Setting Up A Connection

Colossians 1:17 "And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." 

I believe this is the close of week 5, possibly 6 including what was supposed to be Spring break, the second week --  #COVID19 social distancing shutdown. I cannot complain. I am getting paid for sleeping in, reading, catching up on streaming shows, a lot of time to work in and enjoy my garden. Witnessing so many caterpillars consume the milkweed I planted for them, grow 1000x their size and find their designated spot in which to shed their skin, pull down a chrysalis blanket around them and reform their protein into a butterfly--simply  amazing!. If you were to come for a visit, I'd point out the 15 hanging, bright green homes where metamorphisis is taking place. 

Is there a metamorphisis taking place in homes across the world? Are families changing for the better? Are we going to be able to see a positive, beautiful transformation after the stay-at-home order is gradually lifted? Is this connectivity to our families going to make a difference in lives and the future? When things return to normal, are they going to be just that...back to normal? Was normal OK? 

I've blogged consistantly about this virus, touching on the subjects of masks, death, hope, mercy and uncertainty. This week, the word, connectivity came to mind. 

Funny, because earlier today, my internet went out on my laptop. Nowhere else did this problem occur, so it definitely presented itself as some sort of glitch in my computer. Several hours of trying to troubleshoot with the provider and a servant at church--no success. I had a plan B, not too happy that I couldn't connect. I sent a prayer request out to my group of friends. Can God please help to intervene in technology? 

I am thinking He, God, has received many such a prayer in these last few weeks as the Body of Christ ministers together in this new normal for now, remotely and virtually, on line in living rooms and on cell phones, Zooming and You-Tubing!  Well, the world tries to stay connected. 

I am reconnected to the internet. It never left. Somehow, a setting changed to a wrong position and it blocked my connection. Maybe that is how some people feel about God--just not fully connected. They know He is there, but they can't seem to find the right way to approach Him, get reaquainted with Him, take the time to see what the "problem" is, relying on a Plan B if it gets to that point. 

God is always connected. It's our "settings" that  need some adjustments.The Apostle Paul reminds us in this verse that the Lord is before all things. He is the provider, the computer, the screen, the router, the WiFi, and we need to be the search engine plucking out on the keyboard of our souls these thoughts: 

Father, You are in Heaven, I am here. Help me to see Your Glory today. Please forgive me of my transgressions, my mess ups, my doubts and fears and lead me into Your will. Help me Lord to stay connected and allow me Lord to see that You hold it all together, all for Your glory, Amen. 

A setting of humility, a setting of recognition-- that God's grace is all sufficient. We are then empowered to do this life and stay connected to Him and to His will, whether we are out and about or home, congregating or social distancing, masked or not, healthy or compromised, young or old, black, white, purple, rich or poor...

Our settings by default need to be placed, in Him, our Creator. It is rather poetic of Paul as I reread this short but mighty verse.

He's before all things and in Him all things hold together. 

I challenge you to write several Post-It notes and strategically place them around your home to remind you of this verse. Where are the places you get caught-up in? Where do you need to see His all sufficient grace? Where do you recognize that God is holding you all together, to trust Him? 

Lord, I pray that this simple poetic line of scripture will help someone out there to reconnect to You and Your plan and Your love for them.Thank You Lord for always being The Mighty connection to what is Holy and worth persevering for. Help us all Lord to stay connected and thwart off the virus of apathy. Wayward settings lead us to false teaching and hoplessness. Lifestyles and choices allow some to feel useless, unable to connect to You Lord. But because You are the Risen Saviour, You provided that setting of Grace for all who believe. May we not choose the setting of our own way, but connect to the Spirit that always provides, from the before to the now and into the after. Amen. 

Facing Grace

Jeremiah 51:51  " We are ashamed because we have heard reproach; disgrace has covered our faces. 


You know those moments when your Bible opens randomly and you feel led to just read from anywhere, without context, beginning or ending?

That happened this week. Flipping pages, probably looking for Psalms, I was distracted. My Bible ended up open to Jeremiah when I came back to look for what I originally wanted to read, but before I did that, I happened to glance at the last paragraph of my Bible to my left, but the bottom of the right page, reading these verses 49-51 of the 51st chapter of Jeremiah. It caught my attention.

My commentary on Jeremiah describes him as a "heartbroken prophet with a heartbreaking message. But through his sermons and signs he faithfully declares that surrender to God's will is the only way to escape calamity."

Calamity...that is a word we could certainly afixx to the season this world is in today, #COVID19.

Mandated now,  everyone who steps outside and has any kind of interaction with the public and/or family must wear a protective mask. The mask doesn't protect the wearer, but protects another person from receiving anything unintentionally released from a cough or sneeze.

We've all been trying to follow the rules these last few weeks, But, #MaskWeek is apparent now,  everywhere. Our church and our amazing Chinese Fellowship made over 2000 masks to share with the public. I received a butterfly mask from a friend last week, left cutely and carefully packaged on my front door mat. Two other friends have sewn masks and I've received from their effort. Masked up, Virus-spreading body parts covered--now an essential part of our new normal. Many are making masks, repurposing things to make masks and adding to their regular production line, masks. Even students in computer tech classes are learning to create 3-D shields remotely. That is so cool.

Some of these masks, like a few of mine, are made from a remnant, a left over piece of fabric big enough to create a new purpose. Jeremiah's hope for his people as their prophet, that they (Judah) will turn back from their apostasy, and return morally and spiritually to the God of their Fathers. Judah remained in captivity to Babylon for many more years. Although Jeremiah pleaded and proclaimed God's grace and restoration, he always hoped for a remnant to rise up.

In this verse, one can picture a dissapointed Jeremiah, shaking his head maybe wringing his hands, and shedding a few tears. He says in the verse prior, "Remember the Lord from afar, and let Jerusalem come to your mind."   

What if God sees you as a remnant He longs to repurpose for His will?

 A nation that has dismissed, watered-down, been too busy for, neglected, compromised, rebuked, disrespected and forgotten their God is a nation...a world in trouble. It's been that way since the Garden. "Disgrace covered their face and as a result," Jeremiah states, yet still the whole of a nation became infected and enslaved.

Adam and Eve noticed their nakedness, ashamed. (Gen.3:7) and they put together some fig leaves to cover themselves. Yet God still showed them His grace and mercy. Genesis 3:21 states: "The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. 

Clothed them in GRACE.

We are wearing masks, not out of guilt but grace for others. God did not cause COVID19. As is every other bad, sad, tragedy, this world needs grace and a relationship with a God who is the Giver of Grace for there are eventual consequences and into eternity when we choose the world. Wearing our "masks"of Christianity doesn't bring on the cure. God knows our hearts, what we pursue, who is His.

And yet He still longs to give us His Amazing Grace.

Can we be a part of the remnant that gives grace? Can we receive it? Tie it around us and approach life with His reminder that every day is a gift?

Dis-grace covers our faces. Amazing Grace heals us and we remember the Lord face to face, not from afar.

Lord God, Thank you for the lessons taught from the Old Testament. We can apply so much today from the lives of those gone before us. We see the brokenness of Judah and the Prophets calling out to Your people, come home, be safe, rid yourself of that which enslaves you. Yet, in their stubborness, they would have to endure until Your prophesy fulfilled in You, the coming Messiah, Emmanuel, God with us. Lord, help us to heed to Your Word, and not suffer reproach. I long to be a good listener, one who hears and acts on what You lead me to. Help me to persevere and see each day gifted as a day to better know You and serve You. Whatever masks we hide behind sometimes, give us the courage to remove them and breath in freely Your amazing grace. Thank you Lord, for making a way for us. I pray for America, for the world that is in this pandemic, we will seek to know You and listen for Your voice which calls us to be a remnant, a repurposed tool in which to be used for Your Glory. How amazing is that! Amen.

Cause of Death

Revelation 1: 17-18 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as a dead man. And He laid His right hand upon me saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and Last, and the Living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades." 

"Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?"

They all said, "Let Him be crucified!"

And when Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of this Man's blood; see to that yourselves," (Matthew 27:22-24).

On Golgotha, the hill in Jerusalem where crucifictions took place, Jesus bore His cross, hung from the beams by stakes pounded into His flesh. His previously fileted-open back sticking to the splintered wood, blood dripping from the crown of thorns smashed down around His head. Naked, bleeding, suffering, suffocating...Yet enduring the Cross, the Will of  the Father God.

Because it was soon to be the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate if he could take care of Jesus's body. Pilate gave the permission. (Matt. 27:57-58). His body was wrapped in strips of linen most likely soaked in aloes and myrrh. Placed in a donated tomb, Pilate made sure that His body was guarded, secured, as well as a seal placed on the tomb.

No coroner showed up, no hearse, or mortuary...

~~~

A few weeks after my son passed away, I received his death certificate in the mail. It read something like this: Cause of Death, multiple organ failure do to kidney disease and other maladies.

I remember thinking in my deep grief, how could someone sum up his death in just a few short words? It involved so much more, so much I needed to see explained on that piece of paper as if that might justify everything...give me closure.

 I began my process of grief by proclaiming a "Life Certificate," of my son's and my own.

What would Jesus's death certificate say?


Cause of death: 
lying, stealing, coveting, lust, greed, idol worship, hypocrisy, disrespect, gossip, slander, impurity, wrath... 

Racism, poverty, enslavement, starvation, murder, rape...

War, Terrorism, the Halocaust, Genocide, 911, Syria...drug cartels, political anarchy and brutal regimes...

Every disease known and unknown, brought into existence by the deterioration of this world since man made the choice to desire his own will apart from God. 


Jesus died for every sin this world, you and I ever commited--every sin, the blatant and the underlying condition of our hearts, since the beginning of time. Though Pilate "washed his hands," his sin still infiltrated his soul. God sent His Son to right Humanity. Humanity has a way out of eternal separation from the Almighty.

Unfathomable--Yet I believe, because He has given me His Life Certificate.

What did Jesus die from? His Cause of Death?

One Word, one word only...

LOVE.

Lord, Although I write many words, my Life Certificate really says one clear statement--
Reedemed by Grace. Your death on the Cross that Good Friday 2000 years ago, conquered the sin in my life--everyday! I am forgiven, redeemed by Your shed blood, allowing me access to enjoy an intimate relationship with My Heavenly Father. I am thankful Lord, for the gift of the Holy Spirit which gives me Your direction and guides me through the days I am alive in this broken world. In the darkness that covers our lives today, at these hours that are now weeks, may You Jesus, the Light of the World, fill our homes and our hearts with Your Hope. I sing and praise You Lord for Easter morning, when our belief in the Resurrection assures us that we, too, will have eternal life abiding with You into Eternity, victory over sin. Amen.

A Triumphant Plan

Zechariah 9:9 "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! 
Behold your King is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation,
Humble and mounted on a donkey, even a colt, the foal of a donkey."

Palm Sunday is in a few days; the day we, as believers read in Scriptures of the Jesus's triumphant entry into Jerusalem before the dark days to come. Zechariah prophetically proclaimed this event in the Old Testament. We read of it as well in the New Testament as it unfolds. 

At the beginning of the verse, we  see celebration, a proclamation to  rejoice greatly, to even shout! If technology availed itself back then, I guess "all caps" might be used or Instant messaging--Breaking News on our screens. 

 Let's gather together, celebrate. "Hosanna to the Son of David!" 

Let's welcome Him to Jerusalem, roll out the red carpet, clean up the town, fly the banners and cheer Him on! Whoo-hoo, Yeah Jesus of Nazareth! 

They placed their cloaks down on the ground for His donkey and the colt to walk over as well as cut palm fronds, a symbol of triumph, waving them as He passed by the crowds. 

In a week's time, this same crowd rallied for His arrest, His death, His demise. Their memory of a recent celebration gone as fast as the palm branches discarded. He no longer was recognized as a King, but as a blasphemer. 

After His triumphal entry, He went to the Temple where He witnessed a marketplace on the very Holy grounds meant for worship, to present sacrifice-- a place meant for serious spiritual work, a covenat Gift set up long ago. As before, the crowds were caught up in the opportunity to make a buck, take advantage of a crowd, disrespecting their tradition, their heritage, their God.  

Such fickle people. 

Oh, How I can be the same...

But wait, (there is hope).  Let's take a look at the rest of that verse from Zechariah. 

Behold!  That means..."Hey you, take a look again, pay attention, wait...there is more!"

Your King is coming to you!  Even in our wishy-washiness, our apathy, our "Yeah Jesus" one day and our disregard for Him the next day...Jesus is still our King, Lord, sovereign, in charge, Holy...RESURRECTED, ALIVE. 

He is JUST. We see that in the overturning of the money changers and their tables.  He divides right from wrong, holy from unclean, truth from fake news. Justice goes one step further though, He is ENDOWED WITH SALVATION! 

Endowed means to bequeath, establish, equipped to give. Our sin separted us from God. Yet, He made a way through His Son to bring back a relationship, a triumphal victory over all we have done in our fickle and sinful ways. 

We can see all this happening in Matthew, Chapter 21. Jesus comes to town with a great welcoming committee. Everybody is cool with HIm. "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!"  He goes to the Temple and hands out some justice. Then, He does another God thing. In Matthew 21:14 it says that the lame and the blind came to Him and He healed them. 

Maybe our lameness and/or our lack of vision has left us. Is it a possiblity that we have forgotten that Jesus came to triumph over and establish truth and justice...a HOPE in us? 

BEHOLD, I am the the Hope of the world. 

Father God, as I read again this story, I am reminded of how quick we can get distracted, get caught up, plucked away by worldly desires and fears, removed to just the outskirts of our True Love. Uncertainty covers our planet in the form of a virus that spreads quickly, making us sick and possibly worse. Isn't sin exactly the same? Have we lost our fear of it? Justified some of it? Compromised to appease the masses?  We are mortal. We will all face death and in that, I thank you Lord for Victory over it! Jesus, forgive me for those times I am not seeing Your triumphant plan, for not always walking side by side in Your will, but lame in my own wishy-washy thoughts. I am thankful that in a humble prayer, the heavens celebrate our return and encourage us in our desire to continue to see You more and walk with You in triumph and victory. Thank you for turning the tables of sin over in my heart and ridding me of that which is unpleasing in Your sight, I am a work in progress!  You did that work of Love on the Cross and we as Believers, received the Victory that glorious Easter Day. As we stay safe in our homes now, away from worldy viruses and connection, may our hearts-- I pray, multitudes of hearts return HOME to You to receive open eyes and discarded crutches-- our excuses for not surrendering in our need. Help us to believe in every moment and not lose sight of Your triumphal plan. Hosanna in the Highest!  Amen. 

I found this palm today at a great price in the grocery store! 

{John Piper}