Author: pastor.gerooney@gmail.com

Sunday Came!

There were a few givens in the home that raised me. If I was not blue or bleeding, then I wasn’t dying and I was taken to church. I won’t pretend I always paid close attention to the lessons being taught, but by the time I was six or so, I knew a few good truths. First: With the order of creation and the knowledge that God created all things I learned, God had finished the work He had been doing, so on the seventh day He rested from all His work. Genesis 2:2 Second: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it Holy. Exodus 20:8

At the tender age between five and seven I was generally accepting of all things but English peas, but by the time I was eight it occurred to me that Sunday was the first day of the week, not the seventh. When and why did the day of worship get flipped? I didn’t want to ruin my Saturdays at the skating rink and my favorite shows were on too, Lawrence Welk and Hee Haw. I didn’t say anything, but my inquiring mind really wanted to know.

Years later I found my answer and so, on this most Holy of Days, I thought I would share my discovery…….just in case I wasn’t the only one that didn’t know.

The Jewish Sabbath begins just before sunset on Friday evening and continues until the appearance of three stars in the sky on Saturday night. Jesus and His disciples were devout Jews and practiced all laws including Temple worship through offerings, sacrifice, teaching, scripture reading, songs and prayers.

Even before the crucifixion the disciples had come into conflict with the Jewish leaders. However, they continued to attend synagogue and minister on a very personal level to the broken and lost people of Israel outside the wall of the temple.

Jesus died on Friday. His friends requested His body so they could properly bury Him without compromising their commitment to the Sabbath. And so the LORD was placed in a tomb before sunset on Friday, Saturday sabbath was observed, AND THEN CAME SUNDAY!

At first light Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb. The rest is history!!

Some forty days later came the day of Pentecost, the birth of the Christian church. There was no longer any opportunity for Christian Jews and orthodox Jews to peacefully share a worship space. Also, many gentiles, who had no idea of Jewish law or tradition, were being converted. It became a regular habit to celebrate Resurrection Sunday and so that is why Christians meet to worship corporately on the first day of the week rather than the seventh.

Where do we stand on keeping a sabbath Holy? It isn’t really about when, it’s about setting aside time to exclusively, with intentional single mindedness, worship the One True God! In this you will find both rest and Holiness.

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

Gretchen

So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. Matthew 27:66

Jesus died. A rich Jewish disciple, Joseph of Arimathea, worked up enough courage to go and ask Pilot for Jesus’ body so that it did not have to remain publicly displayed through the Jewish Sabbath. He, along with Nicodemus, respectfully washed and wrapped their friend’s body and placed it in Joseph’s own newly dug tomb.

The next morning some of the Pharisees and Chief Priests remembered the prophecy of resurrection and grew concerned that someone might take Jesus from His burial site and claim He rose again. To assure the highest level of ‘integrity’ Pilate agreed to seal the entrance and post a guard.

Man tries to control and manipulate the physical world, thus reaching into things spiritual. But these efforts are in vain. Man’s mortar or military CANNOT measure against the power and will of God. The sealed tomb wasn’t about the portal between life and death, in this instance a huge bolder, two guards and some quickcrete. It’s about control: God or man?  The end of the story speaks for itself.

He is Risen!

Gretchen

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first.” John 15:18

Hatred is sin and sin is awful. It is the enemy of all that is good. It is personal, attacking the most intimate places in our lives. It is both very public and very private. Sin takes no prisoners. It leaves a path of destruction, a wasteland of despair.

Whether it is our free choice to sin, or another’s behavior, the consequences are the most painful experiences man will ever know. It’s difficult to write the words rape, murder, assault, theft, lies and gossip, the blueprint for death and trauma in every secret corner or our being leaving victims publicly shamed and vulnerable.

These are the things Jesus carried to Calvary. It wasn’t wood and steel that bound our Savior to that cross, it was the things listed above and then some. His antidote was love.

When sin hurts, remember, it isn’t a sin against you, it is a sin against God. Give it to Him. His love, wisdom and justice can and will deal with it appropriately, leaving us to live in peace with ourselves and each other.

Have a MOST Blessed Good Friday,

Gretchen

Simon Peter asked him, “LORD, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” John 13:36

There it is. The promise of eternal life, ‘but you will follow later.’

Jesus has moved out of the public eye, celebrated the Passover meal with his closest friends, modeled humble servitude and is now preparing them for the next several hours, the darkest moments earth has ever known.

Soon the Old Testament prophecies these men have been taught since childhood will be fulfilled. The mysteries of the universe are scattered like puzzle pieces, but it’s all about to come together. Except there’s one problem. These twelve men cannot see the whole picture. There is no photo on the box to guide them. Jesus understands their confusion and worry. Only faith will see them through. They will be heart broken, frightened, weak in body and spirit, doubtful and alone. Jesus wants to leave them strong so He gives them faith, hope and love.

History has shown that it was all they needed. For the believer, satan was rendered powerless, the church was born and flourished.

The world has changed a great deal, but for the faithful this one thing has not: WE WILL FOLLOW LATER.

Have a great day!

Gretchen

“Father, glorify Your name!” Then a voice came from Heaven “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.”  John 12:28

If we had been in Jerusalem 2000 years ago and witnessed Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead, or at least heard about if through the local news line, we too would have been part of the crowd that heard this conversation between God the Father, and God the Son.

These are the last earthly moments Jesus shared with the general public. He would soon cloister Himself with His closets friends and then only His disciples, but in these final words Jesus faced His physical death, the mystery we must all experience. In His troubled heart Jesus finds God’s assurance.

A glorified name, past, present, and forever more is the hope of the world. Jesus submits to God’s will and asks only for a glory that will assure Grace and Mercy for all humankind. God responds, I’m here and I’m not going anywhere!

If it was good enough for Jesus, it is beyond good enough for me!

Love,

Gretchen

During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “UP! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the LORD as you have requested.” Exodus 12:31

Pharaoh has just learned beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is a God and it’s NOT him! The cries of the Hebrew children have been heard, the promises of God are becoming a reality in the biggest way ever……..and Jesus was there. As part of the Triune God, Jesus was there as the slaves of Egypt woke up to freedom and began their journey home as the people of God.

Fast forward thousands of years, Jesus, fully human, comes to Jerusalem to commemorate this most blessed event, Passover, with His family and friends. He is keenly aware that His triumphant entry into the city is the beginning of the end and it is going to get horrific!

But…. He was there when the universe was designed to perfection. He was there in the garden when it seemed sin had won the day. He was there when grace was put into action. This action required a lamb and Jesus was willing, by choice, to leave the glory of Heaven.

We see a journey to the cross but Jesus was on His way home. Satan will never be able to alter, amend or compromise what Jesus accomplished the moment His physical heart quit beating, because at that moment Heaven had the last word, “FREEDOM!”

Blessings,

Gretchen

“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.” Luke 6:43

A very simple thought, straight forward, not a parable. Jesus calls us out: Your spiritual DNA will reveal itself in what you say, do and produce both personally and publicly. Further more, it is not that difficult to tell good from bad. Figs don’t look like thorns. (Read further through verses 44 and 45.)

Jesus had no hidden agenda. His entire purpose is to save mankind, one heart at time, through the greatest love that ever did or will exist. We must mirror this transparency of heart, and reflect goodness and love.

We can do nothing about our physical DNA. It was settled the moment we were woven together in our mother’s womb. However, we determine everything about our spiritual identity through our free will. The good news……..like Nicodemus, we can be born again, and that DNA is out of this world!

Happy Monday,

Gretchen

There is nothing better for the inside of a girl, than the outside of a horse. Today’s inspiration is a gift from my oldest child, Leah Michelle Collie, the most beautiful cowgirl God ever made.
Persistent Like Art
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we reap a harvest, if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9
My high school graduation gift from my parents was a short, red, stubborn horse I named Art. Born with the heart of a lion, Art’s passion was not in the arena, much to my dismay, but on the trail. There was never a gully too steep or creek too wide for my little trail blazer. My friends and I love to trail ride. If we ever go riding through a rough place and have a “new to riding” friend, we mount them on brave little Art. He is faithful and true.
One sunny afternoon a large group, me included, set off for a long ride through some rugged country. I was atop my trusty little steed. A few hours in we came to a large creek crossing. Art and I were bringing up the rear so I didn’t hear the instructions on avoiding a two foot, underwater drop off. When our turn came, Art plowed ahead without hesitation. In his hurried fashion we quickly met the watery hole. Art fell head first into the rushing creek submerging us both. Miraculously, he stumbled back to his feet keeping me in the saddle and getting us both safely to the other side.
After reaching dry ground my friends and I spent the next few minutes letting Art cough up water and catch his breath. For the first time ever, I saw fear in his eyes. If you have ever been around horses you know they are animals that are easily traumatized. Seeing his fear spurred my fear to life. Had my wonderful, lion hearted gelding just lost his bravery? Would he ever be the same? In addition to these worries, we had another river that couldn’t be avoided on the path back to camp. Would he cross the next creek at all? Was I in for a struggle just to get us both home?
Shaken, I saddled up and headed back toward camp. I worried all the way to the next creek crossing. Much to my delight my brave horse laid back his ears and dove off into the water without hesitation. Art brought us safely back to civilization, never letting his momentary fear keep him from pressing on.
In Paul’s letter to early Galatian Christians he told them “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we reap a harvest, if we do not give up”. As Christians are asked to be persistent and not give up in our quest to do what is good. Like Art and I learned, sometimes there will be hidden drop offs and moments of weariness and fear, but remain persist for the harvest ahead. While Art’s harvest is a bag of hay and bucket of oats, ours will be an eternity in heaven.

Happy Trails to All of You,

Love,

Leah

He remembered us in our low estate and freed us from our enemies. His love endures forever. Psalms 136:23

When in the depth of despair, your only hope is someone listening, comprehending the magnitude of your situation and bringing help quickly.

The God the Psalmist knew intimately is a champion of such people. Written in call and response (read it in its entirety!) this Psalm reads like a spiritual, or a crowd pleasing, pep rally cheer. It lists all the miraculous things God has done for His children through the ages, followed with praise for enduring, steadfast love.

Why can we and this Psalmist praise God and trust Him to the future? Well……..God had that, so we know beyond a doubt, He’s got this, whatever this may be.

Happy Weekend!

Gretchen

As for me, I call to God and the LORD saves me. Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalms 55: 16 and 22.

When I was in college I would come home at the end of the semester, crawl into a bed under my parent’s roof and sleep the deep, dreamless slumber of an innocent child. All my cares were put aside, the woes of the world were their’s to worry about for the night, I could get some rest.

This trend hasn’t changed much, although many years have past. I rely on the strength of my parents in other ways too, and just knowing we create a Power of Two or Three makes the world seems much less threatening. I want this same connection and security for my children.

What we seek in our earthly parents, what we long to do for our own children, Father God has already provided for us. Cast your cares like an exhausted, broke, unemployed and disillusioned college student home for the summer. God will not let you be shaken. Victory has been won long, long ago and there’s always room and rest at Dad’s, aka The Throne of God.

Love,

Gretchen