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Not A Salesman


“Then He said to them all:
‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves
and take up their cross daily and follow Me. 
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it,
but whoever loses their life for Me will save it.’” 
Luke 16:24-25

Jesus never sugar-coated His Message. He did not make it palatable to his listeners. No
“sales” training, apparently. Jesus’ Message to the world . . . and to us . . . was not attractive in human terms.

“Deny yourself.” No more being your own #1 Priority. What you want now takes a
back-seat to what God wants for you and the greater Good of all those whose lives you touch.

“Take up your cross daily.” Picking up a heavy, cumbersome, sliver-giving beam of
wood would likely be impossible for most of us. Dragging it would not be much easier. A cross is not something anyone would wish for or want. EVER. DAILY. A cross was an instrument of “living death”.

Slow death. Unimaginable pain…torture. And it is personal…it’s for you. Your cross.
What kind of selling point is that for you?

“Follow Me.” The paths He walked were often not the preferred paths for the general
population of Jesus’ day. He trekked to the Desert….harsh, hot, no water, no mercy from heat and blinding sun.

Death dogging one’s footsteps. He went to “untouchables” who were forbidden to be near normal healthy people. They had to shout to anyone coming near that they were a danger to all people. How humiliating was that! Jesus often walked through Samaria with His team….a place with a religion that the Jewish people found detestable. There was tension, danger, and being “defiled” just by walking through that hostile region. A dunking
in the mikveh would certainly be in order…maybe several dunkings.

“Follow Me” was not an easy decision. Yes, there were the “pleasant pastures” . . . the beautiful Sea of Galilee . . . exciting, vibrant Jerusalem. . . . pleasant spaces of nature where it was quiet, peaceful, and beautiful. But Jesus did not stay for long stretches of time in those spaces. He was often on the move…by foot. “Homeless”….at the mercy of strangers for food, shelter and water. No weekly paycheck. No “home” to lay His head . . . just borrowed spaces along His Journey.

Anyone hoping for a sense of prestige by following Him would be sorely disappointed. It was going to be a difficult Path to follow Him…with only momentary times of celebrating Him. It would mean “losing your own life” for the sake of sharing His.

Following Jesus has a cost. At times, it can seem impossible . . . unbearable. Not to be
entered into lightly.

In my own life….now mostly looking back over more years than I want to put into print! …my
journey with Him…since the age of 3…has had many, many, beautiful and sweet seasons. But it has also often been threaded with pain, loss, betrayal, and trauma…often directly related to active service and sacrifice in following Him. I look forward to Heaven…being with Him there….and I know that seeing His Face and hearing His Voice will make all of it just a dim memory.

But what I cherish most…above all else, is that I will be in His Presence forever. The time on
Earth will fade, I am sure. The only thing that will matter is being with Him…forever.

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Where Are You, God?

“O God, you are my God.
At dawn I search for you.
My soul thirsts for you.
My body longs for you in a dry, 
parched land where there is no water.”
Psalm 63:1

I write this sitting in my clean, comfortable hotel room looking out of my 25th floor
hotel room in the heart of New York City. I was here to give personal testimony of
the realities I have experienced in the Sahara Desert, living with the Saharawi
refugees. They have been there since their homeland was militarily invaded by
Moroccan forces decades ago. Mothers, children, grandparents fled under brutal
military aggression as their ancient homeland of Western Sahara was being
invaded from North and South. With the Atlantic to the west, there was nowhere to
run except into the harsh Sahara Desert on their eastern border. Fathers,
grandfathers and sons suddenly became soldiers, desperatly defending their
homeland.

Having spent significant time in the Desert with my Saharawi “family”, I have only
tasted a bit of what it is to live in a “dry, parched land where there is no water.”
David lived that reality, as a refugee himself from his homeland of Israel and the
King who wanted him dead.

When life takes a turn, and you experience great loss, great betrayal, there is only
One place to run. Although we may find some escape and relief in our personal
world, it can only be temporary. We read of how David had known and followed
God since he was a boy. He had experienced the Power of God, the Protection
and Peace of God, and the Love of God. Yet, he had those Seasons in life that
were painful, frightening, and dangerous. He experienced a sense of questioning
where God was…

Having known God’s Presence, he knew what it was to be away from Him. We all
have those times of realizing that sense of distance from God. But David knew
what he needed to do. He was the one who had moved away from God and let
things of this world fill his mind, life, and soul.

God was still there. Waiting for David. He is waiting for us. Ready to help. Ready
to pull us back to Himself. . . into His Mighty, Safe Arms…holding us near to His
Heart with Forgiveness and always Love, it is we who need to return.

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Changing the Focus

“Those who want to save their lives will lose them.
But those who lose their lives for Me,
will find them.”
Matthew 16:25

What would it require to save your own life? Wouldn’t it require a total focus on yourself?
Your circumstances, your risks, your possibilities to save yourself, and anyone or anything that might give you a chance to survive would likely capture your entire focus. Panic would set in as you frantically look for anything that might save you from being swallowed up by the danger.

Even using another person to be able to save yourself from death would become a very real
consideration in order to survive. Most of us battle with thoughts of not being enough, doing enough, not knowing enough. And looming before us is the thing that gives us faith to take the next step of the Journey We don’t want to die in our wilderness! So we may grab onto the “hope-giver” on our path. . . and hang on for dear life… Even if what we’re clinging to for survival is another human being who is also frantic to survive.

Jesus knew the dangers for human beings on this earth. Desperation to live can mean
grabbing onto anything that floats by . . . even if it’s another human being.

Our desire to survive is deeply ingrained in us. We look for any means of escape from our peril. We hate being afraid. We hate suffering. We hate facing our own death. Jesus understood that about us. He had temptations to save His own life from the death He knew was ahead for Him. He struggled . . . even to the point of sweating blood.

Jesus calls us to follow Him. Wherever that might lead. Whatever it costs us personally. It’s
serious business. It’s scary. It may cost us everything.

But to walk that Path with Him, and to know His nearness as we walk together, is worth all of the unknown’s along the way.

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3 Simply Wise Guidelines for Healthy Relationships

“ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this:
Everyone should be quick to listen,
slow to speak and
slow to become angry…”
James 1:19

James grew up with a perfect big Brother. Literally. Imagine . . . His name was Jesus.
But growing up in the same home would have surely provided the same types of
relational rubs as would be the reality of any family. Imagine a typical conflict between
the two young brothers being corrected by Mom or Dad. It would have never been “HIS”
fault. He was perfect. Literally.

We can only imagine what it was like for James, growing up as a younger brother of
Jesus. But the fact that he became a devoted follower of his big Brother, even losing
his own life for the Cause of Christ says a lot about their relationship.

James wrote these important guidelines for healthy relationships. He kept it simple
and clear. I wonder if this might have been a daily family recitation as the children of
the carpenter’s home headed out to their normal activities. The wise, simple principles
are just as pertinent in our relationships now, whether within families, the work place,
school, in a grocery store, or hearing from the neighbor that your children have again
stepped on her flowers.

James followed his older Brother, carried on in ministry, and wrote about Him. James
was stoned to death in Jerusalem because he had faithfully followed his Brother Jesus,
long after Jesus returned to His Heavenly Father. Three key relational guidelines given
to us by James: “ Be Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak,” and “Be Slow to Become Angry”.

Simple to read, practical, but not easy to do in the heat of conflicts. James’ simple, wise
principles are truly needed for any successful relationships that may last a lifetime.

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A Little Glimpse

“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, 

and I will give you rest.”    Matthew 11:28

Is this a bit of what it’s like for You, God?   We’re Your children, Your busy babies.  So very busy exploring, touching, tasting, rarely pausing for a bigger picture than what is immediately at hand.

But soon something happens that gets in our way, blocks or stops us from what we were after.  We get frustrated . . . mad. 

We start to cry.  Then wail.   All we can feel is our frustration at not getting what we wanted.

But, loving Father that You are, You pick us up, wrapping Your Arms around us, and hold us close.  We feel immobilized. . . blocked.  Stuck.   

In reality, we’re being held in Your Arms.   Arms of love.  Near to Your Heart.  Snatched away from what we’d set our eyes on.  Away from what we wanted.  It takes a while to begin to stop fighting.  We only see restraint.  A barrier.  Watching what we wanted going out of our sight…out of our reach.   We try to pull free.  Sometimes with a lot of crying.  

But You see an over-tired child of Yours.  A child You love, and know that a nap is needed.  We struggle against Your strong arms of love wrapped around us.  You are unrelenting.  And we complain . . . and cry.   

After a while, Your child’s complaints begin to quiet.  The struggle to be freed weakens, and we begin to relax in Your strong Arms.  The weary little head begins to rest on Your chest.  Near to Your heart.  

Peace comes.

And at last, sweet rest.  Sleep.   

And you smile.

Thank You, Father, for loving us enough to make us rest.

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Sweet Rest

“You will feel confident because there’s hope, 

and you will look around 

and rest in safety.”

Job 11:18

This morning I had a truly precious experience.  God has been giving me glimpses of what it means to be one of His Own, using children and sheep as His primary “visual aids.”

I had made my daily morning trek out to the sheep pasture.  In the past six months it’s become a very sweet venue for God to speak to my heart.  Experiencing real sheep in a real pasture was never in my plan, but it was apparently in God’s Plan for this chapter of my life.

Maneuvering through the fence of the sheep’s field, I was greeted as usual by the two little orphaned and abandoned lambs for whom I’ve helped care since they were born.  I headed to a rickety old wooden “spool” I use as a table, and set up my weathered old chair.  Taking out my notepad and pen, I was interrupted by Easter and Autumn calling their “Maaaa’s” as they headed to my humble ‘writing table.’  One on each side of me, they nudged my legs, waiting for me to scratch their soft ears and wooly faces.  

Trying to focus on thoughts toward my Good Shepherd, I was being interrupted by the insistent nudges of the two lambs on each side of me.  Finally, I laid down my pen and just focused on scratching the two sweet faces resting their heads on my knees.  As I rubbed their wooly faces, I surveyed the scene that surrounded me: large mama sheep munching grass, and then lying down in a tangled pile of old logs, ewes, branches and lambs. Birds, butterflies, and flowers  

drew my attention as I rubbed the soft heads.

Then, I heard a new, quiet sound beside me.  Easter had fallen asleep with her furry head resting on my knee as I scratched her nubby neck and head.  Standing, she was leaning into me, her dark brown eyes closed. She was asleep.  

That simple, touching moment caught my heart and I sensed a Whisper of my name from my Good Shepherd.  He was near.  He was with me.  No words necessary.  My soul could be at rest with that.

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Imitate Me as I Imitate Christ…

       “Imitate Me as I Imitate Christ…”

                                                  1 Corinthians 11:1

He’s 3 years old, and loves to hang out with his “Omi”  (Gramma….me.)   He wants to do what I do, “help me”, and be close.   He loves to ‘nuggle’ with me and has a funny little compulsion to slip his icy little fingers up into my warm armpit whenever he can.  (It always evokes a spontaneous “AAAHH” of surprise from me!)

This morning, as I was having my quiet time, he slipped into my room to see what I was doing.  I had to leave for a minute, but when I came back, I found his little rocking chair had been carried by him and placed next to mine, and a little footstool beside it with his drawing papers, a crayon pouch, and his little grey, plastic “alien-buddy” waiting for him.   He was ready.  Although uninvited, and without a word, he was ready to join me in my daily routine of “time with Jesus.”

The sweet simplicity of his quiet preparation for our “quiet time” together was so sweet!   I chuckle every time I think about it.   There was no “lesson preparation” on my part for having a

Devotional time with him.  There hadn’t even been a thought on my part to include him.  Yet, here he was….ready to join me in my time with God.   

May my eagerness to “do what Jesus does” be as pure . . . with the childlike simplicity He taught us:   “Follow Me . . . Come near to Me . . . Do what I do . . . Love like I have loved you.” 

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Eva’s Prayer

My Grand-daughter Eva is constantly leaving me notes . . . I never see her writing these, nor know when she delivers them. They’re just there…. 

Dear Jesus our God and Savior, 

   who brought light and love 

         to this world.

You are my Lord God and Savior.

You keep me safe. . . 

You gave me more than I need.

In Heaven’s Name,

Amen

Here’s one Eva left on my desk the other day.

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When It Just Gets Worse

“Now you will see what I will do.”

Exodus 6:1

Moses had just walked into a lot of ‘hot water.’   He had done what God had told him to do, and everything was getting worse!   An enraged Pharaoh was now breathing down his neck . . . making threats, and heating up his cruelty to  God’s people.  Moses began  doubting God.   I can imagine his questions:  Did I hear God wrong?  Is this some kind of Divine joke?  I must have been crazy to go to Pharaoh and tell him to “…let my people go!”   

Everything just got worse.   God’s people  . . . slaves who had put trust in the reluctant Moses,  were now in a worse situation than before!

And what does Moses – their leader – do?   He goes to God with frantic questions, fear, and even accusations for the predicament they were all in now.  Not only was Pharaoh (with all the power of Egypt) against him, angry and breathing threats to Moses and all of God’s people, but  their whole nation-in-exile was angry with him as well.

God knew.  He saw exactly how this horrible situation had unfolded.  He was there.    And surveying the chaos, He said, “NOW you will see what I will do.”

Can you relate?   You have taken risks, stepped out of your comfort and onto a limb, because you believed that God had asked you to do so.   It may not have made a lot of sense to you, or to the people around you . . . those looking to you with trust.  Hope.  And then, . . . everything goes haywire.

And God says, “NOW you will see what I will do.” 

When I followed God’s Call to me to become involved with my desert nation, all Hell broke loose in my life.  There were vicious attacks on our church, on my reputation, on my husband and family.  Most devastating was that it came from Believers.  The Enemy of our souls does not want God’s people to move into the Darkness with God’s Light.  There will always be great resistance.

When we come to the end of ourselves … our confidence, skills, education,  passionate desire to do great things for God, He patiently watches it unravel.  And as we stand there watching all our great intentions, hopes and plans crumble, He Whispers, “Now!  See what I will do.”  

In my early years in the desert refugee camps, we came to them with great plans, with passionate hearts . . . and a lot of great people sacrificing time, skills, and their own comfort.  I’d submit the written, organized, agreed-upon “Plan” to God, asking Him to bless it and make it all happen.  I could swear that I would hear His Soft Chuckle, then crumpling it up with a wink and a smile He’d say, “Now!…Here’s what we’re going to do…“   

And it was ALWAYS far better than what we had come up with!  That realization may have taken some time to become clear to us, but His Plan was always the BEST!

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Eva’s Gift

A surprise ‘condensed’ Bible was slipped into my purse by my 5 year old granddaughter.  A priceless Christmas gift!