March 14, 2018

Journey to Easter: Waved Palms to Pierced Palms, Part I

As we prepare for Easter in just a few short weeks, my heart is tuned to the vignettes leading up to the most significant event in human history–the death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. This week we will focus on the celebratory moments leading to Palm Sunday, the day of waving palm fronds and songs of “Hosanna” as Jesus entered Jerusalem.

What a week. What a Holy Week. Isn’t it amazing that the first half of the Gospel of John covers the first 33 years of Jesus’ life, and the last half covers one week?

Just six days before the Passover and Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus was invited to attend a dinner in Bethany in His honor, hosted by  Mary, Martha, and their resurrected brother Lazarus. Can you only imagine what a fun party that would be? For Jesus to have supper with Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead,  AND his two cool sisters?

“Then Mary took a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” John 12:3 NIV.

What a beautiful, selfless, ultimate gift Mary gave Jesus. Of course it was disciple Judas who complained that her gift to Jesus at the party was wasteful and too expensive. Judas was the treasurer and thief-disciple who would betray Jesus in just a few days.

“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended, that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have Me.” –John 12:7-8 NIV

Mary understood the message. Jesus had been trying to tell the disciples that He would die and be raised. (John  10:15-18).

Mary gave Jesus the most valuable possession she had. As we prepare for these weeks leading up to Easter, what valuable possession of yours are you willing to pour out for Jesus and His Kingdom? Whatever we give to Him, He gives much more back to us.

People had heard of all of Jesus’ miracles. Crowds followed Him. They were ready to greet Jesus as a celebrity. On that famous Palm Sunday,  Jesus was welcomed like a rockstar into Jerusalem with people waving lush green palm fronds and singing:

“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest!”  (Matthew 21: 9b NIV).

Palm Sunday was and still is a joyful, respectful celebration of  Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Jesus entered Jerusalem not on a military stallion as the world and its paparazzi may have thought, but on a lowly donkey colt, perfect for the humble, servant Savior He was, is and is to come.

The same crowd who waved palms at Jesus that Sunday before, yelled “Crucify!” on Good Friday, just five days later. From the waved palms of the crowd singing “Hosanna!” to the peer-pressured crowd crying “Crucify!” on Good Friday morning, resulting in the pierced palms of Jesus’ hands, may we deeply feel the matchless love Jesus has for us, His children.

Friday’s here; Sunday’s comin’! Easter is my favorite day of the whole year.  He is risen, indeed!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of “Waved Palms to Pierced Palms”.

 Reflect:

–With whom can you relate the most in this story–Martha, Mary, Lazarus, Judas?  Please comment.

–What are you willing to sacrifice as a beautiful love offering for Jesus for Easter and for your whole life?

Renew:

–“Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘ Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’ ‘I tell you,’ he replied, ‘if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.'” –Luke 19:39-20 NIV

Recharge:

–How may we live more deeply for Jesus and show love to others?

–How will you embolden your Christian faith, even if you aren’t in a crowd or in the majority?

February 20, 2018

The Promise of Spring

Spring is my favorite season of the year.

In the winter, days are short and cold.

Nights are long and colder.

The vegetation appears dead and lifeless.

Then one day it happens.

Warmth and sunshine.

Tiny green leaves bud from skeletal twigs.

Flowering daffodil bulbs pop up in the sleeping flowerbeds.

Life.

Longer days of Light.

Resurrection.

Just like my life.

Spring brings hope.

“Our Lord has written the promise of the Resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time.” –Martin Luther

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Just last week, beautiful little daffodils popped up out of nowhere in my yard. It’s so fun to see what other perennials spring forth, producing life and beauty.

God looks at us as perennials. We may have our personal wilting, decaying periods, but He sees our potential. He knows we will grow and bloom again and again, adding life and beauty to our environment.

If you are feeling wilted or discarded, be encouraged today. God will resurrect the dead places in our life. Believe in the Resurrection. Spring brings Hope.

Reflect:

–What is your favorite season and why?

–What part of your life needs resurrecting like a perennial? Please comment.

–How can I plant seeds of encouragement?

Renew:

–“I came that they may have life, and have it to the full.” –John 10:10

–“‘Jesus said to her, ‘I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?'” –John 11:25

–“Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.”  –1 Corinthians 3:5-7 NIV

January 30, 2018

It’s Electric–A Lesson in Light and Darkness

Understanding electricity is not a top priority for me. Please don’t get me wrong–I love light. I like to see the results of inserting a light bulb… and voila, let there be light. I learned a humbling lesson recently about photocells, yes, photocells, and how they relate to our faith.

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In my front yard is a cool “dusk-til-dawn” lantern. It’s peaceful to drive up to my home at night and see it shining brightly.

Recently it burned out. Bummer. Taking the step ladder, I gingerly removed the globe and old light bulb, replacing it with a new. Waiting for the light to radiate immediately, I waited and waited. Still darkness.

Remembering the GFI circuit thingy inside, I went inside the house and reset that little button. Craning my neck to look out in the yard, the lamppost was still dark. I even flipped the breaker switch doo-dad, still nothing. Obviously I had maxxed out any slight inkling of electrical knowledge I had, which wasn’t much.

The next day when telling my dear friend about my yard light situation, her husband remarked matter-of-factly. “Some debris may be blocking your light’s photocell, keeping it from shining.” Wait. What? What in the world is a photocell?

He explained that a photocell is a sensor that detects light. The photocell is what makes my lamp know to shine in the darkness. Ahhh. Once the debris was cleaned from the photocell, my lamp miraculously began shining again.

So what does all this mean? How is our faith’s “photocell?” What “debris” in our lives may be keeping us from shining our Light of Jesus? Could our debris be busyness, unforgiveness, unconfessed sin, jealousy, envy, a critical spirit? Ouch. Any of one these and so many others could be the debris blocking the Holy Spirit’s “photocell” connection in our hearts. God desires a total heart connection with us.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” –Matthew 5:16 NIV

Anne Graham Lotz, in her book Just Give Me Jesus, tells this story I’ll soon not forget.

“One night when author Robert Louis Stevenson was a small boy, his nanny called him to come to bed. Oblivious to her summons, he was staring at something outside his nursery window. The nanny walked over, stood at his shoulder, and inquired patiently, ‘Robert, what are you looking at?’

The little boy, without taking his eyes away from the window, exclaimed in wonder as he pointed to the lamplighter who was lighting the streetlamps. ‘Look, Nanny! That man is putting holes in the darkness!’

With the Holy Spirit as our faith’s “photocell,”and with Jesus as the Light of the world, may we each be totally empowered to go “put holes in the darkness!” You shine!

Reflect:

–How is your light of faith shining right now?

Renew:

–“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” –John 8:12 NIV.

–“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” –2 Corinthians 4:6 NIV

Recharge:

–What is one action item you will accomplish this week to get rid of any “faith photocell debris” you may have?

Resource:

–What is a photocell?

 

Previously published in the January 2018 issue of the Carolina Compass insert in The Charleston Mercury.

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