Monthly Archives: August 2024

Even Now

Mary, Martha and Jesus

Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” —John 11:21-22

The two words “even now” were brought to light to me in a recent sermon. They are spoken by Martha in the midst of what must have been one of the most trying times of her life. Her brother whom she loved dearly had died, and Jesus, whom she knew to be the Messiah, had not come in time to help him. But even in the the midst of this upheaval in her life, she was able, in faith, to say that even now she knew Jesus could be anything. And, amazingly, he did. He raised Lazaras!

Fast-forward to today. Even now, in the midst of wars around the world. Even now, with political unrest in our nation. Even now, with mass shootings and violence. Even now, with those we love sick or dying. Even now, with our own physical or mental struggles, we can still say with certainty by faith, to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, “I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” And he will.

Inspiration

Robert Frost Trail
Scene along the Robert Frost Trail in Green Mountain National Forest

The famous American poet Robert Frost got inspiration for his poetry from the nature he witnessed around him on his walks through the woods near Green Mountain in the state of Vermont. I had an opportunity to take the path that Frost took through the woods of Vermont and witness for myself the trees, the meadows, the roads diverging in a yellow wood that elicited such a creative response.

What inspires you in this world? More specifically, what does the Holy Spirit inspire you to notice to help you learn more about our God? For many, it is indeed nature that inspires us to draw closer to the God who created all things. For others, inspiration comes from books, articles and podcasts that open our minds to the meaning behind the works and words of God. Often, it is music, and many times, it is simply a word, phrase or response from a friend that strikes us in a way that makes God come alive for us.

Inspiration is the primary work of the Holy Spirit. That is why it is important for us to stop and recognize that we are being inspired by something or someone. It is the Spirit of God speaking to us and telling us to pay attention. So be open to inspiration and do something with it when it comes you…like write a poem.

Barns

barn

On a morning walk while I was in Iowa recently, I passed a large, old, rustic barn that has been preserved along what has become a more modern, suburban road. The stark contrast of this farming structure in the midst of new construction homes made me think more deeply about barns and what they have to say to us as modern-day Christians.

Surprisingly, barns are mentioned several times in Scripture to represent different things.

The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you undertake; he will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you (Deuteronomy 28:8).

Barns are a sign of blessing from God. They store the bountiful harvests of plants that come from God’s creation, and they represent a thriving and established community, which God will give the Children of Israel in the Promised Land.

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? (Matthew 6:26).

Jesus describes barns in his Sermon on the Mount as places that birds of the air have no need of because the heavenly Father takes care of them without the birds worrying about where their food will come from. Barns in this case are symbols of buildings that we fret over filling, when we should trust that God will keep us filled, even if our barns may not be full.

Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.”

In the parable of the rich fool, barns represent greed and amassing earthly wealth for our own personal gain. Jesus points out that we should store up treasures in heaven instead of riches here on earth. In the end, gifts of forgiveness, faith in Jesus and love for God and one another are more valuable than anything that can be stored in a barn, which will one day be destroyed.

Be on the lookout for barns on your travels this week, if you are able, and remember the lessons that can be learned from them for our walk with the Lord.

A Little Chapel

Chapel

On my recent trip to Vermont, I visited the Trapp Family Lodge, where the real von Trapp family of The Sound of Music fame lived and worked after they left Europe. One of the features of the grounds around the lodge is a hike to a little stone chapel in the woods that one of the sons, Werner von Trapp, built in honor of the fallen comrades he served with during World War II.

I decided to take a look at this little chapel. The hike started off pleasant enough until I reached a very steep path covered with sharp rocks, twisted tree roots and various holes and ruts. As I was huffing and puffing my way up the hill, contemplating turning around, a couple was coming down the path toward me. One of them looked at me in my beleaguered state and said, “You can make it. It is right around the corner.” I did make it, and it was just around the corner. I enjoyed looking at the careful craftsmanship of the building, and I rang the bell on a rope in celebration of my arrival at this little house of the Lord.

On my way down, there were a few hikers coming toward me, and they asked, “How far?” I said, “Just at the end of this hill. It’s steep, but it is worth it.” I was able to pass on my experience to them and encourage them to continue their journey to the chapel.

On our way to our own churches each Sunday, the devil likes to throw obstacles in our path. Our tired bodies, sports games on TV or delicious brunch menus at a local restaurant are like the rocks and roots and holes that almost stopped me from reaching that church in the woods. What are some things that have prevented you from going to church? Think of how you can avoid those things in the future so that you can enjoy time with the Lord and celebrate him in his house through word and song.

It is good for us, too, to be able tell others who are considering going to church after being absent from it for awhile or who have never set foot in one before that it is worth to go. Our words of encouragement and our recounting of our experiences at church may be just what people need to hear to attend worship and be blessed by it.

New Shoes

shoes

For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. Ephesians 6:15

After many years, I finally got some new shoes. I was impressed with how much cushion and support my new shoes have compared to my old, worn-down, worn-out pairs that I had been suffering along with for so long.

It seems funny to me that shoes are mentioned as a vital part of the armor of God in Ephesians 6. Why are shoes so important? They are important because they protect our feet, they keep us balanced and they make us stand firm and ready for the challenges ahead.

Why, then, does the Bible associate shoes with peace? The peace we have with God is like a good pair of shoes because it gives us comfort and support, it gives us confidence that we can move forward in our journey of faith, and it protects from any obstacles in our path to unity with God through Christ.

Think about the peace we have with God whenever you put on your shoes today, and see what impact God’s peace has on your approach to the world.

Getting Tripped Up?

tripping

But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. Psalm 73:2

On my walks in the morning, I am finding that no matter how hard I try not to, I will always trip a little at some point on a crack in the sidewalk or a twig on the cement or on uneven ground. But invariably, after a few seconds of imbalance and then righting myself, I am able to continue walking.

Which got me to thinking: What trips us up on our walk of faith? The most obvious is probably temptations from the devil that can stop us in our tracks toward God and make us stumble in our commitment to him. But God has given us the strength not to fall down into temptation but to get back up and move forward in our path toward an even greater belief in him.

Sometimes what trips us up is our own egos or our sense that we can walk through life all by ourselves. But we are reminded again and again that we can do all things only through him who gives us strength. We cannot save ourselves. We need the presence of God to lead us and guide us where he wants us to go.

We can also get tripped up by doubts and fears that try to knock us down. But the Bible tells us over and over never to doubt or fear because God sent us Jesus to open the way to heaven for us through his death and resurrection so that our future is certain and secure, no matter what is attempting to trip us up currently.

So enjoy your walk of faith today. God will never let you lose your footing.