Do Not Grow Weary
(NIV) Heb 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
I have always loved the thought that whatever happens in my life, if I stumble, if I fall, there is a great cloud of witnesses, those gone before, watching me and cheering me on. Who are these witnesses? Chapter 11 has been called the “Roll call of Faith” as it lists some of the great heroes of the Bible who persevered through faith alone. I think of my family and can envision them as part of this great assembly who have gather to encourage me when it seems I cannot go on.
In Romans 12:3 Paul says God gave each of us a measure of faith. It is by faith we are saved, and it is by faith we can face life’s difficulties. In ministering to older adults, I have been asked, “Why am I still here?” Their faith still enabled them to believe in Jesus as their Savior, but living in this world was becoming more challenging.
As we awake each morning, may we remain aware that whatever our journey, God has promised He will never leave us or forsake us. His promise is the foundation of our faith and because of that we can continue on.
May we be strengthened and encouraged today to walk in the faith we are given, growing daily in the grace poured out upon us.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Pathway of Holiness
(NIV) Psalm 16:11 You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
(NIV) Psalm 119:104 I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
Have you considered lately all that God has promised us?
- Joy
- Freedom from anxiety
- Peace
- Salvation
- Righteousness
On most golf courses you are restricted to staying on the cart path in the winter or when there has been an abundance of rain. Once I ventured out of my cart to find a ball from an errant shot. I stepped onto ground that was much wetter than I realized and suddenly my leg was thigh deep in a bog.
Visions of quicksand from all of those Tarzan movies I had seen in my youth flashed through my mind. I yelled for help and my husband pulled me from the muck.
I have often talked about the pathway of holiness. You know the one. The straight and narrow path that leads to righteousness.
When we step off of the pathway we can believe the ground is solid but instead find ourselves sinking in the cares and temptations of this world.
May we follow closely the pathway marked by God, walking in the footprints of those saints gone on before us.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Be reconciled to God
(NIV) 2 Cor 5:14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Reconciliation means to be reunited, brought back, being restored. I once heard it said this way. God demands holiness, but we are sinners and cannot achieve holiness. Yet, God cannot lower His standards. So because of His great love for mankind He fulfilled His requirement by allowing Jesus to take on the sins of the world and die in our place, thus reconciling us to Him.
The above scriptures have always been some of my favorites. When we receive the free gift of salvation, everything changes. As we become molded into the image of our Savior, we then become ambassadors of the faith. Isn’t that wonderful? We receive salvation by grace through faith, but we become disciples when we answer the call to follow. Discipleship is intentional and leads to sanctification, the act of being set apart for God.
Does being sanctified mean we have to withdraw from this world and lead a holy life in seclusion? Not at all. Sanctification is the maturing process that is all made possible through grace. The disciple who is growing in grace will necessarily seek out people that they can help grow in the faith—disciples making disciples.
May we decide today, if we have not yet been reconciled to God, to bow before a holy God and accept salvation, and then, may we be bold enough to invite others to join us.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
From the Rising of the Sun
(NIV) Psalm 113
1 Praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD, you his servants;
praise the name of the LORD.
2 Let the name of the LORD be praised,
both now and forevermore.
3 From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the LORD is to be praised.
4 The LORD is exalted over all the nations,
his glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like the LORD our God,
the One who sits enthroned on high,
6 who stoops down to look
on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
8 he seats them with princes,
with the princes of his people.
9 He settles the childless woman in her home
as a happy mother of children.
Praise the LORD.
This psalm is one of the Hallel (hallelujah) songs and extols God’s praise in the heavens and the earth and shows that God has no comparison. The psalm was sung before the Passover meal, and some theologians believe Jesus and His disciples sang this very hymn on the night of His last meal before He went to the cross.
The psalm shows not only the magnitude of Who God is, but also the extreme love He has for His creation. The psalmist does not ask for anything, but instead exalts God for His very existence.
My favorite part of this scripture is “from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised.” The psalmist is not talking about praising God from morning to night, limiting our praise by time. No, he says from the east to the west which encompasses all the earth, in every country and every nation, His name is to be praised.
It has taken me a lifetime to even partially understand the nature of God. Paul said now we see through a glass darkly, but one day, face to face. Yes, one day the veil that separates us from the source of all love will be removed and we will be in His presence.
But until then, may we take time every day to bow before the most high God, praising Him not for what He has done, or for what He will do, but for Who He is.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
A Word to the Wise
(NIV) 9 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For through wisdom your days will be many,
and years will be added to your life.
I would imagine many of you are familiar with the first part of verse 10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…” But let’s spend a few minutes looking at the selected verses.
I have known more than a few people with technical degrees, advanced graduate degrees and doctoral degrees. The saddest thing I have heard is when I try to talk with someone about God, and the response is, “I’m too smart to believe in God.” My immediate response is, “There’s no such thing.” You see, learning does not necessarily equate with wisdom.
At 74 I am engaged in Discipleship Training at The Church at Rock Creek in a program called Immerse led by my friend and pastor Greg Kirksey. I am not teaching, but I am a fellow student because God has given me enough wisdom to know there is still more for me to learn. As long as God gives us another day, we can still learn, we can help others learn, and we can rejoice in whatever state we are in.
How can we rejoice when our bodies have grown weak and our health is beginning to fail? We can rejoice for all the years we had good health. I rejoice that I was blessed to be able to proclaim God’s Word from the pulpit and in Assisted Living facilities, that I was privileged to teach Sunday Schools and Bible Studies, and pastor some really great congregations. I was honored to baptize children and adults, and oh how I love serving Holy Communion using the Great Thanksgiving liturgy. And I am blessed to still be called upon to lead celebration of life services for congregants who have passed from this life.
And now I rejoice that I am under sound teaching and it is my honor to be able to pray for and encourage the leaders of our church, Rev. Mark Evans, Rev. Greg Kirksey, Rev. Jason Curry, and our worship pastor Rue Buell. I thank God for Curtis Coleman, who imparts godly wisdom with such joy. I am so grateful for our team leader Jan Truitt and her wisdom, guidance, and kindness. And I am thankful that Larry and I have good enough health to be able to take care of each other.
We are never too old to learn, and the more we seek after holiness, the more wisdom God will impart to us. The more wisdom we receive, the more in awe we will be of our Lord God. And that, my friends, is really the end goal of receiving wisdom.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Seeking Holiness 