Truly Wise Men

 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you...The one who seeks finds." Matthew 7: 7-8

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.'" Matthew 2: 1-2

    Our pastor's wife asked me if I would be a Wise Man in the Christmas pageant this year. In preparation for my role, I have pondered their story as told by Matthew. 

    They were a rather mysterious group, weren't they? Also known as the Magi, perhaps their study of the Scriptures combined with astrology propelled them to drop everything and follow "his" star, the star that led the way to the Light of the World. 

    What if they had chosen the comforts of home instead of traversing for miles in search of the King of the Jews? But no, these truly wise men packed up their treasures and went to find a Pearl of great price.

    I noticed in this story that faith involves action. 

    For example, consider the wee tax collector, Zacchaeus. Wanting to see who Jesus was, he sought the best vantage point provided by a sycamore-fig tree, and he was not disappointed when Jesus called him by name. "So he came down and welcomed Him gladly." (Luke 19:6)

    Or how about the actions of the unnamed woman who touched the hem of His garment, seeking healing? "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed," she thought. (Mark 5: 27-28) Immediately it was so.

   Then there were the friends of the paralyzed man whose efforts to take him to Jesus were bogged down by the crowd. Undeterred, they came up with Plan B and lowered the man through the roof. (Luke 5:19) Seeing their faith, Jesus healed this man, too.

    The Bible says when we seek, we shall find. What are we looking for? If the Wise Men had followed the star as far as Jerusalem, perhaps they would have bowed low before the wrong king, Herod. Wisely, they kept on following the star to Bethlehem and, as a result, they were overjoyed! 

"On coming to the house, they saw the Child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh." Matthew 2:11 

    What a sight that must have been, a snapshot of the glorious worship we will give to our King as we surround His throne by the glassy sea!

"Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 'You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.'" Revelation 4: 9-11

    

God Knows Your Name

 "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you, I have summoned you by name; you are mine." Isaiah 43:1

    Last Monday, my nephew and his wife welcomed their newborn son into the world. We all waited to learn his name, which my sister released with several photographs the following day: Bennett Andrew. When I spoke with the proud grandma, I said, "Think of how many times he will use his name throughout his life along with his date of birth."

    On that same Monday, I was in the airport awaiting my flight home from Houston. The minute I flopped into a chair at the gate, I heard my name called over a loud speaker! My rapid heartbeat thudded in my ears as I gathered my wits about me to approach the desk. 

    "Yes?" I inquired, "I am Rachel Parsons. Is anything wrong?" Well, I needn't have worried; the request was for me to change my seat. I didn't mind, as long as I didn't have to sit in the lavatory on the plane. 

    Out of the sea of humanity that was coursing through the airport that day, my name was called. It was an unexpected, odd and rather frightful moment.

    What if God called my name? Would I shake in my size 10s or would I respond in obedient anticipation?

    Once home, I began to think of all the people in the Bible whom God called by name. Here's what I came up with, though there's likely more:

• Abraham - Genesis 22:1
• Moses - Exodus 3:4
• Samuel - 1 Samuel 3:6
• Elijah - 1 Kings 19:9
• Zechariah - Luke 1:13
• Mary, mother of Jesus - Luke 1:30
• Mary Magdalene - John 20:16
• Simon Peter - John 21: 15
• Saul - Acts 9:4
• Ananias - Acts 9:10

    When someone calls your name, it's a very personal thing, so I am not surprised that God knows me by name. He who formed me in my mother's womb ordained all my days for me before one of them came to be. He who knows the number of hairs upon my head would also know my name. What a comfort that is! He is a God who sees me, who hears me and knows me very intimately and, because I am saved by the blood of Jesus, my name is written in heaven (Luke 10:20). 

    When I was a preschooler, I remember watching a show called "Romper Room." At the close of each show, the hostess would peer through an empty hand mirror and say, "I see Linda; I see Johnny; I see..." Her magic mirror was a way for the child watching at home to feel special, as if he/she were a part of her world. When my name wasn't called, I would wave my arms at the television, vainly wishing to be seen.

    I don't have to do that with the God of the Universe who has summoned me by name. I am His.

"The gatekeeper opens the gate for Him, and the sheep listen to His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out." John 10:3

The Richest of Fare

 "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare." Isaiah 55:1-2

    When I was a kid, eating out was a rarity, so when we piled into the family sedan and drove to McDonalds, it was a memorable occasion. I can still recall the aroma of french fries wafting from the golden arches, drawing us like crazed moths to a porch light. We threw a few fries onto the hood of the car for even the birds were hungry for them. 

    Ah, the days of blissful ignorance, before words like cholesterol and sodium content stayed our hands.

    I have noticed a hunger reminiscent of those days, but it's not for food, it's for the Word of God. Three times this past week, I wove scripture into the conversations I was having and I noticed how thirsty these folks were to hear from Him - like a tender rain on parched ground, they drank it up. 

    What a blessing it is to be a Christian these days when the fields are ripe for harvest all around us. The prophet Amos said:

"The days are coming," declares the Sovereign Lord, "When I will send a famine through the land - not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it." Amos 8: 11-12

    Let us don our aprons and feed those who are hungering for righteousness while we still can. When we, who have been satiated until our cups overflow, share our meal with others, they will then "delight in the richest of fare," and it doesn't cost us a thing.  

    People are famished and we hold the menu. "For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things." (Psalm 107:9)

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?" Romans 10: 13-14

Author and Illustrator

 "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge." Psalm 19: 1-2

    The painting of a pink peony portrays what the artist desired to say. Before brush was put to paper, this peony only existed in the imagination of the illustrator. Now it is framed there on my wall to remind me of my daughter, the artist. It is proof of her existence.

    My biography, as told by God, is beautifully illustrated by the Author himself. I don't just hold the book in my lap, reading as a third party observer, rather I exist in this living tableau, excitingly involved as each page is freshly written. He and I together, as collaborators.

    When time allows, I sometimes flip back over previous chapters to reread favorite portions. When I can't sleep at night, pictures from my childhood home, captioned with words of my mother, are absorbed like dog-eared pages. Then, there are dark, unabridged chapters I prefer were not included, but there they are, to illustrate what I looked like without Christ. 

    As each day unfolds, the Author may write in a new character so I keep my eyes peeled for the introduction. One day, on a walk to the park, a brilliant gold leaf gave me pause, so I picked it up feeling it may be a clue. With each step, I examined the intricate, delicate design of the leaf, praying to share its beauty with someone. 

    A busy woman with two dogs approached me, but she was not the one. Continuing on, I spied a gal with wavy hair on a bench beneath the boughs of a maple tree, bent over her phone. As I passed, she glanced up and I knew she was part of my story. We exchanged greetings, then I stepped forward with the gold leaf.

    "Isn't this a thing of beauty?" I began. "That God would spend such time creating a simple lovely leaf..." These words developed into the next until at last, she and I joined hands in the sunshine and prayed over her needs. We met as strangers over a leaf, but it was not strange to the Author who knew the plot and whose illustrations completed the glorious scene.

    His painting of a gold leaf was the proof of His existence that drew two people together beneath the canopy of His grace. And someday, when He pens the conclusion of my life, I hope to flip back through and see many such smiling faces as the gal on the bench. 

    Only the Author and Illustrator knows how many I may see when my story continues in the heavenly realms, the sequel I cannot wait to read.

"Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith..." Hebrews 12:2

    

    

My Life According to God

 "Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:16

    A birthday provides the perfect time to reflect back on life's progress. Are there regrets? A few, surely. Were goals reached? Were they ever made in the first place? If former colleagues and co-workers were called upon to testify about me, what would their observations be? Most importantly, what does God see when He examines my days?

    Recently, when I attended a memorial/worship service for Charlie Kirk, tears rolled down my cheeks as I raised my hands to the Lord. As I did, it seemed as if God showed me clips of my life, like a movie trailer, demonstrating all the times He ministered to me personally. Scenes from childhood to present time were projected onto my heart; some were times of great sorrow while others triumphed with joy.

    As God spoke to me, it became clear that the pinnacles of my life, which identify who I am, all revolve around the One who wrote the events of those days in His book before one of them came to be. Success cannot be measured by the things that I have done, but only by the accomplishments of my Creator. 

    The words of a song brought this special time to a close as I cried out to God: "All my life you have been faithful; all my life you have been so, so good! With every breath that I am able, I will sing of the goodness of God."

    God has done His best work in my life when I have gotten out of His way in total submission and fully relied on Him. When the Potter has completed His task, I will resemble Jesus.

    I join Charlie Kirk in saying I want to be remembered for my faith in God. Nothing else matters.

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." Colossians 3:2-4

 

On a Bicycle Built for Two

 "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you...and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 1:18-20

    When our two daughters still lived at home, we went on a family vacation to Mackinaw Island, Michigan. The island is a charming spot where automobiles are not permitted, so horse-drawn carriages clip-clop down cobblestone streets, while mingled aromas of fudge and horse manure swirl through the air. It's a very unique experience. 

    Our eldest, Lauren, who loved all things equine, couldn't wait to ride a horse on the beach, so we got her set up with that before heading over to rent two bicycles, one being a tandem. Hannah and I hopped on the tandem and the three of us set out on a trail in the heat of the day. 

    The charm quickly wore off when we became disoriented with the map and the profusion of sweat soaked my cute outfit as I struggled to power the bike. "Are you pedaling at all?" I spoke into the wind to my passenger, who seemed to be enjoying the ride. By the time we reunited with Lauren, my mood had soured and my limbs quivered.

    Life, under our own power, can be exhausting. The effort it takes to rise, shine and greet the morn in a broken world is like riding a tandem without much assistance.

    But the beauty of being in Christ is the infusion of power He bestows, so we don't have to pedal our brains out all by ourselves. He's with us on the ride.

    Picture Christ ahead of you on the bike. You see his strong muscles working, his hair blowing in the breeze while he takes you to places of which you had never dreamed. Some may seem scary, but He turns around and pats your hand. "Don't worry!" He implores. "Just keep pedaling. I am the way." 

    At times, the way is arduous as hills are scaled, but the descent on the other side is a breeze, so you raise your hands with a whoop, as if on a roller coaster. The days are not always sunny, the clouds cover in brooding fashion as contrary winds buffet, but when the Driver is the same one who calms the storm, what have you to fear? Though dark nights crowd 'round you, the feeling is never sinister when you're riding in tandem with the Light of the world. There's no chance of getting lost and the destination at the end of the trail will be sheer paradise.

    Don't go it alone. 

    "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40: 28-31

Call Me Gloria

 "The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything." Philippians 4: 5-6

    As the mother of four daughters, my mom had her hands full. Often would she hear, "Mom, where's my _____?" or "Mom, can I go to _____?" or "Mom, watch me!" At times when weary she would quip, "I'm going to change my name to Gloria!"

    As I watch my granddaughter grow, I am reminded of how much a child needs her mother. Lauren will send her out to play, hoping for a few untethered moments to accomplish a task, yet there's a knock at the door within minutes. "Mommy!" 

    Recalling my own childhood experiences, I'd restlessly await sleep upon my bed. Always a little anxious, I would need that blessed reassurance of my mom's presence, so I'd call out, "Mom, what time is it?" Not concerned about the time, I just needed to hear her voice.

    My morning devotional lead me to the familiar passage of Philippians chapter four, but today, it spoke to me anew: It's enough for me to know the Lord is near, just like my mother always was, and though He has far more children than four, He never gets exasperated when I call upon Him. 

    My heavenly Father is patient. He is kind and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love. He never slumbers nor sleeps, so I can call out to Him at any time of night or day. He lives up to His Name: Immanuel - God with us! 

    And when, at the close of my days, I reach the golden shore, I will look over my shoulder and say with quiet conviction, "Surely goodness and mercy followed me all the days of my life. Now I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!" (Psalm 23:6)

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7