Today's Word
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Salisbury PlainClimb a Hill, Look at a Rock Day
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.
(Click for enlarged)
“That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life (and the life was revealed, and we have seen, and testify, and declare to you the life, the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was revealed to us); that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ. And we write these things to you, that our joy may be fulfilled.” 1 John 1:1-4, WEB
I am almost finished processing my pictures from our vacation a few weeks ago. I took a lot of photos, over five thousand, and I’m not one of those people who just dumps piles of photos on the internet. I like to choose the best, and I like to describe what is seen in the photos. My posts tend to be more like a travelogue than a picture album. I do some research before I post so that I am sure that I’m using the right names, places, and other information. I often pick up ideas and stories as I go, sometimes from tour guides or other visitors, or signs along the path. I often photograph the signs, but my memory isn’t perfect, so I try to verify the information and stories I heard before posting.
I discovered during my research that we missed a lot of things that would have been wonderful to see and experience. Sometimes it would have been a quick stop, a few extra minutes of hiking. Sometimes I saw the feature but didn’t pay attention because I didn’t know it was there. Sometimes we were in the wrong place at the wrong time, or the conditions just did not make it feasible. Yellowstone National Park is more than 3000 square miles with a thousand miles of hiking trails. It is impossible to see it all in three days. It is probably impossible to see it all even if you visited a hundred times.
As a photographer, I was well aware of certain iconic photos that I should try to get. I wanted to take a picture of the rainbow at the base of the Lower Falls in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. I wanted to capture the sunrise at Mormon Row with the Grand Tetons in the background. I wanted the Grand Prismatic Spring in all its glory. And of course, I wanted perfect photos of all the incredible wildlife in the places we visited. Unfortunately, I was not able to get the most iconic photos for many reasons.
As it turns out, the only time to see the rainbow at the falls is during a certain hour in the morning in July. The iconic photo of the Tetons behind the barn at Mormon Row was impossible because smoke from nearby wildfires filled Jackson Hole. We couldn’t even see the sun, let alone the mountains. I got some terrific pictures of the Grand Prismatic Spring, but we would have had to take an hour-long drive/hike to get to the observation point to see it from overhead. We just did not have the time. And though I managed to capture many of the animals in pictures, you can’t count on them to be in the right place at the right time.
Even though I’m somewhat disappointed that I didn’t get those special shots, out of thousands of photos I managed to capture so much of our vacation with wonderful photos. As a matter of fact, some of the pictures I did get are even better than if I had gotten “the” photos. There was something ethereal about Mormon Row bathed in haze and seeing the colors of the Grand Prismatic Spring from eye level. We were lucky we saw the animals we did see (bears, bison, elk, moose, and a bald eagle!) as we’ve heard stories from many people who did not see a single critter during their visit. When we take a vacation like we did, we want to experience every experience, but we need to be grateful for what we did see and do. We’ll just have to go back!
My thoughts on my photography adventures made me think about our lives of faith. I look at those iconic photos with a certain amount of envy, and I confess that I sometimes envy those who have an amazing story of faith. Think about Paul! He met Jesus on the road to Damascus and was transformed in an incredible way. He went from being an enemy of the Church to being the world’s most prolific evangelist. I have heard dramatic salvation stories, ones that make an impact on those who listen. My story is so boring. I don’t have one dramatic moment; I have a lifetime of growing in grace. I can share unique experiences, but I don’t remember a time when I didn’t know Jesus. My children are the same.
We don’t all need to get those iconic photos, and we don’t all need a dramatic moment of salvation. God has given us each a unique experience in this world. Our purposes are different, and so God has given us what we need to do what He’d have us do. If we all had Damascus Road experiences, Paul’s witness would be diminished. If there were no one who had grown in faith from childhood, we would not see the importance of a person like Timothy in the story of the Church. I might not be able to count myself among those who have a waterfall rainbow in my collection, but I do have a bear eating berries and sunrise over Lake Yellowstone. My life is unique, and my witness is unique. God can use it to His glory if I stop comparing myself (and my photos) to someone else’s. Someone needs to see a life like mine to believe in Jesus, and someone needs to see a life like yours, too.
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“Yahweh is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? Yahweh is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers came at me to eat up my flesh, even my adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war should rise against me, even then I will be confident. One thing I have asked of Yahweh, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in Yahweh’s house all the days of my life, to see Yahweh’s beauty, and to inquire in his temple. For in the day of trouble, he will keep me secretly in his pavilion. In the secret place of his tabernacle, he will hide me. He will lift me up on a rock. Now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me. I will offer sacrifices of joy in his tent. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to Yahweh. Hear, Yahweh, when I cry with my voice. Have mercy also on me, and answer me. When you said, ‘Seek my face,’ my heart said to you, ‘I will seek your face, Yahweh.’ Don’t hide your face from me. Don’t put your servant away in anger. You have been my help. Don’t abandon me, neither forsake me, God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then Yahweh will take me up. Teach me your way, Yahweh. Lead me in a straight path, because of my enemies. Don’t deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen up against me, such as breathe out cruelty. I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of Yahweh in the land of the living. Wait for Yahweh. Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for Yahweh.” Psalm 27, WEB
It is a story that has been told too many times. A woman is in love with a man who is using her. He claims he needs her but does not love her enough to give his whole heart to their relationship. She eventually discovers that he's engaged to another woman. She is devastated, but continues to answer his calls for help, hoping maybe he will choose her. She leaves for a time, but continues to call, and then shows up at the door of the place she has rented. He begs her to return to him, but refuses to break off the engagement with the other woman. “I came here because I need you.” He wants his cake and to eat it, too.
She nearly agrees but finds the courage and strength to stand up for herself. It is hard when it is a long-term relationship, and it is easy to believe that he will eventually leave the other woman, but all too often she flirts with wrongdoing and hurts herself because she is actually “the other.” It hurts the man, too, because it gives him permission to act in a vain, false, and evil way. This is connivance, which is a willingness to secretly allow or be involved in wrongdoing. If she agrees to continue in the relationship, even if he is committed to another, she is as guilty as him. The best thing for her to do is to break the relationship completely.
How should we deal with situations when we are tempted toward connivance? How should we personally, individually, privately behave around people who are vain, false, or evil? We are called to be Christlike, but we are not Jesus. He sat with those who would lead others into unhealthy circumstances. He went to dinner at the homes of tax collectors and other sinners. He talked to the self-righteous without justifying ungodly behavior. He dealt with wickedness using God’s Word, not human emotion. He sat with those who were vain, false, and evil not for His own gain but for grace, to save, and to transform.
Unfortunately, we sometimes do what we do to be on good terms with the world, to consort for selfish reasons. Christians would be wise to avoid people who are vain, false, or evil, not because they are too good, but because we are not good enough. It is so easy for us to get caught up in the evil. We need to learn how to handle these situations with good intentions, humility, and courage. If we can’t deal with our neighbors in a Christlike manner, then it would be best to avoid the relationship completely.
In the Psalm we are called to rely on the Lord. The world is full of role models, but they are not always sweet or well-behaved. Consider how many sports stars or celebrities are arrested for criminal activity. Politicians lie or think themselves above the law. We have seen disappointing stories of people we are supposed to trust in our communities like police, teachers, and clergy. Too many parents do not model good behavior for their children. We all struggle with the temptation to be one thing and do another. We get caught up in an attitude or situation and do not know how to respond. It does not take very much to turn a crowd into a raging mob. While a positive attitude can make things pleasant, a negative attitude can have as much power over a group. The group does not have to be something small like a congregation; it can be something as large as a culture. In a world that tends to turn away from God, this human tendency can create chaos.
When we keep our eyes and our hearts on the Lord, we have nothing to fear. God is faithful; He will fulfill His promises. God has our life in His hands, but the world does not value our faith.
As we look around us, we can see the impact that ideas and people have on others. In the right circumstances, one person can change the course of an entire nation. One designer can establish the clothing that millions of people will wear. One reporter can introduce an idea that will become a standard of policy and practice for many. One politician can set the agenda for the entire government. Good or bad, right or wrong, we can easily be led down a path of achievement or destruction by someone we look to as a role model.
It is not that we are all followers, blind or ignorant. It is simply that the human flesh looks for someone to emulate, to people who will be an example for us to help us to grow and mature. We tend toward connivance, acting with those who seem to have our best interests and work in ways that seem right, even if their manner of accomplishing things is vain, false, and perhaps even evil. Sometimes, unfortunately, we grasp on to the ideas that are not right. With all good intention, we sometimes follow those that are not centered in Christ. We do this because it seems like God is not acting fast enough, but we would do well to wait with the psalmist, looking to God’s word for the right way to act, breaking with those who would lead us down the wrong path, acting with Christ’s strength when possible, for grace, to save, and to transform.
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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