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In the “herb garden” of my life, several sages have sprinkled me with spices of wisdom. (I have really not earned the right to talk about gardening as I have no experience and am the exact opposite of a green thumb). I do know a little bit about cooking and getting the right flavors to come together. Three wise people have helped me get the pertinent flavors of my faith theme to come together. In my life, the theme has been consistent. It starts with trust and ends with obedience.

I marvel at the sages God has brought into my life to add just the right amount of seasoning to my messy life at just the right times. To turn my attention to believing that God is Who He says He is. To deepen my understanding of being made righteous in Christ. To love the Lord by following His Word. God has been the Gardener all along – He sent these three…

One sage was Esther (“Pat”) S. Ruffin (deceased). I was introduced to this remarkable lady when I served many years ago as the capital campaign coordinator for a local Christian school. When I knew her, she was elderly and lived in a local retirement community. Her graciousness was beyond compare! It was three simple words that she shared with me while I was driving her to a campaign reception one day. “Trust and obey.” That was it. She summed up all of the life of faith in these three words. She was right. With many years behind her, she was the voice of experience.

Whenever I need to make sense of things, all I need to do is recall Mrs. Ruffin’s words of wisdom. No need to try and analyze life beyond the simple yet challenging notion of trusting God completely and obeying His Word. In John 14:12,15 Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. If you love Me, you will obey what I command.”

Like most folks, I have experienced some big failures over my lifetime. The severe limits of my human reasoning have taken me down some bad roads. The more I contemplate Mrs. Ruffin’s words, the more I have known that she spoke truth. Simply and beautifully.

The next sage was Pastor Dick Woodward (deceased). He was my Bible teacher for one year when I was a high school student long long ago. But, in later years, he became my pastor, co-capital campaigner, and bedside counselor. During one of those memorable failures of mine, he had a similar piece of advice. Psalm 4:5 says “Offer the sacrifices of the righteous and trust in the Lord.” Basically, offer God what he requires and trust Him for all the results. Pastor Woodward said it would be easy for me to remember because the reference number was my then age, 45. I always loved his sense of humor despite his battle with debilitating pain, paralysis and confinement to bed. He stated the truth simply and beautifully. As he always had.

Always a sage – my dad. Dad didn’t exactly sprinkle me with wisdom. He poured it on thick! He had to. He was my dad and I was his stubborn and rebellious daughter. Let’s face it. I still am. I remember Dad let me learn from him as he handled a big failure in my early years. He taught me that we all fall short and that humbling things have a sanctifying effect on us by God’s perfect design. I needed that. Consistently, Dad has been the one who has faithfully taught and encouraged the whole family the preciousness of studying and knowing God’s Word. Over and over and over again, he too has boiled down God’s truth to the same simple and beautiful thing – “trust and obey.”

So, I am grateful. Grateful that God put authentic sages in my winding path, if I would only listen. Grateful that God gave me a love for His Word. Grateful that wisdom is not ever far away. Psalm 37:30,31 says, “The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just. The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.” And, James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” Savor this!

Psalm 40:4 “Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.”

 

 

Photo Credit: Chap Percival

A hundred things miraculously aligned on August 21, 2017, to allow my family to be in South Carolina to see the wonder of the Solar Eclipse! As one of my daughter’s said, “Totality or bust!” We definitely saw the totality! No need to bust! Even the prevalent clouds parted above the beach for this amazing vision of God-created natural beauty. All eyes were (mostly) protected and were pointed toward the sky in unison! What a picture!

I had the distinct pleasure of holding my 8-month old granddaughter as she had fallen asleep in my arms on the beach! Honestly, in comparison to the eclipse, that was a much more treasured moment for me! (I still got several peeks at the momentous and spectacular eclipse!) Nevertheless, I have been thinking a lot about the frenzy of excitement and preparation across the USA to see this marvel of orbital extraordinariness, especially in prime locations like Isle of Palms.

I must give my husband all the credit for generating excitement and awe about front row seating for this phenomena! It was something he did out of his own passion for the beauty of creation – renting an outstanding beach house, early morning staking out of a prime spot for viewing on the beach, inviting all the kids and grandkids to come and stay, making sure we all knew the precautions and were provided with protective glasses, and keeping us updated on almost all that could be known about this unforgettable event-to-be. Talk about totality – he is a totality himself! This man is definitely “all or nothing!” He was all in! We were all happy benefactors, very appreciative and totally caught up in the unique unison on the beach!!

I couldn’t help but pray that this same strong ethos and anticipation will surround the return of our Lord Jesus Christ! When all eyes will look up and see our great Savior!

2 Chronicles 20:6-9,12 records King Jehoshaphat’s prayer: “O Lord, God of our fathers, are You not the God Who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can withstand You. O our God, did You not drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham Your friend? They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for Your name, saying, ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in Your presence before this temple that bears Your Name and will cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear us and save us…’ O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You. ”

Our eyes are upon You!

 

 

 

This sweetie was baptized on March 5, 2017. She’s a smiler! She loves being held. She’s easygoing and content. She’s almost 8 months old, the youngest of my 4 granddaughters. (Granted, all my grand girls are very special!) But recently, I single this little girl out because she makes me contemplate my blessings, treasure the gift of life as I get older, and think more about the enigma of contentment than I usually do…

The expression on my little Caroline’s face is one of “at-homeness” that says “I’m just happy to be here” and puts everyone around her in awe of her contentment. I picture this expression as reflective of the heart of one who is fully at rest with the Lord’s enduring nearness and tight grip. One who really knows shalom. One who is really a citizen of heaven and not earth. One who is genuinely transformed by new life in Christ, and not merely a reformed version of old life.

In turmoil, I know contentment to be the ability to be calm, unafraid and unconfused. To trust God completely. To see nothing else in sight except Him walking on the sea (Mark 6:49). To know His purposes are being accomplished with no particular end while being all about the process of walking by faith and not sight. But, how often do I experience this reality? Less than I care to admit.

There is a lyric from the Neil Diamond song “Sweet Caroline” that says “how can I hurt when I’m holding you… good times never seemed so good.” Yes I know, it is a big stretch stretch to spiritualize this song, but contentment looks much like this in my mind’s eye. In the tragedies and disappointments of life, God brings supernatural calm in the raging storms. How can I hurt when I am fully in God’s grip?

Paul sums it up in Philippians 4:11b-13: “…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. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”

Psalm 66:10-12 “For You, O God, tested us; You refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but You brought us to a place of abundance.” The abundance of Jesus is mine when all earthly comforts are stripped away. The abundance of Jesus is mine when I am grieving losses of all kinds. The abundance of Jesus is mine when I confront the enemies of my soul face to face because He stands between me and my enemies.

I want the true expression of my heart to be like my sweet Caroline’s – joyful, unstriving, trusting, smiling. Sure that God is holding me. Content. Thank you little Caroline! for radiating joy and beaming contentment. You’ve given me a picture that I will hold forever.

 

 

 

 

Isaiah 40:31 “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Dog Street is a nickname for Colonial Williamsburg’s Duke of Gloucester Street. It is quaint and well-trodden and almost in my own backyard. I have spent many hours walking on this historic pathway, mostly alone, but sometimes with my children and others. The street could generally be considered my “stomping grounds” since I walked the street as a student at the College of William and Mary many many years ago and still walk it today.

From participating in the Homecoming Parade with my sorority sisters, to watching my children march in the Matthew Whaley Elementary School Halloween Parade, to making it my “happy place” in my later years – this street holds my heart for some reason. Even for mishaps like my toddler son’s broken leg incident (don’t ask) when he was two years old and my broken arm in 2013 in a tripping accident while wearing crocks – this street is like my security blanket. I know it. I feel at home on it. I find peace and quiet there, even among the throngs of tourists.

Walking and waiting have a lot in common. Walking, it turns out, is very therapeutic for me. For the last 15 years, it has been my road for prayer, my opportunity to complete needed weight bearing exercise, and my remedy for getting stiff joints working and lower back pain relieved. For me, Dog Street is a perfect stress remover. I would add calorie burner, except on the days I go to Aroma’s to get a coffee smoothie…

Waiting on the Lord is also very therapeutic. It is my road for trust, my opportunity to believe His Word, and my remedy for removing doubt. Waiting allows God’s Spirit in. The July 20th devotional from My Utmost For His Highest (Oswald Chambers) challenges me to simply depend on God’s presence as the way to “wait on the Lord…walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31) Depending on God’s presence rather than succumbing to emotional rollercoasters. Depending on God’s presence rather than giving in to addictive distractions. Depending on God’s presence instead of seeking the next big spiritual high or ministry position.

Waiting for the Lord doesn’t mean inactivity. It means walking forward in faith while knowing that God’s presence doesn’t depend on a specific location or practice. There is no perfect time and no perfect place and no perfect circumstance needed. Just simply God’s presence.

Psalm 37:7 “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”

Even when bad things happen, the Lord leads my soul beside still waters (Psalm 23:2). So, I will keep the Lord in front of me as I possess the realness of His presence. With Him I will unhurriedly and carefully walk forward in faith. I will not fret. I will not faint. I will not trip. I will wait for Him. I will walk with Him.

Psalm 23:3 “He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His Name’s sake.”

 

Psalm 37:18 “The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever.”

Sometimes things happen in threes. I have grown accustomed to waiting for that third shoe to drop in a sequence of unfortunate happenings. Recently, I experienced unresolved and annoying eustachian tube pressure from some plane travel that resulted in a doctor visit. Then, as I love to do, I moved some furniture in the house (nothing major – we are talking dragging a small table and hanging a scripture in a hard-to-get-at corner) and somehow twisted my lower back into a spasm. So, it wasn’t long before I accidentally dropped the beautiful custom made terracotta planter that my oldest granddaughters made for their Pop Pop for Father’s Day. Not completely shattered, but broken into multiple pieces!

There it was. Three unfortunate happenings. While there are medications for ear pressure and back spasms, there is nothing that can replace the thoughtful artwork of two very sweet granddaughters using their own pink handprints to bless their Pop Pop with his favorite flamingos. So, after asking for forgiveness and feeling pretty low, I set about gluing the pot back together. The photo does not show the extent of breakage and the number of glued cracks, but it does show a feeble attempt to put things back together.

I thought back to a major time in my life when I put “my common sense on the throne and then tried to attach God’s name to it.” (My Utmost for His Highest, June 27).  This was a time when I leaned ridiculously on my own understanding instead of trusting God. There were plenty of signs that God didn’t want His name attached to my so-called common sense decision. There were plenty of indicators that reminded me that I stepped ahead of God and just expected Him to make everything fit together nicely, despite a risky rationalization.

Well, nothing in that particular endeavor ever fit together nicely. And there were consequences. The pot shattered. Pretty far-reaching…

However, God is faithful to make His children fruitful in the suffering that comes from mistaken common sense. “The second son he <Joseph> named Ephraim and said, ‘It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.’ ” I realize that the Lord is the only One who can make things right and put shambles of our own making back together. In the land of our suffering, focusing on Jesus is our only hope for bringing His enduring good out of our bad decisions and their ensuing consequences. He is faithful to teach us to lean on Him.

In Matthew 14:29-30, Peter trusted Jesus by getting out of the boat against all the distracting odds. He didn’t even contemplate the odds. He focused on Christ alone. But, when he allowed his own common sense to enter the picture, he got sidetracked by his own human sight. He contemplated the waves and gauged the wind, leaning on his own understanding.

If I spend my days under the Lord’s care, I won’t sink because I will keep my trust only in Him. Deep waters will not have any power to overcome me and common sense won’t wreak havoc in my circumstances. When trouble comes, in threes or in thousands, God will cause me to be fruitful on His own terms and in His own timing. I have experienced His “beauty from ashes” goodness many times.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

 

 

 

 

Psalm 37:29 “The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.”

It’s amazing how a faraway trip can change your perspective. I have recently returned from a 13-day trip to Vancouver, British Columbia, and Alaska. The wow factor for me included the immensity and power of the ocean, the beauty of the Hubbard and Mendenhall Glaciers, and the wonderfully cool temperatures of the area. Being almost totally unplugged was a great thing, too! And quality time with my husband, brother, and sister-in-law had immeasurable value.

I won’t lie. While I pondered God’s massive and beautiful Creation, I also saw a microcosm of the world at various ports, airports, and on the cruise ship. I couldn’t help but think of the many people missing the grace of God for plenty of reasons – distracted by great wealth and/or cultural pressures of various kinds.

I am thankful that God reminded me of His “otherness” and majesty on this trip. I needed that. He reminded me that He is faithful to purify the faith of His people. That He will open our eyes in various ways to give us fresh spiritual vision. That He will reveal to us the distractions that interrupt our worship of Him. Thankful that the view from the ship definitely knocked the apathy out of me, I couldn’t help but be in awe of the Creator Himself. That He would prick my heart to be anything but lukewarm. That He would show me His magnificent power. That He would reveal His creative genius through the expanse of the sea. That He would reveal how like dust I am (a bit of motion sickness reminded me). That He would open my ungrateful heart to the great gifts of family togetherness, the generosity of my husband, and the opportunity to see a part of Creation that I may never see again.

The tremendous Canadian and Alaskan sights can only be a foretaste of what our Great God has prepared for His children in the land where we will dwell with Him forever.

John 14:2-4 “In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

 

Removal of trees has become commonplace in our yard. What once attracted us to our wooded homesite 30 years ago has been replaced by a healthy respect for natural disasters and a determination to be preventive of said disasters in the future. We have a bit of storm anxiety these days and lots of stories to back us up… (That is not my husband up in our tree. We are not totally crazy.)

Hurricane Isabel severely damaged our house in 2003. The cooling shade trees of our thickly wooded subdivision quickly became the means for great damage resulting in months of expense and repair. Our family shelter simply couldn’t withstand the forceful winds and rain. Many trees fell during that fury. Others snapped during lesser storms that would come years later.

Anxiety takes a huge toll on people I know and love – including me. Anything I can’t control troubles me. Like trees falling on houses. Dramatic! So much for the wonderful shade and beautiful scenery. Even the tree removal “professionals” made me anxious. (Were they really “professionals?” I wonder still.) The tree guys have special shoes, tools, and ropes, but you still question if they’ll hold as large limbs come thumping down. The work is still dangerous and the ground still shakes.

Likewise, there are shoes, tools, and ropes that we plant around our lives, hoping for impossible outcomes of lasting support. Truths about the things we trust are steadily revealed. Medicines cannot absolutely guarantee restored health. I don’t even know what to say about the collapsing status of health insurance… Reputations fluctuate. Successful careers end. Good friends end up enemies. Often accidents cause death. Money is not the security we thought it was. Loneliness occurs even when we are surrounded by people. Social media superficializes relationships. The things we lean on for safety are no more than theater props – fake and feeble.

When our comfort is compromised, when our diagnosis is terminal, when our career is interrupted, when our friends betray us – God is the only rock in whom we can take refuge. I love the scripture passage Psalm 94:11-23, especially verses 18-19: “When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ Your love, O Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought joy to my soul.” I draw support from the Author and Finisher of my faith – Jesus. He doesn’t change and He is always there when my props give way. “But the Lord has become my fortress and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.” (Psalm 94:22)

Attempts to find security in health and financial resources, or in a good name and occupation, prove to be unsustainable. Yet, God sustains us with His love and provision when we completely trust Him. His resources are spiritual and His strength is eternal – no match for the fleeting and flimsy props that we hope will give us happiness. His salvation is forever. His kingdom is not of this world. Psalm 94:18-19 tells us that God’s love supports us when our footing gives way and His joy consoles us when we are paralyzed by anxiety. In Christ, our ultimate fortress, we no longer chase after collapsible props.

“Unless the Lord had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.” (Psalm 94:17)

Photo Credit: Kim Clayton Lance

CONFIDENCE IN APPROACHING GOD

I John 5:14-15 says “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to HIS will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of Him.”

I was in a discipleship class about 25 years ago and had to memorize this scripture. I remember thinking then, as I do now, that this is an amazing promise and responsibility. It is amazing that Jesus makes us members of God’s family, the Father’s inner circle, because we know Him personally, and not just about Him. As believers, we have a God-given appetite for the Holy Spirit’s presence and we have precious communion with Him when we “remain” or “abide” in Him (John 15).

To abide in Him, we commit ourselves to a relationship whereby God speaks to us through His Word and we speak to Him through prayer, and the Holy Spirit draws us into the divine conversation between Father, Son, and Spirit. Although not beyond comprehension, this is still hard to grasp.

The responsibility we have is to “abide” or “remain” in Him. I am not sure which word carries more weight. But, I am sure that our store of spiritual power evaporates with the passage of time, daily distractions and spiritual warfare. Therefore, praying for the filling of the Holy Spirit needs to be a continuous activity of the heart, daily and nightly, personal and corporate.

Depending on the Spirit for comfort, counsel, wisdom, understanding, teaching, convicting, prompting and guiding is an essential activity for “Family of God” tightness, and so that we can be sure that we are praying in God’s will. From a corporate perspective, Charles Spurgeon has said that a church’s true spiritual condition can be gauged by its prayer meetings. He calls the measurement of divine working in God’s family a “grace-ometer” reading, and that slothfulness in prayer is surely indicative of God’s absence.

How precious are our prayers to God! Psalm 141:2 says, “May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.” And Revelation 5:8 says, “And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”

When I was a student in Christian high school many years ago, students were taught to remember Jeremiah 33:3 as “God’s telephone number.” Although there is no need for any technology to call on God, the scripture says, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” What a mighty and powerful God we have! Unsearchable things will be disclosed. I will have power against the world in prayer. Out of my tears, fears, and need I can call out, cry out, implore aid and know that I am heard.

Jim Cymbala, Head Pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle, wrote a book called Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, published in 1997, and in it he said, “God will manifest himself in direct proportion to our passion for Him. The principle he laid down long ago is still true: ‘You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart’ (Jeremiah 29:13).” Pastor Cymbala writes that when believers bring their needs to God, that the wind of prayer takes root as a gift of the Holy Spirit. The result of the deeper joy and power of God’s presence brings the reality of “greater things will be done” (John 1:50).

“Abiding” or “remaining” in Him is a serious responsibility. We know that our spiritual vitality, our fervency in prayer, and our closeness to the Lord are what bring glory to God. So, Hebrews 4:16 becomes our key to the divine unsearchable: “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” As God’s children, we are given this gift, this key, and the tremendous reality that we are in God’s inner circle, and therefore in His will.

 

 

 

 

 

Psalm 37: 5 “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this.”

There is a haunting question in scripture that Jesus asks an invalid (John 5): “Do you want to get well?” The obvious answer is yes. Who wouldn’t want to be healthy again after 38 years of disability? But, below the surface, the deeper meaning of wellness is provocative and may not always render easy yeses like we would imagine.

My pastor preached on this recently. (Check it out – Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, 2-26-17). He challenged listeners to think deeply about the diagnosis of un-wellness, or better yet, un-wholeness. I looked in the spiritual mirror and wondered why I and others choose to be satisfied with surface healing and push down our places of misery far away from our “wired in” longing for wholeness – spiritual, emotional, and physical? Why do we settle for forgiveness, but want nothing more? Especially after what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross?

Eternal life starts here. But, we look at it far off in the distance and forget that healing is available now. Hindsight has reminded me that my youthful profession of faith was seriously blind to what healing Jesus had already accomplished. But, by His grace, He enabled that first precarious faith step in my life. Like the invalid at the pool, I got up and knew something was different and even public, but I didn’t recognize the Healer yet. Like the invalid, I got to skip the expected pool path (“angel-touched healing waters”) and just move forward quietly with Jesus. In the meantime, God reached down through my Christian parents to plant me in a faith-fertile place so that I could eventually recognize the Healer for Who He is.

Against the backdrop of adult life and the wooing of the Holy Spirit, I finally recognized the Source of Wholeness – Jesus. Don’t get me wrong. I still chase after things to supercharge my sense of wellbeing – the next women’s conference, the next audio or video sermon, the next prayer meeting, the next theology book, the next ministry position. That just makes me a collector of Christian trappings, not a Christ lover. Real healing is in Christ alone. Be advised.

I have to trust Him in the brief steps and seasons without really knowing what He is up to behind the scenes of my life. Then, hindsight shows me that He has been adding grace upon grace to my life and has formed in me a longing for true wholeness. Like the invalid, I often want to grow comfortable with my familiar affliction surroundings. But, like a Christ lover, I want to risk it all and allow the maybe painful movement of the capable Healer in my brokenness. I want to get really well.

Psalm 73:23-26 “Yet I am always with you; You hold me by my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

 

Psalm 37:39-40 “The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.”

A few minutes of media exposure and you may wonder. When did appropriateness disappear? What examples are out there for our children to emulate in the future? What is everybody fighting about? Where can we find true peace?

Somewhere along the line the “adults” have forgotten to model respectful adult behavior for the younger generation of onlookers. The next generation is imprinting on what? My husband and I have raised three children by God’s grace. We now have four granddaughters to enjoy! And, we have lived long enough to know that human reproduction is so much more than bringing new life into the world. What we pass along to our children is how the world may hope to be renewed or not renewed.

Psalm 62:7 says, “My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.” If my salvation and honor depend on Him, then surely the salvation and honor of my children and grandchildren depend on Him, too. The Lord has transferred His purposes into my heart through my faith. It is His Truth, His Person, Who removes the futility from our days and gives the next generation One to follow.

While the world is clamoring for a strong man or ideologue to clean up all the messes made, we know that the Savior has already come. We already have One Who is our mighty Rock. His intentions inform all matters, public and private. He is our refuge. He is our salvation. He is our hope of renewal.

As Jesus graciously prepared his disciples for his departure back to the Father after his soon-to-be death and resurrection, he knew they would be perplexed until sometime later and that they would be pretty shaken in the meantime. They had formed a strong bond spending time together. Even with preparation, He knew they would be taken by surprise.

This is often the earthquake that our faith encounters. Jesus is very close to us. But, then we experience a great loss. Circumstances. Horrific news. No answers. Confusion. Heavenly peace that is severely threatened. Sudden happenings. Life.

Jesus promised the disciples that he would send them the Holy Spirit and provide the kind of supernatural peace that the world would never comprehend (John 14:25-27). He also promised this Counselor (Advocate) to all believers, then and now. What I want to pass on to my descendants is just this – Him alone. I want to see Jesus Christ reproduced in them through the Holy Spirit. I want them to have the peace that doesn’t make any sense except to believers. I want them to intimately know their Heavenly Father. I want them to pour out their hearts to the Father like the children they are – giving Him their tears, questions, frustration, exhaustion, and yes, angry railings.

I want young people to open God’s Word and see a real hope and future. Turn the audiovisual devices off. Turn the “divisive” off. Turn the whiners off. Turn the bad examples off. Let the Holy Spirit invade their thinking and their souls. Let reproduction be all about Jesus, in children and their children. In me. In you. I only want the children to say to their children, “He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God…(Psalm 62:6-7).”And mean it.