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A Forgiven and Forgotten Past

                 Sometime after Jesus calmed the wind and waves on the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 8:23-27), He returned to Capernaum, the city that became His base of operation for His ministry.   While there, He came upon a tax collector named Matthew.   The Scripture records only two words that He said to Matthew, “Follow me” (Matthew 9:9 NIV84).             To understand how special that invitation was, we must first understand the status of tax collectors in Jesus’ Jewish world.   While, even today, we don’t like to pay taxes, the tax collectors in Jesus’ time were primarily Jews who worked with the Romans to collect the taxes the Romans levied on the Jewish people.   If “conspiring with the enemy” wasn’t bad enough, most of the tax collectors added to the amount owed so that they could line their own pockets with the excess.   In short, tax collectors wer...
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The Faith of a Young Girl

                 This morning in my quiet time, I reread the story of Naaman, one of my favorite Bible stories from childhood. Naaman was a commander in the army of Aram, and he had leprosy. He was healed after he finally agreed to obey the instructions of the prophet, Elisha, and washed seven times in the Jordan River.   That’s the story in a nutshell, but as I read this morning, I saw something I hadn’t noticed before.   As we dive deeper and deeper into the Word, the Holy Spirit has a way of enlightening us to things that we might not otherwise see.   That’s what happened this morning.               I had never stopped to consider how Naaman heard about the prophet who could heal him, even though that is a crucial part of the story.  Israel and Aram were supposedly at peace, but that didn’t stop guerrilla bands from attacking people in Israel.  Duri...
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Jesus Prays to His Father

                 A few weeks ago, I wrote about the need to “abide” in Christ.   I think every Christian desires to develop that deep, intimate relationship with our Savior.   That is the definition of “abide.”   The question is always, “How do we do that?”             This week my Bible study group looked closely at John 17, which I believe allows us to examine the deep, intimate relationship between the Father and the Son.   As Jesus prays, not a prayer of teaching as is found in Matthew 6, but a prayer of love and devotion to His Father and the “Mission”, we get a glimpse of what it means to “abide” in God or Christ.             He begins the prayer with humility, seeking glory for Himself only so that the Father might be glorified.   His mission of bringing salvation to the world was done.   ...
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The Leap of Faith!

                 During my prayer time this morning, I was prompted to consider Hebrews 11: 11 and give praise for the way that God moves in our lives even in difficult circumstances.   As I reread the “Faith Chapter”, I began to think about what “faith” looks like.   The writer of Hebrews tells us that faith is, “… being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11: 1 NIV84).  My thought was, what does faith in action look like?             Abel’s faith was reflected in his choice to give God the first fruits of his labor.   His wise choice displayed his righteousness (Hebrews 11: 4).   Enoch’s faith was simple—He pleased God (verse 5).   He is a reminder to us that we can’t please God without faith (verse 6).             The faith of many others was displayed by their...
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Giving Thanks for Those Who GO

                 As I write this morning, the Middle East is at war, and there are thousands of missionaries and Christians caught in the crossfire.   For many of them, danger is nothing new.   They face persecution and the possibility of arrest and even death every day.   As Paul tells us in Philippians, they are our partners in the pursuit of our mission to take the Gospel to the whole world.   That partnership must begin with prayer.             I have a prayer journal that I use in my daily prayer time.   It lists my family and closest friends and the things that are happening in their lives.   It lists the members of my Bible Study and their prayer needs.   It also includes prayers for my country and my church.   I include these reminders to ensure that I cover the ones that I love with prayer.       ...
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Embracing Change!

                 Change!   The older we get, that word is one that we like almost as much as submission.   We get set in our ways and often do not welcome anything that upsets our routine.   Lately, three of the most important areas of my life have been ripe with change.   My oldest great-nephew graduated and is preparing for college so that changes our family dynamics.   My church is undergoing some renovations so many groups, including mine, are being relocated to accommodate the construction.   Then, to top it all off, one of my neighbors put their house on the market.   Change seems to be everywhere!             We may wish to avoid change but the truth is that change is a part of life.   Each year there will be new people, new adventures, and new obstacles.   The question is how we will deal with each one.   Will we whine and c...
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Invasion of the Cicadas!

                 If you live around Louisville, Kentucky, then you know that we have been invaded by the Cicadas.   These little beady-eyed creatures with small antennae and wings appear every 13 to 17 years, depending on their species.   Perhaps the thing that makes them stand out from all other bugs is their “singing”—and I use that term loosely.   I have a grove of trees behind my house, and they have continued their chorus of songs over the last week to the point that it has almost become a “white” noise that I barely think about.   Notice that I said, “Almost”.             As I listened to them during my prayer time this morning, their “music” made me wonder what their purpose is.   Why did God create them?   I’m not a biologist by any stretch of the imagination so I guess there is some place that they fit in the “food chain” but I can’t help but ...
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