October 2, 2002
For this series on why God allows suffering, I had prepared an outline for each article. The past couple of weeks have been filled with so many other responsibilities that I’d no time to write, or even think about writing.
Then came Sunday, September 15. My mother woke that morning with her usual cheerful attitude, and asked her care givers in the nursing home to play some music on her tape deck. As they began to prepare her for the day, she bowed her head and died.
My mother had Alzheimer's yet still recognized her family and maintained a remarkable attitude. She was happy, thankful, and as her nurses said, a joy to take care of.
With great sorrow in our loss, I’ve fumbled through my responsibilities in preparation for her funeral. Today, I determined to finish the next article in this series. When I opened the file, my first line said, “God allows suffering because this is the way that He takes us home.”
Death is inevitable. When someone is ill, my husband often says, “We are all terminal, but most of us don’t know when — so we need to prepare for it when we are alive.”
Most of us do not know how death will come either. Will it be an accident? Illness? Great suffering? Even “natural causes” involve some pain as the body ages and common illnesses or organ failures join hands with death to carry us from this world. Suffering and dying usually go together.
That said, some suffer more than others. We have two doctors living nearby. One told me a horror story of “the worst death I have ever seen” and another talked about patients who linger for months, even years, in pain. They want to die but cannot.
Some advocate euthanasia as the means to overcome the pain of dying. Others will not go that far but will ask for morphine or some medication to ease the pain. Even though many people seem to fear pain far more than dying, the Bible calls death the final enemy.
However, for God’s people, there are no guarantees of an easy death. Hebrews speaks of Old Testament saints who were stoned, sawed in two, and put to death by the sword. Jesus Himself died a horrible death. He suffered more than we can imagine.
Even so, the New Testament also says that Jesus endured the Cross “for the joy set before him” and that some of God’s people “were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might face a better resurrection.” That is our hope.
Hebrews 2 says that Jesus shared in our humanity so “by His death he might destroy him who holds the power of death — that is, the devil — and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”
Because of Jesus, we no longer need to be afraid of suffering or dying. Those who believe in Christ know that because He lives, we also will live.
Suffering does not always imply punishment. Suffering does not always lead to a greater good, at least in this life, but in the suffering of death, it can be the doorway to eternal life with Christ. That is the greatest good of all.
Ultimately, God takes responsibility for our suffering. He knows all about us. As a butterfly must not be helped out of its cocoon, or a chick aided through the shell of an egg, our Maker may have an unseen purpose in the struggle of some to move from the confinements of this life to the freedom of eternal life.
Yet for others, God has a different plan, perhaps just to show the gentleness of Jesus. My mother’s suffering was minimal. Because she knew Jesus and was not afraid of death, when her time came, she went without any resistance.
Showing posts with label family memories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family memories. Show all posts
Monday, July 9, 2018
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
Honoring Mom ............. Parables 703
February 13, 2001
It was a difficult week. We received a call from Home Care saying my mother must be moved from her home in a senior’s manor to a long-term care facility in another city.
My mother has Alzheimer’s disease. She cannot remember the names of things, like her clock or her lamp. For her, change is most stressful. If moving were not confusing enough, she would be in a different kind of space, cared for by people she had never known.
For me, the physical effort to move her was challenging but nothing compared to the emotional pain of watching her struggle with another adjustment. To add to that stress, I recently heard a woman from an advocacy group for the elderly describing incidents of elder abuse and how helpless family members are to combat it. How would this place take care of my mother? Would she be safe? Could she tell me if she was not?
After interviewing the staff in her new situation, it became obvious that my fears were groundless. They understand her needs and have adequate staff to meet them. The other seniors enjoy being there. The staff instantly began showing Mom affection with a loving and kind attitude. She was soon smiling and taking notice of the new things around her.
At the same time, my mom is often on my mind. God commands that we honor our parents. Sometimes I falter at knowing how to do that even though my mother is not at all a “cranky old lady” but an easy-to-please sweetheart.
The command to honor parents runs throughout Scripture, even to include that we must also honor and protect all senior members of our society. The Lord makes no distinction between strong and healthy, weak and infirm. In His sight, they are to be cared for and respected.
Honoring aging people makes sense. It is in them that we find our history and the wisdom of experience. They have the stories of our past and even if we have heard them many times, we need to encourage the telling. Without it, we lose a sense of our place in history.
While age does not necessarily bring wisdom, it should. Proverbs 16:31 says, “Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.” Some versions insert an “if” in the middle. Righteousness is an integral component of becoming wise.
As I visit my mother, I sometimes chat with others of her era. For the most part, these older people have picked up many insights. They have a humor about life, a casualness that almost mocks the way this generation runs its rat race. They have learned that life is short and some things are not nearly as important as we think. Yet even if they are unable to share their stories and wisdom, aging people still have great value. Those who cannot talk or care for themselves offer us opportunity to take care of them.
In my situation, having guardianship for my mother (and my father before he died) brought me to a deeper reliance on God. Their needs pulled from me a compassion and kindness that I might not otherwise have developed. Through them, God is working on my ability to care.
The New Testament says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
A widowed mother could bring me distress if I forgot that she herself is in distress. She needs me to take my faith seriously. While this is not an easy assignment, it does keep my hands from being idle. Who knows, could this task be God’s way of filling my life with so much to do that I don’t have time to meddle in the world’s pollution?
Lord, You know my prayers for my mother. May Your Spirit continue to nurture her and give her joy. May that same Spirit grant me grace and energy that I might be a part of how You answer those prayers.
It was a difficult week. We received a call from Home Care saying my mother must be moved from her home in a senior’s manor to a long-term care facility in another city.
My mother has Alzheimer’s disease. She cannot remember the names of things, like her clock or her lamp. For her, change is most stressful. If moving were not confusing enough, she would be in a different kind of space, cared for by people she had never known.
For me, the physical effort to move her was challenging but nothing compared to the emotional pain of watching her struggle with another adjustment. To add to that stress, I recently heard a woman from an advocacy group for the elderly describing incidents of elder abuse and how helpless family members are to combat it. How would this place take care of my mother? Would she be safe? Could she tell me if she was not?
After interviewing the staff in her new situation, it became obvious that my fears were groundless. They understand her needs and have adequate staff to meet them. The other seniors enjoy being there. The staff instantly began showing Mom affection with a loving and kind attitude. She was soon smiling and taking notice of the new things around her.
At the same time, my mom is often on my mind. God commands that we honor our parents. Sometimes I falter at knowing how to do that even though my mother is not at all a “cranky old lady” but an easy-to-please sweetheart.
The command to honor parents runs throughout Scripture, even to include that we must also honor and protect all senior members of our society. The Lord makes no distinction between strong and healthy, weak and infirm. In His sight, they are to be cared for and respected.
Honoring aging people makes sense. It is in them that we find our history and the wisdom of experience. They have the stories of our past and even if we have heard them many times, we need to encourage the telling. Without it, we lose a sense of our place in history.
While age does not necessarily bring wisdom, it should. Proverbs 16:31 says, “Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.” Some versions insert an “if” in the middle. Righteousness is an integral component of becoming wise.
As I visit my mother, I sometimes chat with others of her era. For the most part, these older people have picked up many insights. They have a humor about life, a casualness that almost mocks the way this generation runs its rat race. They have learned that life is short and some things are not nearly as important as we think. Yet even if they are unable to share their stories and wisdom, aging people still have great value. Those who cannot talk or care for themselves offer us opportunity to take care of them.
In my situation, having guardianship for my mother (and my father before he died) brought me to a deeper reliance on God. Their needs pulled from me a compassion and kindness that I might not otherwise have developed. Through them, God is working on my ability to care.
The New Testament says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
A widowed mother could bring me distress if I forgot that she herself is in distress. She needs me to take my faith seriously. While this is not an easy assignment, it does keep my hands from being idle. Who knows, could this task be God’s way of filling my life with so much to do that I don’t have time to meddle in the world’s pollution?
Lord, You know my prayers for my mother. May Your Spirit continue to nurture her and give her joy. May that same Spirit grant me grace and energy that I might be a part of how You answer those prayers.
Friday, October 14, 2016
And He will give you rest .......... Parables 497
January 9, 1996
My husband and I begin this year with a rest. For us, it is not only a new year, but a new beginning. Just over a year ago, my parents moved in with us; just three weeks ago, they moved into a residence for seniors.
All four made the transition with mixed emotions. My parents were excited yet apprehensive about another change in their lives. Would this new home be a place of rest, peace and security for them? Would they make new friends? Would their old friends visit them? Would their health continue to be stable? We hoped so.
Bob and I have a different adjustment. We are long-term tired. Although mom and dad are easy to get along with, being care-givers is time and energy consuming. A long rest is important right now. Not only do our bodies need it, so do our emotions and our souls. God did not intend that we stay on the fast track indefinitely. Rest is part of His plan for us.
God’s plan for rest considers high stress situations. When a wicked queen named Jezebel threatened the prophet Elijah, he ran several miles then fell under a tree utterly discouraged. He cried out to God but God did not respond with lofty revelations. Instead, He made sure Elijah was fed and had some sleep. After rest, God encouraged his spiritual life.
God’s plan also places work before rest. The Genesis account of creation says God worked for six days then rested on the seventh. He proclaimed this a special day for the people of Israel. They also worked six days and rested on the seventh.
The pattern changed slightly in the New Testament. The Scripture writers said the Sabbath days were a “type” or a shadow of a greater rest to come. After Jesus was crucified for our sins and rose again, people could enter His rest. Then they would “cease from their own work just as God did from His” and enjoy life in His kingdom.
This was a rest (and a kingdom) for both now and in the future. Anyone who labors to please God and then discovers “salvation is not by works of righteousness we do” but by “grace through faith” also discovers an inner rest in their soul. They no longer feel the stress of pointless behavior. In the future, they will also enter an eternal rest where they will enjoy God forever.
It seems New Testament Christians no longer held the seventh day as their day of worship. This external “shadow” Sabbath was swallowed up by its internal fulfillment. Because of their deeper, inner rest, believers began to celebrate the victory of Christ over the grave on the first day of the week, Sunday.
This placement in the week has a practical side. Many of us realize that our work and all that we do is blessed whenever we pray before we begin doing it. We realize that our week is blessed also — whenever we begin it with praise and worship. Starting with God brings renewed focus and commitment. We take time to ask for wisdom and grace for each coming situation.
Our hope is to begin the year with rest and worship. We want to praise God for His goodness in 1995 and renew our focus for the year ahead. We want to recommit our future to Him, asking for grace and wisdom in the multiplied choices that lie before us.
Whether others can take a vacation or not, we hope those who know and love God will start their year with Him. Resolutions are okay but depend too much on our own strengths. A commitment to follow and obey the Lord brings the added benefit of much higher resources!
My husband and I begin this year with a rest. For us, it is not only a new year, but a new beginning. Just over a year ago, my parents moved in with us; just three weeks ago, they moved into a residence for seniors.
All four made the transition with mixed emotions. My parents were excited yet apprehensive about another change in their lives. Would this new home be a place of rest, peace and security for them? Would they make new friends? Would their old friends visit them? Would their health continue to be stable? We hoped so.
Bob and I have a different adjustment. We are long-term tired. Although mom and dad are easy to get along with, being care-givers is time and energy consuming. A long rest is important right now. Not only do our bodies need it, so do our emotions and our souls. God did not intend that we stay on the fast track indefinitely. Rest is part of His plan for us.
God’s plan for rest considers high stress situations. When a wicked queen named Jezebel threatened the prophet Elijah, he ran several miles then fell under a tree utterly discouraged. He cried out to God but God did not respond with lofty revelations. Instead, He made sure Elijah was fed and had some sleep. After rest, God encouraged his spiritual life.
God’s plan also places work before rest. The Genesis account of creation says God worked for six days then rested on the seventh. He proclaimed this a special day for the people of Israel. They also worked six days and rested on the seventh.
The pattern changed slightly in the New Testament. The Scripture writers said the Sabbath days were a “type” or a shadow of a greater rest to come. After Jesus was crucified for our sins and rose again, people could enter His rest. Then they would “cease from their own work just as God did from His” and enjoy life in His kingdom.
This was a rest (and a kingdom) for both now and in the future. Anyone who labors to please God and then discovers “salvation is not by works of righteousness we do” but by “grace through faith” also discovers an inner rest in their soul. They no longer feel the stress of pointless behavior. In the future, they will also enter an eternal rest where they will enjoy God forever.
It seems New Testament Christians no longer held the seventh day as their day of worship. This external “shadow” Sabbath was swallowed up by its internal fulfillment. Because of their deeper, inner rest, believers began to celebrate the victory of Christ over the grave on the first day of the week, Sunday.
This placement in the week has a practical side. Many of us realize that our work and all that we do is blessed whenever we pray before we begin doing it. We realize that our week is blessed also — whenever we begin it with praise and worship. Starting with God brings renewed focus and commitment. We take time to ask for wisdom and grace for each coming situation.
Our hope is to begin the year with rest and worship. We want to praise God for His goodness in 1995 and renew our focus for the year ahead. We want to recommit our future to Him, asking for grace and wisdom in the multiplied choices that lie before us.
Whether others can take a vacation or not, we hope those who know and love God will start their year with Him. Resolutions are okay but depend too much on our own strengths. A commitment to follow and obey the Lord brings the added benefit of much higher resources!
Monday, September 26, 2016
Caring for my mother .......... Parables 489
October 24. 1995
The poem starts like this: “When I’m a little old lady, then I’ll live with my children and bring them great joy, to repay all I’ve had from each girl and each boy. I shall draw on the walls and scruff up the floor: run in and out without closing the door.”
After more of the same, it ends with: “What fun I shall have, what joy it will be, to live with my children like they lived with me.”
Someone sent it for a laugh but instead I cried — because this week a specialist told my mother she has a form of dementia called Alzheimer’s Disease.
Alzheimer’s is both mysterious and cruel. Those who have it know not that they know not. My mother is aware her short term memory is sluggish but has no knowledge of the other tricks her failing mind plays on her. Sometimes we can laugh together but too often there is little to laugh about.
Even if parents are unable to behave as adults, God intends their children to honor and respect them. In the past year, I realized how often I based my “honoring” on expectations. When mom moved in, I hoped for comradery but was quickly disappointed. For weeks, I found it difficult to honor her because I felt let down, but God reminded me of a verse in the Psalms: “When your father and mother let you down, the Lord will pick you up.”
God also intends that my expectations are in Him. He created us as social beings who interact with each other, yet we are bound to be disappointed if we expect too much from other mere mortals. Expecting my mother to be different is unfair. She cannot rise to the challenge of an incurable disease that makes her unaware her faculties for relationships are deteriorating. She no longer knows how to meet needs.
It is also unfair to God if I depend on something or someone else for my fulfillment. He promises to meet all my needs. While He may use people, the choice is up to Him. Besides, if I put people first, I am guilty of a form of idolatry.
Watching mom deteriorate is difficult and sad. Other families struggle with similar heartaches and feel overwhelmed by a sense of responsibility and the weight of decisions that they must make. Many also struggle with guilt.
Someone gave me this threefold and timely advice: “One, you cannot do everything.” Aging people need physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual care. I cannot be nurse, counselor, pastor and program planner. I have learned to depend on God for strength and to follow His leading to wonderful resources available in the community for my parents.
“Two, you have done what you could.” There is nothing more debilitating than regret and false guilt. If I can do what I know God wants me to do, that is enough. It may not cover all the bases, but He knows my limitations and will not condemn me for them.
“Three, you are doing what you do out of love.” When I tell my mother she needs help with certain things, or when I take her to the doctor, I do it because I love her. I am not trying to make her life difficult, do for her what she can do herself, or make sure she “keeps me in her will.” I do it because she needs help. Doing it is a sacrifice of sorts, not a personal gain but it also includes joy. Genuine love, like God’s love, has both elements: sacrifice and joy.
Love also does not act out of a sense of “duty” or an obligation or discharge of a debt. In a way, caring for my mother is a return on something she invested in me. She raised me with respect, treated me as someone precious and never complained that I was a burden to her. That is a debt I can pay back, in full and with interest.
The poem starts like this: “When I’m a little old lady, then I’ll live with my children and bring them great joy, to repay all I’ve had from each girl and each boy. I shall draw on the walls and scruff up the floor: run in and out without closing the door.”
After more of the same, it ends with: “What fun I shall have, what joy it will be, to live with my children like they lived with me.”
Someone sent it for a laugh but instead I cried — because this week a specialist told my mother she has a form of dementia called Alzheimer’s Disease.
Alzheimer’s is both mysterious and cruel. Those who have it know not that they know not. My mother is aware her short term memory is sluggish but has no knowledge of the other tricks her failing mind plays on her. Sometimes we can laugh together but too often there is little to laugh about.
Even if parents are unable to behave as adults, God intends their children to honor and respect them. In the past year, I realized how often I based my “honoring” on expectations. When mom moved in, I hoped for comradery but was quickly disappointed. For weeks, I found it difficult to honor her because I felt let down, but God reminded me of a verse in the Psalms: “When your father and mother let you down, the Lord will pick you up.”
God also intends that my expectations are in Him. He created us as social beings who interact with each other, yet we are bound to be disappointed if we expect too much from other mere mortals. Expecting my mother to be different is unfair. She cannot rise to the challenge of an incurable disease that makes her unaware her faculties for relationships are deteriorating. She no longer knows how to meet needs.
It is also unfair to God if I depend on something or someone else for my fulfillment. He promises to meet all my needs. While He may use people, the choice is up to Him. Besides, if I put people first, I am guilty of a form of idolatry.
Watching mom deteriorate is difficult and sad. Other families struggle with similar heartaches and feel overwhelmed by a sense of responsibility and the weight of decisions that they must make. Many also struggle with guilt.
Someone gave me this threefold and timely advice: “One, you cannot do everything.” Aging people need physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual care. I cannot be nurse, counselor, pastor and program planner. I have learned to depend on God for strength and to follow His leading to wonderful resources available in the community for my parents.
“Two, you have done what you could.” There is nothing more debilitating than regret and false guilt. If I can do what I know God wants me to do, that is enough. It may not cover all the bases, but He knows my limitations and will not condemn me for them.
“Three, you are doing what you do out of love.” When I tell my mother she needs help with certain things, or when I take her to the doctor, I do it because I love her. I am not trying to make her life difficult, do for her what she can do herself, or make sure she “keeps me in her will.” I do it because she needs help. Doing it is a sacrifice of sorts, not a personal gain but it also includes joy. Genuine love, like God’s love, has both elements: sacrifice and joy.
Love also does not act out of a sense of “duty” or an obligation or discharge of a debt. In a way, caring for my mother is a return on something she invested in me. She raised me with respect, treated me as someone precious and never complained that I was a burden to her. That is a debt I can pay back, in full and with interest.
Friday, June 17, 2016
Serving, being Served .................. Parables 446
November 8, 1994
My husband and I took my parents to Banff the last long weekend of the summer. They had not been there since 1930 and were excited about the trip. Whenever they do travel, they seldom stay in hotels so we decided to book the executive suite at Douglas Fir Resort, a two bedroom unit with full kitchen, large living and super-large dining room. For us, it was a delight to give them the finest they had ever experienced.
My mother, unaccustomed to being waited on, never mind indulged, did not know quite how to react. For example, she brought with her two of her own towels, not even her best two. Instead of using the thick, luxurious ones supplied by the hotel, she used her own.
During the weekend, we invited nine others for a surprise family dinner and brought in Chinese food. Mom had difficulty sitting down to eat. Everyone was already enjoying their food yet she hovered over the table, asking if she could get something or do something. When the men later began putting the dishes in the dishwasher (no kidding), she was right there too. One of them finally told her she could play with the grandchildren or have a rest. They had all the help they needed.
As I watched, I realized again how difficult it is for someone who has been a server all their life to be on the receiving end. Mothers are not accustomed to their children doing everything for them. However, it is also important for us to give back. She has been so generous so it is understandable that we want to do the same for her.
The Bible clearly says, “it is better to give than receive,” yet receiving is very important. In fact, no one can become a Christian and give as God wants us to, unless they are willing to be on the receiving end.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “For by grace you are saved, through faith, and that is not of yourself; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” That means God offers salvation as a gift.
Salvation is the term that covers forgiveness, restoration of our relationship with God and the assurance of eternal life after we physically die. We do not deserve this gift because we sin, but even if we could earn it by our goodness, that is not the means by which God gives it. Instead, He offers it “by grace” as a free gift, to those who are willing, by faith, to receive it.
Our problem with this gift is that we tend to want to do something to earn it. Humbling ourselves before God and admitting we cannot do anything worthy to merit His favor goes against our independence and our pride. But salvation, like a luxurious towel, can belong to anyone because it is the Lord’s “good pleasure” to give. He has no ulterior motives.
Whenever anyone tries to gain salvation apart from faith, they actually are rejecting His gracious offer. Instead of wanting what He freely gives, they are giving preference to their own meager resources. Isaiah, comparing “His glorious riches in Christ Jesus” with our good deeds calls them nothing but “filthy rags.”
Because she is a Christian, my mother can receive, even though it is difficult. Today she let me massage her feet and lend her a sweater. Yesterday, she allowed me to cook her a meal while she watched and chatted. She admits that it feels good to be on the receiving end.
Especially when it comes to grace, I have to agree with her.
My husband and I took my parents to Banff the last long weekend of the summer. They had not been there since 1930 and were excited about the trip. Whenever they do travel, they seldom stay in hotels so we decided to book the executive suite at Douglas Fir Resort, a two bedroom unit with full kitchen, large living and super-large dining room. For us, it was a delight to give them the finest they had ever experienced.
My mother, unaccustomed to being waited on, never mind indulged, did not know quite how to react. For example, she brought with her two of her own towels, not even her best two. Instead of using the thick, luxurious ones supplied by the hotel, she used her own.
During the weekend, we invited nine others for a surprise family dinner and brought in Chinese food. Mom had difficulty sitting down to eat. Everyone was already enjoying their food yet she hovered over the table, asking if she could get something or do something. When the men later began putting the dishes in the dishwasher (no kidding), she was right there too. One of them finally told her she could play with the grandchildren or have a rest. They had all the help they needed.
As I watched, I realized again how difficult it is for someone who has been a server all their life to be on the receiving end. Mothers are not accustomed to their children doing everything for them. However, it is also important for us to give back. She has been so generous so it is understandable that we want to do the same for her.
The Bible clearly says, “it is better to give than receive,” yet receiving is very important. In fact, no one can become a Christian and give as God wants us to, unless they are willing to be on the receiving end.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “For by grace you are saved, through faith, and that is not of yourself; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” That means God offers salvation as a gift.
Salvation is the term that covers forgiveness, restoration of our relationship with God and the assurance of eternal life after we physically die. We do not deserve this gift because we sin, but even if we could earn it by our goodness, that is not the means by which God gives it. Instead, He offers it “by grace” as a free gift, to those who are willing, by faith, to receive it.
Our problem with this gift is that we tend to want to do something to earn it. Humbling ourselves before God and admitting we cannot do anything worthy to merit His favor goes against our independence and our pride. But salvation, like a luxurious towel, can belong to anyone because it is the Lord’s “good pleasure” to give. He has no ulterior motives.
Whenever anyone tries to gain salvation apart from faith, they actually are rejecting His gracious offer. Instead of wanting what He freely gives, they are giving preference to their own meager resources. Isaiah, comparing “His glorious riches in Christ Jesus” with our good deeds calls them nothing but “filthy rags.”
Because she is a Christian, my mother can receive, even though it is difficult. Today she let me massage her feet and lend her a sweater. Yesterday, she allowed me to cook her a meal while she watched and chatted. She admits that it feels good to be on the receiving end.
Especially when it comes to grace, I have to agree with her.
Monday, June 23, 2014
This earth is not my home ..................... Parables 134
Our family moved this month, not far, just a few blocks. After 17 relocations in 17 years, we have sometimes been called transients, affectionately of course.
While pulling out roots is never easy and packing boxes is hard work, moving has brought good things to our household. We joke that it is a great way to clean house; each move gathered us closer to each other; being in a variety of places and situations has broadened our view of life and widened our horizons and goals; we have a measure of confidence in our ability to face new things because of sheer practice. In fact, the greatest good has come from the relocations I felt the least positive about, helping me to trust God “with all my heart and not lean on my own understanding” or my feelings. (Proverbs 3:5)
Yes, good things have come from being transients.
Moving is also a test. For instance, we have been tested 17 times concerning our stability. Not too many years ago, my sense of security was soundly rooted in things like the place we lived, our friends and our finances. But guess what . . . all of those have changed many times! And we have had to change with them.
Our Fort Saskatchewan residence has been home three times -- with many memories tucked in the corners, yet, without doubt, a dwelling place does not represent stability. In fact, we’ve changed houses so many times that I dare not try to walk around in the dark.
Neither can friends give a permanent sense of security. Either the relationship changes or one side or the other is transferred to Timbuktu.
As for money, it might rest in our nest right now, but I know it has wings. There is no guarantee that it will stay or fly away. Besides, I have been both poor and well off. Neither give inner stability.
No doubt about it, the things of this world change. A person doesn’t have to move to realize that -- just go through an old photo album! When your children start laughing at their grade one pictures, you know it won’t be long before they’ll look at your childhood shots and ask, “Who is this?”
Perhaps the most profound lesson is the one in these lines from an old song: “This old world is not my home, I’m just a passin’ through . . . ”
The Bible says God wants Christians to think like that because we actually do not have “a certain dwelling place” on earth. Our “citizenship is in heaven.” As ambassadors for God, we need to remember that we are here only a short time. Therefore, our hearts and minds should be set on heavenly things.
Whenever I bounce from place to place, going from stress to stress, I’m thankful the Lord never changes. He can be depended upon as my anchor; a rock, a solid foundation. He firmly takes hold of His people and calms our spirits with His love. Underneath are His everlasting arms, always there to sustain. The experience of moving has proved His faithfulness to be with us, to care for us. Surely that gives me peace. I may not understand all His design, but I have learned that He will not lead us where He will not keep us - secure in Him.
Some transients have no security, no peace because they too have no certain dwelling place here on earth. But the people of God are transients with a definite resting place. No matter where we live, whether now or after this life is over, moving will never take us away from our Security -- because He is immovable.
While pulling out roots is never easy and packing boxes is hard work, moving has brought good things to our household. We joke that it is a great way to clean house; each move gathered us closer to each other; being in a variety of places and situations has broadened our view of life and widened our horizons and goals; we have a measure of confidence in our ability to face new things because of sheer practice. In fact, the greatest good has come from the relocations I felt the least positive about, helping me to trust God “with all my heart and not lean on my own understanding” or my feelings. (Proverbs 3:5)
Yes, good things have come from being transients.
Moving is also a test. For instance, we have been tested 17 times concerning our stability. Not too many years ago, my sense of security was soundly rooted in things like the place we lived, our friends and our finances. But guess what . . . all of those have changed many times! And we have had to change with them.
Our Fort Saskatchewan residence has been home three times -- with many memories tucked in the corners, yet, without doubt, a dwelling place does not represent stability. In fact, we’ve changed houses so many times that I dare not try to walk around in the dark.
Neither can friends give a permanent sense of security. Either the relationship changes or one side or the other is transferred to Timbuktu.
As for money, it might rest in our nest right now, but I know it has wings. There is no guarantee that it will stay or fly away. Besides, I have been both poor and well off. Neither give inner stability.
No doubt about it, the things of this world change. A person doesn’t have to move to realize that -- just go through an old photo album! When your children start laughing at their grade one pictures, you know it won’t be long before they’ll look at your childhood shots and ask, “Who is this?”
Perhaps the most profound lesson is the one in these lines from an old song: “This old world is not my home, I’m just a passin’ through . . . ”
The Bible says God wants Christians to think like that because we actually do not have “a certain dwelling place” on earth. Our “citizenship is in heaven.” As ambassadors for God, we need to remember that we are here only a short time. Therefore, our hearts and minds should be set on heavenly things.
Whenever I bounce from place to place, going from stress to stress, I’m thankful the Lord never changes. He can be depended upon as my anchor; a rock, a solid foundation. He firmly takes hold of His people and calms our spirits with His love. Underneath are His everlasting arms, always there to sustain. The experience of moving has proved His faithfulness to be with us, to care for us. Surely that gives me peace. I may not understand all His design, but I have learned that He will not lead us where He will not keep us - secure in Him.
Some transients have no security, no peace because they too have no certain dwelling place here on earth. But the people of God are transients with a definite resting place. No matter where we live, whether now or after this life is over, moving will never take us away from our Security -- because He is immovable.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Made clean .......................... Parables 096
Occasionally something happens in our household that I hope no one ever finds out about. The first Saturday in January was one of those occasions.
We had a family meal together just before leaving to spend the holidays in California. At that time we planned a turkey dinner with all the trimmings for January 9, after we returned. On the 9th, our daughter arrived early to help in the kitchen. She wanted to make a green salad so began pulling out ingredients and asked her brother to get down the salad bowls. When he did, out came groans and words like “yuck”... The top bowl was clean...but the four underneath it and the large serving bowl had been put back into the cupboard without first making a trip through the dishwasher.
We couldn’t decide whether to throw them out or boil them in bleach. The kids were soon laughing because no one had a clue “who did it.” Even the person who did will never know because none of us would have done it deliberately (we are generally a family of “cleanies”) and it had to have happened at that last meal together before Christmas, too long ago to clearly remember. So out came the puns, wisecracks, and accusations. It will become a family memory of sorts, one to bring up when we are reminiscing over a bowl of popcorn (especially if it is served in that salad bowl!)
After the turkey leftovers were in the frig I began to think about a promise that God made to the people of Israel, a promise that also applies to any who will claim it: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
How does God clean up the sin that disgusts Him? Do we have to be recycled, boiled in bleach, or is it possible to be so disgusting that His only option is to toss us on the scrap pile and look for better material?
His response to our sin could be described by my rough paraphrase of that verse in Isaiah: “Come now, let’s think this out together, says the Lord: though your sins be as disgusting to me as month-old leftover salad is to you, you can be as appealing and as pleasing to me as turkey dinner with all the trimmings has been to you.”
The next promise God gave about being clean from sin is in Ezekiel 36: “...then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you... and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and you shall keep my judgements and do them...”
The promise was fulfilled in the New Testament. Following a description of sinners, I Corinthians says: “And such WERE some of you but NOW you are washed, but now you are sanctified, but now you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”
He makes sinners clean! How does He do it?
The Father said that without the shedding of blood there would be no forgiveness for sin. So the nation of Israel were commanded to trust God and sacrifice unblemished lambs. However that did not change their sinfulness.
When Jesus, the Lamb of God, died on the cross, the Word of God says His blood was shed not only so those who believe in Him could be forgiven, but so we could be cleansed as well, and our very nature changed. “How much more (than the blood of lambs) shall the blood of Christ... purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
Our part is to believe in His provision for cleansing, confess our sins and remain in the light of His Word: “If we confess our sin He is “faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
“If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
Sin may be repulsive to God but because of His power to make clean, we can be clean; not cast aside but made precious to Him.
We had a family meal together just before leaving to spend the holidays in California. At that time we planned a turkey dinner with all the trimmings for January 9, after we returned. On the 9th, our daughter arrived early to help in the kitchen. She wanted to make a green salad so began pulling out ingredients and asked her brother to get down the salad bowls. When he did, out came groans and words like “yuck”... The top bowl was clean...but the four underneath it and the large serving bowl had been put back into the cupboard without first making a trip through the dishwasher.
We couldn’t decide whether to throw them out or boil them in bleach. The kids were soon laughing because no one had a clue “who did it.” Even the person who did will never know because none of us would have done it deliberately (we are generally a family of “cleanies”) and it had to have happened at that last meal together before Christmas, too long ago to clearly remember. So out came the puns, wisecracks, and accusations. It will become a family memory of sorts, one to bring up when we are reminiscing over a bowl of popcorn (especially if it is served in that salad bowl!)
After the turkey leftovers were in the frig I began to think about a promise that God made to the people of Israel, a promise that also applies to any who will claim it: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
How does God clean up the sin that disgusts Him? Do we have to be recycled, boiled in bleach, or is it possible to be so disgusting that His only option is to toss us on the scrap pile and look for better material?
His response to our sin could be described by my rough paraphrase of that verse in Isaiah: “Come now, let’s think this out together, says the Lord: though your sins be as disgusting to me as month-old leftover salad is to you, you can be as appealing and as pleasing to me as turkey dinner with all the trimmings has been to you.”
The next promise God gave about being clean from sin is in Ezekiel 36: “...then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you... and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and you shall keep my judgements and do them...”
The promise was fulfilled in the New Testament. Following a description of sinners, I Corinthians says: “And such WERE some of you but NOW you are washed, but now you are sanctified, but now you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”
He makes sinners clean! How does He do it?
The Father said that without the shedding of blood there would be no forgiveness for sin. So the nation of Israel were commanded to trust God and sacrifice unblemished lambs. However that did not change their sinfulness.
When Jesus, the Lamb of God, died on the cross, the Word of God says His blood was shed not only so those who believe in Him could be forgiven, but so we could be cleansed as well, and our very nature changed. “How much more (than the blood of lambs) shall the blood of Christ... purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
Our part is to believe in His provision for cleansing, confess our sins and remain in the light of His Word: “If we confess our sin He is “faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
“If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
Sin may be repulsive to God but because of His power to make clean, we can be clean; not cast aside but made precious to Him.
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