise and measured speech when one is before God in the temple.  "Many words mark the speech of a fool." (Ec 5:3)  There's enough in this chapter for me to write for the next three days.  But let me not appear a fool and be brief.


Have you ever been so excited and passionate that you made a promise you later regretted because you found it impossible to keep?  I wonder if the Daniel Fast feels that way.  I did the fast originally to be supportive.  Then I moved to seeing it as my opportunity for spiritual growth.  Then God helped me to see what this fast is really about.  The Daniel fast for me is about what God wants to do in the lives of others around me.  So I pray. 


I have to admit, though, that my resolve is weakening.  I am beginning to think about when this fast will be over.  What will be the first thing I eat?  The popcorn at the movie theater is a real temptation.  I always eat popcorn during a movie.  That's been difficult.  Yesterday the movie theater folks assured me the popcorn had no additives and they popped it in canola oil.  How do they get the yellow color on the popcorn?  They didn't know.  I wasn't convinced.  But I really thought about eating the popcorn.


I made a vow to God to keep this fast during Lent.  I am doing this for Him out of reverence and love.  Why then am I in a hurry to get the fast completed?  Why am I not enjoying this time set apart with Him?


The writer says "a dream comes when there are many cares." Later he writes, "much dreaming and many words are meaningless." (Ec 5:3, 7)  Perhaps I am in love with meaningless habits.  So I daydream about them.  Perhaps there are many cares on my heart that I am not revealing to the Lord or  to myself in prayer.  It is certain that I am not spending more time with God than before the fast began.  Might I be the fool the writer warns about?  I do not wish to be unwise.


Lord, how foolish I can be.  You continue to open the door and I like a finicky cat look around elsewhere and pause sniffing the breeze before I choose to enter.  Thank You for Your long-suffering patience.  Help me to attend to meaningful habits.  In Jesus' name, I pray.

Servant Leader

"Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.” Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.” (Ne 5:1-3)


Nehemiah was appointed governor of Judea by the Persians and commissioned to rebuild Jerusalem after the Babylonians had destroyed the city.  He exhibits in this chapter the kind of servant leader God desires for His people.  Famine had struck the land and hard times were upon the people.  Nehemiah was entitled as governor to taxes and large portions of food for him and his household.  Because of the suffering of his people he did not take advantage of this perk.  He lifted that burden from the people.


In addition Nehemiah confronts all the nobles and chief officials in the land who had been seduced into luxury.  They were part of the problem. If debts were to be collected from families who couldn't pay, they confiscated land or took their children as slaves and sold them to pay the debts.  The poor people of Judea who had an inheritance of land given them by God were being robbed by their own countrymen! 


I'm sure it never occurred to the rich noblemen that they were selling out their own countrymen.  They were just practicing good business.  But God calls for a different arrangement. God calls for mercy and a covenant community that cares for all its members.  If some "have not," the "haves" give to them.  They do not lend at interest, nor take control of their possessions for profit.  They simply give in order to help a brother or sister in the covenant community.


Nehemiah inspires me.  He had a true servant's heart for God's people.  He saw their need and acted to fulfill them.  He raised the bar for all "the haves" to serve the needs of the "have nots." He reminded them all of God's vision for the holy community.  We take care of each other and honor God.  God will take care of all of us if we are keeping His commands and loving our neighbors.


Lord, help me to be the kind of person who uses my abilities to serve Your people.  Thank You for leaders like Nehemiah who serve with a humble heart and who do right by You.  Make this Daniel Fast an opportunity to serve others.  Amen.

Water

"He (The LORD) makes springs pour water into the ravines; 
   it flows between the mountains. 
They give water to all the beasts of the field; 
   the wild donkeys quench their thirst. 
The birds of the sky nest by the waters; 
   they sing among the branches. 
He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; 
   the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work. 
He makes grass grow for the cattle, 
   and plants for people to cultivate— 
   bringing forth food from the earth: 
wine that gladdens human hearts, 
   oil to make their faces shine, 
   and bread that sustains their hearts." (Psa 104:10-15)


We've been drinking lots of water during this fast.  Yesterday I could not seem to drink enough.  I was very thirsty and my throat felt dry.  Am I fighting an infection?  There are a lot of sick people around.  Head colds, viral infections and pneumonia are hitting a lot of folks.  Or was it the fact that I had a big baked potato with salsa at Applebee's?  I'm aware that the body treats potatoes like sugar.  So my body thinks I've eaten sugary foods and stores the starch in the same way.  Sugar can make me dry.


Whatever the reason, I am thankful for water today.  Water is cleansing.  Water is life-giving. The human body is mostly water.  Water washes.  Water nourishes.  But water also destroys.  


Psalm 104 is a celebration of The LORD our creator.  The psalm includes a reference to the great flood at the dawn of creation. Not Noah's flood, but a primordial flood.  In the ancient mind there was nothing but waters, the chaos that covered all the earth before the earth was formed.  God rebuked the waters and they fled.  He assigned them places to go and never to return.  God speaks and the chaotic waters run to where He commands.  This makes a safe place for the earth.


God causes water to spring up from the mountains and water the valleys giving life to all its creatures through plants, trees and the like.  Our food comes from the earth which God gracious tends by sending water.  Reading the psalm in its entirety I get a sense of gratitude and amazement.


So often we take life for granted.  We take water for granted.  When the water shuts off at home because the supply is begin worked on by the city, we can run to the grocer and get bottled water.  But when drought hits the forest and the plains, the wildlife are terrified.  Life is threatened.  It wouldn't take but a few of our modern conveniences to be denied us and we too would panic.  Unless of course we had the faith of the psalmist who recognizes the generous nature of The LORD.


I don't think I'll look at water in my glass quite the same or bemoan that it's not a coke or beer.  Water is life generously and abundantly provided by The LORD who delights in all He has made. He cares.  Perhaps I should be more grateful.


Lord, thank You for caring for us, for all Your wonderful creatures.  Help us always to enjoy the gift of life and return thanks to You.  May we be refreshed by every vegetable, fruit, nut and seed and with every drink of water knowing that they come to us from Your loving hands.  Amen

Set Aside

"Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” (Jnh 3:9)


I have said it out loud a few times and I don't think I am wrong in my thinking.  I do believe I am hearing God correctly.  God's purpose for my Daniel Fast is to work His grace in others' lives who are around me.  In the two weeks of this fast so far I can recount four stories where God has acted.


The second day of the fast I received a call from I colleague I know in professional music. Our relationship has only been a year long and it's been strictly professional.  I wouldn't say we were friends.  However that changed.  He opened up to me deep about some things in his life. I felt privileged  and honored.  I prayed with him over the phone.  The last time I saw him he hugged me.  Our relationship is now deeper and more like friendship.


I have a project for church that is not funded. I got one person to give me a major donation to support the project.  I was speechless.  That was the first week


This week one of my friends experienced a major breakthrough in his marriage.  He said they had grown apart with child rearing, but one day while celebrating the Lord's Supper at church, he felt and she felt an overwhelming love for one another.  It has changed everything.  They are now experiencing a new romance, a second honeymoon.


And just yesterday one of my friends had a breakthrough in his consulting career.  He opened up an account that he had not previously been able to penetrate.  It can lead to a mutually beneficial relationship for both he and his potential client.


Wow! And it's only the first two weeks of the fast!  I am blown away by God's activity.  It makes me want to pray all the more for my friends, family, and church.  


Jonah preached to Nineveh to repent for God had decided to destroy the sinful city. The king of Nineveh ordered a decree for all to fast and weep in sorrow in sackcloth and ashes in response to the the prophet's warning.  It was a sign of their desire to turn from their tyrannical ways and turn to God.
He hoped that God might take notice and relent of the destruction He had planned for the Ninevites.  


God did show mercy because of the fast and the repentant hearts. And a prophet of Israel learned a lesson about God's compassion for all people, not just Israelites.


So I too continue my fast in earnest and I pray for family friends and the church and this world.  Who knows what God will do? Perhaps He'll take notice!  I quake at the thought of knowing He is without a doubt noticing, listening and moving powerfully in the lives of those around me.  I feel humbled and honored and blessed to serve His compassionate will in this way.


Lord, Thank you for answering my prayer. I am glad to know what You want from this fast.  I set myself aside for You and all You want to do for others.  Work Your wonderful will.  I join You and am amazed.  Amen

Eyes Wide Open

"Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes." (Ro 10:1-4)




I opened my bible to Romans 10 this morning.  I looked at the chapter heading and said to myself, "There's nothing here for me to comment on about the Daniel Fast."  Boy, was I wrong.  Something inside prompted me to read anyway and test my intuition about this passage.  Paul is discussing why the Jews have not accepted Jesus as Messiah.  Their unbelief in Jesus is the topic.  Why is it that God's chosen people, His elect, have not believed in God's only son who He sent to save them?  By rejecting Jesus they reject the salvation offered through Him.  


But as I read I began to read it way differently than ever before.  I can only say that because of my fasting God is blessing me with a keener sense of His Word this morning.  I was filled with delight.  I got the God bumps all up and down my torso.  How pleasing it is when the Lord speaks!


A fast is a ritual.  A fast is a restriction for religious reasons.  A fast is a holy action of the faithful to set themselves aside in holiness for the holy God.  In some sense it is law.  It is an act of obedience.  I read this passage as if I were a Jew.  I am keeping a ritual fast.  I am following a religious tradition.  


Paul awakens in me a realization that no amount of fasting will accomplish any holiness, righteousness or goodness in me.  Let me qualify that statement.  Following a strict fast does not give me God's holy nature, God's righteousness or God's goodness.  I may indeed improve my god consciousness, goodness and right living through a practice like a fast, but it will be on my effort and my limited resources.  In the end I will not even come close to God.  As the scripture says, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Is 55:9)


No amount of law or ritual or tradition keeping will yield what God offers in Jesus Christ.  Belief in Christ Jesus is an acceptance of God's grace, His merciful act to give us all salvation through the cross and resurrection of His Son.  Grace is pure gift.  It cannot be worked for. It cannot be purchased.  Grace can only be received with gratitude from the generous and loving hands of our God.  What the law intended to produce, a people who would reflect the holy nature of God and bless the world, Jesus accomplished in His own life. Therefore Jesus is the completion of the work of the law of Moses.  The law did in Jesus what it was meant to do.  


Now that the work of the law is complete and the goal of the law is met in Jesus, God shared the holiness of Jesus, the holiness of God, with all who accept Him as their Lord.  The gift of Jesus is free for all. What can be attained through the gift is eternal life.  Breaking the law of Moses brings death.  But since Jesus never once broke the law of Moses, He becomes the means by which we all enjoy His freedom from death, for there is no condemnation for all who are in Christ. (Ro 8:1)


My prayer time, bible reading, worship attendance, service or mission hasn't increased in intensity.  I am attending to these disciplines with the usual pace, a little here and a little there.  I still break fast occasionally.  My efforts are not herculean.   If my sharing in God's nature were based on my efforts, I would be truly lost in sin and dying.  My failures during this fast, though small and insignificant to some human eyes, negate me from entering the most holy place.  But thanks be to God! My sharing in His holy nature is not based on my effort.  I share in His nature because He has chosen to generously give to me His holiness by Christ Jesus living in me through faith.  I trust and know Jesus because “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart...” (Ro 10:8a)


My eyes are wide open this morning knowing that God is speaking anew through passages I thought had nothing to offer me today. God surprises are the best!


Lord, thank You for Your grace, Your choice to save me.  Thank You for Jesus.  Thank You for sharing His achievement, His victory with the whole world.  Make us all worthy of the gift.  Amen.