Constancy in a raging storm

This past week has been the craziest week in recent memory.  At the beginning of the week, the only thing that changed was the change to Daylight Savings Time, which throws my body off for about a week anyway.  But by the end of the week, however, it seemed like the whole world had fallen off its axis, thanks to COVID-19, better known as the coronavirus.  The World Health Organization has declared it a pandemic. Whole countries have shut down. 

In the United States, all professional sports have either postponed or canceled their seasons (and being a baseball fan, this makes me very, very sad). Schools in my home state of Illinois are closed until the end of March, colleges are only holding classes online, and courts are postponing trials.  Stores are running out of toilet paper, sanitizing wipes and paper towels.  Grocery stores are crowded and people are stocking up on groceries like it's the day before Thanksgiving or there's a blizzard warning. Churches are either canceling their services altogether or just providing Facebook Live or Zoom services, including the church I attend.  Some cities and counties are limiting gatherings to certain numbers of people, which canceled concerts.  Every day brings new challenges and new crises with the coronavirus outbreak. 

The Christian, however, has one thing in his or her life that never changes.  There is an old saying, "The only thing constant is change."  But for the Christian, that saying is not true.  For the Christian, the only constant is Jesus Christ.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). This constancy is reflected in some of the names for Christ.  Jesus is our Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4).  Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last (Revelation 1:8).  

No matter how crazy the world around us gets, we Christians can cling to Jesus Christ.  He never changes and He is always with us. As long as we focus on Jesus, we can have peace in the midst of any storm.  If you feel scared or anxious about what's going on now (or at any time, really), turn to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to calm you.  

I hope you are well physically as well as spiritually.  Don't forget to wash your hands and use hand sanitizer when soap is not available, and if you're not feeling well, be sure to call your doctor. Thanks as always for reading!  

Diane  

The threefold cord

This blog post is based on Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, which reads: 
Two are better than one,
Because they have a good reward for their labor.
For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up.
 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm;
But how can one be warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.
And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

The "two" is two people, obviously. And the "two lie down together" refers to a married couple. But what or who is the third strand of the cord?   The third strand of the cord, of course, is God.  

Perhaps an illustration will be helpful.  In the 1970s, macrame was a popular craft. Macrame is used to make plant holders, wall hangings and bracelets. Macrame involves taking two cords, tying them around a dowel and then weaving the cords together into knots. The process to make a square knot involves taking the two outside cords and weaving them around the inner two cords.  The inner two cords are called knot-bearing cords.  The other cords are called the right knotting cord (the cord next to your right hand) and the left knotting cord (the cord next to your left hand).  

In a relationship then, the knot-bearing cords (2 and 3 in the diagram above) represent God.  The knot-bearing cords stay in the center of the knot. like an anchor, and like God, they never move.   The right and left knotting cords (1 and 4 in the diagram) represent the people in the relationship.  The knotting cords weave around the knot-bearing cords (God) and around and through each other.  

The finished macrame cords are very strong and can support heavy weight, such as a pot with soil and a plant.  Christian couples should make God the center of their relationship.  If God is the center of a couple's relationship, the relationship will stay strong and withstand anything.  But if one of the human parts of the threefold cord takes God out of his/her life, the cord will not be stable. If that happens, the cord will become weak and may unravel.  

If you're in a relationship, take some time to examine whether God is in the center of your relationship and how strong your relationship really is.  

Thanks as always for reading! See you next time!

Diane

Trophy case

The National Hockey League recently held its annual All-Star Game in St. Louis.  My son is an avid hockey fan, so we attended the Fan Fair since the price of tickets to the All-Star Game was not in our budget.  The Stanley Cup was the main attraction at the Fan Fair, especially since the St. Louis Blues had won the Stanley Cup the year before. When we arrived at the Fan Fair, however, the line to have your photo taken with the Cup was six hours long. We weren't able to stand in line for that long.  However. we did peek into the room where the Stanley Cup was and saw it.  

I thought Major League Baseball had a lot of trophies, but the NHL has many more.  Per NHL.com, NHL has 21 trophies and all but two of them were on display at Fan Fest, in cases with lights.  

Trophies are made of metal and plastic (and in the NHL, they're made out of wood and metal).  Trophies can be destroyed or stolen.  The Stanley Cup gets passed on to the next team who wins it, so it doesn't stay permanently with the last team that won it.  

For Christians, trophies or medals are not that important.  In 1 Corinthians 9:24-25, Paul writes:  "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize?  Run so that you may obtain it.  And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown."  In Paul's day, winners of a race received a crown made of laurel leaves.  Those laurel leaf crowns, of course, eventually died.  But Christians, however, receive an imperishable crown, that is, one that does not die.  There is an admonishment from Jesus Himself in the book of Revelation that we should hold fast to our crown so that no one should take it.  

There are three types of crowns that believers will receive.  There is a crown of righteousness for those who love Christ's appearance (2 Timothy 4:8).  There is the crown of life for those who endure temptation and who love Jesus (James 1:12) and for those who are faithful unto death (Revelation 2:10).  Finally, there is the crown of glory which does not fade away, which we receive when the Shepherd appears (1 Peter 5:4).  

But the accolade that is the most important is when Jesus welcomes us to Heaven and says, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Those encouraging words from our Savior are more important than any trophies, medals, or even crowns.  

Thanks for reading!  See you next time!

Diane

The three Omnis

This post isn't about a 1950s doo-wop group, although "The Omnis" would be a cool name for such a group.  This post is about three $10 dollar words that describe some of the attributes of God:  omnipresence, omniscient, and omnipotent.

First, let's take a look at the "omni" part of the words. Per the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the suffix "omni" comes from the Latin word omnis, and it means "all."  For example, an omnidirectional microphone would be able to pick up sounds from all directions.

The first attribute of God that we will look at is that He is omnipresent. A literal translation would be "all present," but a better translation would be "always present."  God is not just in one place - He is everywhere all the time.  I discussed God's omnipresence in a blog post earlier and you can find that here. There are several Bible verses that discuss God's omnipresence, and I'll quote some of them here: 

Genesis 3:8 (all verses are from the NKJV): And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

Psalm 139:2-4:  You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.  You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. 

Prov. 15:3:  The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.

Hebrews 4:13:  And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. 

The second attribute of God we will look at is that He is omniscient, which means "all-knowing."  God knows what you're going to say or do before you even do it.  He knows everything on the earth and in heaven.  

Here are some Bible verses that outline God's omniscience:
Matt. 9:4:  But Jesus, knowing their (the scribes) thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?"

Mark 12:15:  ". . . Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?" But He, knowing their (the Pharisees) hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it." 

Luke 11:17:  But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them:  "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls."

Romans 11:33-34:  Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!  "For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?"

The last attribute of God that we will look at is that He is omnipotent, which means "all-powerful."  No one on earth or in heaven has more power than God Almighty.  He created the earth, the heavens and everything in them.  Nothing is impossible for God.  

Here are some Bible verses that discuss God's power:
Genesis 1:3:  Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.

Psalm 66:5, 7:  Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men. . . . He rules by His power forever; His eyes observe the nations; Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves.  Selah

Hebrews 1:3:  Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 

Rev. 19:6:  And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!"

You may be wondering about that photo of a car at the beginning of the blog post.  That car is a Dodge Omni, which was manufactured by Chrysler from 1977-1990.  My friend Gail Yagge had a white Omni and we rode in it to the Mississippi River Festival at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville to see the late Andy Gibb in concert in 1979.    

I hope you've enjoyed this blog post.  Thanks for reading!  See you next time!

Diane

Blue Christmas

Christmas is one week from today and the holiday season is in full swing – Christmas movies are on TV, the malls and stores are busy with Christmas shoppers, and Christmas parties and family gatherings are on everyone’s agendas.

But for some folks, Christmas is not a very happy time of year, and it’s because they are separated from loved ones by death, distance, and/or estrangement.  The Christmas season brings back memories of spending the holidays with that loved one or loved ones and the pain of the realization that they will no longer be able to see that loved one may be too much to bear. 

The song “Blue Christmas” was written in 1948, and the most well-known version of “Blue Christmas” was recorded by Elvis Presley on Elvis’ Christmas Album.  In the 1974 Rankin/Bass special The Year Without a Santa Claus, the children poignantly sing “Blue Christmas” to Santa after he announces he’s taking a year off from delivering toys.  The lyrics to “Blue Christmas” perfectly express the feelings of those who are missing their loved ones.

Sometimes the blue Christmas feelings hit you when you least expect it.  One night, the husband and I were watching a Hallmark Christmas movie.  The last song played in the movie was “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays,” and I suddenly had the realization that my estranged loved one was not coming home for this Christmas holiday and would likely never come home for any Christmas holiday ever again.  I had to go to my bedroom and weep for a while.

So what should you do when the blue Christmas feelings hit you?  Go ahead and find somewhere to grieve for a while.  It’s okay to do this; remember, Jesus wept over Lazarus when he died. However, if the sad feelings go on for more than a few days, you may need to obtain professional help.  I have noticed that I get more emotional whenever I’m exhausted.  If this is the case for you too, make sure your schedule is not too busy and that you get enough rest.  If certain items or situations remind you of your missing loved one, try to avoid those if you can. 

Some churches have blue Christmas services on December 21, the longest night of the year. These services recognize the grief and pain that people go through at Christmastime in a religious setting.  Being with others going through blue Christmases too may help you get through it. 

The most important way to help get through a blue Christmas is to focus on the reason for the Christmas season – the birth of Jesus Christ, who came to Earth to die on the cross to save us from our sins.  Read the Christmas story carefully and reflect on everyone involved in the story – Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus, the shepherds, and the angels.  If you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, He will always be with you even when others are not.  He will never leave you. 

Please accept my best wishes for a happy and blessed Christmas! 

Diane

Home is where the heart is

Our earthly home is the physical place we dwell in with our families, whether it's our childhood family or our adult family.  We have meals in our homes, we hang out with our families in our homes, and we sleep in our homes. We may entertain others in our homes, or they may come to stay with us for a while in our homes if necessary.  Thinking about our homes brings back memories, both good and bad.

If we are believers in Christ, we have a home waiting in heaven for us.  Jesus tells us so in John 14:2(a):  "In my Father's house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you."  When we hear the word "mansion" in this modern time, we think about a large house with many rooms, luxurious accommodations, and maybe even a butler or maid.  However, the word "mansion" had a different meaning in Jesus' time. Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament defines the word "mansion" as follows:

Mansions (μοναὶ)

Only here and v. 23. From μένω to stay or abide. Originally a staying or abiding or delay. Thus Thucydides, of Pausanias: "He settled at Colonae in Troas, and was reported to the Ephors to be negotiating with the Barbarians, and to be staying there (τὴν μονὴν ποιούμενος, Literally, making a stay) for no good purpose" (i., 131). Thence, a staying or abiding-place; an abode. The word mansion has a similar etymology and follows the same course of development, being derived from manere, to remain. Mansio is thus, first, a staying, and then a dwelling-place. A later meaning of both mansio and μονή is a halting-place or station on a journey.

Our mansion in heaven, which will be our dwelling place, is where we'll be staying for all eternity.  Our mansion in heaven is our final station on our journey of faith. Paul also speaks of our future heavenly home in 2 Corinthians 5:1:  "For we know that if our earthly house, our tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." Jesus states in John 14:2(b): "I go to prepare a place for you."  That means Jesus is building our heavenly homes Himself! 

When we are invited to someone's home for the first time, we are given the address of that home and sometimes directions to it.  But the way to our heavenly home is even better.  In John 14:6 in response to Thomas' question as to the way to Heaven, Jesus states that the only way to the Father is through Him.  Not only that, in John 14:3, Jesus states that He will come again (the Rapture) and receive us to Himself.  He will take us to our heavenly homes Himself!  Who needs a GPS when you have Jesus?

Have you ever wondered what our heavenly homes will look like?  Will they look like the homes we live in now?  Or does God have something better in mind?  Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2:9:  "But as it is written:  Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor has entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love Him."  Our heavenly homes will be even better than we can even imagine.

But we don't have to wait until eternity to live with Jesus and God.  In John 14:23, it reads: "Jesus answered and said to him (Judas, not Iscariot - in verse 22), 'If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and we will make Our home with him.'"  So if we love Jesus and God and keep His Word, Jesus and God will come and live in our heart.  Isn't that wonderful? Knowing that God and Jesus are living in our hearts makes us not want to sin, and makes us look forward to living with them eternally.

Given the state of our world today, I am looking forward to my heavenly home more and more each day and hoping that Jesus comes and gets us soon.  I hope that your eternal home will be in heaven and we'll see each other there. 

Thanks for reading! See you next time!

Diane

Where is your identity?

I  have always had problems with self-esteem. It started in grade school.  My family was poor and I wore hand-me-down clothes and ugly glasses with thick lenses (there weren't spiffy glasses for kids when I was young). Other students made fun of me and teased me.  They were mean. I believed what they said about me was true, that I was ugly and worthless.

My parents weren't well-employed and they weren't cool parents.  My dad had to drop out of school in 6th grade and my mom in 9th grade so they could work on their families' farms.  They didn't have many friends; they married very late (Dad was 40 and Mom was 29) and they only met because my aunt introduced them to each other. They had poor social skills and they passed that on to me.  I only had a few friends, and that was because they engaged with me first. I was sure that the only reason they hung out with me was that they felt sorry for me.

Even though I attended a bigger high school with students from different cities, my high school social career was just as bad as my grade school social career.  I didn't have the hand-me-down clothes or the ugly glasses anymore, but I hung out with the misfits.  I didn't go on any dates, nor was I asked to the prom. The kids from grade school still were mean to me.  I was so glad when I graduated from high school. I hoped things would be better for when I got to college.

Our family attended a United Church of Christ during my childhood and high school years, and it was the church that my mother's family attended. The UCC is a mainline Protestant denomination that doesn't believe in being born again. I was baptized (sprinkled) as a baby and I went through confirmation.   I thought I could feel the Lord's presence occasionally, but I didn't have a real relationship with Him. One night during my freshman year in college, I was very depressed. I was at the end of myself.  I cried out to the Lord to come into my heart, that I needed Him, and He answered my prayer. I  later discovered that when  I prayed to God that I had been born again.  I used to be very shy, but I got more confidence in myself. I was a totally changed person thanks to the Lord living in me.

When you are born again and become a new creation (see 2 Corinthians 5:17), your inner self becomes different.  The Holy Spirit lives in you and the love of Christ radiates through you.  You are a child of God and you are no longer worthless. You want to be around other Christians to be friends with them and fellowship with them.

As born again Christians, we are to live in the world, but not be of the world. As Paul wrote in Romans 12:2:  "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." People should be able to see that there is something different about us, and Paul wrote of this in Philippians 2:15:  "that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world."

It took a few years, but the more I spent time in the Word, in prayer, and in Bible-believing churches, my self-esteem issues began to disappear.  Yet, something happened recently that set me back in my struggles with my self-esteem,  This year was the 40th anniversary of my high school graduation. I had been going back and forth in my mind about whether or not to attend the reunion.  I had gone to the 10-year reunion,  but my classmates were still very cliquey and didn't want to hang out with those were not in their cliques.  The possibility of attending this reunion weighed heavily on me until one night, I literally cried out to the Lord. I was worried about what my classmates would think of me. How would I answer questions about my kids, and did I have grandchildren (I never will)? And why I had never left my hometown?  Those questions weighed heavily on me.  The next morning during worship, however, I received an impression from the Lord telling me that I was not to worry about what my classmates thought about me but about what He thought about me. That gave me the confidence to go ahead and make plans to attend the reunion.  I shopped online to find a nice shirt to wear to the reunion.  I finally found one, tried it on and bought it.

My classmates greeted me and my husband at the reunion, and I spoke at length with some of them, but after a while, they all started hanging out in their cliques again. The hubby and I were left alone for a long while. There were photos taken for the class Facebook page and when I saw the photo of me, I was very sad. That new shirt I bought that I thought looked nice on me in the mirror didn't look good on me at all in the photo. There's a reason that the photo of me on this blog hasn't been changed in years and that's because I don't photograph well - well, at least I don't think so. My body is like that of my German farmer ancestors - short, wide and (now) with more weight around the middle.

The reunion was three weeks ago and I'm just now getting to the point where I can write and think about it without being very sad and depressed.  I know this was an attack by our adversary.  When you are confident that you are a child of God and in His love for you, and you start feeling bad about yourself, it is an attack from Satan.  Whenever I start feeling this way, it shows that I need to spend more time in the Word and in prayer to chase away the enemy.  Put your mind on Christ and not on yourself.  As Paul wrote in Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things."

It all boils down to what is the most important thing, as Paul wrote in Philippians 3:8-9: "Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith." The most important thing is your faith in Christ and that you are a child of God.

I hope I didn't put you to sleep with this long blog post. Thanks for reading! See you next time!

Diane