Gabbing with God

 "'Because he loves me,' says the Lord, 'I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.'" Psalm 91: 14-16

    Today, God taught me about communication.

    Halfway through the morning, I realized I was not receiving any texts or calls on my cell phone. During a break, I paused from my task at work to call my husband, but the message on my phone indicated I was not connected to any network. As my coworkers and I talked among ourselves, we discovered there was a connectivity problem that affected half the United States. It was an odd feeling, not being able to dash off a quick message.

    The scuttlebutt had been that an enemy had hacked our cell towers or satellites. In these times of great deceptions, I really didn't know what to believe. On my way home, though, I stopped by my daughter's house to inform her. Living alone, her cell phone is her only source of communication. 

    Continuing on my way, that familiar feeling of anxiety threatened to encroach upon me, so I talked aloud to God. Passing a church sign, I smiled to read, "Trust your unknown future to a known God." It was as if He were audibly chiming in on our conversation.

    But wait; it gets better! Upon checking my mailbox once home, I spied an unfamiliar handwriting on an envelope mailed from somewhere in Cleveland. What's this? 

    Unfolding the single sheet of notebook paper, my heart swelled within me when I read these words from an unknown person:

"I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you for standing for Jesus. It's a great delight as I'm driving by to take my son to school and see the sign in your yard that reminds us of the truth that Jesus is our only hope. I haven't seen many of those, if any. I pray the Lord's blessing be upon you and your family as you serve the Lord's purposes. Blessings in Christ, Chris."

    The irony was not lost on me that, though my cell phone was affected, it had no bearing on my direct line with the Great I Am. When I remain connected to the Vine, He speaks to me through any means available, whether it be a sign along the road or an item of snail mail. No enemy, however loud he may roar, will ever be able to sever my communication with God.

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15: 5

Deeper Than the Holler

 "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power...to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3: 17-19

    While listening to music the other day at work, Randy Travis' signature drawl was singing, "Deeper Than the Holler." Though the lyrics are meant to illustrate a man's limitless love for his lady, personally it portrayed Jesus' love for me:

My love is deeper than the holler, stronger than the river,

Higher than the pine trees growin' tall up on the hill.

My love is purer than the snowflakes that fall in late December,

And honest as a robin on a springtime windowsill,

And longer than the song of a whippoorwill.

        It's easy to see the parallel between the chorus and the verses above, drawn from Paul's letter to the Ephesians. As I meditated on this, I drew a horizontal arrow in my journal, pointing to the left, labeling it "wide." Next, a vertical line along the left side with a downward arrow marking "deep." On the opposite end, another vertical arrow, pointing up to demonstrate how high is this love of Christ. The diagram was finished by a lower horizontal arrow, pointing to the left, to indicate "long." 

    How much does Jesus love us? Just go outside and walk the lines of the diagram. Begin walking to the east. Keep going until east meets west. Or, if you're tired of walking in that direction, follow that arrow to the north up, up, up where the air is clear, through the stratosphere! Is there a ceiling? If your feet could carry you, head to the south until your circular route brings you all the way 'round till you're back where you began. 

    Do you get the picture? The love of Christ is all-encompassing. Long ago, before the foundation of the world, He set out to love us. Widely, He stretched out his arms and sacrificed himself while we were still sinners. Deeply, He descended to the depths to declare the debt had been paid; death had been swallowed up in victory! He then ascended to the heavenly realms, where He sits at the right hand of the Father, until He returns to judge both the living and the dead. 

    Upon receipt of such a Valentine, what is the only acceptable response? To love the Lord my God with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind and all my strength to the ends of the earth and back!

    "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. But from everlasting to everlasting, the Lord's love is with those who fear Him." Psalm 103: 11, 12, 17

    "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8: 38, 39

    

The Joyful Choice

    What a week! How many of you know that when God teaches, He often reiterates the lesson three times, in quick succession? And usually, He addresses the listener by their full name on the last delivery, just as your mother would have done when she wanted your attention.

    There in the doctor's waiting room sat a man adjacent from me, reading a book. Without introduction, he simply lowered his book, turned to me and asked, "Why do riot police get up early?"

    "Uh, I don't know. Why?" came my reply.

    With a twinkle came the answer: "So they can beat the crowds." 

    This came from a man who just learned he must have all his teeth extracted before radiation can be administered for his cancer. 

    The following day, a text arrived from a dear family member. "My biopsy has revealed a diagnosis: I have breast cancer." Having called her as soon as I could, she stated plainly in bold faith, "Do I want to have surgery? No, but tis no matter." She continued, "For me, it's a win-win situation. I want to go forth in victory, come what may."

    Then came a visit to our tax-man, who is also a friend from long ago. During our comfortable banter, he shared with me the harrowing hassle he had endured at the hands of the IRS. Due to an oversight, he was thusly penalized, costing this widower thousands of dollars. "It was a nightmare," he concluded, "But I am thankful to God, who is so good to me, for giving me each day. Life is a gift!"

    For the Christian, finding joy is not a pasted-on Pollyanna-happiness, but rather a wellspring of deep-down decision to choose it through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joy joins hands with Hope, and that hope comes only from knowing Christ. "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. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12: 2, 3)

    The joy is yet to come; it is set before us, as it was for Jesus. Did He want to be crucified? No, but He endured it for us, knowing it was the only way to mend fences between God and Man. Psalm 30:5 implores, "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

    I had been wrestling with robotic "assistants" over the phone, wearily wrangling with a problem that seemed to loom larger than life, and the tears came. I'd had enough. But as I considered these three lessons from above, I tenderly felt the hand of Jesus on my shoulder as He bade me to "Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) He'd called me, using my full name.

    I love this concluding verse because it is a recipe for joy. To taste it, I must trust in Him.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

    

God's Welcome Mat

 "As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him." Luke 10:38

    If I remember correctly, my niece had a mat at her front door which declared, "Go Away!" Knowing her as I do, this was all in great jest. She's a funny kid, that one.

    I don't think there were welcome mats during the days of Christ, but if there were, dear Martha would have had one. It was no small task to invite a Stranger and His twelve friends in for a visit! As she scrambled about to kill the fattened calf and knead hasty loaves, her sister, Mary, was the one whose hunger was being satisfied as she listened to Jesus, the Bread of Life.

    There came a day in my own life when Jesus entered my home at my invitation. He is the Head of this house; the unseen Guest at every meal. He walks with me daily, and I with Him. 

    I wonder if the portal of heaven has a welcome mat? When I die and my guardian angel guides me there, I know my Father will be there with a hearty greeting! After I wipe the earthly dust from my shoes, I will run into His divine embrace, weeping tears of joy. Home at last! After I hug the long gone saints whom I have sorely missed, then Jesus will show me around.

    "Here is the living room," He may say as we tread the golden floor, "and here is the kitchen." Before showing me to a room of my own, my mouth will drop open at the sight of the royal banquet hall, where the long tables will be set in preparation for the marriage supper of the Lamb. 

    I will feel right at home with my Savior, whose company I so enjoyed while in my earthly tent. Because I opened my home to Him, He opens His to me. Welcome home!

"Jesus replied, 'Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them." John 14:23

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with  me where I am." John 14: 2, 3