Today's Word
You are welcome to use the writings on these pages or pass them on to others who might find a touch from God in the words. Our purpose is always to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the world. Please remember to give credit to the Author who has given you everything, and keep in remembrance the vessel which He used to bring these words to you. We pray that this site may be a blessing to you and anyone with whom its been shared. All rights reserved. Peggy Hoppes
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Our Lord is so good, He grants us many blessings. We can see Him in the daily course of events, in our homes, our jobs, our lives. I pray that these words help you to grow in your faith and recognize His hand in even the most mundane circumstances.
The picture to the right is of a Celtic Chapel located in Cornwall England. This building is approximately 1700 years old, and contains a holy well known for its healing powers.
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“For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you don’t consume one another.” Galatians 5:13-15, WEB
Long before voice mail, and I had an answering machine to take any calls when I was not at home, which was often because I was single and worked long hours. As you might expect, I was very creative with the messages I used, making use of music and other fun ideas. I wrote scripts, often using quotes from favorite movies or people. There was one particular message that became problematic because it caused too much confusion: I spoke in French. Though I wasn’t fluent, I’d had several years of French in High school and still had enough resources to piece together a simple message with instructions for the caller. The message was short, but fairly accurate; I practiced several times before I hit record so that the words would flow off my tongue and sound authentic.
I got a high number of hang-ups with that message, though my friends usually realized it was my phone when they heard my name. The funniest confusion was when Bruce tried to call. It was the early days of our relationship, and he was living in England. He was sure that he dialed the right number, but when he got this message in French, he wondered if he had dialed the wrong international dialing code! He got the same message when he redialed the number, so he left a message. My silliness cost him financially because international calls were very expensive.
I decided to change the message when I realized how much confusion and inconvenience it was causing. The worst call came from a doctor’s office for a woman named Mrs. Johnson. They left several messages for her about test results and appointments, but never left a number to return the call. I was unable to inform them that they were using the wrong number and that their patient never got their information. I loved that message, but I realized I was hurting others.
As I have grown older, I have become far more aware of how all my actions affect the world in which we live. I have given examples of this so many times over the years. The cart I leave in the middle of the parking lot can damage someone’s car. Cutting off a man in a scooter at the grocery store can make him angry. Keeping the extra quarter in my change can cause a cashier to lose her job. These may seem like insignificant things, but they are actions that can cause others trouble. Even worse, they can cause others to sin. We are not bound by sin because Jesus Christ has made free, but we are not freed to live however we like. We are freed to live according to the goodness and mercy of God. In that freedom, we must be careful not to harm others with our actions.
As we walk in the light of our Lord Jesus, we must always consider our neighbor and how our actions will affect them. Will what we do make another sin? Will we make them angry or cause them bitterness? Will we make them feel guilty for doing something they think is wrong? Will we cause them to overindulge? We can all be easily led astray, we just don’t have the strength or willpower to control ourselves. Someone who is hurt may not be able to control his or her temper. One drop of liquor can cause an alcoholic to overindulge. In all things, we are called to be certain that your actions show your love for your neighbor and concern for their well-being. Though you have the freedom to do what you want, even those things that feel right, do not do anything that will cause another to stumble in thought, word or deed. Love your neighbor as yourself.
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“Seek Yahweh while he may be found. Call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him, to our God, for he will freely pardon. ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,’ says Yahweh. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky, and doesn’t return there, but waters the earth, and makes it grow and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so is my word that goes out of my mouth: it will not return to me void, but it will accomplish that which I please, and it will prosper in the thing I sent it to do. For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace. The mountains and the hills will break out before you into singing; and all the trees of the fields will clap their hands. Instead of the thorn the cypress tree will come up; and instead of the brier the myrtle tree will come up. It will make a name for Yahweh, for an everlasting sign that will not be cut off.’” Isaiah 55:8-13, WEB
One of my favorite childhood picture books is called “The Cat in the Box.” It is a very simple story that begins with a picture of a cat in a box. As you go through the pages, the artist enlarges the view of the cat’s world as if a camera is pulling back from the cat. You see that the box is on a chair, in a room, in a house, in a neighborhood, in a city, in a state, in a country, in the world. When you are inside the box, you can only wonder about everything outside the box. With each page, you gain a greater understanding about the cat and its world.
I learned about this philosophy in college. We all live in boxes, though they are not cardboard like the one the cat lives in. The boxes are our homes, neighborhoods, schools, work, and churches. We live in boxes that are created by our gender, cultural understanding, education, financial position and politics. Some people are unable to physically leave their boxes, because of health or money. Others prefer to keep their boxes very small, by not traveling outside their city or seeking to learn about other ideas. Many people reject new people or ideas because they cannot make them fit into their box.
Unfortunately, we try to keep God in our own little boxes. We define Him according to our own understanding, based on the life we live. The Jews put God into a room in a Temple, defining Him by their history and religion. We try to put Him in our own little rooms, like our churches or our doctrinal understanding. Yet, God is much bigger than we can ever make His box.
In the story of the cat, we moved out of the box far enough to see the entire world, yet there is even more beyond that as we can see as we look at the galaxy and universe. It is the same with our understanding of God. We cannot even come close to understanding the fullness of His glory. Yet, we can seek to know Him more by prayer, study, and fellowship with those outside our box.
The text from Isaiah is familiar to us. We looked at the beginning of chapter 55 yesterday. It begins with the call for those who are thirsty to seek God: what He has He offers freely and abundantly. In today’s passage, we are reminded that everything that comes from God is fruitful. It is productive. God is actively involved in His creation, and He is faithful to His promises. His will shall be done, and He will make certain it is. Isaiah tells us in this passage of promise that instead of thorns, the earth will bear cypress and instead of briers the earth will bear myrtles. In other words, instead of plants that are useless and damaging, God will make the world productive and useful again.
God’s ways are not our ways. He does amazing and incredibly surprising things. He sent His Son to be born in flesh, to live and to die for our sake. We learn how to be children of God from Jesus Christ, and by His example we learn how to sacrifice ourselves by following Him and doing His work for the sake of others. We learn how to live lives of grace and love that will cause others to trust in God’s promises. If we could take our “camera” as far from our own little boxes as possible, we would see that by God’s grace we have received the greatest gift: eternal life that comes from faith in Jesus. Today, step outside your box for just a moment and see that there is more to God’s Kingdom and promises than you ever imagined.
The following links provide some specially chosen scripture that tell the stories of the Birth and Passion of our Lord as Saviour Jesus Christ, as well as a fictional perspective of the Crucifixion. Spend time in God's Word, read about His life and learn of the wonderful gifts He has for you. Know Jesus Christ and honour Him today. Thanks be to God.
The Story of our Saviour's Passion
The Crucifixion, a fictional perspective
When researching, I use several versions of the bible, including the New International Version and English Standard Version. Due to copyright restrictions, I have not included quotes for the scriptures on some of the archives, but highly encourage you to open your own bibles to read the scripture passages for yourselves. Where scripture is quoted, it is usually the American Standard Version or World English Bible which belong to the public domain. Any other versions used in quotes are identified.
The devotion posted on Wednesday is based on the Lectionary texts used by millions of Christians each Sunday. The Lectionary consists of four texts: an Old Testament passage, a Psalm, a passage from one of the Epistles and a Gospel text and follows the church calendar. Archives for these writings are found at Midweek Oasis.
You are welcome to use these words to share the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. Please remember to give credit to the Author who has given you these gifts, and keep in remembrance the vessel which He used to bring them to you. We pray that this site may be a blessing to you and anyone with whom you've shared it. Peggy Hoppes
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