laryngitis

In the space of silence, there are no words. When one loses her voice - physically but not literally - she searches to find words that speak for her. This past week has been a test of patience, longing and voicelessness. I am learning to listen, trust and believe that my vocal chords will once again vibrate with clarity as I speak, laugh and share conversation with others.

I also know that this past month has been a month of losses. My girlfriend’s granddaughter - too young at 16 to say goodbye; an elderly man from my church with cancer; a friend’s husband succumbed to his illnesses; a friend’s sister gone and the tragic loss of a young Grade 12 student ready to graduate. And there are others grieving their losses.

Many years ago, June was a month of losses for me. My brother died close to his birthday and today he would have been 65. It was my parent’s anniversary - it would have been 67 years together. And yet, despite the losses, there have been many gains.

I have been blessed with a daughter in law, a grandson and soon a granddaughter this summer. I live in a country rich with resources, peace and beauty. I share my home, laugh with friends, drive to various destinations on paved roads and attend a church with believers who pray for me. The blessings abound and I am thankful beyond all measure.

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 1 Timothy 6:6-8

providence

People call it luck. Some refer to it as chance or fate. Others say it’s just a coincidence, but I call it Divine Intervention or Providence.

Things do happen for the reasons they are meant to happen and at times we may never know why. Other times, we can look back, reflecting to see the reason, but always know that God does not make mistakes.

I recall a recent story I heard about a Christian man who was working in an office building. He left work one day before Easter weekend, but felt prompted by the Spirit to return to the office and invite a coworker to his church for the Sunday service that weekend. The fellow coworker was not interested and told the man that he was an athiest and not to bother talking to him about “religion.” The man then shared his faith but respected his fellow colleague’s choice. He left the building wondering why God had wanted him to talk to this man.

Years later, the Christian fellow became a pastor and was serving at a church. One Sunday, a man approached him after the service, shook his hand and said, “Thank you.” The pastor was confused, “For what?”

“Well, many years ago, I was a construction worker and we were doing some tiling in an office space downtown. I was on the floor. You probably didn’t notice me the day you came into the office and tried to convince your athiest friend to come to the Easter service. I heard your message, was moved by what you said and when I got home, I told my wife and kids that we were going to church that Sunday. My life has never been the same. We became believers and now here we are here, listening to your message today because of that.”

We might not know how someone was affected by what we said, how we treated another or even why we shared our story. But we can know that God is always at work, through His people, in ways we may never know. Keep the faith and share your story, smile and shekels with others and see the Hand of God work in lives.

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:11-12

proeidopoíisi

Look out! Look up! Listen! Prepare! Beware! Be alert! Warning!

The Western church has really failed to make a kingdom difference in our world today. Do we integrate our faith into our everyday living or simply show up on Sunday service or watch a sermon on-line? Do Christians know more about what not to do than what should really be done? Are we just too comfortable with our lifestyles and don’t have the time or inclination to grow as a follower of Christ?

Jesus did send messages to the seven churches in Revelation, which are as revelant and applicable today as when they were written. The church of Ephesus have “forsaken their first love” while churches of Pergamum and Thyatira tolerated false teachers and teaching. Sardis and Laodicea were in danger of being lazy about the faith and the Smyrna and Philadelphia churches who endured persecution were told to hold on and overcome. Nonetheless, the message to all churches is the same when Jesus says, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” So, what to do?

Because Jesus knows every church, its struggles and triumphs, he also addresses each congregation differently. What we need to be doing is serving in and outside our churches for God’s glory, not our own personal agendas. He doesn’t care about what color our carpets in the meeting room are. He isn’t concerned about petty differences or the number of people on a Sunday morning service. The latest technology is the least of his concerns. What does Jesus care about?

First of all, he cares about us. So we need to be aware of the false teachers and false preaching. He cares about non-biblical connections and our spiritual health or lack of it. Jesus is the resurrected Lord of Glory, the Ancient of Days, the great “I Am,” “the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth”. He wants to be pleased with your witness, church, works, and your very life before God and men.

Jesus wouldn’t have written those warnings or messages if he didn’t want us to pay attention. What a thrilling challenge for us in 2024 to be a witness for Christ. Look inward and look up!

arrival

Christmas - ‘tis the season - festivities - celebration - the birth of Jesus. When my children were smaller, I would invite the neighborhood children for a birthday party for Jesus every year in December. The gathering, the joy, the party, the cake, the Christmas story, church pageant and songs of joy, love, peace and hope. Where has the wonder gone?

And so, this season - this blog - is my Christmas card for the month of December as we abide in Him. (based on Honest Advent - Scott Erickson)

May you rekindle the light - that “shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” (John 1:5) May you praise the King of Kings because you are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139: 14) May the truth of the gospel and grace from above be realities that we share with others. May your life be meaningful, serving the Lord as you grow in faith even when you aren’t clear what the outcome will be. You are loved by the Creator who is …”the Alpha and the Omega.. who is, and who was, and who is to come.” (Revelation 1:8)

May you awake your soul to the inseparable love of God by the breath only He can give. May you grow in relationship with Him with the gift of your life and eventually your death, and all your impossibles be the starting point of ever divine possibility. May you drink from the wellspring to never thirst again. Jesus became human “taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness… he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross” (Philippians 2: 6-8) to live in a complicated world, die and raised from the dead to return. God is with us.

May the stage of life you are in now, be mighty, holy ground for divinity as you live as an heir - a beloved offspring - of the Creator of all. May you know that you never have to “do life” alone. May your incarnation provide room as the heavenly hosts watch from above. May this Advent wonder be seen that it’s a story about a God who brings salvation with messy details into a world that so desperately needs a Savior. May you be given eyes to see messages of divine love today, paying attention to what this season illuminates to receive HIs gift of love to share with others.

“That’s the invitation in our lives today: to witness that same arrival of God-With-Us in all the unexpected and expected realities of our human lives. An honest Advent that leads to an honest hope.”

ISHIN

“Ishin-denshin” is a Japanese noun meaning heart to heart. It is the ability of two human beings to understand each other without the need to speak.

Have you ever known someone so well that only a look would suffice? Have you ever not needed to say a word, but were just there for that person? Have you ever felt the holy presence of God and were at peace within your soul?

There are times in life when the expanse of silence - no words needed - feels like it could swallow all that is contained within it. Sitting in that space and hearing, understanding and knowing that words would never be enough to express what you are feeling or going throught, is rare these busy, event-filled, demanding days - let along sharing that feeling with someone.

And yet, it’s not difficult to understand when we realized that we are souls in a physical body with a holy connection to the God of the universe. It’s not crystals or magic; it’s not unattainable or unreachable. It’s real. When we feel no one is listening, that no one cares; all we need to do is speak the name of Jesus and He’s there. Just ask him to show himself to you. He will.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 and in Jeremiah 33:3, God says, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and wondrous things you do not know.”

Maybe this Christmas season, you are wondering about the bible, about Jesus who was God in flesh, about forgiveness and eternal life. Just ask Him any question you have and if you are truly seeking Him, he will give you an answer. It’s worth your eternal life.

Aliferous

The sound rousted me from my kitchen chair as I dashed to the window to see what all the racket was about. It ‘twas not the night before Christmas. As I shielded my eyes into the sunny sky, I took note of the hundreds of flapping, honking geese silhouetted against the blue sky. These winged birds - Canadian geese - fly in V formations, mate for life and will help each other if one is injured.

“Aliferous” is having wings. And then I got to thinking about Icarus who flew too close to the sun and lost his wings. The wings of the dawn as the heavens open arms to the morning sky. In the fourth century, an image of a winged angel - like a human being with wings - appeared and that is the image we have become familiar with.

There are two types of angels that have wings that are mentioned in the bible. Exodus 25:20, Ezekiel 10 and Isaiah 6 describe the cheribim and seraphim. These spiritual beings are of the highest orders of angels and are next to the throne of God. Red-winged angels and angels with six wings - two for flying, two cover the face and the third pair cover the feet.

The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover. Exodus 37:9

We eat chicken wings. We “wing it'“ when we don’t know what we are doing without instructions. We also understand that eagle’s wings represent strength and in Exodus and Deuteronomy, eagle wings demonstrate the loving-kindness of God delivering His covenant people. (Exodus 19:4 and Deuteronomy 32:11) Wings are associated with birds, but they may also be images of fairy-like creatures, spirits and even demons. I like to make reference to God’s wingspan and his promises.

Know that God is faithful and He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Psalm 91:4