Sonshine!

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. Exodus 20:17

The accumulation of earthly possessions quickly divides man in ways that only men deem great.

Coveting begins as a simple passing thought, “How great life would be if only I had that!” Coveting turns to entitlement, “Wow, if you loved me more, you would give me that. I deserve that.” Now things are completely out of control! “I will do anything, no matter the cost to me or mine, to have that!”

God says, “Don’t EVEN go there.” (Gretchen’s paraphrase)

The great equalizer is death, just you and God. Do not misspend your soul. Love what God loves and invest in those things.

Love,

Gretchen

A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out. In faithfulness He will bring forth justice. Isaiah 42:3

Chapter 42 contains a poem referring to a servant. The servant is the LORD. New Testament writers quote this passage often and know this servant to be the Christ. (See post script)

Verse 3 holds two metaphors that bookend what the author of love first wrote in the story of man. ‘He will not break a bruised reed.’ A bent piece of straw may hold a scar, but it is not severed and left to rot. God’s work is NOT to complete a destruction begun by sin. Instead He binds up, supports, heals, restores.

‘A smoldering wick He will not snuff out.’ Referring to an old fashioned lamp, the writer depicts an empty oil reservoir, a smoking ember, a near useless vessel. But where there is life, there is purpose, fresh oil and a new bright light shining into ‘the dark dungeon for those that sit in darkness.’ (vs. 7)

God is creator, author, designer. He does not destroy or decommission. He is faithful and just. He redeems and gives purpose.

Love,

Gretchen

Matthew 12:15-21, Mark 10:45, Luke 4:16-21 and 22:37, Acts 8:32-35 and I Peter 2:21-24.

Then the LORD said, “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second.” Exodus 4:8

From a burning bush God calls Moses to return to the home of his birth and deliver the descendants of Abraham out of slavery. Moses is a little overwhelmed! He must convince an entire population to follow him into the unknown, tell a pharaoh, who believes himself to be god, to free his cheap workforce and expect the Egyptian people to accept a new existence without their slaves. Of course Moses has a few questions!

God shows Moses the miracle of his rod turning into a snake and then back into a rod. Moses’ hand became diseased and then whole again. God was showing Moses he was not going alone and unprepared.

Moses’ doubts and questions did not incite God’s wrath. We are human, He is God. God doesn’t choose perfect people to fulfill His plan, He perfectly empowers people through obedience, to fulfill His plan.

Do you have questions? Ask God. He answers. Are you overwhelmed? Give it God. He carries burdens. Are you insecure? Remember you are the child of the King!

Happy Monday,

Gretchen

They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand. Then they knelt in front of Him and mocked Him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. Matthew 27:28-29

Jesus called Himself The Son of God. This declaration by someone other than The One True God is considered blasphemy, a crime punishable by death. Fair enough, but there was plenty of evidence to the Truth. However, justice and facts weren’t the issue, the extreme evil in the heart of man was. Jews, Herod and his soldiers, Pilate and his soldiers, priests, elders and scribes, took part in the sport of humiliation. They stripped Him naked, and tortured Him. Thorns were crammed into his scalp and face. They thought they were bringing Jesus down from His high horse………He was patiently waiting for love to have its final word.

I’ve always wondered if those people went home that night proud of themselves. Did they feel all big inside, being part of a riot that ended in someone’s death? How did their children, sitting across the room, look at them? Did they fear the adults so free and loose with their fists and spit, or did they hail them as heroes? Did any of them want to rewind time and have a do over of that day? Was there any life changing regret? Thoughts on these answers matter to us today because they define character and the motivation of our own actions toward one another. It’s easy to pick out the wrong doers at the crucifixion, but if we withhold love’s chance and opportunity, we stand in the shadow of the cross, not the Light!

For these vicious hate filled men, and women, Grace was never out of reach until their final breath was drawn. In fact, when Jesus drew His final breath a soldier that had played a part in the day’s events came to believe. RIGHT THERE IN LIVING COLOR, AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS a murderer was humbled, confessed and found eternal life.

I am so relieved that God is Good, He is Love. We must cautiously, with determination, guard our hearts against all things but love and goodness.

A lot is happening behind that stone!

Gretchen

The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem. John 12:12

Jesus and His disciples had come to Bethany, the home of Lazarus and his two sisters. It was Pentecost, Jesus’ last, the beginning of passion. Because Lazarus had been resurrected by Jesus, they had both achieved what we would call ‘Rock Star’ status.  Everyone knew of them, especially Jesus. They wanted to meet Him and desired to connect with Him somehow.  He was an everyday man that left things better than He found them. Word traveled and crowds gathered.

Among the general population, Jesus and His disciples were adored. The multitudes looked to them as a great hope and future for themselves and their nation.  The religious leaders couldn’t stand it! Their self centered instinct to preserve their power turned to deep fury. The hatred they harbored and fed became all consuming. With every ounce of energy and influence they had, they spewed fear and perverted half truths, completely changing the direction of public opinion. In the end, Jesus was crucified by an angry mob that had hailed Him just a few days prior.

Yes, prophecy was fulfilled and Jesus became the Christ, the Lamb of God, just as He was meant to do, but that doesn’t justify man’s behavior.  Hatred is deadly and there is no excuse for it.  Love cannot be nullified. Love when the crowd loves, hate when they hate? NO! Choose love, only…..always!

Friday’s here, but Sunday’s comin’,

Gretchen

Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.  Luke 24:45

Anything to do with God’s plan involves Grace and Mercy and it is Amazing!  AND! The perfect timing in the lives of people is evidence of great love from a very personal and intimate Savior.

Jesus spent His final days on earth drawing His friends close and explaining what was to come. He had to tell them, but they didn’t have any reference for understanding, except the same prophecies rejected or misinterpreted by the Jewish authority.  Faith was all they had, and that was enough.

Some things you just can’t understand until experience opens your heart and mind.  Jesus didn’t say, “Well dah!” He reacted in love and brought those with faith into understanding so they too could love and celebrate as Jesus does.

Have a great Thursday,

Gretchen

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

The Roman church began at Pentecost when gentiles witnessed the miracle of the Gospel spoken in everyone’s language. For the purpose of preventing a polluting of the Gospel and maintaining the purity of salvation through Christ alone, Paul wrote this letter we know as the Book of Romans.

Condemnation is a very ugly word.  It means you have been accused, found guilty and now the worst possible consequences will become your fate. This is the reality of Jesus’ death by crucifixion. Except, He was not guilty, we are. The mistake wasn’t wasted, it was quite intentional. Jesus served our time in the grave winning victory over death. His innocence is yours, and if you will trust Him with your heart, eternal life is yours as well.

Love,

Gretchen

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. I Peter 1:23

Peter, a fisherman, an apostle, a preacher, a missionary, a martyr, but first and foremost, a sinner saved by grace, writes this letter to encourage his fellow believers facing savage persecution.

As one of Jesus’ closest confidants Peter was witness to His greatest miracles. He walked on water with Jesus’ holding his hand. He felt Jesus’ poignant forgiveness after denying Him on the night of His trial. He was the first of the disciples to see the empty tomb. Peter shared air with Jesus. He speaks with great authority of what he knows.

Someday the earth will pass away, it will perish, but God is the God of infinity, eternity, a time that will never end and as His children we share in this inheritance. We will never end either. It’s called eternal life and it is a free gift.

Love to each of you,

Gretchen

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

Ephesians chapter 2 is a beautiful passage of who we are through God’s creation, Jesus’ restoration and man’s reconciliation with one another.

We are woven together by the handiwork of God, however, it is easy to overlook the wonder of our mind and soul. They are as incredible as our heart that beats with no effort of its own. It is not just our physical bodies that are made in the image of God and marred by sin with the fall of Adam, but our mental and emotional being as well. This is the most beautiful, intimate part of each of us and can be restored to perfection with the cleansing of Jesus’ blood.

As the perfect reflection of God, we love what God loves and love as God loves. Love one another.

Have a great Weekend!

Gretchen

This is what the Sovereign LORD says: “Once again I will yield to the plea of the house of Israel and do this for them: I will make their people as numerous as sheep.” Ezekiel 36:37

With the surrender of Jerusalem to the Babylonian army, Judah was wiped off the face of the earth and there was a Jewish nation no longer. Ezekiel, a young man training for the priesthood, was taken into exile far away from his homeland.

Ezekiel expected to grow old following in the footsteps of his father, living comfortably and successfully. At the time he should have been starting his career, it all ended. Then God called Ezekiel to be a prophet. He saw God in His glorious majesty, all-seeing and all-knowing. In comparison, he saw the people’s sin in all its darkness, worshiping false gods, relying on earthly power for sustenance and protection rather than keeping themselves Holy and set apart.

God’s covenant with Abraham was the birth of the Jewish nation. Ezekiel spoke this promise once again. God would reestablish His covenant and His people would survive and prosper. The people have a responsibility to live Holy and Righteous lives. Disobedience and idolatry begets judgement and punishment, but God forgives and restores.

There is absolutely nothing God cannot, will not forgive. He is NOT a giving up God! He can be your sole protector and sustainer. He hasn’t changed and man hasn’t either. We still need God and God alone.

Love,

Gretchen