The Solution for Pain: Eremos

So what’s Eremos? A new drug??

This is a story you’ve probably either heard or lived through yourself. I was reaching out to a friend whose marriage had eroded quietly for years but suddenly collapsed in a mudslide to destruction. He has a super bright wife who works day and night to provide for their family and two highly successful children winning all sorts of awards in high school. Yet, even though it looked to me like he’s had a nearly ideal home and family life, he became so dysfunctional from drugs and alcohol that he’s been kicked out. It wasn’t obvious to those who loved the family from afar, but there have been years and years of love, tears, and desire to help that he ignored until it was too late.

How does this happen? “But, you can’t imagine the pressure I was under,” he complained to me. True enough. He had been the #1 salesman in the nation for his company— full of dreams and ambition. That’s a lot of pressure. He’d grown up in an alcoholic home. That’s a terrible obstacle to overcome. Past wounds and present pressures . . . the perfect storm for drowning. But, do we have to drown?

My friend has landed at his father’s house— a ranch sort of in the middle of nowhere. After losing his own wife years ago, this father eventually found his way to freedom through faith in Christ, and he’s sharing this faith with his son, providing a safety net for him, texting him Bible verses every morning, praying for him, and giving him space. Will my friend repent and allow Jesus to transform him? I pray so, but it’s not a given. I’m also praying for half a dozen young (and older) people who seem unable to overcome the addictions that are killing them (literally).

To a greater or lesser degree, I’ve seen this scenario lived out again and again. Some call it Midlife Crisis or burnout. I used to think of it as a middle-age malady among men, but honestly—it can affect any of us at any time. What’s the answer? For me, it’s always Jesus, the source of truth, life, and freedom. The One who died so that we can have forgiveness for our sins. The One on whom we can cast ourselves, confessing our sins and begging for help.

How many times in my life have I taken Jesus up on his offer?— “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). My need for grace and help on my pilgrimage to heaven has never ended. I feel like a salmon trying to migrate up a waterfall, praying and jumping over, and over, and over again . . . how many ever times it takes me to be able to make it to the “next level” in the great adventure we call life on earth.

But, back to my original question: What is Eremos? It’s a Greek word used in the Bible that’s translated often as “wilderness.” It means an isolated, solitary, desert place where no one is and there are no resources. No food, water, or shelter. This is where Satan tested and tempted Jesus. However, Jesus didn’t cave in to temptation. His resource was complete reliance on God. Jesus fasted. He prayed. He stood his ground by quoting Scripture. He survived. And, he went on to save the world. Literally! He’s the only superhero who isn’t fictitious. Jesus is the Almighty God incarnate—in the flesh—, and He is the One and only power in heaven or on earth who can forgive, redeem, save, heal, and transform us.

When we are tested and tempted, we have two choices: to give in to temptation (which leads to sin, addictions, and eventually death), or we can cast ourselves completely on God, coming boldly to the throne of grace, begging him for mercy and the grace to resist temptation and overcome evil with good.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the problems and pressures of life, don’t take a drug, take a walk to the Eremos and meet with God. Cry out to Him and do NOT turn to idols. Billy Sunday taught, “One reason sin flourishes is that it is treated like a cream puff instead of a rattlesnake.” Let’s take our sins seriously and let God fill us with the water of life that flows from the Rock: “for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ” ( 1 Corinthians 10:4). Jesus is the friend that sticks “closer than a brother” and promises to never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He’ll be with us in the Eremos. We’ll never be alone once we have Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

Psalm 61:1-4. “Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.”

(I took the two desert photos from an “eremos” in Tunisia)

A Tribute to Tom

Our dear friend Tom, aged 88, went home to be with his Heavenly Father, and we attended his memorial service and celebration (for a life so well lived). Tom was very special to both Alan and me; for Alan, because they worked together at Pine Rest Christian Hospital, and for me, because after Tom retired, he started reading my blog, and he would call every once in a while to tell me that he especially appreciated something I’d written, or to share a story from his experience that tied in with a post.

The light in Tom’s life was way more than the little cell-phone strength glimmer I experienced at Mammoth Cave recently! He reflected the glory of God in a powerful way! Tall, handsome, intellectually gifted, a physician . . .

He married a beautiful and godly young woman and had everything that could tempt a man to pride. Yet, he was one of the most humble, gentle souls I ever met!

He and Gwendolyn worked hard so he could get through medical school at the University of Michigan, and then he had a highly successful practice in Grandville for many years. I learned from his brother-in-law that success never went to his head, though! He was one of those rare doctors who made housecalls, even receiving pay in chicken eggs when folks didn’t have money. He was always kind, compassionate, and conscientious.

They had two exceptional children, a son and a daughter. Just as their son was graduating from college and preparing for medical school at the University of Michigan, he died in a car crash, which was a life-long source of grief to both Tom and Gwendolyn. We first met them 10 years following the accident, but when we heard the story of young Tom’s death, the pain was so palpable I assumed he’d died the year previous or something. I was surprised at the memorial service to realize their son’s death had been ten years before we knew them. Yet, they chose “REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS” as their testimony instead of becoming bitter against the Lord for allowing their son to die.

I really believe that was the secret to Tom’s incredible tenderness, although I didn’t understand it until the memorial service. I just thought Tom was naturally tender-hearted. Truly, trusting God even with the loss of this most precious possession gave him a spiritual aroma only possible by crushing.

The other “best” story about Tom is that after he retired, he and his wife moved in with his only daughter and her husband, who’s a colonel in the army. They had their own apartment in the house, and in the early years, I remember Tom telling me that it breathed new life into their hearts to be near their daughter’s family and be able to play with their grandchildren.

Tom’s daughter, with a sweetness so like her father!

There is a joy in being with our children and exuberant grandchildren that is an indescribable, healing balm as we grow older.

Enjoying my youngest and his wife in Grand Haven—
a favorite spot for Tom and Gwendolyn too!

I’ve learned that from experience!

Tom was a blessed man, and I’m sure he was a blessing to all who knew him. He was truly someone who loved Jesus with all his heart and wanted everyone he loved to know the peace and joy that comes from being a child of God and possessing eternal life in Christ.

“In thy presence is fulness of joy” (Psalm 16:11)

Although Tom is no longer present with us, he is now present with the Lord.

The memory of his fragrance in the midst of pain will forever inspire me.

“The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:5-11).

TWA:NE (11) Sunset at Chimney Bluffs

The last rays of the sun were melting into Lake Ontario by the time we’d finished dinner at Connie’s and made our way to Chimney Bluffs State Park.

The afterglow of sunset at Chimney Bluffs

The lake was perfectly still, with only the tiniest ripple at the shoreline, and even the dandelions—just barely visible in the deepening shadows—were perfect globes of unruffled seed pods.

The “Chimney Bluffs” in the distance at twilight

Spent flowers filled with seeds and tiny wings were waiting to be airborne, but they had no breath of breeze to send them aloft.

They seemed to beckon, alluring me to make a wish and with a breath of kindness send them on their way. What could I wish for?

I could think of so many wishes—things I’d been praying for, like the salvation of loved ones, reconciliation between loved ones, freedom from addictions and harmful lifestyle choices, relief for those who suffer . . . last spring the list was long, but this fall it’s even longer.

Now I have a friend with a new cancer diagnosis. This summer we lost our 20th grandchild before he even came to birth. A young mom in Alaska, mother of two pre-teen girls, died from Covid. A baby, just 10-months old, choked on a bean and died. And now, a two-month-old twin—grandbaby of a dear friend—died in his sleep.

Had I the power to answer my own prayers or make wishes come true, should I wish them back to life and perfect health?

As my friend Jabe explained at the graveside of his grandson, we are living in the land of the dying. Those who die in Jesus are now living in the land of the living! Should we wish for those who’ve been sent aloft by the Holy Spirit to be attached again to their body of death? Wouldn’t it be like wishing for a dandelion’s seeds to stay forever attached and unable to rise? Once the Spirit calls us, our spirit rises and our body dies. Our body has been dying all along, but we often don’t realize it. Should we wish for our loved ones to return from the land of the living to be part of the land of the dying again?

I think not! I think instead, I will be still and know that He is God. I will walk with Him every day, and I will wait until the day when He says to me, “Okay, Kathi, I’ve been living within you at your house long enough, so today after we get done with our walk, I’m going to take you home to My house. To the land of the living, where there is no more darkness or death. Do you want to come?” And I will say, “Yes! I want to be with You, wherever You are, and wherever You take me! I’m ready.” Like the seed pods ready and waiting, I’m looking forward to the breath of the Holy Spirit sending me aloft!

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen,
I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10).

Pondering Proverbial Themes (12): Who is “the Lord”?

Do you believe in God? Do you trust God? Even people who say they don’t believe in God find themselves praying to God sometimes, usually when they’ve come to the end of their own resources and realize they cannot accomplish what they need. “IF there’s a God out there, will you help me?” By the way, that’s a legitimate prayer! Don’t be afraid to ask God for help!

The other time people who don’t believe are likely to address God is when they’re angry about something horrible that’s happened. Then, they’re likely to curse God as the evil perpetrator who allowed such evil to occur. As strange as this seems, this is also a form of prayer, which is communication with the Almighty. True? It’s like throwing a tantrum, but you are talking to God, and He knows what you’re saying!

The older I get, the more convinced I become that most people who say they don’t believe in God are actually saying they don’t “trust” God. “If” he exists, then he must be evil, because the world is such a mess. Why the world is such a mess is a worthy topic (for another day), but today I want to share with you just a little bit about who the God of the Bible is.

Want to guess what word is most commonly used in the Bible (not counting the articles: a, and, the)? “Lord,” which is used 6,781 times (in the KJV, ±in other translations). I discovered this while studying the Proverbs, because I’ve been tracking how often various words are used and was captivated by the realization that “Lord” is one of the most often used words in the book of Proverbs. It’s also by far the most common name used for God. It’s repeated over and over and over again! So, not only is Lord the most commonly used name for God in Proverbs, it’s the most commonly used word in the entire Bible!

What does “Lord” mean, and what’s the significance of this being God’s favorite designation for himself? First, you won’t like the definition if you don’t like God, because “lord” means “one having power and authority over others: a ruler by hereditary right or preeminence to whom service and obedience are due,” and when Lord is capitalized, it refers to God or Jesus (Merriam Webster).

So, the first thing we need to understand is that the Lord God has legitimate authority over us, both by “inheritance” (He is our Creator and the sustainer of life on earth) and by preeminence (He’s the Almighty Lord God! see Gen. 17:1). But, what I’ve learned over the years is that this fearsome Lord who can snuff our our lives in an instant is actually a more amazingly loving, merciful, longsuffering, compassionate, gracious master than can be found anywhere on earth or in heaven above! He is the ruler over all, but He is love, and He loves you and me!

How do I know? By faith, but also by training and by experience . . . the way we humans learn most everything we think we know! How does a baby learn to trust his mother? By crying out when he’s in distress and having her come, meet his needs, and comfort him. This is also true with God when He becomes our Father and our Lord. Just look at this incredible list of things that our Lord is and provides for those who turn to him in faith:

1. He becomes our shepherd . . . the One who leads, feeds, and cares for us. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:1-3).
2. He becomes our rock of refuge and stability and provides strength for us: “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower” (Psalm 18:2).
3. He becomes our salvation and lights our way, so we know which way to go and don’t have to fear the future: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).
4. He gives us wisdom to know right from wrong and the courage to stand for right against evil: “I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved” (Psalm 16:8). “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” (Psalm 118:6).
5. He fills our hearts with gratitude and praise: “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him” (Psalm 28:7).
6. He becomes our source of confident hope: “And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee” (Psalm 39:7).
7. We learn to trust him completely: “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust” (Psalm 91:2). “But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works” (Psalm 73:28).
8. He becomes all we need to feel satisfied and happy in life: “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot” (Psalm 16:5). “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11).
   

So, although God is and wants to be our legitimate “Lord” and master, it is not so He can oppress us or make us miserable. God calls us to himself to bring us out of the darkness of our self-obsession and self-rule into the light of His peace and presence! I’m taking a prayer course with several friends, and this week we were discussing the concept of contemplative prayer, where instead of having an agenda of petitions for God, we come to Him in stillness, waiting for Him to commune with us. The author likened the experience to floating in the dark on water. When you’re floating, you can’t really lift your head up to see where you’re going, and when it’s dark, you can’t see much even if you did try to look around. One of my girlfriends mentioned that trying to envision opening herself up to the Lord God in this way seemed very scary. I understand that! It requires a lot of trust, because you won’t exactly know where you’re going and have to trust that the Lord is good!

I reflected back to one night when I had the incredibly pleasurable experience of floating in a dimly lit saltwater thermal spring in Badwindsheim, Germany. Because I trusted my son and daughter-in-law, who had brought us, I was able to relax completely, and the salt content was so high that I floated almost effortlessly. I was transported to a state of warm, womb-like comfort. What if that pool had a current that took me away? Ah, this is life. But, this is also death! We are in a sense either swimming or floating on a dark current that will eventually bring us to death!

Thankfully, for the Christian, we will find that at the end of the dark tunnel there is light. Near-death survivors almost universally report being drawn toward an incredibly peaceful light. What is the light? It is the Lord himself! Death is the passageway to life, just as a baby has to pass out of the womb to enter into a new life in this air-breathing world. Are you afraid? Are you ready?

The rest of Psalm 23 says this of the Lord: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever ” (Psalm 23:4-6). This is the blessed ending of life on earth for all who are willing to make “the Lord” our Lord!

(Photo Credit: Painting: “Come Follow Me” by Yongsung Kim, used by permission of Haven Light ministries http://havenlight.com).

Goodbye Winter!

With lots of sunshine and soaring temperatures in the ten-day forecast, Alan and I decided it was time to head to Grand Haven and celebrate a sunset send-off for winter.

Theoretically it was above freezing, but a fierce wind was blowing across Lake Michigan so the beach was treacherously icy.

Only the far reaches of our eyesight could perceive open water as a small ribbon of black on the horizon.

Despite the wind nipping at our fingers and noses, we stood transfixed.

In the distance behind us was a long row of people watching from the warmth of their cars, and in distance ahead were a few brave souls trekking out to the end of the icy pier. We were content with our somewhat precarious perch on the shoreline.

Translucent chunks of ice had buckled and broken into sharp, geometric shapes that shimmered pink and purple in the glowing sunset.

Before driving to Grand Haven, we debated whether or not we’d be disappointed in the color, since it was a perfectly clear evening.

In fact, it was so gorgeous I found myself thinking, “I’ve gotta take lots ‘n’ lots of pictures to share!”

“Hopefully, some of them will turn out!”

A pair of geese soared overhead, and I wondered where they were headed. Maybe to our little lake? It was time for our geese to return.

Do you know how long a sunset takes? Only about five minutes!

Once the sun starts to dip below the horizon, it goes in a twinkle, and yet every moment the light and color change. We watched a group of silent birds, so high in the sky we couldn’t identify them. Flying somewhere into the wild, pink yonder.

As the sun gasped its last breath before plunging underwater, I could finally see the ominous waves rolling in toward the ice-jammed shore.

Goodbye Sunset. Goodbye Winter.

Goodbye Snow Moon! I’d watched the last full moon of winter rising like a Hallmark movie set over our lake just last week. March’s full moon will be the “Sugar” Moon or the “Sap” Moon, because the sap is starting to run!

We could only pull ourselves away from the frozen beach after the last rays of light were losing strength. I sighed happily and leaned heavily on Alan’s arm for support. We hadn’t worn our Yak Trax, and the beach was pitted with icy rifts and tiny valleys.

What a blessing and comfort to have a mate to walk through the seasons and sunsets of life! What a blessing to have our eternal Father, upon whose everlasting arms we can lean even more heavily as the sunset of life approaches. Will the end be glorious and beautiful . . . calm despite the winds, like this sunset?

What a privilege to live on Earth, the wondrous home God’s created for us!

“I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me
in the night seasons” (Psalm 16:7).

Flying High

Where do you go for a daily lift?

Alan and I have read the Bible together daily for about 30 years, but we often enjoy reading a short devotional as well. This year we’ve been reading through the reflections of Amy Carmichael in Edges of His Ways,* and I am often touched by her meditations from sixty-five years ago—which still speak to the needs of my heart today!

A great blue heron rises effortlessly skyward from our little lake

The first three days of September have been no exception! In meditating on Psalm 4:7, “Thou has put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased,” Amy had this insight: “It is not difficult to have gladness in our hearts when we have what we want—corn and wine may stand for whatever we most enjoy doing or possessing— but God asks for something far more than this. He wants what David offered Him when he wrote those words more than.”

“What David offered to his God was a heart that was utterly satisfied with His will. There were no private reservations, no little whispered ‘if’—if only I can be where I want to be, and have what I want to have, then there will be gladness in my heart, O God; he did not say that—he did not even say, ‘By Thy grace I am glad, I am as glad as I should be if I had those stores of corn and wine.’ He went further, he flew right out of all the restricting thoughts that might have caged his spirit, up and up into the free air of God, and he said, ‘Thou has put a new kind of gladness in my heart. It does not depend on what I have, it is more than that sort of gladness. it is a joy that is entirely independent of circumstances.”

An eagle soars along the coastline (as seen from Mont St. Michel in France)

If you, like me, have been struggling with a lack of joy due to circumstances, then I invite you to join me in a flight of joy! When King David wrote Psalm 4, he was escaping from the army of his son, Absalom, who was attempting a coup to overthrow his father. David was fleeing for his life—doubtless hungry, thirsty, and exhausted, but he was able to fly “right out of all the restricting thoughts that might have caged his spirit, up and up into the free air of God, and he said, ‘Thou has put a new kind of gladness in my heart. It does not depend on what I have, it is more than that sort of gladness. it is a joy that is entirely independent of circumstances.”

Ready to fly? Let’s go!

High Flight
(—John Gillespie Magee, Jr.)

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, –and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of –Wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air…
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark or even eagle flew —
And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

Although Mary Poppins Returns is a charming story,
there’s something more than . . . !

“Thou has put gladness in my heart, more than in the time
that their corn and their wine increased” (Psalm 4:7).

(*Amy Carmichael was an incredible Irish woman who went to India as a missionary, where she established an orphanage and a mission. She served for 55 years without a furlough and when she died in 1951 at the age of 83, she asked that rather than a headstone, a birdbath with the inscription “Amma” (“mother”) be placed over her grave. She wrote numerous books and devotionals; some of her most beloved include: His Thoughts Said . . . His Father Said (1951), If (1953), Edges of His Ways (1955) and God’s Missionary (1957).

(First and last photos taken while watching Mary Poppins Returns, which is highly imaginative and amusing but can’t hold a balloon to hanging on to Jesus for your daily lift! 🙂 )

Thank you, Christoph!

By way of encouragement, my brother (spiritual brother, and the father of my daughter-in-law Gerlinde), sent me this lovely reminder of the wonderful goodness and grace of God, which I’m experiencing this morning while in the throes of preparing for tomorrow’s wedding. May you all have a day overflowing with the joy and blessings of the Lord!

Meditating on the Commands of Christ (84): Sow, Reap, and Weep—Or Sow, Weep, and Reap!

“You’ll reap what you sow” is foundational, not only to farmers but to all of us as humans. Not only physically, but spiritually. That’s doubtless why Jesus urged us in Matthew 13:18 to “Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.”

Reaper by Victor Borisov-Musatov, 1897. Public Domain

What was that parable? “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear” (Matthew 13:3-9).

What did Jesus want his disciples to understand? “Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty” (Matthew 13:18-23).

If you’re a believer, then the message for us is to sow the Word of God (the Bible and the Gospel of Christ) liberally, everywhere, to everyone, without worrying about whether or not it will always be successfully received.

As a case in point, I eagerly received Jesus as my Savior the first time I ever heard the Gospel, which was at a Youth for Christ rally when I was twelve. The next day, I started trying to explain the great, good news to Jocey, who took clarinet lessons with me at our junior high school. “Oh, I’m already a Christian,” she replied casually. “I got saved when I was four.”

“Really?” I asked in shock. “Then why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“Because I didn’t think you were the type.”

Fifty-seven years later, I’m still pondering that one. Who is “the type?” I don’t think any of us can tell who might or might not respond to the wonderful news that God loved us so much that He sent his uniquely begotten Son (Jesus) to die in our place so that we can have our sins forgiven, be reconciled to God, and become his children—receiving his eternal life and being assured of going to heaven to be with Christ when we die.

Therefore, Jesus tells us to share the living seed of the Word of God freely. “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8). The Bible also gives us several wonderful promises to encourage us in our task:

“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psalm 126:5-6). So, beyond the “sow and reap” principle, there’s the even better, “sow, weep, and reap with joy” principle.

Contrarily, there’s the “sow, reap, and weep principle: “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:8-9). How much better to continue in patiently sowing the Word of God despite persecution, belittlement, and weariness. God promises to bless us with everlasting life, and I think in this context, He’s not saying our own. Our own promise of everlasting life was secured for us when we committed our lives to Christ. The promise of Galatians is that we will reap the joy of seeing many other people receive everlasting life if we don’t give up!

Do you ever get frustrated and tired of sharing the glory of God with those who don’t believe a word of what you say and think you’re nuts? Don’t grow weary! Don’t give up sharing the blessed Good News of the Gospel! “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6).

God wants us to keep sowing the good seed of the Kingdom of God so that some day we will be overwhelmed by the joy of seeing multitudes experiencing the bliss of heaven with us. Beloved, keep sowing and weeping. We may never know in this life the effects of our scattering God’s Word, but someday, in heaven, we will reap with joy!

The reaper after millet by Vincent van Gogh, 1889. Public Domain

(P.S.—As a tribute to Jocey, she became a wonderful friend, and her mother patiently drove both my sister and me to church several times a week for over two years until my sister got her driver’s license and we could get there on our own!)

Prayer Cooking

Last weekend, our deep freezer died, leaving me a small inheritance of quickly thawing, once-frozen berries which couldn’t be crammed into my refrigerator’s freezer because I’d already stuffed every inch of available space with frozen meats and veggies. Besides that, I had most of a flat of fresh blackberries that were dead ripe and needed to be eaten or frozen. The only obvious solution was to process my motley assortment of orphaned berries into a large batch of cooked, mixed berry jam.

Sadly, I had no pectin for cooked jam. Our family favorite is freezer jam, so I only keep a stash of freezer jam pectin available for that once-in-a-year special when strawberries are less than a dollar per quart. However, without fresh berries and freezer space, freezer jam would be out of the question this spring.

The other problem was that I wanted to use all the berries, not just X cups according to some recipe . . . even if I could I find one (which I doubted). For instance, how do you suppose Google would respond to “recipe for approximately 5 quarts of mixed berries, some mushy and defrosted but others firm and fresh”? It is possible to make jam simply by boiling down your fruit with or without sugar until it’s approximately thick enough to make jam, and that was my first thought, so after dinner I processed the fresh berries, added the defrosted berries, and set the kettle on to boil while I washed up the dinner dishes. What’s that about the watched pot never boiling? I left the kettle a little too long and it boiled over. 😦

 “Drat!” I thought. “Okay, Lord, I have no option here of simply using my head. It’s too late to go to the store (and I’ve been avoiding stores anyway because of COVID concerns). I need your Spirit to guide this process.” Frankly, I pray every morning for the Holy Spirit to lead me into the ways of truth and righteousness. I pray for wisdom and grace and sensitivity to the Lord’s leading. I try to walk by faith and practice the presence of God. I talk to him while I work. At that moment, I recalled the passage I’d been memorizing from Psalm 119:57 -58, “Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words. I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.” 

“Lord, will you be merciful unto me according to THIS very word? Will you help me make jam that isn’t too runny and isn’t too firm? I can’t wing this one. This is something new. I have no experience in this type of jam making and know I don’t have the right supplies for any recipe. I need to clean up this sticky mess and get the jam finished so I don’t waste the good food you’ve blessed us with. Will you guide me?”

After cleaning up the jam that had overflowed onto the stove, I returned to my project, brought the fruit to a boil again, dumped in about half of a 4-pound bag of sugar, and entire bottle of freezer jam pectin, a large packet of strawberry jello powder, and 3 individual packets of gelatin into my goopy kettle, stirred until it was all smooth and abubble, then turned off the heat and ladled it out into all the glass jam jars I had on hand. It made just a little over a gallon of jam. I wiped off the bottles and screwed the lids on tightly. (No, I didn’t have proper canning supplies either, having given away most all my canning jars after our kids grew up.) Some of the jars eventually self-sealed as they cooled, but I stored them all in the refrigerator that night just before I went to bed.

Some of the jars of Mixed Berry Jam

There’s an old saying about throwing bad money after good, and so I wondered if I was wasting my pectin, gelatin, and sugar in an effort to save all the berries, but I was comforted by the next two verses of Psalm 119:59,60: “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.”  I went to bed, thankful to have felt God’s guiding hand and feeling like I’d done the best I knew how to do . . . and willing to accept whatever verdict the Lord would pronounce over my prayer-cooked jam. “At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee, because of thy righteous judgments” (Psalm 119:62).

The next morning for breakfast, I served bowls of fresh blackberries with cream and English muffins with our new jam. Both my husband and youngest son (who still lives with us) said the flavor and texture of the jam were excellent, so I breathed a great sigh of relief, thanked the Lord for his mercy, and sent one jar off to work with my son to give his girlfriend. Thank you, Lord! “The earth, O LORD, if full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes” (Psalm 119:64).

So Will I

On this last day of April, I would like to share one of my all-time favorite poems/songs. The lyrics and music are beautiful beyond description, like the God about whom it is written, and the visuals on this rendition leave me breathless and overflowing.

So Will I (100 Billion X)
Words and Music by Joel Houston Benjamin Hastings & Michael Fatkin
© 2017 Hillsong Music Publishing CCLI: 7084123

VERSE 1
God of creation
There at the start
Before the beginning of time
With no point of reference
You spoke to the dark
And fleshed out the wonder of light

CHORUS 1
And as You speak
A hundred billion galaxies are born
In the vapour of Your breath the planets form
If the stars were made to worship so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You’ve made
Every burning star
A signal fire of grace
If creation sings Your praises so will I

VERSE 2
God of Your promise
You don’t speak in vain
No syllable empty or void
For once You have spoken
All nature and science
Follow the sound of Your voice

CHORUS 2
And as You speak
A hundred billion creatures catch Your breath
Evolving in pursuit of what You said
If it all reveals Your nature so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You say
Every painted sky
A canvas of Your grace
If creation still obeys You so will I

BRIDGE
If the stars were made to worship so will I
If the mountains bow in reverence so will I
If the oceans roar Your greatness so will I
For if everything exists to lift You high so will I
If the wind goes where You send it so will I
If the rocks cry out in silence so will I
If the sum of all our praises still falls shy
Then we’ll sing again a hundred billion times

VERSE 3
God of salvation
You chased down my heart
Through all of my failure and pride
On a hill You created
The light of the world
Abandoned in darkness to die

CHORUS 3
And as You speak
A hundred billion failures disappear
Where You lost Your life so I could find it here
If You left the grave behind You so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You’ve done
Every part designed in a work of art called love
If You gladly chose surrender so will I
I can see Your heart
Eight billion different ways
Every precious one
A child You died to save
If You gave Your life to love them so will I

TAG
Like You would again a hundred billion times
But what measure could amount to Your desire
You’re the One who never leaves the one behind

“By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them
by the breath of his mouth” (Psalm 33:6).

“For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?” (Matthew 18:11-12).