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This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about. His mother, Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph, her husband was faithful to the law and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. Matthew 1:18-20, 24

Randy and I have collected over the years several different holy family and nativity sets. As I put them out each year, they are sweet reminders of places we have been where we purchased them or special family keepsakes. Through the years, the Josephs in different sets seems to have suffered a great deal of abuse (usually at my hand) in the form of broken staffs, cracked arms, or in one sad case, total and complete destruction. My daughter commented one year that I shouldn’t worry about the Joseph, “After all, he didn’t have a big role anyway!”

As I began this year with another Joseph accident which required Gorilla Glue, I thought about Ashley’s words and did some digging into who Joseph really was and what made him special enough to be the earthly father of Jesus. Why Joseph?

In the gospel of Matthew, we learn that Joseph was a carpenter by trade, but that probably wasn’t all he did. It is believed that in addition to carpentry, he was probably also a gardener and raised animals. As a carpenter, Joseph probably didn’t work steadily, but he rather did work where skill was required. Jesus grew up as the son of a carpenter, and Joseph taught his son these skills. Joseph was a simple, honest, hard working, God fearing man who was loyal and kind.

Joseph is known to us as only a background figure in the narratives of the Gospel, but his wholehearted devotion to Mary even in the face of possible slander by his neighbors, and his total self sacrifice when he left everything to flee to Egypt to protect Mary and his son, shows us that he was worthy of God’s trust in him.

The three times we have a record of God speaking to Joseph, it is through an angel of the Lord appearing to him in a dream. Each time when he wakes up, he immediately obeys this messenger of God.

God chose Joseph first because he was obedient. He accepted Mary as his wife, took her to his home, and lived with her platonically until Jesus was born. Joseph didn’t know whether to call the baby junior or father, but in the end, he obeyed the angel who told him to name the child, Jesus. After all, what would he name a God that he could cradle in his arms? This name indicated his mission which was to save the people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21) Lastly, the angel instructed Joseph to name the child personally. This step acknowledged Jesus as his own son under Semitic law. Now Joseph’s ancestry as a descendant of David transfers to his son.

God also chose Joseph because of his integrity. God honored this man of integrity by entrusting him with a great responsibility. Imagine how hard it would be to choose someone else to raise your child. Joseph had to be the ‘stand in” father for God on earth, and he had the integrity, love, and mercy to make it work.

Finally, God chose Joseph because he was faithful. He was a righteous man who lived out his beliefs in his actions. Even when he felt he had been wronged by Mary, he held fast to his trust in God and showed his sensitivity to someone else’s shame. Joseph responded to God with obedience and self control.

In the end, God chose a devout man who was full of faith, just, merciful, and one who loved and carefully cared for both Mary and his earthly son, Jesus.

This Christmas when I look at the different renderings of Joseph around our home, it will be with a different kind of appreciation and respect for the man God chose. Why Joseph? It was Joseph because he was righteous and trusted God. Joseph didn’t always know the details, but he acted in faith knowing God would lead him to the next step! What a great example for us all!

A special Merry Christmas to all fathers who “stand in” for God and are righteous, faithful, and obedient.

When Joseph and Mary had done everything required of them by the law of the Lord, they returned to Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong: he was filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him! Luke 2:39-40

A voice of one calling, “In the wilderness, prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Isaiah 40:3

Every year during the Thanksgiving preparations, I get into my car on a hurried day, turn on the radio, and hear Christmas music. The reaction is always the same, “I’m not ready to think about Christmas. It’s way too early.” This advent season of preparation catches us off guard, but it’s here and it’s time to prepare for this special event.

If you’ve ever hosted a party, a dinner  or family gathering, you know that preparations are a huge part of the event.  The house must be cleaned, the food prepared, the dishes out and clean, the silverware polished, and the everyday stuff put away.  We are preparing for the purpose, and usually the purpose is some kind of celebration.

Christmas is just that – a celebration.  It’s a birthday party celebration for Jesus where we celebrate the joy of His birth.  The angels said, “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.”

God took great care to prepare for the coming of His son into the world on that Christmas morn long ago.  He used the most unlikely people to set the stage for his son who would come to demonstrate His love.  Caesar Augustus was used to issue a decree that all would be taxed each into their own country which brought His chosen Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem from Nazareth.  Add a kindly innkeeper who offered his stable, a manger filled with straw, animals, shepherds in a nearby field, angels to tell them of the birth, and three wise men guided by a star, and we know the preparations were no accident but rather the product of great preparation for a purpose. The time had come to welcome our Savior.

Likewise, as we begin the advent season we must prepare our hearts and our lives for the advent or coming of Christ.  Instead of racing around and methodically going through the decorations and planning for the Christmas season, we should be preparing for the purpose of celebrating the birth of Jesus.

Ann Voskamp says, We are ready for Christmas, not when we have all the gifts, but when we are ready for Christ – when we are ready to give all of ourselves to him.  

There are many things we can do to prepare for the coming of Christ in our hearts and lives, but I wonder how different Christmas could be for each of us, if we could just believe through the eyes of a child.  People sometimes say that “Christmas is for children”, but Jesus came for all of us.  Perhaps they mean that Christmas is best when seen through the eyes of a child because  children see the world differently.  They are amazed at small things in life, the things that adults seem to take for granted every day.  We sometimes feel we are too old to be amazed, and we stop taking time to be amazed at a baby in a manger, who He is and why He came.  Becoming as a child again is a great way to prepare our hearts and minds to celebrate anew the birthday of Jesus.

During this season, if we want to prepare our hearts for Christmas, we’ve got to rediscover the joy of giving.  Giving always brings more blessings to the giver than we could ever imagine.  Last week, I took my car to Cactus Car Wash for a wash and clean. When I picked it up, the man asked me about the book I was listening to on my car CD player.  (Yes, I still have one of those).  The book was The Whistler by John Grisham, and he remarked on how much he liked the author’s books.  I told him I would bring it back to him when I finished.  Instead, I drove home, packed up all my other books on tape and headed back to the car wash.  In my prayers that morning, I had asked God to put someone in my path who needed something I could give.  The look on Jeff’s face when I walked over with my bag of gifts not only brightened my day, but it reinforced how much joy we receive from giving!

During this preparation, we could all benefit from passing the light.   Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)  Years ago Randy began the candlelight service at our church. We would begin the service in darkness, then pass the light to each one there so that when we were done, the entire church had a light.  The beauty of that moment as we sang Silent Night will forever live in my memory.  The light has overcome the darkness. Christmas is the perfect time to share the light of God by telling others how a babe was born to give us a purpose in life and hope after death.

This year my prayer is that we can all prepare for Christmas by becoming  childlike again, rediscovering the blessing of giving, and being a shining light in this dark world.  Prepare the way of the Lord!  Make the preparations for a purpose!

 

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you! For those who are righteous, the way is not steep and rough! You are a God who does what’s right, and you smooth out the path ahead of them. Isaiah 26:3

Advent is upon us and with its arrival comes the inevitable hustle and bustle that goes with this season of the year. The season of Peace on earth, good will toward man can become the season of stress, impatience, and selfishness.

This week we ran into some dear friends, and when we asked how they were doing, the answer was sobering. He said, “Well, we just go from one crisis to the other!” These words are sad, but true of so many of us!

In this world of today, we don’t just have normal stress all around us, we have cyber stress. We all seem to be tied to our cell phones, our iPad, our computer, our television programs, and a world of other technology. Everything is based on how much we can do and how quickly we can get it done! It is said that increasing our pace has decreased our peace. Therapist Ofer Zur is quoted as saying, “We’ve become obsessed with speed. We end up with lots of plans that we can’t execute and a full schedule that can’t be followed.”

Adding to our peace stealers is everyday stress. A trip to the grocery store will show that prices have doubled lately, gas prices are sky high, and the cost of living seems to have skyrocketed in the last nine months or so. All of us are worrying about how to cope with times like these? Paul Harvey is said to have addressed this issue when he said, “In times like these, it’s helpful to remember there have always been times like these!”

The question is not “Will problems come?” The question is, “How will we handle them?” Things will come along to steal our peace. How do we then maintain a sense of peace?

First, it’s good to ask ourselves, “Who or what is stealing our peace?” We really can’t know who or what to blame unless we know the triggers in our lives that steal our peace. Is it work? Is it finances? Is it illness? Is it a certain person? Is it mental or physical exhaustion? Once we know what causes the loss of peace, we can begin to know what to avoid. The worst thing we can do is give in to the feeling of despair or hopelessness.

Years ago there was an exterminator who came to service our house the first Saturday of every month. It didn’t take long for me to know that this man stole my peace every time he came by pointing out things which inconvenienced him. In order to regain our peaceful Saturdays, we made it possible for me to be absent during those monthly visits. It worked like a charm, and my peace was restored!

Secondly, give the stealer to God and start to focus on other things. It’s a proven fact that redirecting our thoughts can bring peace back into our lives. As soon as we become aware that we are starting to worry and lose our sense of peace, take it to God immediately and leave it with Him. Paul writes, Whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable of respect, whatever is lovely and brings peace, think continually on these things. Philippians 4:8

Finally, find out what God says to us in His word about the situation facing us. When we find the answer then we need to align our thoughts, words, and actions with it. It’s easy to fall into the habit of doubting, worrying, and wondering if God has forsaken us and that after all we’ve been through, our situations will end in failure. We should never doubt God. The scripture says, Don’t worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Then you will experience God’s peace. Philippians 4:7

The Bible says, Search for peace and work to maintain it. Psalm 34:14 When we know that God loves and accepts us unconditionally, it sets us free to do the same for ourselves. God’s peace is a wonderful thing!

Alexander MacLaren says, “True peace comes not from the absence of trouble, but from the presence of God.”

The words of the hymn, It Is Well With My Soul by Philip Paul Bliss and Horatio Spafford lend itself to this situation. When peace like a river attendeth my way; When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, It is well, with my soul.

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17

An old English preacher once said, “A grateful mind is a great mind.” He was speaking directly to those of us who sometimes forget that gratitude is an attitude, and that it’s a discipline we develop. Gratitude is defined as the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for”.

Life in general has a habit of overwhelming us, and more often than not, the last thing we feel like doing on our “down days” is giving thanks and feeling gratitude toward God. Nancy Leigh DeMoss puts it best when she says, “Unless you just love the way duty feels when it wakes you at three in the morning, or hijacks your plans for your day off, or hands you an unexpected bill that wasn’t in the budget, don’t try living the Christian life without gratitude.

There are some years where we say to ourselves, “Things couldn’t possibly get any worse”, and then they do. Well meaning people are heard to say things like “keep your chin up, things will get better, don’t worry”, but we can’t see any light at the end of the tunnel. We endure hardships, loss of loved ones, disappointments in others, and even loss of trust in God. Then, we pick up our Bible and read, “Always be joyful, always keep praying, no matter what happens always be thankful, for this is God’s will to those who belong to Christ Jesus,” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) and we realize that God brings life out of broken things.

Our perception of our situation must change from woe is me to thank you, God. We have to keep our eye on the donut and not the hole. We must focus on what we have and not what we don’t have. True Christ centered gratitude takes life’s most difficult situations and moments and transforms us from overwhelmed strugglers into triumphant conquerors. Amy Weatherly said, Perception is a key component to gratitude and gratitude is a key component to joy.

Keeping these thoughts in mind, the best exercise is to make a list of those people and things which fill your heart with gratitude. We need to show our thankfulness for people and all they do for us, not only in trying times, but in all times. This exercise will change our perception of gratitude into an acknowledgement that every good gift comes from God and that we are recipients of His grace in so many ways.

Years ago, Randy began a Thanksgiving service at the church where people could come, get the microphone, and share with the group the things for which they were thankful! It was oftentimes the most touching of services as we celebrated thankful hearts.

In honor of this tradition and in order to express gratitude to God, here are a few of mine.

I am thankful for two feet on the floor every morning. I am thankful for Randy and the way he loves me, his family, and his God. I am thankful for a family who pulls together. I am thankful for friends who are there no matter the situation. I am thankful for our church friends and faith. I am thankful for my small group of supportive friends. I am thankful for Reel Rollers and Schmoo Pies, and all the folks who support them. I am thankful for people who say, “I surely do miss you guys! I am thankful for our children, their spouses, and our grandsons! I am thankful for Rocco and his sweet personality and love. I am thankful for our extended family of sisters, brothers in law, and cousins who are rich in love and devotion. I am thankful for warm winter fires with friends and family gathered there. I am thankful for the opportunity to watch our grandsons play ball! I am thankful that I was raised in a small town where everyone knew and loved each other. I am thankful for America, the land of the free and the home of the brave. I am thankful for family vacations that begin with the words, “let the adventure begin!” I am thankful for a God who has richly blessed us.

The question is “What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits towards me?” Gratitude is the answer. Happy Thanksgiving!

Now thank we all our God, With heart and hands and voices. Who wondrous things hath done, In Whom this world rejoices. Who from our Mother’s arms Hath blessed us on our way. With countless gifts of love, And still is ours today. Hymn is Now thank We All Our God written by Martin Rinkart

Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Ephesians 6:10

Baseball season is over, and for the first time since 1995, the Atlanta Braves are the World Series champs! There was such excitement everywhere around town from the playoff games to the culmination of a victory on the sixth night of the World Series!

The parade and ensuing celebration were so well done, and it was mostly inspiring to see and hear the players like Freeman, Swanson, Soler, Morton, and others speak so positively of their organization and each other.

We can remember fondly some of the greats who were playing the game when we were young. Names of players like Mickey Mantle, Roger Marris, Whitey Ford, and so many others. Although times were different, the game of baseball remains the same. There are still runs, hits, and errors. There are still enthusiastic fans. There are still base hits and home runs. The game still has heroes, but it also has dependable, consistent players.

One of the best things about this game to me is that even the best players fail more often than they succeed. For example, if great hitters have a batting average of .300, that means they only get a hit 3 out of 10 times at bat! That’s a sobering thought. A home run is more common these days than it used to be, but on average, a player only hits 45 home runs for every 600 times at bat!

A home run is defined as a fair hit that allows the batter to make a complete circuit of the bases without stopping and score a run. Although home runs can be exciting, it is often the consistent hits, pitching and fielding that wins a game.

Players aren’t always consistent. Most of the players will admit that there are times when they hit a slump! Their game is off, so to speak, and in order to get better, they can’t quit, but rather practice harder. In essence, they go back to the fundamentals which got them where they are in their game. They take extra batting practice, work on keeping their eye on the ball, and get advice from coaches. They figure out their mistakes and correct them to get back in the game.

Sometimes we as Christians find ourselves in a spiritual slump. We realize that we are spiritually empty, sometimes through our neglect of God and His word, and sometimes because of circumstances. In these cases, what do we do?

Hopefully, we begin to get ourselves back in the game by remembering what is right and trying to do it, reading the Bible and praying more, doing more for others, seeking guidance, and asking forgiveness. This usually brings us out of our slump for a while.

Christians and athletes alike can come out of slumps, but if we aren’t diligent, we slip right back into the same trap time after time. As our slumps become more and more frequent, we tend to get discouraged. Christians can feel like we are the worst people ever, and we will never be the person God intended us to be.

Mickey Mantle was famous. The crowd loved him. He was rich, but he still felt empty inside so he turned to alcohol. He suffered from this addiction, which led to heartbreaking problems with his family. Mantle often remarked that “something was missing” in his life. During his recovery from alcoholism, Bobby Richardson led him to Christ. On his deathbed, Mantle said, “I am trusting in Christ’s death for me to take me to heaven.” Of all his home runs, becoming a Christian was his greatest!

Paul slipped in his walk with Christ as well. He told the church in Rome that “he knew what he ought to do, but many times he found himself not doing it. He also said he knew what he shouldn’t do, but he kept doing it!” (Romans 7:19-20)

God blessed us with His grace because He knew we wouldn’t be perfect. He knew we would fail and fall short of God’s perfection. That’s why Jesus came to do what we can’t do. He always gets a hit. He never makes an out. Jesus always bats 1000.

Just like in baseball when a hitter is struggling and the coach puts in a pinch hitter to bat in their place, so God sent Christ to substitute for us when we are struggling. Christ pinch hits for us all, and guess what? He hits a home run every time!

Jesus brought the sacrifice for the sins of all the people, once and for all, when he sacrificed himself. Hebrews 7:27

This week on Thursday, November 11, our thoughts turn to all the veterans as we honor them for their service and sacrifice on this Veteran’s Day. World War I ended on November 11, 1911 some 110 years ago this year and the next year, Armistice Day was created as a day to commemorate the end of “the war to end all wars”. A federal holiday was created in 1938 and after WWII and the Korean War its name was changed to Veterans Day.

It is sobering to consider that there were nine million soldiers lost in WWI and twenty one million wounded. The United States alone lost over 116,000 souls. All wars create a lot of sacrifice not only on the part of our service men and women, but also on the part of their families, friends, and this country. Wars require people to make sacrifices. This day is a day to honor the men and women who made that sacrifice.

Sacrifice is defined as the act of giving up something you want to keep especially in order to get or do something else or to help some? We all make sacrifices of one kind or another, but how many of us have been called to give our lives for someone else?

Desmond Doss was a devout Christian who served in Okinawa during WWII. Because of his devout faith, Doss refused to touch a weapon or work on Sunday. He became a medic because of these beliefs. His battalion considered him a slacker and a pest, and it is even said that they would throw shoes at him while he prayed.

In Okinawa in the spring of 1945, he and his company were ordered to climb a steep cliff and face thousands of heavily armed Japanese soldiers. As the attack began and members of his battalion were wounded, Doss rescued 75 men who were trapped at the top of an escarpment by lowering them using a special knot he made. The whole time he was crawling to the wounded, he prayed, “Lord, please help me get one more.” He was awarded the Medal of Honor by Harry Truman on October 12, 1945 and became he first conscientious objector to ever receive a medal.

The story of Desmond Doss was made into a movie, Hacksaw Ridge, in 2015 and tells the story of his sacrifice and bravery. He honored the motto of the veterans, “Leave no man behind” and saved as many as he could! He was a true hero!

There are so many veterans who are heroes and live among us. Their stories are ones of valor, dedication, loyalty, love of country, and bravery, yet many of them are reluctant to share them. It is enough for them to know they served their country and served it well.

There are heroes among us in our every day life as well. For instance, in our neighborhood, there is a young mother who strolls her older son who is physically disabled each and every day. As he continues to grow, it must get harder for her to push him up and down hills, but she is faithful. There are doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, fire fighters, teachers, and police officers which sacrifice each day for others. There are couples who deal with separation from their loved ones, but they dutifully care for them. Sacrifices are made by so many in so many situations. There are truly heroes among us.

Jesus died on the cross to show us what love looks like in action. His sacrifice brings to light the scripture in John 15:13, “No one has greater love than this to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” The sacrifice He made offers us access to a life with no more crying, no more sickness, no more pain, no more sorrow or death.

Jesus’ sacrifice offers us a new path for our lives. This path is one that challenges us to sacrifice for and spread love to all we know. Our prayer should be likened to the one Desmond Doss prayed all those years ago, “Lord, please help me to win one more for You.”

This day we say “thank you for your sacrifice and service” to all the veterans.

(The picture above is of Eddie Huffaker, US Army Vietnam 1967-69 at the Vietnam War Memorial)

Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us into the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O King. But even if He doesn’t, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference, O King. We still wouldn’t serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up. Daniel 3:16-18 The Message

Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego were brought before King Nebuchadnezzar because they refused to serve his gods or worship his golden images. They were confident that God would rescue them, but even if He did not, they would remain faithful to Him and only Him. These guys had an Even if faith.

During the panicked times of the pandemic and even to this day, we have Christians and others asking for a cure, an eradication, an answer to this disease which struck us quickly and mercilessly. I heard many people say, “I don’t understand why God doesn’t do something!” Just because we don’t get an answer right away doesn’t give us the freedom to doubt His love and faithfulness toward us. We should be saying, Even if we don’t believe God is acting as quickly as we would like, we will still believe He is acting.

Sometimes God seems to be guiding us to travel the back roads instead of taking the highway, and we can begin to feel like we’re out of gas, there are no gas stations around, and He’s forgotten us. Even if we feel that way today, God is still here. Just like a message in a bottle that we think is lost but is found, nothing is ever lost to God.

In this world there will be pain and suffering, of that we are assured, but even if He causes suffering, He will show compassion according to the abundance of His faithful love. (Lamentations 3:32) Our job is to keep the faith and never cease to ask for the things we need.

There are many times when God closes one door only to open another. As we seek the process of reinventing ourselves to accommodate the changes necessary in our lives, it would be easy to ask, “Why me? Why Now? What have I done to deserve this?” There is little peace as we deal with the change. We have to realize that God uses these closed doors to get us to turn away from where we think we should be and move instead to the place where He can best use us. We must be even if people as we move to follow His plan for our lives.

God is waiting for Christians to ask Him for what we need in this world. We live in times where Christians need not only to ask, but also we need to do some extravagant asking of God. The world needs us to ask for the impossible and the unimaginable. We know that God is capable of doing these things, but He needs to see us willing to serve Him whether He answers these “askings” in our time and on our schedule or not. Even if, He does not, we are faithful.

We need to be the people who say, Even if, others have given up on things, we will stand strong. Even if, others have never dared dream, we will dream. Even if, others think it is impossible, all things are possible with God. Even if, others think the task is too monumental, we are more than conquerors. Even if, others think prayers are seemingly inconsequential, God answers prayer. Our Even if’s are God’s opportunities.

Our motto should forever be, We will be bold, creative, compelling, and express a deep love for Christ Even if others will not.

May we be the generation who continues to praise Him, thank Him, worship Him, give Him the glory and honor, and ask Him for that for which we yearn, hope, dream and need. copied

I looked for someone to stand up for me against all this, to repair the defenses of the city, to take a stand for me and stand in the gap to protect this land. I couldn’t find anyone. Not one. Ezekiel 22:30 from The Message

This past week as early release for conference week was happening in the schools around our area, my mind went back to all the years we teachers held conferences with parents on these days. Most of the time we were all on the same page when we discussed their student, but sometimes the things we teachers saw at school were not what the parents saw at home and vice versa. It was always an enlightening time, and it was always uplifting for us to see how parents rise to the occasion to stand in the gap for their children.

When we stand in the gap for someone, we literally stand in the middle and offer protection and defense for that person or thing. Just like Abraham stood in the gap for Sodom when God was going to destroy the city because it had turned against him, we have opportunities to do that same thing.

Abraham became the intercessor. God asked him to find fifty righteous people, then ten, but Abraham could find only one, his nephew, Lot. God spared Lot, because of Abraham, but He destroyed the city.

In the ancient world of the Bible, cities had walls surrounding them to protect them from enemies. When the wall was breached, the city was vulnerable to destruction and the only way to secure it was for people to risk their lives by literally standing in the gap in the wall and fighting the enemy.

There are many times when we stand in the gap for others or they stand in the gap for us. In the nineties, our church began a women’s spiritual retreat every year where we would gather for the weekend to study and praise God. One year we were fortunate to have Mrs. Jeannette Cathy as our guest speaker and Babbie Mason as our worship leader. What a dynamic duo!

Mrs. Cathy began her time with us by telling us that she was very nervous, and she needed our help. Every time she faltered or stopped, she asked if we would encourage her by saying, “You can do it!” The group there only had to encourage her a couple of times, but each time, there was a sense of standing in the gap for her. She did a fabulous job of bringing us together!

At the conclusion, Babbie sang her song entitled Standing in the Gap. The words were so powerful and the perfect end to the evening! She ended the song with these words: Just remember someone somewhere is praying for you. Calling out your name. Praying for your strength. I’ll be standing in the gap for you. Written by Babbie

God sends people to stand in the gap for us in this life. He sends those who will pray on our behalf and intercede in difficult times. Sometimes we never know who is praying for us or standing in the gap for us, but God knows and hears. Oftentimes, we hear that someone is facing an illness, a hardship, or a tragedy, and instead of looking the other way, we pray that we can share the burden. If someone we love is hurting, we are hurting too, and we, as Christians, are willing to stand in the gap with them.

Standing in the gap is born from a faith which we acquire through our knowledge of God, which leads to our awareness of it, then becomes belief, and finally trust that He is there for us. Faith isn’t born at a negotiation table, but rather through our good works, good deeds, and times when we stand in the gap for others. This faith never goes out of style.

God comes in our times of greatest need and with Him comes a sudden calming presence. In Ephesians 2:8 we hear these words, For it is by grace that you have been saved and this is not of yourselves. It is the gift from God.

We are great sinners, but we have an even greater God who is ready and willing to stand in the gap for us.

In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Years ago, I learned that being decisive is sometimes one of the hardest things we will ever be asked to do. It’s much easier, especially for me, to be one of the “whatever everyone else wants to do” or “it doesn’t matter to me” group of people. The trouble with that is many times we end up doing something we don’t really want to do or lamenting the decision that was made. I envy the people who seem to have no problem making decisions and moving ahead with the plan.

Decisiveness is defined as settling an issue or producing a definitive result. Making decisions or knowing in which direction we should head on things is difficult. It is said that when Christopher Columbus set out on his voyage in 1492, he didn’t know where he was going. When he arrived, he didn’t know where he was, and when he returned home, he didn’t know where he had been!!

We all need help at times knowing in which direction we should go. As my neighbor likes to say, “There are many squirrels lying in the middle of the road because they couldn’t make a decision“.

We sometimes don’t make decisions because we are afraid we will make the wrong one. The scripture says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith with no doubting. The doubting man is double minded, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:8) In other words, ask God and then take His wisdom without doubting. Take the wisdom with confidence.

Good decisions should reflect our mission in life and highlight our potential. God has created each of us with our very own mission in life. It’s a concrete assignment that demands fulfillment. Our responsibility is to seek Him for guidance as we navigate the decision, and remember that nothing can take the place of knowing that will. If we don’t know it, we are likely to spend our lives doing the wrong things.

Finally, if we don’t make our own decisions, somebody else will make them for us. President Reagan liked to tell the story of how he learned to make firm decisions. It seems that when he was a boy, his aunt sent him to a cobbler to have a new pair of shoes made for him. When the shoemaker asked if he wanted a square toe or a round toe on the shoe, he couldn’t decide. The cobbler asked him to come back in a few days and tell him what he wanted. In a few days, Reagan admitted to the cobbler that he just couldn’t make up his mind. The cobbler replied, “Well then, your shoes will be ready tomorrow.” When Reagan came in to try on his new shoes, one had a round toe and one had a square toe! It pays to be decisive!

God would have us to be decisive about His kingdom and our faith. It’s amazing that most of us Southerners have no problem deciding on our favorite team. We display the flags, banners, shirts, and spirit wear proudly, but we have a problem letting people know where we stand on our faith. If we aren’t decisive about it, rest assured others will take that privilege away from us and make the decision for us! Standing in the middle on decisions never helps anyone.

In The Message by Eugene Peterson these words from Revelation 3:15 say it plainly. Jesus said, “I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot. It’s far better to be cold or hot. You’re stagnant.”

The worst case in decision making is that we get it wrong, and we learn what NOT to do next time. The best case is that we pray for wisdom, make a decision, and stand by it.

I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus; No turning back, No turning back. I Have Decided to Follow Jesus Anonymous

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is good and acceptable and the perfect will of God. Romans 12:2

One of my favorite Broadway musicals from years ago is Wicked, the story of the differences we find in people along our life’s path. The most meaningful piece of music for me is, For Good, a musical duet between Elphaba (the wicked witch of the West) and Glinda (the good witch of the South).

The song’s lyrics address how both Elphaba and Glinda have been changed by their friendship, or the pleasure of knowing each other. Glinda begins by saying that while she doesn’t know if people come into one another’s lives for a reason, “I know I am who I am today because I knew you”. Similarly, Elphaba tells Glinda that “whatever way our stories may end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend”. They both agree that because they knew each other, they have been changed for good.

What does it mean to be changed for good? This phrase is defined as an improvement in a situation or state of affairs. Rather than thinking of a change for good in a situation, it’s more important to me to think of it in terms of people who make a difference.

When we begin to think of all the people who have come into our lives, and because our paths have crossed we are changed for the better, the memories and the thanks can begin to add up. There are of course, the obvious people such as our spouses, our children and grandchildren, our parents, our siblings, our grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc., but there are so many others.

This past weekend, our family had the opportunity to attend the Swim Across America event at Lake Lanier to support our favorite swimmers, Vicki and Caroline Bunke. We were mistaken to think that we were supporting these two and all the other swimmers there because these folks ended up teaching us the meaning of love and hope which has no finish line!

The crowd of people were there with so many different stories of why they swim, but so many were there to celebrate and honor a young lady who was Godly, Real, Amazing, Courageous and Exemplary. GRACE.

As we looked around and marveled at the things that bind these folks, the words of the song came back again, “people bring something we must learn, and we are led to those who help us most to grow”. That is certainly true for the Grace Bunke family. All of us have been changed for good because we knew her.

Randy and I were called to the ministry for his career, and because of that calling, we served six different United Methodist congregations. It is said that every church family has its own personality, gifts, graces, and faults alike. Although none of the churches were perfect, and we certainly were not, each group taught us something. Each congregation added to our lives, and we were changed for the better because we knew them.

We find that in every time of need or in every crisis we have faced over the years, people from these places are still there for us. After all these years, we know we are who we are today because we knew them.

There are so many teachers, professors, counselors, and countless others who have touched each of our lives. “Like a handprint on our heart or a seed dropped by a bird in a distant wood”, they changed us for good!

Along life’s way there are small groups of friends, small bible study groups, volunteer organizations, ministries, outreach organizations, and so many others who have changed our lives. It’s in the giving of ourselves that we receive.

Yesterday, our daughter in law, Susie, ran and finished a marathon in honor and memory of one of our dear friends, Paul King, who suffered with Parkinson’s. Others ran for other causes and organizations, but this one was special to our family and friends. Paul and his family were one of the first people who welcomed us in 1988 to Mt. Bethel. To his family, we would say, “so much of us is made up by what we learned from him.” We were changed for good because of his friendship and all of you.

There’s hardly a day that passes that there aren’t people who cross our path from whom we can learn and be changed for good. My prayer is that we would all take the time to appreciate those who come into our lives and change us for good!