Stories that Inspire Turning Points – Page 2

Mary and Martha – A Lesson in Distraction

Luke 10:38-42

New King James Version

Mary and Martha Worship and Serve

³⁸Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. ³⁹And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. ⁴⁰But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore, tell her to help me.”

⁴¹And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. ⁴²But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

This is a frequent experience in the life of Jesus with many messages offered. One message however escaped me until I read a lesson by Elder Micelle Christy entitled “Sitting at the Feet of Jesus.” She focused on the lesson portrayed by Martha and her “distraction”.

Martha’s distraction led to five negative characteristic positions:

Disbelief – Martha asks, “Do you not care…?”
Defensiveness – Martha defends her place: “My sister has left me to serve alone.”
Dismissiveness – Martha depersonalizes Mary as “my sister,” as though Mary is not even there.
Demands – Martha flat out says to Jesus, “Tell her to help me.”
Desperation – Martha attempts to control the situation—and Jesus—with her comment about being alone.

Having read this passage in the scripture for decades, I never saw this perspective that reveals the real dangers of being distracted. Since we live in a time of incessant distractions, swirling around us from the moment we awaken in the morning to the moment we lay our heads on the pillow for a night’s rest, this perspective is profoundly significant. Just imagine how we can slip into these negative positions. They individually and collectively can counter our positive intentions and purpose.

This awareness can help one to be more deliberate and intent on resisting the inclination to fall into exhibiting these “D’s” and tumbling into such negativity.

TURNING POINTS

Awareness of the slippery slope that distractions can become averse to our good intentions can keep us on track. It truly is a time to do good without being shackled by distractions and their consequences.

The Power of Children

Matthew 18:2-4 New King James Version

²Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, ³and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

I have always wondered about this passage in the scriptures. Just what did Jesus mean when he taught this. I have learned that much of what Jesus taught had underlying truths that are beyond the obvious. It takes the “asking”, “seeking” and “knocking” that He taught was necessary to get at the full depth of His teaching. So, I have deliberated and prayed in seeking to better understand what the not so obvious meaning of this teaching in Matthew 18.

When people reach a stage in life when they lose their fear of “what others will think” they share their spiritual experiences. These are most often from early childhood when “adult reality” has not yet restricted and limited their vision. As I was reading Dr. Eben Alexander’s book “The Map of Heaven” I realized the proof of this reality from my own personal experience. Alexander’s book references the fact that people who have shared their early spiritual experiences go back many decades – six or seven decades – into early childhood. These memories were “as fresh as if they’d occurred just a few days before”. Young children feel very comfortable with spiritual experiences because they haven’t felt the expectations forced upon them by “adult thinking”. Young children are comfortable with spiritual experiences because it does not threaten their acceptance. Once adult reality sets in, this is no longer the case.

An event in my life that took place when I had just turned four years old. My Aunt Frieda suddenly died. My parents, probably realizing that she was so special to because of all the adventures she took me on, make a bold and courageous decision. Against all social rules of the time and place, they took me to the wake. When I was about 65 while driving alone with the radio off, I journeyed back in time and one of my life’s turning points surfaced in vivid color. I was once again walking hand in hand with my father into the funeral home. I was overwhelmed by the massive wall of flowers that seemed to go to the ceiling. The fragrances consumed the air in the room. My father lifted me up and as I peered into the open casket, I saw my Aunt Frieda lying serenely in a deep peace that embraced my being. From that moment, death for me was a passage into an authentic and profound place of indescribable peace. As a child, I didn’t have the ability to share the profound effect this experience had on my mind. But finally, as an adult, I have the experience and vocabulary to at least express the long-encapsulated feelings harbored deep in my memory for six decades. (NOTE: The full story of my relationship with Aunt Frieda is posted JUNE 2015 in my blog (www.lifeturningpoints.org ) [https://www.lifeturningpoints.org/?s=Aunt+Frieda]

Once attending a seminar, the facilitator expressed his love for talking and working with children. He saw them as “free” thinking and with an unfettered imagination. “I could talk about purple and orange washing machines without one of them saying, ‘NO! they are white!’” he said.

Stop and think of a profound spiritual experience from your childhood that you never told anyone about because you feared their reaction. Now as an adult, how would you describe it?

I suggest that what Jesus alluded to with His pronouncement in Matthew 18 was that we need to escape the limiting restraints of the natural and enter the glory of the spiritual. Children can do that because they are still free to soar into the spiritual without fear. Their humble nature keeps an open heart and mind for the spiritual.

Paul was also alluded to this in Romans 12. It is necessary to escape the “comfort” or “arrogance” of accepted adult thinking and be renewed back to childhood freedom to be dependent. The adult perspective is “I know it all!” and I don’t need God or anything or anyone else, I can do it myself. The child is the epitome of “I need you!” Jesus per chance was alluding to recognizing our dependance on Him to enter His kingdom.

Romans 12:2-3 NKJV

²And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

The prophet Isaiah points out in no uncertain terms that our “unrenewed” mind produces thoughts and ways lower and inconsistent the Lord’s. There is the truth of our dependence on Him for gaining kingdom’s entrance.

Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV

⁸“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
⁹“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

But there is a way to regain that childhood vision of the spiritual along with the natural world. Jesus gave an answer recorded in Matthew 7.

Matthew 7:7 NKJV Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking

⁷“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

With a new understanding that we as adults can still possess a truly spiritual connection with the Divine, we need to pursue it with deliberate ASKING, SEEKING and KNOCKING. Silent meditation without the noise of the world around us and sincere prayers will open us up to the Holy Spirit when He visits us with revelations.

Our soul is our spiritual being that was known to the Lord before we were born as attested by Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV

⁵“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; Before you were born, I sanctified you;
I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

To gain the fullness of our spirituality it is necessary to escape the confines of the material world. God will do this for us if we ask. Paul gave us encouragement to do this in Romans 12.

Romans 12:2-3 NKJV

²And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. ³For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

The journey to rediscover our spirituality lost when childhood graduated into adult limited thinking and speaking requires faith. And not just any faith. It requires an authentic and profound trust in the Lord. (See my book Solomon’s Recipe for details on this reality.) Faith provides evidence of our spirituality so powerful that it convinces the most vehement skeptic. The writer of Hebrews puts this truth most succinctly.

Hebrews 11:1 NKJV By Faith We Understand

11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Remaining without cognizance of our spirituality dooms us to see only the material world. We see so little really when we leave out the spiritual. Paul made a great observation in his letter to the Corinthians. As you read the three translations of his words, embrace the nuances of each. See how you might take advantage of the subtleties as the words affect your feelings and thoughts.

1 Corinthians 13:12 KJV

¹²For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Our vision is limited because we are bound to the material world. It takes faith and a connection with the Holy Spirit to escape the material world and get a God revealed glimpse into the spiritual world’s reality.

1 Corinthians 13:12 New Living Translation

¹²Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

1 Corinthians 13:12 The Message

¹²We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

Wisdom is to see that our vision is handicapped by our insistence that we are independent and individually capable of navigating life. The following scripture seeks to put us in our rightful place.

John 8:23-24 NKJV

²³And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. ²⁴Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

John 8:23-24 The Message

^23-24Jesus said, “You’re tied down to the mundane; I’m in touch with what is beyond your horizons. You live in terms of what you see and touch. I’m living on other terms. I told you that you were missing God in all this. You’re at a dead end. If you won’t believe I am who I say I am, you’re at the dead end of sins. You’re missing God in your lives.”

Take some time re-reading John 8:23-24 and maybe explore other translations to enhance your study. You may be surprised by what the Holy Spirit reveals to your renewed open mind and heart.

TURNING POINTS

It was for me a fascinating turning point when driving and thinking in a spiritual retrospect. To consider my childhood experiences from a different perspective opened new insight.

Gratitude – The Parent of Virtues

The amazing power of gratitude has found a deep-seated presence in my thoughts and soul, compelling me to write yet another article to join the other posts on the subject. The thoughts that have been cropping up in my mind have stemmed from the statement attributed to Cicero.

As I have stated before, gratitude is a deep sense of appreciation when one receives something undeserved. Gratitude has the power to transform our thinking. Using each gift we receive is the height of Gratitude. And again, I reiterate Hazelden’s quote:

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.

It can turn a meal into a feast,

a house into a home,

a stranger into a friend.

These two quotes have been my constant companion in my thoughts for weeks now. So, I write, what can we learn from this observation regarding Gratitude?

Gratitude is an attitude, and that implies that it is a decision, not a gift. If we look at the fruit of the Spirit and consider them as a starting point, we will see them as a gift of the Spirit. Something given to a faithful and open, accepting soul. Gratitude has the effect of opening a soul to accept the fruit as gifts of the Spirit.

Let’s consider the character of virtues. What is virtuous? Virtue is the quality of moral excellence.

Honesty, Courage, Compassion, Generosity, Fidelity, Integrity, Fairness, Self-control, and Prudence.

The cardinal virtues are Justice, Prudence, Temperance and Fortitude.

The theological virtues are Faith, Hope and Charity.

I urge you to explore how you have experienced gratitude as it opened for you a grip on the fruit of the Spirit. I invite you to share them with me and my readers.

Turning Points

Realizing more vividly the power of gratitude, causes me to protect my sense of gratitude from the daily onslaughts of the world’s noise that tries to inflict negativity on my senses. This is truly a turning point.

Being an Angel

Hebrews 13:2 New King James Version

²Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.

We understand that angels were created by God before the earth and heavens. He created them to serve Him and to do His will. They were created differently from we humans. They have unique characteristics making them free of some of the human limitations we have. However, key to understanding angels is their purpose, to do the will of God the Father.

Scripture makes many references to angels and thereby reveal their function and purpose. There are many words in the Old and New Testaments showing just how God used His angels in myriad situations to convey His will to the people for their blessing.

In the life of Jesus from beginning to earthly end an Angel played a key role. Firstly, an angel spoke to Mary to prepare her for her unique role in the great plan of salvation.

Luke 1:29-31 New King James Version

²⁹But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. ³⁰Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son and shall call His name Jesus.

And then as Jesus faced His grueling sacrifice in the Garden and angle came to give Him the strength to accomplish His task.

Luke 22:39-44New King James Version

The Prayer in the Garden

³⁹Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. ⁴⁰When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

⁴¹And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, ⁴²saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.” ⁴³^[Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. ⁴⁴And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Now let’s look at the question; Can I be an angel? Can a human being be an angel? The answer I believe is NO. We do not have the characteristics of angels. However, I believe we can function as angels, and often without realizing it. I have experienced something that can be considered being an angel unwittingly for someone, a stranger.

I was at social gathering at which I was not acquainted with everyone attending. After greeting a few people who I knew, I noticed a lady sitting all alone. I greeted her, a perfect stranger, and introduced myself. She introduced herself as Mary. As we spoke and shared our backgrounds, we found common ground and had a delightful conversation. Suddenly her husband joined us. She introduced us and the conversation continued without Tom contributing. Tom just sat quietly taking in the conversation.

For some unknown reason I initiated the topic of grieving into the discussion. I knew nothing of this Tom save for his name. As I spoke, I introduced the concept of ceasing to consider that someone who died “passed away”. Rather we should think of them as “passing on”. I explained how when we consider what our friend “passed on” to us in our unique relationship with them we will find authentic gratitude for the treasures we gained. I went so far as to say that when the gratitude reaches profound status in our heart and soul, we can find joy in our grieving. Joy that we were so blessed to have had such an extraordinary life together with our deceased friend. (See multiple Grieving Articles at this blog for the essence of my conversation)

Without a word, Tom abruptly arose and walked away. I feared for a moment that what I said may have offended him. As I watched him leave, I saw him walk away from the group and disappeared alone down the lane.

Mary then confided in me. She said, “He needed that!” She proceeded to tell me that he had lost his best friend a few months ago. He was having a hard time finding peace and comfort in his grieving. His wife further explained the depth of her husband’s relationship with his friend who had passed and the frustration he was experiencing.

Shortly afterward I was leaving and saying my goodbyes Tom came to me and thanked me for my words. His smile revealed that what he had heard had changed something for him.

During a conversation about “being an angel” a few days later, it dawned on me that I functioned as an angel to this man, a total stranger. In retrospect I now understand why I spontaneously initiated a conversation on grieving. Was it God reaching out to him, perhaps even answering his prayer? I was simply “functioning” as an angel. I was not an angel. But to this man I suspect I filled his need and as such he saw me as an angel.

[See “My Son is an Angel” article on this blog for more on angels]

Turning Points

It is a humbling experience to realize that God would use me to be a blessing for a total stranger. When I have the courage to allow the Holy Spirit to inspire something that seems out of left field, good things ensue. It prompts me to keep aware of what the will of God is calling me to do.

TRANSFORMATIVE MUSIC AND SONGS – Part 2

There are poems and songs whose music and lyrics have the power to touch our hearts, minds and souls and transform our personal perspectives. They grip our attention and cause us to listen and relisten as the spirit of the words and collaborative music reach the depths of our being. They team up to extricate us from our daily world of activity and challenge us to consider who we are and why we are here and where we might choose to go. I found these poems and songs to be thoughtfully written and when the songs are sung they touch me deeply each time I hear them. These poems and songs speak to my soul and refuel it. I will present a few of them here. Hopefully you too might find them something special.

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Joseph M. Scriven

What a friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear.
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,

Cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior still our refuge!

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do Thy friends forsake Thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

In His arms He’ll take and shield Thee;

Thou wilt find a solace there.

I find that if I read them slowly, feeling each word and phrase, the depth of their meaning to me is inescapable.

BE STILL MY SOUL

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heav’nly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the veil of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.
Be still, my soul: the hour is hast’ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Katharina A. von Schlegel, pub.1752 tr. by Jane L. Borthwick, pub.1855 copyright status is Public Domain

I have found that poems much like song lyrics possess the power to touch the heart and soul. This is especially true when we have journeyed through grief and tragedy. In my yet to be published book on grieving I note the following poems that can comfort and renew my soul.

This poem by Henry Van Dyke gives an interesting metaphor to give a new perspective on the death of a loved one.

I Am Standing Upon the Seashore

Henry Van Dyke

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then, someone at my side says, “There, she is gone”

Gone where?

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast, hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me — not in her.
And, just at the moment when someone says, “There, she is gone,” there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, “Here she comes!”

And that is dying…

Death comes in its own time, in its own way.
Death is as unique as the individual experiencing it.

Sometimes a poem or song has multiple effects upon us. This poem, My Cross, is just that for me. First, it brings to profound remembrance of my dear mother. I found it among her papers, typed on a small piece of onionskin paper when after her debilitating stroke it fell upon me to care for the finances of my parents. The paper was faded and threadbare on the edges from heavy frequent use I surmised. But in that moment, it solved a long wonderment I had as to how my mother was able to navigate her constant health issues with an amazing positivity.

Second it provides another perspective of meaning. It illuminates the diverse blessings in the burden of our myriad lifelong troubles here represented in a cross.

Years ago, I discovered the source of this poem, titled “My Burden” composed by Amos Russell Wells. Amos R. Wells (23 December 1862– 6 March 1933) was an American editor, author, and professor. The poem “My Burden” was published in a volume titled “The Collected Poems of Amos R. Wells” in 1921.

MY CROSS

Upon my back was laid a grievous load,

A heavy cross to bear along the road.

I staggered on, until one weary day,

Lurking temptation sprang across my way.

I prayed to God, and swift at His command

The cross became a weapon in my hand.

It slew my threat’ning enemy, and then

Became a cross upon my back again.

I faltered many a league, until at length,

Groaning, I sank, and had no further strength.

“Oh God!” I cried, “I am so weak and lame!”

And lo! my cross a staff of strength became.

It swept me on till I regained the loss,

Then was upon my back, again a cross.

My soul a desert. O’er the burning tack

I persevered, the cross upon my back.

No shade was there, and in the burning sun

I sank at last, and thought my days were done.

But lo! the Lord works many a blest surprise –

The cross became a shade before my eyes!

I slept; I woke, to feel the strength of ten.

I found the cross upon my back again.

And thus, through all my days, from that to this,

The cross, my burden, has become a bliss,

Nor ever shall I lay the burden down,

For God one day will make my cross a crown!

I hope that sharing these perspectives I have gained from poems and songs open up new vistas that warm your heart and refuel your soul for each tomorrow of your life.

Turning Point

I find that many songs and poems contain words that reveal as a prism previously hidden the essence of our deepest thoughts confirming our vision of our life’s purpose. And like a diamond, each time we hear them they reveal a facet not seen in previous listening moments. It’s like a flower unfolding revealing beauty previously hidden within its bud. And at times we can even see how that song has had its effect upon our hearts, souls and minds fulfilling its intended divine purpose. And how sweet when the words of a poem or the lyrics to a song amplify the essence of our life.

TRANSFORMATIVE SCRIPTURE Part 3

The study of scripture has always been filled with new revelations that can transform our perspectives and understanding and even our character. I am presenting several of these scriptural texts that have been transformative for me. I have highlighted the words or phrases that caught my attention and inspired deliberation and growth.

While reading the book “Code Talker” by Chester Nez I was reminded of the following text.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NKJ Version

The Value of a Friend

Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? … Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 New Living Translation

⁹Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. ¹⁰If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. ¹¹Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? ¹²A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 The Message

^9-10It’s better to have a partner than go it alone.
Share the work, share the wealth.
And if one falls down, the other helps,
But if there’s no one to help, tough!

¹¹Two in a bed warm each other.
Alone, you shiver all night.

¹²By yourself you’re unprotected.
With a friend you can face the worst.
Can you round up a third?
A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped.

I was first introduced to this profound passage at a wedding. It has stuck with me ever since. It is appropriate for a wedding of course, that is obvious. But reading the book describing the Navajo code talkers experience in World War II in the battle of Guadalcanal suddenly brought an interesting new perspective.

The Navajo code talkers were a critical asset for the allies during the war against the Japanese. A group of thirty-one young Navajo marines had been tasked with developing an unbreakable code based on their unique and unwritten language. On the battle field, these Navajo marines were paired up to translate critical battle related data between the troops and officers. The two Navajos formed a team so that each would check the other to ensure the accuracy of the coded transmissions. The quality and accuracy was a life and death situation. So highly dedicated were these marines that their code was never broken and contributed immensely to the success of the war.

While reading of the battlefield situation, it was noted that because they were teamed up in pairs, navigating the trauma of war became possible. The author confessed that had they been working solo, the horror surrounding them would have been impossible to take. As he described the landscape of war, the death and debilitating physical conditions they were mired in, it was easy to sympathize and empathize with his assessment.

Everyone has days of struggle and challenge. Often these can reach a level of intensity that can be daunting. But when we have faithful friends, those we can trust and rely on, meeting such challenges successfully and effectively is more easily achieved.

This made me realize another blessed aspect of “the value of a friend” and the wisdom of mastering the art of friendship. Faithful friends as described in Ecclesiasticus comes glowing into focus.

Ecclesiasticus 14-17

14 Faithful friends are a sturdy shelter (a strong defense); whoever finds one has found a treasure. 15 Faithful friends are beyond price; no amount can balance their worth. 16 Faithful friends are life-saving medicine, and those who fear the Lord will find them. 17 Those who fear the Lord direct their friendship aright, for as they are, so are their neighbors also.

[emphasis added]

Considering these thoughts, it is wise for us to labor with faith and diligence to build a family of faith friends.

Turning Point

I find that scripture contains words that reveal the eternal truths. And like a diamond, each time we read them they reveal a facet not seen in previous encounters. It’s like a flower unfolding revealing beauty previously hidden within its bud. Each revelation inspires the next exploration. And at times we can even see how that word has had its effect upon our hearts, souls and minds fulfilling its intended divine purpose. And how sweet when the poetic words of the past amplify the essence of the Word.

81+ Years of Grace

February 20, 2024

As I celebrate my 81st birthday anniversary, I look back on my past days. When I pause and consider all that I have experienced I am compelled to acknowledge the countless blessings from God.

This past Sunday I sat in church and reflected on the beginning of these 81 years. I went back beyond the moment of birth and had to add the “+” sign when I realized something I had not previously considered. This scripture highlights my thoughts.

Jeremiah 1:5 New King James Version

⁵“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you;
Before you were born, I sanctified you;
I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

And as I considered that God “knew me” before my birth, He blessed me by dealing with the cancer that was growing in my yet to be delivered body. He saw that cancer and chose to meticulously encase it in an impermeable sack to ensure it wouldn’t spread throughout my yet to be born body. On May 16^th, just shy of three months after my birth, the doctor came to our house and removed the tumor from my back just to the left of the spine. The surgery left a hole in my back about one inch in diameter and one and a quarter inch deep. The mass was neatly encased, so no cancer escaped. However, technology was vintage 1943, so as an insurance, I received a number radiation treatments with radium. Slowly, the hole filled with scar tissue leaving a large circular scar.

The realization the this was just the beginning of God’s blessings for me causes profound gratitude to fill my mind, heart, and soul. There is a hymn that counsels us to “Count your blessings, name them one by one, and don’t forget what God has done!”

When we take the time to NAME our blessings, just as I have done with this “pre-birth” blessing, we feel compelled to dig very deep, well below the surface to truly realize the magnitude of what God has done. The ensuing sense of gratitude creates a joyful appreciation for authentic love that God so graciously showers on us every moment of our lives.

Turning Point

This experience created a turning point for me to focus more deeply on the blessings that God places in my life. I know that there are so many that escape my perception, but just knowing that they are there makes me appreciate even what is yet to been seen.

PREPARATION FOR CHRIST’S RETURN

In sorrow and grief, heartache and pain, disappointment, and injustice the Bride of Christ is made ready.

The big unavoidable experiences in life somehow prepare us to meet our Savior in a prepared, no strings attached condition. Just how does that work? This is a question I am wanting to explore.

Sorrow is profound distress of the spirit in the face of great loss. This is especially present when the loss is deeply connected with someone we authentically love. The deeper the love the more acute is the sorrow. Such sorrow has the effect of bringing one into a depth of one’s reality, devoid of the trappings of normal life. Sorrow reaches the very depth of the soul. When one visits that depth of personal intimacy, transformations can come about that are simply not accessible during normal life experiences.

Grief is deep sorrow begetting a sense of misery, usually following the loss of a loved one. Grief can also result from tragic losses of critical or essential possessions. Grief typically bridges Sorrow and Heartache affecting spirit and emotions.

Heartache is emotional distress and anguish. Where sorrow affects the spirit, heartache affects the heart with deep emotional suffering. This is most often experienced when there is a loss or absence of someone deeply loved and revered.

Pain is physical in nature causing extreme suffering and discomfort due to illness or injury. However, deep sorrow, grief and heartache can often induce physical pain, and that especially evident when one is in a physical sensitivity and jeopardy.

Disappointment is a sense of sadness and discouragement when hopes and expectations go unfulfilled. Disappointment can be very debilitating when it causes the loss of hope for the future. The effect of disappointment can’t be underestimated with regards to its potential negativity that devastates a person.

Injustice is one of the most devastating experiences for a person’s peace. Injustice is gross unfairness that typically assails the innocence of the victim. Injustice causes a myriad of negative emotions to surface, often compromising the nature and character of those who suffer it. Injustice reaches its pinnacle when it is visited upon us from a trusted source we dearly loved or venerated, having held them in high esteem.

Now one of the clear tenants of Jesus teaching is the necessity of such suffering as tis just described. Regardless of how distasteful suffering is, it has the potential to transform us into a ready and prepared Bride for Christ. It is the aim of what Jesus taught regarding suffering that we with the strength of faith and trust in the Lord bear it to the glory of God and to our own salvation. Here are the biblical references of this teaching of our Savior and Bridegroom. I invite you to read and deliberate upon these and see how they can bolster your tolerance for the unique personal suffering you can and must endure. May these provide you with an appreciation for your suffering and the strength and resilience to journey through in peace.

Acts 14:22

New Living Translation

²²where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.

Romans 5:3-4

New King James Version

³And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

2 Corinthians 1:7

New King James Version

⁷And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

The Message

^7-10Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,

My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

James 5:11

The Message

^10-11Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God. What a gift life is to those who stay the course! You’ve heard, of course, of Job’s staying power, and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end. That’s because God cares, cares right down to the last detail.

1 Peter 2:20

New Living Translation

²⁰Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.

1 Peter 3:14

New Living Translation

14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats.

Matthew 5:10

New King James Version

¹⁰Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 10:22

New Living Translation

²²And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved.

John 16:32-33

New King James Version

³²Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. ³³These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you ^]will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Philippians 4:6-8

New King James Version

⁶Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Meditate on These Things

⁸Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

TURNING POINTS

The understanding and hence the appreciation of the eternal results of our unique and personal suffering will comfort us and inspire us with that “Peace of God” that surpasses all understanding.

In God We Trust

I find it interesting that in our country, we have a motto emblazoned on our monetary instruments, coins, and bills, “In God We Trust”. Yet, there are seemingly more and more people have a real problem acknowledging God. They seem to vary between outwardly denying the existence of God to sheepishly acknowledging “the Universe” as their higher power. Since God created the universe, how can God be the universe?

What I observe is that these God deniers are in essence insisting on understanding God relative to their own vision of reality. That vision is bound to the limits of space, time, and matter. This is the environment of our existence. When you refuse to imagine beyond these limits you can’t appreciate the existence of God who is not so limited as you are.

Consider the following:

Isaiah 55:8-9 New King James Version

⁸“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
⁹“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8-9 New Living Translation

⁸“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
⁹For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

When you allow yourself to look beyond what we see, feel, and touch you are then positioned to accept God beyond our limitations. The means to accomplish this is faith. We have often heard the term “leap of faith” when someone must, often in a state of desperation, go beyond what seems rational and reasonable to their limited thinking.

In my book Solomon’s Recipe I chronicle my personal experiences where a leap of faith became necessary to navigate very trying challenges I had to face. The recipe begins with the very first ingredient TRUST in God. Before one can trust in God it is necessary to believe in God’s existence. It is difficult to believe in God when we insist on understanding God in the context of our existence. Hence the second ingredient of the recipe, ceasing to insist on our own limited understanding. These two ingredients require faith. Faith from scripture is described as follows:

Hebrews 11:1-3 New King James Version

By Faith We Understand

11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ²For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.

³By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Hebrews 11:1-3 New Living Translation

Great Examples of Faith

11 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. ²Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.

³By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

Hebrews 11:1-3 The Message

Faith in What We Don’t See

11 ^1-2The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.

³By faith, we see the world called into existence by God’s word, what we see created by what we don’t see.

These three translations provide an interesting a thoughtful way to embrace the concept of faith. Once you are able to take a faith leap, you can follow the rest of the recipe, acknowledging God in every situation and then accept the guidance God provides.

When faith is employed, our experiences provide recognition previously hidden from us. We can appreciate that God’s will for us is perfect when compared to our own will that is fraught with limitations and flaws. We can then effectively acknowledge our weaknesses and limitations and tap into the perfections of God. Then we can authentically proclaim “In God We Trust” and more personally “In God I Trust”!

TURNING POINTS

The most significant turning point in one’s life can be the addition of faith into one’s life. The powerful addition of authentic faith opens the door to allowing someone to proclaim their trust in the Lord. Then life’s experiences take on a whole new meaning as I testify in Solomon’s Recipe.

. . . . And Then Some

“When we have done our best, we can wait the results in peace.”`
-Unknown

I don’t know who said this, but I do know that they were right on target. Let’s take goals, for example. We set goals to keep us focused on the important things in our life, personal goals, career goals, spiritual goals, family goals, health goals, etc.

Sometimes we set out with great enthusiasm to reach these goals, but occasionally there are circumstances that set us back. Some circumstances within our control . . . some not. But there is a wonderful feeling of peace when I know in my heart that I’ve done my best. Because win or lose, I know that I’m more prepared for my next battle in life.

Committing to excellence is not an act, it’s an attitude. It’s an attitude that is captured in this short thought titled: And Then Some…

And then some . . . these three little words are the secret to success. They are the difference between average people and top people in most companies. The top people always do what is expected . . . and then some.
They are thoughtful of others; they are considerate and kind…and then some.
They meet their responsibilities fairly and squarely…and then some.
They are good friends and helpful neighbors…and then some.
They can be counted on in an emergency…and then some.
I am thankful for people like this, for they make the world a better place. Their spirit of service is summed up in these three little words…and then some.”

If we carry the attitude of “And Then Some”, throughout our life, when our time on earth is almost gone, we will wait the results in peace.

[The above article’s author is unknown]

TURNING POINTS

The principle of “. . . and then some” reminds me of two scriptural truths that have the wisdom to direct one’s path to successfully become a blessing for others.

Luke 12:48 Living Bible

…. Much is required from those to whom much is given, for their responsibility is greater.

Matthew 5:41 New King James Version

⁴¹And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

These two scriptural lessons are potential turning points to those with the courage to employ them. For me they have created countless blessings for my pursuit to become a person of value.

[Note: for more on this principle see “The Extra Mile – The Second Mile” on this blog July 2021]