Month: February 2017

But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. Hebrews 2:9

Hebrews is known as the sermonic epistle. The writer has an absolute mission to thoroughly deliver the story of salvation.

For a very brief moment in history Christ shared our human nature, and then He died. Death brings an end to earthly everything. It is incredibly hard to fathom an eternity we know little of, while resting all our hope upon its existence. The crevice between Heaven and earth never seems broader than in times of deepest grief but then peace that passes all understanding washes over us in a comforting wave and by faith all is made clear.

While on earth satan waged all his powers against Jesus. He withheld nothing to defeat the purpose of God through Jesus. Satan DID NOT want Jesus to give His life for yours. But He did. The moment Jesus drew his final breath, satan lost! Then on that glorious resurrection morning, His sacrificial love changed the face of the world. Death lost all its sting.

Death is nothing but the end of satan’s grip. God’s redeeming and saving power has been assured because Jesus left Heaven and tasted death for us all.

Have a wonderful and powerful Tuesday!

Gretchen

This is what the LORD says: “Cursed are those who trust in mortals, who depend on flesh for their strength and whose hearts turn away from the LORD.” Jeremiah 17:5

God’s chosen people have repeatedly turned away from God’s sovereign rule, also known as love. Earthy treasure habitually becomes far more important that the Provider. The proceeding verses in chapter 17 tell the story of children that know more about pagan gods than they do the God of Israel.

This is going to get ugly so be ready. If your children can name movie stars, professional athletes and know how to shop for name brand clothing, but don’t know Abraham from Moses…..there is a serious problem in their life and yours.

I’m not done. If they know McDonalds from Burger King by their logos, yet they don’t know why church steeples have crosses on them……..we have a problem.

Here’s good news! It is easily fixed! There is nothing more valuable and important on this earth than God’s Holy word and His community of believers. DON’T MISS HEAVEN FOR THE WORLD!

I really love each of you!

Gretchen

Vision + Faith = Hope

Following the age of the great depression my grandparents pastored a church in eastern Arkansas, Paragould. Located on the prairie along the St. Francis river, the congregation had many farmers among its number. The two major crops were strawberries and cotton. Harvest was a major undertaking and took greater manpower than the local population could provide, so there was welcomed opportunity to take a few days out of each year, spring and fall, to join the migratory workers that came through and make a little cash. My grandparents were among those who took advantage of this blessing.

In the tradition of historical time and place, small children did not go to a sitter while their parents toiled. They came along and arrangements were made for them to participate appropriately. For the cotton harvest each person had their own canvas sack. Men pulled nine foot bags that at capacity could weigh upwards of 100 pounds, women filled seven footers. Children were given gunny sacks modified with a shoulder strap and away they followed.

My dad retells the story of one particular season of harvest when my aunt Betty, his younger sister, probably about six years old, wanted a new purse. Grandmother told Betty she could have the money she made picking cotton to buy herself a pocketbook. Granddad and grandmother took a row, one on each side and with their youngsters at their elbows, began picking. There hadn’t been much picking done before Betty gazed into her tow sack and said, “Oh! I see a purse!”

Now Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

Betty had great faith that at the end of the day she would have the resources to purchase the longed for purse. Each time she looked into her gunny sack those fluffy white boles looked more and more like a little handbag. Each step forward meant one inch closer to her goal and she was energized to complete her task.

Little did Betty know that occasionally an adult’s hand dropped it’s yield of cotton into her sack rather than their own. Her vision had caught on. Others were investing in her dream, her hope. She was not alone.

Many journeys set out with great vision and faith, but somewhere along the way weariness distracts, the magnitude of the endeavor overwhelms and discouragement extinguishes hope. Here lies a great tragedy of life. But there is much evidence that vision powered by faith becomes the great and only hope for someone.

At the end of World War II when Allied forces entered Germany, the following words were found etched on a cellar wall in Cologne, left by a victim of cruelty and injustice.

“I believe in the sun, even when it is not shining,
I believe in love, even though I don’t feel it.
I believe in God, even when He is silent.”

Later, someone extended to poem with these words,

May there someday be sunshine,
May there someday be happiness,
May there someday be love
May there someday be peace.

From a child looking into a tow sack filling with cotton to an innocent victim of hatred, vision and faith met and became hope.

Look back and see what God has done.  Look around and see how far you’ve come, look to the future with a vision and faith.  From this hope, life will spring forth and God will do a great work.

Love,

Gretchen

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins. Colossians 2:13

The Christian community at Colossae was being led astray by false teaching. Jewish mysticism had become a serious problem. These mystics wanted a return to Jewish customs, and believed that they could move in and out of Heaven and visit with the angels. A residual arrogance appeared removing Christ as the center of worship.

Paul, a Jew, sets the record straight! Circumcision, the irreversible physical distinction between Jewish men and all others on earth, is NOT what brings about salvation. God sent His Son who brought everlasting life through His death. Only one way to Heaven? Through the cross! This is worthy of great praise and worship.

Have a great weekend!

Gretchen

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. Ephesians 5:25

There must have been marital issues in the early church. There must have been disputes about who got to have the last word, and it must have been ugly or Paul would not have written these words of instruction. Christian homes are not exempt from gender role issues. However, who is designated a slave and who has the right to be a petty tyrant isn’t Paul’s directive. It is unity rooted in LOVE!

The scripture proceeding this states, “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” There is no mention of the word LOVE in this verse, but I go to church and submit myself to worship and service because I LOVE the One that died for me! Christian community, especially families should model a right relationship with Jesus and each other. (For appropriate definitions of love see I Corinthians 13)

Years, (I mean years!) ago my stay at home mother became ill with the flu. During her incapacitation my dad made the best potato soup I ever remember tasting for four little children! He kept up with the dishes and the laundry too. It wasn’t about who was meant to do what, it was about taking care of this important and intimate relationship. He acted out of love. In turn, my mother packed the household more than once and stepped into the unknown because dad felt the call of Christ to go into a new community and spread the Gospel. Her actions were indicative of her great faith in her Savior and the husband called to serve. It’s all about love!

Have a great almost Saturday!

Gretchen

Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.” Genesis 4:1

When I was a young adult studying to be a teacher I had to take a class called Child Development. Covering everything from conception to puberty and all the nature verses nurture in between was quite alarming. Simple math gave me concern that by the time 3% of children have hearing impairment, 3% have vision impairment, 3% have this or that and so on……upwards of 100% of children suffer from disease or handicap! What did I take away from this? Mankind is a miracle!

When Eve gave birth to her first born, she gazed down and saw the wonder that he was. Every tiny fingernail and every curl on his head was a most precious gift from God, a miracle. And the curse of child birth was totally irrelevant. Her baby was perfect in every way!

The human race is so much more than the result of sex. We habitually take our existence and others for granted, but you are not the will of man, you are the loving act of God. Gaze upon yourself as Eve sees the first man born of flesh and then look around. With the help of the LORD we are here. Chins up! We are a miracle a wonder!

Love,

Gretchen

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” John 11: 25

The Jews in Judea were seeking to kill Jesus. The Jewish establishment was growing very uncomfortable with Jesus’ message and growing popularity. Then, Jesus learns that his very good friend Lazarus, from Bethany, a town in Judea, has become ill. Lazarus’ sisters send for Jesus. Jesus’ disciples advise against this due to the current political climate surrounding Him.

In verse 4 of this passage Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death.” The disciples thought He meant the illness wasn’t terminal. In verse 11 He says, “I am going there to wake him up.” The disciples argued that if he was only sleeping why bother to go at all? Jesus bluntly told them, “He’s dead.” (verse 14) So the disciples decide that if Jesus is insistent on going, He will not go alone.

The continuing story tells of the sister’s grief and many who have gathered to comfort them. Jesus tells Martha, Lazarus will rise again and Martha agrees that indeed he will resurrect in the last days. Then Jesus spoke the beautiful words above! Jesus is the resurrection today! Not ages from now, today!

Not one of the characters in this story could imagine the terror of the coming days. In just a few weeks Jesus would be crucified. He did not want to leave His friends and followers with no hope, not even for three scary days. Lazarus was the opportunity to show that death did not have the last word.

We often live as though Jesus is the resurrection and the death. STOP! Jesus said, “ I am, The Resurrection and The Life!”

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Gretchen

You armed me with strength for battle; you humbled my adversaries before me. 2 Samuel 22:40

David’s life has come to an end. He looks back and sees his personal failures, but they fall irrelevant in the face of God’s mercy, grace and constant presence.

THE ONLY THING RELEVANT IN YOUR LIFE IS WHAT GOD SEES, AND YOUR LIFE RESTORED. If David can stand confidently before God with a grateful heart, so can you.

Fear of past sins will destroy a forgiven present. Sins aren’t covered, they are washed away, dissolved, swirled down the drain never to be remembered again. Hallelujah!

Have a great day!

Gretchen

“Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.” 2 Samuel 7:16

This verse is the final passage of what is now known as the Davidic Covenant. David is a warrior king, but peace has come and he has united his tribe Judah with the other tribes of Israel and established Jerusalem, then known as The City of David, as the political and religious center by returning the Ark of the Covenant. David decided he would build the first ever permanent house of God. Nathan, God’s prophet to David commended the plan until God directed otherwise.

God’s response was this, “No David, you will not build a house for Me, I will build a house for you and it will reign forever.” This is known as the Davidic covenant. Solomon, David’s son, would later build the temple.

Throughout David’s story he was the unlikely hero. God saw in David what others could not. In return, David repeatedly looked to God for his identity rather than family, friend or foe.

God designed you, so let Him define you and direct you. You will forever be in Good Hands.

Have a great day!

Gretchen

Letting Go

From the moment I first held my child in my arms, I knew the day of letting go would come. I dreaded the inevitable, secretly crying after birthday parties, the end of each school year….. All the while, my life was amazing. Real, but incredible, except a heartbreaking event was approaching at warp speed…. an empty nest. I would have sold my soul to stop it.

Resentment festered in my heart thinking I would someday live in a house with no children’s laughter, no helpless innocent that needed my expertise in motherhood to sustain them. I did my share of complaining about unending laundry and dishes, but I knew I would do loads a day for the rest of my life if time would just stand still. My closet misery was disguised by a busy life full of wonderful people and intriguing adventures, but I wouldn’t look at photos of places we had been and things done because they were gone, over, never to return. The fact that my desire selfishly robbed those I love of the very natural act of growing up weighed heavily. My oldest shared with me her favorite Dr. Seuss quote, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” I didn’t appreciate her enthusiasm for a future without me in it, but I did indeed smile on the outside and waited for privacy to cry some more.

Logically I knew the manner of my release would have a tremendous influence on the emotional development of my children and so I prayed. One of God’s greatest acts of grace is allowing us to fight until we are exhausted and then reach out to comfort when all other options are gone and hope has faded. His touch is peace and the greatest strength I’ve ever known. I began to realize, I wasn’t raising little girls of today, but rearing women of the future and they were going to need fortitude, strength, skills, encouragement and love if they were going to survive and thrive. The beauty of time entered the secret places of my heart. I became an active part in blazing a trail to the future and a large part of that was appropriately ‘letting go.’

Two of the most amazing young women on earth call me mom. The days of peddling bikes down dirt roads and running barefoot to the fishing hole are now precious memories because I see them as the foundation of greatness rather than time gone forever.

I’ve just spent hours in my kitchen next to my daughter (Thing One) making beautiful food for a neighbor in need and luxuriating in the closeness of the small town that molded her. Tonight there will be a blond headed, green eyed angel (Thing Two) home from school, sleeping in the next room. I will hear her stir as she turns in her slumber, and be reminded, the gift of life covered in Grace and cushioned by unfathomable love, is better than I could have ever imagined because ‘letting go’ is actually a great act of love I wouldn’t have missed for the world.

When I let go, God showed up. He bumped me from the center of the universe, put things into perspective and a blessed life happened.

Love,

Gretchen