Sonshine!

I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them. Hosea 11:4 (Hosea)

This is one of the saddest, filthiest stories in the Bible. God calls Hosea to marry a woman that will not be faithful to him. Hosea honors his wife Gomer, but he cannot love her enough to hold her to his heart and home. She repeatedly chases after men that satisfy her lust for luxury. Eventually she becomes captive to prostitution and Hosea goes and redeems her from bondage.

Like Gomer, the children of Israel refuse to put away their adulterous love of Baal and their desire to seek wealth and power from the land. God’s people, His Bride, refuse to remain faithful to the covenant they made.  Within the sanctity of Holy matrimony, or covenant relationship, there is safety and security, a haven from the world. This is God’s design for man and woman and Himself and humanity.

Nothing grieves God more than watching the children He created worship and adore idols made of sticks and stones, inanimate objects created by His hand, and void of any supernatural power. Hosea’s life story parallels Israel’s idolatry, wickedness, captivity and restoration. Our sins pains our loving, Heavenly Father, but we are not loved on our merit, but on His choice and character. No matter what you have done or where you are coming from, you are, and always will be, loved and cherished!

Have a lovely day,

Gretchen

From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. He said: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry. Jonah 2:1-2

The kingdoms of Israel and Judah continued their spiritual decline.  They enjoyed their affair with Baal and other idols and refused to halt their headlong rush into disaster. God sent three prophets during this time, Jonah, with a special message of mercy to the Assyrians, Hosea, who  speaks out against idolatry, and Amos teaches against religious formalism and social injustice.

Nineveh was a super city established by Nimrod, following the flood. It was the capitol of the Assyrian empire, a world power that began growing after Solomon’s reign when the Hebrew kingdom divided. God called Jonah to go and preach the Good News of the One True God to these pagan people. But! They were the hated enemy and Jonah refused to prolong their life span through salvation and redemption. He headed in the opposite direction, to the far side of the known world, Spain. Jonah attempted to confine God’s love and mercy exclusively to Israel.

If you wonder whether Jonah is fact or fiction, remember Jesus compared His death and resurrection to Jonah’s three days in the belly of the fish, (Matthew 12:40) and likens the Ninevite’s repentance to his own listeners who refuse to hear, (Matthew 12:41) This story is an amazing display of God’s universal grace and divine concern for all men. Never forget, you are among the ALL! He excludes no one from His love.

Love,

Gretchen

Late one summer the Rooney adventures ended up on the shore of Lake Michigan. We delivered buses to Chicago and decided to continue north and see where the road took us. The lake side towns were charming and quaint. We explored state parks, climbed lighthouses, picked fruit in local orchards and splashed in the cold water of winter’s snow melt. In Ludington we bought tickets for a ferry ride across the great lake to Wisconsin. From there we would find the road home. The ship didn’t leave until morning, so we took a night’s rest on the sixth floor of a lovely, rustic resort.

Our youngest daughter has a horrible fear of elevators. I question, “Why? Of all the dangers in this life, why fear a tool of convenience?” It doesn’t matter, it is what it is. The night ride up to our room was made sleeping on her father’s shoulder. The next morning three out of four argued we had too much luggage to use the stairwell as every tourist in the Wolverine state joined us at the elevator. As we entered the lift with our ‘Excuse me’s,’ and ‘Pardons’ Melissa seized the opportunity to make a break for the stairs. In the lobby we realized our family was minus one and we morphed into panic ridden lunatics! I stayed at the front desk, diligently memorizing every face and vehicle that exited the property while Keith searched the building. My blood ran cold thinking of threats to her wellbeing. After many long minutes, father and daughter came trudging toward me. One face was frozen in belligerent defiance, the other begged me not to release my fear induced anger until we got in the car.

Only a few short months after Melissa exited the womb she discovered her super powers: Self will and autonomy. One means she wants her own way, the other is an awareness of her potential authority. Parent/child conflicts arose often when her will crashed against the wall of our wisdom and determination to protect and secure her quality of life and future.

So goes the story of every human since Adam. God is love and knows best, but every man wants to be boss, and since world domination is not up for consideration, they take complete control of themselves and as many others as they can fool.

“For I know the plans I have for you, and it is good” Jeremiah 29:11 Gretchen’s abbreviated.

These words, spoken to a people separated from God by their need to do as they please, are God’s call to trust His omnipotent wisdom and omniscient and abounding love.

Man cannot manage himself.  He was never designed to.  This is God’s place and we must relinquish our personal ideologies, theologies and lame excuses, aka free will, to find our correct place in the world. If you must lead,  first follow, and then lead, to the Throne of God.

Halfway across Lake Michigan we realized our child’s rebellious act had cost her a suitcase full of clothes.  In all the ruckus her baggage was left somewhere she was not and couldn’t be found and returned. But, we never pack our egos in our luggage, so we prayed that her little shorts and t-shirts, that would be too small the next summer, might find their way onto a needy child’s body, and that a countenance of love and goodness would go with them.

Blessings,

Gretchen

Rend you heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity. Joel 2:13 (Joel 1-3)

Judah had a child king, Joash.  Athaliah, Jehoram’s widow and the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, desired to rule Judah. She killed her own offspring to assure her undisputed throne. However, one child was hidden, in the temple under sanctuary, until he is six years old. When Joash comes of age he repairs the once beautiful temple, but still accepts paganism and later has to use the wealth of the temple to pay off his enemies. The prophet Joel speaks to this time.

Famine, caused by a swarm of locust and a prolonged drought, was foretold by Joel and meant to humble the men of Judah. Joel warned of the coming punishment, but also begins to speak of a Christian era in which the Holy Spirit will come to all mankind and will be the sickle in a great harvest of souls.

Joel called the nation to repentance because God still loves His people and longs to rescue and restore them.  In contrast, the Day of the Lord, God’s judgement, will be worse than this day of locust/judgement for those who refuse to repent. God does not want grand gestures. He seeks a broken and contrite heart that brings a newness of life. God is a jealous God, but He equips His children with all they need for victory.

Happy Groundhogs Day,

Gretchen

“Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,” declares the LORD. Obadiah verse 4

The Edomites were descendants of Esau, the older twin brother Jacob cheated out of his birthright. Even though these estranged grandsons of Abraham reconciled their differences, Esau’s people continued to seize every opportunity to wrong the Jews. From Moses to Solomon, Edom stirred unrest, but when they liberated themselves from Judah, they began aiding foreign enemies, finally giving assistance to Babylon in the annihilation of Judah, and luting Jerusalem after its destruction.

Little is known of Obadiah, other than his name means, “Servant of God,” and he is credited with a prophecy that is recorded as the shortest book in the Old Testament.  Obadiah delivered the word that Edom would be wiped off the face of the earth and history would know them no more. The last knowledge of their existence was in 70 AD.

These people thought they were invincible, but their unchecked anger, bitterness and a stubborn refusal to forgive was their complete destruction. God is good, loving and compassionate and calls us, regardless of our back story, to be like Him. In the unfairness of life, God is still and always will be good. Don’t get lost in your self pity and lose what God has in store.

Love,

Gretchen

When Joram saw Jehu he asked, “Have you come in peace, Jehu?” “How can there be peace,” Jehu replied, “as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abounds?” II Kings 9:22 (II Kings 8-16)

The beautiful story of Elisha is set amidst the history of Israel and Judah’s kings. Ahab’s wickedness became the standard by which these men are defined, but not judged. We are all judged by God’s Holiness.  His wife Jezebel and their daughter Athaliah are the manipulators and motivators to a great deal of horror. Punishment was prophesied and fulfilled.

Jehu, a military officer, was anointed by Elisha for the purpose of eradicating the house of Ahab and all baalism of its priests and followers.  He was relentless and bloody, but remember, baalism was unspeakably vile. Jehu was not Godly, but God used him to carry out the consequences of sin as Israel became a weaker nation and grew smaller as neighboring governments began to absorb land.

This portion of the Bible is incredibly difficult to consume and process. The fall of Ahab’s house exempted no one, especially his wife and daughter. Hundreds were executed. Jezebel groomed herself in beauty as Jehu approached the palace. Her own slaves threw her off a balcony and dogs devoured her body. Neither baal nor her vixen ways could save her. II Kings 10:27 tells that the ruins of baal’s temple became a toilet. God is serious! Idolatry, no matter how big or small, will end badly. Have NO OTHER GODS! The consequences are certain, except for those who believe, repent and worship only, The One True Good, Good, God.

Love,

Gretchen

Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over according to the word of the LORD. II Kings 4:44 (II Kings 3-7)

Elisha was the people’s prophet.  Most of his miracles were of healing and kindness. His story began as part of God’s remedy to Elijah’s depression. Many of Elisha’s miracles were repeated in some way by Jesus. Jesus fed a multitude with one child’s lunch, but first Elisha fed 100 with 20 barley loaves, also with left overs to spare! Elisha healed a Syrian soldier. Jesus used this example to justify His own healing of non Jews.

The resume of this prophet certainly reads like a Biblical superhero.  He purified a well, then filled a valley with water to sustain Israel and Judah’s armies while using that same water to fool the king of Moab into defeat.  A widows oil was increased, the Shunammite’s  young son was raised from the dead, a poisonous vine was accidentally added to a stew and Elisha cleansed the food, loaves of bread were multiplied and Naaman, the Syrian, was cured of leprosy. An ax head defied gravity to save the borrower’s honor and Elisha’s invisible chariots saved Samaria.

These all were acts of mercy.  In a tumultuous time when wrong and right were obscured by false teachers and corrupt governments, Elisha showed God’s intimate love for people.

In time of famine, heartache, oppression or depression, when God is difficult to define, making Him even harder to see, and you find yourself curled up under the broom tree, in a fetal position, don’t despair. God is readying a miracle, custom designed for you. The best is still to come.

Love,

Gretchen

“Is it because there is no God in Israel for you to consult that you have sent messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? II Kings 1:4b (I Kings 22:41-II Kings 2)

Elijah was sent on a mission of hope in the face of unyielding rulers. These kings led their people in idolatry and debauchery of the most destructive and dysfunctional kind. All the while, God was patiently, but fervently, waiting and preparing for the best case scenario.

Three times the words above are stated in reference to an incident where Ahaziah, Ahab’s son and heir to Israel, injured himself and sought hope in Baal. The One True God’s response? “Why are you walking past healing into death?” Wickedness and arrogance followed Ahaziah and his parent to their graves, but God did not hold Elijah accountable. Elijah answered and acted every time God called.  He was taken into Heaven by a radiant Chariot to stand with Moses as a great hero of God’s message, a message for us today.

Don’t walk past hope. It is yours and you are worthy. Stop, receive and bask in all that God has for you. 

Love,

Gretchen

“I have had enough LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” I Kings 19:4b (I Kings 18-22:40) This is a story worth reading!

Baal was the god of Jezebel. Her weak husband Ahab, king of Israel, saw no problem with the One True God sharing a little space in the temples, just to keep peace in his household. These two gods were believed to have power over fertility, land, the weather. It is not random that God chose a drought as the consequence for Israel’s great sin. This adulterous worship involved temple prostitution among all genders and ages. Infant sacrifice was common. After God brings rain and ends the drought in Israel and the surrounding areas, Elijah has all 900 prophets of Baal and Ashtoreth, who were child molesters and murderers, killed.

Elijah lived on the run, surviving on God’s miraculous power and provision.  He was fed by ravens, and a jar of oil and flour that did not empty. He raised the dead, called down thunder and lightening from Heaven, and brought rain to a barren land. All of this failed to turn Ahab and Jezebel toward correct behavior. Jezebel’s anger sent Elijah running once again. He fell exhausted, under a broom tree. There, angels ministered to him with rest and food.

When Elijah was able, God called him to the same mountain top where Moses had received the Law.  There, Elijah confessed, “I’ve done no good, Israel still doesn’t believe. Now I’m all alone and they want me dead.”  Instead of declaring Elijah washed up and worthless, God gave him a higher calling, a hope for the future.  He sent him to anoint, not only the next king of Israel, but the king of a neighboring country as well. And best of all, Elijah ordained his successor, Elisha.

Don’t ask more of yourself than God does.  He knows your limits and doesn’t exploit them or your resources.  Being tired doesn’t mean done.  Lacking spiritual vision doesn’t imply the absence of a call. God would say, “Get some rest, let’s talk in the morning, for the best is yet to come!”

Love,

Gretchen

As a public school teacher the weather forecast is a very important part of my morning.  There is a constant struggle with the seasons, temperature and precipitation in the child/weather formula. A stormy morning means children standing at a bus stop with lightening approaching. Bundling up for cold means extra time to stow coats and gloves to begin the day and allowing minutes for finding missing mittens before we go home. In and out of buildings is a challenge when the young delight in rain dancing, but grown-ups respect the importance of warm and dry. Weather is an ever changing variable that disturbs my rigid routine. Sometimes….a lot of times…..I resent it.

As I list my climate concerns, I remind myself of the wonder of childhood. Children take delight in all things.  When it rains they marvel at the polka-dot patterns on the sidewalk. Autumn leaves, winter snow, summer sun, it matters not to a child. They find a reason to delight and make a party, but three days after a good ‘frog choker,’ all those muddy little shoes begin smelling like a gym locker. Consecutive days of inside recess means every child has developed a strategy to enhance their odds of winning Candy Land.… Fun’s over. Bah Humbug!

One gray, drizzly morning, as I was trying to disguise my age with Maybelline, a gentle tone from my phone drew my attention to its glowing screen that said,  “Good morning mommy, how are you?”  I replied to my collegiate daughter, “Yuck! It’s an inside recess day!”   Moments later she responded, “Don’t be sad, pretend you’re in a Thomas Kinkade painting.” 

Melissa, my daughter, found promise in a new day, rain or shine. I envied her mind and heart, so full of optimism, and realized, the wrinkles on my face might tell the age of my body, but the choice to see the world through a lens of childish joy was and always would be mine. I stepped out of my house determined to let my heart sing.

Later that morning my students and I were walking through an alley from one building to the next. It was windy and cold, but a small voice called, “Look at the rainbow.”  I looked up. They all looked down.  In the middle of the street a school bus had left a drop of oil. Now there were dancing colors where water and petrol refused to mix. We circled around our puddle of wonder and just enjoyed the moment.

See the ugly and inconvenient, or see good. It’s a choice. God is Good, but it takes faith, hope and love to see it on the days when it is less obvious.

Love,

Gretchen