It was in the ’70’s when I got my first real job; something other than occasional babysitting. It was part-time after school, making $20.00 a week. Back in the ’70’s that was not bad at all. It felt so good being able to buy things myself. As Christmas neared, excitement grew as I knew I could purchase presents for my family from my own saved money.
As I shopped around my eyes fell on something beautiful; a sewing box. I just knew my mother would love a new sewing box. Hers was worn and a bit tattered. This new sewing box was blue and white wicker with a braided handle, and the lid was embroidered with flowers of different colors. It was beautiful and my heart was happy. I looked at the price tag — $14.00 — over half my weekly salary. It was an expensive gift to me, but I joyfully made the purchase.
I can still picture my mother’s smile when she opened her present on Christmas morning. The expense had been worth it. We moved a lot in those days because of my father’s Air Force career, so I took it upon myself to carefully take charge of wrapping my mother’s sewing box. I found the right size box, scrunched up newspapers to pad the box and gently set it in. The treasured sewing box was secure, ready to present to my mother again.
This story of the sewing box rushed to the forefront of my memories this week as I read Isaiah 40:11, He will carry the lambs in His arms, holding them close to His heart (NLT). Jesus is our Shepherd and all we who know Him are His sheep. We are precious to Him. We know that because He paid a great price for us: it was His own blood on the cross where He paid the penalty for our sins. He treasures us. We are precious to Him. For all our days on earth He holds us close to His heart so that one day He may present us unharmed to His Father who also counts us as lovely treasured ones.
I took care of the sewing box for my mother. Jesus takes care of us for His Father. Both cost so much. Both are treasured. Whatever you are facing today, may you rest in Jesus’ arms, peaceful, secure, knowing you are precious to Him.
One thought more — my mother still has that sewing box. It’s well worn and rather worse for wear, but it’s still a treasure to her. As days, months, and years pass by, you and I are also worn, tired, perhaps slower in movement; rather worse for wear, but we are no less treasured by Jesus. The day is coming close when we will look upon His face. Oh, what a day of rejoicing that will be!
We have all had moments when we’re extremely upset with ourselves. We have failed in some way — again! — and become swamped in feelings of worthlessness. Why try, we say to ourselves. We become convinced it’s all useless. The self loathing washes over like a swelling tide threatening to suck us into a sea of lost hope. Is there an escape from this undertow of despair?
Yes, but we must change our focus from the sin which besets us to our Savior Who saves us. We reside in a body that is imperfect; encased in a mind that is vulnerable to temptation. However, we are also sealed unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30 KJV). What does this mean? It means we cannot lose our salvation. We still sin in our imperfect bodies and minds, but when the day comes after physical death, we will be in the presence of Jesus, and He will present us faultless to His Father. This is reason for rejoicing, not self loathing.
Does this mean we are free to sin as we please? Oh no! Let’s read the whole of the verse in Ephesians 4:30, Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption (NKJV). When we sin, the Holy Spirit Who lives within us is greatly saddened. Why? Because we have soiled our holy garments which damages our inner joy and peace. The Holy Spirit longs for us to walk in the ways of Jesus because that brings great joy to us and great glory to Jesus. That’s why we have access to Holy Spirit power working within us, that we may shine like a bright light for others to see Jesus in us.
When we sin and cause the Holy Spirit to grieve on our behalf, He also pricks our consciences, urging us to repent. When we sin, it is repentance that brings us immediately back to full joy in Jesus. When we put off repenting, we are fighting the tides that seek to suck us into misery. Repentance allows us to break free, to stand on solid ground once again. Repentance reminds us of the beauty of forgiveness.
We all sin until we leave this earth to live eternally in Heaven where sin no longer exists. Until then, we all have a choice when we sin: fight the tides of self loathing and drown in self pity or repent and walk on in the power of the Holy Spirit, displaying our inner Jesus joy and peace that fills us with holy contentment, and with deep love for Jesus and our fellow man.
Are you fed up with your failures today? Then get out of the water of despondency, reach for the rope of repentance, and walk on in joy, peace and love once more.
In the place where I live, this has been a week of warm, sunny days. It seems everyone feels better when the sun shines. Of course, in reality the sun is always there. It may be behind clouds, but it is there. This reminded me of our spiritual world. The presence of God is always there, but clouds of despondency may cause us to feel He is far away or has left us for a time. We know this isn’t correct, but how to merge our feelings with what we know to be true, can be a challenge. His own Word tells us, The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, O Lord do not abandon those who search for You (Psalm 9:9-10 NLT).
There is a key in the above verse; a key to unlock the door that leads to inner peace, calm, and quiet joy of trusting Him. The key has a name; it is search. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 7:7, Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7 NLT). The idea spoken here is continuous. We ask and seek until we receive what we need. We knock on the door until it opens to gratify our needs. Why?
Why must we continually ask and seek and knock? Why don’t we get what we want or think we need right away? Because the continuous action keeps us focused on Him, the One who loves us so much. There is a beauty is such focus that brings unexpected treasures.
I remember when I was a young teenager, I wanted to go somewhere with my friends, and I also needed some extra money than my weekly allowance covered. “Please, Dad,” I asked him, looking straight into his eyes, “Can I go, and can I have some extra money?” “I’ll think about it,” came his reply. I didn’t want him thinking about it. I wanted him to just say yes and give me what I asked. Reflecting on that memory I realize something. I stayed close to him all day. I watched him and listened to him carefully whenever he spoke about anything at all. If he stepped outside, I did, too. I watched and I waited. I remember he asked me and my sister and mother, “Would you all like to ride down to the lake? Maybe go swimming?” We all responded with great enthusiasm.
It was a wonderful afternoon swimming and playing. Dad bought us all hotdogs. When we got home, showered and spent the rest of the evening together, I had forgotten all about my earlier request. As I reflect I realize two important things: 1) I drew close to my father 2) He didn’t give me what I asked for; He gave me something even better. The key to peace and joy in our daily lives is not in getting what we want; the key is always in the seeking. When we seek Him, staying near Him, we end up receiving treasures we never dreamed about.
We may feel Our Heavenly Father is not listening. Like the sun behind the clouds, we can neither see nor sense His presence. You have told Him what you want. Stay close. Keep your ears open to hear. He will answer — always. Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within you, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think (Ephesians 3:20 NLT).
It’s that time of year again. The day we especially remember when Jesus chose to pay our sin penalty. I remind myself that if I had been the only person in all humanity of the ages who had sinned, Jesus would still have chosen to lay down on that cross, to feel the spikes in His wrists, the spear in His side, the thorns cruelly pressed into his brow, the face of His Father turned away from Him. He would have done all that for me, just as He has done all of that for every human ever born. What unfathomable love.
When Jesus hung on that cross, enduring the pain and shame, He had my name on His mind, and your name. He knew the plans He had for us. He said in Jeremiah 1:5, I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Just think, God knew when we would be born, and every moment we would sin, but in His perfect love, He made a plan to save us anyway. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:5 NLT). The King James Version reads, He predestined us.
Predestined us? Does this mean He chooses who will receive salvation and who will not? Of course not! When Jesus died on that cross, it was for every human being who had been born and who would ever be born. He did not predetermine who would be saved; He predetermined free choice for every person ever born. I had to choose whether or not to receive Jesus’ gift of forgiveness and salvation through His death on the cross, just as you do, too. It’s an awe-filled moment when we pause to reflect on what God planned for us even before we were born. He has always known all about you and me, and yet He has always loved us anyway, no matter our imperfections and blatant sin. He has loved us and still loves us without measure.
Good Friday, the day Jesus went to the cross is sobering to our senses, meditating on the price of His love for us. Of course, the story of His sin payment doesn’t end on the cross. All praises to the Father for His plan to save us from eternal punishment of sin. All praises to the Son, Jesus, for willingly receiving the death penalty for our sins. All praises to the Holy Spirit for coming to reside within every child of God, for He is our comforter and teacher Who guides us along life’s journey.
Thank you, Jesus, for Friday, and thank you that — Sunday is coming! Hallelujah! Jesus died, rose again, and lives in Heaven — our eternal Shepherd. He is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through Him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf (Hebrews 7:25 NLT).
In Exodus 21 we read of the story of a slave set free by the master of the home in which the slave served. The slave was free to go wherever he chose, to do whatever he wanted to do. However, should the slave, realizing the master was good, providing well for his every need, desire to serve his master all his days, he could do so. It was tradition that this commitment by the slave be acknowledged in public. We read in Exodus 21:6, his master must take him to the door or doorpost and publicly pierce his ear with an awl. After that, the slave will serve his master for life (NLT). Like so many things in our physical world, this is symbolic in our spiritual world.
The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1:1, This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach His Good news (NLT). When Paul realized who Jesus was, that His mission was to willingly die to pay the penalty for the sins of the whole world, Paul chose to surrender his life to serve Jesus all his days. Therefore, publicly he shared the Good News that all who come to Jesus can be forgiven of every sin and receive eternal life. It’s a free gift to all who come, repenting of sin, and thanking Jesus for paying the price with His own life. An outpouring of our love for Jesus is the desire to surrender to His ways, knowing He loves us, cares for us, guides us, gives us safety in the storms of life, peace in any chaos, strength to endure any hardship.
Paul also wrote in Romans 1:16, I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ It the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes — the Jew first and also the Gentile (NLT). Anyone may come to Jesus to receive forgiveness of any sin. The joy that comes as a result is immeasurable. When we realize, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the vast love of God for us, why wouldn’t we also willingly stand before Him, and say, “I love You. I want to serve You all my life. I place the ear of my heart on the doorpost of your love. In my heart I ask You to bore a hole in my ear that I may be identified as serving You all my life.”
Aways remember, People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart ((I Samuel 16:7 NLT). May we all know the joy of letting the Holy Spirit bore a hole in the ear of our hearts that all may see clearly the One we love and serve for all our lives. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven (Matthew 5:16 KJV).
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