Those Hands

I try to hold my mother's hands as often as possible.  There are 93 years of character etched into those beautiful hands.  One day, I will hold them no longer and I want their memory to be etched onto my heart.  She held my hands, as a baby, and now I have the privilege of holding hers.

What was it like for Mary?  What was it like for her to hold Jesus' tiny hand in hers, at His birth; to have Him curl His little fingers around one of hers, in that sweet baby-pose; to hold His hand as they walked through the little town of Bethlehem?  Mary, holding his hand ever-so-tightly, so that He did not fall.  And then, in the middle of the night, she had to take Him up in her arms and flee for their very lives.  Jesus, Mary, and Joseph - refugees.  Escaping to Egypt.  At night.  And Jesus was two years old. (Matthew 2:13,14,16)

Their return,(Matthew 2:15), was prophesied in Hosea 11:1 "Out of Egypt have I called my Son."  But this had actually happened before; to a different son.  God called the nation of Israel, "my son," in Hosea's prophecy. And now, hundreds of years later, it is Jesus who is spoken about, in the same prophecy.  I am fascinated by these mountain-peak vistas in the bible.  At once, looking back to a crucial point in salvation-history and yet also looking ahead to Jesus Christ.

In the first instance, Moses, humbled by his time as a shepherd in the wilderness, led the nation out of Egypt; that mass exodus of close to a million people who had been slaves to the Pharaoh,(Exodus 12:40,41).  And then Jesus, "...being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."(Philippians 2:8).  He was lead out of Egypt to become the Saviour of the world; leading countless numbers of people out of the slavery of sin and into His righteousness.  I cannot imagine anything more humbling - God becoming flesh.

What was it like for Mary; knowing  that her son who would be born was the Son of God, (Luke 1:35)? Jesus in the womb of Mary; taking on human form, walking with His mother hand-in-hand.  The little boy's hands that she held at His birth would soon enough be nailed to a cross.  His death would be for her, (Luke 1:47); and for me, and for you.

Jesus had allowed humanity to handle Him:  "What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled concerning the Word of Life,"(1 John 1:1).

Hands held Him: at His birth, in His mother's arms; at His death, nailed to a cross by Roman soldiers; at His burial, having been taken down from the cross by two believing Pharisees; at His resurrection, where Mary Magdalene held onto Him, and Thomas was told to put his finger in the nail-prints and place his hand in Jesus' riven side.

I thank God for this greatest of gifts, celebrated at Christmas-time.  Jesus' little hands eventually stretched out to encompass the world; offering forgiveness of sin through His life, death and resurrection.  I thank God He called His son out of Egypt.  I thank God those hands are forever etched with the imprint of the nails; those hands that I will one day see.

The Unexpected One?

Waiting in line can be annoying.  Bus lines. Coffee lines.  Grocery lines.  Pregnant-with-a-baby-absolutely-no-one-expected lines.  Wait a minute!  Lots of women are pregnant when they have least expected to be so.  Some, because of horrible rape - perpetrated by evil.  Others, because they have tried for so long to get pregnant; adoption is the option and “Voila,” an ultrasound brings tears of joy. 

And then there was Mary.  An unsuspecting virgin teenager, betrothed to Joseph, an even more unsuspecting carpenter-turned-stepfather.  This is the stuff of fiction and wild imaginations.  But, truth be told, it is the work of God.  No one was really expecting the Messiah, except maybe Mary.  She was afraid, but not unwilling, when Gabriel the angel spoke to her about becoming pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit.  God had not spoken to His people for four hundred years- why would He speak now?  Little did people know that the Word of God would soon be made flesh, (John 1:14).  Jesus, the God-man, knew from the beginning of time that He would come, as a child growing in the womb of a young mother.

Nine months is a very long time to wait- just ask any mom; for that matter, ask my own mom who birthed eight children.  But this unexpected, yet well-announced baby had been coming for millennia.  And the world was caught in unexpected and ever-so-normal routines.  People going about their daily lives: in the market, at the temple, in Herod’s castle, in Bethlehem’s wee little town square where women met to draw water.  No one there had really expected a young woman to show up with her son; the son whom those shepherds had gossiped about a few days ago.  The Son who lived with His parents in Bethlehem for two years after He was born.  You see, those wise men from the East took two long, expectant years to get from their kingdom to visit the King of Kings- following a bright and shining star.

Now, there’s a story of patiently waiting!  Two years.  One star. Travelling at night.  Riches in their bosom – gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They didn’t know that Jesus and Mary and Joseph would use up most of those gifts when they had to flee to Egypt, seeing as Herod the “bought-my-throne-by-murder” king tried to trick them into showing him exactly where this born King was staying. 

But God knew.  All along, God knew.  All along, Jesus knew.  All along the ages, this Unexpected One was prophesied about.  Answering every question, if someone dared to read the Scriptures.  Where He would be born and When and Why and How and Who and What on earth is it all about?

It is all about the salvation of humanity.  Not to be found in a palace; not to be found within your self.  Rather, the unexpected One - laid in a manger, sought out by shepherd-strangers, this greatest gift to humanity.   Mary had waited for nine long months for this miraculous baby to be born.  This is the One whom she marvelled about and of whom she treasured all things up in her heart,(Luke 2:19). It is hard for me to imagine what those nine months were like; anticipating arrival of this miraculous baby.  But it was so worth it.  And we get to harvest a great blessing, because she waited, and wondered at God's provision.

Maybe this Christmas, you have come to realize that this long-awaited baby came for you.  Yes, for you; unexpected as that may seem.  Are you tired of waiting for something great to happen?  It has already taken place, and you don’t need to miss the blessing of it!  Are you weary of the wait for answers to your deepest questions? Jesus is your answer.  Are you fatigued by profound regrets and unmitigated sorrow over your sin?  Jesus is your solace, your comfort, your joy.  When you acknowledge your sin, He will save.

“She will give birth to a son, and you shall give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 

Behold! The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, 

and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means, “God with us”). 

(Matthew 1:21,22,23)

Communication is Key

Have you ever tried to learn a new language?  It is so fascinating and by times, frustrating.  Teaching ESL (English as a Second Language) classes was such a joy for me.  I loved engaging with people from, literally, all over the world.  So often, as people learned, I could see a pattern.  A few lessons in, they started to understand basic phrases, and then short sentences.  Once we moved on to longer phrases, many students would hear the beginning and the end, but would not catch the middle. 

So, you can imagine the funny responses to a question such as: “What did you have for dessert, once your dinner was finished?”  A response: “I finished my homework!”  Or, “I had apple pie dessert; all finished.”  Another interesting pattern was how common expressions, such as: “You’re pulling my leg,” could be rephrased.  One student came to class and stated:” You are pulling my ankle!”  We laughed a lot, we cried some, and to their credit, these students learned a lot.  They truly longed to communicate; to speak of their families and homeland and challenges and joys.  And I, I would love to have been able to talk with them in their native tongue.  Memorable lessons, and much time and energy was spent in the learning.

In his sermon this past Sunday, our pastor shared with us that people all over the world are wanting to know who God is; how can we know Him; where can we find Him; how can we communicate with Him?  I thought of the lovely Christmas carol: “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!”  To my great joy, I have discovered that God already speaks my language! Thankfully, I didn’t need to go to any classes to begin a relationship with Him, to communicate with Him.  

  

There are three ways in which He has made Himself known, this God who wishes to be known: through Creation, through the Living Word, and through the Written Word:

Ø  He speaks in Creation – “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)

Ø  He speaks FOR me – in the Living Word, in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ, the one whom the apostle John calls: “The Word of Life” (Gospel of John 1: 1 and in his 1^st epistle: 1 John 1:1). He speaks as My Advocate, (1 John 2:1).

Ø  He speaks TO me – in the Written Word, the Bible, to assure me of eternal life, (1 John 5:13); to teach me all I need for life and godliness, (2Peter 1:3)

And finally, wonderfully, He speaks WITH me – in the conversation of prayer (1 John 3:21,22,23; 1 John 5:14,15). 

God really is the absolute best communicator, ever.  

 And He speaks my language; your language.  

  

 He speaks Truth.  He speaks Love. 

He offers to us the Key of Life- found in Jesus Christ.

 Jesus Christ, who is the express image of God.

Jesus Christ, who said to Philip: 

“If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” (John 14:9)

He is true to His character - you can take Him at His word. 

One Little Wire

So there I was, searching for a little wire latch I had crafted for the suet feeder.  Since it is my favourite spot to feed our wild birds, a lament escaped from my lips!  "Oh, if only I could find you, in the middle of all this dead brown grass.  Why did I drop you?  What if I can't find you?  I can't believe I will have to go and get another piece of wire; you were such a perfect fit!"

And then I thought of Jonah - lamenting over the death of the plant that had protected him from the scorching heat.  Jonah, the prophet who tried to run away from God, got swallowed by a giant fish, was vomited by said fish onto dry land and finally obeyed God by preaching to the people of the city of Nineveh; a city of unbelievers, full of great violence and wickedness.

(Jonah 4:9-11)   "Then God said to Jonah, 'Do you have good reason to be angry about the plant?'  And he said: 'I have good reason to be angry, even to death.'  
Then the Lord said:

 'You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work, and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight.  And should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which  there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?'

My lament was cut short, as I realized I was willing to moan about the loss of a wire but unwilling to weep over the spiritual needs of people.  I was willing to waste my time on a little piece of metal and was oh, so justified, in being distressed about it; but unwilling to spend precious time with my God, praying for the lost souls I meet every day.  And it would seem that God was appealing to Jonah even on behalf of the animals that lived in that great city.  As if to say, "Can't you even show pity for at least the animals?'

Jonah had also said: "I knew that You were a gracious and compassionate God, 

slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness..." (Jonah 4:2)

Like Jonah, I can know so much about God, but not always reflect His character.  My prayer:

'Lord, have mercy on me and let me see people as you do!'  

I did manage to find another piece of wire. 

The birds are delighted, and I was taught  a valuable lesson.

Eye in the Sky

Have you ever thought: “It won’t happen to me; at least not here!?”  There I was, busy out-and-about with my camera.  It was a secluded spot; some brush and some open terrain, and I needed to “go potty,” as they say.  So, I headed for a somewhat sheltered spot and squatted.  To my great horror, the implausible happened.  No, there was no one lurking around and no one strode out of the bush.  No, that would have been understandable.

I heard a faint and ever-growing “thwack-thwack” sound and there it was, directly above me.  A helicopter hove into view, or should I say I was in its path of vision.  As if that was not enough, emblazoned on the side of the chopper were the lovely letters: R.C.M.P.  Oh my; caught in the act!

Well, I certainly could not stop in mid-whiz so I turned every shade of red and watched as the helicopter faded into the eastern sky.  Whew!  That was so unexpected.

As I made my way out of the bush and on to other adventures, it occurred to me that I treat God like that.  I don’t expect Him to do the unexpected and yet He does it every single day.  He brings life out of death, when someone trusts in Jesus, the One who died so we might  have eternal life.  He renews a flagging spirit by someone’s gentle words; He refreshes our souls with a cup of cold water, or an awesome vista. We are shown mercy when none is deserved.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, 

according to the power that works within us, 

to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus 

to all generations forever and ever.  Amen.”  (Ephesians 3:20,21)

Ah, Lord, help me to expect the unexpected; forgive me for not asking for great things from a great God.  Remind me that You are the real “eye in the sky,” not watching my every move for the sake of judging but watching my every move for the sake of encouraging and teaching.

Oh, and by the way, in case you were wondering; next time, I’ll hit the loo before I head out.

Back-to-back

I can nag.  A lot.  It does not bode well for Mom, (92 years of age), whose persevering spirit borders on pure streaks of stubbornness.  So I’ve been praying.  And I have asked my friend to pray with me: for small steps of obedience in conquering this nagging habit.

Today, as I walked out the door to bring my Mom a snack, I prayed: “Lord, I don’t want to cajole, argue or plead.  Please give me a better way.”  You see, Mom would say that she didn’t need a break; that she would come in when she was ready; that I was far too worried, (or bossy)!

I sat down on the ground with her, back-to-back; legs stretched out.  I could hear the sweet munching on fresh strawberries and the thirst-quenching gurgle of cold water.  I could feel the contented sigh of rest without regret and the joy of a shared moment; and I was grateful for this seemingly small victory.

And it got better.  God, in His providence, has me teaching Junior Church tomorrow, and so I settled in to prepare.  The story of Naaman, (2 Kings 5), sealed it for me.  He had refused to go and wash in the Jordan River seven times; the prophet Elisha’s answer to Naaman’s quest for a cure for his leprosy.  You see, a “little servant girl” whom they had captured from the land of Israel, cared enough about her master that she suggested he go and see the man of God- Elisha.   She was not afraid to be obedient to her Lord, the God of Israel, in speaking of His great powers, and she cared deeply for this man; even though she had been captured.  Such a seemingly little thing she did.

But now, upon hearing Elisha’s instructions, Naaman answers in a rage: “Behold, I thought, he will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God and wave his hand over the place, and cure the leper,” (verse11).  Now, we meet more of Naaman’s servants, who reply: “My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it?”, (v. 13).  How kind his servants were!  How simple their response!  If you read the entire chapter, you will see that Naaman concedes and is healed.  Not only so, he becomes a believer in the one true God. 

There is nothing small in one simple step of obedience.  Indeed, there is glory to God.   As for me, I didn’t just side-step my usual pestering, I knew victory.

Strawberries never tasted sweeter.

Bulrushes

Bulrushes.  Their Fall shades of dull-brown heads and beige stalks belie the Spring shades of green and rich earthen tones.  Before the new growth, the old stems and cattail puffs shrivel up, and yet never seem to quite die. They slowly slough off that old, papery shell, but a remnant hangs on for a good part of the new season.

Isn’t that just like us?  Christians put on Christ; old things are passed away…behold, the new has come!  And yet, there remains within us some of those stubborn old habits that never quite seem to die.  Woe to me, if I should say: “Well, it’s just the way I am!”  Such a pitiful excuse; so flimsy.  More flimsy than Adam and Eve’s fig leaves.  Before our Lord, we have no excuse for sin.  And yet, before our Lord, we have a generous grace; enough to deal with the sin, not just paper it over.  A genuine sorrow will lead to true repentance and a turning away from the sin that so easily entangles. 

Peter's introduction in his first letter is saturated with tremendous words of profound encouragement: 

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, (what is now modern-day Turkey), who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.”      (1 Peter 1:1,2)

These believers were nowhere near perfect, and yet they lacked nothing in their battle against remaining sin.  Yes, there may well be vestiges of our old way of life but we really do have all that we need to mature in Christ and delight in Him. Be strengthened by the Father's choosing, the Spirit's sanctifying work and the Saviour's sufficient blood, to live in His abundant grace and peace.  The old sheaves of the cattails and the old patterns of our lives will make way for the new.

The Silver Lining

You're at a restaurant, and you go to pay the bill.  "It's already paid-for," says the waitress!  "Oh, how nice," you might reply, "But, I'm going to pay for it as well." 

Utter foolishness, you would say!  Only one person needs to pay, and you would go looking for the one who paid your tab to thank them.

And yet, is it not so, with us and the gospel?  Jesus has paid for our sin; that is why He came, He died and He rose again- “It is finished,” meaning: “It is paid for,” was his cry from the cross.

“When Jesus therefore had received the sour wine, He said: ‘It is finished!’

And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”(John 19: 30)

Some might say that’s not good enough, (you have to work your way to heaven); or it’s too simple, (a straight-forward transaction), or that Jesus was not the God-man spoken of throughout history as the Redeemer to come.

So, some will insist on paying for their own sin, forever; separated from God, rather than accepting His payment.

It sure seems like utter foolishness!  Only one person needs to pay ~ and that’s exactly what Jesus did.  And our response is to say: "Forgive me, Jesus, for my sin.  Thank you for paying!"

The cost of our spiritual freedom was sufficient and is guaranteed forever.  I’ve taken Jesus’ payment for my sin and I know forgiveness, deep joy and, in the not-so-distant future, everlasting life.  Will you accept His “paid-in-full,” blood-written receipt; the one written all over your sin?

Good Friday is the darkest day in human history but in its ominous cloud is the silver lining for those who put their trust in Jesus Christ.

Small Mercies

Perhaps you have said it before: “Thank God for small mercies!” We were adding them up - a new acquaintance and I, and it wasn’t long before we had a virtual mountain of mercies. I was overwhelmed with awe.

Provision had come to my friend when least expected and not even asked-for; a vale of tears was being lovingly replaced with peace and joy - touches of indelible grace from our gracious God. As for myself, I was in desperate need of the timely reminder from Psalm 100, verse 5:

For the LORD is good; his mercy endures for ever; 

and his faithfulness unto all generations.

In the past week, I had lost sight of God’s great love for me; drowning in regret. A health concern for my Mom that should have been addressed a number of years ago was now before me. And I wept over the neglect of it. I came to believe that beating my breast and sighing: “Mea culpa,” were both necessary and appropriate; carrying the blame as a weighty penance. The burden of it all should have driven me to my Saviour, but I believed the lie that deeper guilt and deeper regret must be my constant companions for a long time.

Ah, what quietness has washed over my soul this day; all in the repeating of small mercies and in the study of Psalm 100. So I can now cry out: “Lord, may your tender mercies carry us through, your mercies that are new every morning.”

So Brief

It was poignant; watching my 103-year-old friend looking out the window at the driving rain and rushing waves on the Bay.  And next to her was Bobbi, our in-house feline companion.  She is charcoal-grey and ever so soft to touch.  There they were, watching; together.  Neither one of them was in a hurry to turn their eyes away from the shifting scene of turbulence.  They were so comfortable in their silence.  Such a beautiful scene, and yet it ached of solitude.  It brought tears to my eyes.  “None of us will be here for very long,” I said to myself.  

I needed that glimpse of a quickly-passing scene.  It was not lost on me- this contrast of storm outside and quiet inside.  This pause in my day was much-needed.   The things most important to me will get my greatest attention; would that I not waste these precious fleeting years.

Oh, to love others well!  To lift the burden for those who carry great weights of sorrow!  To walk as a child of light, (Ephesians 5:8), in a world of pain and suffering!  What a privilege to sing songs of comfort to my elderly friends; to pray with them; to rejoice with them and to delight in them; to weep with them and to laugh with them.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for today’s snapshot.  

Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. 

You are just a vapour that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”

(James 4:14)

Unpacking my suitcase

Unpacking my suitcase is a step in the right direction.  Or I should say:  it’s humbling, soul-refreshing and burden-releasing.  Have you ever had to ‘live out of your suitcase?’  There’s not too much room for extras and I’ve wanted to do it for oh, so long!

The encouragement to fast from an activity that wastes my time has been difficult.  It has not been all that hard to step away from so much facebook time; the challenge has been to spend that time in prayer.  That’s where living out of my suitcase, living out of a life of prayer, is a much better option than leaving it neat and tidy and only to be opened on certain occasions, and at that, only using certain phrases or tones or patterns of speech.

For quite some time I have known that praying has escaped me.  Not all the time; not every week; not every day.  But its essence has become so ephemeral, like wasted words that carry my soul further from Jesus rather than towards Him.  Why?  Because I am all too ready to rely on me.  It’s pretty basic, and there is nothing like a real-life situation to tease this out.

Living with my Mom has been such a blessing, but as time goes on, there are painful decisions to be made and I didn’t want to bring them to the Lord, because I have been afraid of… what will people think?  Afraid of…how would it look if she should need to move into long-term care? Afraid of… my heart breaking over the losses in her life and this would be one more.  While many things point to a need for a different level of care for her, I have not been ready or willing to bring it to the Lord.  I’ve just continued to rely on me.

Pastor Pernell’s recent message about humility and grace has dovetailed with a book I am reading by Paul E. Miller: “A Praying Life,” and where they meet is the touchstone of my life as a Christian- the need for a heart of humility. The apostle Paul needed humbling; needed to be told that “…my(God’s) power is made perfect in weakness.”( 2 Corinthians 12:9).  It’s soul-piercing, because it means I am way too self-sufficient.  Miller writes: “Dependency is the heartbeat of prayer.”(p.24).

I’m glad, actually, for these timely reminders-my heart needed wounding; strange as that may sound.  It is just far too easy to deceive myself into thinking that I can go to work, go to church, go hiking, go visiting, go on vacation, take care of Mom, and do it all well; but leave prayer in my proverbial suitcase- only to be taken out when things get rough.   

I have lost an element of the childlike simplicity that it takes to rely on someone else. Oh, to think of it; that “someone else” is my heavenly Father!  What a relief.  I had forgotten how rich is the grace of my God, and if I could just remember that I need to live out of my suitcase, there would be a lot less clutter in my mind, a lot more room for seeking the welfare of others and so much less to carry around in my over-burdened heart.  And, wonder of wonders, I can never exhaust the contents of this suitcase, since prayer is a gift from my God, whose supply is never diminished.  Actually, the more my heart is caught up in prayer, the greater the supply.  So I am asking the Lord to make the way plain before me, in regards to the care of my Mom.  And I am waiting with expectant confidence that He will show me. 

I am glad that the disciples asked Jesus: “Teach us to pray,” (Luke 11:3). Today, I am bringing the same request to Him.  Funny thing is, my very request is, in itself, a prayer.  And so my suitcase will remain unpacked and open.

Exercised?

Boaz: “Remain this night…” “Lie down until morning.” (Ruth 3:13)
Naomi: ‘Then she said, “Wait, my daughter” (Ruth 3:18)

Oh my dear. How could Ruth possibly wait any longer? It had already been almost two whole months since she met this amazing fellow, Boaz. They had been in close proximity as Ruth gleaned in Boaz’ fields. He extended mercy, kindness and grace to her- letting her glean, even though she was a foreigner; letting her sit with the reapers in the shelter; offering her, from his own hand, roasted grain; she recognized that he had taken notice of her; he was a kinsman-redeemer: a close relative who was to take care of those in the extended family who were in need.

Now, he tells her to wait; exercise self-control. And then Naomi tells her to do the same. What is it about self control: mitigating our appetites and desires, waiting a little longer to make a good decision, undergirding our impulses with a conviction of sustained prayer before God? Why does this trouble us so? Bottom line- we want what we want and will do pretty much anything to get it. As a Christian, there are so many times when I want God to act on my behalf, in the way I would like and do it NOW. Self-control flies out the window when we are selfish, anxious, and afraid- pretty terrible list, but I’ve know all three; even all three in the same moment.

Very recently, I was anxious about my Mom’s ability to handle social interactions and I realized that I was afraid to look foolish. We went to a New Year’s Day Levee. I could sense that some people were thinking she shouldn’t be there; that somehow she is of less value because she is 92 years old and living with dementia. And I saw that I was embarrassed because she didn’t always know how to interact with people. She looked to me for guidance with a sweet, unsophisticated joy, and I realized how selfish I was, looking at me me, me; rather than embracing this precious time with her.

Thank you, Holy Spirit, for your kindness to me in taking me past these unrelenting thoughts and controlling my heart so that I could see the real picture- Mom and I enjoying an afternoon. Left to my own devices, I may have left the building and stomped home with more anxiety, more fear and more selfishness. But the Spirit of God, who wants to bear fruit in my life, brought self-control to the event and made my heart glad to stay.

You know, Adam and Eve could have used more of this self- control. They couldn’t wait for God to show them more of Himself. No. Instead, they took the devil’s bait, thinking they could be like God, so they wouldn’t die and so they could enjoy the special, forbidden fruit- all lies from Satan. So tragic. Indeed, it was so tragic that we are still reeling with the consequences thousands of years later.

But, back to Ruth- ready to listen, to wait, to submit. How she must have rejoiced, even while she was waiting; knowing that Boaz had said he would redeem her and Naomi, if the closer kinsman did not. How she must have prayed! I can just picture her, on her knees in their humble, tumbled-down neglected home that had seen no one living there for the past ten years.

Remember, Boaz had seen her all sweaty, working in his fields. He knew she was a foreigner, a Moabitess, a childless widow. He knew they had nothing- these widows who had travelled the long, dusty, steep roads from Moab to Bethlehem. And yet He was willing to be the Kinsman-Redeemer.

He, too, had to demonstrate self-control. I wonder if he waited so long, because maybe he wasn’t so sure that Ruth would accept him- he was an older man. Was he waiting for the other Kinsman to act? What on earth passed through his mind there on the threshing floor where a beautiful young woman basically asked him to marry her? What restraint he had, sending her back to Naomi with a promise and almost 40 kilograms of threshed and winnowed grain, rather than taking advantage of her in the middle of the night. Little did he know that the greatest Kinsman-Redeemer of all, Jesus, would be his descendant, and would come to rescue people from their sin. Ruth and Naomi needed rescuing from poverty; we are in need of a greater rescue; one that has been accomplished by Christ on the cross.

For the month of February, Pastor Pernell has challenged us to a fast; a fast from things that consume and waste our time so that we would spend time in prayer, instead. This is where self-control, that glorious fruit of the Spirit, can mature. Even now, I already know what I will be setting aside, and I am praying for this fruit to be borne in me, through me, and spilling over into the lives of those whom I will be in contact with, over the month of February and beyond. Stay tuned…

Controlled by what?

New Year’s Day, 2016.

I have this bittersweet feeling today, as I wrap up nine months of concentrating on the “Fruit of the Spirit.”  And here we are, the first day of a new year, and the last of the fruit Paul mentions is self-control. (Galatians 5:22). How ironic is that, to be found making new year’s resolutions, only to see them drift away from you like the outgoing tide?  I am so tired of that.

So this year, instead of resolutions, I’m going to concentrate on self-control.  Like any fruit, it ripens with time and the right conditions.  We all know that maturity does not happen overnight so why do we conjure up self-control as if it were a genie in a bottle, waiting to be released on January 1^st, every year?     For sure, it does feel good to set a goal, to be determined, to open a new calendar and hope for change. 

But I know I need more than that.  I know I need the Holy Spirit to bring His fruit to fruition, and I know it will take time.  It will most likely take some heartache and sorrow; those situations that God allows in my life to mould and shape me.  I know myself well enough-there is nothing like soul-searching difficulties to shape my life, but I want them to press me into God, not cause me to lose hope, to lose joy and to lose self-control. 

This last-on-the-list fruit of the Spirit appears to create a contradiction.  Should I be self-controlled or Spirit-controlled?  Both are actually true, but if I allow the Spirit to be in control, then self-control will blossom.   And I can’t help but think that Paul placed this fruit at the end, to wrap up this ‘package deal’ with an encouraging reminder – those who are self-controlled will also exhibit the rest of the fruit he has spoken about, and the more we are self-controlled, the more room the rest of the fruit has to grow.  

Can I really be living out “…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and gentleness,” without self-control?  No, I would be much too self-centred; hence I need the Spirit to move me forward into this new year, expecting a fruitful harvest and not wasting time or circumstances by not allowing self-control to mature in me.

 As I consider the following verse in Proverbs, I recognize that self-control is as much about keeping away from certain things,(i.e. sugar, gossip ,etc), as it is about protecting my heart and keeping the gospel fresh in my mind. If I am to bear good fruit, and nurture my soul, I will need self-control; I don't want the tide to sweep away all the hard work of an entire year, let alone an entire lifetime.

A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.

Proverbs 25:28