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Withholding Applause

I don’t remember a time I didn’t want to be a pianist. My home was full of music, everything from Porter Wagner to Richard Wagner. I had grand dreams and ‘illusions/delusions’ of fame and fortune with my talent and stage presence. Please grant me grace though, I was only 4 and 5 years old.

Piano lessons began about the age of six. I hated practicing the rudiments that might have led to proficient technique and tonal agility. Instead I had my favorite little songs that drove everyone to ear tears. Mom and dad threatened me with ‘last lessons.’ But each Saturday morning off I’d go to my patient tutor, lumber through my unpracticed assignments and return home promising to do better in the coming week.

Well, the rule of piano lesson etiquette is; If you take lessons, you participate in spring recital. I planned to perform one of my favored little ditties but my teacher and my mother were of another opinion. Mom advised that the song I was rehearsing was not the piece on the printed program. I begged to differ. She conceded with the sound warning that I should at least take the sheet music in question just in case. I assured her there was no need, I had it under control.

This is not a mystery novel so you know what happen. I should have gone ahead and played the music I knew but I made a valiant effort to execute from memory a piece I never even practiced with any enthusiasm. IT…….WAS……AWFUL!!!!! In the end I just got up and left the stage to the weak cadence of pity applause. Everyone clapped but my little sister.

Following the afternoon’s final performance everyone gathered in the fellowship hall of the hosting church for a brief reception honoring the aspiring musicians. It was there amid the “God Bless You,” pats and the “No one even noticed” encouragements that my father shared my younger sister’s response to my shame, “I ain’t clappin’ for that!”

Gayle has never seen the need to state anything but the obvious and that day I began my maiden voyage on a journey of deep theology and respect for the power and security in truth. Gayle is my truth speaker and everyone should find themselves one as great as mine.

In John 14:5-6 Thomas the doubter is worried about finding his way after his friend and teacher leaves. Jesus’ response is, “I am the Way, I am the Truth and I am the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Truth is a noun. It is not a word to describe a noun. This is big! Truth is the main idea, not a colorful way to enhance the main idea! Jesus is the Truth, God is the Truth. It is a normal phenomenon that history gets rewritten and revised to tailor fit man’s perspective. Some of it is acceptable human error, but more of it is man’s deliberate effort to control and manipulate his own world. When this occurs……man just named himself god. That’s dangerous ground folks.

Many years ago my precious little sister withheld her applause and when my dad humorously retold the episode a flood of peace fell upon me. Somebody was brave enough to tell me I did terribly and I was strong enough to handle it. Truth is power. Find it, remain in it and rest in it.

Love,
Gretchen

You will see it with your own eyes and say, “Great is the LORD-Even beyond the borders of Israel!” Malachi 1:5

The Jewish people were in the midst of economic hardship, constant physical threat and opposition. They felt God had forgotten them although He promised restoration.

Malachi’s message? GOD ALWAYS KEEPS HIS PROMISES FAR BEYOND OUR COMPREHENSION, NO EXCEPTIONS!

Our faith and our hope rests in God alone. His love is constant and continuing and is not dependent on our actions but His will. His will is His faithfulness to us. Our only appropriate response is absolute faith in Him.

Gretchen

I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

Very popular words from Philippians. Here’s the prequel……”I am not saying this because I am in need,  for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Verses 11 and 12.

So what can Paul, the author, do? Yes, all things…… the most essential things ……..contentment in all circumstances…….faithfulness in need and discomfort, grace in plenty,…….

What can we do through Him who gives strength? Persevere and become what Christ died for us to be: redeemed, missional, compassionate……..

Pulled out context this phrase seems to be an endorsement for pressing confidently toward human ambition. It is not. It is Paul’s humble affirmation that Jesus as friend, redeemer and hope is a reliable constant and that is enough. I’m with Paul, He is enough.

Love,

Gretchen

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:15

Maturity is a choice. Growing older is not. You don’t necessarily get one with the other.

Chronological aging is just going along for the ride. We had no say in when and where we entered the world and we really have no say in when and where we leave, but in the mean time the choice is all ours. That brings us to the mental and emotional level we chose to dwell in.

Maturity is facing the truth and owning what is ours…….mistakes and failures, successes and blessings; to recognize other’s contributions to the above mentioned, show gratitude where it is due and grace and mercy in exchange for bitterness and defeat.

Believers become the body of Christ and He wants to perfect us so that we may grow and do His work on earth. The path for this progress is truth. In accepting Jesus as the only truth we submit our tainted perspectives, petty folly and selfish ambitions to His perfect knowledge, patient love and final victory. Suddenly we are grown-up Christians and it’s a very nice thing to be.

Gretchen

P.S. I don’t think my spirit face has any wrinkles!!! Or maybe in loving truth I need to be okay if it does.

Have a great day!

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. I Corinthians 13:1

Sorry if I offend any percussionist, but there is no worse music on earth than an extended accapella snare drum solo or a gong sonata, or maybe a cymbal minuet! It’s just a bunch of noise that brings about one thought, “How soon will this end?”

Talk takes no effort, costs nothing and often brings the same response as the music I just spoke of, “When will it end?” Lip service is worthless if you do not bring your manpower to back it up. Love is the manpower that this world means.

Words just stir air molecules, love in action changes things.
Gretchen

She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” Acts 16:17

This loud mouthed, fortune-telling young slave girl had become a regular aggravation to Paul as he made his daily trek to a place of prayer. After many days Paul turned and said to the spirit that possessed this woman, “In the name of Jesus Christ, come out of her!”

The story continues that things didn’t go well for Paul and Silas after this act of healing. There is no further record of the young woman that lost the lively hood of her owner and herself. BUT! A few hours later a wrongly flogged and imprisoned Paul and Silas experience the miracle of freedom from bondage and lead their jailer and his household to salvation.

In this narrative, sinful man acts predictably. The slave owner is outraged that his easy money is cut off, shows little respect for any other human and keeps his mouth going about his rights as a Roman citizen until he starts a riot that robs two other Roman citizens of their liberties.

Godly men make beautiful history. They are disciplined to daily prayer, they free a woman from an unwelcome spirit, they respond to their injustice with praise and prayer, when a natural disaster frees them, they remain in place to minister to the frightened, hopeless and lost. Finally, they use their ‘rights as Romans’ to further the gospel, not oppress others.

You get to chose. Which legacy do you want to embrace?

Have a great day!

Gretchen

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message. John 17:20

Jesus is within hours of being crucified and He knows it. He also knows that His beloved disciples, the men He spent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with for the last three years have no clue about what is coming down. Yes, Jesus has prepared them, but they cannot comprehend what will prove to be the most mysterious, glorious and victorious event of all time.

So what does Jesus do? He prays. He sets things in perspective in a quiet talk with His dad. The entire seventeenth chapter of John is Jesus praying, first for Himself to focus on the big picture, eternal life. Then He prays for His disciples. Jesus is literally committing His friends into the care of His Father. How beautiful that?! And Then……..drum roll please…….He prayed for you and I. Yes, Jesus has spoken, out loud, a prayer personally for you and for me.

What did Jesus ask the Father to give us? A oneness with Him and each other so that we may know the full extend of the Father’s love.

Oh How He Loves Us!

Gretchen

Three Feet off the Ground

Evan, a fine young man of five years was recently recognized for perfect attendance in Sunday School, ten consecutive Sunday’s. Quite an accomplishment in a world full of excuses and better things to do on a sunny weekend day! But church is very important and when the doors are open, Evan likes to be there.

One Sunday evening I had many little housekeeping and managerial chores to accomplish around the church, so Evan joined in to lighten my burden. His offering was tremendous. What he does, he does with great enthusiasm and to the best of his ability. Evan’s failure to help would not be his lack of willingness, only my inept ability to explain my expectations.

As the two of us got busy I learned much about Evan’s busy young life. For instance, Friday was payday for this miniature entrepreneur. Since I was the grown up in charge I couldn’t model such bad social behavior as to ask how much money Evan made, but my restraint wasn’t strong enough to keep from asking what he did to earn his wages. He answered with great austerity and southern drawl, “I’m the janitor of the whole place, you know, the shop and all.” Evan comes from a long line of farmers and he spends his days with his grandfather, a full time farmer. Evan is responsible for keeping the shop where granddad, uncles and assorted neighbors and friends gather to visit and toil, clean and free of grass, hay and other sundry soil.

I also learned that Evan knew who his kindergarten teacher would be come fall. He didn’t get the one he was hoping for, but he assured me that the one he got was really good, he knew he was going to learn a lot and he couldn’t wait to get started.

As we were making a run to the trash dumpster, Evan expressed his excitement for exiting a door he had never been through. He was impressed with the heating and air units, puddles, electrical boxes and conduits for wires and water. Going through this one door opened a Disney Land for Evan’s inquisitive and imaginative mind. As we were making our return back up the sidewalk, Evan drawled, “Oh, I get to make wishes.” I looked down to see a previously overlooked patch of dandelions that had gone to seed. Before I could spit out my objections concerning his perpetuation of ugly yellow weeds on our carefully groomed church lawn, windy Evan launched a stem full of seeds into the evening breeze. Suddenly his hope and optimism defused my frustration over the unwanted flora that would continue to flourish.

These moments caused me to remember the words of Jesus, “Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:15 NIV). This evening spent in the presence of a chatty, innocent child brought this verse into living color. Evan brought a body willing to work hard. He brought a fearless spirit willing to walk across an unknown threshold. He brought a mind willing to except a plan other than his own, and finally, he brought a heart that saw beauty and hope in something that we educated, mature folk find ugly and annoying.

I pride myself on maturity, knowledge and insight. Indeed, “I wasn’t born yesterday.” But I need to put the rose colored glasses back on and see the world from three feet off the ground. Evan’s life is good and I need what he’s got: Unlimited willingness, unflinching hope, unbiased expectation and unquestioning faith.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Psalm 119:105

I know my yard well. The shrubbery is mapped in my head, the water features give themselves away, there are sidewalks to mark common thoroughfares to necessary places. I spend a great deal of daytime and dark in my little paradise. So why would I ever need a flashlight?

For the unexpected, the unforeseen! Dog pooh! A SNAKE!! Rogue patio chairs!

We are a mobile race. Our minds and bodies stay on the go constantly. For the most part we choose our routes, but even so, we know we will encounter the unexpected and we need light to avoid, detour or protect ourselves from the things we do not wish to step in or stumble over. God’s ‘Word’ is our only hope of a safe and secure sojourn.

The Psalmist is praising God for this ‘Word’ that indeed sheds brilliant, shadowless light. Let’s renew this praise also for this wonderful luminary that is our gift.

Gretchen

Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it. 2 Cor. 8:24

Paul throughout his letters has preached the oneness of Christ across racial divides. Racial tensions between Jews and Gentiles were a reality and very deadly at this time. Paul taught that there was great virtue in doing good for those that persecute you and asked often for Gentile Christians to set aside money for oppressed Jews, They went above and beyond the call. As a result Paul had to delegate Titus and two other associates to manage the churches of Macedonia and their offerings in an ethical and responsible way. This verse is a call to accept these emissaries in a way that will continue the work of the gospel.

However, there’s another subtle message. Paul says, “Love those I love…… If you love me, then love them too.” He is echoing Christ’s call to love one another….If you love Me, love those I love.

We have accepted His grace and we love Christ. So now we are asked to love those He loves. We didn’t earn Christ’s love upon Salvation. We were freely GIVEN salvation because of His love. It is our highest calling to LOVE those that Christ loves, basically…..everyone!

Accepting love is the first step toward salvation, so lets offer it and lead the way!!!!

Gretchen