Easter and Rights

Jesus never addressed the issue of homosexuality specifically in the gospels. Perhaps that is because He, being God, had a way of keeping things in perspective that the rest of us seem to struggle with. 

Sin is Sin.  

Jesus was big on rights though. The story of the woman caught in adultery comes to mind. Nobody was screaming about her rights, and when Jesus stepped into the midst of the scene, no one’s rights were addressed. He didn’t condone her lifestyle, behavior, or choices. He could see firsthand she was living with the consequences of all of it. But he did address her treatment by mankind…..that before they go “casting stones” they would do a self check of their own hearts and see if any of them were worthy to judge and punish. They were not. 

The entire Bible is the word of God, and Jesus is referred to over and over in that word as “The Word”, he also quoted it many times and referred to the prophets throughout the gospel accounts. Let’s just say, He knew what the Bible said. 

He never addressed the issue of drunkenness either, yet he hung out with drunks. Obviously his feelings about their lifestyle of "winebibbing" didn’t affect his relationships with them.  

In all this issue of “gay rights” this week our family has been hit by some sad news. A friend of ours, a gay friend, who is a recovering drug addict is probably going to lose their job due to a positive drug test, and has been diagnosed with HIV.  

Sort of puts things in perspective huh? 

All the “rights” in the world won’t change the fact that this person is now dealing with consequences of their choices; choices that I personally had no part in. But will we, as a family, help them deal with those consequences? You bet we will.  

You see our friendship and love doesn’t have anything to do with “rights”. And I know that as our friend shared this news their “rights” were the last thing on their mind. Abandonment, shame, sorrow and fear were the paramount issues that came up.  Who wants to experience those? 

They know our beliefs on homosexuality, but more importantly, they know we believe in a Savior who has called us to love unconditionally. They have seen our family in action enough to know that they could come to us, fall on us, share with us, and open themselves up because our love of Jesus and them would affect our behavior and response. They are counting on our love; God’s love that comes through us. Our rights, their rights aren’t really gonna matter in the midst of this fallout from the consequences of choices, but our love for Jesus will; and they know that. Isn’t that what we want them to know?

This is Holy Week, Good Friday has come and gone. The hopelessness that the disciples felt that Friday is surrounding our friend right now. I want them to know that “Sunday is coming”, both literally and figuratively. Jesus died for them as much as He did for me. He makes no distinction. He died for us all. And He rose from the dead for ALL of us too. Jesus death and resurrection is for everyone. The big question for me here is; how can I help our friend know THAT Jesus, that the peace I have, they will have too? Even in the midst of the coming storm? Isn’t that the ultimate help and healing, which I would and should want for everyone?

As I pray for our friend, I ask you to join me. There are dark and hard days ahead for them. I will pray for them as I would anyone else and minister as I can. Only Jesus really knows the condition of their heart. I will keep this in mind, and ask for Jesus to help me with the condition of mine, and perhaps He will heal and restore all of us to the people He desires us to be.

A Snapshot of Heaven

I have pictures of family up all over my house; little collages of familiar faces in almost every room. 

If not a collage, a large predominate picture; I even have a picture frame that shows a slide show of those faces. 

People I have known all my life, or have known me all of theirs.  

Many or most of the pictures evoke memories of favorite times together; others are faces that we love to see on a regular basis, so there they are.  

I love my family. I realized yesterday, filling out a survey, that yes, my life does and has revolved around my family for most of my life. These people are important to me. Some might say too important. That I haven’t lived the life I could or might have if I hadn’t been so involved and wrapped up in my family. 

 

But looking at it from the perspective that I look at most things—an eternal one—they are the only thing from this world that I get to take with me to the next one. 

I won’t take what is in my bank account, my house, or what is in it, my car or my clothes, shoot, I’m hoping for a new body that cooperates and works a little better than the one I have here. 

That is why it is important to me that my family—yes all of them—know what the next step is in this life we live. It doesn’t end here…..it goes on, like stepping from one room to another. 

I know the "here" is important, the laughter, the trips, the “family bonding”, as my kids love to call it, but I also know that this is all just a prelude to the actual living that we will all be doing together when we get to heaven. We have had some family moments that have been so wonderful, that right in the midst of them, I have known without a shadow of a doubt that I am getting a glimpse of heaven.  

With the holidays approaching, where we are going to be spending time with our families, and we capture faces for the galleries on our walls, take a minute to stop and breathe it in. Freeze frame it in your mind and give thanks to God for those glimpses into paradise. And remember that the most important family member, Jesus Christ, must be featured prominently in each and every picture, for he will be there in the final portrait. 

Thanksgiving......over?

We hold dessert in high regard, especially pie. :)

It is the Saturday morning after Thanksgiving. 

The house is quiet. 

Candles are blown out. The tables that were decorated and laden with food are all cleared off, folded down and pushed back up against the wall. The leftovers are tucked away in the fridge. The piles of dirty dishes are washed and put away.

It’s over. Or is it? 

Thanksgiving should never be over. 

I realized that as I read people’s thankfulness posts, we seem to be thankful for things in the present or in the past, but are we thankful for the unknown future? 

Are we thankful as we walk forward from this day into an unknown where small children battle cancer, the economy is shaky, thousands have just lost their jobs, the world is in turmoil? 

As I face tomorrow, I realize I can be thankful of one very specific thing.

God is there, waiting on me. Everyday when I get out of bed, He is and will be there. HE is the reason I can be thankful. He is the reason I have a future. 

^{11 "}For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. –Jeremiah 29:11 

I may not be “prosperous” or even “safe”, but God’s hopes and the future for me are something I am, and can always be Thankful for.

Beware.........

"Beware of making a fetish of consistency to your convictions instead of being devoted to God."
                                                                                           --Oswald Chambers My Utmost of His Highest

Jesus Our Living Water

“The heavens declare the glory of God;

And the firmament shows His handiwork.”   Ps 19:19

If we are looking, we will find this to be true. 

As I was sitting at the table in the kitchen yesterday, I noticed that the large oak tree in our back yard had lost almost all its leaves; a sign to put out the bird feeders. Then just beyond it, I saw the smaller oak tree that some obliging squirrel planted a few years ago. The color contrast was apparent. The yellowish brown sparseness on the large tree was in stark contrast to the beautiful reds and russets of the smaller tree. Unfortunately, I didn’t rush and get my camera, as I should have, but I did make a mental note. 

Today as I looked again, the large tree is bare save a few leaves still clinging on.  Yet the smaller tree is still covered in leaves; another contrast. 

As I sat there looking at them, I wondered why the difference. Then I realized. ….Water. 

The large tree has suffered through the drought of the past couple of years. It is large enough that it is surviving, but the dryness of the earth, and lack of moisture is apparent in just about everything, including the big trees. 

The smaller tree sits squarely in the middle of a flower bed that received watering everyday this summer when the temperatures soared into the hundreds, day after day. 

Obviously water makes a huge different in the life of plants, and it is necessary to sustain life in humans as well. But the spiritual connotation is what I saw.  And the scripture from Ps 1:3 came to mind.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper.

By looking at the two trees, God gave me a picture of what the living water of His Spirit does in my life.

The large tree had already lost its leaves; the wind had stripped it bare. Yet the smaller tree was still full of leaves. I saw the strength gained by the water to withstand the chill, and the winds, just a little longer than others.  

The large trees leaves were a yellow, and dull brown not the brilliant red and russets of the smaller tree. 

 

Yes the small tree, because it had been watered, was beautiful, and stood out against the rest of the dried up and dying…. 

Yes, both trees will lose all their leaves, but I know that the smaller one will weather better through the harshness of this winter due to the water it has received. 

It served as a reminder to me to keep myself firmly planted by the ‘living water’ of Jesus Christ. For only in him will I remain strong, and able to stand against the world, all the while reflecting the beauty of the ‘living water’ within.