It is you who light my lamp; the Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.
Psalm 18:28
Darkness is not usually associated with joy or happiness. Children are often afraid of the dark. Many people experience a seasonal depression when the days get shorter and the darkness comes earlier in the evening. When people have lost a loved one or are in the depths of illness or depression, we speak of their dark days. We prefer the light. We can see better when there is light, and we feel better when there is light.
All of us have experienced darkness in our lives. Sickness, death, loneliness, broken relationships, fear, anxiety…all of these can bring darkness to our days. We don’t relish this kind of darkness. As Christians, however, we have hope because we know the Light of the World. We know the One who lights up our darkness and lights our lamps. God is our light! Hallelujah! It is our responsibility to not only recognize the One who gives us light in our lives, but to share the light with others who are in the dark and don’t know how to find light. The only thing worse than being in total darkness is feeling that there is no way out or no way to find the light. Praise God that we know how to find our way out of darkness. Let us share this amazing knowledge with the entire world.
He said to me, “Count up for me those who have not yet come, and gather for me the scattered raindrops, and make the withered flowers bloom again for me.
2 Esdras 5:36
It’s a very cold day in January as I write this essay. Not spring like in the picture you see with the flowers blooming. But new growth can’t help but keep coming! Just outside my window daffodils are prematurely poking their green leaves up to take a look around. But new growth is everywhere! New friends, homes, jobs, babies, birds, opportunities, dreams, cures, hopes, loves. Well, the list is endless!!
When I was a little girl, I remember Easter as a time when the ladies of the church wore corsages. Most people looked like they had new dresses on and especially had new shoes. At least they were patented leather and very shiny. I would get a new dress and, on several occasions, received a real live baby chick, dyed to match my dress, from the Easter bunny. I guess “new things” is what I associated with Easter.
Well, I have developed a bit in my spiritual understanding since the baby chick days. I still look at this photo of daffodils and crocus and think of newness. But now I think of where this “newness” comes from; I stop and am thankful for it; and I try to slow up and even look for new things! I rarely miss a chance to go down a garden path!!
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17. Yes, God has given us our spring, our newness, & our fresh starts! We don’t have to wait for Easter to feel a new freshness, better than any new outfit. Jesus’ resurrection has provided us with a clean slate and every day can be a new great day for us!
My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me continually, “Where is your God?”
Psalms 42:3
Viktor Frankl in his classic work, Man’s Search for Meaning, describes a heart-wrenching yet defining moment upon his arrival at Auschwitz concentration camp. Forced to surrender his clothes and his first book manuscript, Frankl robed himself in ragged clothing stripped by the Nazis from an elderly man arbitrarily chosen for the gas chamber. Frankl found within a pocket of the old man’s coat a scrap of paper inscribed with Judaism’s most important prayer, the Shema Yisrael, with the first verse beseeching: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”
He was surrounded by the horrid sights, sounds, and smells of a death camp which all but mocked him with the drumbeat cry, “Where is your God?” He was consumed with the terror of uncertainty in the face of a clinically cold selection process for the gas chambers which forced him to eat tears day and night. And yet, God’s call to Frankl to “hear” through a providential discovery challenged him to embark on a painful quest for the meaning of suffering and dying by “living” through his own suffering and those of his fellow inmates, with the hope and trust that God also hears and is present.
Most of us are not asked to hear the Good Shepherd’s call in such a circumstance. But our own individual and collective sufferings are no less painful and soul-grinding to us. And the call to hear and live in God is truly the same, for God is timelessly with us and also hears. May God show us his glory in the gray.
Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” All of them said, “Let him be crucified!”
Matthew 27:22
The high Priest and his followers were threatened by the teachings of Jesus and his growing popularity. In order to preserve their positions and power they resulted in bribery, lies, and rumors to convince the masses to call for Jesus to be crucified.
Today, we often face the Anti-Christian bias from the media, our neighbors, local and national businesses, and even the government. No prayer in schools, no public displays of the Ten Commandments or religious symbols, etc. Even among Christians, we sometimes see corruption, dishonesty, immorality, denial of the authority of scripture and denial of Christ’s sufficiency.
As followers of Christ we can be part of His eternal work by using the gifts He has given us to share Christ’s love. Jesus finished his work on earth. We however still have much to do. Maybe only one person at a time. Our legacy is not earthly achievements but the impact we have on others.
Have faith in your abilities and carry forth God’s work.
Then about sunset a shout went through the army, “Every man to his city, and every man to his country!”
1 Kings 22:36
Ahab, the King of Israel was thought to be “more evil than all kings before him.” This particular clash specifically targeted King Ahab so the King was disguised in battle when he was struck down unceremoniously by an errant poison arrow. Upon discovering the surprise death of Ahab, soldiers of both Israel and Syria learned of their relief from battle and suddenly learned they were free to return home.
I can only imagine the overwhelming joy of returning home from war to embrace my loved ones. In a world full of chaos, I surrender to God’s love to harness clarity, courage and direction. God’s love lights my path through the example of Jesus and his selfless service and compassion for those in need. There is great comfort in knowing God’s guidance is available anytime and anywhere, no matter the storm. When I think of our sanctuary, I know the purpose of our Church is bigger than the sum of each of us. I’m beyond grateful for this community of friends and neighbors whose hearts and minds transform the lives of others.
And now, my children, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth.
Proverbs 7:24
I grew up attending Ingomar UMC near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In addition to my immediate family attending church there I was also blessed to have my grandparents and aunt and her family also attending. I loved church and wanted to be there as much as I could. My parents signed me up for every activity that was offered by our kid’s ministry! If the doors to the church were open, I was there! I remember a moment when I was in elementary school. I was in the sanctuary practicing for our church program and felt overwhelmed by a sense of God’s love. It was a moment I will never forget and one that I struggled to put into words as a young child. Reflecting back upon that moment as an adult, I am reminded how the adults at my church showed me by their actions that God loved me and that I could trust Him with my life. Church was where I belonged and I was known by an army of people who took the time to get to know me. There were many Sunday school teachers, Wednesday night programming leaders, friends of my parents and grandparents who all invested in some way (big or small) in helping me understand who God is and what faith in Him looks like. I really don’t remember anything that I was taught or told. Instead, I remember how those adults made me feel. I remember the joy and laughter we shared, the ways that they made me feel special, and how they took an interest in me by getting to know who I was and what my interests were.
I am thankful for the many ways that I see adults at Trinity showing our kids who God is and helping our kids know that they belong and matter to our church family. There are many who serve in our kid’s ministry either in our nurseries or with our elementary schoolers. I see adults engaging kids and talking to them during our fellowship times between services. There have been many adults who help with VBS and other kids’ events like our Fall Festival in October. I feel so blessed to be a part of this community and to be able to work with our kids at Trinity! They are truly a delight!! Take some time today to reflect on how you are helping kids at Trinity to have a place where they are known and belong. Think about how you might be able to help kids understand what an authentic faith in God looks like.
