FEBRUARY- LOVE BACK

Luke 6:27-38  

tells us to listen, love, bless and pray for our enemies.

We are to love back, to be more than accepting of bad things done to us. 

 If you’d like to be treated a certain way, do so with your enemies.

Love, do good, give without accepting anything in return. 

 “Be merciful just as your Father is merciful.  Forgive and you will be forgiven; give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

We read these words and say, “For real?”

But, God,  you don’t understand!

That person tore my heart out with words that sliced through me.

I tried to forgive but words that struck me like arrows hurt deep.

How am I to turn the other cheek?

I listen hard.

I try to identify with the other person’s situation.

Multiple stories of my own come to mind but they are only moments . . . specks of time.

God has done miracles in my own life even if it took years.

Each time we are pressed into a situation where another is hurting us, what do we do?

Can you think of a circumstance where words seemed to pierce your soul like arrows?

Do you turn the other cheek so those arrows hit you in more places?

Or, do you flee to a safe distance and remain distant?

When the Lord tells us, as in this scripture, to turn the other cheek . . . or treat the other better than we would expect to be treated, what does this mean?

Think of Jesus.

Everywhere he spoke, the Pharisees flung accusations at him in hopes that Jesus would flee or hurl his own accusations back at them.

Each time the Pharisees confronted Jesus with a trick question, they expected Jesus would step into their trap and be caught in heresy.

Why did that not happen?

Because Jesus was ‘one with the Father' and their communication was faster than 5G.

It was non-stop because Father and Son are ONE.

God, the Father, gave Jesus word-puzzles and stories with

hidden meaning, which pompous, ego-driven Pharisees could not understand.

Jesus only needed to apply what was given to him by God. 

Jesus always had a choice to accept precepts from the Father or not.  

Jesus’ total obedience is sometimes incomprehensible for us.  

Yet, Jesus always said, “Yes” to the Father.  

Jesus knew that every millisecond of his life was directed by the Father and, if Jesus kept saying, “yes,” his life-purpose would be carried out exactly as the Father orchestrated.

God sent his only begotten son for us because He loves us unconditionally.

When we say  “yes” to God upon confirming our Christian faith, we say "yes" to all God expects of us.

In doing so, we receive the full power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

We can choose to access God’s full power through the Holy Spirit or not.

We can choose to live life God’s way or our way.

God weeps when we choose our own way instead of His way but God still loves us.

Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit when he went to be with the Father: The same Holy Spirit who guided every single Apostle. . . 

the same Holy Spirit who drew the Apostle Paul into the arms of Jesus,

the same Holy Spirit whom we can call upon at any moment to lead us, guide us, give us insight, and help us with those who are against us.

The same Holy Spirit within us gives us powerful words of love and kindness and affirmation when we don’t feel like doing so.

The same Holy Spirit tells us to ‘turn the other cheek’  

or give more than we think we should even when others take from us what they do not deserve.

Is this passage in Luke easy to follow?

No

Are the precepts in God’s Word easy to follow?

No

Is being a Christian easy?

No

This is a tough road we follow . . .  the way of the Cross.

As we wind down into the quiet weeks of Lent, think of this

passage.

Remember the power of the Holy Spirit whom we can call upon instantaneously.

Remember that the Holy Spirit resides in us and is able to do all we ask . . .  

but we must ask.

Ask the Lord to help you . . . 

LOVE BACK

listen . . . love . . .  bless . . .  pray . . . 

for those whose words and actions pierce your soul.

It's amazing what happens after a week of calling upon the Holy Spirit for help.

Recollect daily, what happens each time you ask the Holy Spirit to help you listen, love, bless another and pray for those who sting your soul.

Try it.

See what happens.

Find out how you can Love Back!

A helpful addition:

Psalms are like balm for the soul.

Ps.37:3 “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness 

 :4 Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.  

 :5 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and he will do it. . . .

:7 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. 

JANUARY EPIPHANIES

I often reflect on the numerous ‘epiphanies’ in my life, from as far back as I can remember.
Those ‘aha’ moments I recall have been turning points in my life.

From an early age I pivoted my thoughts and actions according to various epiphanies or ‘aha’ moments.

I recall my first epiphany in grade school.  I was slogging through long division, thinking it to be cumbersome.

Then my father taught me a ‘shortcut.’

Freedom!

I thought I was so clever.

After all, some of these ‘problems’ could be solved in my head or at least far more quickly than with loooooong division.

One problem.  

The teacher was not pleased.  She wanted me to understand the ‘deeper complexities’ of numbers. 

Oh well.

On to the next epiphany.

Throughout my life I considered my thinking to be slow, methodical. 

I tend to evaluate, to examine a challenge from every angel, sort of like the turning of a Rubik’s Cube as the colors are progressively worked to match on each of its six sides.

This tendency to deeply examine conundrums, questions, challenges eventually drew me into the arms of Jesus Christ.

Who is this person so many of my friends were telling me about?

Why did I not understand this during the years of Sunday school I attended?

Why did I reject God completely when I was ten years old?

What drew me back into the Lord’s precious presence as an adult?

Religious epiphanies began in college.  Christian movies caught my heart.   I visited a few churches but was unimpressed. 
 I think it was one Easter when I ventured into a church only to hear that ‘hypocrites’ are those who go to church only on Easter and Christmas.  “OK”, my soul said to me, “ Since I’m a hypocrite, I guess I’ll stay away from church.”

And so I did for about a decade.

That experience did not keep my soul from wondering, from seeking answers.  My “question bank” was getting pretty full.

Tiny epiphanies of faith, hope and love were embedded in my soul, like tiny golden arrows that carried diamond-tough gems of understanding.

Little Epiphanies, small ‘aha’ experiences, silent nods of affirmation from God . . . sent through acquaintances, friends and relatives continued to envelope me.

Read, ask questions, explore, seek, dig hard, ask more questions . . . 

An invitation to a lovely luncheon was a wonder-filled epiphany for me.

The women, all flight attendants like myself, were beautiful, joy-filled, loving, affirming and delight-full.

Old hymns I’d heard in church as a child filled my soul.

Invitations for lunch or conversation from these new friends were plentiful.

One of these women became a trusted friend.  Even though her schedule was beyond busy with her new husband and her Master degree studies, she took time to answer my myriad of questions at all hours of the day and night.  She took me to interesting seminars and Christian gatherings that filled my soul with new ‘epiphanies’. 

 She invited. 

I said “yes.” 

 Nothing further was asked of me.

You’d think I would jump at the chance to become a Christian but the weekly meetings with a gracious group of flight attendants simply enhanced my methodical, evaluative seeking. . . for several months. 

One day my girlfriend had her own epiphany.  

It was time.  

Even though she had to study for an exam the next day, she was determined to move me forward to accept Jesus Christ as God.  

She shared the ‘Four Spiritual Laws, from a tiny little pamphlet, that could guide me through the process of saying “yes” to Christ.

1. God loves you and created you to know Him personally
2. Man is sinful and separated from God so we cannot know God personally or experience His love.
3. Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for man’s sin.  Through Him alone we can know God personally experience God’s love.
4. We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know God personally and experience His love.     4laws.com 

I listened intently and then was dumbstruck.  Not once in hours of reading scripture did I see the words, “Jesus Christ is God.”  

I stopped cold.

"That statement needs deep evaluation," said my brain.

She then asked if I could accept the ‘theory’ that Jesus is God and the ‘theory’ that the Holy Spirit comes from God.  Indeed, that is why Christians believe the triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

I chose to accept the theory because I was curious.  If I could accept this ‘theory’, not fact, that Jesus is God, trusting that, if this were true, the Holy Spirit could guide me, I felt I’d have a little soul-help to turn this ‘theory’ into my own personal truth.  

Epiphany!

Too often we accept theories as truth.  

I was a mathematical person.

A theory is a theory until it is proven that it is a ‘truth.’

Indeed, after slogging through scripture and asking God to show me what I must see to believe in the Truth, that Jesus Christ is God, I had a very quiet epiphany while sitting at the table studying.

Just me and God.  

Nothing wild and crazy.

Just a deep-in-my-soul aha moment.

A quiet knowing . . .  peace in my heart.

Nice.

I phoned my step-mom who had been praying for nine years that I’d come to know Christ Jesus in a personal way.

Her quiet voice said, “That’s very nice.  How did this happen?”  

I gave her a two minute run-down of my six month adventure and that was that.  She expected nothing more.

Little did she know how profoundly this epiphany would

grab my mind, heart, will, soul, entire self.

It’s been forty years since this great epiphany and further epiphanies, turning points, have not ceased.

First, I simply sharing my story with those who had been praying for me.  They directed me to more opportunities to learn . . .  more epiphanies.

I continued in my current occupation, traveling all over the world, experiencing myriad epiphanies as I met Christians from Kenya to Sydney.  

The world got bigger for me.  

Epiphanies, too numerous to count, bloomed in front of me.

My career has changed many times and moved me into software development, then marriage and then into full time ministry.

Now, as I slow down a bit, others’ epiphanies open my heart and mind as I listen to their stories . . .  their journey.

The season of Epiphany in January does not end this

month.

Nor does ‘epiphany’ end when we begin the season of Lent.

Epiphanies, aha moments leading to turning points, will continue throughout the rest of my life as I seek daily understanding of how God is directing me . . .  into the next . . . 

Epiphany!

Aha moment

Turning point

Love it!

DECEMBER TRADITIONS

What would we do without traditions?

“I remember when . . . “ floods my soul this time of year.

I sense time speeding by far too quickly.

One moment I’m reading about an event in the present and the next moment my mind sweeps backwards fifty years as I recollect a similar event in my own life.

Every now and then I venture to guess how many years ago I experienced a specific life adventure.

It may be a major turning point in my life . . . of which I have had many.

It may be a fabulous exploration experience . . . of which I have had many.

I try to remember the year and can only do so if I equate the event or experience or turning point with a specific marker.  

For instance, exact markers that have specific dates might be: graduation from high school, collage and graduate school (twice).  
Since I have had many jobs in vastly different career fields I can pretty much ‘mark’ changes in job location.

With change in job location I can picture my new home and, several times, moving to a new state.

The stabilizer with each change is TRADITION.

December prompts the most family traditions.

Mom made our stocking out of materials she used to make special dresses for me and my sister.  The boys got ties of the same fabric..  One year she used felt and had plenty left over.  So, she made Christmas stockings for each of us out of felt.

They were so cute that we used them for years.  I still have mine but replaced it when I got married.

I created a new tradition for hubby and myself based on the old tradition.

I used fabric from the gorgeous curtains and luscious chair coverings I made for our ‘forever’ home . . .  which we changed several times . . .  for our stockings.

Although we have new window coverings and updated furniture, we still enjoy the tradition of hanging those stockings up every year.  It reminds us of our first home

together.

By tradition, we fill each other’s stocking with items from around the house.  Always an apple or tangerine goes into the toe as well as a toothpaste sample with new brush - reminding us it’s time to change our toothbrushes.  A few trinkets from the ‘Dollar Store’ and voila, we’re done.

Baked cookies, luscious soups, my famous spinach balls, fresh scones, cranberry-orange relish and a few other foods remain on our traditional list.  Sending cards, inviting people to share meals, sending extra money to our favorite charities, making special phone calls and so much more are traditions we’ve kept for years.

Yet, the most important tradition is that which we’ve kept daily throughout our marriage.  We read together and pray together.  Hubby is the prayer warrior.  We both pray on our own but he insists, before either of us leaves the house, that we pray together.  Most likely we’ve already shared our morning devotions while enjoying our traditional daily oatmeal.  

Christmas gained new meaning for me over forty years ago.  I came to know the person whose day the world celebrates . . . Jesus, the Christ, 

the anointed one, 

the One who was born to a virgin, Mary.  

The One whose father is God.  

The One who was sent to this world, earth, by his Father to be the ultimate sacrifice for sin.  

No more burnt offerings, no more unblemished lambs offered at the temple each year.  

Jesus was born in a most humble space, where animals find shelter.

He grew to be the servant of God to the world.

Jesus so loved the unlovable, the most wretched, that He became the ultimate sacrifice for us. . . the Lamb of God.

Jesus became the sacrificial ‘Lamb of God’ so that any who believe in Him might have unhindered access to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob without further sacrifice for our own sins.  

Jesus took all our sin upon himself, for us, at the cross.

Jesus shed his blood, for us, to cover our sin . . . all sin.

Jesus’ life, by tradition, is celebrated annually by those who come to that same cross and give our lives to God in Christ.

We celebrate the CHRIST - MASS every December.

Yet, we who believe that Jesus, 

the Christ, 

the anointed one of God, 

who has taken all our sin upon himself to free us from any hindrance to God’s eternal presence . . .  

We, celebrate the Christ-mass every day of our lives . . . in our heart, soul, with others . . . as we live each day dedicated to God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Tradition: Daily thanksgiving to God for a life filled to overflowing with blessing (even when circumstances seem deeply challenging).

Tradition: Daily hugs and kisses and positive affirmations to my hubby.

Tradition: Oatmeal with raisins on top of loads of blueberries . . .  almost daily.

Tradition: Celebrating every moment of life as God presents through prayer, daily scripture reading, worship services, music, contemplation, sharing insights with hubby and my weekly ‘growth’ group, taking classes, leading classes . . . the list is endless.

Tradition: Creating a habit that celebrates the life God has given to each of us.

December is filled with traditions that remind us of our daily walk with God.

Now it’s time to turn the page, open a new year, and make new ‘traditions’ that will last a lifetime.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Postscript: A BIRTHDAY Tradition
My birthday just happens to be December 31.
Hubby and I have created some fun birthday traditions.

One is Crepe paper!  We decorate our abode with colorful stretches of crepe paper.  Hubby did a fabulous job this year.

We always have cake.  I'm very specific: Very small but bigger than a cupcake.  Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting (an absolute no-no in my diet but today I

indulge).

Special foods from the deli.  Hubby finds what he likes and I put it on the plate.  Voila!  A feast and I don't have to cook. [Because going out to dinner is almost impossible for we who like quiet dining.  I opt out of the big festivities]

Balloon.  Just one.  Every year is different.  LOVE IT!

Fireworks!  Because we currently reside in a warmer climate, we enjoy sitting on the beach at 7:00 pm for wonder-filled, brilliant explosions in the sky.  This year I found out that the hotel very near us has it's own display at about 9pm . . .  a double bundle of explosive joy!

Tradition . . . throughout the year . . . makes for a plethora of wonder-filled moments in life.