HAPPY NEW YEAR, to you and yours!! 

New calendars are hanging on our walls... 12 pages that have not yet been turned. What will unfold with each turned page we do not know,  and the unknown can fill us  with anticipation or fear and anxiety.

It is our choice which mind-set we put on, isn't it? But it can be a mindful choice rather than a blind one.

Blooming Deserts! 

If you have your Bible, open it to Isaiah 35. I think this passage is a beautiful promise and encouragement for our new year.

This chapter of Isaiah is first of all a prophetic chapter describing eternity on the new earth when everything will be perfect. We only have to look around to know that where we are living now is a long way from perfect.

While this chapter is speaking prophetically it is also speaking to where we live today spiritually. It is the NOW  but NOT YET.

We have as it were duel citizenship. Our real citizenship is in the heavenly Jerusalem,  but we still have feet of clay walking on this physical earth.

So how real is our heavenly abode to us now? Is it where we 'live' in our innermost being ? Is it the place from which we relate to life - circumstance, events, relationships?

I know how easy it is to let the darkness and dryness and disfunction of this life  to discourage us but I want to challenge us to begin , and to build , our 2025 on this Isaiah chapter.

 Look how the chapter begins.with a word  picture of .a beautiful  blooming desert. 

The photo above is of a desert in Chili, that is said to be the driest place on earth..Do you feel you can relate it to the 'driest desert' of your life? There is hope!!

It is amazing , isn't it? The unexpected beauty of a desert in bloom, and often this happens overnight!. A seeming miracle! Remember, no matter how hopeless you feel life has become, there is beauty waiting to burst forth!! Our God is a God of miracles - His beauty manifested best in dry places.

. But look again at the scripture passage. There is an important detail easy to overlook if we don't look closely. The blooming of the desert is not a miracle meant to astound us. It is a purposeful RESPONSE to something that happened. What happened?

Chapter 24 describes the Lord's coming judgement,  restoring and renewing , resulting in the new earth where all God's creatures will all be safe and with their mates forever! And then  chapter 25 describes the  rejoicing response  of the  deserts, declaring praise and glory to the excellency of God.

  There is more that causes the deserts to rejoice. Our God, who cares about every little creature also cares about every human being   including you and me. 

What is the message of the blooming desert? It declares God's promise (vs 3) that His strength is perfect in weakness - let the weak hands be lifted up and the feeble knees made strong!!  Let those who are fearful fear no more for our God is our Protector. He is our High Tower, be strong and fear not!!

He is our Healer -  physical and spiritual needs are met from His giving hand. 

The 'Not-Yet' is not yet come …but spiritually we are encompassed by it and already live in the promises. Our life highway (vs8) is a safe and beautiful one, Jesus, is our Guide as we follow Him. Nothing can take us from His love and as we live and walk and breathe in Him, we too will burst forth with rejoicing  along with the desert.

Let us begin 2025 with a heart of Thanksgiving for all we have been given, for all we have been promised and for all that is yet to come!!

A thankful heart will, like the desert, burst forth with praise and song to the excellency of our Almighty God!

 I want to wish you and yours the most blessed Christmas!  and a New Year filled with the goodness of Jesus !!  

A Hidden Rose 

The Ladies who were part of my Bible Study group gifted me with a gorgeous, huge bouquet of fall coloured flowers and  foliage.  After some time it was looking a little tired and needed to be sorted out, saving the parts that were still lovely.  
 I was separating the foliage, when I  saw a large,  wine coloured lump.  As I lifted it out I realized it was a beautiful rose!   I was surprised, as it did not at all fit the colours and style of the bouquet. .  And I don't know how it happened - maybe its stem was shorter than the rest of the flowers/foliage stems but the rose was perfectly dried - its beauty preserved. 

As I held the rose, I knew it was the key to a devotional !  Immediately I thought of the Rose of Sharon from Song of Solomon 2:1 where it reads, "I am the Rose of Sharon...." The Song of Solomon has historically been interpreted as an allegory of Jesus and His love for the church.  So the words , "I am the Rose of Sharon" are attributed to Him. 

The first thought that came to me was that to many, Jesus is 'hidden'.  He is there, but they don't see Him.  Then one day, their eyes are opened and they find Him.  It does not matter if they find Him sooner or later - He is waiting with all His love and beauty. 

 The beautiful Rose of Sharon grows in dry and hostile environments.  I thought about how Jesus came into a sinful, dark world that contrasted in every way from the glory from which He  stepped down.

I did a bit of digging to find the Hebrew meaning behind 'rose' and 'Sharon'.  The word for 'rose' comes from an unused root meaning 'brightness or light'.  and Sharon means 'beauty'.  That is a fitting description of Jesus, isn't it?  is He not the Light of Beauty ?  
Without 'light' everything is in shades of grey because colour is not in an object - it is in the light.   Without Jesus in our life, everything is dull and grey but with Jesus we live in His Light and we see beauty all around.  

Just like the dried rose is preserved - it does not wilt, so Jesus is the same - yesterday, today and forever !  What hope, what great promise we have when we put our faith and trust in Him!  

I love Christmas because it is a time we remember when 'love' and 'light' came into the world to save us from the kingdom of darkness and bring us into the Kingdom that shines with the glorious light of God's love !  (Colossians 1:13) 

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

God in the DEtails

 It is November, how quickly this year has gone!  I invite you to take a good 'dose' of the medicine depicted in the image below.  Do you know that a dose of 'gratitude' will prevent grumbling, anxiety, stress, fear, discouragement?   Are you feeling the symptoms of any of those conditions?   Gratitude, take a spoonful ... its a natural supplement! 

 

A Man we have not Met

The thoughts I want to share with you today concern a Bible character you have probably never heard of. His name is Elishama. Am I right you would not have recognized his name as a Bible character if you heard it?

I am always curious about the characters we don't know much about and yet they were important enough to have their names recorded in our scriptures.

There is a special reason  Elishama's name is mentioned in God's word which I will share at the end.

Okay, who is Elishama?

Elishama was a scribe , a prince , a secretary in the palace of the King in Jerusalem.

He served the ruling king as the head of the council that governed the affairs of the King.

At the point Elishama steps into our scripture timeline there was a new King. A king who concerned Elishama because King Jehoiakim was not proving to be as godly a king as his father Josiah. King Josiah is an interesting character whose story I may explore another time but Josiah was a king who sought God and brought healing and restoration to the people who had suffered under a wicked king, Josiah's father...

And now, I'm sure, Elishama was concerned that everything Josiah had done would be for naught.

The little we know about Elishama is because of the part he played in Jeremiah's life.

The story is found in Jeremiah 36.  

God had told Jeremiah to write down God's words of judgement against Israel and Judah.

A proclaimed fast brought all the people to Jerusalem and at this gathering Baruch, Jeremiah's personal scribe read all the word's he had recorded by Jeremiah's dictation.

A man standing in the crowd,  by the name of Michaiah, listened and heard every word Baruch read.

He realized this was a very important message, one that required a serious response.

He knew who needed to know what was going on, namely Elishama.

 Michaiah knew where to find him - In the King's house, in the scribes chamber or office. He did find him there and found with him his  fellow-scribes, Delaiah,  Elnathan,  Gamariah and Zedikiah.

Michaiahl informed them regarding why he had sought them and they agreed to hear what Jeremiah's message was. We note that  Michaiah had a good memory because he was able to repeat all the words he had heard Baruch read..

When Elishama heard the message he knew the King had to hear it, but first he had to be sure the message was indeed given through Jeremiah.  A servant was sent to bring Baruch and the scroll to the scribes' chamber. 

Baruch came and they asked him to sit down and read it again, which he did.

Now thoroughly  alarmed the scribes looked at one another in fear. What were they  going to do?

First they questioned Baruch if he had truly written down the words Jeremiah had spoken.  Barack was convincing in his answer, yes the words were the words the Spirit gave Jeremiah.

Elishama understood the danger Jeremiah was in. The message would more likely anger the King than make him receptive  to respond in repentance.

Elishama's mind searched for what he could do.   One thing he could do, warn Baruch and Jeremiah. ""Go .." he said to Baruch ,"go and hide   you and Jeremiah, and don't let anyone know where you are."

Elishama then took the scroll and hid it in his chamber. He did not trust what the king would do, when he learned of the message and Elishama wanted to protect the scroll.  He and his three friends went to the King and told him all the words that were on the scroll.

The King demanded  to see the scroll for himself. He sent  Jehudi tp get the  scroll. hidden in Elishama's chamber. 

When Jehudi returned, he ordered him to read it.

The King was sitting in his winter house in front of the hearth where a fire was burning.

Jehudi had read only three columns and the King's anger burned hot! He grabbed the scroll and  a scribe"s knife.

Elishama and his friends begged the king not to destroy the scroll.

But the King and his servant had no fear of God, and had no stirring of repentance in their hearts. 

The King continued cutting up the scroll and threw the pieces into the hearth-fire until it was completely consumed.

The King then ordered the arrest of Baruch and Jeremiah, but thanks to the Elishama's warning they were hidden and the Lord covered their hiding place so they could not be found.

Name meanings are important in the Bible and I found the meanings of the names of Elishama and his friends interesting.

Elishama - God hears

Elnathan - God has given

Delaiah -  the Lord delivers 

Gamariah - God has completed

We could put the name meanings together and they tell the story..."God hears, and has given deliverance and has completed His work!"

Why is it important that Elishama's name was included in Jeremiah's story?

Because it is included we know that we can trust that even the details in the Bible are true. .

How?

In 1986 archeologists working just outside of Jerusalem, found a seal that had on it the words "Elishama, servant of the King"

I love that the Lord took the care to provide proof that His word is true in the smallest detail. If God is so careful to confirm the truth of His word, can we not also trust Him with the details of our lives?  A God who cares enough to count the hair on our head (which means a new count every morning) can we not trust that He is also faithful to keep all His promises to us ? What an awesome God we serve!!!

 Rehoboam - A Man, A King

There is something about Rehoboam that intrigues me so I thought I would spend some time studying this man who is rarely talked about. 

His name means "an enlarged people'.  So often in the Bible names point to the name-bearer's character or something that defines his life. This is true for Rehoboam. It was under his reign that the nation of Israel split into two kingdoms  -  Israel and Judah. 

Rehoboam was Solomon's son. What a lineage he came from, King David was his grandfather. I'm sure King David died before Rehoboam was born, but I'm sure he heard many stories over and over again  about his famous grandfather. 

His mother was an Ammonite, a people who were not highly thought of by the Israelites. They had sided along with the Moabites to call for Balaam to curse Israel . So why would Solomon allow Rehoboam to marry an Ammonite?  It is thought that  Naamah was the daughter of Shobi, an Ammonite who brought generous supplies to David and the people with him in the desert because Shobi said, "the people are hungry and thirsty and weary in the desert." When you read the list of supplies he brought (II Sam. 17:27-29) we can surmise that he was very wealthy. It is always noteworthy and humbling when an enemy reaches out in kindness, so it is not unreasonable to conclude that David , as he rewarded others, wanted to do something to honor Sobi and so David arranged a marriage between his son Solomon, and Sobi's daughter. Naamah.  

She is the only wife of Solomon that we have a name for - all his other 1000 wives are simply said to have come from all the pagan nations -  maybe Naamah is named only because it was her son who inherited the throne from his father. Interestingly, she is mentioned twice in I Kings 14:21 and 31. 

Rehoboam's name does not go down in history as one of the best kings of Judah but he was not all 'bad',.  At the time that he ruled, Judah "did evil in the sight of the Lord", so he had to deal with a people who were in rebellion against God. 

One of the first things Rehoboam did after he became king is an interesting story.  

A man by the name of Jeroboam had gained favor in the eyes of Solomon who  made him the CEO over all the labour force.  Then one day, a prophet named Ahijah came to Jeroboam and prophesied that God was going to give him 10 tribes of Israel.  When this prophecy was told to Solomon, he became very angry. Not unlike the anger of King Herod when he heard another  king had been born.  It seems out of character for Solomon but maybe he did not believe this prophecy was of the Lord.  In any event, he sought to kill Jeroboam and to escape Jeroboam fled to Egypt and remained there until Solomon's death. 

When Jeroboam heard that Rehoboam was now King, he came to present him with a request and a promise. If Rehoboam would grant his request then Jeroboam and his people would pledge their allegiance to Rehoboam.  The request was that Rehoboam lightened the load of required service and taxes that Solomon had demanded from them. 

Rehoboam listened and to his credit sought advice before making his decision. 

He consulted the elders who had advised his father Solomon, but he also consulted his peers. 

The elders in their wisdom advised that if Rehoboam would treat the people kindly, they would serve him with loyalty and  gladness. 

Rehoboam's peers gave the opposite advice.  They advised him to make the load even heavier, to make the burdens on the people even heavier than Solomon had ever ordered. Solomon had inflicted pain with whips, but Rehoboam should chastise them with scourges. 

This is the part of the story I find intriguing.  Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders and followed the advice of his peers - young men who had not yet lived long enough to gain any wisdom. Wrong choice, right? 

BUT ...look at what the verse says (II Chronicles 10:15) "So the king did not listen to the people, for the turn of affairs was from God that the Lord might fulfill His word which He had spoken by the hand of Ahijah."   

Remember it was Ahijah that had  prophesied that Jeroboam would rule over 10 tribes.  

After 3 days Jeroboam and his people came to hear what Rehoboam had decided and when they heard that Rehoboam was going to make things worse, not better, they rebelled and decided to leave saying, "We want nothing to do with you, Judah, we declare we have no inheritance with you!"   

Rehoboam tried to bring Jeroboam and the 10 tribes back into submission, to reunite them with Judah's two tribes,  but God sent word to Rehoboam through Shemaish, the man of God,  that he was not to fight against Jeroboam and his people because this division was of God. 

From that time on, Israel was two nations,  Jeroboam ruling over the 10 tribes that became known as Israel, as Ahijah had prophesied,  and Rehoboam ruled over the two tribes that became known as Judah. 

Rehoboam took the wrong advice, but it was 'of God' ??  It made me realize that even when we see people in leadership make horrible decisions, God is not out of control.  He has already planned how everything will work into His plan and purposes. 

We know by reading through the succession of kings over Israel and those over Judah  that  both Israel and Judah had wicked kings , Israel had almost NO good kings, we find by far most of the godly kings ruling over Judah. . Even  the Levites deserted their common lands and possessions and came to join Judah because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests before the Lord. 

So we see that God's plan was to separate for Himself a 'remnant' of Israel that He could bring through to the coming of the Redeemer. 
God used Rehoboam,  even his sin and rebellion, to bring about His purposes. 

When Rehoboam had established his kingdom and rule, his success went to his head and  he forsook the law of God and took the people with him. 

It says in his epitaph ((II Chron. 12:14)  that "he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord" 

Then the king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem - God removed His hand of protection-   because they had transgressed against the Lord.  
If we want to go our own way instead of following God's way, we bring upon ourselves the 'evil' that is the result and consequences of choosing contrary to God.  

But God is always gracious and desiring to draw the people back into His 'goodness'.  

So God did not forsake Rehoboam. He sent the prophet Shemaiah to Rehoboam and rebuked the king for having forsaken the Lord.

Rehoboam responded to the rebuke with humility and repentance, declaring that the Lord was righteous in all His doings.  God has never turned away a humble heart and here too, He forgave Rehoboam and said He would not allow the King of Egypt to destroy  Jerusalem and its people,  but He would allow Egypt to put them under tribute . They would have to serve Egypt. 

Why did God do that?  He gives us the answer.  He wanted to teach His people to know the difference between serving  God and serving an ungodly ruler/master. 

Often God will forgive and restore but will leave some of the consequences of our sin in place to teach us something we need to learn  or to help us remember to stay in obedience to God. 

The King of Egypt carried away all the treasures of the house of the Lord as well as the king's house - he took everything and we know that would have been an incredible loss.  Solomon's riches are legend.  The king also took the gold shields that Solomon had made.  Rehoboam replaced them, by making bronze shields (obviously didn't have enough to remake them in gold)  and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard who guarded the entrance of the king's house.  So then whenever the king entered the house of the Lord , the guard would go and bring them out, then when Rehoboam finished his temple service, would  take them back again to the guardroom. 

Did Rehoboam end well?  We are told that when he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him.  So my impressions is that like Solomon who turned back to God at the end of his life, so also  Rehoboam finally became humble and wise  

(note - someone may wonder at the verse in II Chron. 12:14, We might take it to mean it is a statement about the end of his life -- but it isn't.  It is simply pointing out that he 'did evil' when he turned away from the Lord - it is a look back to before Egypt attacked Jerusalem. His story does not give any indication that his repentance and humility did not last to the end of his life.) 

We find it easy to make sweeping judgements against Bible characters because we are just given the bare bones about them and we judge from our perspective.  We forgot that maybe we are looking in a mirror that puts the finger on failures in our own lives. 
When we look at Bible characters, we can see how human nature is the same in all of us.  We all fail, none of us are perfect. But what God looks at is not if we fall, but if we repent and get back up.  I love the Proverbs 24:16  verse that defines the difference between the godly and the ungodly. "For the righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity."  - meaning the righteous man falls and gets up again, the wicked man falls and stays down! 

 Good and Evil 

The phrase "battle between good and evil" is one we have heard all our lives and it is so common we don't stop to think about it.  Is there really a battle between good and evil?  And who is fighting it?  God obviously would be fighting for the good, that leaves Satan to fight for evil, but can God ever be challenged enough to make it a battle?   

Actually, there is no battle between good and evil.  The battle is between choosing God or choosing against God.  Evil is the result and the consequences of choosing against God. 

We have this thread woven throughout scripture.  Let's take a look!  

Generational Consequences 

The 'battle' begins from the very first pages with Cain and Abel.  Cain chose against God and was banished from the very presence of God and separation from his family.  "Good" did not follow him and we know that the consequences of his actions were felt by his descendants. 

Then we have Isaac and Ishmael.  Isaac chose for God and was blessed and through him the godly  family line was continued. Ishmael chose against God and was sent into the wilderness where we know his generational line did not follow a godly one. 

Then we have Jacob and Esau.  Jacob chose God and was blessed along with his descendants after him.  Esau chose against God and he  lived a life away from God, incurring not only the disapproval of his family but of God who said He 'hated him'.  

National Consequences 

We have so many stories of kings who chose for or against God and their choices either brought peace and blessing to the nation or war and suffering. 

The example that readily comes to mind is the story of King Saul and King David.  Saul  choosing his own way instead of God's lived in mental torment and brought hardship and suffering not only to himself but to the nation.  David chose God and the nation under his rule was blessed and David's throne points to the throne of the coming King of Kings.  David's life still blesses 'God's people' through his beautiful Psalms. 

Family Consequences 

We have the story of Elimelech, who chose to flee to Moab, the country God told His people to avoid.  He lost his life there along with both of his sons and brought suffering to his wife.  The two daughters in law each made their choice.  Orpah chose against God and we never hear from her again.  Ruth chose for God and was blessed - she became the grandmother of King David and is mentioned in the lineage of Jesus. 

We also have the example of King David, when he chose against God to take Bathsheba and kill her husband.  The consequences were felt by his family and they suffered because of his sin. 

Personal Consequences 
Even  personal lives are shaped by our choice to either follow God or live in rebellion to him. We have the well known story of Abigail and Ahab.   Ahab was a wicked man who cared only for his own desires and reaped the consequences.  Abigail chose God and was blessed.  When her husband died she became King David's wife. 

We have Abraham and Lot  -Abraham chose God and was blessed in so many ways, not the least of which was having a son in his old age.   Lot while he did not out rightly reject God still made decisions that caused him to live with the consequences.  He selfishly chose the better land when given the choice by Abraham. He moved to Sodom and 'vexed his soul'  living in 'evil' cities.  He lost his daughters to Sodom men,  he was taken captive with all he had - had to be rescued by Abraham - but then he lost him home, his wife was turned into a pillar of salt and his daughters became pregnant by him. 

A Personal Example 

I worked for Eaton's for thirteen years.  It was a very good company to work for. The employees were valued and well treated.  The motto was "the customer is always right".  
Timothy Eaton who founded the department store was a strong Christian and he build his store on godly principles.  One thing he did was decree that tobacco would never be sold in his stores. He put it 'iron-clad' into the original bylaws of how the business would be run.  The business grew and prospered.  It was the only department store that operated consistently in the black.  I looked forward every year to getting the signed Christmas card from Timothy Eaton's daughter - the mother of the Eaton boys that inherited the store on their father's death. 

The business continued to thrive until the mother Eaton died, then the boys thought they could change things to suit their own ideas.  I came in one morning and to my surprise there was a new area set up with a variety of tobacco products.  I asked , "How is that possible?"  
Actually it wasn't possible.  Timothy Eaton's order was held up in court and in a few days the tobacco disappeared.  Other things began to change as well.  The 'customer was NOT always right', and the employees were no longer treated as well.   
And for the first time the department store began to slip into the red financially.  The Eaton boys tried to keep it going, making more and more changes but the farther they moved from their grandfather's godly ideals, the worse things got , until , as we remember, the stores had to close their doors.  
So sad that the Eaton's boys chose against God instead of following the example their grandfather and father set before them.  

Sometimes God's way looks difficult .... and very often our own way looks enticing, offering the very things we desire,  but God's goodness ALWAYS trumps the best we could choose or wish for ourselves.  We cannot lose when we choose God and His ways, just as we cannot win if we choose to go our own way.  There is NO GOOD outside of God's goodness, He created us and He knows exactly what we need.  To choose against Him and His will for us is to open the door to 'evil' because outside of God's goodness that is all there is. 

Little Things

 . I want to express this thought on your heart today.  YOU are important to someone simply because you are alive!!!  Just by being who you are, you make a difference in someone's life - whether you are aware of it or not !!  EVERY .... SINGLE....ONE...OF... YOU !  And of course, it goes without saying that you are important to God - If you weren't He would not have 'created you' !!  

Little things like....

The smile of a baby...

A young man holding the door for you...

A phone call, "how are you?"

A text from a grandchild...

A hug...

A sweet taste in your mouth,  the fragrance of a candle...

Little things  can make your day...

But Little things can also ruin your day...

An angry word...

Forgotten vanilla in a white cake...

A single misstep...

A dropped china cup..

Someone pulling into the parking stall you were waiting for...

And for those of us that are old enough....- Remember how embarrassing it was to discover you had a run in your stocking...or  the back seam was not perfectly straight??

We laugh today realizing it was a very little thing that should never have been allowed to be as important as we made it!!

But it is still true that often it is the little things that make or break our day! 

A Tiny Powerful Word

There is a little tiny two letter word that is perhaps a word we should be careful to pay  more attention to.

That little word is "IF".  Have you ever counted how many times you use it in a day? Or hear it? Google couldn't find anyone who had counted...BUT someone did count how many times it is used in the Bible.

1,637 times - 993 in  the OT  and 602 In the NT.

Just as a comparison the word Faith is used 336 in KJV bible - a hundred or so more times in various other translations, so what is so important about this little word ?

It is interesting to note that 'if' appears as the middle 2 letters of the word 'life'. Could it be that important as to influence our very life? Both now and for eternity?

Let's consider....

The dictionary defines the word 'if' this way...

" introducing a conditional clause or supposition that will happen should a certain event occur"

How many of you appreciate road signs when you are travelling , especially in an unfamiliar city?

That is what this little word IF has the authority and power to do - point  to instruction and direction.

Look at Deuteronomy 11:26...Here the Lord is using this little word to show His people the way to live  under blessing....or the way to live under a curse!

I John 1:6-10 - I John 2:1

I want to focus on this  passage  where the  word 'if' appears 6 times.

The first 'if' points to a 'no exit'. IF our walk does not match our talk, then we are liars living in darkness...whoa...let's not go down that street!!

But immediately following there stands another 'IF' ,this one pointing in another direction. IF we walk in the light as He is in the light it will take us down a good path - one where we have fellowship one with another and Christ' s blood cleanses us from all sin.

Good path !!  

The next  IF is pointing to another ' no-exit - if we deny that we have sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

BUT....Have you noticed how this little word always points one way - then turns to point out another way? Showing us 2 directions we can go in?

Look at the next IF ...IF we confess our sins- own them, acknowledge them, repent., then. He is  faithful and just to forgive us AND ti cleanse us from all sin.  Our confession encounters God's just response. God is.not only willing and faithful to forgive but He forgives because He is JUST- He has bound Himself to have to forgive us because not to do so would prove His unfaithfulness.

Note that not only does He promise to forgive but also to cleanse. Do you appreciate the difference?

We attended a family picnic last weekend. It had rained  before we got there. My great-niece,  who is 3,  could not resist playing in the mud the rain had created and got dirty - mud in her hair, on her clothes.

Her mother could have simply forgiven her and the mud would have dried. But no...when we got there the mother was 'cleansing' her daughter. She came back outside with freshly washed hair and clean clothes.

Aren't you thankful Christ doesn't just leave the dried sin on our hearts, but He 'cleanses' us ?

The next  "IF" is in verse 10 where again the road-sign points to where not to go....not to lie about our sin. - unconfessed  sin clings to us and isn't pretty! 

BUT if we look for  the next IF we find it in the first verse of chapter 2 where it points to the promise that Jesus is on our side and He brings us before the Father advocating on our behalf!! What a friend we have in Jesus!!!

So....pay attention to that little word  IF when you come across it in your Bible reading. Its power and authority can be trusted to keep us safe along our life's-journey. And bring us to our final destination! 

Judgment Day

 

One day we will all stand before the Lord on judgment day to receive from Him the rewards for what we have done. II Cor. 5:10. 

I think I speak for all of us in that we fear we have not done enough or that what we have done is not good enough. 

I want to encourage you this morning.  

I remember an experience I had years and years ago!  
I was in 7th grade probably toward the end of the school year. 

One Sunday afternoon we had the house full of visitors.  Adults and kids, it was loud - our house was small. I was playing with the other kids when suddenly I remembered,  I had homework I had not done. An essay for English Literature - showing how  a certain theme  ran through one of the character's lives.  I panicked,  knowing that when the visitors finally went home it would be bedtime and Mom was very strict about bedtimes..  So, I got paper and pen and sat down at the kitchen table, distracted by the noise around me, but I got the essay written.  Relieved, I was happy that at least I had something to hand in the next day. 

On Tuesday morning we were waiting for class to begin when our teacher walked in, visibly very upset about something. 

Without any greeting he said, "I am going to read you one the essays that were handed in yesterday."

To my utter horror, as he started reading I realized it was my essay he was reading.  I was hot/cold, so embarrassed and desperately wishing my desk would sink into the floor!  

When  finally he finished reading it, he threw it on his desk and exclaimed, "Now, if ONE of you can write like that, WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THE MATTER WITH THE REST OF YOU !!"  

What? ???   He was PRAISING my essay?   

In remembering that experience I thought about how that will be the same for many of us on judgement day. 

We all  judge ourselves  according to the world's standards or expectations and compare ourselves one to another.  But I believe God judges differently. 

I let my mind drift  over the women in the Bible that are praised for something they did. 

Ruth - has a Bible book named for her - but she did nothing more than be loyal and kind in her relationships. 
Abigail - became the wife of King David -- she did nothing more than cover for a wicked husband.

Esther saved a nation -- but she did nothing other than honor and obey her cousin/uncle. 

The Shunamite woman  - whose heart desire was granted - did nothing other than be hospitable. (to Elijah) 

The widow of Zarephath - used by God to feed Elijah, as well as herself and her son  - did nothing more than be willing to feed a stranger passing by. 

Dorcas/Tabitha - raised from the dead -  did nothing more than sew clothes for widows she knew. 

Hanna -- was given her heart's desire - she did nothing more long to be a mother and was a good one. 

Mary, Martha - were hospitable - loved Jesus - and their brother was raised from the dead. 

Peter's mother - was a good cook - hospitable -- and was raised from the dead. 

The woman at the well -  all she did was share her experience - and a whole town was taught by Jesus. 

Lydia - did nothing more than gather with women to pray at the river.- she worshipped God and opened her heart to hear Paul's message, yet her name is recorded in our scriptures.

The above women all have a place of honor in the pages of our Bible but if you note , none of them did anything extraordinary.  They all just did what was in their heart and mind to do.  It wasn't something they thought about and purposefully planned out  because they thought it would please God!  

We are so performance oriented .... and believe that for something to be worthy of  praise from God it must be something difficult - something we would rather not do - something painful. 

As a parent,  is that what you wish for your children?  Do they please you only when they do something they don't want to do?  are not even suited to do?   Then why do we think that God- the perfect FAther - would expect us to do what is difficult for us to do?   Has He not created each of us, unique in our person, and placed exactly where we are suited to serve Him! 

When we one day stand before God on judgement day, trembling like I did on that school day before my teacher, we will be surprised at what God points out in our life that was praiseworthy. 

I don't think Billy Graham will be praised for his huge revival meetings, or altar calls.   It will be something much more personal, something that he didn't even realize was praiseworthy.  Something he did out of his heart because it didn't occur to him to do otherwise! 

So I encourage you today to go through your day doing what you desire to do because it gives you pleasure or fulfillment - and know that God expects or wants nothing more - or less !   

 

That Which is Not as Though It be! 

ju

Have you ever wished you could live your life backwards and avoid all the pitfalls and regretful decisions you made?  Sadly, it isn't possible of course. 

Our kitchen patio door blinds broke and we needed to get new ones.  The problem was the patio door blinds and the other 3 kitchen windows all match, so buying one new meant buying new for all four windows.  That was okay because I really wanted to get rid of the window mini blinds and was happy to have an excuse. 
We found blinds we were happy with at Home Depot and placed the order.  We were told because they were custom blinds the waiting time would be 6-8 weeks, no rush orders.  Okay, if that's the way it was, we would just 'wait'. 

The day before we left for our vacation I got a call from Home Depot to let us know the blinds had been shipped and were in transit. 

The phone call came only a few days after the order was placed and I was rather dumbfounded!  I asked the sales person on the phone when they were sent out for delivery.  He replied that he would check and came back to me saying they had been shipped on July the 29th.  After I hung up, I thought, 'something doesn't make sense' and I checked the invoice for when we placed the order ,  July 31st.  What?  Time warp?? 

When we came back home, I called Home Depot,  curious to know what was going on.  I talked to a friendly staff member and commented on their 'efficiency' after I explained my confusion.  He laughed and said he hoped that was all it was, he would get back to me.   Yes, that was the case, for some reason, our order was filled weeks before the promised date, and the 'shipping date'  had for some reason been given in error.  

I enjoyed sharing our experience regarding the 'efficiency'  of Home Depot that they could ship blinds before they were ordered and get it right!!  

But then I thought,  isn't that what God does for us all the time?  

He says in Isaiah 46:9b,10 - "I am God and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure!" 

This thought is repeated in Romans 4:17 that reads, "God who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did !!" 

God can send out for delivery what we have not yet asked for or even before we recognize a need for it!   In Isaiah 65:24 we read , "It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear!" 

Why do we 'doubt' a God as amazing as our God? He knows what we will need tomorrow, or next week, or next year, or fifty years from now, and sends it out 'beforehand'.  

In the context of the Romans verse quoted above, Paul refers to the experience of Abraham.  As far as he knew, the possibility of him having a son was beyond ever happening!  It was impossible.  Yet, God declared that the 'son' was on his way and would arrive in due time!   And so it was!  

We are inundated  today by men/women, 'self-proclaimed' prophets who believe they can 'see' the future and predict what is going to happen.  Yes, some of them get some of  it right some of the time, but God gets it right every single time!  He has not ever missed, not a single detail !  

So why do we doubt??  Why do we worry and drown in our anxious thoughts?   Why don't we believe the track-record of an infallible God and rest, knowing everything is taken care of ? 

Yes, I know...  easier said than done! 

Our grand-girls used to love to go to Castle Fun Park to play the games in the arcade.  One of the games involved hitting pins with a hammer when they popped up, but they didn't stay down.  When you hit them they went down, but popped right up again.   I often think that is how our thoughts are, we see them when they form and know they are wrong -- we hit them with our 'faith-hammer' and they go down, but rarely stay down. They pop back up again if we don't stay vigilant! 

But the more we focus our thoughts and minds on God and  study His word, the more our 'trust' in Him grows  the 'pins' of doubt lose their ability to pop up again when they are knocked down. 

We can look ahead and see nothing but cause for fear to fill our hearts  for what is happening in our world - wars and rumors of wars are a reality in our world, but God said it would happen, Jesus warned us.  So if He knew what would happen and has already prepared what we will need, we have no reason to fear !  We just need to stay hidden under His wings where we are safe, and He will provide according to what He already knows we will need .

Story out of this year's Olympics in Paris. 
High Jump  Champion Gianmaro Tamkeri  had one passion and love - high jumping.  He was dedicated, pouring himself into disciplined training, preparing for the most important race of his life!  His dream was about to unfold.  He was at the Olympics in Paris, one day away from fulfilling his dream! 

  In his words, "Tomorrow at 7:00 pm the race of my life. All for one day. Everything for the moment. A little more than 24hours to the one I wish with all my heart I will remember for the rest of my life as one of the best nights ever !!!"

But, all his dreams were about to crumble. Five hours before his race he was in agony, kidney stones.  He was vomiting blood and was taken by ambulance to the hospital, where he lay as the race he had spent years training for was run without him.  Everything  - the years of training, his hopes , his dreams , his future - all crumbled at his feet. 

I feel the agony, the devastation, the loss that athletes like Kamkeri must feel , when they pour everything they have into the anticipation of one moment when everything will be won or lost.
 It's like someone who invests every dollar they have into what is presented to them as 'a sure thing' and then they find out it is a Ponzi scheme and they lose every dollar..  There is no recourse, no re-do, no way to regain what they have lost, or even redeem the time that they spent on their pursuit. 

I feel so 'helpless' for them because they must feel like they are living their worst nightmare and know they will never wake up. 

How stark a contrast this is to the child of God.  We know that when we trust Him and follow our Shepherd, even if we encounter difficulties or pain, it will NEVER be for naught, it will never leave us devastated, it will never leave us at a dead-end.  God looks ahead, has already planned the 'way-through' any difficulty to the 'good' that He has waiting for us !  

A Mango Seed

Faith is not an emotion, nor is it a head-belief. Faith is an action word.

Here is a photo of my mango tree.

 Do I see mangoes hanging from the tender leaves? No!! Does it look possible? NO!!

I love mangos and being fascinated with the strange center "bone" that hides the seed, I decided to try to grow it. My faith was not in my ability to grow things, I do not have a green thumb!! My Faith was in the seed. I have faith that in each seed is a promised mango tree!!

And so my action was motivated by what I believed.  I wrapped the seed in damp paper towel in a zip lock bag until it began to sprout and then I planted it in a pot.

It doesn't look like a mango, it doesn't smell like a mango and I know it wouldn't taste like a mango, but I know if I water it it will grow into a mango tree and bear fruit.  It is actually easier to believe it WILL grow to produce mangos than to believe it won't. (aside from my lack of gardening skill).

 So again, my faith is not in my green thumb, it is in the seed!! I have no doubt at all that there is a mango tree in that seed - not an apple tree, not a grape vine, not a peach tree. I don't have to be convinced by some agricultural scientist. I took the seed out of a mango therefore I know it will grow into a mango tree. No one can tell me otherwise.

We know the promises of God, but we listen to contrary voices  including our own, and we begin to doubt   We doubt when our faith shifts from the 'Seed'  to ourself, trusting in our own ability to make something happen!  We will struggle and fail if we try to make faith effective through our own efforts or strength. We simply need to focus our faith in the 'Seed' , Jesus, who cannot fail to do all that He promised. If it comes from God, it is true! It is a given as surely as the mango seed promises a tree. Every time! 

There is another thing the mango plant has taught me. It takes 5 - 10 years before the mango plant will bear fruit. That is a long time...but the 'time' doesn't hinder or diminish my faith. I don't give up and think it won't happen. 

I know that is simply how long it takes!

So also our faith in God...we pray , we ask, and nothing happens! Do we give up? Think God hasn't heard?  Why do we not give up on the mango plant, but we give up on God?

Is He not the creator of the mango seed , with the lesson that if God doesn't immediately answer our prayers it is simply because 'time' is carefully calculated to be dependent on God's perfect answer - always worth waiting for!

"For the vision [answer] is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it will speak and it will not lie. Though it tarries wait for it because it will surely come,  it will not tarry"

Habakkuk 2:3

Have faith in God, my friends!! He cannot fail!

Children and Ants

I never know where my inspiration will come from for my  devotionals, but somehow they always 'pop up' somewhere!!  

This devotion was triggered by 'sunshine and kids'.  

We live in a complex on Thom Mountain.  It is very quiet, most of the time. Until summer.  There is a complex next to ours that we cannot see - it is separated by trees and a berm and some swampy area but when people are outside on their decks or backyards the sounds travel very clearly. Doesn't help that our house is the closest to our neighboring complex.. 

I was sitting outside for the first time this year enjoying the warmer weather and the sound of children playing in the neighboring complex  was loud enough to be 'intrusive' - if I had had a bad attitude about it.  But I didn't and I don't.  First, I quite enjoy the sound of happy children playing and the second reason is that I remind myself of how much better it is to hear children playing than the sound of sirens, bombs or  gunshots and violence. Right?? 

So... as I listened to the children I realized something.  Children cannot play without laughing. Everything is laugh-worthy to them, or at least it seems every happy thought or action immediately triggers a response of laughter!  

Jesus said that "unless we become as children we will not see the kingdom of God."  Matthew 18:3,4 That is pretty serious !  So I want to invite you to focus for a few minutes on what it means to be a child.  I know we all know the difference between childish and childlike.  It is the childlike that God wants us to emulate.  

It is when a child feels loved and safe that we see a 'happy' child , free to live in the blessings of childhood.   I love the below image.  

Doesn't the image melt your heart?  How safe do you think that child feels?  God says He holds us in His Hand. -John 10:28

As I listened to the neighborhood children's'  laughter resounding again and again, I had to smile . Children find it so easy to live in the moment, enjoy whatever is before them, and laugh with delight.. 

Scripture tells us that God says, "Rejoice and again I say rejoice!?"  Philippians 4:4 

And we all know the scripture "laughter doeth good as a medicine!" Prov. 17:22 Have you taken your 'medicine' today??

There is another reason, I think that children laugh so much more than we as adults do.  It has been said that nothing bonds two people quicker than when they laugh together!  So doesn't it make sense that children who want to be accepted, want to belong, to feel loved would still be using the 'bonding'  instinct that God gave us?  Too bad we as adults too often  forget how to use it  

There are so many child-like characteristics we could point out but I want to focus on just one more.  Curiosity.  I was born with a double dose, that was not limited to my childhood!  

An example -- 

I had occasion to indulge my curiosity recently.  I had a problem with pavement ants in my kitchen.  They found a pathway  from under one of my counter electrical outlets.  I really hate killing anything but I cannot allow ants to roam free in my kitchen !!!  

I did what I had to do, mix peanut butter with Borax and lay my 'offering' below the plug-in outlet. That is 'poison' to them but they only see the peanut butter and take it back to their nest - eventually killing the entire nest. 

I spent some 'quality' time observing them.  Obeying scripture --  Proverbs 6:6 tells us to "go to the ant, consider her ways, and be wise!"  

I was curious -- watching these tiny , tiny creatures..  And I did learn some things. 

They were not aware they were being deceived. That the food was not what they thought it was !  And I thought about how much the enemy wants to deceive us -- we need to be on guard,  watching for 'truth' that is mixed with a little error !!  It is enough to 'kill us'. 

They worked so hard, I never saw them rest, just back and forth carrying the 'food' back to their nest. As I watched them I felt sad for them that all their hard work would end in their death. I thought of how many people rush here and there , working so hard to reach their goals in this life, but if their work is in the flesh, it will end in death.  

I also noticed how they worked together. They  had to go single file up their grout path to the outlet but they stepped out of each other's way and focused on helping one another meet their 'common goal'.  

I felt so bad that I had to cause their death, but there was no alternative!  I could not have them in my kitchen !!  And I understood better why God cannot allow 'sin' to enter heaven.  Why, even though He does not take pleasure in even the death of the wicked, He cannot overrule man's free choice to choose 'evil' instead of 'righteousness' .And there is no way 'sin' can be allowed in God's holy presence. .  I looked at my little ants and thought, "you silly little creatures, why didn't you stay outside?  You could have lived !!"

There was something rather astounding that I noted and I share this risking the probability that you will think I  have gone 'buggy' . (that's okay!! smile) 

My sister told me that these tiny creatures will carry away any dead ants in their area.  So, even though I felt some guilt, my curiosity was stronger, and I killed one of the little ants and let it lie a few inches from the peanut butter mix. 

I watched ...  and it wasn't long before I saw two ants run toward the dead ant ,then making a very sudden stop about one inch from the dead ant.   One of these ants literally shuddered, turned around and ran back to the peanut butter.  

 The other ant did something amazing. 

it didn't run away, but rather stood up on its hind legs stretching up to its full tiny height.  It stood there for a long while.   What it looked like to me was that it was standing before the dead ant, honoring it, paying its last respects.  It was so moving, I could not believe that this tiny creature had the ability to 'think' and 'feel' .  Was it possible?  Was this dead ant related to him?  I have no idea , of course.   But then I had to walk away for a minute and when I came back the dead ant was gone.  

What struck me was how the ants showed respect for the dead body of a fellow ant.  Is that what God is showing us through these tiny ants?   That even though our bodies will die and decay and are made of nothing but 'dust' , because our physical bodies are what house our souls and spirits they have 'worth' and God-given honor even after death? 

We of course have a hope and promise the ants do not have.  Our bodies though they will die and decay will be raised up  in perfection when Jesus comes back. 

And so, I feel a little  'wiser',  because I observed the children and the ants, and I hope it was at least interesting enough for you to think about !  

Conclusion -  Let us remind ourselves of what we see in our little ones that delights us,  and know that God looks for those same characteristics in us, HIS children. 

Deception can Look Good !

I don't know how familiar you are with the term Spiritual Formation but I would be surprised if you have not heard of it. If it isn't familiar to you, I'm sure it soon will be. 

 Spiritual Formation / Contemplative Prayer, teaching. is gaining acceptance in our churches, and if you have not seen Stephanie Griffin, then I highly recommend the podcast linked below. 

 The deception is growing so quickly! I have followed it for the last 20 + years and am very alarmed to see how 'open' it is becoming -- churches, schools, seminars, retreats, small groups etc. -- in fundamental Protestant denominations. 

 Stephanie Griffin, the girl interviewed on the podcast is a nurse and has come out of nine years of new age/contemplative life and practice. 

 I'm sorry, I don't know why the link below won't let you click and connect but you can copy and paste it into your Google search bar and the podcast will come up.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=918BoZxU4dM   

(Stephen C. Ministries)

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS 

 Truth is Unchanging 

 Please watch!   If you have already watched this short video,  I know you will enjoy seeing it again.  It so pointedly  addresses  the fallacy of  modern thinking,  'my truth, your truth'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnRmokZsFws

Pastor Matt on Sunday shared a conversation he'd had that week with someone who had bought a car from a man who had lied about what was good about the car as well as what was bad.  When the purchaser contacted the seller , the seller said .. "Oh, just sell it to someone, telling the same lies, that's how cars are sold."   The seller?  A pastor !  

I recently purchased some 'pain relief patches' from Amazon... only to learn that they were 'knock-offs'.  The box was the same, the listed ingredients were the same, but they didn't work. One small  word on the front of the box was not what it should have been.  

Who can we believe today?  I hate having to question everything I hear !!!  

BUT ...  I am incredibly thankful that I know where the truth can be found. We have God's Word and it has not changed in thousands of years.  Nor has God changed any 'jot or tiddle' of the scriptures we have in our Bibles .

After we watch the video (link above)  we want to brush it off with a comment ,  "But that is so obviously true - of course 2 plus 2 equals 4."   But .. think again ... how many once unquestionable truths are today not only put in question but blatantly cast aside as false, outdated or just plain 'not true anymore' !   You don't have to think long to come up with a list! 

There is a man in Australia who has come up with the 'cure' for mankind that will eliminate all the suffering in the world !  His name is Jeremy Griffith and he has founded a fast-growing movement , called "World Transformation Movement".   
What is the secret to solving man's problems - to end violence and evil?  In uncovering the problem it was easy for him to come up with the solution.  Man's problems all stem from the fact that he has been made to believe that he is a sinful creature and guilt has evidenced itself in all kinds of pain, chaos, violence and suffering. . 

The solution ?  We must believe the 'truth' -- that we are not inherently sinful, but rather quite the opposite.  We are all basically  'good'.  And believing that to be ' true' is life-changing, revolutionizing the world!!!   

We are remembering an event that DID revolutionize the world, changing it one soul at a time!   - the death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Jeremy Griffith is 'too little and too late'  and his message useless and  totally false !  

God, our Creator, knew exactly what man's problem was and He was willing to give His life to set us free !   All we have to do is accept His free gift of salvation, bought and paid for with the suffering and death of Jesus. Proven by His miraculous resurrection!  

Jesus Himself declared that He was the "Way, the Truth, and the Life"  John 14:6. 

He is the Way -  Today... the popular message is there are many ways to God - He is a loving God who accepts anyone who is 'sincere', no matter what path they follow. Yes... I agree!! 

ALL... every human being, no matter what path they follow, no matter what their religion is or even if they have none -- their chosen 'path' will lead them  to God . They will one day stand before God's throne of judgement and if they did not come 'by the way of Jesus' , they will hear the words .. "I never knew you!" 

He is the Truth -- Ephesians 4:21 declares that "The truth is in Jesus".   Not just the truth of the gospel, but ALL  truth.   Two plus two equals four because that is God's truth.  His whole creation is built on 'numbers'.  A fascinating study.   Truth has no 'grey areas' -- In God there is only 'truth' and all else is a lie.  We need to reject anything that does not line up with God's Word. Our Bibles are NOT outdated !!   
In Acts 16:17 we have the story of the demon possessed girl that followed and annoyed Paul and Silas.  She called out .. "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation."   Even the demons must tell the truth when they are where the Lord and His followers are. 

He is the Life --  Interesting, isn't it, that as arrogantly as science claims to have the truth, they cannot define what  'life' is,  how it started, nor can they create it. And they will never be able to understand until they recognize the GIVER of Life, the One who IS Life.  We have passed from 'death unto life' - and will live forever in glory with Jesus.   That is what we are celebrating this week-end!  (John 5;21,24) 

Quote - "It's not about the bunny, it's about the lamb!"  author unknown 

Barabbas

Interesting QUOTES... 
Our old history ends with the Cross; our new history begins with the resurrection. 

Watchman Nee

The New Testament writers speak as if Christ's achievement in rising from the dead was the first event of its kind in the whole history of the universe. He is the 'first fruits,' the pioneer of life,' He has forced open a door that has been locked since the death of the first man. He has met, fought, and beaten the King of Death. Everything is different because He has done so.
C.S. Lewis

I know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Every one was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weren't true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world-and they couldn't keep a lie for three weeks. You're telling me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible.
Charles Colson 

Devotional Thoughts .. ---  BARABBAS 

Barabbas ...  we all know the details of his part in the crucifiction story, but he is quickly passed over with little further thought given  him.   I have been thinking about him and would like to take a bit of literary license with his story.  I think I have some credibility in doing so because in James 5:7 we are told that Elijah was , "of like nature or passions" as us.  That means that given the same circumstances we respond with our emotions and actions with predictability,  because we are all of the same flesh -  'human'.  

So taking the scant details we are given about Barabbas in Matt. 27:15-26, Mark 15:6-15, Luke 23:18-24, John 18:40 I put myself in his place to try to flesh him out as a fellow human being. 
******

"My name is Barabbas. 
I was well-known , but infamous rather than famous.  I was an angry, violent man who charted my own way of dealing with life.  I hated the Romans, hated them with a passion.  I hated their arrogance and their domination over us Jews.  What right did they have....  NONE as far as I was concerned.  

I lived by my own standard of right and wrong.  If I needed something, I took it, not caring from whom.   So I was known as a 'robber' by my own people.   

I rebelled against authority, in particular, the Roman authority and was vocal about it, thereby gaining some support from men who thought like me.  Joining with me, they agreed to my plan. We cared little about our own well-being, just wanting to inflict some pain on the Romans, and find a way to vent our churning anger. 

We planned  our insurrection plan, and carried it out !  It was at least partly successful, we murdered men guilty of nothing more than being Roman, but that was enough reason for us. 

The part that didn't go so well was that we were caught and arrested - thrown into prison, bound with chains.  I knew my life was over, crucifiction my sentence, I tried not to care!   I  waited for the inevitable along with the fellows chained with me. 

One day, I heard the footsteps of the guard approaching our cell.  The door clanged open and I fully expected my time had come.   The guard bent to unchain me and then his words startled me, no = they shocked me. "You  are free to go."  

What?  There was no mercy for me - I knew I had long ago crossed that line!  So what was the guard saying?   I was free?  How?  Why?   I must be dreaming. 

But, the guard roughly pushed me out of the cell and turned back to relock the cell door.  He didn't even look at me.  Really?  I was free to go?  I didn't believe it until I found myself outside, breathing fresh air!  

I stopped the first person I met and asked what was going on.  Why would I have been released from a Roman prison?   Demanding answers I finally found someone who could answer my questions.   A man named Jesus was on trial, and Pilot , trying to play his cards in Jesus' favor, used  the tradition of setting a prisoner free that day.  He offered the people a choice,  Jesus or me !  Well, even I knew that I should have been the last criminal to be offered freedom.   But me instead of Jesus?  I had heard of him,  people spoke of him as a great prophet, some even suggesting he was the long-expected messiah ...  and now they wanted him dead so badly they were willing to have me freed?  me? a robber, murderer, rebellious rabble-rouser?  How was that possible?  Had the people gone mad?

My feelings were conflicted, I hardly knew what to think ... much less what to do.  I wandered aimlessly...  but then hearing the crowds was curious to know what was going on.   I quickly became aware that  a crucifixion was about to take place -- three men.   A chill shivered up and down my spine with the realization I was to have been one of those men.   I recognized one of the men as Jesus, the one who was taking my place.  

I stood at a distance watching the horrifying events unfold.  I witnessed the suffering inflicted on the men on the crosses.   My eyes were fixed on Jesus - literally my saviour!  I was grateful for my undeserved, unexpected freedom but I could not justify, much less understand,  the reason for it. What was I going to do for the rest of my life? "
*****

To my regret, we are not given any details about what Barabbas did after he was set free.  Did he hear of Jesus' resurrection?  Did he listen to the gospel story and come to faith in Jesus?  

We will have to wait for eternity to find out.   But truly,  Barabbas is representative of each one of us.   We all stand at the cross looking at the One who took our place there.  Our sin laid on Him, when He Himself had no guilt at all.  I am offered freedom, only because "God so loved!!"  

At this time of year, as we again focus on Jesus' sacrifice -- His death -- and His resurrection, we can be so thankful that in Him  we have forgiveness and  life eternal .   

God asked Jesus'  "Who shall I set free?  You or ----------  (fill your name in the blank) ?
 and Jesus answered... " Set ______________ free, I am willing to take their place!"