Michele Huey's Blog: God, Me, and a Cup of Tea, page 62

Omni-God

The ABC’s of knowing God better: the letter “O”

   

If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. – Psalm 139:9–10 (NKJV)
      
“I am with you always.” – Jesus, as quoted in Matthew 28:20 (NKJV)
      
      
My husband and I were at a fiftieth wedding anniversary celebration when the storm hit. We were on the front porch chatting with family we hadn’t seen in a while. The two-year-old daughter of his cousin was playing on the sidewalk when an earsplitting boom of thunder sounded and lightning flashed across the sky—close, too close for comfort.
      
She ran to the porch crying, passed her mommy, and went straight to my husband, extending her little arms to him in a child’s “pick me up” pose. He obliged. Her crying stopped immediately.
      
He was her hero that day.
      
I, too, have someone to run to when life’s storms rage around me. And not only then. I seem to bother God with all sorts of trivial things—trivial compared to what other folks are going through.
      
I remember my mother did the same. She’d hang the laundry on the outside clothesline, then look heavenward and say, “Now, don’t You let it rain.”
      
So I learned early to take all my cares and anxieties to God (1 Peter 5:7).
      
That was the one of the foundation blocks of the faith I have today. For throughout my life, I’ve seen firsthand that He is, indeed, an “Omni-God”—omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. (“Omni” means “all, in all ways, without limits.”) He is present everywhere, knows everything, and is all-powerful.
      
In other words, He’s hero material—a real hero, not a fictional one you meet in movies and books. Don’t we hope, deep inside, that someone like Indiana Jones, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Rhett Butler, and Benjamin Gates (National Treasure) would appear in our lives?
      
We all need a hero.
      
With Omni-God, we have one.
      
But the choice is ours: We can run to Him when the thunder booms and the lightning crackles too close for comfort. We can go to Him with the big things and the little things, because anything that concerns us, concerns Him.
      
Or we can run the other way or ignore Him. Neither of which, by the way, works. He always knows where we are, we can never get away from His presence, and He is more powerful than we are.
      
Omni-God, though, is a gentleman and will wait until you're ready—like the prodigal son when he “came to himself” (Luke 15:17). And, like the father in that parable, He waits until He sees you.

Then, no matter what you’ve done or how long or how far you’ve strayed, “He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will renew you in his love; He will exult over you with loud singing as on the day of a festival” (Zephaniah 3:17).
      
Omni-God—Is He your hero?
      
      
Omni-God, thank you for being there when I come running. Thank you for being my hero. Amen.

 Special-Tea: Read Psalm 139           

My little flock

Image courtesy of Evgeni Dinev/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
      
If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. – 1 Corinthians 12:26 (NLT)
      
      
I call them “my little flock.”
      
They are a small group of believers, numbering about 25 now, who comprise a local congregation who look to me as their pastor.
      
I said I wasn’t—“I’m a Christian speaker and writer,” I insisted.
      
My qualifications do not include training in ministry. I’m not ordained, not certified as a lay speaker or lay minister.
      
I just love them.
      
And I love delving into Scripture, preparing a message for Sunday’s sermon, and then delivering it to them. I so want to see them grow in their faith—to increasingly know, love and serve the God I know, love and serve (2 Peter 3:18). I want to help them not only grow, but also experience the joy of their faith (Philippians 1:25 NLT).
      
My husband—who sits in the back pew, times my sermons and waves his cell phone when it’s time to begin winding down—told me I’m a pulpit pounder. I didn’t believe him until one Sunday I found myself pounding the pulpit.
      
I was first called to fill their pulpit three years ago when they’d begun to search for a fulltime pastor. The quest took a year and a half, during which I fell in love with them. Then, after another year and a half, I was called again to fill the pulpit when they lost their pastor. After all, how can a church of 25 faithful members support a fulltime pastor, with benefits?
      
So I said yes, I’ll prepare weekly worship services, “but I’m not a pastor.”
      
I look out over the congregation on Sunday mornings, and I see my little, hurting flock. Some have undergone recent cataract and back surgery. Some are waiting for surgery or treatment. One dear lady was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, another deals with her ailments day by day, moment by moment, as there isn’t much doctors can do about her condition. Still others grapple with long-term illnesses and caregiving.
      
And then there’s grief.
      
Yesterday I conducted my second funeral service in as many months.
      
I didn’t expect this. I didn’t expect the sorrow I feel now.
      
I thought all I had to do was prepare Sunday services and occasionally make hospital visits. I didn’t expect all they are dealing with. I feel overwhelmed at times by their pain, and I don’t know how to ease it.
      
Except love them. And pray for them.
      
Perhaps the life-pain was there before and I just didn’t see it.
      
Maybe as my heart has opened more and more, so have my eyes.
      
For when they hurt, I hurt.
      
They are my little flock, and I love them.
      
And maybe that’s what being a pastor is all about.
      
      
Dear God, I feel so inadequate to shepherd these wonderful people, to apply Your salve to their life-wounds. Remind me to empty myself of me and to let You minister to them through me. Remind me You are the balm to their pain, and You are the light in the darkness of difficult times, Your promises are what give hope when the situation seems hopeless. Remind me You are their true Shepherd. Shepherd them through me. Amen.

Special-Tea: Read 1 Corinthians 12:12–27
 Image courtesy of www.turnbacktogod.com

My bargain tent

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. – Isaiah 43:2 (NIV)
      
      
This year, with the publication of my first book of fiction, I decided to have a booth at the Groundhog Festival. I’d sell autographed copies of all my published books, let folks know about new and upcoming releases – and “meet and greet.” After all, one chapter of The Heart Remembers takes place at the Groundhog Festival in Punxsutawney.
      
I’d thought to borrow the required 10x10 canopy tent to set up on my spot from my son, but his didn’t have sidewalls. And I wasn’t sure what condition it was in, since a wind storm blew it over last summer during one of our cookouts, and we couldn’t get the frame down. So it braved the long winter in the yard.
      
My long-suffering hubby managed to fix the frame and attach the canopy, which had sustained a tear or two when it caught on the garden fence. He set it up on the patio and told me to check for leaks the next time it rained. Well, we got the rain, all right, along with some pretty gusty winds, which blew the whole thing over onto the rocks that covered the back slope of the patio. I managed to unhook the canopy from the frame but couldn’t get the frame folded. But I needn’t worry – without the canopy it wasn’t going anywhere – except to the scrap heap because when fix-it man came home from work, he said this time even he couldn’t repair it.
      
So online I went shopping for a 10x10 canopy tent with sidewalls that wouldn’t make this whole impulsive affair cost more than I had in the bank. I wanted to at least break even.
      
I found a nice one with “windows” on eBay for $139.99, free shipping, easy setup.
      
When it arrived a week or so later, we erected it in the backyard. It went up easily, although Dean said he wanted heavier, sturdier stakes.
      
Good thing. Because the week of the Groundhog Festival was fraught with storms. Oh, hubby had it tied down good, and it didn’t blow away.
      
But the roof leaked.
      
The opening day of the festival had us scrambling to cover my display table and wishing for an umbrella. I’d have to take down my display every night when I closed up and take the books home so the damp wouldn’t damage them.
      
I kept my eye on the black clouds and the forecast all week, imagining the worse.
      
And failing to trust the God who watches over me.
      
Shame on me.
      
Because the only rain we got all week (except Sunday, when we discovered the roof wasn’t waterproof) was one night or early morning when I wasn’t there. All I had to do is wipe off the table and set up.
      
All week long I fretted, but each day the storms passed us, and each day I sensed God whispering to me, “Trust Me. I got this.”
      
I broke even. But more than that, I learned – again – that even when my faith falters, My God is faithful.
      
      
You won’t always hold back the storms, Lord, but I know You’ll be with me in the midst of them. Thank You, Abba Father! Amen.
 Special-Tea: Read Isaiah 43:1–7; Psalm 91

Coming to God with expectancy

Guest Blog from Patty Kyrlach Patty Kyrlach
His power at work in us can do far more than we dare ask or imagine. - Ephesians 3:21 CEV

The wedding guests had been in party-hearty mode for a couple of days. When the maitre d' stepped forward to taste the wine, his eyes popped like a cork.  After a reception went on this long, the caterers usually set out the Hawaiian Chablis—the cheap stuff. But this was some sort of pricey cabernet sauvignon.  Surprise! The host had saved the best wine for last.

The New Testament is full of people who got more than they bargained for. A woman went to a well for a drink, but walked away with living water and a new life. A beggar asked for alms and got his sight instead. Peter just wanted to catch some fish but wound up leaving his nets to fish for souls. Saul was on his way to stamp out the Jesus freaks when he had an encounter with Jesus himself, changing his name and his mission statement.

Our expectations get tired, jaded, and grumpy. They were always rather limited anyway. So
as we come to God today, let's come expecting the unexpected - "far more than we dare ask or imagine."

    Come as a little child.
    Come with a smile of eagerness.
    Greet each new day as a special gift of love.
    Even if you're old and gray,
    Though you've come a long, hard way,
    Come ready to sing and play and dance,
    Ready to risk and take a chance.
    For of such is the kingdom.
    For of such is the kingdom.
                   -Avery and Marsh

Lord, we're ready to be surprised. Ready to expand our thinking. Ready to believe that if we ask for a loaf of bread, you won't give us a stone. "Ready to risk and take a chance. For of such is the kingdom. . . ."

In Jesus' name, we pray with expectancy. . .

. . .for all who are battling serious illnesses and all the devoted care-givers 
. . .for those who grieve the loss of dear spouses and other loved ones  
. . .for all who are facing difficult family situations   
. . .for pastors and lay leaders dealing with discord in their churches  
. . .for all who may feel discouraged, stuck, or even hopeless   
. . .for all who feel overwhelmed

Lord, in each situation we look for you to do amazing things. We await your surprise answers.

Patty Kyrlach writes for Cookies & Milk, a children’s page in several SW Ohio newspapers, and also serves as design editor for the page, now in its eighth year of publication. She is Director of Communications for the Writing Academy, a small but personable writer's group that holds an annual retreat in Minneapolis. She writes mythic tales, children’s non-fiction, drama, songs, poetry, curriculum, and lately—her bloomin’ blog: "Stark Raving Mythopath"

The nature of God

The ABC’s of knowing God better: the letter “N”

      
And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” – Exodus 3:14 (NKJV) 
       
“But who do you say that I am?” – Jesus, as quoted in Matthew 16:13 (NKJV)
      
      
Back in December, when I first got the idea for this series, “The ABC’s of knowing God better,” I was enthusiastic about using the alphabet to describe an indescribable God, to catch a glimpse into His many-faceted nature, to delve into Scripture to learn more about the One who calls us to know Him, love Him, and serve Him.
      
I promptly recorded my thoughts, jotting down at least one word for every letter of the alphabet. Well, almost every letter. Two letters had me stumped: N and X. I figured when the time came to write about that letter, I’d have a word.
      
I didn’t.
      
So I posed the question to my Facebook friends: “What word beginning with ‘N’ do you think describes God?”
      
Here’s what they said:
      
“Never-ending love.” (Jeanne)
      
“Near, nurturing.” (Ann)
      
“Ineffable.” (Jodie)
      
“I know this is an ‘I’ word, but it is silent!” Jodie said. She posted a link to the definition. According to the free Miriam-Webster Online Dictionary, ineffable means “too great, powerful, beautiful, etc., to be described or expressed; incapable of being expressed in words; not to be uttered.”
      
Intriguing, considering God’s name, Yahweh, was written in all caps without the vowels (YHWH) because the Hebrews believed God’s name, which reflected His nature, was too holy to be uttered or written out. Even today you’ll run across “G-d” instead of God.
      
While we’re on the topic, the name Yahweh (Jehovah) is a form of the verb to be, which is translated "I AM" in Exodus 3:14 when God revealed Himself to Moses. According to the Children’s Ministry Resource Bible, it signifies “the present One, He who is.” The Amplified Bible translates this verse as “I AM WHO I AM and WHAT I AM, and I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE.”
      
Okay, I’m off on a tangent, but I’m an etymology freak and am fascinated with the origin and history of words. There is much in this short verse, “I AM WHO I AM,” (actually a proclamation) to meditate on for a lifetime and never quite grasp the full meaning.
      
Moving on . . .
      
Teresa had a list: “near to my heart, never judgmental, never tired of my neediness, most important NOUN in my life! Never-ending, nurturing, nourishing.”
      
New life. (Margo)
      
Necessary. (Cass)
      
“The word new came to my mind,” Sue B. wrote. “He is new every morning! He always has new and wonderful things planned for us.”
      
Harry posted, “Nice,” and Susan wrote, “New creation.”
      
Wow! Ask and you’ll receive!
      
What about you? What word beginning with “N” do you think describes God?
      
      
Dear God, You may be indescribable, but You are not unknowable. You bid us to come to You so You can lavish Your steadfast love and faithfulness on us. How awesome is that? Amen.
 Special-Tea: Read Job 38–41:11      

You want me to do WHAT?

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. – James 1:2–4 NIV 
      
      
As I child, I accepted the story of Abraham offering his son Isaac on the altar to God without question. But when I became a parent myself, I had lots of questions.
      
I never questioned that God intervened and spared Isaac’s life. Indeed, God never meant for Isaac to be slaughtered on the top of a barren mountain on a stone altar. The whole thing was a test to see who Abraham loved more – his son Isaac, whom he waited a hundred years for, or El Shaddai, the God who promised him this son and who’d made the impossible possible.
      
I never questioned that Abraham knew God’s voice. I never questioned his mountain-size faith, which made him eligible for the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11.
      
But I always come away from the story questioning my own faith and obedience, feeling small next to this giant of faith who obeyed without hesitation, without question.
      
I don’t know if I could do what he did. I mean, we read the story with hindsight, knowing the ending, knowing God stayed the hand with the knife ready to extinguish the life of his beloved son.
      
But what about before?
      
Abraham didn’t know God would intervene. Hebrews 11:17–19 tells us, “It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, even though God had told him, ‘Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.’ Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again.” (NLT)
      
This test was for Abraham’s benefit, not God’s. Omniscient God knew the result beforehand. He knew Abraham’s heart.
      
Perhaps Abraham loved Isaac more than God. Perhaps Abraham needed to be reminded Who was to come first in his life.
      
Centuries later, God would issue the first of the Ten Commandments: “I am the LORD your God … You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:1 NKJV).
      
And centuries after that, God’s own Son would reinforce that: “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:37 NKJV).
      
A hard teaching.
      
But not impossible.
      
God isn’t saying not to love our parents, our spouses, our children. He’s saying, in the words of Jesus, to “love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:38–39 NKJV).
      
I need frequent reminders, too, to put God first in everything – my time, my finances, my relationships. To this ideal I struggle daily.
      
Someday I hope to say the words of St. Paul: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).
      
      
Show me, dear God, how I can put You first today. Amen.


Special-Tea:Read  Genesis 22:1–14

Special guest post for the Fourth of July

From Joseph M. Lewis:
Happy Fourth of July!
            Imagine how the signers of The Declaration of Independence feel while looking down from heaven and listening to their critics. The thought never occurred to me until my publisher asked me to write a fictional short story relating how John Hancock experienced the 4thof July. Before starting, I read Herbert S. Allan’s even-handed biography of Hancock. Yes, the Founders were all human - Hancock was vain and a clothes horse, for example. But when you study the founding of America from the perspective of a Founder, the greatness of these men staggers you.
            “But they didn’t free the slaves and women and blacks couldn’t vote!”
            Guess what?  No one could meaningfully vote and everyone, everywhere, was in some form of bondage. The English themselves were “subjects.” Except for royalty and a small number of men in a handful of tiny Greek city states, no one had ever controlled their destiny. 
            Writing in the first person forces you to see things through the eyes of the character or historic figure, to imagine what they felt, wanted and thought. The Founders were operating in uncharted waters, laying the foundation to free all mankind and making things up as they went. They were doing it while at war with the most powerful Empire on the face of the planet. On January 1, 1776, George Washington discovered he had only 8,000 enlistments instead of the 20,000 planned. Georgia and South Carolina announced they would not sign if slavery were denounced, let alone outlawed.
            As I imagine Hancock saying, “The hard truth is we will not free the Negro slaves . . . not because we don’t want to, but because we can’t. The southerners would revolt . . . freeing the black man will require a war and the forces of liberty are barely able to fight one war, let alone two.”
            On July 4, 1776, the Founders were almost to a man well educated, affluent and doing quite well as subjects of Britain. In the 18thcentury, traitors were hung from a gibbet with their hands tied behind their back. Rather than breaking their necks, the traitor took about ten minutes to strangle to death. Traitors’ property was forfeit, so their families were left impoverished. While the Founders were signing their own death warrant, Benedict Arnold was trying to keep his army from disintegrating as he retreated from the disastrous Canadian campaign. "I have often thought how much happier I would have been," said Washington, "if, instead of accepting a command under such circumstances, I had taken up musket on my shoulder and entered the ranks.”  
            They were great men, yet consider the petulance with which they are treated. While reviewing “The Price they Paid” email about the Founders, the left wing site “Snopes” called it part true, part false. Why? Here’s an example: “Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.” Snopes - “yeah, well . . . she was already sick.” Seriously. I paraphrase, so check it out for yourselves. Part of the disdain appears to be petty racism, sexism and anti-Christianity - the Founders were white male Christians - but there may be something deeper. Writing about an attack on the Framers, Professor Walter Williams wrote, “If I believed in conspiracies, I'd say (Time’s) article is part of a leftist agenda to undermine respect for the founding values of our nation.” 
            Hancock might have said, “No doubt, those who hate liberty and embrace hate amongst the races will use this against us not only now, but far into the future. We can only trust this and future generations will be wise enough to detect the charlatan, understand his aim and reject his deception. That battle is for another time, and will be fought by other men. We must fight the one in front of us now.”
This is a column of opinion and satire. The author knows of no undisclosed facts. To contact Lewis, the author of John Hancock, in Remington Colt's Revolutionary War Series, visit him at josephmaxlewis.com and click on Rimersburg Rules.  © Joseph M.  Lewis
Click here for the Amazon Kindle link to “JohnHancock”


Click here to listen in on the blogtalk radio show withJoseph Max Lewis discussing “The Declaration of Independence”
Click here to stop by Mr. Lewis’ website and connect with him : www.josephmaxlewis.com 
     

Sky watcher

The ABC’s of knowing God better: the letter “M”


The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. – Psalm 19:1 (NIV)
      
LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens.  – Psalm 8:1 (NIV)
      
I’ve long been a sky watcher. As a child, I liked to lay on my back in the yard on a summer day, watching the clouds float across a sapphire sky. As a young mother, after the supper dishes were done, I’d sit on the patio in the evening as twilight deepened and watch the stars come out. It was then, as an adult, I learned to recognize the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper.
      
I love to watch the sky as a storm moves in. And rainbows! One summer morning when the kids were little, I roused them out of their comfy beds to see a neon rainbow arching in the sky above the house.
      
And sunsets! Oh, joy! I’ll stop in the middle of making supper to gaze at a blazing winter sunset. And once in a while I’ll catch the rose blush of a morning sky just before the sun rises. One fall morning the sky cast a copper glow over everything.
      
Abraham Lincoln once said, “I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.”
      
To paraphrase the psalmist, When I consider the heavens, the finger-work of God, the moon and the stars, which He set in place (Psalm 8:3) . . .The sky—the heavens—tell us much about their creator, if only we would selah – pause and think about it.
      
I once heard a scientist give a talk about how nature reflects the Triune God. First, all three—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—were present and active in creation (Genesis 1:1–5). Three lights were created: the sun (“the greater light to rule the day”), the moon (“the lesser light to rule the night”), and the stars.
      
Then there’s the atom, the basic unit that makes up all matter. The atom is comprised of three parts: protons, neutrons and electrons. Matter, defined as “anything that takes up space and has mass,” comes in three forms: solid, liquid and gas.
      
There are three primary colors: red, yellow and blue. These three pigment colors cannot be made by mixing other colors. Indeed, from them all other colors are made by mixing together various combinations of red, yellow, and blue.
      
Omne trium perfectum – the Latin phrase means “everything that comes in threes is perfect, or every set of three is complete.”
      
All nature bears the signature of its Triune Creator, perfect and complete, lacking nothing. That’s why I love the outdoors in every season. That’s why I’m a sky watcher.
      
Take time to watch the sky. Remember: The Heavens declare the glory of God; The skies proclaim His majesty!     
      
“This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought of rocks and trees and skies and seas—His hand the wonders wrought.”* Thank you, God, for creating this beautiful world that reflects Your majesty, just for us. Remind me to take time and enjoy it. Amen.
      
*From “This Is My Father’s World” by Maltbie D. Babcock (1858–1901)
      
Special-Tea: Read Psalm 8; Genesis 1  Sky over Sand Beach, Mount Desert Island, Acadia National Park, 9/23/13 

The listmaker

Image courtesy of digitalart/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You, my body longs for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.  – Psalm 63:1
      
      
It’s been two years since my daughter, Jaime, and her family drove from South Carolina for an extended family visit. So this mama and grandma got in gear weeks ago, making my all-important lists: housecleaning lists, grocery lists, lists of deadlines and other writing-related work that needed to be completed before and during her stay.
      
My plan was to have only one list while she’s here, with only one item: “enjoy the chaos and the fun.”
      
In the rush to get everything done, I skipped my daily quiet time. I gulped my morning hot tea as I flit from chore to chore. It was iced tea by the time I finished it.
      
But the more I crossed off my lists, the more frenzied I became. Whatever happened to my “slow down, pace myself, and enjoy life” philosophy?
      
It was gone with an earthquake, wind, and fire of my own making.
      
“I miss you, God,” I whispered one morning, ignoring the urge to grab my Bible and my cup of tea and head to the back deck. – to leave behind the list of devotional readings and prayer lists so it would be just me and God.
      
But I couldn’t.
      
Lists – do they serve me – or do I serve them?
      
Jesus was crazy busy too. But the Son of God took time out to go on a mountain or to a quiet place like a garden before the crowds showed up, before the disciples stirred from their beds on the ground, before the world awakened. He took no devotional books with Him, not even scroll of Scripture. It was just Jesus and God. In communion with each other. Talking and listening.
      
Why do I think I need anything more than me when I approach God?
      
Because I feel naked without my lists. I hide from Him behind my Scripture reading for the day, behind the devotionals written by others, behind the lists of prayer requests. I rush through the readings, checking them off the quiet time list so I can get to that all-important work list.
      
I can face the earthquake, the wind, and the fire, but I’m afraid of the whisper.
      
But I feel empty. It’s like gulping a cup of tea without taking time to savor its essence and inhale its aroma. Or shoving food in my mouth and swallowing without tasting each unique flavor that begs to be enjoyed.
      
My friend Kathy Bolduc takes her Bible, her journal, and her cup of tea to a place where she can be alone and observe God in creation around her. Then she reads a portion of Scripture slowly, savoring every word, meditating on God’s message and how it applies to her.
      
If a hectic schedule or fatigue causes her to miss a day, she doesn’t have the stress of a catch-up list. She simply meets with the God who is waiting for her.
      
He’s waiting for me, too.
      
      
Give me the courage to shed the lists that I hide behind, Lord. Only then will I hear Your whisper. Amen.

 Special-Tea: Read Psalm 63:1–8; 1 Kings 19:8–13

Love notes

The ABC’s of knowing God better: the letter “L”

   

Thy steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, thy faithfulness to the clouds. – Psalm 36:5 (RSV)
      
God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.  – 1 John 4:16 (NKJV)
      
      
My first high school boyfriend, a tall, skinny basketball player nicknamed “Rebo” (short for “rebound” – his job on the court) was the first boy in high school who liked me back. Finally, I got love notes like the other girls. I was loved! Oh, joy! He even gave me a huge stuffed St. Bernard that took up nearly half my single bed for Valentine’s Day. I named it “Rebo.” (Duh.)
      
Our romance lasted three months. On the bus ride home from our class picnic at the end of the school year, he handed me a note and told me not to read it until I got home.
      
It was a “Dear Michele” letter.
      
I was devastated. I mean, I finally get a boy to like me back, and he dumps me for a cheerleader!
      
I grieved all summer, sitting in the dark living room on the hard floor in front of the stereo, listening to Bobby Vinton and all those emo songs back then. I didn’t think I’d ever run out of tears or that my heart, shattered in a million pieces, would ever be whole again.
      
Then one summer evening, I went to a church bazaar with friends, including the boy who became my high school sweetheart. It was the last night of the event, and the magical August night sky blossomed with fireworks to end the evening.
      
Well, that was the first display of fireworks that night. The second was when I arrived home after walking my best friend, who lived across town, home. I should have called when we got to Kathie’s house. (Remember, no cell phones existed back then.)
      
It was after midnight when I climbed the front porch steps. My father, who’d never gotten angry with me before, met me at the door – not unruffled and quiet, like he usually was. After our heated exchange, I stormed to my room, grounded for two weeks.
      
I treated Dad with icy silence the next day, Sunday. Monday he left for work. He traveled for his job and would be gone a week.
      
Wednesday I received a letter.
        
My dear Michele, Dad wrote. Perhaps by now you are over the mad spell at me for scolding you.
      
It had been the first time I’d ever stayed out late without calling, he explained.
       
I was sick with worry after walking up to the bazaar and not finding you there, he wrote. By that time I was imagining everything.
      
Mom told me he’d ventured out in his pajamas, poking through the bushes along the way.
       
It is so hard for a parent to be cross with a child, he concluded. But sometimes it is necessary for your own good. Perhaps when you have children of your own, you will understand how we feel.
      
My icy heart melted. One moment of panic, I realized, doesn’t cancel out years of steadfast love. I clutched the letter to my heart, tears once more filling my eyes. But this time they were tears of joy.
      
Love notes – I think my father’s trumps them all.
      
      
Thank you, Father God, for Your steadfast, faithful, and unfailing love. And thank you for the Bible, Your love note to me. Amen.

Special-Tea: Read Romans 8:31–39
(Love note image courtesy of StuartMiles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net)