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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 most certainly 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 Midweek!

Gretchen

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! Psalm 133:1 (This Psalm is only three verses, I encourage you to read all of it.)

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. The generosity of 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 boarders 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

Give them Jesus


My girls started their little league careers the summers between kindergarten and first grade. We practiced and played a couple times each week. One spring as several rural communities were gathering to organize the Tri-County league, a coach from a larger town in the area approached the board and asked if he could bring a group of little girls that just wanted to learn the game. Their city league was a little too much for his objective. The powers that be said, “Okay” and the season began.

I’ve seen amazing metamorphosis occur between domesticity and the gaming fields. Because of behaviors I’ve observed and my compulsion toward student learning and achievement, I’ve always wanted, just for fun, to suggest we place our little sports stars on the playing field and allow everyone to start screaming math facts, laws of physics, phonics rules and great moments in history, then threaten them with withdrawn vacation time if they didn’t get their lessons in the two hour practices and apply them when test time came. Just a thought.

Back to the Tri-County softball season, 199?????

It took one inning of the first game to realize that our little team of girls, just wanting to learn the game, was much, much more. They arrived with their matching gear bags, suits that smelled of new vinyl lettering, mommies included, and black grease under their eyes. They had their game face on and we’d been had!!!!! Winning wasn’t the goal, total annihilation was.

Every inning they scored their run limit while their coach paced and screamed. We provided batting practice and fielded their balls just wanting the night to end so we could wipe little tears, buy some snow cones and go home. Did I mention it was a school night? To top it all off, the thunder in the distance drew closer and rain began to fall. The teenage umpire called the game and Mr. Coach of the Year came storming from the dug-out crying foul. The official looked at our coaches as parents watched from the stands and Mr. All Knowing Sportsman, palms up, with great compassion on his face, pled with our staff to keep playing. He’d even quit keeping score. Our coaches looked to the parents and in that moment I became braver and more out spoken than I ever had before. I said, “Here, let’s think…….if our only option to bring the Word of God to each of them was to stand in this rain and have church, would we do it, or would we go home?” A quiet fell and I told my child to get her helmet and glove, we were heading to the house by way of Dairy Queen.

My girls participated in many team activities both academic and otherwise. They needed the life skills this encouraged and strengthened, but more than anything, they needed Jesus and we had to chose to live in such a way that expressed and modeled discipleship as our top priority.

We ask our children to validate our DNA and parenting techniques, but we don’t ask that they submit themselves to the Lordship of Christ. I know this is harsh, but it is true and it is absolutely a matter of life and death. We teach them to throw a knuckle ball, or how to pose perfectly on a pageant runway, but we don’t teach them to kneel as their first line of defense in life’s trials and tribulations. With greater enthusiasm than we do anything else, we must GIVE THEM JESUS! The rest will take care of itself.

Swinging for the Fence,

Gretchen

You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. Ezekiel 2:7

When King Jehoiachen surrendered Jerusalem to Babylon in 597 B.C. Ezekiel was one of Judah’s many talented and promising young men taken into exile. The future had been bright for this young man educating himself for service in the temple when instead, he found himself at the whim of a pagan ruler. In a vision Ezekiel saw God’s majesty, all seeing and all knowing, and against this brilliance was man’s sin in all it’s overwhelming darkness needing to see His Lordship.

The land of promise, the epitome of God’s faithfulness and presence is in ruins as a result of man’s rebellion and sin, but Ezekiel recognizes that God’s redemption and restoration is not restricted by geographical boundaries or earthly principalities. He answered the call and became the spiritual watchman to the remnant exiles.

Man’s response should never be a factor in one’s answer to God’s call, for He will not ask you if you were an excellent statesman, orator or Christian soldier. When you stand face to face before your Lord and Savior, love and obedience will be the only thing that matters.

Love,

Gretchen

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. I Peter 5:6

A quick thesaurus exploration gives insight to the word humble. Manageable, obliging, reverential, and unambitious are attributes of the humble. The antonyms are superior, egotistical, insolent.

Two bosses make for a very chaotic day. A respected chain of command gets much accomplished. Someone has to be in charge and it must be God. After all, He created you, everything around you AND He is faithful and trustworthy.

I read a church marquee many years ago that stuck. “Meekness is not weakness. It is strength under perfect control.” The most excellent relationship is God in charge leading and you in loving submission, following. It will change your world and quite possibly, THE world.

Love,

Gretchen

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. I Peter 5:7

Anxiety is birthed in the vacuum of the great unknown, an incredibly frightening place.

Peter wrote to Christians scattered across the Roman Empire at the outbreak of Nero’s savage reign. Most major cites of the time had colonies of Hellenistic Jews, Jews that lived outside Palestine. These expatriate people were the focus of early missionary work, the Gospel spread and Christianity became strongly rooted, but prejudice and persecution soon followed. They had reason to worry.

The supreme goal of all Christians is to follow Christ. By faith we know that the One who created the universe knows all and controls all for those who have relinquished their will to His. To follow means recognizing that just before our feet fall and propel us one step forward, God has already arrived. He is there.

Casting is not placing an item gently atop a target, but rather, deliberately throwing an object far away. Peter encourages His readers to get rid of your anxieties by chunking them right into God’s great hands. What becomes of them? Does God toss them back? No, He doesn’t need them and they only hurt you, ………..God’s disposal method doesn’t matter? He cares for you, they aren’t your problem any longer.

Warming Up in the Bull Pen,

Gretchen

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15

In studying for this devotional I dug for scripture about peace. My search led me to realize most ‘peace’ centered references tell of the earthly, air to air, living color moments with Jesus, the very essence of Peace on earth.

I am getting old. This involuntary process has caused me to prioritize things, decide what is worth my effort and energy and what is not? I found the only thing I’m really willing to invest in is Peace. Quality of life begins and ends at reconciliation with the world and all that is in it.

Paul was not a disciple. He got up every morning with one mission: Put an end to Christianity. Hatred, anger, malice….these were the motiving emotions that drove Paul’s every thought and behavior. Then, God stopped him…..and gave him Jesus, the Christ, peace.

My wish for you is my wish for me. Peace on earth, good will toward all men.

Love,

Gretchen

As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collectors booth. “Follow me,” He told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. Matthew 9:9

Matthew was a despised Jew. He worked collecting duties and taxes along trade routes, growing rich exploiting his country men for the sake of a foreign power. When Jesus gave the call, Matthew dropped everything and followed. He must have really hated looking at himself in the mirror, for he left a very lucrative and powerful position to follow a homeless Savior.

The hope of Jesus was in complete contrast to common existence. Jesus was not at despotic ruler exacting arbitrary power as Rome was doing and the Jewish establishment was enabling, but a divine healer alleviating human suffering.

It is difficult to not put our hope in the powers and authorities of this earth. We long for strength and integrity of government to offer us the security of a predictable future, but the things of this earth will never compare or fulfill like the simple touch of the divine lover of our soul. Institutions, laws, rigorous routines, education…… do not bring peace, Jesus does. Follow Him.

Love,

Gretchen