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Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. James 3:18

Titles tell what service or product a person offers the world. For instance, I am a teacher. That means I lead someone from a state of unknowing to knowing (hopefully). A baker, (my personal favorite) creates something palatable and nourishing. The list goes on but you get the gist.

James conveys that a peacemaker is a producer in the same manner that a farmer, truck driver, lawyer, doctor…..is. As with any other service, the peacemaker begins with a resource/ability and ends with something of value. That beginning is the Wisdom of Heaven, free for the asking, resulting in right behavior, aka righteousness.

‘Peacemaker’ is a most honorable job title. Sowing peace is a worthy investment. The product is “On earth as it is in Heaven.”

Gretchen

Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. Luke 18:17

If you read Painted Rocks from Sunday October 2, you know my little flock of Kinderbirds came together to see a friend through his grief. Today our friend returned to the classroom and as far as I could tell we settled into a good new normal. While I was expounding on the attributes of an upper case ‘M’ he burst out, “Mrs. Rooney, I hear my dad’s voice all the time.” I just calmly said, “Okay.” He continued, “I hear him right now.” Me, “How does that make you feel?” His soft little voice replied, “It makes me want to be where he is.”

I knew I stood in a moment of profound truth. My precious little student didn’t ask that his father be returned to his side. His desire was to go into his father’s presence.

The silence was quickly broken by the lilt of a bright voice proclaiming, “It’s Heaven, he’s in Heaven!” and a quieter voice than before said, “I know.”

There was no great debate of theology, no offense that something so personal or religious came up in a public school classroom, in fact, I had very little to do with what happened in a matter of seconds. But I know that the hearts of the children understand clearly what I so often battle: Complete and simple faith.

Humbly,

Gretchen

Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my bother to divide the inheritance with me.” Luke 12:13

This interruption came while Jesus was speaking to the multitudes concerning boldness through the Holy Spirit when faced with temptation and hardship. This nameless gentleman recognized the worth of what Jesus was saying but only as it applied to someone else, in this instance a brother’s alleged treachery.

Is it right that this man’s brother withheld his inheritance? No, but that’s not the point. Man’s behavior will never be fair. Humans err, perspective is miscued, some are downright selfish! God didn’t send His only Son to die so that we could keep score. He gave His Son so that we could overcome.

Jesus was flawless, sinless. Yet He battled Satan for our souls and won. God’s grace provides a means to withstand disappointment and live in victory in spite of the world’s cruel behaviors. It is my testimony that your needs will be met in the fullness of God’s Glory. Let this world have their treasure. It will soon turn to dust. Trade it in for joy and peace and know that you are the child of THE KING.

Love,

Gretchen

P.S. I’ve heard that gold is so abundant in Heaven that they use it to pave the streets!

Painted Rocks

I teach kindergarten. I love children. They are honest and forthcoming, they love freely without agenda. They judge without malice. There is no better life than to dwell among the inculpable chatter and laughter of little voices of limited vocabulary.

Last spring a beautiful smile greeted me and said, “I brought you something teacher.” The child opened her hand and presented a small smooth river stone with a rainbow painted on its surface. It was an instant treasure. I mentioned the rock to the child’s aunt and she said, “She loves to doodle and I ran out of things for her to mess with so she began with the rocks.” It laid on my desk until the school year ended. When I packed my room for summer cleaning the rock came home to my kitchen and now graces a crystal platter on my counter.

Months passed and a new year began. Classmates met and began to bond, some bashful, others outgoing, some fearful, others ready to conquer the world, but one common characteristic existed. They all sought “Peace on earth, good will toward men,” and they began bestowing glad tidings on each other anyway they could find.

A new beautiful smile came to my desk one morning and opened a small felt purse. Inside were many colorfully painted rocks. Bashful brown eyes asked if she could give them to her friends. By friends she meant each classmate. The stones were received with eager enthusiasm. Miniature fingers and eyes examined them closely, compared them and assessed them a great value.

Tragedy struck our little group when a parent lost his valiant battle with cancer. How do you explain death to a small child? You don’t. You love and comfort. So as a class we began to gather and paint. Soon we had a basket full of rocks. We wrote our words of condolence and tied them to a wicker handle with a green bow. The basket sat next to a sad little boy as he bid farewell to his dad. Those silly little rocks made their way to the cemetery where devastated adults grieved a life cut short, but a dimpled little hand clung to the comfort sent by his friends.

What is so special about these stones? Absolutely nothing except, something worthless became priceless when it was covered in love.

If you visit our little town, you may find a painted rock along the wayside. Take it and let it remind you that while you were once a worthless sinner, through Jesus’ blood you are forgiven, covered in love and uniquely priceless.

Humbly,

Gretchen

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work. John 4:46

This verse is wedged between the story of the woman at the well who’s spiritual thirst was quenched for a lifetime, and Jesus’ call to fields ripe for harvest.

While passing through Samaria Jesus ministered to a lone woman while the disciples went in to town to buy food. A great deal occurred while they were gone. (Read John 4:1-26) The disciples returned with dinner but the woman who found Jesus had also returned with everyone she could find. (Evangelism can be that easy!) Jesus’ friends encouraged Him to eat but His response is the verse you read above.

If we want to be like Jesus our true satisfaction, should be drawn from arising daily and serving the LORD in any opportunity granted.

Have a great weekend,

Gretchen

And giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His people in the kingdom of light. Colossians 1:12

The word qualified has its root in the word quality. The qualified person possesses and uses designated esteemed qualities. It is our instinct to seek quality, yet being spiritually qualified is a gift given, not a status accomplished.

A resume is a document declaring qualification that only guarantees a comparative rank and respective monetary compensation. However, the qualification bestowed by God through the blood of Jesus assures the inheritance of eternal life that begins at the moment of salvation.

The inheritance we receive in the kingdom is not divided among us getting smaller as the family grows. By the miracle of the Creator of all things from nothing, we each receive everything.

Love,

Gretchen

Then I heard the voice of the LORD saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8

I add this verse to yesterday’s devotional to call attention to the next five word’s in verse 9, “Go and tell this people:” THIS people, not ‘those’ people, or ‘some’ people, or ‘other’ people, THIS people.

‘This’ is a very specific word. Isaiah was sent to a very particular people right in front of him. He could touch them, hear them, smell them. They were known to be hard hearted, deaf and blind to God’s love but God said, “THIS PEOPLE!” Isaiah asked, “For how long LORD?” God’s response, “Until there is nothing left.”

God is not a giving up kind of God. He won’t throw in the towel on you and He won’t call it a game on those you are praying for. “Whom shall He send?” Me and you, until there is nothing left.

Love,

Gretchen

With it He touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Isaiah 6:7

Isaiah had a face to face encounter with the LORD. It was glorious but what Isaiah saw in the presence of God’s Holiness was his own sinful nature, his unclean lips. He was in awe, yet overwhelmed with unworthiness.

Moments away from hearing the call of God, “Whom shall I send?” (verse 8) and shooting his hand in the air calling, “Pick me! Pick me!” Isaiah felt catastrophic unworthiness. God sends an angel to touch Isaiah’s lips, the organ in question, and he is forgiven, purified. Atonement for sin is freely given.

Satan’s weapon of choice is to compare us to this beautiful Holiness and let us find ourselves lacking. But leave him defenseless!! Heaven’s caress is for you too. Lift your face to the Son, feel the touch of God upon you, stand strong in the power of His purity.

Blessings,

Gretchen

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1

Imagine you are warming up for the race of your life. You look up into the stadium and in amazement recognize many people that have stood in your starting position, run the same race and crossed the finish line in victory. They are now cheering for you, sending encouragement and screaming, “God’s got this, you can do it!” You are pumped and able to get in your zone where nothing distracts or inhibits.

When you need an extra portion of faith, borrow from those who have triumphantly gone before you. Stand in the power of your redemption and stay the course with your eye on the cross where indisputable victory was won!

And if you’re feeling strong today, stand in someone’s cheering section or run beside them, take their baton and run a lap on their behalf. It’s the legacy of the faithful, it’s what we do.

Go Get Em’!

Gretchen

He humbles you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that people do not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Deuteronomy 8:3

Manna was an original food created for the sole purpose of satisfying the newly freed Hebrew’s palette and nourishment needs. That’s pretty awesome!

It was not God’s design that His people stay in one place long enough to cultivate fields for food, nor were they to spend their time hunting and gathering. They were on their final journey to the Promised Land. God’s plan was to love and restore a faithful people by providing all their needs.

God’s NOT out of the manna business. With humble heart look to Him to supply all your needs and with the greatest glories of the universe He will design a fulfilling, sustaining and unending manna new and specific to you. Growing strong and faithful in the wilderness leads to the rest of the Promised Land.

Feasting,

Gretchen