A Good Cleaning

Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 84: Today, I am grateful for a good cleaning. 

I love a good cleaning. My nose is very sensitive to bad smells. I am good at detecting gas leaks, I can often name fragrances I am familiar with, I love clean sheet smells, and the clean smell of rain. I adore the smell of clean floors. Clean is one of my favorite scents.  What about cleaning our hearts? 

We are four days from Palm Sunday. It is a Sunday of celebration remembering Jesus's triumphal entry on the back of a donkey... not a horse. The people understood that the king who comes on a donkey comes in peace; the king who comes on a horse comes for war. He was about to fight the biggest battle of all time from a place of humility, but on the Sunday before the Friday, they celebrated the one who had healed so many and just raised Lazarus from the dead. No wonder there was excitement. 

Many did not understand that He was about to "clean house" in a different way. Things were about to change. Many could recite Isaiah, Psalm 22 and Psalm 23, but missed the prophecies being fulfilled before their eyes. I do not judge them. I fear that I would have missed Him, too, had I been present. 

The scripture for today: 

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." -1 John 1:9 

To know that we can acknowledge our sins honestly to God is something new and different. They had grown up with priests. They learned how to shepherd a flock from the Good Shepherd, Jesus.  They confessed their sins directly to Him, realizing he already knew them. He told Judas to do what he had to do. The Centurion and the Woman at the Well both experienced the "truth"-ometer that was a part of Jesus. He knew before they confessed, but confession is good for our souls. 

We are challenged to trust in God's faithfulness and justice, even when absolutely nothing makes sense in today's trials, illness, loss or brokenness. We can never be "good enough" to earn salvation. It is a gift. We need only to believe and receive. A clean slate and the debt paid in full! What a gift! 

He purifies us from all unrighteousness. He makes our sins white as snow. We can embrace the assurance of His grace and mercy.

Today, I am grateful for a good cleaning. 

Gifts Received

Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 83: Today, I am grateful for gifts received. 

Have you ever ordered a gift from Amazon or been promised a gift that was never received? If you are a giver there is frustration because you did the work of ordering, sending and paying for the gift. If you are an expecting recipient, there is disappointment. 

Have you ever been given a gift that was never opened for whatever reason that might be? 

It is 12 days until Easter. This passage is perfect. 

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 6:3

Jesus was the gift on Christmas morning. He gave us the gift of mercy and grace when he took our place on the cross. I've always loved the idea that love held him to the cross, not nails. The love was the power, but the nails were real. The pain and suffering was man's brutality pour out on an innocent man. He paid our sin debt as a gift. 

With only twelve days until Easter, the gift is still available. Many have knowledge of the gift, but have never opened it. Others have opened it and walked ways. Some are discovering the freedom in unwrapping the gift for the first time. 

How will we approach Easter this year? Does the best gift ever remain unopened?

Today, I am grateful for gifts received. 

Treasure Seeking

Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 82: Today, I am grateful for treasure seeking.

From childhood, I have been a mystery lover. I love the idea of treasure maps and solving puzzles. Uncovering and discovering what we previously hidden. It is exactly how I feel about studying and uncovering the relationship between the Old Testament and the New Testament. 

I once heard a great quote that sums it up:

"The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed; the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed." 

I do not know the author, but I love the truth in the quote. It never gets old or boring. I don't have enough room in my margins for the wonders uncovered and noted. The Bible is a history and mystery. It is a wonder and wonderful. You can engage with it in so many ways. It is the "living" Word of God. It is incredible to know that we can hold it in our hands. Still, it is often left unopened. 

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” -Matthew 6:21 

Do we seek out and treasure in the word of God? 

I met a friend, Patsy, through Bible Journaling. She is an amazing artist, devotional writer, and deep lover of Christ. She was the first to suggest to me that our Bible is like a castle with many hidden or secret passages just waiting to be discovered. I couldn't agree more. 

I was studying Job at the time. The "secret passage" was from Job 16:19 to 1 John 2:21.

"Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he who testifies for me is on high." -Job 16:19 

Our witness before the Father... the One advocating for us... is Jesus. 

"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." -1 John 2:21

Time unfolds and the mystery is revealed. To think that he is our attorney and witness is humbling and awe inspiring. Do you know any public defenders that invite their worst offenders home for dinner and to be part of the family when the verdict of innocence comes in? 

Maybe Matlock, and that is on TV not in real life. And, I am not innocent. Yet, His grace and mercy is offered to me daily. 

Our hearts follow what we treasure most. It is where we spend our resources and our time. Are we as hungry for his word as we are the next episode of our favorite show to drop? 

Today, I am grateful for treasure seeking.

The Power of Prayer

Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 81: Today, I am grateful for the power of prayer. 

We have been doing a special study in Sunday School on prayer with the adults and the youth. Prayer is powerful. It is a first line offensive move, not a last resort. When we seek His face before our trials, it is easier to pray in the struggle. When we gather in groups to pray, it is supercharged prayer. 

We read today from Matthew. Three times Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane asked the disciples to stay awake. Three times they failed to do so. He found them sleeping prior to the toughest human experience of his life. The cross was before him, and his closest disciples (Peter, James, and John) were asleep.  He prayed in agony. 

Luke records, "And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground." (Luke 22:44)

He felt deep loneliness. Jesus cried out to the Father for a another plan, but the answer was "no." The course of events was set. He could have refused and walked away, but His love was bigger than the fear. On that night, he prayed for us... for future believers. John was the one to record it in the gospels in John 17:9-10.

"I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them."

He loved us in our brokenness. He lived in our skin, but did not sin (this is still mind-boggling to me). Not even in thought. When the evil one tempted him in the desert, Jesus spoke scriptures with eloquence as his defensive shield... even when he was hungry, thirsty, tired, and profoundly weak. Jesus defended his position and defied the enemy of our souls. 

It is the thirty-third day of Lent. This is my scripture for today: 

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." -Ephesians 6:10-11

Armor up! Evil is real, but so is the "Defender" and "Perfecter of our Faith." Jesus won, so we do not have to pay the price. It is a precious gift. Prayer is our powerful hotline , but we forget to use it. Jesus... our Yeshua... acts as our defender before the Father who is wholly holy. 

Today, I am grateful for the power of prayer. 

Deep Trust

Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 80: Today, I am grateful for deep trust. 

When planting a field or a garden, too much water or rain can prevent the crop from growing deep roots. When the roots are deep, they can tolerate more drought when it comes. There are wet seasons and dry ones. Most plants learn to adapt to survive and thrive. 

This verse reminds us of our spiritual walk. It is a journey with seasons of abundance and seasons of struggling. How deep are our roots when things get tough? 

Lent Day 32 verse: 

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” -Jeremiah 17:7-8

We can trust God with a bold sense of security, knowing he works all things out. He is our confident, the one with whom we can share our deepest thoughts... in trust. From that trust springs the kind of roots that can get us through the times of struggle and uncertainty. We may not understand, but we can withstand through His strength... sheltered in His care. 

Like the little one who reaches up for a parent or a grandparent when the world gets scary, our Father in heaven never fails us. The waiting places are not my favorites, but they are part of the journey. I am so grateful we are never abandoned. We are never forgotten or alone. 

Today, I am grateful for deep trust. 

Spiritual Cravings

Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 79: Today, I am grateful for spiritual cravings. 

There is a song out right now that has a line that speaks to my heart. It says, 'We got dust on our Bibles, brand new iPhones. No wonder why we feel this way." He sings about longing for the way things were in 2017. 

Has our human disconnect grown that much wider in just under a decade? Do we talk to Siri and Alexa more than we do each other? Imagine how it has decreased our time in The Word, too. Thanks Josiah Queen for a great song! "Dusty Bibles" is a wake up call. 

In the beginning, we used technology. Now, I have to wonder... is technology using us? I love the ease of answers and help at my fingertips. I love learning but books get heavy. Technology gives us a library at our fingertips twenty four hours a day. It even gives me deeper access to Bible study tools. Technology is not all bad, but it can become an addiction. We can begin to believe it is all-knowing and always right.

 "Deception, deception, deceptions!" is a memorable line from Tennessee Williams's play "The Glass Menagerie." Thomas Sowell said, "Deception is one of the quickest ways to gain little things and lose big things." 

There is so much deception around us every day. Could that be why when humans truly need to recharge we seek the beach, the garden, the mountains, or a farm. They are places where we can breathe fresh air. What do we crave? 

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. -1 Peter 2:2-3

What do we crave today? Where do we find nourishment? Do these things reflect our relationship with our Lord?

(Note: Saturday is the IL Mennonite Relief Sale at the Interstate Center in Bloomington. The pancake and sausage breakfast is worth the lines. The quilts are incredible works of art and heart.  It supports those in need locally and around the world.)

Today, I am grateful for spiritual cravings. 

Great Instructions

Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 78: Today, I am grateful for great instructions. 

Have you ever received an item that was "some assembly required?" Has it ever come without instructions or in a language you cannot understand? Have you ever sought out clear instructions online or on YouTube? Great instructions make all the difference. 

My scripture for Lent today is one of my favorites. I remember it was colorfully highlighted in the Bible I used from childhood through college. I've always loved plenty of color in my favorite book. It has always helped me locate the verses that speak to my heart in meaningful ways. This is good instructions:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." -Galatians 5:22-23

We are encouraged to behave like Jesus. Be loving, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self-controlled citizens of wherever you live. Be an ambassador for the cross and the crown of Christ. If we follow these guidelines we will naturally live better with others. It is a big bonus that it helps us live better with ourselves. 

The fruits of the Spirit are a reflection of a relationship with Him. They pour from His heart, into ours. He fills us up and it spills out. The more He fills our thoughts and days, the easier it gets. Still, we all have areas where self control is a daily battle. 

Not every day is easy. Some are really hard. It is the Spirit who lives in us that comforts, guides, and whispers "you've got this" when we think we are completely done... too tired to take another step. 

I am grateful that the scriptures provide something for every trial or situation. I love reading the examples of those with great faith. They provide us with encouragement and great instructions for daily living. 

Today, I am grateful for great instructions.