Pie Anyone?

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Isaiah 55:8-11

My girls love being outside. From riding their bikes, to walking amongst clouds of June bugs. More than anything else, they love planting every type of seed that they find in every piece of fruit that they eat all year long. As a result, we often have very interesting things growing in very interesting places each spring.

This year my flower garden was home to one of the seeds that we, upon seeing it push its way through the soil, were certain was going to give us big beautiful watermelon. We had planted watermelon once a couple of years ago, so of course we considered ourselves experts on the fruit. After seeing the flowers bloom, and watermelons start to form, we shared the news with everyone we knew.  Free watermelon! Juicy, delicious, watermelon. This is the stuff of which great Labor Day picnics are made!

Then one day, our horticultural bubble burst. One of our sowers of the seed shared with us something astonishing.

“Look Mom, your watermelon is a pumpkin!”

Do you ever have moments, days, even months, where you are certain you know what’s been planted, only to find out that something else has grown? I do too. There are times I forget what God’s promise really says. “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. The word that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose.”

More often than not we think we know what we need, what we want, what we can’t live without. But the truth is that God’s ways are higher than our ways absolutely and without question. We may ask for one thing and not like the answer we receive. But God reminds us that he will bring to life what is needful and right. He promises us surprises that only he himself could have planted, and they are the best of the crop.

            I praise the God who plants in me his word. And despite my lack of expertise, and plans that are not in line with his, grows in me a faith that leads to salvation through Jesus. May we always trust in him to bring forth whatever fruit he knows is best. May we come to know well each day’s Thanksgiving harvest. Pie anyone?

Creator of all that is Good,

I want to lead my children by example to trust in your thoughts, ways, and purposes above all else. Forgive me for the times that I am frustrated by your will. Remind me always of your promise to be faithful when I am not. Accomplish through me what you will today, and help me to see you in the fruit of the harvest.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

A Reason to Rejoice

Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!  Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.  Psalm 96:1-2

I wish you could have been in our Ascension Day service last week.  There was the most amazing little girl sitting in front of us.  Her beautiful brown eyes could have in no way prepared us for the joy that her voice would bring.  The opening hymn she was not familiar with, and so as the congregation sang, she colored quietly and every once in a while peeked behind her to see her mother waiting for her turn in the choir loft.  Then came the piece de resistance, The Hymn of Praise, (This is the Feast.) This one she knew, and though she was unsure of the verses, each time we sang the chorus, she could be heard above all of the timid adults sitting in the rows of pews behind her.  She didn’t just sing, she sang and she smiled and she danced.  What a joy she was to watch!

When it comes to singing in church on Sunday morning, or any day of the week for that matter, look to your right, then look to your left.  One of these people can’t carry a tune in a bucket.  Maybe you can’t either.  It’ okay because if you look to your right and left again, two of these people don’t care.  I know it’s hard to believe, but they really don’t.  When the Psalmist said, “Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!” he knew that a joyful noise was any made to give thanks and praise to God.  There were no qualifiers given.

David was definitely musically inclined, but I wonder if even he had a hard time controlling the pitch of his voice while worrying whether or not Saul was going to be throwing another spear at his head.  Maybe Mary’s voice warbled.  Maybe Moses was tone deaf.  I feel pretty confident in guessing that not everyone who sang in the Bible sang like angels.  Wouldn’t it be funny to get to heaven and discover that angels don’t really sing like angels either?  Regardless, the people of God are noted time and time again as signing praises to Him.

As we read God’s word together in our devotion time at home, the words that get the attention of my children more than any other are the ones they know from songs they have learned in VBS, or Sunday school, or ones that their dad and I have taught them.  It is through song that the word of God really sticks with them.  I would encourage you to impress upon your children the word of God through song no matter what your voice may sound like. 

Sing!  Sing it like you mean it.  Sing like you do in the car when the windows are rolled up.  Sing like all of our lives depend on the message you are proclaiming to your children and those around you.  They do, don’t they?  Sing of the gift of salvation offered through the Savior of the world.  If ever you needed a reason to rejoice, He is it!

My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody!  Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!  I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.  For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!  In Jesus Name, Amen!

Beauty in the Eye of the Creator

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.  Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.  So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 1 John 4:13-16

Masterpieces tend to be abundant in my house.  When the girls get the urge to create, it’s like a whirlwind of paint and markers and paper everywhere, and we can end up with an entire wall full of artwork in just a half an hour’s time.  Some end up being true masterpieces, while others are, (Do I dare say it?), not so beautiful. Gasp!  Fortunately, beauty is in the eye of the creator, or something like that. 

On one recent artsy afternoon I was talking with the girls about how an artist signs every work that he or she designs and I was encouraging my little Picassos to come up with their own signatures.  1 John talks about how God signs his work. He abides in us; therefore as his creations, we must be just covered with his signature.  We are God’s masterpiece and he is in every cell, in each detail. 

We are in him too, but our work is not so beautiful.  We are in the nails in his hands and the spear in his side.  We are in the thorns on his head and the spit that was hurled at his body.  Not something we would necessarily want to put on display. 

It is only through Christ that we abide in God, and that means we are also in the resurrected body.  Ah, there’s the beautiful part.  There’s the beauty in the eye of the Creator through the sacrifice of his son.

If we could see a distinct signature of God’s I wonder what it would look like.  When I asked my girls to sign their artwork, they thought for quite a while about their signatures.  One of the girls finally decided to use her initials, while the other used a cross.  That’s it.  In baptism, confession and absolution, and the words of institution, and in every other moment we abide in God’s love, God signs his work with a cross.

Masterful Artist,

You have created us to abide with us.  Abide with me today as I mold my own masterpieces.  Help me cover every detail of my children’s lives with your words and mark them with the cross of your son.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

Serve One Another In Love

Serve one another in love.  Galatians 5:13

We walk a delicate line in our house between encouraging our children to both serve and to let others serve them.  Each child wants to pour their own glass of milk, but one wants to pour for everyone.  Since there is really no wrong answer here, I am completely inconsistent, and the whole thing can be a little maddening.  I used to lean more toward independence, everyone doing for themselves, but I have recently shifted my focus on the issue to the words from Paul’s letter to the Galatians, “Serve one another in love.” 

My kids don’t get to do that enough.  I don’t know that I get to do that enough.  Between teaching three grade levels and trying to manage the rest of the house, I feel pretty accomplished in the serving part most days; it’s the love part I think I may be missing out on.  I too often grump because I have to do this or that, instead of rejoicing in the fact that God has blessed my day with the chance to serve my children in every aspect of their lives.  What else could I possibly spend my day doing that is more meaningful? 

A willingness to serve is one of the things I want to instill in my children.  But if I want it to be a life long joy for them, I have to help them discover the everyday chances that they have to serve, and I have to model a servant’s heart myself.  I haven’t been very good at that lately.  Today, I start again today, knowing that I am forgiven for the mistakes of yesterday.  I start today, teaching my children that the opportunity to serve another child of God is a gift.  I start today showing them that serving one another in love is exactly what Jesus did for us, and in thankfulness to him, we will do it for one another.

Heavenly Father,

The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.  I often look upon serving others as a hardship or an inconvenience.  Forgive me.  Where I have opportunities to serve, help me do so in love.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Cross is Where it All Went Right

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

Genesis 50:20

Joseph was the most beloved son of his father. He received a lavish offering in the gift of a beautiful robe from his dad and he had had some amazing dreams that he actually understood. On top of that, he was a pretty good looking young man. Then all of a sudden he was thrown into a pit by his own brothers who were arguing over whether or not to kill him. Where did things go wrong?

One day he was living the good life, and the next he was being shipped off to a life where he would spend years away from his family, be accused of adultery, and rewarded with prison time. Yet because of him many people were kept alive. It was the God of his word and the God of detail that meticulously wove the lives of so many together for the salvation of his people. “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” It was the God of love that Joseph served. This was where things went right.

Jesus was the most beloved Son of his Father. He rode into Jerusalem and was greeted with cries of, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” The people spread out their garments and cut palm branches. They lined the streets for just a glimpse of the Son of God. They begged for his attention, his healing, and his forgiveness. Then they gave him over willingly to be spat on, mocked, and beaten. Where did it all go wrong?

One day we are singing, “All glory, laud, and honor to You, Redeemer, King. To whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.” And the next we are letting a murderer go free and nailing an innocent man to a cross. Yet, only because of Jesus are any of us kept alive. It is the God of his word and the God of unimaginable grace that can use our own wickedness to fulfill his promise for our ultimate good. It is the God of love that we serve. The cross is where it all went right.

Heavenly Father

You used our own sin to spare us the punishment for sin. What a great God you are! This week as we hear again exactly what the cost of our sin was, we praise you for sending your Son in our place. We say today and every day, “Hosanna, save us Lord.” Thank you for doing exactly that. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

God Loves the Underdog

And Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over, he and the 300 men who were with him, exhausted yet pursuing. Judges 8:4

It has been madness in our house the past couple weeks. Watching the NCAA basketball tournament is always something I look forward to. For me it’s the first sign of spring.

Part of the joy of the first round especially is the chance to see an underdog beat one of the big boys. It doesn’t happen too often but when it does, everything in me wants to stand up and cheer. I love seeing the faces of a team who has surprised themselves by what they hoped they could do, but in all reality never really thought was possible. I love watching them run in circles around the court with arms raised and sometimes even tears streaming. I love the underdog.

God loves the underdog too. He whittled Gideon’s army down from 32,000 men all the way to 300. He armed them with trumpets and glass jars, and sent them into battles in which they would face over 100,000 men. It was more than a sixteen seed against a number one. It was impossible. Picking a winner seems like an easy choice in this bracket but (excuse my continued basketball analogies,) Gideon’s team had one amazing center. They were exhausted yet pursuing, and victory was theirs by the hand of God.

Our lies of omission to our spouse, our impatience with our children, our choice of time with our (you fill in this one) rather than time with the Savior, makes us absolute underdogs. Sin makes any victory on our own not only improbable, but impossible. It makes us the lowest seed in the land, and points us in the direction of the locker room marked, “Loser.”

That is what makes our God so great! The victory is even more impressive because in this sin filled world, we see every day what our opponent is capable of. In fact, much of the time it may feel like we are his star players. That Christ would come into this world to die for a sinner like me seems crazy, but he traded his life for mine, and he rose so that some day I too might rise. Our opponent was defeated long ago on a court known as Calvary. This means you can get up right this minute and run in circles around the room with arms raised and tears streaming. Do it. It’s time to celebrate! Our victory has been won!

Heavenly Father,

I praise you for winning the most important victory of my life for me. Help me keep you the center of my family’s life every moment and forgive me when I mess that up. Guide me exhausted yet pursuing to live with you eternally. In Jesus Name, Amen.

I Don't Feel Forgiven

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:30

My children don’t respond to yelling. I can get angry and raise my voice to them, but it just tends to roll off their backs. I have learned there is nothing like a quiet, calm voice to get their attention, and when appropriate move them to repentance. When forgiveness is asked for it is always granted, but most of the time the sobbing continues even after they hear the words, “I forgive you.” They cling to me with every bit of strength they have in them. I don’t know if it is because they are ashamed of their sin that they hide their face in my shirt and refuse to let go, or that they don’t believe me that they really are forgiven. My guess is it is probably the second of the two.

Do you ever feel that way? You hear your pastor, or your spouse, or your friend say the words, “I forgive you,” but you don’t believe them. How can I possibly be forgiven? I mean, do you know what I’ve done?

It was because God knew your sin that he sent your Savior.

*In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight Ephesians 1:7-8

*Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. Acts 13:38-39

God’s forgiveness doesn’t just cover the “pretty” sins, it covers everything. We are free! Even in the times you may not feel forgiven, you are. The times you may not feel God’s presence, he’s there. The times you may not even begin to comprehend the kind of love that is obedient to the point of death, it exists and it is ours.

Listen to God say to you in his calm, quiet voice, “Take heart my son (daughter) your sins are forgiven.” Know that it was true yesterday, is today, and will be again tomorrow. Cling to him being confident in his promises and refuse to let go. He refuses to let you go.

When Jesus said, “It is finished,” he meant it. The sacrifice is complete, once, for all.

Forgiving Father,

I hear the words that tell me I am forgiven, but at times it is so hard to believe. Help me to know without a doubt that though I do not deserve your love and compassion, I have it in abundance through the death and resurrection of my Savior. Help me to say to my guilt and my doubt, "It is finished." In Jesus Name, Amen.

They Need a Healthy Mom

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

Rest sounds delightful right now. It’s finally the end of the school week, but between the early rising two year old, the laundry, and the 8:30 basketball games tomorrow morning, rest feels like just a figment of my imagination. I would love a good two hour nap.

Physical rest is not exactly what Matthew speaks of here though. His rest is an all encompassing; throw every worry, every doubt, every piece of sin laden guilt out the window, kind of rest.

The devotion this morning is a plea from me to you. I sometimes think that the line, “She is always taking care of everyone else; she never takes time for herself,” can seem a bit cliché. This may be a reality for you though. As a mom, wife, and teacher, there are days when I am so out of patience and energy that self-destructive behaviors are not only easier, but preferred. But I do still see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. I know that is not the case for many moms.

For those of you who don’t see the light and have burdens that are overwhelming you, I beg you to begin the healing process today. Your children need a healthy mom.

*Seek Godly counseling if you need it. If you’re unsure, seek it anyway.

*Talk frankly with your spouse or a trusted friend. Find someone who you can be completely honest with and who will lift you up in prayer.

*Be intentional about setting aside time each week for rest, or for time away, or for healing.

Don’t believe the lies that you are alone. "For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me." Psalm 31:3

Don’t believe the lies that you can’t forgive and be forgiven. "Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from EVERYTHING from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses." Acts 13:38-39

Don’t believe the lies that you aren’t loved. "God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:9-10

Luther says this in his Morning Prayer (My prayer for you is specifically the last line.)

I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into your hands I commend myself, my body and soul and all things. Let your holy angel be with me that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

I Know That My Redeemer Lives

I have been singing the words to this hymn in my head over and over recently. It speaks of words of comfort and hope when I don’t know what else to say.

I know that my Redeemer lives;

What comfort this sweet sentence gives!

He lives, He lives, who once was dead;

He lives, my ever living head.

We got word two weeks ago that a Pastor’s family in our circuit had been in a terrible accident. His wife and two of his three children had been killed.

He lives triumphant from the grave;

He lives eternally to save;

He lives all glorious in the sky;

He lives exalted there on high.

There are no words to express such heart-breaking grief. I don’t understand any of it. How can I possibly explain it to my own children? A man loses his wife and two of his children, and a little boy loses his brother, sister, and his mommy all in one moment. This simply should not be!

He lives to bless me with His love;

He lives to plead for me above;

He lives my hungry soul to feed;

He lives to help in time of need.

By the next morning word had spread throughout the country and to other corners of the world. Messages announcing prayers said in worship, and personal petitions flooded in.

He lives to grant me rich supply;

He lives to guide me with His eye;

He lives to comfort me when faint;

He lives to hear my soul’s complaint.

Words of comfort have been shared by so many, but reading through the messages, it’s not their own words that people are using to lift up the family. Instead it is the Word of God they speak. Yes, God’s Word.

It’s the only salve that brings relief. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3

He lives to silence all my fears;

He lives to wipe away my tears;

He lives to calm my troubled heart;

He lives all blessings to impart.

God’s Word promises a new life to come, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God.” Job 19:25-27

He lives, my kind, wise, heav’nly friend;

He lives and loves me to the end;

He lives, and while He lives, I’ll sing;

He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.

In this Word, our Savior reminds us, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going. I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” John 14:1-4,6

He lives and grants me daily breath;

He lives, and I shall conquer death;

He lives my mansion to prepare;

He lives to bring me safely there.

And He proclaims triumphantly, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” John 11:25

These are the words; this is the assurance we can share with our children. “We do not grieve as others do that have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-16. We look forward to the promised resurrection!

Heavenly Father,

Comfort all who mourn with your Word. Continue to be with Pastor Geske, with his son Jacob, with (fill in others you know that are grieving), and all who need your healing hand. Sustain us until that day when the trumpet sounds and in our flesh we will see you! Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.

I Want This Life!

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them. Psalm 139:13-16

It’s a conversation most, if not all, expectant parents have as they share the news of their new baby with friends and family. It goes something like this.

“We have an announcement to make. We’re having a baby!”

“Oh, how wonderful! Congratulations! Do you want a boy or a girl?”

“We would be happy with either one, as long as it’s healthy.”

Those last words caught my attention as I talked with a friend who was getting ready to deliver her baby, and I remembered saying this very thing each time I was carrying one of my own children. “As long as it’s healthy.” We say it without even thinking about our response. It’s almost an automatic reaction to the question asked of us; an expected reflex. And while it is the desire of every parent to give birth to a healthy child, is “As long as it’s healthy,” what we truly mean? Does our happiness with the gift that God has bestowed upon us depend on whether or not our baby is healthy? Is a baby born with medical needs not just as much of a miracle and a blessing as a healthy newborn?

A friend delivered a beautiful little girl and minutes later heard a diagnosis of a disease that would quickly destroy her little girl’s body. “Healthy” wasn’t a term she would ever use to describe her daughter. Still, the happiness her parents felt in the presence of this gift of God, and this visible sign of His grace, was not dependant on, “As long as she’s healthy.” It was dependant on the promises of the God that had given her life on this earth, new life in baptism, and the promise of life eternal. Her parents spent only a few months with their daughter. God’s grace was abundant with his child every minute of her life here on earth. God’s grace abounds even more so as they await the promised resurrection.

When my Godson was born, his parents were surprised to find out he had several health concerns they were unaware of before his birth. He was born with a club foot, a cleft palate, and news from the doctors that he showed signs of several other potential, and possibly life threatening health problems. We still danced for joy at the news of his birth. We still called everyone we knew to announce his arrival. We were happy, not because of the challenges that he and his parents would face over the next several months, but because of the faithfulness of God to give him life. He is now a very active and yes, healthy, four year old. We value his life each day, not just because of the gift, but in thanks to the Giver.

In a world where the value of life is losing ground to a “pick and choose” medical industry, be reminded mothers-to-be, that the babies growing inside your bellies have value, not because they are perfect in our eyes, but because through Christ they are perfect in the eyes of our Creator. Do you want a boy or a girl? I want this life!

Creator of Life,

I am constantly in awe of your ability to create new and unique life with every passing moment. Help my love of your creation grow each day. Work in my children so that they may know too that they were fearfully and wonderfully made. Thank you, God for my new life in baptism and my promised life with you forever in heaven. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

All She Had to Live On

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, "Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." Luke 21:1-4

Throughout the past couple years, you might be hard pressed to tune into any news program without being met by a cautionary tale of a family in debt, or a list of the things you must do today to save for retirement. In this world of stockpiling or even just saving for a rainy day, this widow’s act in giving everything she had seems out of the question.

We hear of entrepreneurs who give great gifts out of their abundance, but not tales of people giving everything they own. Honestly, the whole idea of giving all I have makes my stomach a little queasy. I have four children and I am a planner. I want to know where our next meal, or our next fifty, is coming from. I can learn something from the widow in today’s reading.

This is a woman whose trust was so fully entrenched in the God of the heavens and the earth that she gave all she had, everything. I can scarcely imagine that kind of trust. A true “Give me this day my daily bread,” trust. With only two coins to her name, I can imagine her praying those same words in earnest and seeing God’s faithfulness day after day.

I have read her story and countless others where God is more than faithful in meeting the needs of his people. I have read these stories and still I doubt. Still I rely on myself instead of God.

I am not down to my last two coins. I have more clothes than I wear, own more videos than I watch, and place more food on the table than I can eat. Still, I pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” and then doubt that He will actually do it.

I believe, help my unbelief.

Creator and Sustainer of Life,

Give me this day my daily bread. Help me to trust in you to do the exact same thing tomorrow. Show me where I can give to others and enable me to do so always in thankfulness to you for the gift of Jesus who gave everything he had for me. Amen.

*If God has given you time, talents, or treasures in abundance, I encourage you to be the answer to someone else’s prayer this weekend. Seek out a family that needs a little extra at the grocery store, invite your older neighbor over for supper, or do a chore at home that you know your spouse dreads. Give thanks to the Lord for He is good!

Happy St. Nicholas Day!

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Hebrews 13:7-8

Most parents I know have at one point or another questioned the inclusion of Santa Claus in their Christmas celebration. “When my children discover that Santa is make believe, how will I convince them that the same is not true about Jesus?” I’ve been asked this on several occasions and the concern is valid. We want our children to trust that even though the world will tell them all sorts of crazy lies, the things coming out of our mouths can be absolutely trusted.

The worldly stories told around Christmas time are intoxicating. They are about a fat man in a fuzzy red suit with flying reindeer that somehow fits down every chimney. They certainly foster the creative and inquisitive use of imagination I want my children to use to the fullest extent of their abilities. This is a terrific story, but it’s not the word of God. So how do I balance encouraging the excitement of the season, and being grounded in Christ at all times? Can I have it both ways? Maybe.

I have never been one to over exaggerate the idea of Santa, but when my children talk about making cookies for Santa I roll out the dough. My children have learned well from this world and can tell you all about jolly old St. Nick. He’s the guy that leaves gifts in their stockings depending on whether they have been naughty or nice. This is what the world knows of Santa. They seem to know him very well. Maybe not.

Today my family will read the story of Saint Nicholas and learn where the tales of this legendary figure really come from. They will hear about a real man who gave to others when they needed it most; who gave in thankfulness to God for the great gift of His Son. They will learn about a man who was persecuted for his faith, and who knew that the gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation were necessary only because he was on the naughty list.

Yes, we will be hanging stockings and setting out cookies on Christmas Eve too. So, here’s the big question. When I’m asked if Santa Claus is real, what will I say? Maybe I’ll never be asked. Maybe my children will be too wrapped up in Luke 2 to care. But if (when) I’m asked, my response will go something like this...

Saint Nicholas is not a man who lives at the North Pole, but he was a man of God who was from what is now the country of Turkey. He knew that Jesus came to save creation from sin and he shared that news with others. He took care of his neighbors, but did so in secret because that’s what the Word of God instructs us all to do. We continue what he began about 1700 years ago, giving gifts to one other and to those in need, in secret, in celebration of the gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation that we have been given through a baby born in Bethlehem.

*I would encourage you to watch this. http://www.lhmmen.com/studyvideofull.asp?id=13640 It’s a video of Ken Klaus, who was the speaker of The Lutheran Hour for many years, sharing some great information on Saint Nicholas.

Blessings as you prepare to sit once again at the feet of your newborn King.

Heavenly Father,

Teach me how to balance the ideas that the world has of Christmas with the truth of your Word. Help me to honor the sacrifice of your Son in how I teach my children throughout this season. Thank you for the salvation my family has because of Him.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

Ruth

But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you." And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more. So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. Ruth 1: 16-19a

I love everything about Ruth.

I admire her faithfulness…

In what must have been a heartbreaking time; all the men in the family had died. Naomi tried to convince her daughter-in-law Ruth to return to her own family, but she refused. Naomi had been right where she was some ten years before when her own husband died. We tend to cling to those who have been through the same life experiences as we have, and so in their shared grief, Ruth clung to Naomi.

I aspire to her humility…

In gathering the leftovers in the wheat field so she could feed her small family. She was honest and hard working, but she couldn't redeem herself. She needed help.

I am amazed by her bravery…

In placing herself at the feet of Boaz she put herself in danger in an attempt to preserve her family. Boaz had been watching her though; watching her care for Naomi. He had in fact given special orders to protect her from the day she set foot on his land. It’s easy to understand why he wanted to marry her and become the redeemer both she and Naomi needed.

I am encouraged by her focus…

In doing what was right, and on the one true God. When Ruth thought about returning to her own mother and the place of her birth, she knew that also meant returning to a people lost in the worship of other gods. She couldn’t go. “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” She was a wise woman.

I am going to try to follow her lead…

In this sometimes chaotic season of Advent I tend to find myself losing focus. Whether it is lack of sleep, lack of funds, or lack of motivation, it all can really be blamed on a lack of focus. Beyond all the 3:00 am sales, the cookie baking, and the piles of wrapping paper we find the only gift that really even matters. It’s the gift whose warranty never expires; the one that never wears out; the only gift that is absolutely free.

Heavenly Father,

Keep me focused this season as I confess with my family our faith in you, and in your Son, our Redeemer. Keep me focused as I worship with my children and read the Christmas story again and again. Help me never tire of it. Keep me focused as I nurture their amazement in the true meaning of the most important gift we have ever received.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

Fitting into Rahab's Family

By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. Hebrews 11:31

Most likely, fitting in was not something Rahab was well known for in Jericho. What do you think her family thought of her job? Did they experience any repercussions from the community because she was a prostitute, or did it just mean that she really did fit into this godless city set for destruction? We know the people there worshipped false gods. Had her profession also become the norm?

It is apparent that Rahab’s family loved her. Her father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belonged to her; they were with her when the Israelites came to defeat Jericho. But, Rahab must have at times still felt set apart from her own community, if not in her role as a prostitute, then certainly from the time between the visit from the two spies to the day that Joshua came knocking down everyone’s door but hers.

I wonder what she thought when Joshua’s spies showed up at her home. She immediately invited them in and acknowledged their God as the God of the heavens and the earth. God had chosen her to protect his people, and she was more than willing to participate in his plan of salvation. My suspicion is too that secrecy, meeting with strange men, and lying to the authorities were not at all foreign to her.

After the fall of Jericho, she went from life as a prostitute and an outsider, to being set apart in a whole new way. Rahab didn’t know it, but she played another important role in God’s plan of eternal salvation; she was a direct descendent of the Son of God himself. She became Boaz’s mother, Ruth’s mother-in-law, and the great-great grandmother of King David.

We all have times when we aren’t convinced that we fit in, whether within our community, among fellow believers at church, or even in our own families. It is at these times when we can read Rahab’s story again. In Joshua chapter 2, God tells us how he used a vile human to do his victorious work. Throw out that nice pretty picture you have in your head of what a woman of God looks like, and remember that Rahab didn’t fit in because of who she was, she fit in because of whose she was. The same can be said of us.

We belong to a God who uses us in spite of ourselves, and has placed us in the family line of the Savior of the World. With the wicked, with the vile, with the faithful, with the forgiven, we fit right in. God’s plan is at work in us, in the depth of our sin, because of the love of our Savior. Rest assured you fit into Rahab’s family. It’s a good thing. Hers is the family of God, and we too are part of his plan of salvation.

God of the Heavens and the Earth,

There are times when I don’t know where I fit into your plan. Give me the peace and contentment that only you can provide, knowing that although I don’t know where, I do in fact fit. Help me to trust in you as you use me in your plan of salvation for my family.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

I Am My Father's Daughter

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

My oldest baby turns 11 tomorrow and, as I would imagine most mothers do, I have been reminiscing about the days leading up to meeting him for the first time. I remember trying to decide on a name, feeling him move in response to my voice, being on bed rest, and I remember the silly baby shower games.

I remember specifically a shower given to me by a wonderful group of teachers from my husband’s school. One of the games we played that day challenged each person to take both a picture of me, and one of my husband, and cut and paste to come up with a guess as to what our baby would look like. The results were nothing short of hideous, and I am thrilled to announce that the real life baby was much more beautiful than those crazy pictures.

Waiting for my son to arrive we often wondered who he would look like. After he was born, everyone had an opinion as to whose nose he had, whose feet he had, who he most resembled. I have been watching him grow for over a decade now, and he is absolutely, without a doubt, his father’s son.

I wonder if Jesus looked at all like his mother. Did he have her eyes, her hands, her hair? He was indeed the Son of God, but as Son of Man certainly he resembled Mary in some ways.

Who do you look like? When you look in the mirror, who do you see? I have been told, and am starting to see more each day, that I look a lot like my mother. I wonder though, who do I look like on the inside? Do I resemble my Heavenly Father in any way? Some days I think I do see a reflection of him in how I teach and nurture my children, but other days I doubt anyone would even know we are even related.

We are not given many details about Jesus physical stature, but his inward appearance we are told much about. It’s this inward appearance that is the spitting image of his Father, full of grace and truth.

When God looks at you, what does he see? Does he see your bruised body? Does he see your sinful mind? Does he see your broken heart? The answer; Yes, he knows every part of you. But also; No, he sees you recreated and made whole through Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. He sees you as his original and perfect creation through the eyes of his son.

Do I resemble my Heavenly Father in any way? You better believe it! Because of Jesus, I am absolutely, without a doubt, my Father’s daughter.

Father,

I am so thankful that when you look at me you see Jesus. Show me your grace and truth each day. Make me a true reflection of you, and forgive me when I fail to be the perfect creation you intended me to be. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

May Jesus Christ Be Praised

Psalm 100: Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

“When morning gilds the skies, My heart awakening cries, May Jesus Christ be praised. When evening shadows fall, This rings my curfew call: May Jesus Christ be praised.” (LSB #807)

My youngest daughter “sings” with us as part of our devotion time each night. Getting a twenty month old to sit still for a hymn, bible reading and devotion, and family prayers is tricky, but we have been working on it for awhile now, and she is doing it. Well, most of the time. On one occasion recently she was knowingly being naughty, so Daddy had a little talk with her, and when Daddy brings out the stern voice, even I could burst into tears. He spoke and she sobbed, but sobbed…and sang, “May Jesus Christ be praised.” Sniffle, pouty lip, sniffle, tears, “May Jesus Christ be praised.” Deep, shaky breath, tears, sniffle, more tears, “May Jesus Christ be praised.”

I have to admit, she was crazy cute, but she was also a great witness to me that day. Now that the school year is well under way, the newness of our home school adventure is wearing off. Some days the kids love that they get to spend every waking moment with their mom, and other days they miss the bigger classroom environment and of course they really miss their friends. My husband and I have no doubts that our decision to offer our children a Christian education was the right one, but I understand their tears and as their mom, my heart aches for them. Sniffle, tears, hugs, more tears, “May Jesus Christ be praised.”

A woman from our church lost her husband in a terrible accident not long ago, and as often happens following a funeral service he has done for one of his members, my husband received in the mail a few days later, a thank you note. “O, the Lord is good,” she wrote. Sniffle, tears, unknowable sorrow, “O, the Lord is good.” Questions of, what now? Why him? And, how will I ever? “O, the Lord is good.”

We will not find in this life a time when all is right with the world and we don’t have any reason to question or worry. But, we do find a God whose compassion and love for us is beyond measure. So when we feel like crying, we do, and then we sing. We sing to the God who knows our struggles. We sing to the God who knows and provides for our needs. We sing to the God who delivers each one of us through sin and sorrow to the peace and restoration that is ours in the arms of our Savior.

That is the God we praise. That is the God we proclaim as good even through the tears.

Psalm 100: Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.