Month: August 2020

Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.”  Genesis 9:1

In the beginning of time God made order out of chaos.  He separated the water from land. As a result of man’s sin, the forces of destruction are let loose and water completely covers the earth destroying all life except…..…

The big picture of Noah’s story is God’s saving power.  Against the backdrop of judgement, God provides a place of safety and refuge. 

Noah knows and trusts God.  Through obedience God prepares him for this moment in time.  A man that never saw an ocean, never heard thunder or saw a raindrop, faithfully followed. His blind faith led to blessings.  It would have been hard to see success while building a boat on dry ground. The logic of loading smelling, hungry beasts was lost all while Noah’s family stands loyally beside him expecting his leadership to amount to a life worth living.

Faith begets obedience, obedience begets blessing.  That’s all! 

Happy Tuesday!

Gretchen 

And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table, and he was crippled in both feet.  II Samuel 9:13

David and Mephibosheth’s story is one of my favorite.  It is the story of grace and mercy lived out in living color between two men who had every right to fear each other and do whatever was necessary to survive. King David choose mercy and grace, and Mephibosheth returned to his original state, the child of a king. 

Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan, David’s best friend, and the grandson of Saul, David’s foe. It was customary for new kings to seal their throne by annihilating the former king’s family. David, in honor of his loyalty to Jonathan, found Mephibosheth who had been crippled on the very day his father and grandfather died as his nurse ran from the invaders and dropped him.

Hiding in a dry and barren place, fear was all this former prince knew. It was magnified when David’s emissaries arrived.  But instead of the dreaded judgement and death, this crippled, orphaned young man returned to a place he had lost, a home he believed was forever out of reach. He always ate at the king’s table!

The feast is waiting for you too!!

Pass the Butter Please,

Gretchen   

Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.  Colossians 2:23

The church at Colossae faced the theological quagmire of faith verses tradition. People who once worshiped false gods weren’t sure what to turn loose of and what to keep of their old life as they grew spiritually.  This was fertile opportunity for unscrupulous people to take charge. Their issue then and ours today is this:  Man likes rules and traditions that create authority in their favor. 

Power is a fragile thing to hold.  It is hard to maintain and requires a commitment to the greater good.  Instead it sometimes deletes all common sense and compassion from its possessor.  The ensuing temptation to exploit and abuse is great.  When man attempts to live by rules, he ignores three basic principles of God: grace, mercy and love. These are the things that make and keep us Holy. 

Have a perfectly glorious day,

Gretchen

When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.  Proverbs 3:24

Sleep is something the human body cannot do without.  It restores the physical body and allows our minds to process and reset so our mental state can remain healthy too. For many, sleep is elusive.  Bad things happen in the night, or dreaded things await when we awaken.  The wise writer knows this and has probably experienced a worry and exhaustion that goes beyond reason and rest.

I find it interesting that just a few verses above you find the words, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart.” 5a. I know this isn’t a simple sleeping pill, but if you read verses 23-26 you have the knowledge that God is taking care of the universe while we slumber. From the huge picture of world affairs to the most minute details of our personal life, God’s got this.  

Seek God’s wisdom because it offers the things money cannot give us: Peace, happiness and security.  Remember, He is never wrong, so everything is going to be alright.

Love,

Gretchen

 Nevertheless, those who receive instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.  Galatians 6:6

All of Galatians chapter 6 discusses the church’s care toward one another. This verse in particular makes known that there is no culture of exclusivity.  Spiritual insight and testimony are to be shared. God doesn’t speak to a few, expecting them to share while the rest remain hushed. God speaks to all who seek and listen.

Sharing is a two way street in which all are held accountable to personal discipleship and leaders are held to a high standard of Biblical truth.  The community of believers is important and the celebration/testimony of spiritual victories is one of the greatest joys of the Body of Christ.

Happy Friday,

Gretchen

“Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.”  Isaiah 42:1

Isaiah, referred to as the sixth Gospel, is prophesying about Jesus, the servant, the One who will die so that we can all be found NOT GUILTY.   

Isaiah’s words to the nation of Israel 700 years before the virgin birth, give undeniable proof that God has always loved the creation on which He bestowed His own likeness, and He has always had a plan of redemption, salvation and restoration for everyone.  There is hope for the sinner and comfort that all can be forgiven and the image of God restored once again, on earth as it is in Heaven. 

The people of Isaiah’s day had to confront many false God’s. Isaiah reminds them, and us, that none but God alone has the power to save and create a new creature from grace and mercy.  

Love,

Gretchen

Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. II Chronicles 7:15

I & II Chronicles were some of the last books of the Old Testament to be written and the first audience of these writings were people struggling with the questions of a personal, loving God. Documenting the lives of King David and his son King Solomon, Chronicles seems to gloss over the imperfections of these men. In reality, their sins are documented elsewhere. These writings are focused on what was done right in the eyes of the LORD.

Solomon has built a beautiful temple to honor God.  The people are celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles and sacrifices have been presented and burned. Solomon has prayed, asking God to never leave the presence of His people.  God’s Glory filled the temple and He responded, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves……..verse 14.  He will hear and see those who seek and listen. 

God is a very personal God.  Relationship is His entire agenda and it is good.  He hasn’t left, but we must seek Him and draw close.

Love,

Gretchen

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt so that you may know how to answer everyone.  Colossians 4:6

Grace, an unmerited gift and salt, a preservative.  

The thoughts that originate in our hearts/minds and find their way across our vocal cords should reflect and extend the forgiveness we have been given and our life that is saved. 

From prison and a most certain death, Paul writes to implore the believers in Colossae to take good care of each other, both spiritually and physically, and to extend love to outsiders in order to make a way for the Gospel to transform them too.  The most basic truth is: If we expect or have been granted the beauty of Christ’s sacrifice, then by ALL means we must be a conduit of these same gifts to a world searching for something they do not yet understand, but can’t live without.

Have a Great day!

Gretchen  

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!  It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows His blessing, even life forevermore. Psalm 133:1-3 (This Psalm is only three verses)

This very short and beautiful poem is an acknowledgement of the value of healthy relationships woven together with praise to the Author of Peace. It is classified as a Wisdom Psalm written by David. 

Oil was a precious commodity and the most valuable was used for anointing. This perfume is poured generously, as if there was a never ending supply. Peace validates and brings us to a higher standard of living.

If you want to see a snow capped mountain in the Middle East, then Mt. Hermon is the place. It is the highest point in Israel and is the source of the Jordan River.  The water that it provides gives life to land and people.  

Unity? Harmony?  It is the quality of existence.  Choose peace, if not for someone else, then for yourself.

Love,

Gretchen

David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God.  I Chronicles 22:7

David established the Kingdom is Israel, united the twelve tribes and expanded its borders from Egypt to modern day Syria and Jordan.He subdued enemies and built the city of Jerusalem, Israel’s capital. 

Israel’s most powerful king, a man after God’s own heart, fell victim to sin time and again.  The temptations of the flesh were a difficult battle but when the human David lost, he never failed to seek God’s forgiveness and return to Holiness. As he grew old he longed to build a magnificent permanent temple to honor the God he loved, but God had other plans. He told David, as a result of David’s disobedience, it would not be him that saw the temple built, but rather, his son Solomon. David spent the rest of his life and energy gathering everything Solomon would need to see his dream fulfilled. 

When sins are forgiven, they are forgotten, washed away, never to return. But human action brings about things that cannot and will not be stopped.  David knew this better than anyone and accepted God’s judgement, forgiveness and the consequences his actions set in motion.  He did not quit, throw a fit or turn away from the God that loved him, yet punished him.   

The things we do today matter so much tomorrow and if God is given control over the outcome, only victory will come from both our sins and successes.

Love,

Gretchen