Happy Easter

 

April 16   from my journal

Easter Sunday I am one of the greeters for our church. The greeting is going well until I hear myself say, "Happy New Year." Where did that come from? "And Happy New Year to you,” the people respond. Then it dawns on me. It is a Happy New Year on the church calendar. The church began with His resurrection. Without Easter there is no Christian church. So “Happy New Year.”

“Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)

Good Friday

 

 

 

April 18

Now that I realize what Jesus did that Friday, good seems an understatement. Why isn't it Great Friday or Sacrifice Friday or Super Friday or God Friday? A friend reminds me this time of the year that,  “you have to go through Good Friday in order to get to Easter." Jesus knew He had to die for us to live.  That first Friday was indeed, God Friday.

Even during those excruciating hours on the cross, Jesus had the compassion to pray, "Father, Forgive them for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34)

HUGH

 

April 17 from my journal

He walks down our street twice a day always waving when a car passes. Hugh will keep an eye on the house when you are away and take in any packages. One rainy morning I saw Hugh going driveway to driveway, picking up the newspaper and tossing it closer to the front door so people wouldn’t get wet. This is not a trivial service from someone who is 91. Hugh is a Godly example of what  the Lord wants us all to be.

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39)

A Cross

                      

April 16

St. Anne's Shrine is located on a hillside not far from our lake house in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. Joy climbs the steep stairs to the large cross. "Then I saw dozens of hair pretties lying about, left by women who were moved to leave part of themselves there.” Joy says that the Cross is a double invitation." We can take everything we need from it like; hope, love and our salvation, and we are invited to leave at the foot of the cross what we don't need like; worries, fears and our sins."  Not hair pretties.

"Come take up the cross, and follow Me." (Mark 10:21)

            "Don’t Go to Phoenix"

 April 10  from my journal

I am spending a day "with the Lord." I am trying to emulate Psalm 46  “be still and know that I am God.” I hear a voice in my head make a clear demand.

"Take off your hat," I do! "Get to know me through My Word." "Don't go to Phoenix." WHAT!

I heed the voice and cancel my trip to a business conference in Arizona. God knows why, I don’t, I just obey.

"...when you turn to the Lord your God and obey his voice, He will not forsake nor destroy you." (Deuteronomy 4:30-31)

                   

23^rd Psalm

April 9

This Psalm I hear most often at funerals. But most of the words are for us, the living.

"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” That is for us-here and now.
“Green pastures and still waters” are for living sheep. “Your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
 I sense God's presence every day, indeed “my cup overflows" with His love here and now.
"Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.” Present tense.

Psalm 23 ends with "and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Future tense.

Going Fulltime

 

April 5    from my journal     Going Fulltime

 

At breakfast a businessman tells me, “Maybe I need to be full-time in Christian ministry."
I hear myself say, “Maybe it isn't about being in full-time Christian ministry but about being a full-time Christian." I needed to hear that myself. "That statement didn't come from me, it just came out of my mouth."

"Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 6:18)