It’s time to unpack the summer shoes! Well, for those of us in the Midwest, we might unpack them, but we probably won’t wear them for another month. But that’s OK; it gives us time to ease into them. You see, Midwest winters are so long that our feet forget what it’s like to wear sandals.
We can’t just jump into our strappy shoes and hop over here
I saw a post similar to this on Social Media recently:
It caused me to ponder what was being communicated. And, I have to agree with the person who posted it. Who wants a “religion” that breaks people down just so that it can lift them up? Not me! And to what does it lift us: a commitment to try harder to be good, better, or perhaps best? That’s not for me either.
But, I did an inventory:
Am I broken? No, I live in a broken world that will chew me up and spit me out. It will use me and then discard me. I have experienced that. I have also experienced holding the hands of friends who’ve lost a child, a husband, a job, self-respect, marriage, home, you name it. I have comforted other friends who’ve been broken by abortion, rape, incest, and even satanic religious ceremonies. We live in a broken world. It breaks people.
Am I flawed? Who isn’t? Ask anyone, especially the person who loves you the most, if you have any flaws. You do. I do.
Am I sinful? It’s so much nicer to ask “do I make errors or mistakes?” Yes. I do. Sometimes I lie, cheat, put myself above others, envy, or wish another person ill will. I confess, I’ve even said, “I could just kill her/him/them!”
Am I dumb? No. I have a degree. I teach. I study. People come to me for advice. I am most certainly not dumb. Well, in some areas I am, don’t ask me about math.
Am I weak? I am very strong willed! But, yes, sometimes I am weak. I cry when I miss my dad. I cry when I think of my children moving hundreds of miles away. Sometimes I don’t want to get out of bed and face the day. I don’t have all the answers. I shy away from having to say hard things to people. I can’t open pickle jars anymore.
Am I nothing? No. I am a teacher. Writer. Mother. Wife. Sister. Daughter. Friend. Cousin. Mother-in-law. Grandmother. I am something. I make a difference in other people’s lives.
Then, there’s the science side. Science answers questions, but it doesn’t give me value or worth — except that the elements of my body are worth $4.50, (we might round up to $5 if you count my skin). There is a mathematical formula for beauty, but I don’t think my face measures up. I know my body doesn’t.
How can science tell me I am full of wonder? How do you measure wonder? And, potential for greatness? How can that be measured and on whose scale? Smart? A great learner? Not everyone is smart, not everyone can learn.
To those of you who have been beaten down by “religious” people, please accept my apology, and allow me to tell you about the God of the Bible. I’d like to add a page to the post I saw:
Psalm 147:3 – He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Hebrews 10:14 – He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
Psalm 103:12 – as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our sins from us.
James 1:5 – If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 – [Christ’s] power is made perfect in weakness. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Romans 8:32 – He did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things.
Personally, I don’t want “religion” or “Science” to be my God. I have the God of the Bible for my God. He doesn’t break anyone so that He can lift them up. He even promises:
A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out – Matthew 12:20
Bruce Bryant’s funeral was Thursday. Bruce’s body died on Sunday, but Bruce is alive. His family grieves his passing from this life, yet at the same time celebrates that his days of pain are over.
On Tuesday evening, some of us gathered to pray for Barb. We prayed for God to comfort and sustain her through the difficult days ahead. He is, and He will. She also asked us to pray for those who would attend the visitation and funeral: For believers to be comforted and unbelievers to hear, believe, and receive God’s word of salvation.
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” – Romans 10:14-17 NIV
Everyone at Bruce’s funeral heard God’s word about Christ.
Some at the funeral will be challenged by what they heard. God’s word will sound comforting, and they may even want to believe it, but they will stop short of commitment because they aren’t sure salvation is that easy. Or they will think they are too unworthy. We prayed that the seeds of truth that were sown will take root. We prayed that the hearers will understand that grace means you can’t earn salvation; you receive it from God’s hand.
“It is by grace you have been saved.” – Ephesians 2:8 NIV
And, some who were there will be comforted by God’s word. They were reminded that though death seems final it isn’t. Death has been defeated. Death is the doorway into the presence of God. God’s word will comfort those who mourn.
“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” – John 11:25 – NIV
Dying and death are real. Every “body” will die, but not every person will. Those who don’t die, are those who have responded to God’s word and accepted the gracious gift of salvation that God offers through the Lord Jesus Christ. It is free to us. It cost the life of God’s one and only Son.
To reject God’s word is to choose to take upon your own shoulders the responsibility for the errors, omissions, failures, guilt, shame, and heartache you have caused throughout your entire life. To reject God’s word is to stand condemned to eternal death. No one has to do that. It is a choice
“I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.” – John 8:24 NIV
Some of those alive at Bruce’s funeral will experience death for all of eternity. Some will live forever with Jesus. Where will you spend eternity? How do you know? Upon whose word are you relying?
This was my house on Monday, Feb 10. The sun was shining, and the TV weathermen predicted we’d pass the freezing mark by Thursday! Hope springs eternal!
This is my house on Monday, Feb 17. We still haven’t gotten above freezing, and the TV weathermen tell us we can expect another eight inches of snow.
Ugh! Not again!
What else should I expect? It’s the middle of February in the Midwest. It’s going to be cold. It’s going to snow. This is life… for now. But this isn’t life forever; we know spring will come because God tells us it will.
As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” Genesis 8:22
We wouldn’t for a minute doubt that it will eventually get warm. We can trust God’s Word. What God says always comes to pass. Which is a good thing; because I wonder how often God looks at me and says, “Ugh! Not again!”
How often do I frustrate God? Do I give Him more than enough reasons to think about giving up and moving away from me? Do I push Him to the limit of His perseverance?
When I hoped for a thaw and it only got colder was my frustration as great as God’s when he hoped I would finally learn an important lesson, only to see me fail again …and again?
When I looked for sunshine and saw clouds, was I as disappointed as God was when He looked for me to give Him glory, but instead saw me take credit for a work that He did?
Does God think, “It’s just Marcia! She’s going to fall short, she’s going to disappoint. This is her life… for now. But this isn’t her life forever; I know who I’m making her into, I know who she will be!”
Fortunately God promises me that He will never give up on me. And, He will never give up on you!
“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6 NIV
God’s promises enable us to hold out for spring, and they also enable us to hold on to hope that we are not yet who we will become. And, God assures us that He won’t come to an end of patience with believers. He won’t give up on us, because He is…
“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.” Exodus 34: 6-7 NIV
God knows that we are mere humans, fallen and sinful. God doesn’t wait for us to blossom into beautiful people before He lavishes His love on us. He loves us just as we are, cold, gray, dark and dreary, because He knows the warm, colorful, joyous and beautiful personalities He is developing within us.
Spring is on its way! And we can trust that God won’t give up on you or me, no matter how often we may cause Him to say, “Ugh, not again!”
I have a fri
end who is a beautiful, influential, charming, and well-thought of woman. She is godly, respected and many women look up to her.
Recently she and I attended an event on a snowy evening. When we walked into our hostess’ home, our shoes were snowy, slushy and salty. My friend quickly grabbed a roll of paper towels and a trash bag and as each woman arrived she wiped the mess off every shoe.
Those of us having our shoes wiped clean felt somewhat uncomfortable. In our eyes, the work of wiping shoes seemed far beneath this woman. While it was difficult to accept her service, it was sweet to witness her servant’s heart. My friend embodied Jesus’ charge to believers:
“Jesus called the Twelve and said, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.’” – Mark 9:35 NIV
Jesus didn’t just teach this truth, He lived it. Our Lord Jesus Christ, stepped out of heaven, leaving the glory of God, the place where He is continually worshiped and adored as God, and lived in a human body to serve others even unto death.
Jesus did this. Jesus, the Alpha and the Omega, the One who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty, humbled himself and became the servant of all.
“…made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness… he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!” – Philippians 2:7-8
Jesus’ attitude was selfless obedience. He put human beings above Himself, and He put obedience to the Father above all. Jesus, God the Son, did not consider His equality with God the Father as something that He had to grasp with a tight fist. Jesus set His equality aside for you and for me. He died to cleanse and save us.
We can’t clean ourselves up; we can’t remove the muck and the mud of sin’s filth from our hearts. Our self effort is like trying to wipe our slushy shoes off with a dirty rag: we simply spread the filth around. We need the Servant to wash us clean.
When we accept Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf, our hearts are washed clean by His blood. The blood of Jesus wipes the sin away and secures God’s forgiveness. He never holds our sins against us again. The stain of sin is permanently removed.
Christ’s cleansing assures our salvation.
We are clean, but we live in a dirty world. And, sometimes we track the filth of the world into our lives, our homes and our ministries. It’s difficult to serve God and His people when our hearts are dirtied up with selfishness, and pride.
Thankfully, Jesus’ blood continues to cleanse, and removes the mess of selfishness and pride when it is confessed.
Is there a place of service that you’ve dismissed because you thought it was beneath you? Maybe it seemed like wiping slushy shoes? Would you reconsider as you take into account Jesus’ attitude toward serving you?
Marcia Furrow 