Change

I'm not really a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of gal.  Not that I'm NEVER spontaneous, but as a whole, change and I are not the best of friends.  I like things to stay the way they are most of the time.  Sure, there are times when things HAVE to change.

And this is perfect timing for this post, because I decided to change the design of my blog a little bit.  Now I have no idea where half the stuff went that was on here, and some things are on here taking up 200 lines. Sigh.  

As many of you know, 2 weeks before we were going to North Carolina to look at houses, I broke my foot.  BIG change for the way that vacation was going to happen for me.  Not a good, happy change.  We are, as a family, in the middle of some BIG decisions; big changes...and they seem to be evolving every day.  And it makes me very anxious.

Do you know what I find most comforting about God?  You got it.  He. Never.  Changes.

17 "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. " James 1:17

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

That means that God is the same today, right now, in my life, as he was before time began.  He is the same as He was when He dried up the Red Sea and saw the Israelites cross on dry ground.  He is the same now as He will be when Jesus returns again on that glorious day.... Hallelujah!

Friends, I don't like it when things change.  I don't like being in situations I can't control.  But the beautiful thing is, NOTHING that happens to you or to me is a surprise to God.  He is our Rock in good times and bad... In plenty or in want.  Our God is God yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

And that gives me great comfort.

Life Is NOT Fair

Oh my friends.  I'm not really whining today; I'm just really, really sure of this fact:  Life as we know it, is simply not fair.  It just isn't. It never will be. And the sooner we accept that, the better off we will be. 

It isn't easy though, especially when it seems that we are trying so hard to do all the right things. All the things we know are good and noble.  And yet it appears that mean, evil, rotten people flourish.  I know.  I've been there myself, and I've seen people I love suffer things that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.  

Why is that?  Why do good people suffer?  If we are God's children, and God wants only good things for us, why are people who care about God struggling?? My only answer is that satan is the lord of this world.  His time is short, and he knows it, and he will do whatever it takes to take as many people with him as he can.  So if he can help make a rotten human being outwardly wealthy and prosperous, and make it look like the kind, compassionate person is constantly under attack and things are going wrong all the time, he thinks he's winning. But we ALL know how the story ends!

Emotions are POWERFUL things.  They are more powerful than facts (to most people).  Passion can be blinding. If I get really amped up about something, super passionate, highly emotional, it can be very difficult to reason with me.  That passion and emotional can be a force unto itself.  It can accomplish amazing things.  Yet it can also hinder the truth. We can get so caught up in what's "fair" and what's "unfair" that we miss the whole point. 


Even though evildoers of the world seem to prosper, take heart: God says,

  "that though the wicked sprout like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever;
8but you, O LORD, are on high forever.
9For behold, your enemies, O LORD,
for behold, your enemies shall perish;
all evildoers shall be scattered." Psalm 92:7-9 ESV

So. While the evil people of this world may LOOK like all is well, they are going down.  It's just a matter of time. What then, happens to those of us who have struggled?  

"Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." Galatians 6:7-9 ESV

*Everyone* will reap what they sow.  If you sow corn, you'll get corn.  It's not rocket science.  If you sow bitterness and destruction, guess what you'll reap? Yup.  Bitterness and destruction.  If you sow hate, don't expect to reap roses.

Even though there are days that seem to go on forever, this life really is fleeting.  Our days here on this earth are finite.  Our days with God, in eternity, are INfinite.  Whatever we must endure for now, endure! For the reward we will receive is spending forever, eternity, never ending perfect days, with our Father God, and His Son, Jesus Christ. In a perfect world.  With perfect bodies.  No more sin.  No sorrow.  No pain.  No tears.  The day Jesus returns is coming soon.  And all the pain will end, IF you know Jesus as your personal Savior. 

One of my favorite verses: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." Romans 8:18 ESV

"No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever." Revelation 22:3-5

Unpopular Part Two

A few months ago, I posted a poll on Facebook that asked if people were born inherently good, or inherently bad/evil.  I have to say I was a tiny bit surprised by some of the responses.  A full 65% of those who answered said they thought people were born inherently good.

For those who are interested:  I disagree.  So does the Bible.

"Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest." Ephesians 4:23

I recently read a book called "The Hope of Nations" by John S. Dickerson. *Amazing* read.  

In "Hope of Nations",  John S. Dickerson writes about the Post-Truth and Post-Christianity society, in which we now live.  A Post-Truth society is one in which feelings have more influence over decisions that facts.  Read that again.  I'll type it again:  In this Post-Truth society we find ourselves in, *feelings* rule.  They are secondary to *facts*.  Let that really sink in.  It's terrifying if you ask me.

On page 68 the author writes, " Even fallen humans are capable of great good, nobility, and creativity.  However, separated from God by sin, humans inevitably drift back toward the destruction of sin.... Apart from Christ, we are blinded from the truth.... This is why a world with more than enough water, food, and resources still contains millions who lack clean water, sufficient good, and basic freedoms.... God intentionally described the fall of humanity at the very beginning of the Bible because it is a foundational truth. If we forget this reality about human nature, the world will not make sense.  Indeed, our Post-Truth neighbors, having been taught that all people are basically good, struggle to make sense of realities like ISIS and drunk drivers."

Think about it.  How else can you describe ISIS other than evil?  And what is the opposite of evil? Good. There is, without a doubt, good AND evil in this world. The problem is, we start OUT evil, and can only become "good" by the grace of Jesus Christ.

The depravity of man is a concept I grew up knowing because I grew up in the church.  The Bible says in Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" 

This is where we are now, in my opinion (and have been since the early New Testament  church):  "For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error."  Romans 1:26-27  Unnatural.  Indecent.  These are not my words.  They are the words of God.

This is why we so desperately need Jesus! He is the ONLY thing that is going to make a hoot of difference in this maddened, sick world.  Did you know that in Folsom, California they have a "bondage" fair?  It's called the Folson Street Fair and it includes " naked adults in leather bondage gear, masturbation in public, and outdoor sexual "play places" that emphasize bondage, whips, and chains. All of this happens in broad daylight in a major American city."  ("Hope of Nations", p 13)

If that is not depravity I don't know what is, my friends. I think most of us can agree that an event like this is at the very least inappropriate, and at worst, absolutely vile and revolting.  Depraved.

One man decided this festival was appropriate for his 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER whom he brought to the sex festival dressed in leather bondage gear.  A TWO year old.  A reporter asked him if it was wrong to bring a child (a BABY) to such an event, and the dad answered, " 'Every parent has to decide for themselves what is right for them. And I respect that.  And we decided that this is right for our children.' " (p 13, taken from the East Bay Times, Sept. 29, 2005)

Do you see why it is imperative to have an absolute truth???  If we have no TRUTH there is no standard by which to measure right and wrong.  This "father" decided it was right for him to abuse his child by taking her to see things she should NEVER see in her life let alone as a baby.  Do you think it's a far stretch to this child being molested by one of the "fair goers?"  Think about it!  If there is no "wrong", if *anything* is tolerable and acceptable, why wouldn't it be the logical next step?  Someone out there doesn't think it's wrong to molest a child, therefore, he will do what "is right to him."

And mark my words:  very soon there will be no law able to stop him if this world continues down the path it's on. 

I could go on and on, but I want to say this:  THERE IS HOPE!!!  

"Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men[a] because all sinned—13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ." Romans 5:12-17

Just as we all sinned through Adam, we can all be saved through Christ.  It's not like God is about to leave us in our depravity!  We ALL have a choice!  

"For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him." Romans 5:7-9

Justified means "just as if I hadn't sinned".  God, through Christ, brings us unto Himself.  He takes away our sin through the blood of Jesus!  Hallelujah!  We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.  There is NOTHING we can do to earn salvation.  Nothing.  God will never love you MORE.  And He will never love you LESS.

I know this is a long post, and I'm praying you're still reading.  Please think about the things in this article.  I know some of them shocked you.  They shocked me.  They sickened me.  But they also lit a fire under me.  How can anyone read about a "festival" like that, in California, in broad daylight, and NOT be disturbed??   This is our world, people.  

We need Jesus.  Do you know Him?  Please just consider His offer:  "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."  Matthew 11:28

 "...that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." Romans 10:9-10

It really is THAT simple.  Believe.  Confess.  Live for him.  He WILL give us rest in this wicked, wicked world. 

Unpopular Part One

I have never really been popular.  I've always kind of had my own groove, been my own person, and haven't been one to go with the flow.  As an adult, that thrills me!  As a child and adolescent, not so much.

I can honestly say that 90% of the time I don't really care what people think of me.  Yes, I'm human, and when I feel "ganged up on" sometimes my nose gets a little out of joint.  What DOES upset me is if people call my character into question.  That's not about being popular, or being "right"; it's about the fact that I'm pretty much as straight of a shooter as you can get.  I speak the truth, but I TRY to do it in love.  I don't always succeed. But know this:  I don't lie.  I don't cheat.  I don't steal.  I'm very, very human, and I'm sure I have hurt people's feelings with my candor. I really don't mean to.

That being said, there are times when I'm FINE with being unpopular.  In today's culture, it's very UNPOPULAR to be a Bible-believing Christian.  We are about the only social group that it's "okay" (politically correct, socially acceptable) to malign, bully, harass, and just plain hate.  Think about it:  If a Christian stands up for what THEY believe, they can get sued.  I have been called (among other things) myopic, narrow minded, a hater, a homophobe, a bigot, a Nazi, and more.  All because I believe in the God of the Bible, and in His Word as being THE absolute truth in life.

I believe in Jesus, the Son of God, fully God, and fully human at the same time.  I believe He left His place at the right hand of God, came into this world some 2000 years ago, and lived a sinless life (the only One to EVER do that).  Then he suffered a brutal, horrible death so that I could live eternally in heaven.  Yes, I truly believe it.  I believe the Bible is the 100% authority of my life, and that it was written by human hand, but each word was given to the authors by God Himself.
"Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory."  I Timothy 3:16 ESV

You don't have to believe like I do.  That's not what this is about.  It's about *everything* being acceptable and tolerable *except* being a Christian.  It's about being preached to about love and acceptance and being told I'm full of hatred and intolerance.  I base my beliefs and my decisions on the Word of God...so if you're offended by me, it's really not my belief that offends you, but God's Word.

Anyone who knows me, I mean really knows me, knows how much I love people.  I can truly love anyone, because Christ loved me while I was yet a sinner.  Jesus said, " A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35 ESV

I've always wanted a bunch of adopted kids because there are so many out there that need a home and family, and I really could LOVE them.  I don't care if you're black, white, brown, yellow, red, or purple.  I don't care if you have long hair or short hair, if you're gay or straight, if you're a Democrat or Rebulican.  I try to see people for who they are on the inside.  Do I agree with every lifestyle out there?  Not at all.

What I'm trying to get at is that there is a HUGE difference between agreeing with someone's lifestyle choices and accepting them as a fellow human being deserving of love.  Do you get that?  I'm not ever going to agree with men using the ladies room or vice versa.  I'm never going to agree with a lifestyle of child molestation because a person was "born that way".  Not. Going. To. Happen. However, there is a difference between hating a sinful lifestyle and hating a person.

"The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling." I Peter 4:7-9

A while ago on facebook I posted a poll asking if you thought people were inherently good or inherently bad/evil.  Tomorrow I will post part two of this post, and explain my results and feelings on that.

Thanks for reading.  I welcome your feedback!

Book Review: Hope of Nations by John S. Dickerson

This book is a must read for Christians everywhere, but very specifically, for Western Christians.  John S. Dickerson is an investigative journalist turned pastor and author.  He makes some compelling arguments in his book, Hope of Nations.

We are in what is coined a "Post-Truth" era.  We are also in a Post-Christian era. For hundreds of years, America prospered under mostly Christian leadership.  Colleges and universities like Harvard and Oxford were established for higher Christian education.  Those same institutions are now nothing but indoctrination stations.  A young, impressionable college student goes in, and a Post-Truth, Post-Christian, indoctrinated young adult comes out.

The most frightening statistic in this book (to me personally) is that in the year 2020, 18-29 year olds will favor Socialism over Capitalism by 19%.  That age group will also be the largest voting block in the 2020 elections.  Socialists! Think Karl Marx.  Stalin.  Hitler.  Yes, Hitler.

So what exactly is a Post-Truth society?  Well, "Every year the experts at Oxford Dictionaries pick a word of the year.  Recently, they chose Post-Truth as the single word that best summarizes American and European culture now.  They noted that our society now defines truth by feelings rather than facts." (from the book, page 13-14, emphasis mine.)  So whatever you FEEL, you act on.  Post-Truth thinkers will define what is "right" by whatever they may be feeling at the time. 

In a Post-Truth society, there is no absolute truth.

That. Terrifies. Me.  I don't know about you.

(I will be writing more blog posts about this book, but since I received this book at no cost in return for my fair and honest review this is my official review.)

Okay, so what do we do about all this?  If you are a Christian, do you go bury your head in the sand?  Do you act like Chicken Little and run around telling everyone the sky is falling?  Absolutely not.  We stand.  We stand on the undeniable reality of the Word of God.  We root ourselves and our families in the Truth of Scripture.  We teach our children the way they should go.

Most of all, we need to PRAY.  Pray for our nation, its leaders, and its youth.  We need to LOVE everyone, all of the time, even (especially?) those who persecute us.  We stay calm, we do good, and we STAND fearlessly for our Faith.

Beloved, now more than ever we need to be attending church, gathering with like-minded people and praying.  We need to SHOW people that Christians aren't bigoted, racist, homophobic Bible thumpers who spew hatred for those unlike ourselves.

If you are a believer in the God who created this world and His incarnate son, Jesus Christ, you need to read this book. Not so that you can be afraid, but so that you can be prepared to fight.

You can purchase this book on amazon here or at your local Christian book store.

Time Passes On

“Don’t let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it.  The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use.” Earl Nightingale

I suppose I could have changed this quote to something a bit more personal: I won’t fear the time that passes just because I have an incurable disease. The time will pass anyway; I might as well put that passing time to the best possible use.

Even though, praise God, I am doing so much better now (except for this blasted sinus infection!), there are still so many things I wish I could do.  There are even more things I want very badly to do, but because of Myasthenia Gravis, I am not able.  But you know what?  I’ll never give up.  I’ll never give in.  I feel like I might as well try to do something good with my time; it’s going to go by… whether quickly or slowly, it will pass.  So why sit and pout and be miserable?

Oh, don’t get me wrong, I have my moments.  Ask my husband.  I have a pity party now and again, and I suppose I “boo-hoo” from time to time.  But I’d like to think that overall, my attitude is primarily positive.  You see, I have HOPE.  If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here. Yes, you read that right.  I would NOT be here on planet earth any longer if I didn’t believe there was more.

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.’” John 11:25 NKJV

So if I die, how can I live?  Seems a bit oxymoronic, doesn’t it?  But friends, it is true. There is no truer truth in the entire world. Because of Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross so many years ago on a hill called Golgotha, when I die in my physical body, I will finally and truly be alive!  I will be pain-free, perfect, healthy, and never shed a tear again.  Oh, Glory!  Do you understand that?  Do you KNOW Jesus?

He has changed my life.  Living with a debilitating, chronic, neuro-muscular disease is not a lot of fun.  There are many times I’m not happy. But the JOY that lives in my heart! Oh, the joy!  Beloved of God (and that’s YOU, yes, you….anyone reading this!) I am able to have joy and peace in my very soul because I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that God gave up His one and only Son to die on a rugged cross so that I, so that you, might live forever with Him.  All we have to do is choose to say yes to His incredible offer of hope!

“They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; ¹⁷ for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:16-17 NKJV

Please read that again. God Himself will wipe every tear from your eyes.  That is heaven, my friends.  That is what we get to look forward to. Thank you, Jesus.

“And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’
⁵ Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’”  Revelation 21:3-5

Hallelujah!  Again, God is saying He will wipe our tears! Do you know what that means to someone like me who lives with chronic pain? With many, many tears?

In the Old Testament, the tabernacle was the earthly house that God lived in.  In the book of Exodus, God gave Moses and the Israelites very specific instructions on how to build it. Because the Israelites were traveling through the wilderness, this large “house of God” was able to be moved from one place to another while the people traveled. But not just anyone could go into the house of God.  Specifically, the Holy of Holies, where God's presence literally dwelled, was only accessible to ONE man: the High Priest. 

So in Revelation 21:3 we read that the tabernacle of God (His home) is now with MEN! God Himself will dwell with us!  He will be with us. He will be our God. And He WILL wipe our tears.

I have had this disease called Myasthenia Gravis for over 20 years now.  I was 25 when I had my first symptom. It has taken a lot from me.

A LOT. 

But one thing it can NEVER take from me is the hope I have.  Hope for a future, in heaven, with God…

Pain-free.

Perfect.

Healthy.

Whole.

The Rescue by Jim Cymbala: A Book Review

Lawrence.  Timiney.  Rich.  Robin. Kaitlyn. Alex. Toni.

These are the seven people that you will meet in the book The Rescuer by Jim Cymbala.  I have not previously read anything by this author, but if this book is any example of his work, I might just find something else of his to read!

In, The Rescuer, Jim Cymbala tells us the first person stories of these seven individuals.  These are ordinary people with ordinary lives, who found themselves in extraordinary circumstances, whether at their own hand, or at the hand of another. They dealt with things like disease, addiction, alcoholism, the victim of rape and sexual abuse among others.

And all of these people have something else in common other than their troubles; they needed help, and they needed it now.  Desperate people, desperate for a Rescuer.

Robin is the granddaughter of Jewish emigres who now live in Brooklyn, NY.  Although her father was never really in her life, her grandfather raised her until her mother remarried.  While Robin was in high school she started experimenting with alcohol and drugs; that behavior continued in college, and then one day her parents called telling her that her grandmother had a heart attack and she needed to come home right away...  I don't want to say much else because I don't want to ruin the rest of her story.

Toni's story will break your heart.  But I promise you'll want to see how it turns out.  If you've ever struggled with heartbreak, addiction, sexual abuse, illness, this book will encourage you and inspire you to hang in there until Your Rescuer comes through for you.

You can purchase this book on amazon HERE
Or at ChristianBook.com by clicking HERE

I hope you check this book out.  It's really, really good, and it's a quick read.
I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Becoming Real (repost)

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." - The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams


I was not as familiar with this story as I am with other “children’s” stories.  But when I read this, the ears of my heart stood at attention.  My eyes filled with tears.  It's like God whispered right to me, as I read this, that sometimes, it takes losing your hair, or getting your joints messed up, or getting sick, or having to live in pain, or with a trach.... to become REAL.

Wow.  A message from the Lord of Hosts from a children’s book.  I always thought I was “real” before Myasthenia Gravis (MG).   I prided myself on being genuine.  But then I got sick.  I lost lots of friends.  I lost most of my independence. I had to depend on others for almost everything I needed, even the most basic of daily tasks. It was horrible.

Yet it was wonderful. I learned that dependence was not a bad thing; especially dependence on God.

I'm telling you I am not the same person I was before this disease.  I am Real now.  I don't mince words.  I don't flatter people if I don't mean it.  I used to just about panic over the smallest things that went wrong.  Now, I don't freak out about the little things in life that aren't going to matter a week from now let alone a year from now.

I value life.  I value friendships.  Because I know how delicate they can be.  I know how easily they can go away.  I love more deeply.  I love more freely.  I trust much.  Maybe too much.  But I'd rather be that way than all skeptical and critical inside.

Sometimes it takes getting a little shabby, having your "hair loved off", and going through the wringer of life's washing machine a time or two to become real.  God will take anything you have to set before Him, and make from your offering someone beautiful.  Loved.  Real.

“ ‘Does it hurt?’ asked the Rabbit.
‘Sometimes,’ said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "-The Velveteen Rabbit

And it does hurt.  But once you are Real, you don't want to go back, even though you may face further pain.  Because it's so much better to be Real.  And "once you are REAL, you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

And you know what? There will always be people who don't understand.  And that's okay.  Because ugly is on the INSIDE, and Real is through and through.   Real is better, because Real doesn't happen to people who are easily broken. 

Real is strong.  And I am Real.

^“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Letter To God: About A Son

Abba Father, 

I have a son.  I don’t know how you did it!  I don’t think I could.  I think of Abraham, who so obediently put Isaac on the altar, Father.  I know You knew he wouldn’t have to do it, and I have to believe Abraham had crazy faith that You would provide an alternative.

But Father, I don’t think I could have done it!  My son!  My only son?  I’ve always known You loved me.  But I didn’t have one iota of just how much until I became a parent.  That love…that love a mother has for her child.  It’s amazing, Lord God. It’s above and beyond anything I’ve ever known.  That sweet, precious love of a child.

But you knew that Love too.  You know that Love.  And yet…. You allowed Him to be given up.  You let Your One and Only leave the perfectly perfect setting of Heaven, and go down to the world You created together.  To live.  And to die.  Fully human.   

And yet, always, fully God.  Born to a virgin.  Crucified.

Dead.

And buried.

Oh, God!  How could You have withheld your Arm of Might against those who shouted, “Crucify Him!”  How did You not smite them all with one flick of your finger? 

And yet…. I already know the answer to the question.  Because of Your intense, perfect Love.  For me.  For all who believe…for all who do not. You did it for all of us. Father, that You gave up Your precious Son, to be mocked, and beaten, and maimed to within an inch of His very life; Oh the Love! 

Once and forever, The Son of God hung on a tree for all men, for all time.  Every sin, past, present and future was paid for by the Precious Blood of the Lamb.  Oh, thank you Jesus. 

I think, “How could anyone have been screaming and yelling for the death of an innocent man?”  And yet…How could I know?  How can I ever know what I would have said on that very day?  I cannot!  Therefore, I cannot assume I would not become like Simon Peter.  He may not have yelled “Crucify Him!” but he denied You…three 

times in one night.   

Is there really a difference? 

I praise you, Father, that that is not the end of the story.  Three days of total separation went by.  I cannot imagine Your grief.  You and Your Perfect Child had been together since…well, since before forever began.  You are literally part of the same Being!  And then, for three days…nothing.  It must have felt like eternity.

That third day.  Oh, Glory!  Your Son, robed in Power, broke the very hold of death itself to Rise Again!  Hallelujah!  The angels sang!  The heavens rejoiced!  And people like me, people everywhere, were given new life. 

Father, there is nothing adequate I can give You for giving up Your Child.  I could die for my son.  I could probably even kill for his life…But could I give it up?  Father, let me never have to make that decision.

I praise You and thank you and offer You the only thing I have to give…myself.  My life.  In the shadow of the cross, troubles grow small.  Worries fade.  Burdens lighten.

And my soul sings:

“So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross;
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ‘twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.”

I praise you Father.

In Loving Adoration,

Your Daughter