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 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? John 14:2

John was one of Jesus’ closest friends. He and Peter were recognized as the leaders of the twelve disciples. His gospel focus was Jesus’ deity, not the miracles He did, but the things He said about His Father and His eternal Home.

Jesus has celebrated His final Passover meal on earth.  He has shared His fate with His friends. They are confused, frightened and humanly driven to redirect destiny. God knows best, but it takes a lot of faith to rest easy!  Chapter 14 is the comfort chapter.  Jesus Himself gently tells that intimate circle, “Don’t be troubled. Stay the course.”  The questions continue on and on…..Jesus meets each fear with Good News!

This passage is one of the most beloved in the entire Bible and often quoted as those we love walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Jesus, Son of man, the carpenter that worked beside His earthly father building homes, is the Master Builder, Son of God that is leaving to build a perfect place in Heaven for those who believe and follow.

These are Jesus’ words. He has a place ready, custom designed for those He chose to die for.  What makes this home so wonderful? It is built by love.

Have a lovely day,

Gretchen

And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. Matthew 18:13

This verse is not about the security of ninety nine obedient sheep that do not need supervision. (FYI, sheep forever need guidance and oversight.) It IS about the value of the one lost sheep and the extreme measures the shepherd is willing to extend to assure the safety and salvation of the lowly beast that chose to drift into dangerous territory and became vulnerable to the pitfalls of the world.

I have lost things of trivial significance. When I stumble across them I think, “Oh! I’ve been looking for that.” and passively place the item back where I can find it if needed. However, when things of great value are lost, I want world stop until the object is found. Retrieval is the highest priority. I am truly joyous when the lost is found and returned to its honored place. The worth I assign the lost, then found, determines the intensity of my search and celebration.

The world’s standards are not the ways of Heaven. On earth it’s every man for himself. ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN, the strong help the weak. It is our mission, our calling. The lost, stuck, abandoned and hopeless won’t find their way if we don’t leave our safety, go find them and bring them home. Jesus has shown us how much they matter to Him. Now we must act.

Love,

Gretchen

Last Girl Laughing

I recently asked one of my siblings what the most hilarious events of her childhood were. I had no idea I was the leading lady in our family’s comedy reel. My antics were laughable, but I never meant for them to be. I do NOT laugh at myself and I am easily offended when others do. However, I envy those easy going folks that gleefully tell of their most embarrassing moments concluding with the biggest belly chuckle in the room. So, today I am turning a new leaf. I am going to tell you one of the most embarrassing few minutes I’ve ever lived. As with all my accounts of days gone by, there is no ‘long story short.” Here it is in all its glory.

My earliest memories are of warm summer days in southeast Iowa with neighbors and friends. My mother grew up in Burlington, a city of mills and factories along the Mississippi River. A few years after she and my father married they returned to a small, nearby farming community to pastor a church. When I was a first grader though, we moved to northwest Arkansas. For the first time in my short life we had to pack suitcases for visits to places I once spent carefree afternoons.

One particular holiday our family of six was staying at my grandparents’ home. All the maternal relatives, aunts, uncles and cousins, had come for the evening to celebrate and fellowship. Wall to wall people filled a very small and noisy space when the time came to settle the kids for the night. Baths began and pajamas were donned. It came my turn to quickly bathe, so of course I did what I was told. (Insert reality filter here.) Behind the closed bathroom door I did as directed, dried, put on my nightgown, opened the medicine cabinet door and put a white substance from a tube onto my dampened toothbrush. No minty foam formed. Instead, bristles began to stick to my teeth. I panicked and grabbed some toilet paper to remove the horrible glue that was now welding my lips to my gums. The paper stuck too. I threw open the bathroom door to a kitchen full of festive adults and gave a panicked scream. All eyes turned. Those who could see me understood my dilemma. Mom took me to the sink and began rinsing and removing Poly-Grip from my mouth. I had put denture cream on my tooth brush. In my defense, no one I lived with used this product. I thought everything in a vanity coming from a tube was meant for dental hygiene.

I knew I had no choice but to seek help when tissue paper adhered to my teeth, but I was MORTIFIED! While mom was cleaning up my mess everyone else was hysterical. With all the ruckus, the cousins came to share in the fun and my humiliation was complete. They were laughing at me and I wanted to disappear.

My sister reminded me I hold one of the top spots in our family’s history of public blunders. Sis loves to put an addendum on this chapter, “At least it wasn’t Preparation H!” She is correct and I am grateful for that small blessing. This story has been told many times over the years and when it begins I leave the room, but shame on me. To withhold laughter at my own faultless mistakes inadvertently holds others to a standard of perfection that is not possible, certainly is not fair and marginalizes the boundless joy God lovingly gives.

Proverbs ends with a section dedicated to a wife of noble character. 31:25 says, “She is clothed with strength and dignity; SHE CAN LAUGH AT THE DAYS TO COME.” Laughter is a treasure, a gift, an art and it can make you strong. Don’t rob yourself of something so completely wondrous!

Love,

Gretchen

 

 

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. Micah 5:2

Micah’s prophecy spanned the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Two of them were good, the wickedness of Ahaz was epic. Micah witnessed a corrupt society where the powerful oppressed the marginalized. It was a time of conflict and hostility. God expects kindness, justice and humility. The sins of the people would ultimately lead to destruction, but God would provide a plan of restoration.

One of Micah’s strongest messages was that exile, a consequence of sin, was actually very important to the salvation of the Jewish nation. These people had become incredibly evil, but God would wipe out all their vices, greed, exploitation, dishonesty and sham religious rituals and leave them with nothing but hope. Micah encouraged his hearers to accept their punishment without giving up hope of God’s eventual Glory.

Matthew, the Gospel writer who recorded the nativity story, recognized the birth of Jesus, in a Bethlehem stable, as the fulfillment of Micah’s prophecy. Where the world leaves a path of dysfunction, confusion, and destruction, a tiny baby, the Son of God, would be our peace.

Merry Saturday!

Gretchen

And He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10:16

Children track dirt, leave marks on the walls and windows, make a lot of senseless noise, peek in every closet and drawer and exhaust their grownups with unending inquiries. They do very little independently, but ask for companionship and love.

People, probably their mothers, were bringing little children to Jesus so that He could lay His hand on them and bless them. The disciples rebuked them, treated them as a distasteful nuisance, but Jesus became indignant and said, “Let the little children come to me.”

In Jewish life women and children had no worth, yet Jesus used childlike humility and faith as the model of correct approach the the Kingdom. Despite gritty fingers, dirty feet and most likely a snotty nose or two, Jesus took the children into His arms and gave them value. My mind tells me there were a few boo boos that needed attention also and as always, Jesus did what He does best, He healed them and those precious lives were forever changed.

The world’s value system is skewed and has no bearing on true worth. If we want to come to Jesus we must come with a heart made innocent by trust and if we desire to be like Jesus, we must see and love what He does, even if soap and water hasn’t touched it for days.

Embracing My Inner Child,

Gretchen

“You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.” 2 Chronicles 20:17

The Chronicler’s mission is to tell the positive stories of ancient history. One of his favorite themes is that faithfulness brings blessings. This is true and King Jehoshaphat is a wonderful example of a Godly leader and a blessed nation. He sought the LORD in all things and began a program of public instruction that included sending priests on regular circuits with copies of the Law to teach the people.

When Jehoshaphat was informed that a massive army was marching toward him he called the entire nation to fast and pray and he himself inquired of the LORD. In verse 12 Jehoshaphat’s prayer states, “We do not know what to do but our eyes are on You.” What a beautiful, confession of faith! All of Judah, from the eldest to the least, stood before the LORD anxious, and then the Spirit of the LORD came. Through a prophet’s voice the words above are heard.

When tomorrow came Jehoshaphat spoke final words of praise and faith. His appointed worship leaders led, “Give thanks to the LORD, for His love endures forever.” As they sang, the opposing armies began to attack each other. Those seeking war found a fight among themselves and self-destructed.

It isn’t man that needs the last word, but God. Oh how very hard that is to accept but He will fight all the battles you give Him charge over.

Happy Thursday!

Gretchen

He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. Hebrews 9:12

God made a covenant with Israel when, through Moses, He led them out of Egyptian slavery. A designated place of worship was given to this nation, a Tent, the Tabernacle. God resided with His people, but His people did not have direct access to Him. Once a year the high priest went into the Holy of Holies, the inner sanctuary, covered in the blood of goats and calves, to make atonement. This was an annual ritual to remind the people of their sins. It was limited and had no power of redemption. The bondage of sin and human nature was never broken.
He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. Hebrews 9:12

God made a covenant with Israel when, through Moses, He led them out of Egyptian slavery. A designated place of worship was given to this nation, a Tent, the Tabernacle. God resided with His people, but His people did not have direct access to Him. Once a year the high priest went into the Holy of Holies, the inner sanctuary, covered in the blood of goats and calves, to make atonement. This was an annual ritual to remind the people of their sins. It was limited and had no power of redemption. The bondage of sin and human nature was never broken.

Jesus, the Christ, God’s Son, became the perfect sacrifice. With love He voluntarily gave His life to set all men free from sin’s consequence. Through Jesus’ blood, sin is wiped away. Through His death we all can have eternal life.

Today we title churches The House of God. They are exactly that. They are the representation of God with us in a living, active and powerful way. Those who gather there are the Body of Christ, the community of believers, those who by faith are saved and lay their lives down as a living sacrifice so that others may feel God’s love and find redemption.

Have a Wonderful Wednesday,

Gretchen Jesus, the Christ, God’s Son, became the perfect sacrifice. With love He voluntarily gave His life to set all men free from sin’s consequence. Through Jesus’ blood, sin is wiped away. Through His death we all can have eternal life.

Today we title churches The House of God. They are exactly that. They are the representation of God with us in a living, active and powerful way. Those who gather there are the Body of Christ, the community of believers, those who by faith are saved and lay their lives down as a living sacrifice so that others may feel God’s love and find redemption.

Have a Wonderful Wednesday,

Gretchen

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. Revelation 22:1

Revelation, Biblically speaking, has given me greater pause than any other scripture. I associate it with death. The magnitude and depth of its content are intimidating, but John got to look into Heaven, then tell everyone and it was beyond amazing. It was beautiful and that is often lost, because no one is searching TripAdvisor for the path of least resistance to get there quick.

If you read 21:1-22:6 you will see the New Order, not a new world order, but an eternal order. All things are made new. Like so many things of Heaven, we cannot fathom something that is completely NEW! All we have on earth is what we started with. We understand reuse, recycle, restore, not NEW! But Heaven is nothing of earth. God will dwell among men in a place He has designed from His unprecedented creativity and power.

John saw a river flowing from the Throne of God watering a Tree of Life. This tree holds the power to heal every ill ever imagined. On earth water is necessary to sustain life, in Heaven it is life. Here is something new for me: Heaven holds life, not death.

Living, not dying,

Gretchen

We love because He first loved us. I John 4:19

John’s favorite theme was love, God is LOVE. His command is that we love one another. To love is to obey, to obey is to love.

If you read the entirety of the Bible, God’s breath, His voice, His Word, you will not find a boundary drawn for love. God’s love is boundless, therefore, to live for Him, abide in Him and share eternal life with Him means we love…….without conditions, questions, borders……just love, it’s what we do.

LOVE!

Gretchen

Today I share my sibling’s truth and wisdom with you.  I know you will find her as amazing as I do!  Here are words from Gayle Paladino, the World’s Greatest Middle Sister!

Can the Clay be the Potter?

I love watching those amazing videos of talented pottery artists. They can take lumps of bland, unyielding clay and create beautiful, colorful and functional works of art.  They masterfully apply the skills of kneading, massaging, spinning, molding, glazing, baking and cooling.  They understand clay, and how its properties vary based on where it came from and what it’s made of.  They know just how much water to add to make the clay pliable, and just how much pressure is needed to achieve the design they fancy.  They apply carving tools to add character.  Regardless of the process, the result is a true work of art that is perfect in both form and function.

Videos of novice potters are equally enthralling and always humorous.  They all have one thing in common.  The products of the novice are usually less than aesthetically pleasing, even if they end up being functionally useful.  In other words…they ain’t ”purty”…but they work.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve taken a figurative look at my life and thought to myself…well, it ain’t “purty”, but it seems to be working (even if just marginally), so I’ll keep plodding along in my slightly useful but ugly imperfection.  How sad it that!?  Yet I can guarantee that each one of you has had that thought and done the same thing.   The questions we need to ask after that look around are:

1. Why is my work of pottery…my life…only marginally useful to the community God placed me in?
2. Why isn’t it pretty?

The answer to both questions is I’M NOT A MASTER POTTER!  GOD is.  I am just a simple lump of clay that He breathed life into.

Isaiah 29:16 (NASB)  says:
You turn things around!
Shall the potter be considered as equal with the clay,
That what is made would say to its maker, “He did not make me”;
Or what is formed say to him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?

Now that really makes sense.  If I’m the clay, how can I ever hope to form myself?  I can wiggle, squirm, poke, roll, and shimmy all I want.  I can buy all the tools the world has to offer, but I am still just the lump of clay.  I simply don’t have the hands, heart or skill of the Master Potter. Rather, I was made to yield to His artistry…to relax into His vision.  As the raw material, I’m free to trust the gentle yet firm hands He has wrapped around me.  I can take direction and character from  the tools He applies to me.  I can rest still and calm even when things are spinning madly, or the furnace is burning fiercely around me.
Once I acknowledge my place in his plan and yield obediently to the Master, the next time look around at my life, I will see something different.  I will see improved function, with a side of beauty.  I will become a useful vessel filled with joy and shining with the beauty that God planned for me.

Have a wonderful week, fellow lumps…and remember what God says:  Be still, and know that I am God (and that you are My precious lump of clay).  Psalm 46:10, the Paladino Unauthorized Paraphrase. 😉