Walking With Jesus–Devotion #8

A certain farming practice of 40-50 years ago provides the backdrop for this particular story. During the summer months, green corn was chopped and blown into cement silos to be used as winter food for the cattle. At certain intervals a malt or dextrose based substance was added to the chopped corn. The combination of sugars, moisture from the corn and summer heat created a wonderful substance (to the cows anyway) called silage. This process of turning the corn into proper silage often resulted in a good deal of liquid that would seep out of the silo at ground level and seep into the surrounding ground, creating a very smelly quagmire. Small children were warned to “STAY AWAY!!!” for obvious reasons. And it is here that our story begins.

The little girl was very intent on finding the batch of kittens the mother cat had hidden in the barn. Daddy said their eyes were open and the little girl couldn’t wait to gather the little balls of fur into her arms and watch the antics of the kittens as they stalked imaginary mice. So intent on her mission was she, that she accidentally stepped into the silage quagmire. And stepped again. Within minutes she was stuck fast in the mud, unable to pull her foot and shoes free.

“Mommy!! Mommy!” After what seemed an eternity with no response, the little girl called again. She tried to pull her feet free with little success. Tears began to flow down her cheeks as she again called “Mommy!” Suddenly big hands lifter her up and out of the mud and the rather gruff voice of her grandfather said, “Looks like you got yourself into a bit of a mess. Mommy isn’t going to like this.’ Despite the smelly, messy mud dripping from the her feet, the grandfather hugged her close, pulled out his red bandana handkerchief, wiped her nose and tears, and said “Let’s get you cleaned up before we go and find Mommy.” With that he reached his bare hands into the mud and pulled out the shoe that had remained stuck in the muck.

At the well, the grandfather again used his handkerchief to wash the smelly mud from her feet and legs and rinsed the shoes as best he could. Although a large and normally gruff man, his actions were kind and gentle and the little girl’s sobs soon subsided. No words passed between them, but when the mud has been washed away in the clear, cool water, the grandfather took her small hand in his big round one and together they walked to the house in search of Mommy and clean socks.

We, like the little girl, often walk into the quagmire of sin, and find ourselves unable to get out of the mess in which we find ourselves. Oh, we may struggle and fight and even appear to be making progress, but alas, it is all in vain. We cannot get free on our own. But when we call out to our heavenly Father, the freedom that we seek is there. Given to us willingly and freely through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting live.” John 3:16

“…I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

Hesed–God’s Love in Action

This is a second excerpt from my husband’s sermon on hesed.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”John 3:16

John’s famous third chapter verse above is the best example of hesed I can imagine.  Look what it says.  First, God so loved.  The love which is God’s essence comes forth from Him to the world — to His own dear creation.  His love for His people is part and parcel of His love for the entire world in which we are found.  God has consistently shown His special care and loving concern to this little planet, and the people who live here.

The second example of hesed in this verse is that God gave His only begotten Son.  God gave of His very essence for His people.  He held back nothing at all in His love for us.  When we humans love, we always hold back something, even if we don’t think that we do.  There is always this urge, this compulsion to watch out for ourselves, to hold onto something that is just for us.  But the Lord does no such thing.  God held onto nothing, instead sacrificing everything for our good and our salvation.

Especially in this season of Lent, we should not forget the magnitude of God’s sacrifice for us.  Looking at the cross should remind us in our deeper consciousness that God gave it all so that you and I would not spend eternity in torment.

As I said earlier, hesed means not just an emotional love, but a love that has feet, a love that shows itself in works.  God has shown this,love to His people.  So too must we, as people who are in Christ, display the love of God to the world by doing those works which He prepared for us to do.  Before time began, God established works of hesed, using our efforts, YES our efforts.

Much of the work God does in the world is done through the hands of men and women and even children.  So God does indeed show steadfast love when we care for the sick and the poor and the lost and those whose lives seem now filled with darkness.  We may not be able in and of ourselves to show hesed to others, but we can be used by God as His instruments in the grand eternal plan of salvation

For more about God’s love see:

Learning to Love

Forgiveness is Love in Action

Lovingkindness by William R. Miller–Book Review

 

The Best Valentine Ever

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, the whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!!

 

 

 

 

Why Are You Joyful?

“…there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.  And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, who is Christ the Lord.'” Luke 2:8-12

Our sermon at the Christmas service last night was called, “Something to Celebrate.”  When we’re filled with joy, we want to celebrate, but what inspires this joyful spirit?

Some are joyful in anticipation of giving or getting the perfect gift.  What is it your heart desire?  The latest electronic gadget?  Clothing with the most popular designer label? Or maybe that special gift is something very practical, something needed but out of reach financially.  I remember the year our younger daughter gave her sister her old car when she purchased a new one.  This was a generous gift of the heart, that helped the rest of the family out tremendously.

Some are joyful at the prospect of getting together with friends and family, maybe some folks they rarely see during the year.  Yesterday my daughter, granddaughter, two of my siblings and two nephews spent some time visiting with my mother, who has dementia and Parkensen’s.  The joy in her eyes was apparent as she smiled at us.

Others are filled with joy in following the many traditions of their family, church, or community.  Singing particular carols, attending the candlelight service, baking fruitcakes and cookies, decorating the tree:  all these things bring joyful memories to mind.

If we’re honest quite a few of us are joyful when the visiting is done, the decorations are put away, the presents unwrapped, the cookies baked and eaten, and we can go back to “normal” life and get some rest.

Amidst all the Christmas trappings, the glitter and the glitz, the generosity and the greed, the hospitality and the stress, we need to take time to remember the true source of our joy.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

Now that’s cause for joy in every season!