At the Table

I would venture to say that most, if not all, cultures, have a sense that food is not just for the body.  It is also for the meeting of souls:  for companionship, for camaraderie and for conversation.   How tragic, then, is the betrayal of a friend, at a commemorative meal.

There they were, 12 disciples and Jesus, celebrating the Passover; celebrating the exodus of Israel from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. It had been over 1,400 years since that exodus.  Think of that.  A special meal, observed yearly, for 1,400 years.  This third Passover meal with Jesus and His disciples would be markedly different than their first two.

Little did they know it would be their last; little did they know that Jesus, Himself, would soon become the Passover Lamb, (1 Corinthians 5:7). It was a troubling meal, with Jesus stating: “But behold, the hand of the one betraying me is with me on the table” (Luke 22:21).  As is often the case, God juxtapositions an unfolding of opposite events to deepen the contrast between darkness and light.  On that fateful night, over 2,000 years ago, the most ignominious of treacheries took place, at a meal; at the table.

After Jesus had given Judas a morsel of the bread, pointing to him as the betrayer, it tells us: “…and it was night” (John 14:30).   How dark was the soul of Judas, as he slipped away to betray Jesus for the price of a slave; the negotiated price of 30 pieces of silver.  But that night, Jesus changed the meaning of this special meal, redeeming it from the ashes of betrayal.

As Paul writes:

“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said: ‘ This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’  In the same way He took the cup also, after supper, saying:’ This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Corinthians 11: 23-26).

Judas partook of both the bread and the cup, even though he knew that Jesus was aware of his deception.  You think it would have stopped him; stymied him, troubled him. After all, Jesus was making this meal about His body and His blood; His imminent death.  But Judas carried on, and the cross was waiting.

As our church regularly celebrates “The Lord’s Supper,” “The Breaking of Bread,” Communion,” I am reminded of this betrayal.  I am reminded that the meal of friendship and joy had become one of false pretenses and jarring lies. I am reminded of my own sin; the very sin that brought about the death of Jesus.  I am reminded that I, too, have betrayed Him.  But I am also grateful that this ‘meal’ can be a time of confession, leading to joy; a time of repentance and a time to be renewed in my relationship with Jesus, the One who died for my sins and rose from the dead three days later.

Easter was just around the corner; the impossible was about to happen, and no amount of betrayal was going to stop Jesus from rising from the dead, not even a betrayal that took place at a meal; at the table among friends.

Joyeuse Pâques

Happy Easter

Bitter, Sweet and Compassion

While there are lots of things common to every culture, e.g.: music, language, belonging; there is one element that touched me deeply this past week while on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic.  Compassion; the expression of an understanding soul. 

You see, my Mom, at the age of 95, died on Friday February 1^st at 10am.  During the night, I had asked staff at the long-term care home where she lived if they could help me move Mom to one side of her bed.  I climbed in next to her; I sang, I prayed, I wept, I spoke, read Scripture and yes, I even slept a little bit.  There was no doubt in my mind that the Lord Jesus Christ would soon be taking her home to be with Him.  The hardest part of the two-week-long decline was seeing my Mom in pain; which brings me back to compassion.

One week after Mom’s death, I was in the Dominican for a nine-day trip that included a Vacation Bible School for 120 children, a ladies Bible study, working on a pigpen for a Christian school, building walls for a vocational school, sanding and painting the walls of a church, and engaging with students who were taking ESL, (English as a Second Language). 

Speaking with these students, I told them that my Mom had died very recently.  One young lady, with tears in her eyes, struggled to ask the question: “How do you feel?”  Her angst was partly because of her limited English, but more-so because of a compassionate heart.  My answer: “It has been bittersweet.”  My own limited Spanish meant that I could describe the sweet part: Mom was home with Jesus.  The bitter part was more difficult: the pain of watching my Mom in pain was almost unbearable, even though an understanding of Jesus taking our pain and our sorrow had reduced the bitterness.  Their ESL teacher exclaimed: “Bitter, like a lemon!” (in Spanish, of course).  Yes, bitter like a lemon.  Seeing the compassionate heart of this young lady was beauty personified; I was so grateful for our little conversation.

“The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. 

They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness.”

(Lamentations 3: 22,23)

And the Lord knew that I needed the team of 30 people surrounding me, for the nine days that we were in the Dominican.  He knew that a shared sorrow would ease the ache.  Compassion, like art and music, crosses cultural boundaries.  If you are looking for beauty; you will find it in those who have compassionate hearts; no matter the culture, the language or the circumstance. 

Everyone Needs Compassion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=t5ghKwGEQRA

On the brink of madness

Why are we so shocked and so surprised at the New York State legislature’s decision regarding abortion? Canada is way ahead of the eight-ball on this one; to our great shame.
https://www.campaignlifecoalition.com/abortion/A few Canadian facts: In R. v. Morgentaler, 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada made its landmark decision to throw out the 1969 abortion law on the basis that it was 'unconstitutional'.

(1) This created a legal vacuum in which, to this day, no abortion law exists in Canada.
Abortion is permitted throughout all 9 months of pregnancy, for any reason, up to the moment of birth. Section 223 of the Criminal Code of Canada defines a human being as ‘a child that has completely proceeded from the body of its mother.’(2) This section strips pre-born human beings of their human right to life.  Abortions are funded with taxpayer dollars through every provincial health care system. This, despite the fact that polls show a majority of Canadians, 67% in a 2011 poll, significantly disagree with their dollars being used to kill babies. (3) The Canada Health Act does not require abortion costs to be insured. It states only that "medically necessary" procedures must be insured.(4)Almost all abortions are not medically necessary. Provincial legislatures can pass a law recognizing this fact at any time.

Back to New York:

“(NEW YORK, New York, January 23, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) – New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) directed that the One World Trade Center's spire be lit pink overnight on Tuesday to celebrate his signing of a law allowing abortions until birth and letting non-doctors commit abortions. The law, the Reproductive Health Act, also erases the state’s recognition of preborn babies older than 24 weeks as potential homicide victims. The new law also means that women whose unborn babies are killed against their will – in cases of domestic violence, for example – won’t be able to charge their aggressors.”

So, let me get this straight…

1. The most dangerous place for a baby to live is inside her mother’s womb.

2. If someone kills a woman who is in her third trimester of pregnancy, the murderer will not be charged with the baby’s death; justice is NOT served. Abusive men will get away with murder; they will harm the mother, and kill the baby in the womb. What’s to stop them?

3. Signing this legislation into law on the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade is no mistake or coincidence; evil begets evil. The slippery slope can hardly get any more slippery; unless you also take into account the fact that, in the Netherlands, a child can ask to be euthanized to alleviate the grief and suffering of their parents; Toronto Sick Kids Hospital now has a team of professionals looking into this very possible scenario since “medical aid in dying” is now available in Canada…

4. “Letting non-doctors commit abortions.” Isn’t that one of the reasons why people screamed for the legalization of abortions, so medical doctors could perform ‘safe abortions?’ How ironic is that? Safe for whom? The baby?

5. The “One World Trade Centre,” built to replace the Twin Towers that were destroyed by evil men, was symbolically lit up in pink, to celebrate the passing of this bill. Could it be more ignominious, this celebration of death?

Proverbs 24:11,12 

Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.

If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” 

does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? 

Does not he who guards your life know it? 

Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done? 

Canada, we have blood on our hands. New York State, you have blood on your hands. No one can honestly say that a pre-born baby, at nine months, is not a child. Using semantics as a shield for murder; sounds like the Nazis calling Jews rats, or the Hutus calling the Tutsis cockroaches.

Only repentance will draw us back from the brink of madness.

All Things Hold Together

One of the more difficult days of my life today; and I have had some difficult ones, as I am sure is true for everyone.  I have often sat beside people whose loved one is very ill or in great pain.  Today it was my turn, as I sat beside Mom.  A fracture of her upper right arm has caused her much agony and my heart broke as I sat beside her, prayed aloud for her and sang.  Because her hearing aid is being repaired, she could not hear very much.

But my heavenly Father could hear everything I said and prayed and sang.  A heart full of lament; comforted by a heavenly Father who understands what great pain is all about.  Tears came; co-workers comforted.  Mom eventually slept.  And tomorrow, my God will still be there.

Studying Colossians has reminded me that Christ is enough for every day, every broken heart, every sorrow and, indeed, every joy.  Try as I might to replace Him with someone or something; He is enough.  There is no philosophy, no tradition, no angel, no power that can compare to Him.

“And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. 

For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, 

visible and invisible,

whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-

all things have been created by Him and for Him. 

And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16).

 It is ever so tempting to rail against God, to blame Him for the ugly moments of life; to run to the den of despair and look for answers outside of Him.  But He is enough.  

Hebrews 4:15,16

Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, 

Jesus the Son of God,

let us hold fast to our confession. 

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses

 but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace,

that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.”

I am so thankful that the mercies of Christ are enough for me, for Mom, and for anyone who puts their trust in Him.