RobbieSam’s BARK

I heard a sermon yesterday on one of my favorite stories in the Bible: The Parable of the Lost Son (Luke 15:11-31).  I have heard this story since I was a young child in Sunday School; it always held special meaning for me, though I wasn’t always sure why.  Probably I most enjoyed the fact that the story had a happy ending in that the lost son returned to his dad and the dad was happy and held a big party to celebrate. 

Yesterday when I heard the story, though, I looked at it a bit differently and I realized how much I had in common with the lost son in that story.  I, too, was in a Far Country; I was born there.  The Far Country of my birth was Dallas, Texas.  I realized how much my Father, my Heavenly Father, who is the father in the story as Jesus told it, probably desired that I, too, come home to the place prepared for me.  But, like a prodigal child, I knew nothing of God being my Heavenly Father and having a place in His heart for me.  I was just interested in doing the things kids do: playing; getting into occasional mischief; and getting my way as often as I could (which wasn’t all that often!).  I grew up, and as I got older, one of my favorite pastimes with my dad was reading Bible stories.  I loved the ones about the Israelites and the Exodus.  When that movie, The 10 Commandments came out, I was 9 years old and my dad and I (mom went with us once or twice) must have gone to see that movie 8 or 9 times.  We could dialogue about each scene.  That must have been around the time I became conscious of my Heavenly Father whispering in my heart: “Come home!”  I didn’t understand everything, but at 12, I remember the day I took the preacher’s hand before the congregation and said I wanted to give my heart to Jesus. 

Even though I was baptized (like the lost son, who never ceased being a son even though he didn’t act like it) I really didn’t always act like I belonged to the family of God.  Like him, when I got “of age” I wanted to do my own thing, and I was glad finally not to have to live under the rules of my parents.  I went to college and became wise (in my own eyes) and did a bit of riotous living.  I didn’t hear that whisper very often any more in my heart from my Heavenly Father “come home, Brenda; this is where you belong.”  I imagined He looked off in the distance for me and saw me wasting my time and my life, though at that time I didn’t have many possessions.  I know now that He longed for me to come home; but I was just too busy with the wastes of time we busy ourselves with.

As an adult, I traveled to still another Far Country: New York and then to Washington, D.C.  I thought I had arrived, big time.  I had lots of friends and we would hang out and do whatever we wanted.  Life was good, or so I thought.  Maybe occasionally I would hear that faint voice, “come home, My child,” but I would pass that off to too much partying.  No time for “religion;” I just wanted to LIVE it up!

Soon, like the prodigal, I began to lose in the great game of life at which I had been fairly successful, especially for a girl child who grew up in South Dallas.  I thought I had arrived; I had friends; I had money (well, I had a good job); I lived in the nation’s capital.  What more was there.  In a few years, though, I began to feel that inner hunger, much like the hunger Jesus described in the parable.  I had much, but it meant very little.  I began to ask myself: is this all there is?  Meanwhile, my Heavenly Father was looking at me, even though I was “a great way off.”  He was telling me, “come home, Brenda.”  Things began to change in dramatic ways; I made bad decisions; I joined myself to other lost people and soon we were all in the “field of swine.”  We didn’t know it.  Pigs don’t realize they smell bad and look bad when they are doing piggy things.  We just rooted around in our field and called it “fun.”  We just wanted to have a good time.  In time, as my money and possessions waned, so did my friends and popularity.  It was easy to get a party together when I was buying; but when I could no longer buy, I began to notice the phone rang a lot less often.  I felt that inner hunger in undeniable ways.  I knew I was missing something, I just didn’t know what. 

When I had done as much damage as I could in that Far Country (Washington D.C.), I returned to the Far Country of my birth.  I needed some real change so I thought, in my misguided way, that changing addresses and scenery would be just the thing.  I found a “field of swine” in Dallas, too and resumed doing piggy things.  My mom prayed for me all the time.  She would ask me to go to church with her.  “No way,” I would tell her; not bothering to explain that I was just too hungover from the previous night’s partying. 

Soon, I couldn’t help but notice a “famine in the land” of my heart.  I began to notice my mother and how she started everyday with reading her Bible and praying.  She had a prayer partner, Ms. Cook, who called her every day in the early morning, at noon, and in the evening, and they prayed.  She seemed to radiate a peace and serenity that I could not help but notice, while I just stewed and ranted in my own distaste for everything my life afforded.  I didn’t hear my Heavenly Father in those tough times, but as much as my mom prayed for me, I know He was watching me from a far off. 

Finally, I got tired of eating and living in the “field of swine.”  I began to feel that life has to be more than the next good time.  What good is fun if you never feel peace? I wanted that peace more than anything.  My mom had far less in material possessions than most people you know, but she was so rich in love, peace and joy.  I realized that is what I wanted.  It was then I heard my Heavenly Father say, “come home,” and I did; not a moment too soon and gladly, not too late.  I remember that Sunday well; it was in July, 1984.  I wept tears of joy but mostly of relief.  I began to see my life as my Father saw it.  What I called having a good time was sin (falling short of God’s commands); the way I would strive to get my way at all cost was trespass (going over the boundaries God set); when I would think of ways to get over and get even (that was iniquity, secret sins of the heart); and of course when I maintained my “poker face” in the face of difficulty or uncomfortable situations, well that was guile (being deceptive).  When we are in the field of swine, we never use the terms that God uses to describe sin, but I confess, it was sin.  It was good to be home in my Father’s house.

Now that is the wonderful part of the story: the son (in my case, daughter) returns home, and the Father is happy and life began anew.  But there is another story: the Elder Brother.

I must admit, I always knew about the Elder Brothers (and Sisters).  They were the ones who went to church all the time; never did anything wrong, and when they did, they got right up and testified how they made it by the grace of God.  I knew some Elder Brothers and Sisters and I have to be honest, I called them hypocrites.  I didn’t want to be with the hypocrites in church so I chose the comfort of the swine field.  What I began to realize once I came home to my Heavenly Father is yes, some are hypocrites; but when I joined the church, the hypocrite population increased by one!  There are hypocrites inside and outside the family of God.  Just because we come home, we don’t immediately lose all our “piggy-ness.”  It takes time to lose the small sins like pride and gossipmongering, though we can usually give up the big ones like sexual and moral impurity, though sometimes reluctantly, when we come home to God.  I encountered Elder Brothers and Sisters who refused to see me as a redeemed daughter, home from the Far Country, and at home with the family of God.  Some were hurtful;  I walked away from a ministry I knew God called me too because I didn’t know how to deal with the Elder Brothers and Sisters.

Thank God, I have matured in Him.  I realize now that we are redeemed, not perfect.  God is not finished with us yet.  When I find myself looking down my nose and wagging my finger of disapproval at a redeemed brother or sister who still dresses and sometimes acts like they did when they were in the swine field of life, I pray the Holy Spirit will remind me of the “rest of the story” about the lost son. God help me remember the path I traveled and how You were waiting for me with a robe of righteousness to cover my sin-stained rags and how You put shoes on my feet because servants go without shoes, sons and daughters do not.  You placed on  me the ring of salvation that has the image of Christ Jesus, and You let me know that when You look at me, You see Him.  You made me Yours.  Let me remember all of that and shout with joy everytime a new son or daughter comes home.  It is no fun to be lost; it is great joy to be found, and it is unspeakable joy when you realize you have come home to the Father. 

Perhaps He is calling to you.  If so, today, while you hear His voice saying “come home where you belong.”  Don’t put it off; receive Him as your Savior; confess to Him that you really are tired of trying it your way.  He longs to place the robe of righteousness on you along with shoes of peace and His ring with the image of His Son that lets you know you are a  son or daughter who is no longer lost.  You are home.  Forever.

The time of the annual college basketball tournement is here again.  Each year, during the last 2-3 weeks of March, collegiate basketball is at fever pitch as teams from all over the country compete to proceed to the ”Final 4″ teams left standing; from those final 4 teams, one will win the college basketball championship.  Now I admit, I am not a big basketball fan, but I do find it interesting that so many people are caught up in the enthusiasm that  is referred to as “March Madness.”  I have heard that millions of dollars are bet on which teams will make the ”Final 4″ and which team will win the championship.  Millions of work hours and are also lost as people who should be working are taking time during work to follow their favorite team’s progress on the internet, the radio and the newspaper.   Well, we do love our sports!

This year, Resurrection Sunday (commonly referred to as Easter Sunday) occurs in March.  Today is Good Friday and commemorates the day of great spiritual significance for Christians all over the world.  Two thousand years ago, it was on Friday that Jesus Christ, our Lord, was crucified after having spent a night being dragged from place to place for trumped up trials  (which were a violation of Jewish law); He was stripped of His clothing, beaten and spat upon, forced to wear a crown made of thorns which tore at His scalp and His face,  and finally forced to carry the heavy weight of the crossbeam on which His wrists would be nailed.  We commemorate what He went through on that Friday because we also celebrate what happened on the following Sunday morning.  Just as it was written, He had to suffer those things and die because He was the Sacrificial Lamb of God.  Only He, who was entirely sinless, could stand in our place and take the full weight of our sin with Him as He was nailed to that rugged cross.  He dreaded the separation from His Father that He knew would happen as He became sin for us, yet, He willingly obeyed and drank the cup that was set before Him by His Father.  But on Sunday morning, He rose!  Satan’s plan to kill Him and bury Him was foiled.  Jesus was resurrected bodily and the evidence is that empty tomb.  Hallelujah!  The grave was not the end for Jesus and because of what He did, the grave is not the end for us who believe.  That is truly a reason for us be glad.  He died for our sin and was raised up by the Spirit of God.  Because He rose, we have reason to be joyful; the same Spirit that raised Him up raises us up from our sin and spiritual death to eternal life.

Lately, I have started to watch a TV program that shows what life is truly like in the emergency rooms of large cities.  The show allows us to see the trauma that is a regular part of the day of  resident doctors, interns, nurses and medical personnel that work in emergency rooms.  Sometimes it can be hard to watch.  I have seen young men and women and older men and women be rushed into the emergency room with serious even critical injuries, and these doctors and nurses spring into action to try and repair the damage that car wrecks, gunshots, stabbings, and all manner of accidents can wreak on the human body.  Not once have I seen a patient ask the doctor, “what college did you go to?  Are you who you say you are?  Can I trust you to handle this situation?”  No, generally the patient and the family of the patient are at first anxious and ultimately relieved that they or their loved one(s) are in capable hands.  They simply trust that doctor to do what is necessary to save their lives.  Each time I watch an episode, I am simply reminded that life is very unpredictable.  Not one of the people I have seen left home with the knowledge that an accident or fight or shooting was going to happen and they would be seriously if not critically affected and therefore wind up in an emergency room.  They were simply going about their lives.  I sometimes wonder how many are Christians, because sometimes even the doctors are not sure that those patients will recover and be able to leave the ER.  Life is so unpredictable that it behooves us to make sure that our faith is firmly planted in the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  We need to make sure we are in His capable hands. If we belong to Him, then no matter what happens in that emergency room, our destination is sure; we have life eternal.  Our loved ones can have the hope that comes from knowing that God is in control, no matter the circumstances.

This is a time of great joy and gladness for all Christians.  Christ paid the price so that we could enter the Covenant of God and we are His people.  We shall never die, but live.  We have the Blessed Assurance of knowing that our lives are in His hands and He never leaves us.

During March madness, the teams play their hardest, but one team loses and the other goes on.  In life, there are winners and losers.  But remember the reason for March gladness; we win when we say “yes” to Jesus; when we trust Him with our lives because we admit that we are sinners and cannot save ourselves, and we receive the gift of salvation that He offers.  We win!  We do not lose because His team does not lose.  Don’t believe it?  Just open the Bible and read the last pages of the Book.  We win, now and in all eternity. 

” Gracious Father, as I think of the death and resurrection of Your precious Son, I’m reminded of Paul’s declaration that Your grace is a gift given to sinful people.  With this gift, undeserved and free, You’ve saved me from my sin.  Such grace is too wonderful for me, but I accept it with a heart full of gratitude and praise.  Amen,” quoted from a prayer by Chuck Swindoll. 

Please have a joyous Resurrection Sunday; and if you haven’t, please take time to say “yes” to Jesus Christ.  He came to seek and save those who are lost and He knows you and longs to be in relationship with you.  You are dead apart from Him, but you can live by receiving Him as you personal Savior.  Celebrate this wonderful season with gladness.

As I watched the news last evening, I saw the stories of several families whose homes were damaged by fire.  Fortunately, the fire was brought under control and put out before it could completely destroy everything the family owned. I was struck particularly by a woman who clutched several wrapped gifts and said, “at least the fire did not destroy the children’s presents.”   

It is hard not to notice the maddening rush that each Christmas season brings.  The commercials for new cars with bright bows on top; for “gifts that he will really want” and the non-stop push to buy the perfect piece of jewelry or some other bauble begin their annual invasion into our consciousness earlier every year.  It is not unusual to see Christmas trees and lights go on the store shelves as soon as the costumes and disguises for Halloween are put away.    I love the Christmas season, but I am finding less and less to like about all the commercial frenzy the season brings.  How often have you heard someone say: “I want to buy presents so my child can have Christmas,” as though Christmas is not Christmas without the packaging and presents.  I am not against buying presents; I love giving gifts to loved ones.  But why not give thought to a  return to the real meaning of Christmas?  How about a ‘Mary’ Christmas? Mary was a young, poor virgin girl, perhaps no more than 14 or 15 when she received a visit from an angel.  He told her that she was “highly favored among women” and that she had been chosen to bring into this world the Son of God.  Imagine her shock.  She was promised to Joseph but according to the angel, she would bring this special Child into the world before her wedding day. Scripture is clear that the pregnancy occurred before her marriage to Joseph was consummated: “After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit.”  (Matthew 1:18)  In our world, it is perhaps more difficult to grasp the significance of the circumstances of Mary’s pregnancy.  Today, it is not uncommon for the engaged couple to spend a lot of time together, some even live together before the actual wedding takes place.  But in Mary’s time, the choices facing an unmarried, pregnant woman were not good; she could end up in poverty and become a beggar on the street or even resort to prostitution if her father put her out of his house.  It was even worse for a young woman to become pregnant who was betrothed to someone who was not the father of the child.  She risked stoning for adultery, or at the very least, public disgrace.  Yet, Mary did not shrink from the situation.  Instead, she sang; she gave praise to God!  In Luke 1:46, Mary begins her song: “My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior, For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed….”  I personally would like for Christmas to be more like a Mary Christmas.  Notice the spotlight was not so much on what she could give, but what had been given to her and to mankind through her.  She did not seek out exaltation for herself, but she exalted “He who is mighty has done great things for me, and Holy is His name.” (Luke 1:49)   

If we celebrated a Mary Christmas, instead of rushing about to buy presents, we would rush about to spread joy as did the angels who announced to the shepherds, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14).  A Mary Christmas is one in which, instead of trying to find the perfect gift for that special someone, we would focus our hearts more on the Perfect Gift that was given to us (John 3:16).  We would spend less time in the malls taking our kids to see a man dressed in a red suit with a long beard, and more time teaching our children about Emmanuel, our Savior,  who put on flesh and lived among us.  In place of a Christmas tree, we would think of the cross, and the truth that the precious Christ Child was born to hang on that cross to give Himself as the sacrifice for our sin. When we see presents under the Christmas tree, we would think of the gifts under that old rugged cross that were purchased for us by Him.  One of the gifts He gave is peace which money cannot buy and the world cannot understand.  Under the cross we notice two presents that are wrapped the same; in one we find Grace; in the other, we find Mercy; we also find another gift wrapped in crimson as was His blood, in it we find Forgiveness of sin.  The biggest gift under the cross is Eternal life, which He bought for all who believe and receive Him as Savior (John 3:16).  In place of brightly colored ribbons, He offers us a blood-stained banner of Victory over the tribulations of this life.  Some of the other gifts that are ours through Him include, wisdom (I Cor.1:30);  “righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” (vv 30, 31), and great joy because He is in us and we are in Him.  A Mary Christmas teaches us that happiness requires a happening, but true joy comes from knowing who we are in Him.  Instead of pushing ourselves to outspend each other, we would put our true faith in the God who gave us all He had, His precious Son. If we celebrated Mary Christmas, we would understand that the Babe born in a lowly manger, for Whom the world had no room, was the Messiah who the bore in Himself the penalty for our redemption; there can be no Mary Christmas without the thought of Easter Sunday, for the Man who was crucified on the cross, rose again to eternal life proclaiming victory once and for all over death, the grave, and Satan.  Instead of Christmas lights, we would think of the Light of the World and dedicate ourselves to letting His light shine in our lives so that we could draw men to Him.  Instead of filling ourselves with all that the season has to offer, we would think more about how He emptied Himself and became flesh to live among us.  Instead of teaching our kids that Christmas is more about what gifts we get, maybe we would put more emphasis on teaching them the truth about what we were given through Jesus Christ our Savior.  Just think of the impact of asking your child to give one toy to some other less privileged child for every toy that he or she receives. A Mary Christmas reminds us that He came into a virgin womb marked “No Entrance” and He rose from a virgin tomb marked “No Exit.”  A Mary Christmas lifts the spirits of those who have lost loved ones; those who feel they are in the world alone, for Jesus will never leave us nor forsake us.  A Mary Christmas reminds me that I belong to a wonderful family with countless millions of sisters and brothers: I belong to the family of faith.  A Mary Christmas reminds us that we never lose loved ones that have passed away if they are Christians; we are promised that we will see them again. (I Thess. 4:16,17)Instead of dreaming about a white Christmas, we can look forward to a white robe for that day when we stand before Him adorned as His Bride.  Most of all, a Mary Christmas reminds us of the great love He has for us; for even when we were sinful and not mindful of Him, still He loved us and gave His Son, and all He asks is that we receive the gift of life that is in Him.  It says so in John 3:16.  We have already received the greatest gift we could ever imagine!  Just as Mary was “blessed among women,” so are we because of our relationship with the Living God through Christ Jesus. To all I say, please have a Mary Christmas; start some new traditions that are less commercial and that embrace the true meaning of this season: I promise if you have a Mary Christmas, you will have a joyous New Year!  

In His Love, Brenda ListerChristmas 2007

It is October and time for that annual ritual of working America: open enrollment. Open enrollment is the annual time period allotted to employees during which they can  pick and choose their insurance preferences for the next plan year.  I am all too familiar with the process having worked for many years in Human Resources as a Compensation and Benefits manager.  Open enrollment is always a bit hectic to administer because there is so much information that has to be disseminated  to employees.  After all, in order to make intelligent choices for their insurance coverages, employees need good information and a place to have their questions answered.  Even though coverage changes were not enacted until January 1 of the following year, still we had a window of 2 or 3 weeks to get all of the information out to employees and receive all of their coverage elections and it was not unusual to spend all of November and December feverishly working to get all of the new information correctly entered into the computer system.  Ask any Benefits administrator, October is a challenging month!

As I thought of past open enrollments, words from Scripture came to mind: “Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all His benefits….” (Psalm 103:2)  How blessed we are that we have a benefit plan that is always “open enrollment.”  God is the Ultimate Designer of benefits!  Psalm 103 lists many of them:

• He forgives our sins!
• He heals our diseases
• He redeems us from death to eternal life–with Him!
• He crowns us with righteousness–which is not even possible apart from Him
• He shows us tender mercies
• He satisfies our desires according to His will for us
• He protects us with His justice and righteousness

You can’t beat a benefit plan like that!  No matter how big your family, no matter how many “qualifying events” (qualifying events are defined as life changes such as marriage, death of spouse or dependent, divorce, birth or adoption of child(ren) that occur during the year that require a change in insurance coverage) we experience, God’s benefit plan is still open to us.  As a former Benefits manager, I especially like the part that once we enroll, by believing that Almighty God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, born of a virgin, to live among us, to die for us, to pay the penalty for our sin, and that He was then resurrected to sit at the right hand of the Father ever to intercede on our behalf, we receive the benefit of salvation, never to lose it.  No feverish period of trying to complete applications and trying to find ways to do enough deeds, attend enough meetings (or services) or distribute enough literature to make sure we get the coverage and protection we need.  No, thanks be to our Father and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, once we enroll into God’s benefit plan, we are in and in all the way. 

At the end of open enrollment, most companies (all of the ones at which I worked) would send a notice to employees confirming their benefits for the next year.  Well, God has provided a Statement of Benefits that describe and confirm the benefits we have when we become His,  and it is called the “Holy Bible.”  The Bible provides information, inspired by God Himself through the Holy Spirit to cover every aspect of our lives.  In it, He assures us that we have no reason to fear the Evil One because even he is subject to Almighty God.  I can remember my mother telling me how just reading and meditating on Psalm 91 daily gave her the strength and courage to get through some of the darkest days in her life.  In her last days, even while in the Rehabilitation facility, I would sit and read that Psalm and I was amazed that at 93, with memory growing more dim, she would recite Psalm 93 as I read it aloud.  There was a time in my life that I was unsure of who I was in the family of God, and I began to read Psalm 139.  That Psalm gave me such a sense of the majesty of God and how He is so infinitely acquainted with every aspect of our lives even before we are born, He knows us!  I have made it a point to read that Psalm every year on or near my birthday.  

While the Psalms have been the source of spiritual encouragement for many, every book of the Bible has a special message to the child of God.  Genesis tells us of the beginnings of the world, of creation, of mankind, of the fall, of redemption and of the choice of the Jewish people as the people of His covenant  through which He would bless all the people of the world.  Exodus shows us God’s plan for establishing His people in the land that He gave to them and it reveals the special relationship and covering that He provided them.  To them God personally gave laws and commandments that would help them to survive spiritually, socially, and culturally in a pagan land.  Every book, all 66, reveals the God of the Universe, His love for us, His desire that we avoid sin and disobedience, His patient and longsuffering loyal love so that as many as believe will receive the blessing of relationship with Him.   Revelation, the last book of the Bible, provides the summary scope of benefits available to believers throughout eternity: praise for God and His Christ in the City of God forever, freed at last from even the very presence of sin!

If this is a benefit plan you want for yourself.  Now is open enrollment.  Don’t delay!  Why put-off the most important decision you will ever make in your life?  Every day is open enrollment, but there will come a time when enrollment closes:

“Since therefore it remains that some must enter it [the ‘rest of God which is another great benefit] and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, again He designates a certain day saying in David, ‘Today,’ after such a long time, as it has been said:

‘Today if you hear His voice,

Do not harden your hearts.’” 

If Today is the day you want to enter into the greatest benefit plan ever designed, one that is not only insurance againstloss and the fire of Hell but is also Blessed Assurance  of relationship with God and protection against the schemes of the enemy even in this life, just pray this prayer and mean it with all your heart:

“Lord Jesus, I confess I am a sinner, separated from you because of my sinful condition.  I desire to be brought near to you; I desire to become a part of the family of God.  I believe that You are the Son of God; that You lived among us and died for our sin on the cross; I believe that You were resurrected from the grave and You plead my case before God.  I accept the gift of eternal life through You. Amen.” 

That’s it!  Your open enrollment is complete and now you can began to read the Bible, God’s personal Statement of Benefits to you, His child.

I was watching a TV ministry show one morning (Marilyn and Sara) on TBN and Sara was showing the many advances in communication media over the years and how these advances are being used to spread the Gospel.  She had a “Victorola” ( floor console record player and radio on which you could play 78 rpm records) which many of you probably know nothing about.  I remember the Victorola we had when I was a child, and as I thought about it, I remembered the advertisement that RCA Victor(makers of the Victorola) used in those days.  Their ad showed a dog listening intently to the big end of the phonograph horn; the caption was “Hearing the Master’s voice.”

I mentioned last time that I have a little dog that brings a lot of joy to my life, and I have learned that dogs really do listen for their master’s voice (or their People-mom, as in my case with Robbie Sam).  If someone else gives him a command he will rarely acknowledge it; but when I give him a command, he listens up and obeys.  That started me to thinking about the importance of knowing whose voice we listen to.  Maybe dogs with their selective listening are on to something.

I find it fascinating that the first voice ever heard in time was the Almighty God, Creator, Maker and Sustainer of the universe.  When I read Genesis 1 I imagine the quiet chaos and void and then suddenly the voice of God: “Be light!” and there was light.  Father God and the God-head simply spoke creation into existence, and it happened, and it was all good.  Just think, the first voice that Adam , the man God created in His own image and Eve, the woman God created for Adam, ever heard was God Himself:”Then God blessed them, and God said to them ’Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’”(Gen 1: 26-28)  Wow! What a job description!!

Everything was fine as long as Adam and Eve listened to God’s voice.  But one day, Eve listened to the Serpent’s voice, and then Adam listened to Eve’s voice and the result was they stole fruit from the one tree in the whole of creation that God asked them not to touch.  I say “stole” because that tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil belonged to God.  He told them not to bother it.  They listened to another voice who conned them into thinking they could disobey God’s voice and of course, then came the fall.

God in His abundant grace and mercy did not give on His creation even though their disobedience opened the door to physical and spiritual death.  God spoke to Abram in Ur and Abram, who probably did not know God at the time, listened to His voice and followed His direction in faith (though not totally because he did take Lot with him, but that is another story).  Things were wonderful in Abram’s life as long as he listened to God.  God spoke to him and promised he would be father of many nations, changed his name to reflect that truth.  But one day, after so many years of not seeing the promise realized, Abraham listened to Sarah’s voice and of course that is how Hagar and Ishmael happened.  We still see the effects today of the eternal struggle between obedience and disobedience to God’s Word as we watch events played out on the stage that is the Middle East.  That act of disobedience has had and will have consequences throughout history.  There is only one son and Seed of promise and that son and Seed did not come from the bondwoman Hagar.

In the New Testament, just the sound of Jesus’ voice was enough to raise the dead, still the storms, and even after 3 days dead, Lazurus recognized the voice of his Friend Jesus and came out of the grave.  Throughout the Bible, good things happen when people listen to the Master’s voice.

This tells me that a lot is riding on whose voice you listen to.  There are so many voices in the world today.  Some say do this, others say do that.  We hear a report that we should eat this or drink that, and the next day, we hear a report backed up with just as much research that we should not eat this or drink that.  No wonder it gets confusing and even stressful.

I am so glad that in the worst times and in the best times we have a voice that we can listen to and be assured that it is the Master’s voice.  The more I read the Bible, the more I realize it is not simply a book of history, of prose and poetry.  It is a handbook for us.  Think of it this way, when an appliance, gadget or car is not operating as it should or if we have a question regarding maintenance, we consult the instruction manuel.  Well, God made us and He knew there would be times we would not operate as we should and we will need maintenance, so loving God that He is, He gave us a manual.  When you need a message of the power of God’s love and protection, read Psalm 91; when you think the whole world is caving in on you, read Job and learn how he dealt with loss; when you think God can never forgive you for some trespass you have committed, read I and II Samuel and I and II Kings about David, a man after God’s own heart.  When you need to hear from Jesus about how to live in this world, read Matthew 5; if you want to understand the great gift of salvation through Christ that was made available to Gentiles (that means us), read Romans, and if you want to know how much a preacher should love his congregation, read Colossians, Phillipians, and any of the letters Paul wrote to the churches founded throughout the world in his day. 

Here are truths I have learned in my life: God is in control; life is often tough; and it matters whose voice you listen to.  Just think, if the bumble bee had listened to everyone who said aerodynamically a bumble bee is not supposed to fly because the wings of a bumble bee are too small and the body of the bee is too large.  Think about that next time you see a bumble bee fly past.

It is truly amazing to me how much God loves us.  To a non-believer, perhaps that sounds trite.  But if you have not made the decision to come to the Almighty God, Creator, Maker and Sustainer of the universe, through faith in Christ, I can only say, you don’t know the joy you are missing.  In the high times of life, perhaps you are buoyed along by the temporal happiness of seeing things come together for your benefit; but if you live long enough, you will go through some low times, and without a relationship with God, you will go through it alone and I assure you, it can be tough.

I was going through just such a low time this time last year after the passing of my dear mother.  Losing her, was to me, the culmination of a period of loss in my life that I never planned on: in 2003, my health began to decline; in 2004, I had to give up my career due to my illness; my mother’s health was also in decline, and in 2006, she passed away.  It was a low time for me.  But I am so thankful that I had a relationship with God that sustained me.  Loving friends, family, and my church family never gave up on me and I know that their prayers went up before the Lord on my behalf.  Well, during that time, a dear friend decided the thing I needed was a dog.  Reluctantly, I agreed that maybe a dog would be good.  That is when a little silver-white Miniature Schnauzer came into my life.  He needed a “forever home” and we sort of adopted each other.  I named him Robbie Sam.  Since he is such a fine, handsome Southern dog, I thought he deserves a middle name.

Funny thing about Robbie Sam.  He doesn’t like to go in the yard.  He likes to be walked.  So here I am in a period of depression and I get this dog who must be walked at least twice everyday.  So we started to walk early mornings and late afternoons around the elementary school that is near my home.  It did not take long before I started to like the idea of getting up and out early.  You see, by getting up to take care of Robbie Sam’s needs, I had less time to dwell on my own sorrow. 

One of the things I enjoyed most was seeing the little kids going to school in the morning.  Just hearing them talk and seeing their bright faces made me feel better.  I began to realize that God had a big hand in what was happening.  I believe that God knew that by taking in a pet that needed love and a good home, I would learn some important life principles during a time when I really needed to hear from Him. 

It wasn’t long before I met the crossing guard for the kids.  I noticed that she was so pleasant and always had a kind face and kind words for the kids and their parents as they were dropped off each day.  She noticed Robbie Sam and me walking and she began to take a real liking to him.  She would stop us and pick Robbie up and tell me what a cute and well-behaved little dog he is.  In time, I started to look forward to seeing her because she is just so kind and loving.  Then I noticed one day, maybe it was something she said, or the way she said it, but she reminded me so much of my mother.  I finally told her how much she reminded of my mom who had passed away a few months earlier.  She took that as a compliment and it wasn’t long before we were spending time talking.

I learned that she is a very spiritual person.  She is 77 years old and has never had children, though she claims a lot of “spiritual children” that God has given her.  We were talking one day about some tragedy that had occurred involving the rising crime rate in our city.  She told me something that I will never forget.

She said if you want to know when danger is near, study the example of the mother hen and her chicks.  As long as there is no danger, the hen and chicks are content to spend time pecking away the day.  But when the shadow of the enemy hawk appears, the mother hen spreads her wings and calls to her chicks in a sound that only her chicks will recognize to come under the shelter of her wings.  “You see,” Ms. Birdie said (that is her name), “that hen knows that the enemy wants to destroy the chicks.  He is not interested in the mother hen, his eye is on the chicks.”  She explained that we can learn from that lesson.  Today, there is an enemy onslaught particularly targeted at our young people.  This is proven by statistics that show that in my mother’s day, 65% believed in the Bible and considered themselves “Christians.”  In my generation (The Boomers), the figure went down to 35%; but today, among young people, the figure is 4%.  The hawk is flying menacingly overhead to pick off the younger generations.  So what are we to do?  I agree with Ms. Birdie.  We Christians should “play chicken” and spread our wings of faith and pray for the protection of our children, our neighborhoods, our schools. 

In Ephesians, we are told that we have a great inheritance as believers.  We have been “blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ”(Eph. 1:3).  Moreover, we have been raised up together with Christ and made to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (2:6).  In other words, we are not weak and ineffectual if we are strong in our faith and stand firm in Christ.  We can be like the hen and take the offense against the evil that is present on every hand.  In fact, Ephesians 6:10-13 tells us to put on the whole armor of God and stand (withstand) the principalities and powers and rulers of the darkness of this age.  God tells us exactly the armor we are to put on and no part of it is designed for covering the back.  God did not intend that we retreat, nor does He intend that we be afraid and on the run from the rising evil tide.  No, like mother hen, we are to stand firm in Christ and resist the devil and his antics, and God promises that if we resist the devil he will flee. 

I have learned a great deal from Ms. Birdie.  Like mother hen, when I walk Robbie Sam around the school, I pray for the protection of that school, the children, the teachers, the parents, Ms. Birdie the crossing guard, in fact, our whole neighborhood.  Even though I don’t have children, I have a responsibility and through Christ, I have power to do spiritual battle against wickedness.  Greater is He who is in us, than he who is in the world (I John 4:4). 

Would you like to play chicken for your neighborhood?  If you a born-again believer in Christ Jesus, you are already equipped with everything you need to fight against the enemy.  If you are not a believer in Christ Jesus, you can be.  To receive Jesus as your Savior, and all that He has promised for us, just pray this prayer and mean it with all your heart:

Dear Jesus, I believe that You died for me and rose again.  I confess that I am a sinner and need Your love and forgiveness.  Come into my life, forgive my sins, and give me eternal life.  I confess You as my Lord.  Thank you for saving me!  Amen.

Welcome into the family of faith.   Be sure to get into a good Bible-believing church.  Pray, which is just talking to God about whatever is on your heart.  Read your Bible, starting with John, then Romans, then Ephesians.  These are books in the New Testament that are easy to read and so very rich in meaning for the believer. 

Now you are equipped to do battle, not against flesh and blood for our enemy is not human, but against the old devil and his evil influence.  Let’s play “chicken” over our neighborhoods, our cities, our nation.

This Father’s Day will be the 5th that I have not been able to share with my dad.  He passed away in August of 2001.  I have thought of him often though, nearly every single day.  Around Father’s Day, I really think of him.  This was the time of an annual ritual that I performed most of my adult life.  Father’s Day meant a trip to the mall to buy dad a shirt and whatever other article of menswear a convincing sales person told me “he just has to have this.”  Each box was specially giftwrapped and then I would shop for just the right card. To top off the occasion, I would bake dad his favorite: a chocolate cake.

After Dad passed away, I was cleaning out his things and I laughed when I found some of those boxes of shirts and other items that I thought dad “just had to have.”  They were packed away, still in those gift boxes and never worn.  But, I also discovered something else tucked away among the things I guess he treasured.  He kept all those cards; he even kept the letters I sent to him over the years.  To be sure, some of the envelopes were well-worn and the cards showed their age, but he kept them.  I must admit, they were a pleasant surprise and took my mind, even if only momentarily, away from the task of clearing away the vestiges of a life of 93 years.

A couple of years ago, I was going through a difficult time, for now I myself am dealing with a disabling condition, and during that time, I was also distraught about the changes that were occurring in my mother as her health began to decline.  I don’t remember how it happened, but for some reason, I was looking in a drawer and ran across something that he had written:  “God is in controle (sic).”  I clutched that little scrap of paper to my heart and I knew that even though he was no longer here with me, he left me this message to give me comfort in times such as those I faced, and am facing.

I wrote these words for his funeral to express what he meant to me and how he affected my life:

“The earliest childhood memories I have are those of my chubby arms reaching up for my daddy.  His face always seemed to light up when I called him ”Daddy.”  I was a “daddy’s girl” for sure, and some things never change.  But as I got older, and I don’t quite know when it happened, Daddy became my “father.”

My father stood with me through some of the high times and held me during some of the low times of my life.  I can remember his face being the first I would see as I opened my dazed eyes after a surgery of some sort.  Always standing there as tall as he could for his little girl. 

My father taught me many things.  It was always his desire that I “get an education.”  I think he wanted that for me more than I did, because he said he did not get the chance to go to school.  When I got my degree, my mom was in the audience and she was so proud; she hugged me as she beamed.  But inside I was thinking, “dad, this is for you!”

From early on Daddy taught me about Jesus, and when I was older, about accepting Him as my Savior.  He made it easy for me to understand that God was Father and Jesus was His Only Son, sent to save the world if we only believe.  When the movie, “The Ten Commandments” was released, I was a little girl, but Dad and I went to see it nine different times; and we discussed each detail of Moses’ life and the Exodus and God’s provision for His people.  Then he explained to me that just like the Israelites, we can all be God’s people because He loves us.  I did not always understand, but as I got older, I sure was glad he took the time.

Daddy was a self-taught man.  He amazed me because he could read and explain the Bible as well as anyone.  I remember even in his declining years, he would sit for hours with his magnifying glass reading his Sunday School Commentary.  Daddy was not a perfect man, and to him, it was OK if I am not perfect, either.  He always told me to learn to depend on Jesus and He will do the rest.

I thank you so much, Daddy, for being my father.  You taught me a father’s unconditional love.  I have heard it said that God gives us earthly fathers to show us a glimpse of what we have in Him, our Heavenly Father.  Thanks Daddy for the greatest gift you could give me: you taught me about The Father.  I miss you and I will see you again someday.”

‘Til then, I will do well to remember those words he wrote on that tattered scrap of paper: “God is in controle.”

There is a television show that caught my attention recently: America’s Top Model.   While I admit I am not a fan of the show, it does cause me to wonder why in the world  young women put themselves on parade before a panel of so-called judges, many of whom are not attractive and have less personality and presence than the would-be models they critique.  I can’t pick on this one show; the new TV “calculus” seems to be based on finding people who are willing to expose themselves to millions in competition with others.  In each show, the judges make decisions in a very sarcastic cavalier manner that determine who stays and who goes.  This is an example of the world’s system at its most basic: winning and losing.  The corollary is that there will be few that win and most will lose.

Last Saturday, I was blessed to be part of reunion of prayer partners that I have known for over 25 years.  We had fun reminiscing our prayer lives over the years; we looked back over our prayer journals and saw how faithful God has been in answering prayers.  We prayed for children that are now grown  and doing well in life.  We prayed for better jobs and we prayed for new jobs for those of us that lost jobs; we prayed for healing and people were healed; we prayed for marriages, and marriages were saved.   We serve an amazing God who desires so much to be a part of our lives.

A part of the reunion was set aside for Bible study and we studied the Lord’s Prayer.  We each were asked to write  3 things that the Lord’s Prayer meant to us.  I wrote that it was 1) a model for all prayer; 2) that it was taught by Jesus, Himself as the way to pray; 3) that it expressed a beautiful relationship in which God is the Father, our Father, and how privileged we are to be able to call on the God of the Universe as “Father.”

How does this relate to the subject of top models?  Quite simply, the Lord’s Prayer is the top model for our times, indeed for all times.  If we “model” this prayer in our prayer life, we win.  There is no loss.  We start by giving reverence to God as Father of all.  We acknowledge His holiness.  We invite His Kingdom into our very lives; we desire to be obedient to Him just as all of Heaven is obedient to Him.  Imagine how different this world would be if His will is done on earth as in heaven.  This model for prayer teaches that we are to be thankful for what He gives to us each day; we are not to be worried and anxious about what we will have or get next day, next week, next year or at the end of life.  “Give us this day, our daily bread.”  We are also told to forgive others the debts and trespasses we are owed, so the debts and trespasses God has against us can be forgiven.  We acknowledge the dangers and evils we face each day by asking God to “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”  Why can we ask this of God?  Because the world and the power over everything and all the glory and honor belongs to Him.  That is why we can go to Him for every need. 

America’s top model will never be found on a TV show.  We have been given the Top Model that we need for life and it is found in Matthew 6:9-13.

Tomorrow we celebrate a day of recognition for mothers.  This is a milestone for me as it is the first Mother’s Day without my mother; she passed away 6/8/2006.  Still, I celebrate her and every mother for what they do to make us the people we are.  I do this understanding that for some, there are no pleasant memories or experiences of a caring mother.  I have learned that while any female can birth a child, not every female can be a “mother”. 

In my own experience, my mother and dad adopted me at birth.  I thank God often for giving them to me and me to them.  They were not rich, but they gave me a good home.  They were not well-educated, but they were committed to giving me the best education they could for they knew the value of education.  They could not give me great wealth, but they gave me great love.  My mom, through her life and her strength taught me the importance of faith, and in the struggles she faced, she taught me how faith graduates to trust.  She totally trusted God for her life.  Her life preached a “sermon” for she lived peacefully, lovingly, and she always had a word of encouragement for others. 

When we receive salvation through Christ, the Bible teaches that we are given spiritual gifts.  I have often wondered what are mine; but I knew for a fact that my mother’s spiritual gift was love and encouragement.  She always looked for the best in others and she encouraged others to be the best.  Her encouragement was the fuel of my accomplishment in life.  I know she was a gift from God, for she was a spiritual mother to many.  I never minded sharing her for she had so much love to give.

For those who are blessed to have a mother like mine, I know you share the sentiment that I have.  If you are blessed to still have her in this life, let her know how much you love and appreciate her.  For others who may not have been as fortunate, just remember, God did not only give us the gift of mothers, He also gave the gift of His Son so that through Him, we enter a large family in which our every need, the source of all our strength, the supply of every good thing, may be found.

To commemorate my mom and other moms who are no longer with us, I planted a lovely rose bush.  It has bright red blooms and every time I see it, I will think of her, I will think of mothers, and I will thank God for the gift of mothers.

When I told my cousin that I was getting my own blog, her response was “Great! What’s a blog??”

I told her I intend that my blog will be a chronicle of sorts to express my views and musings on life as I see it from a Christian perspective.  I went on to say, a blog is the papyrus scroll of today, the new expression medium, an opportunity to touch the world through cyberspace.

“Great,” she said again, “and what will you do with it?”

That is my challenge: how do I use my cyberspace papyrus scroll to touch the world.  And so begins my chronicle…