Simply Soul Searching
HOW IS GOD LOVING ME – AND WHERE IS GOD LEADING ME?
After the Storm
Monday Moment, May 6th
Isaiah 45:8 (NRSV)
Shower, O heavens, from above,
and let the skies rain down righteousness;
let the earth open, that salvation may spring up,
and let it cause righteousness to sprout up also;
I the Lord have created it.
The other day poor Jim was caught in a downpour as he was on his morning walk. Luckily he was close to home and returned wet but largely unscathed. I was more fortunate a few hours later, when I enjoyed the glorious after-rain beauty.
After the storm, the fog on the hills rose upward and disappeared into the heavens.
After the storm, the sky was more dazzling than ever, with the dark clouds and the sun’s rays contrasting beautifully in shades of blue and white.
After the storm, the trees and plants were washed clean and they glistened in the sunshine.
This isn’t my best photo, but after the storm, I discovered this vulture raising its wings to dry them. This was the best gift of the morning, as it seemed to me that the vulture was praising God- with wings uplifted in gratitude!
My spirit was refreshed as I observed how nature responds with joy after the storm, in unique and awesome ways. Tree branches may be broken by the winds, flowers may droop from the downpour, crops may be damaged by the hail, and yet nature rejoices as it steadily recovers.
Life will be interrupted with sudden storms that surprise us. Enduring these storms is unpleasant at best- and quite devastating at worst. God’s Word exists in all of God’s creation, so even through nature we can find deeper meanings and spiritual insights to help us respond to the storms of life. When we are watchful, we discover that God is moving and revealing through all of creation, all the time.
After the storm, may we seek the hidden blessings and respond as nature does- with the clarity of the lifting fog, with the radiance of the clouds and sky, with the pureness of the washed flowers, and with the praise of the uplifted wings.
Pestering Prayers
Monday Moment, April 29th
Luke 18:1-8 (NRSV)
Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’ For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
On one of my morning walks the other day, I was amused by a little dog in our neighborhood. He was barking nonstop at the front door of his home, impatient to be let back inside. I wanted to tell him that he could stop the incessant barking, that his owners knew he was there, and that he just needed to be patient. Silly dog!
Then I thought about the times when I am waiting for an elevator that is taking a while. I push the elevator button a few more times- even though it is already glowing from my initial push. I know I should be patient, I should give the elevator time to arrive, and yet I feel compelled to push the button anyway! Silly Karen!
These moments remind me of the parable of the unjust judge. When we don’t receive an immediate answer to our prayer, we may become like the barking dog or the bothersome widow and keep repeating the same prayer over and over. Some would read this parable as Jesus’ encouragement for us to just keep asking God, to keep bothering God until we get our answers. Others would say that this parable is a story of opposites, that God is totally unlike the unjust judge and will immediately hear our prayers. Jesus seems to say both, which is beautiful in itself (verses 1 and then 7-8).
Jesus knows that the real blessing found in our prayers is that we are the ones changed in the praying of them. God will always be God; God will always hear our prayers and lovingly answer them. Jesus invites us to pray all the time and to keep asking, not because we need to get God’s attention, but because there is a blessing for us in the asking.
Our pestering prayers keep us seeking God. As we wait for answers, we remain expectant, watchful, aware. The fact that we keep pushing the elevator button tells us that we haven’t given up hope. If we truly thought it was futile to wait, we would simply walk away. But we know the elevator is there even when we cannot see it. We know the doors will eventually open. So it is with our prayers. We know God will answer us. We know that there is movement in the silence while we wait. We know God is working, so we will not walk away but remain steadfast in hope.
Another thought that occurs to me is that I am assigning human limitations to God, who is limitless. If God is pure love, does God become annoyed or impatient? We humans may tire of being pestered, but does our infinite and awesome God ever grow weary? Perhaps our pestering prayers even bring joy to God, who truly wants to love us completely and constantly.
Oh, there are times when we do find peace in lifting our prayers to God and then leaving them there. But when we feel we need to keep pestering, we can trust that God willingly receives our unceasing prayers with unlimited love. After all, Jesus is the One who tells us to keep praying!
Keep barking, little dog.
Keep praying, dear friends.
Image Credit: Clipart image from easyfreeclipart.com
Monday Moment (April 22nd)
Thank you, dear readers, for following my Lenten devotions this season. I hope that they blessed your spiritual journey as we walked together through the forty days, into Holy Week, then to the cross, and- joy of joys- to the incredible Resurrection! How blessed we are to know such a life that Jesus lived, to know we are loved, and to know we are eternal. Thank you, Jesus!
You bless me more than you know. Your kind notes of encouragement, your comments and sharing on Facebook, and your faithful reading are treasured gifts to this writer.
Thank you.
Photo credit: Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
LIVE! (Easter Sunday, April 21st)
Easter Sunday, April 21
Live: to attain eternal life; to occupy a home; dwell; to be thoroughly absorbed by or involved with; to have a life rich in experience; to exhibit vigor, gusto, or enthusiasm in
Mark 16:1-6 (NRSV)
When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him.
HE LIVES!
HAPPY EASTER, dear friends! The glorious new day has dawned and we once again rejoice in Jesus’ wondrous resurrection! Today’s word, live is so perfect for this day. The various definitions of live are so applicable to the gracious blessings we receive through Jesus’ resurrection.
Live: to attain eternal life. This, of course, is our greatest blessing! Just as Jesus has been restored to life out of death, so shall we! Because of this wonderful day, we know that we will live forever- and even in an awesome new way of being.
Live: to occupy a home; dwell. Now Jesus dwells in our hearts and souls. We have him with us always, closer than ever, through the Spirit. These humble bodies of ours are the homes where Jesus resides. We have become sacred and holy vessels of God.
Live: to be thoroughly absorbed by or involved with. Because Jesus lives within us, we are free to let him lovingly guide and direct us every day. We will grow in love for him, and his saturating presence will help us become more like him. We could not imagine one day without him. Jesus is our all in all.
Live: to have a life rich in experience. Now the adventures can begin! Where will Jesus lead us? What will he have us learn; how will he have us grow? Where will we find our true selves? What new surprises are in store? With Jesus as our constant companion, we can enter this journey- through the rest of our lives and on into eternity- with courage and confidence.
Live: to exhibit vigor, gusto, or enthusiasm in. Because of Jesus’ resurrection, we can live life with unbridled joy, with generous love, with eagerness for each new day. We can live without fear, without doubt, without worry about what tomorrow may bring. Jesus came to give us abundant life- let’s take him up on that and live each moment with enthusiastic delight!
Jesus is risen! He lives forever- and so shall we! He lives anew- and so shall we! How might we begin living our eternal lives anew today?
Romans 6:4 (NRSV)
Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
All definitions are excerpted from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/
Photo credit: Bruno van der Kraan on Unsplash
Lay (Saturday Easter Vigil, April 20th)
Saturday Vigil, April 20
Lay: to put or set down; to place for rest or sleep
Luke 23:50-56 (NRSV)
Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph, who, though a member of the council, had not agreed to their plan and action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and he was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments.
On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
KEEPING VIGIL
Between the suffering and the surprise,
there is silence.
Between the misery and the miracle,
there is mourning.
Between the loss and the life,
there is loneliness.
Between the death and the dawn,
there is darkness.
We watch, for we must keep vigil.
We rest, for we must keep Sabbath.
We wait, for we must also keep
the silence,
the mourning,
the loneliness,
the darkness.
Until the new day dawns
and bids us to lay them aside.
(KLW, 4-19-19)
All definitions are excerpted from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/
Cross photo credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Love (Good Friday, April 19th)
Good Friday, April 19th
Love: to hold dear; cherish
Luke 23:44-46 (NRSV)
It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last.
John 15:13 (NRSV)
No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
There have been theological debates and books written that question the necessity for Jesus’ crucifixion. Did God really need Jesus to die in order to love and forgive us? Was Jesus the ultimate sacrifice to appease God in some way? I have questions too, but today certainly isn’t the day for debating theology. Today is the day to grieve and to be grateful.
For me, the beautiful significance of Good Friday- this terrible and tragic day when Jesus suffered and died- is that Jesus was willing to remain, no matter what. Jesus never stopped speaking the truth, never stopped insisting that we love one another, never denied that he was the Son of God, never ceased to question the culture and overturn the law, and never stopped trying to show us how to live- even as the cross loomed before him. He was willing to die in order to prove that what he said about God was true all along. He was willing to die to show us how much he trusted God, how much he loved God, and how much he loved us.
Because of Good Friday, I know without a doubt that Jesus loves God and Jesus loves all of us. All the way through his humiliating trial, his terrible torture, and especially his horrendous time on the cross until his death, Jesus never backed down from his reason for being: I am the One sent from God to show all of you that you are loved.
This is all I need to know.
Thank you, Jesus.
All definitions are excerpted from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/
Cross photo credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Lower (Maundy Thursday, April 18th)
Maundy Thursday, April 18
Lower: to diminish; to move down; to let descend; humble
John 13:3-5, 12-15 (NRSV)
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him.
After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross…
On this Maundy Thursday, we remember that Jesus gathered with his disciples to share his last Passover meal. It was during this meal that Jesus instructed his friends to remember him when they shared the bread and wine, turning the meal into a new sacrament of his body and blood, broken and shed for us all. But after the meal, Jesus began to wash the disciples feet in an act of utmost humility and servanthood. He then instructed the disciples to do for one another as he had done.
In her book The Humility of God, Ilia Delio describes how God “humbly bends down” to come into full humanity through Jesus. God loves us so much as to come low to live among us. And we know that Jesus chose to humble himself as a servant for all. Jesus was the Son of God and yet never considered himself greater than any of us. In fact, he told us that we will do greater things than he did! This hierarchy has now been passed onto us. As Jesus’ disciples, we are also called to humility, to lower ourselves in obedient service to God and for others.
In my ministry vocation I have had opportunities to serve others through mission trips and service projects. In my personal life I try to help and serve others with humble kindness when I can. I try to live as Jesus would want me to live- loving and serving, following his example. But I have a confession…
When I “humbly serve” my spirit isn’t truly humble. It is my nature to feel a sense of pride when I do such things. I catch myself serving as if I am the one “with” while the ones I serve are the ones “without.” I am still serving with an advantage- I am pleased that I can do this for you, instead of serving in humility- God has given us everything to share, we are in this together, and I have much to learn from you.
True humility is when we recognize that the gifts that we have received- whether our possessions, income, health, intelligence, or abilities- all come from God. They are ALL meant to be shared. And when we gather at the Table or when we gather to serve one another, we are to gather as equals, as peers… as community.
My handsome son Kevin stands tall at 6’4″. The other day he shared that, as he began to grow taller, he became mindful of sitting lower in his seat at movie theaters so that the people behind him could see better. This serves as a perfect example of the humility that Jesus exemplified. He lowered himself so that others could see beyond him.
We are to lower ourselves to give others an unobstructed view of Jesus…
Jesus, who lowered himself to give us an unobstructed view of God.
All definitions are excerpted from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/
Cross photo credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Leave (Wednesday, April 17th)
Wednesday, April 17th
Leave: to have remaining after one’s death; to cause to remain as a trace or aftereffect
John 14:27 (NRSV)
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.
How I hate to see loved ones leave after a special family gathering! With our children scattered all over the country, I know it will be a long while until we are back together again. Yet, I am so richly blessed by all that remains forever in my heart… the laughter, the gentle teasing, the memory sharing, the caring and thoughtful listening, and even the heated discussions. Love has come, and love is what has been left behind.
Jesus will soon be leaving, and in his final days he tries to prepare his disciples with beautiful words of instruction and assurance. In John’s gospel narrative, Jesus predicts what will happen, offers words of comfort, promises the Holy Spirit, warns them of future trouble, and then assures them that their grief will turn to joy. Jesus also tells the disciples that he does not give as the world gives, and so in these parting words he tells his friends that he is leaving his peace with them. There is no talk of wills or trust funds or beneficiaries. He is leaving something so much better- his peace and his Spirit.
What will we leave behind as our legacy? Will the world (our little corner of it) be better off for having us in it? What would Jesus have us leave for others, by not giving as the world gives?
We do hope to bless our loved ones with financial gifts and other treasures when our will is read. But even more, we want to leave them spiritual treasures they can hold in their hearts forever. The little blessings can add up to one big difference in someone’s life. I enjoyed getting a little creative making an alphabetical list of some gift ideas we might leave for others…
Acts of kindness
Bits of tenderness
Collections of memories
Dreams of futures
Extensions of grace
Feasts of celebration
Giggles of laughter
Hugs of forgiveness
Instances of charity
Journeys of adventure
Kisses of healing
Labors of love
Moments of joy
Nights of stargazing
Opportunities of improvement
Pauses of silence
Quips of wisdom
Rituals of comfort
Stories of faith
Times of understanding
Umbrellas of protection
Visions of hope
Words of encouragement
Xtras of generosity
Yards of playtime
Zones of sanctuary
What gifts might you like to leave as your legacy?
Legacy is not leaving something for people. It’s leaving something in people. (Peter Strople)
All definitions are excerpted from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/
Cross photo credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Lull (Tuesday, April 16th)
Tuesday, April 16th
Lull: to cause to sleep or rest; to cause to relax vigilance.
Matthew 26:36-46 (NRSV)
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated. Then he said to them, “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.” And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.” Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again he went away for the second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.”
In the weeks leading up to all of the unbelievable events of what we now call Holy Week, Jesus was teaching, encouraging, sharing, serving and equipping his disciples, so that they would be prepared to carry on after he was gone. He was also warning his disciples about what was going to happen to him- his suffering, death and resurrection. The disciples would become upset and dismayed for a time. Yet, while Jesus was agonizing in Gethsemane, his closest disciples- Peter, James and John- fell asleep. They even did this two more times after Jesus implored them to stay awake!
Either the disciples were utterly exhausted or they were in denial. Knowing myself and human nature, I imagine it was their denial that led to their seeming complacency. They had lulled themselves into believing that nothing would happen to their Master and Teacher. Perhaps they thought that such terrible things could never happen to the One who was able to work miracles. I wonder if they chose to close their ears to Jesus’ words because they just didn’t want to hear them. I wonder if they chose instead to lull themselves into blissful ignorance.
I can relate. In the few months before my cancer diagnosis, I was beginning to feel some signs, beginning to notice that some things were amiss within my body. I would become greatly concerned when I had pain, but then I was just as relieved when the pain subsided. I would tell myself that my troubles were just the minor ailments of aging. I tried to convince myself that something like cancer couldn’t happen to me- I had no family history of cancer, I led a pretty healthy lifestyle, and I had just had my physical exam a few months before. I was choosing the path of “blissful ignorance.”
The truth is, I just didn’t want to know the truth.
May the events of this Holy Week serve as a wake-up call for all of us. May we never take the suffering and death of Jesus for granted. When life is going well- or even when life is routine- we can get lulled into a sense of self-confidence, security and complacency. We allow normalcy to lull us into normal living. We can forget how much we need Jesus and how much he has done to show his love for us.
The truth is, we are desperate for Jesus. We need his love, forgiveness, healing, comfort, strength, compassion, and guidance for this life we are living, in normal and happy times as well as surprising and challenging times. May we never lull ourselves into thinking otherwise!
May we live each day fully awake, aware and appreciative of our need for him… and in doing so, may serve as visible reminders for all who need to know the truth.
All definitions are excerpted from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/
Cross photo credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Lodge (Monday, April 15th)
Monday, April 15th
Lodge: to provide temporary quarters for; to serve as a receptacle for; contain
John 14:23 (NRSV)
Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”
Jesus gives us such a beautiful image in this verse. We long for a close relationship with Jesus, and he assures us that he and God (through the Spirit) will come to us and make their home IN us! We could not be any closer than that. What a gift we have in being able to lodge Jesus in our very heart and soul!
How might we be gracious hosts? I think of the times I have felt welcomed as a guest in someone’s home. The kind acts of hospitality of my considerate hosts can serve to foster our own welcoming spirit in which Jesus abides. Here are the ways I was helped to feel special, loved and wanted…
The porch light was on, indicating I was expected. Why not turn on our bedside lamp each morning and prayerfully welcome Jesus into our new day? “Jesus, I am SO glad you’re here with me! Today we are going to have a lovely time together!”
My friends met me at the door before I needed to knock. I am reminded of the Autom Sallman painting, “Christ at Heart’s Door” in which Jesus is knocking on a door (with no door handle), hoping to be let in. Jesus has so much to offer us- and we have so much to share with him- why should we keep him waiting?
Tasks and routines were paused so that we could sit and enjoy the time together. Yes, there is work to be done, and yes, our hasty prayers will be understood and lovingly answered. But both of us will be blessed when we set aside special times to be together, simply resting and enjoying each other’s presence.
Refreshments were served or we gathered at the family table for a meal. Jesus is present, he is remembered, and he is honored when we gather at the Communion table with one another. He also delights when we feast together on God’s precious Word.
My hosts demonstrated their sincere interest in me. They asked me about the things that were happening in my life, and they genuinely listened to my answers. In turn, they also honestly shared their joys and sorrows and news with me. Jesus is our attentive listener, caring about everything in our lives. We too, can be attentive to Jesus. We can read the gospels to seek greater understanding of his life. We can prayerfully ask questions and quietly listen for his answers. In our honest sharing, we remain attentive to his heart (not just our own) and aree mindful of any new direction he may be taking.
My room was ready with clean linens, towels and extra comforts of home. We can maintain our clean spirit by confessing our sins and asking for forgiveness. We should fill our souls with all the good things Jesus hopes to find in us. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)
My needs were well taken care of. I was shown where I could find the essentials and I was invited to make myself at home. Even with all that, I was still asked, “Is there anything I can get for you?” We can open our souls for Jesus to explore and ask him to let us know what we might be missing, what he desires us to have, and what he would have us do for him.
In what other ways have you felt welcomed by generous hosts? We can use any number of kindnesses to turn our souls into gracious and hospitable places for Jesus to lodge. What brings us joy will bring joy to Jesus. The true gift in all this is that when Jesus makes his home within us, we are the ones who find our true home. Blessing Jesus with our welcoming heart actually becomes our blessing, doesn’t it?
All definitions are excerpted from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/
Photo credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Simply Soul Searching 