The Unexpected

18 years ago I was sitting at a water park chatting with a friend while watching my 3 and 5 year old daughters play in the baby pool.  It was a beautiful, warm summer day.  My 7 year old son and his friend were just beyond us enjoying the water slides.  I distinctly remember hearing my name over the loud speaker, “Stephanie Wolfe, please come to the lifeguard station immediately.”  I knew that it had to be urgent for them to stop the music and page me directly.  All eyes were on me as I looked to my friend for help.  She took my girls and I dashed off to find my boy, covered in blood.  Turns out he hit a pole on his way down the slide and cut his head.  It required quite a few stitches and we learned that a cut to the head bleeds profusely.  It looked way worse than it actually was.  My point is, I raced to my boy when I heard the call.  When someone we love needs help we react and are there by their side as fast as humanly possible.

John 11 tells a different approach to rushing to help a loved one.  Word reaches Jesus from the town of Bethany that Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, was sick.  These three siblings were close friends of Jesus, in fact, they may have been three of Jesus’ closest friends.  The sisters even called Lazarus “the one you love” when they called for Jesus to help.

So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

John 11:3

Just as I ran to my son when I heard he needed me, I would expect Jesus to run to his friend who was deathly sick.  But, we are surprised when we read how Jesus responds.  

So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days,

John 11:6

What?!???!!  Was Jesus so busy that He could not get away?  No, we then read that he intentionally chose to wait for two more days.  

It is that small word (underlined by me) above in verse 6 that is important as to why Jesus waited.  So!  This little word presents a cause and effect to us.  What follows the “so” is the effect and what precedes it is the cause.

The cause before the “so” is found in verse 5:

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

John 11:5

Jesus’ love caused Him to wait for his friend to die instead of rushing to his side.  It is hard to comprehend why Jesus would wait instead of rushing to his side when time was of the essence!  But when we take a look back at verse 4 we see that Jesus had a plan.  He knew that his friend’s illness would result in death, but not end in it.

When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death.  No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”

John 11:4

Jesus knew that he would shout “Lazarus, come out!” and life would fill his friend once again.  This is why he waited!  He wanted Mary, Martha, Lazarus, and His disciples to experience something that would completely change them from that day forward.

Mary and Martha called for Jesus because they had seen Jesus heal many people.  They knew He could heal Lazarus before he died.  But, Jesus wanted them to experience something more.  He wanted them to see that He has power over death because that is what they would need to know about Him.  Because, soon they would see His lifeless body in a tomb.

Had Jesus rushed to Lazarus when he was sick and healed him we would have missed so much more than Jesus actually intends for us.  Jesus gave His friends (and us through the reading of His Word) the gift of deepening their faith.

The resurrection of Lazarus is an incredible demonstration of the power of Jesus.  It is a foreshadowing of Jesus’ resurrection and a picture of our new life in Jesus. 

Jesus did not do what Mary and Martha were expecting.  He did something better.  This is the same we experience in our lives.  God does not always do what I expect or think He should do.  However, He can and will bring greater glory to Himself.  If He doesn’t do what I think He should, it is very probable that God has something better in mind.  

Encouragement

“How are you doing?  No, how are you really doing?”  This is a question I remember hearing when I attended church back in high school.  The person asking really wanted to know how I was doing.  He was not looking for the typical, “I’m fine” response.  His intent then was to offer encouragement for whatever I was going through at the time.  That is, if I had the courage to really let him know how I was doing.  

It is easy to be focused on ourselves right now.  To get stuck thinking about what we are going through and how difficult our situation might be.  But, the Bible calls for us to be encouragers.  

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up just as you are doing.”

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Encouragement is like a gentle push forward when we have run out of energy.  It is a pat on the back that appreciates work you have done.  It is acknowledgement that you made a difference in someones life.  When someone encourages us, we stand straighter.  We feel energized.  We move with purpose and meaning.  Encouragement strengthens us to move on and face what lies ahead.

There is a difference between worldly encouragement and Biblical encouragement.  Encouragement from the world may look like fans in the stands watching a sports game.  Yelling and cheering on the team that you want to win.  This cheering is invigorating in the moment, but it is different than Biblical encouragement.  Biblical encouragement goes deeper than boosting ones self-esteem.  

The Greek word for encourage that Paul uses in the scripture verse above is “parakaleite”.  It specifically means to comfort one another by getting up close and personal.  To console and strengthen.  This type of encouragement forges a strong bond.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by god.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Encouragement is the key to building relationship and connection. To come alongside.  Encouragement is not a one and done kind of thing.  It is not yelling your heart out for a couple hours at a competition and then walking away.  By using words that build up, we help someone navigate through tough times.  Your encouragement gives the person strength to stand strong and face their battles. 

What we say to each other matters.  We are all facing struggles and unknowns.  Keep encouraging one another.  Our God is bigger than our present circumstances.

What are you seeking?

Oh boy…I don’t even need to mention all that we are going through these days.  I am sick of hearing and reading about it all as I am sure you are.  So today, lets take a step back and refocus on what we are seeking.

The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”  The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.  Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?”  And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”  He said to them, “Come and you will see.”  So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.  

John 1:35-39“What are you seeking?” are the first words of Jesus that John records and the big question that he asks of these two men who are interested in becoming disciples.  This question also could be understood as, “what purpose do you have?”  The same question applies to us right now.  What is our purpose in seeking to follow Jesus?  Especially through these trying days, weeks, and months.  

What we learn from the two men in this passage is that they simply wanted to go where Jesus was staying, to spend time with Him.  They wanted to gain insight into who Jesus was and what he was about.  Spending quality time with Him to learn and listen was their goal.  We can learn form these men what it means to seek Jesus today.  Seeking is more than just saying a prayer or one day a week in church.  

My encouragement to you and to myself over these next few weeks is ESCAPE!  Escape to Jesus.  Seek Him.  Open your Bible and sit with him for 5 or more minutes every day.  I hate to admit how easy it is to get caught up in all that is going on and skip my time seeking Jesus.  His Word is living and a guide for us to follow daily.  I remember growing up hearing our pastor saying, “Keep it simple stupid” (KISS).  I need to remember this today!  KISS…just sit, with my Bible and let the Holy Spirit speak to me through His Word and He will light my path.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Psalm 119:105

For God to be a lamp and a light in my life, I actually have to open my Bible and read it.  This means seeking Him!

Victor

The crisp fall air is upon us.  The leaves are finally showing their colors.  Pumpkin everything is surrounding us.  But, the one thing I am really missing is High School football.  Every year since 2012 we have been attendees at our our High School football games.  This year is our daughter’s senior year and the last year to watch her cheer for our football team.  It just feels empty not cheering and watching our team conquer their opponent every Friday night.  The victory dance at the end of the games is always my favorite.  A couple years ago our team won their conference game and regionals to advance to the state playoffs.  Watching the crowd ascend on the field at the end of the games to celebrate the victory was such an exciting time.  We have hope that we will get to experience football in the spring (I guess time will tell:)

Can the excitement of a winning football team compare to the victory of Christ?  No, but I believe it can give us a tiny glimpse into the excitement and power that Christ brings to our lives.

When I think of victory in Jesus the first thing that comes to my mind is this song, Victory in Jesus.

Victory In Jesus

Guy Penrod

I heard an old, old story, how a Savior came from glory

How He gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me

I heard about His groaning, of His precious blood’s atoning

Then I repented of my sins and won the victory

Oh victory in Jesus, my Savior forever

He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood

He loved me ‘ere I knew Him and all my love is due Him

He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood

I heard about His healing, of His cleansing power revealing

How He made the lame to walk again and ’caused the blind to see

And then I cried, “Dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit”

And somehow Jesus came and brought to me the victory

Oh victory in Jesus, my Savior forever

He sought me and He bought me with His redeeming blood

He loved me…

Are you singing it in your head now??

Jesus is the Victor.  He is our Victor, if we choose to believe that He died on the cross for our sins.   He is the first one to escape death.  He has destroyed the sting and power of death.  

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true:  “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

1 Corinthians 15:54

Christ shares his victory with us.  Because he lives, we too shall live.  Because Christ, by his resurrection, has defeated every evil power, one day, not only that promise but all of the Bible’s promises will come true for all who know and love Christ. 

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.  And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 1:20

We will live forever because Christ is Victor.

Sun

It is hard to imagine our lives without electricity.  Can you imagine your evenings and early mornings without a light bulb?  The only true light that existed before electricity and the light bulb was the SUN.  When the sun went down it got dark.  The best you could do back then was make a fire, light some candles, and wait for tomorrow when the sun would return.  

There are many scriptures that suggest Jesus is a SUN.  The sun in nature is the source of light, life, warmth, beauty, and fruitfulness.  God is Light against darkness.  

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;  the Lord bestows favor and honor;  no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

Psalms 84:11

The sun is our ultimate source of physical light and warmth.  Without it we would starve and freeze to death.  It is essential to life here on planet earth.  

Do you know the feeling of being inside, usually a Dr office or a commercial building, and being totally freezing because the air conditioner is cranked to the lowest setting?  And then walking outside and feeling the sun penetrate your skin and immediately warm you up?  It feels so good!  

God is the sun.  He warms us even on the coldest and cloudy days.  On the days when life is hard and everything seems difficult, He is there.  You may not feel the rays and the warmth every single day,  but the sun is still there.  It is up to us to believe that He is working in us and through us for our good.

Then, there are also times of trial when it seems the sun has totally disappeared and we don’t see the sun.  The sense of the Lord’s presence does not feel near.  Thankfully, our lives are not built around feelings.  We have the promise that God is near.  

The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

Psalms 145:18

We relish in the days when the presence of the Lord feels real to our hearts.  These days are delightful.  

Our Lord is a Sun.  A bright and glorious sun to brighten our lives.  He warms us with His love.  Fills our very beings with His presence.  And, sometimes withdraws His face from our lives.  But, we have the promise that He is working all things for the good of those who love Him.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

Sower

3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying:  “A farmer went out to sow his seed.  4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.  5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil.  It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.  6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.  7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.  8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop — a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.  9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.

Matthew 13:3-9

I have read this parable numerous times in the past and always focused on the soil.  This is the first time I have read these verses with the sower in mind.  When we read this parable from the perspective of the sower we get a better understanding of why Jesus called it the parable of the sower, and not the parable of the soil.

Jesus himself explained to the disciples what this parable means.  The farmer is like Jesus.  The seed that he sows is the seed of the good news about Jesus.  The farmer sows the seed in many different places, just as we Christians should share God’s good news in many different places.  What happens to the seed is different in different places.  It is the same with the good news about Jesus.  It has a good result in the lives of some people, and it has a poor result in other lives.  

Jesus shares that the sower scattered seed (the Word of God) on all types of ground.  It didn’t say that he was meticulously planting the seeds in designated ‘good soil’ areas — it says he was scattering the seed everywhere. 

In Luke 5:31 we are reminded, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.”

The meaning of the parable of the sower is to show that Christ came to share the Word of God with everyone.  We don’t serve a stingy God who picks and chooses who is good enough to hear the word.  He graciously sows into everyone who is willing to accept his word.  

Sealed

Do you have the same dilemma that my husband and I face every time we try to agree on a movie to watch?  He chooses the intense war movies and I always go for the movies set in the 1700-1800’s.  Downton Abbey and many other PBS shows are my favorite.  I am enthralled with the history and the way of life.  

I am always amazed at the delivery system in which the people receive messages.  A messenger rides horse back through the beautiful green scenery, jumps off his horse and strides into a castle as the butler opens the door.  He walks in a room without saying a word and places a plate in front of the intended person.  The plate contains a letter with a seal on the outside.  The messenger quickly disappears as the person proceeds to slice through the seal and read the message.  

The scene is always dramatic because the message contains very pertinent information for the receiver.  The sealing wax on the outside of the letter was used to verify that the document had not been opened and to verify the sender’s identity.  It is always exciting to see the person open the seal and read the contents.

Do you realize that you and I were marked with a seal when we believed that Jesus is the Son of God?

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation.  When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:13

When we receive the truth by faith, we immediately are marked with a seal (the Holy Spirit Himself).  This seal identifies the believer as belonging to God.  

Not only is the Holy Spirit our seal, He is also our guarantee.  The Holy Spirit is our “down payment” (arrabon – Greek word, meaning initial payment as security for the rest).  God the Father gives us the Holy Spirit as His down payment that ensures to us that the rest of His blessings are on their way.  We know heaven and eternal life will be ours because the Spirit has been given to us!

Thank You Jesus for placing your seal of ownership on our lives.

Your Very Great Reward

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:  “Do not be afraid, Abram.  I am your shield, your very great reward.”   Genesis 15:1

What is the greatest reward you have ever received?  

My youngest daughter turned 18 this week and we spent some time reminiscing about her best moments in life up to this milestone.  One of the major highlights was when she was State Champion at her Level 5 gymnastics meet when she was 10.  We talked about that moment and we can still recall the excitement of her not being called to the podium for 4th place, then not being called for 3rd place, and still not being called for 2nd place and all looking at each other with sheer amazement!  Did she really finish first?!?!??  Finally the judge called her name and she got to climb to the top of that podium with the biggest smile I have ever seen.  The excitement and pride we felt in that moment was indescribable.  

In todays passage of Genesis 15:1 we see that God told Abraham that he was Abraham’s “very great reward”.  God didn’t just say he was his reward.  He didn’t even say that he was his great reward.  He said that he was Abraham’s very great reward. 

How can God be our very great reward?  Isn’t a reward something that is earned?  I know my daughter earned that 1st place reward through hard work and dedication at practice every single day.  But, it is different with God.  We have done and can do nothing to earn His favor.  

Rewards are something that a person gets for doing something good.  People want to be recognized for their work.  We can be rewarded physically with a medal, money, or a picture posted up on the wall.  We can also be rewarded by non-physical things, such as the satisfaction of a job well done, seeing joy on someone else’s face, feeling peace or safety.  Many people find their reward in the joy of knowing that they have accomplished something or helped someone else.

None of these rewards are necessarily good or bad, they are just rewards that people get.  However, there is one reward that a person can get that is greater than ALL other rewards.  

Abram had successfully rescued his nephew Lot from some kings.  He was offered a great monetary reward, but he turned it down.  When he turned it down, God stepped in and told Abram to not be afraid, that He was his very great reward.

God is the greatest reward a person can ever receive.  God is eternal and perfect love.  He is all-powerful and in control.  When God is a person’s reward, he does not need to fear, he has absolutely everything that he could ever want or need.  

We all have the same ability to have God as our reward.  All we have to do is believe in and follow Jesus.  God will then become our very great reward.  With that reward comes peace, joy, and eternal life.  Momentary rewards in this life feel good, but the eternal reward of Heaven is far more reward than we ever deserve.

Rabboni!

 

Do you love “reunion stories” as much as I do?  The ones where the Dad has been deployed to serve his country and comes home to surprise his children in a special way, maybe disguised as someone else?  They get me every time!  Do you recall a time when you have seen someone you were not expecting to see?  How excitedly did you greet them?  

Today we look at the story of Mary returning to the tomb where Jesus was placed.  We learn a lot about people from their instinctive, immediate reactions to situations.  Here, in John’s account of the resurrection, we see how Mary Magdalene reacted to seeing Jesus.

At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.  He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?  Who is it you are looking for?”  Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”  Jesus said to her,  “Mary.”  She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic,  “Rabboni!”  (which means “Teacher”). 

John 20: 14-16

Mary had been through an emotional ringer.  She had come to the tomb, expecting to find Jesus’ body.  To her surprise, the stone had been removed and He wasn’t there.  She told Peter and John, who ran to the tomb and saw for themselves.

As Peter and John returned to their homes, Mary was left there at the tomb, weeping, alone.  As she stood there, Jesus approached her, but she did not recognize Him.  Jesus spoke her name and she knew that this was Jesus.

What was her reaction when she saw Him?  She simply said, “Rabboni!”  John said that this Aramaic word means “Teacher.”  Merriam-Webster defines rabboni as Master, Teacher – used as a Jewish title of respect applied especially to spiritual instructors and learned persons.  This word clearly revealed that Mary thought of Jesus not just as a teacher, but a great teacher.  The person who had taught her so many truths!  

There were many ways Mary could have looked at Jesus.  To her, He was Rabboni.  Her great Master.  Her respected Teacher.  Her Lord.  

There are many ways people see Jesus today.  Some consider Him to have been a prophet or perhaps a wise man.  He was those things, and more.  He was the Son of God.  The Messiah.  And He was a Great Teacher.  Rabboni!  

How will you greet your Savior the day you meet Him?  

Their Possession

 

At times is hard to be satisfied and content with what we have (or don’t have).  We look at what others possess and think we might be happier if we had what they have.  Do you find yourself bitter or angry because you don’t get what you want or think you deserved?  When a job promotion falls through, a  grade in a class is not what you thought you deserved, or people fall short and don’t meet your expectations, these situations can easily upset us.

How about when God falls short of your expectations?  When you think you know what is best and God does not seem to be on the same page?  

Today we look at the Levites in the book of Ezekiel.  The Levites might have had feelings of disappointment when they did not receive land as their possession.

“This shall be their inheritance:  I am their inheritance:  and you shall give them no possession in Israel;  I am their possession.”

Ezekiel 44:28

The Levites, whom served as priests, would not be given a portion of the land in Israel.  This does not seem fair as they served God more than anyone else.  They dedicated their lives to service and in return they were the only ones who were not allowed to possess land.  

However, the verse goes on to say that “I am their possession.”  The Levites got something even better than land, they received God as their own possession.  This meant that they did not have to be troubled with the worries and labor involved with owning land.  They were given places to live and food to nourish them.  They were free to be completely dedicated to God without concerns of the material world.  

On a spiritual level, the Levites were given the gift of connecting with God in a deeper way than the rest of the nation.  This spiritual connection was one that they would enjoy for all of eternity.  

We may feel like the Levites, like we did not receive what we thought we should have.  We can have many material and earthly possessions, but the only possession that really matters is Jesus Christ.  If Jesus is truly our greatest possession than we rely on Him for every provision and trust that He has our future in His hands.  He is our most prized possession.

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Plilippians 4:19