easter

A number of months ago, Charlie Mackesy, an author and illustrator published a book entitled, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse that was a sensational bestseller because its theme resonated with people. During this Holy Week, I considered what stories connect us as Christians, Jews and believers. Here is that story: The Man, the Lion, the Lamb and the Eagle.

“I feel so insignificant,” cried the lamb. “But you’re not!” said the man. “Did you always know who you wanted to be?” inquired the lamb. “Yes, Savior of the world,” replied the man. “I was sent to the world as a gift.” “Can I share my favorite bible verse with you?” asked the lamb. The man nodded a “yes.” “It’s love the Lord with all your mind, strength and heart.” “Does it work?” the man asked the lamb. “It fills me,” smiled the lamb, “but I know some people that have stone for hearts and can’t feel it like I do.” Suddenly a lion appeared. “I could kill you both,” he challenged. “But you won’t,” the man stood tall. “I am going to die a different kind of death - death on a cross.” The lion asked him, “Aren’t you under the protection of the Almighty? Won’t he keep you safely under his wings? Speaking of wings, here comes an eagle.” The man smiled, “in my Father’s house, the lamb will lie down with the lion, but let’s see what he has to say.” “Do you want to soar the heavens with me?” the eagle asked them. “Soon,” the man answered. “They will call it Good Friday. Have faith that I will be raised from the dead in 3 days and all will see the power of God. I am the Way, the Truth and the Light and no one comes to the Father but through me.” “I’m so glad we got to know you,” the lamb, lion and eagle replied in unison. “I am too,” smiled the man. “Just call me Jesus.”

The Easter story is the reason for our hope of eternity. It’s as simple as ABC. Accept that we are messed up sinners in need of a Savior. Believe that Jesus was that God-man who came to give His life for every one of us. He paid the penalty and defeated death. He was resurrected after 3 days. When we give our life to him we confess that He is ruler, Lord of our lives and we get to spend eternity with Him. Because one minute after you die, you will either be elated or terrified and it will be too late then to make a decision. Yes, there is a heaven and a hell. Why not make that decision today - it could be the beginning in a place of unimaginable bliss - not indescribable horror. Your life will not be over. Be born again - spiritually.

John 3:3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.

social

We are inundated in our world today with technology, media and social platforms from podcasts to tweets. And whether we “like” it or not, it consumes us, eats us, devours our time and spits it back in our faces. Perhaps it’s time to reevaluate, reflect and reinvent social media.

I’m rather tired of seeing other people’s pictures on Instagram and comparing them. Not that my post is going to get 2,000 likes but it’s close. Why not call it “Lastingram” so people can see their own photos forever. And while we’re at name changes, why not Tok Tik instead of Tik Tok because the clock does keep on ticking? The birds are really chirping on Twitter and birds of the feather seem to flock together with their social comments. I hear the sheep baaing, the dogs barking and the crows cawing. Like my opinion really matters to Donald Trump or anyone of the thousand celebrities out there. And then there’s Fake - oops - Facebook where everyone’s life is marvelous, wonderful and certainly not taken on “face value.” Ping! Bing! Oh, I haven’t checked my phone in 4 minutes and I have 63 new texts! Oh, well, that’s my social media rant for today. #blessed

And so, as we continue to make our presence known on social platforms, through Facebook posts and Twitter comments, perhaps our focus should be centered on the real Presence that ought to be in our lives. By taking all the minutes we scroll, send texts, reply or comment, we could use that valuable time to spend connecting with God by reading or meditating on HIs Word, singing praise songs or praying. Perhaps our time would be more wisely spent in face to face conversations with real people. And especially, at no cost, unlimited bandwidth and endless communication with the God of the universe who is always available and willing to listen. Now that’s real.

Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;

Acts 3:19

keeper

We have often heard the colloquial phrase, “she’s a keeper” which is derived from “for keeps” - meaning worth having forever, in reference to a wife; however, I bet you haven’t heard of the Keeper of the Spring.

High along the Austian Alps lived a gentle forest man whose job was to clear twigs and debris from pools of water that ran into a spring that flowed into town. The youthful town council hired him and soon the village was popular because of the picturesque area, the clear water and irrigated farmlands. The keeper was faithful in removing unwanted branches and silt to make sure the water flowed clearly. And the years passed.

One evening, when the town council met to review the budget, one councillor didn’t like the salary being paid to the obscure keeper of the spring. He wanted to know: "Who he was? Why they kept him on year after year?” and they made a unanimous decision and voted to dispense of the old man’s services.

For weeks nothing changed, but by early autumn the trees began to shed their leaves, small branches fell into the pools and the flow of the water was hindered. The water turned from a slight yellowish-brown tint to a slimy film covering sections of the water along the banks and a foul odor was detected. Some of millwheels even ground to a halt. Swans left and so did the tourists. Clammy fingers of disease and sickness reached deeply into the village.

A special meeting was called by the council. It was there they realized their error and quickly hired back the old keeper of the spring . . . and within a few weeks, the river began to clear up.

Our world seems to be in a mess. Just as the keeper of the spring was crucial to the village; so too are Christians needed in our world. We are the “light” and “salt” and when we don’t clear the debris and junk from our own lives, the river gets murky. We are told to go and be the salt and light for others. Let’s bring the beauty and the light into a dark and ugly world.

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.

Matthew 5:13-14

eden

The garden - in the beginning - the place we long to be - back to the garden. Yet it can be within us. We were led astray. The devil dipped his fingers in human affairs and we have suffered ever since because of one bite from an apple. The snake seeded the saplings of sin; he is poisoning our minds and many lost souls are still searching for their way back to Eden. For some, it is the journey of a lifetime. The entrance is still guarded by angels with flaming swords.

The garden within us is like an endangered flower. We long to experience the place God intended us to be; but we are held by the weeds that strangle us - the betrayals, the lies, the pride, the poison. And rather than letting God tend to His creation - with care, love, compassion - we close our blossoms and let Him pass by instead of opening our hearts to His love and tender mercies - new every morning.

During this season of Lent, there are plenty of reminders to think about preparing for Easter and certainly one of them is preparing our hearts - preparing the gardens of our souls. The deepest secret of our hearts is that we long to love and be loved. We are forgiven. That’s the Easter story. God so loved the world that He gave His only son for us. Death on a cross. That’s love! Katagiri Roshi says, “Our goal is to have kind consideration for all sentient beings every moment forever.” And what are we doing with that consideration? That love? Our gardens need tending.

Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart…” Psalm 10:17 (NKJV)

I am preparing for Easter in 3 ways: Prayer, Reflection, Praise

“And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray…” Matthew 14:23.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23.

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17.

How are you getting ready for Easter and reaquainting yourself with the story of victory by Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? He has risen! Alleluia!

brainstorm

As I peacefully awake to a calm day, my mind is quiet before the storm that is on the horizon. The winds of sound with life and activity begin to reverberate in the echo chambers of my ears. Then the swirling thoughts of “what do I need to get done today?” “I forgot about that!” “What will I wear?” “I wonder how he is?” “What can I do to help?” and a trillion gusts of questions begin to blow across my mind. Soon, the storm in my head feels as if the atmospheric pressures will explode into a downpour of tears releasing the activity in my brain. The world is chaotic these days with war, refugees fleeing, guns firing, people dying and crying. And my mind is full of a flurry of why’s, what will happen and what if’s. The storm rages on.

I need shelter. I need peace. I need to quiet my mind. I need to stop the confusion raging in full fury ready to destroy and damage. Have you ever felt that you were there looking for a way out of the winds? I have and so, I dive deeply into the Word of God - into His scriptures - into the shelter of the Most High. I find the calm in the midst of the storm. I am safe, loved, protected, comforted and reminded that there is peace. Psalm 46 reminds me of that. My soul can rest safely in the storm because neither death, darkness or demons can hurt me. Verses 1-3 tell us that:

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.

God is with us, for us and is there to help us. HIs wisdom, justice, truth, holiness, power and love is for us. So, even in the chaotic world, we are never to fear because He is the one we can go to find shelter in our storms. That’s reassuring. Listen to Psalm 46 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2emelR7lGmw

rearrange

Spring is an amazing season of rebirth, new beginnings and hope. After the long, dreary days of waking to the morning and retiring to bed in darkness, we feel rejuvenated and alive when the sleeping earth stretches her arms to welcome warmer days. There is a change and it’s time to rearrange.

Rearranging simply means changing time, position or order of something. At the molecular level, molecules undergo a reorganization of its constituent parts and there can be spontaeous chemical reactions. Does “spring fever” sound familiar? And then there is the transformation of rearranging - moving our furniture or the spring cleaning as we purge. Others want to create a newness and begin to plant seedlings, anxious to get them in the ground and watch them thrive under the summer sun, reaping their harvests in the fall.

And then there are those of us who wish to create a new story of ourselves and rearrange some of our old habits and create a more vibrant way of living. It can’t always be night. We don’t have to be alone. It doesn’t have to be broken. We don’t have to be sucked into the vortex of our culture. We can thrive - not just survive. We can live; not just exist. What can we do?

We can pray in the power of prayer - read the Word - encourage others are just a few activities to start the day. Being vulnerable with difficult truths - acknowledging our faults with others is another. Walking in God’s Truth is to start rearranging some of our thoughts and knowing that We are God’s big plan! That’s a reason to praise Him! What rearrangements will you work on this week as we spring forward?

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12: 1-2