The following reflections are a compliment to Come Expected Jesus: An Advent Devotional for the Family.

Day 1

     Young children rarely struggle with believing that God exists and that He created all things.  It is true because Mom or Dad said so! LOL. Over time, however, there comes a whispering voice (probably much like the serpent’s voice in the garden of Eden) that throws out the question, “is God REALLY real?” The apostle Paul indicates we are given the evidence through creation and that much like with Adam and Eve we examine and choose to accept a lie.  I struggled for many years as a teen and young adult with God and creation.  Eventually His wisdom prevailed and asked me what specifically I was hung-up on.  I wanted to reconcile all that I had been “taught” in public school and university with what God says He did in the Bible.  I laughingly realized of course I couldn’t and to do so was putting God in a box through the foolish speculations of men (and my own heart wanting to go my own way).  My God is an ALL or nothing kind of God.  He went ALL in on ALL His works – including me and you – with specific plans and purposes for our good.  Faith is taking God at His word – especially on this.  It is a foundation that He will continually build upon as He reveals the “WHY”.  Help your children grasp that the “how” isn’t important – it is all about the “why.”  Jesus loves you, this I know.

Day 2

     As an educator of young children and a parent, I was bombarded with “Why?” continuously.  I don’t think we ever stop asking that question!  Finding the answer to whatever “why” we have at any given moment can either drive us crazy in our own and/or other’s opinions or drive us towards the One with all the answers. Seeking God’s wisdom brings all “whys” closer to His perspective: He loves us (you, me, ALL people) and He wants to have a relationship with all of us.  In Genesis 1:27 God reveals that we are “made in His image.” We are created very different from the rest of creation with a spiritual DNA so to say that causes a heart’s desire that is only satisfied by Him and through Him.  People hold a very special place in God’s heart, and He deeply desires that ALL will come to know Him. Jesus loves you, this I know.

Day 3

     One of the biggest “why” hurdles that both children and adults alike have difficulty with is evil/sin. God doesn’t wonder about it, it doesn’t surprise Him, He has always known about it.  When God gave warning about eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, His phrasing indicates He knew that both Adam and Eve WERE going to stop trusting Him and follow their own feelings, opinions, and belief (aka: sin.) God didn’t create flawed people.  He created people with free will – the freedom to choose.  Sadly, we all choose the wrong way (Romans 3:23) just like Adam and Eve – “bad news” 🙁

     Helping children grasp the reality of the “bad news” (sin and death) is necessary to understand and receive the “Good News” (forever life with LORD.)  Reassure children (and yourself) amid the bad things that happen, that before God even started His creation, He made a way for people to be reconciled with Him through Jesus, the “seed” that would rescue those who choose Him and crush the head of the enemy (death).  He is in control of the situation.  God “allows” sin to exist for His purposes and ultimately for His glory, because Jesus loves you, this I know.

Day 4

       Little steps of faith lead to bigger steps of faith.  I think this was true of Abraham.  Abraham experienced God’s faithfulness even when Abraham allowed fear and feelings to make bad choices.  God tested Abraham’s faith such that God’s lovingkindness (grace and mercy) was always revealed in the outcomes.

     This was especially true in the case of God’s test concerning Abraham and his son, Isaac.  This incident demonstrates the extent of God’s heart in that He desires our relationship with Him to be the priority in our life and that when He asks us to do hard things, we can trust Him with the outcomes.  God asked Abraham to “offer” his beloved son – just as God would “offer” His son, Jesus.  Abraham put the wood on Isaac’s back just as a wooden cross was put on Jesus’ back.  God, Himself, provided the substitutionary sacrifice required.  Abraham trusted God with Isaac’s future and we can trust Him with our future as well.  God’s plan for Abraham is also His plan for you and me.  It always points to Jesus who loves you, this I know.

Day 5

     I love to go visit the zoo in the late fall when the second or third cool fronts have lowered the south Texas humidity to at least 60% and heat index to a balmy 70^o. The animals love it too – especially the lions.  There are 2 male lions at the zoo I frequent that like to roar this time of year.  Their habitat is in the middle of the zoo – but you can hear them clearly from the parking lot.  Those roars always instill a feeling of acknowledgement that lions are powerful and solicit awe (respect).  I think that was God’s point as He portrays Jesus as the Lion of Judah.

       Some clarification here about lions in the Bible.  Satan is also described as a lion, more specifically as a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8).  Both indicate great strength and power – but the difference is the way in which the word is used in context.  Satan is akin to just a lion – a creature that, yes, is powerful to wreak havoc, to maim and kill, but still a created being.  In Revelation 5:5, “Lion” is capitalized and used as a name – most specifically of Jesus – eternally the King of kings – the real LION KING. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon suggests that looking closely at the broader context of Scripture where lions are mentioned indicate the LION KING is characterized as a “brave and mighty hero” that rescues from death.  Jesus the LION KING loves you, this I know.

Day 6

     Not all get to choose the government/nation under which they live, however, all get to choose their king.  We are all subjects in a kingdom – the kingdom of self or of God.  As in the garden, the kingdom of self declares its own edict to God, “You’re not the boss of me!” The kingdom of self enslaves one to attempting to provide for itself that which only God can do and so lives a life of conflict and misery.

     Jesus the King, however, reigns over a kingdom that reflects His character – a king like no other.  Isaiah 9:6-7 tells us He is called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Prince of Peace and proceeds to describe a kingdom of increase, justice, righteousness, and peace that is eternal.  This King has always been in existence and will continue to exist.  Someday all will be forced to their knees when the King returns in all His glory (Phil. 2:10), but for now He is patiently waiting for those who willingly draw near as true subjects, to experience in the here and now as well as eternally, a wonderful relationship with a loving Father who provides all things needed.  Jesus is the King who walks beside and guides in the Way of His kingdom, providing strength and courage to overcome the kingdom of self. His encouragement through His counsel leads to hope and peace.  Jesus desires you to be a part of His everlasting kingdom because He loves you, this I know.

Day 7

     Just because you cut down a tree doesn’t mean you have killed it – especially true of crepe myrtles.  When we bought our second home the original owner had not considered the damage that a mature tree would do planted a few feet from the house.  We naively thought we could cut it down, drill holes in the stump, put in stump killer and move on.  Soon, where one tree had stood, we had a multitude of crepe myrtle shoots filling a 10’ x 10’ area of our new flower bed.  We battled that stump for the four years we lived there.  I went by that house a few years ago.  There are now several large crepe myrtle trees growing next to the house. The root system of that stump must have been very deep and wide.  That stump prevailed.

      Roots are very important in prevailing.  Jeremiah 17:7-8 defines spiritual rootedness as trusting in the Lord in such a way that there is evidence of the benefits of such trust.  Roots weather storms such that one will not just survive but thrive.  Storms will come and some will be very bad and long enduring.  Trusting in God enables one to face storms without fear and the overwhelming anxiety that paralyzes. Trusting in the Lord brings an inner joy and peace as He is seen providing all that is needed. Trusting in the Lord strengthens one’s relationship such that spiritual fruit is produced.

     God caused the stump of Jesse to prevail in such a manner. When the tree of David seemingly was cut/destroyed for hundreds of years, Jesus came into a young family from that stump that had deep roots.  God was faithful to His promise to David, and He will be for you.  Jesus is your deep roots, and He loves you, this I know.

Day 8

     A pastor once pointed out that genealogies in the Bible are interesting stories in themselves. On the surface they can be quite boring, however, when you can connect an interesting fact with many of the people within a genealogy you can see how God worked in and through the generational details to carry out His plan of salvation.

     In the New Testament there are two different genealogies of Jesus that are very important in establishing Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s promise to David that the Messiah would come from his family line.  Both accounts (Matt. 1:1-17 & Luke 3:23-38) substantiate that, yes, Jesus was born of David’s family line but also that He was born supernaturally through Mary.  In short, Joseph’s line (Matt.) points to the fact that he can’t be Jesus’ father because Joseph was a direct descendent of Jeconiah (a great grandson of Solomon) with whom God cut off from the covenant for his abject rejection of God (Jer. 22:30).  Mary’s line, through her father Eli in Luke’s account, shows that Jesus is the descendent of Nathan who was Solomon’s brother (1Chron 3:4).  Mary and Joseph were related through the tribe of Judah just as we are all related to one another (the human race) through Adam as Mary’s genealogy points out.  God wants us to know He has a plan of redemption for ALL of us and He is very involved in each detail because He loves you, this I know.

Day 9

     Joseph’s genealogy is very important in that God choose an earthly father for His Son that had a heart that trusted God (like David) AND that would put him and Mary in Bethlehem at just the right time. I love to think upon the account of Jesus’ birth in Luke.  God shows His heart for the lowly and the poor in announcing the birth of the King of kings to shepherds.  I am sure all – including Mary – were clueless in the manner of salvation that this King would bring.  God gave a clue that day in that the baby Jesus was wrapped in swaddling cloths prepared for unblemished lambs destined for the atoning sacrifice in the temple.  What is clear is that God’s plan of great JOY, set in motion before He started creation, was intended for ALL people as the angels declared.  Jesus came because He loves you, this I know.

Day 10

     Jesus wasn’t the Messiah people expected and most miss recognizing Him as such.  Even John the Baptist had to have help (John 1:32-34). Biblical prophecy can seemingly present a distorted line of site and/or timing such that in the moment even godly men can’t recognize fulfillment.  A biblical scholar once analogized this concept as standing on a mountaintop and looking across the horizon towards other mountaintops.  You can see other mountaintops, but you can’t see the valleys in between. People tend to focus in on one or two specific points of prophecy (the mountain top) and lose the overall intention of God’s plans and purposes which are usually played out in the valleys. People want to see the conquering King that wields justice and defeats all enemies. God wants us to first grasp His character which is fully reflected in His Son, Jesus. God reveals to all His good intentions through the Servant Messiah.  Jesus, through His gentleness and mercy, calls all to enter into a forever relationship that by its nature and power defeats all enemies in the here and now as well as in the future.  Jesus loves you, this I know.

Day 11

     Jesus’ final entry into Jerusalem is recorded in all 4 Gospels. It is clear that Jesus orchestrated the event by arriving on the colt of a donkey as an announcement to the world and especially to the Jews that He is the Messiah that God spoke of through the prophets and worthy of the praise and honor that the people gave Him.  It is clear that the people saw Him only as one who would hopefully free the Jewish people and the land from Roman rule (i.e.: a political leader) and not one that would free them from the bondage of sin. The lack of humility got in the way of seeing things clearly.

     Humility is recognizing that “GOD is GOD” and “I am not”.  That He alone is holy and is worthy of my homage which includes not just the lip service of praise but also a lifestyle of following Him that reflects His character.  Jesus demonstrated true humility in that He set aside His right to respond as God to become an obedient servant to the Father’s will on our behalf. (Phil 2:5-11).  Jesus desires for us a heart of humility that leads to genuine praise of the King.   Jesus loves you, this I know.

Day 12

     The posture of humility encompasses a view of God as holy – a concept I must admit that I, along with most in our present age and culture, am unable to wrap my brain around. God in His grace helps me glimpse a small measure through “the Lamb standing as if slain”.  As A.W. Tozer most elegantly proposes in Knowledge of the Holy,

 “We must like Moses cover ourselves with faith and humility while we steal a quick look at the God whom no man can see and live……We must hide our unholiness in the wounds of Christ as Moses hid himself in the cleft of the rock while the glory of God passed by.  We must take refuge from God in God.  Above all we must believe that God sees us perfect in His Son while He disciplines and chastens and purges us that we may be partakers of His holiness.”

     The Lamb’s scars are not for God, but for us to see and be reminded of God’s holy (perfect) plan to reconcile an unholy people to Himself.  Jesus, the Holy Lamb, loves you, this I know.

Day 13

     I was directing my grandkids to choose a few favorite Advent reproducible ornaments as they were helping me test some of the crafts for the devotional.  My granddaughter, who was 4 at the time, grabbed the lamb photo as a “first pick” because “He’s SOOOOO cute!” Big brother’s response was, “You know he dies.” “MEME!!!!!”, she wailed.

     I pointed out that that photo she adored was “touched up” and showed her the original photo of the lamb covered with ugly spots of mud and dirt.  I explained that the spots represent all the wrong things people have ever done, will do today and will ever do in the future.  Being old enough to understand discipline and the resulting “OUCH!”, I then explained that Jesus chose to experience the ultimate “OUCH!” (death) even when He had never done anything wrong.  Jesus loves all people so much that when He took the punishment of ALL peoples’ wrongs, God honored Him by forgiving all people who trust and believe in Jesus. Jesus’ blood is like the software that turns the spots white or washes them away so that when God sees us – He sees His precious perfectly white Lamb.  Jesus, our substitutionary Lamb loves you, this I know.

Day 14

       An empty plastic egg is a huge let down to a 5 year old.  That was how old my youngest was when “Resurrection Eggs” became a popular tool to tell children about Jesus.  My announcement,  “’This egg’ is why we celebrate!” probably didn’t help.  The empty egg wasn’t what he expected.  It would take a few more years before he would fully grasp the significance of what that empty egg really meant.  Much like all of us, even the disciples, it takes time to respond in faith. And when faith interacts with knowledge and understanding then the celebration naturally comes – at any time and in every season.

     The empty tomb isn’t a quiet mystery.  It is a bold and loud declaration of hope.  Phil Wickham’s song, “Living Hope” sums this up very well:

          Then came the morning that sealed the promise.

          Your buried body began to breathe.

          Out of the silence, the roaring lion,

          Declared the grave has no claim on me.

          Jesus, yours is the victory!

          Hallelujah, praise the one who set me free.

           Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me.

          You have broken every chain.

          There’s salvation in your name.

          Jesus Christ, my living hope.

     Jesus, our roaring lion King, loves you, this I know.

Day 15

     “I’M GOING TO SAVE THE WORLD! Not today. Maybe tomorrow,” declared my 4 year old suddenly from his car seat in the back. There was a long silence then, “I’m a hero.”  Even as adults, we are still drawn to the childhood storyline of the knight in shining armor swooping in to slay the dragon and save the damsel in distress. And much like my son in that moment, we want to be the hero.  More often than not, however, I find myself as the one crying out for help and in distress.  This is where Jesus reminds me that I know how the story ends.  Jesus has already saved me, defeated the dragon of death and someday He will return riding in on his white horse to swoop me (princess bride/Church) to live with Him…..happily ever, ever. I can stand in His peace with confidence of this true hope.  Jesus our hero, the KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS, loves you, this I know.

(Side note about the book cover)

     I struggled for months over the cover of Come, Expected Jesus.  In early drafts that I gave as  gifts, I used several “Christmas” themed covers.  I sensed this time, however, that I was to present this current project differently.  I prayed earnestly while I finished up the manuscript and sent the rough draft out for editing.

     Soon after and VERY early one morning I woke out of a deep sleep recalling Rev. 19:11-21.  I did not include this passage in the book for obvious reasons. The description of Jesus is so metaphorical that it would be very disturbing to children and even to some adults.

     “What are You trying to tell me, Lord?” I asked.  “Did I hear you wrong and should have included this?”

     “What did John see first?” was the reply.

     In that moment I literally saw the cover much like it is currently published.  Yes, I can honestly say that my hero arrives on a white horse.

Day 16

     “Wait for it – it’s going to be good.”

     Jesus appeared many times to His followers after His resurrection finalizing preparations with them for what they were ultimately going to accomplish in His name as His witnesses to the whole world. But first He commissioned them with the task – WAIT – for the Holy Spirit’s baptism.  The Holy Spirit would be the Helper that would enable His followers to accomplish everything the He asked and more.

     It is telling that the first account of the Holy Spirit’s “infilling” is revealed first by the sound of a loud wind and then by visible “tongues of fire” over each of those few devout followers who were gathered in God’s house for the celebration of Pentecost (a Jewish celebration of harvest).  Although the moment of Jesus’ gift of the Holy Spirit is not as dramatic as that first time, the resulting work is just as powerful.  It is through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that our hearts are changed to be able to not only hear the voice of God and see what He is doing, but also to equip us to “speak of the mighty deeds of God” (Acts 2:11) that brings about the harvesting of souls.  It is the Holy Spirit that reveals and seals in the heart the truth that Jesus loves you, this I know.

Day 17

     I was standing in the grocery store check-out line and noticed that the woman in front of me had, “Jesus has my back” printed tastefully on the back shoulder of the t-shirt she was wearing.  What a great example of literally putting on the armor of God by choosing to declare Jesus as my shield!

     The first occurrence of the word “shield” in the Bible is when God, Himself, uses it in self-description to Abram (Gen 15:1) before He makes His covenant.  In my search for more understanding of shield used in its biblical context, I found of course the obvious characteristic of protector, but also the subtleties of help, ruler, salvation, truth, trustworthiness, and faithfulness.  In the Psalms, David used a form of shield that in the literal sense meant “to be prickly.” This describes a kind of shield that was marked by points like a thorny hedge and was curved such that it provided protection to the backside as well as the front.

     Jesus wants us to know that as children of God, He has our back. He surrounds us on all sides to save us, help us, protect us, and lead us in His way of truth.  Jesus loves you, this I know.

Day 18

       “Meme, we’re going the wrong way!  We have to go back!”, declared my panic stricken co-pilot holding my phone with the map app. We had just traveled through a very confusing interchange in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex area and as I looked over at my grandson’s face filled with anxiety and lack of confidence in navigational skill, I realized that our trip was in need of an unplanned stop. I first commended him in recognizing that we were on the wrong highway and since he was fairly new to co-piloting I suggested a stop to assess the situation.  Was trying to backtrack through an unfamiliar interchange of 5 highways with unclear signage in heavy traffic really a best choice?  I took the opportunity to not only teach him something about navigation, but also trust in the driver (to know not to go back to confusing intersections!)  We mapped out a different way that although took longer to reach our destination, ended up as an enjoyable scenic drive through tree lined neighborhoods, and around a large lake with beautiful parks of green grass along the shoreline.

       In our faith journey with Jesus, we forget that He is the driver.  He wants us to recognize when we are going the wrong way.  He wants us to stop, seek Him, and work with Him and through Him a course correction that brings peace and joy.  Jesus really wants to lead us beside still waters, because He loves you, this I know.

Day 19

       My father-in-law, Orval, suffered from dementia in the last few years of his life to the point where the family felt it best to place him in a memory care facility.  He knew he wasn’t “home”, and he experienced some periods of anxiety when he was, “Ready to leave here!” and, “Would someone come please pick me up from the station?”  Even though he didn’t know where he was in time or place, he never lost his identity as a follower of Jesus.  And that knowledge impacted an entire community.

       Neil T. Anderson writes, “The most important belief that we possess is a true knowledge of who God is.  The second most important belief is who we are as children of God, because we cannot consistently behave in a way that is inconsistent with how we perceive ourselves.”  Orval functioned in memory care like he always did in the years I knew him – following his Good Shepherd.  He greeted everyone with a smile and welcomed each face.  He asked workers, patients, and visitors alike, “How can I pray for you today?”.  Orval spoke lovingly of Jesus, praised the LORD aloud throughout his day with joy and gratefulness, carried his Bible around and read it, and prayed – on his knees – every night.  We did not realize the impact of his “way of living life” until his last days when all the workers who had had interaction with Orval came to visit him in hospice and shared with us how their lives were forever changed because of Orval’s daily demonstration of an identity wrapped up in a genuine relationship with Jesus.

       Jesus wants for you what Orval has. An abundant life in and through Him (see John 10:7-18, 26-29) because He loves you, this I know.

Day 20

     One of my favorite parables that Jesus told was about the house built on the rock that stood the CAT5 hurricane storm test.  Matthew’s version indicates this man is “wise” and Luke’s rendition tells us “how” the man was wise: “who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock,” (Luke 6:48).  Jesus is telling us that when we do the work of digging into His Word, not only believing He is the rock on which secures the foundation, but also “practicing” His blueprint for building, we will not just survive the inevitable storms, but stand firm and unshaken in the midst of them.  Jesus wants us to have, “joy in chaos” and “peace that makes no sense” (from the song: Firm Foundation by Chandler Moore) because He loves you, this I know.

Day 21

       Jesus knew exactly who He was.  At the age of twelve He had already identified Himself in relationship with Father God,  “increasing in wisdom and stature” (Lk 2:49-52).  His brothers and home townsmen, like most of the world, couldn’t see him as the Son of God, only as a home builder (see Matt. 13:53-58).  Building, however, was something He once did (a trade), but it isn’t the whole truth of “who He IS”.

       In all Jesus’ “I am” statements, He is very specific about His identity, character, mission, and purpose.  Jesus is Christ, inviting us to share with Him relationship with Father God much like He did with that mixed group of fishermen, a tax collector, a physician, and others over 2,000 years ago.  Like those first followers, when I acknowledged and embraced the truth of Jesus’ identity, then the foundation of my identity changed from one who was dead/imprisoned to one forever alive and free – a beloved child of God.  Jesus truly is the way, the truth and the life, because He loves you, this I know.

Day 22

     My younger sister and I are 13 months apart and as a gift to one another for our 50^th birthdays we celebrated a “year of Jubilee” together.  We started on my 50^th by committing to discover what Jubilee would look like for a modern day Christian and actually practicing what we discovered. Then for her 50^th, we celebrated by comparing notes and sharing stories of how Jesus worked through our discoveries.

     One of the aspects of Jubilee is “doing justice”.  This aspect took some time for me to grasp but, from our understanding of the biblical phrase and context, this is a call to treat others fitly and fairly; to treat others with due appreciation, enjoy others properly; and to behave in a manner worthy of my ability. Jesus perfectly demonstrated what this looks like throughout the Gospels in accordance with Matt 22:37-39.  Jesus loves Father God wholeheartedly and submits to God’s way of justice. Jesus sees us as God sees us with such passion that He perfectly fulfilled the “just due consequences” (death) for our unrighteousness so that we could, through Him, not only be justified but also have the ability to see AND treat one another as He does. Jesus loves you, this I know.

Day 23

     “I need a hug,” I sighed under my breath.  It had been a long night volunteering in a leadership role at a hot air balloon festival on our church campus with another challenging day and night looming before us. My husband, Paul, and I were strategizing our next task when the event chairperson called us over to the tethered balloon area.  “Your next,” she declared.  For someone very prone to motion sickness, I was hesitant, but not wanting to reject the gift offered, I climbed into the basket with Paul and up we went.  It was an awesome experience to be above the bustling crowd of people below and to have a unique view of the racing balloon launch.  As our balloon descended, I realized I wasn’t feeling any motion sickness, but instead a fresh and renewed strength. I had just been given a bird’s eye view reminder of the vision of what Jesus was doing through the event in which we were called to serve.

     Jesus’ hugs come in lots of ways, shapes, and sizes, but as always in the most perfect timing to encourage, bring joy, and remind that He loves you, this I know.

Day 24

     “Be Prepared” is a motto I grew up with as a Girl Scout. “Willingness alone is not sufficient in serving; knowing the job well and anticipating issues is the key,” I was told.  This training was helpful in living life; however, it wasn’t until my relationship with Jesus began to grow that I began to understand the “spiritual wisdom” side of preparedness.  Preparing practically for things and anticipating issues is wise and of good reward even in the secular world.   Adding the spiritual dimension of knowing Jesus to preparedness, however, takes the practice of this wisdom to a whole different level.

     Jesus sent his disciples out with nothing but the clothes on their backs, but He didn’t send them out “unprepared.”  Their training or preparedness was given through their close relationship with Jesus.  Listening to what He said, watching Him work, rest, eat, pray, worship, etc., and doing what He did living life (aka: spending A LOT of time with Jesus). When my first activity of preparation (for anything – particularly my day) begins with time with Jesus, He fills my lamp with oil and keeps it lit so that I can see Him working in the execution of those plans.  My time with Him prepares my heart to hold my own plans loosely, broadens my perspective to see people and situations with love and compassion, and to respond to others with a measure of the grace and mercy He extends to me that results in joy! (See Luke 10:1-24) Jesus wants to prepare you for this joy filled experience as well, because He loves you, this I know.

Day 25

            I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God:

            For He has clothed me with garments if salvation,

            He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,

            As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,

            And as a bride adorns herself with jewels.

            For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,

            And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up,

            So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise

            To spring up before all the nations. (Isaiah 61:10-11 NASB)

     The best encouragement I can give comes from my source.  Be still and know HIM.

Day 26 

            “Touché.” Jesus’ words will do that – touch you in a way that you can’t deny a heart changing point has been made.   My touché moment occurred most recently when I was researching the metaphorical use of a sword as the word of God in Ephesians 6:17.  What I thought was a tactile weapon for offense against the enemy takes on a different image when used alongside Hebrews 4:1-16 that I hadn’t considered before in previous studies.  The “sword” used here is double-edged and small in size like a large knife used for dissecting or cutting up flesh/meat, much like the precision tool of a fine chef or the scalpel in the hands of a surgeon.

            Jesus has challenged me into “taking the sword of the Spirit” and in trust, willingly place it back in His loving and skilled hands to cut out “hurtful ways in me” (Psalm 139) and bring me to a place of rest and restoration.  A heart transformed by Jesus then becomes a powerful and effective “weapon of witness” (aka: sword) not only in speaking His words but actually following in devotion His words and His ways. My personal testimony of who Jesus is and what He has done for me is what the enemy is terrified of.

            Yes, heart surgery is hard, and recovery takes time, however, Jesus, is faithful with each skilled cut to take away that which kills the soul, restoring the health and true life to the spirit, because He loves you, this I know.    

Day 27                

       Celebrating one another’s “rebirthdays” has become a new tradition in our family.  With the grandkids, it is an occasion to celebrate Jesus’ redeeming grace in our lives, to have a spiritual conversation that encourages discipleship, and of course eat cake! (LOL)  In Luke 10:20 Jesus tells his followers to, “Rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven” and then proceeds to show them what that looks like.  Rejoicing in the Lord is an occasion to worship that results in a joy that transcends all circumstances.  Jesus wants us to be encouraged in our daily lives that can be, more often than not, challenging and full of hardship.  His joy becomes strength (Nehemiah 8:10) which reflects His good intentions towards you for a future with Himself (Jeremiah 29:11) because Jesus loves you, this I know.

Day 28

       My sisters, mom, and I had made plans to attend a Christian women’s conference for our annual “Daughter’s Day Out” at the last minute.  As a result, we were hiking up the long trek to the nosebleed section of Reunion Arena.  Of course, we were late – again, and the opening worship had already begun.  At the top of the stairs as we entered the arena, my sister-in-law stopped.  I knew what she was experiencing.  I had the same kind of awestruck reaction the first time I had participated in one of these conferences.  I took her hand and guided her up another long set of stairs to our seats.  The 360^o view of the arena with almost 20,000 women praising God with one voice was even more powerful than that first time, engaging all my senses and giving me a taste of what I look forward to in the future – a multitude praising God.

     Participation in corporate worship of Jesus in the here and now, fulfills our destiny and purpose of life which is to declare adoration of the triune GOD in the truth and knowledge that Jesus loves you.