Seeking the Path of Peace

 Peace can be very elusive for me.  The idea of "peace like a river" (Isaiah 66: 12) is more like, peace like a dripping faucet to me...Any inconvenience can and will disrupt my peace...and I am tired of living like that.  I don't want to have shaky faith and faulty peace.  I want to let the floodgate of peace to open up and overflow my soul as it continues in a steady stream through whatever life I have left on this Earth...but, how?  How do I find the path to Peace?

As I read a couple of verses tucked in at the end of Luke 1, I notice a tiny word.  The verses are part of Zechariah's song after the birth of his son John.  Zechariah, in his joy, wraps it up saying,

because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.” (Luke 1: 78-79)

What a marvelous picture: the "tender mercy of Our God gives us The Rising Sun, Jesus, to guide us into the path OF peace..."

And that's when I noticed the word of.  I looked at that word, and pondered.  It is a preposition.  I hate English prepositions.  They are a nightmare for people who try to learn this language as adults.  We never truly grasp the essence of prepositions, which are small words that express the relationship between words or phrases or ideas in a sentence.  I have a whole pitch about the complexities of English prepositions that I give my students when we study Spanish prepositions...to put things into perspectives.  Don't worry, I won't go into that here.  

My point is, and I think I have one...that, I think I have been looking at the idea of peace from the wrong perspective.  I've been seeing it as if I need to be on the road to peace...when, in reality, I need to be on the road of Peace.  Do you see the difference?  If you are a native speaker of English, you see it, right?  The word to usually expresses the idea of moving towards something...a destination.  Whereas the word of generally indicates connectedness or the idea of belonging (notice how we can't talk without prepositions LOL).

What do I mean by all these?  Well, I've been focusing on peace as a road to a destination to which I never fully arrive, when, Peace is the Road...the Way.

It is the Path of Peace because Jesus is the all compassing idea behind the entire thing:  He is the Way and He is the Peace and He is in me, so I already have Peace...I just don't recognize Him because I keep looking at it as a thing to be obtained or a place to get to, when, He Is!

He IS the Rising Sun of Heaven who has already come to shine His Light into this world of darkness for those living into the shadows of death, so we finally see that He Is the Path of Peace.  Peace is a Person, the Prince of Peace is here, May the Holy Spirit open up our eyes so we can see Him, give thanks and be assured that He is God and that He is Good, for His Love endures forever!  In the Precious Name of Jesus, who said:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Let's seek the Path of Peace this Christmas and every day.  May the troubles we have in this world not disrupt the flow, as we hang on to the truth that Jesus is the Way of Peace.  Amen!

Seeking His Comfort

 Listening to the Pastor preach today about how many, many people do not consider Christmas a fun-joy-filled holiday, and how the song "Blue Christmas" speaks to some aspects of that reality...made me think that Christmas is really a very melancholic time of the year...period...specially for adults.  It doesn't have to be marked by tragedy...but, Christmas has a way of bringing in the blues in us, no matter how hard we try not to.

For me, as an adult, living in a country different than the one where I grew up in, Christmas is always colored on a blue hue due to the fond memories of long ago, which will never, ever come to pass again.  But, so it is the case for someone like Dan, who lives, but a few miles away from the place where he grew up in, still able to call his childhood home, home...Christmas is not the same as it was when he was a kid...so the longing for those who have gone before us and for the traditions that have been left behind is something that also makes him view Christmas through a blue-tinted looking glass.

It's like Christmas magnifies our longing for the comforts of our mythical home.  Even if it wasn't as great as the images that reside in our memories, many of us tend to idealize our home of Christmas past and our sense of loss is heightened in the melancholy of the season...turning the blue lights of our souls on in our hearts.

The thing is, our loss, our loneliness, our heartache, our sorrow, our pain tend to become intensified during the end of the year holidays, perhaps, because we are all looking for home.  But, it is not really the home that we used to know.  It is not really the home of our youth.  It is not the comforts of the home we make surrounded by those we love either.  The home we are looking for is not one we can build ourselves.  What we are seeking is the home where we can finally rest in the joy of experiencing perfect peace.  And, the only place where we can find that kind of home is in the Arms of the Prince of Peace.  What we are really seeking is the comfort of the home that can only be provided by the presence of Our Lord.

We really will not be able to avoid having a blue Christmas if we are without Him.

This is why I want to seek the comfort of My Savior, Jesus, the Christ, who came to us as a baby born in a manger, to reside in our hearts forever in the person of the Holy Spirit, the Emmanuel, God with Us, the Only One capable to fill the gaps in my soul, mend my tearing heart, give me everlasting joy and show me the way to enduring peace as I trust His will and express gratitude for His provision and for the blessing of His Presence.  May we all experience a Christmas with You, Lord, even as we are still on our way. In the Precious Name of Jesus, Our True Home.  Amen!

Seeking to Be More Generous

 "The car in front of me paid for my bill at the drive through!" Grant announced, filled with awe and confusion the other day as he came in the house after running a few errands...which included a drive-through run, of course!  "I guess she thought I looked poor..."  He added...immediately followed by Dylan saying:  "Yes, that's because you look like a homeless person with that beard," major eye-roll by me...sigh..."It's none of that, you guys..." I commented, "it's Christmas, and people want to try to be a little bit more generous this season...remember?  The season of G I V I N G!?  Haven't all those Hallmark movies taught you anything?"

I guess I was talking to myself.  I'm the queen of Hallmark-Christmas-movie watching in this household...sigh...and yes, many of those flicks, through complications and relationship hardship, try to teach a lesson of giving and generosity around the Christmas season.  But, like our Pastor said last Sunday, many of those movies, if not all, miss the mark.  Generosity is not something that should be inspired by "the magic of Christmas."  Generosity is one of the marks of the Christian.  

Jesus Himself encourages us to give generously,

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38

And to give sacrificially,

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Luke 21: 1-4

And, not just during the Christmas season, but always.  We are to be there for one another and be generous as we give of ourselves to those in need whenever they need us, and in whatever measure we are able to give, for the invitation is to

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6: 2

Christmas is just a time to refocus and re-examine ourselves as we remember the greatest gift of all, Jesus Himself, who gave up the comforts of Heaven to come down here to not only carry our burdens, but to die for us so we could have eternal life!

This is why this Christmas season I want to seek ways to abide by the rule of generosity.  I seek to be aware of those who need something I might be able to provide.  And I seek that the Holy Spirit will help me take the steps towards true generosity as I give of myself to those around me.

Both boys walked away silently.  Who knows what they were thinking?  Who knows if the idea of generosity stuck in their minds?  Who knows if the thought of giving as the mark of a Christian, and as an act of obedience and love is something they are absorbing in the midst of the selfishness-driven society in which we live? But I pray that this Christmas season we begin to pay more attention, to seek opportunities and to act upon ways to become more generous with everything we've got: time, health, intellect, voice, material resources, love... so we can do our part in bearing one another's burdens and be more Christ-like.  In the Precious Name of Our Greatest Gift, Jesus the Savior and Lover of Our Souls.  Amen!

Seeking to be in Awe

 Last Saturday was a "moody" day for me.  A bunch of what a friend of mine calls, "first-world-problems" were looming over my head, and time slipped away, leaving me feeling empty and spent.  But, when the evening came, Grant, who typically does not insist or ask for much, did not let go of the thought of going to see a drive-through, Christmas light show in nearby Butler.  He saw it last year with the Youth Group and said it was worth it.  Dan, who knew the line would be extremely long was not thrilled with the idea.  Dylan, the eternal home-body, said he didn't want to go.  Me, the Mama-Hulk, I just wanted a reason to be mad at someone...but...since Grant gently insisted...we went.

In the darkest of nights, the tail lights of a two-mile long line of cars waiting to enter the show made the, otherwise infuriating scene, rather festive...so much so, that Dylan thought it was part of the show...anyhoo...slowly we made progress...then, Dan was faced with the decision of paying an extra $20 to get into the "fast lane" or continue onto the "general entrance" lane (an additional 2-hour wait).  While the attendant waited by the car window, we quickly scrambled enough cash so we could get into the "less-slow" line.  It wasn't too long until we realized the wisdom in our investment...we made a left turn into the show, while the general admission line circled around very far in the distance...I guess even that 2-hour wait is better than being stuck in the house during this times of isolation and social distance...

But anyway, as soon as we made that left turn, we began to see the lights.  And much to our surprise (Dan's, Dylan's and mine...since Grant didn't reveal this piece of info ahead of time) we realized that this was more interesting than a simple drive-through light display.  The lights actually blinked at the beat of the music playing on the radio station the attendant had told us to tune into!  At first, we thought it was coincidental (I was still thinking the suggestion to tune into to that frequency on the radio was so we could have some background Christmas music while seeing the lights)...but it was obvious, soon after the first coordinated blinkings, that the whole thing was a thing of wonder!

I have to tell you, I soon forgot about the silly woes of my day and was able to immerse myself in the beauty and magic of the moment.  I loved every twinkling and sparkling blinking at the sound of cheerful tunes, even Christian songs! Slowly we rode along marveling at everything we saw.  I have to admit, I was in awe!

Even Dylan confessed that he was wrong in saying that he didn't want to come, and that he was very happy we forced him into the car.  We drove away feeling warm and fuzzy inside.  I thanked Grant for not giving up on his grumpy family, Dan for putting up with the wait, Dylan for going along with it and God for the opportunity to clear my head as He allowed me to enjoy a moment of awe this Christmas season...

And that's what I want to seek these last few days...I want to seek opportunities to experience a sense of awe in the awareness of the reality of Jesus in my life, here and now.  I want to seek the sense of awe in the knowledge that He is the Emmanuel, God with us...today!  I want to be in awe as I remember that the Christmas lights that surround me point to the fact that the Light of the World entered our realm to stay...and that no matter how dark the night might seem...His Light overcomes it.

May the Holy Spirit reveal in our hearts this Christmas season the awe and wonder of our Lord Jesus, as He is here with us in our now.  In the Precious Name of Our Ever-Present Lord.  Amen! 

Seeking to See Others the Way God Sees Them

 For the most part of this year I have been facing issues with some people at work. And let me tell you, it has been a great challenge to have any love for them throughout the ordeal.  The whole thing that Jesus said about loving one's enemies...that has not be much possible...not that they are my "enemies."  But, still...loving them in the midst of this conflict has not happened.

I am ashamed and I repent for my lack of love towards those whom I find difficult to love.  But most of all...I want to seek the ability to see others the same way God sees them. The question is:  how do I do that?

I regularly struggle with insecurity.  Often, I find myself sinking into a deep ocean of self-pity, feeling unlovable, wretched, wicked, inadequate, and all around just bad about myself and who I think I am.  When those feelings assault me, I find comfort in the promises of Scripture that remind me who I really am in the eyes of My Heavenly Father.  One of my favorite places to find myself reassured is Psalm 139.  That is where I hear God speaking directly to me, telling me that He knows everything about me...and even so...He loves me...because He made me, and nothing about me is hidden to Him...and even so...He still loves me.

I think, one way to learn how to love others, even when I find it challenging, is to read portions of Scripture like Psalm 139 and remember that every single word from that Psalm is a message spoken from Our Lord not just to me, but to all His children, including those I don't particularly care for.

He searches them too.

He knows them too.

He hems them in behind and before too.

He lays His hands upon them too.

He is with them everywhere, guiding them always too.

He finds them in the depth of the pit and in the darkest of nights too.

He created their inmost beings too.

He made them fearfully and wonderfully too.

He made them in the secret place too.

He sees them too.

And...He loves them too, for not only did God send His Beloved Son to die for me, but for them as well.

I think keeping these truths in mind will help me seek the ability to see others the way God sees them.  I pray I can have the resolve to commit to this task.  In the Precious Name of Christ.  Amen!

 

Seeking to Stay in the Moment

 “Put the phone down, Mom!”  “Are you paying attention?” “Mom, you missed it!” It’s embarrassing to think of how many times I hear these expressions from my kids, especially from Dylan.  He is really bothered when I am not “in the moment.”  Like that song by Jeremy Camp…as a matter of fact, it was listening to that song on the radio a couple of days ago, what prompted me to think about this.

 

In the era of multi-tasking, when we take pride of doing many things at the same time, staying in the moment becomes a rather difficult proposition.  The thing with multi-tasking is, however, that, in reality, we are doing many things at the same time, but…how are we doing them? If you ask me, multi-tasking is the ability to be mediocre in multiple ways…

 

I want, that for whatever is left of this Christmas season, the Holy Spirit teaches me to stay in the moment…beginning with my time with the Lord.  I do not want to be in my “quiet time” with a mind cluttered with a to-do list or with worries about things I can’t control.  I want to seek His Presence by seeking a mono-tasking attitude:  the ability to stay focused on what is in front of me…and only on that.  Jesus is the primary focus of Christmas, so I want to keep this moment about Him.  I seek the ability to stay in Him and in all the blessings He has given me.  I want to seek the strength to say “no” to the other things that distract me from what’s really important.  I want to seek the resolve to put the phone down, the computer off and the demands of work on the background so I can allow the Holy Spirit to work in me and keep me in the moment…whatever that moment might be.  Like the inspired words of Jeremy Camp say, I want Him to

… keep me in the moment

Help me live with my eyes wide open

'Cause I don't wanna miss what you have for me…

 

In the Precious Name of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.  Amen!

Seeking the Protection of Your Sovereign Presence

 One of my favorite things of this year's Christmas Season is the fact that Grant is home for a long break.  He actually went away to college for his very first semester as a freshman back in August.  Covid-19 didn't stop Geneva College from holding face-to-face classes the entire semester, so he was away.  They started earlier and wrapped it up right before Thanksgiving, but my son was able to experienced life as a college student for the first time.  And even though I missed him like crazy, I praise God for giving him the opportunity.

I didn't get to see him much during the semester.  He only came to visit 2 weekends and election day so he could vote in person.  Other than that, my boy was pretty much gone for months.  So, the day he came home for the nice, long Christmas break, my heart was overflowing with joy.

Listening to him talking to me about the things he got to do during the semester (well...the stuff he chooses to tell me, anyway) makes me giddy.  He talks about how he has met like-minded people and made friends, how he hung out with them until wee-hours of the night, enjoying games, movies and conversation, and all that made me think of my own experience as a college kid a million years ago.  Boy, was that fun?! I often tell Grant, who tends to be rather up-tight about things, that my time at college was my one chance to live a carefree life and enjoy freedom...within limits, of course...because after having a not-so-fun and stressful high school experience, I want him to have an opportunity to relax and enjoy life a bit...before it gets really difficult...because, life does change after college, doesn't it?

For me, challenges of all types have come my way for the last thirty years since I graduated.  It has been a journey.  But, you know what?  These last thirty years have also been the time when I have been able to grow closer to Christ.  When I look back, at my carefree existence those years at Clarion University, I have to admit that I did not seek the Lord with intensity. I was too busy having fun!

But, as we know, there is nothing like challenges, trouble, trials and pain to bring you down to your knees and make you open your eyes to find His Presence and hang on to it as the very lifeline that would be the only thing that could keep you alive.

I want a problem-free life for me and my loved ones.  I want safety and security.  I want to be fully protected from all kinds of trouble...I want to live a predictable life without any surprises that may disrupt my plans.  But, that's fantasy.  That is completely unrealistic.  And, most importantly, where would a life like that take me?  It could only take me away from Jesus, because, it is in the struggle where we realize our need for Him, we grow closer and we make it our purpose to seek His Face when we are in the fire.

Like my devotional reading stated it so clearly and beautifully today:

"Make Me the focal point of your search for security.  In your private thoughts, you are still trying to order your world so that it is predictable and feels safe.  Not only is this an impossible goal, but it is also counterproductive to spiritual growth." (Jesus Calling by Sarah Young)

Our goal should be to live in conscious and intentional awareness of His Presence, in total dependence, seeking Him first...and, as experience has showed me, that doesn't tend to happen when I'm carefreely cruising on the smooth roads of life...

This is why, this Advent Season I want to seek the protection and safety and carefreeness of His Sovereign Presence...where I can rest, regardless of the problems I have to face.  I want to seek the feeling of peace that knowing He is "for me" gives me.  I want to trust Him.

As I observe Grant enjoying this season of his life, I pray the Holy Spirit will reveal to him and to all of us that we must...

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James 1: 2-4

In the Precious Name of Jesus, Our Lord and Savior.  Amen!