Tag: god

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God Protects His Tiny Sacrifice Lamb

“This is how you will recognize Him:
You will find
An infant wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”
Luke 2:12

Jerusalem is an easy walk from Bethlehem. The Gate used for lambs to be brought to the Temple for sacrifice is within sight of Bethlehem.  Flocks of sheep have filled the fields between the two cities for centuries.

God’s Son, the Perfect Lamb of God, came into this world in that small town of Bethlehem.   His Purpose was to be the only perfect One who could be the ultimate Atonement Sacrifice for sin, making it possible for our forgiveness and the Hope of Eternal Life.

The town of Bethlehem provided the most convenient sacrifice lambs for all those who came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the God of Israel.  The flocks of Bethlehem were the key source of lambs used in the nearby Temple.  

But, considering how sheep are quite defenseless, the newborn lambs were the most defenseless of all.  And Mama could not be of much help.  So, the shepherds had to not only watch over all of the sheep, but those “perfect lambs” born within their flocks had to be protected above all.  If mama sheep are defenseless, how much moreso are their newborn lambs at risk.  And here is the missing piece of the puzzle (for me anyway) concerning those little, defenseless, newborn lambs that were the key piece of Temple sacrifices to the God of All Creation.

The shepherds used a simple system put in place for the survival of those perfect lambs.  They would wrap a perfect, newborn lamb in strips of cloth.  This would protect them from cold, as well as bites or cuts  that they might experience in the sheepfold.  If you’ve ever seen sheep get wind of the their shepherd coming with his buckets of food for them, you would understand the danger of anything getting in the way of those pushing, baaa-ing…pawing, shoving, trying to get on top of one another in order to get to their food.  The tiny, newborn lambs do not stand a chance!   

The ancient solution to this “manger danger” was for the shepherd to swaddle the newborn lamb with strips of cloth and put that tiny lamb into a manger  away from the rest of the sheep. 

Ring a bell?   The Wise men who were coming to find this Holy Child. . . the Lamb of God, were to look for “ an infant wrapped in swaddling cloths, and lying in a manger.”  

The established protocol for protecting the perfect lambs destined for sacrifice was exactly the same protocol that Baby Jesus, the Perfect Lamb of God, followed from His first breath as God-became-man in tiny human form.  

His Story never becomes old.  It is alive . . . active, drawing us deeper and deeper into His Love and Purposes for our lives and our world.   

May this Christmas season continue to unfold in  your own heart, and from your heart to this world that so desperately needs Him.

Read Janet’s book, Not Forgotten. Now available on Amazon

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Trusting God with Your Child’s Future Mate

“God will send His angel ahead of you,
And you will get my son a wife from there.”
Genesis 24:7

It’s scary when our kids reach an age of hormones and butterflies.  We are brought back to our own youthful season of awakening desires and the “yuckiness” of their previous aversion to the opposite sex becomes a thing of the past.  

Abraham knew that his son was reaching that point, and that they were in a land inhabited by people who had no consciousness of the True Creator-God that Abraham’s family worshiped.  Where was he going to ever find a young lady “good enough” for his precious son Isaac!

Abraham went to God with his quandary.  And God was faithful, as always.

Although Abraham’s family was in a “world” that did not have the Truth or connection with the God of Abraham,  Creator God was looking at the heart of a young woman to bring into their little family.  Abraham could have taken things into his own hands, but his Journey with God was proving again and again that God Knows . . . He is Able . . . His Ways are best.  Finding a young woman of virtue and character in that world was highly unlikely.  But “unlikely” is when God does some of His finest work.

It would require that Abraham be “hands-off” in finding his son a wife in their very un-Godly environment.  But unlike us, God sees the heart, knows the story, sees the future, and knows the Path that will lead to fulfilling His Purposes in this world.  

Even when it seems highly unlikely that He can really do that.

Abraham chose to put his trust in his servant.  As he had instructed, Abraham’s servant went to the land of his master’s birth, and the God of Abraham guided him to the woman who God had chosen for the beloved son.  

Sometimes God chooses to use people in our children’s lives to bring about His Purposes for them.  Trusting The Father of All Fathers is always best.

Check out Janet’s book: Not Forgotten on Amazon

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Your Treasure Trove


“Your heart will be where your treasure is.
Store up treasures for yourselves in Heaven,
where moths and rust don’t destroy and
thieves don’t break in and steal.”
Mathew 6:20-21

Throughout my life, I have had a strong tendency to spot and then collect little
“treasures” . . . often treasures that other people may or may not see as anything
special. Something that had caught my eye. And then, later,I would re-discover my
little treasure, having completely forgotten about it. The drawtowards a “treasure” is a
human thing. Children seem to always find little treasures that quickly find their way into
a pocket or a little container, often forgotten in a short time.

As those children grow into adulthood, the “treasures” change . . . often becoming of
greater earthly value, and taking up more space in our lives. It’s a prevalent reality in
our human nature. Our hearts are filled with personal treasures . . . both good and bad.

What “treasures” have come to occupy the precious spaces of your heart? When was
the last time that you took an inventory of the contents of your heart? What are the true
treasures? What are the “treasures” that are more “trash” than “treasure”?

Jesus’ Words, recorded by Matthew, are just as important today as they were when
Matthew was hearing them from the Heart of Jesus, in “real time.”

We would all do well to take a regular inventory of the “storehouse” of our own hearts.
How much rust has accumulated? How much damage has been done by the “moths”
that have taken up residence there? Rust and moths don’t do their damage overnight
… it takes time. Thieves do a quicker job of their damage . . . much more intentional
and sneaky. In and out . . . and it may take a while for us to realize that “something”
of value has been stolen from our hearts. It’s a slow process of realization . . . silent. . .
intentionally secretive.

The only Safe Place in which to place our treasures of this life is in Heaven, into the
nail-scarred Hands of Jesus. That act in itself helps us to consider those treasures with
a deeper awareness of just how precious they truly are.

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“What Should We Do?”

“Crowds of people were coming to be baptized by John.
He would say, ‘Do those things that prove that you have turned to God
And have changed the way you think and act. . .
‘What should we do?’”
Luke 3:10 - 14

Jesus was about to begin carrying out the Mission that His Father had given Him
to do on earth. His cousin, John (the Baptist) was in full swing in preparing the
way for Jesus. John, a Prophet of God, had a significant following of God-
worshippers. His Message was a very unique one to the people of Israel, stirring
and challenging hearts, motives, and actions of the people, exposing their needs
of forgiveness and focusing their attention on God’s Truths for human life.

Luke gives us some insight to the challenges the people of God were hearing
regarding from John about how they had been living. People in all circles of
society were hearing of John’s very unsettling challenges, and raising questions
in their own hearts of what needed to change in their minds and actions. John’s
challenges were troubling within many levels of Israel’s society.
The people were coming to John as they realized the troubling truths of their own
sinful hearts.

● The crowds of common folks were being called “You poisonous snakes” by
John. They had been hanging on to their ancestor Abraham as their way
to please God. They asked John, “What should we do???”
John said, “Do those things that prove that you have turned to God
and have changed the way you think and act. . . don’t go on your
ancestor’s faith …! … Whoever has two shirts should share with the
person who doesn’t have any. Whoever has food should share it,
too!”

● Some tax collectors came to [John] to be baptized. They asked him,
“Teacher, what should we do?” He told them, “Don’t collect more
money than you are ordered to collect.”

● Some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He told them, “Be
satisfied with your pay, and never use threats or blackmail to get money
from anyone.”

● “When all the people were baptized, Jesus, too, was baptized.”
There are so many interesting pieces to this story. It gives us a glimpse of what
was already going on in Israel on the brink of Jesus beginning His public Work in
the Land for the next three years. John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, was laying the
groundwork for Jesus to begin His public ministry. Jesus “went public” with His
baptism by John, and His cousin John was going to become “less” in the public
eye. John’s life would end, not with the crowds and accolades, but in a prison
cell, beheaded.

John had become quite famous in Israel. But he did not hold on to his reputation
or fight for his popularity in his country. He knew his Mission, and had faithfully
carried out the Work that God had assigned John. There was no competition in
him as he watched his cousin Jesus rising in visibility and popularity. His
message was consistent with the Message that Jesus would bring to the people.
That question asked of John so often, “What should we do,” at last had a
definitive, final answer . . . “Follow Him.” The Messiah was now here, and John
turned all the attention to Him.

As we, as followers of Jesus, engage with our world, people are still asking those
same old questions they had asked John. “What should we do?” And like John,
we can point them to Jesus. “Follow Him.”

This is still the ultimate Answer for our lost and questioning world.

Check out Janet’s book: Not Forgotten on Amazon

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Shared Worship in a Most Unlikely Setting

“All the inhabitants of the earth will fall down and worship Him. . . “

                                                               1 Peter 13:8

The first time that I went to the desert, it was with a woman who’s local organization had asked our church to partner in their humanitarian work.  She had called soon after our agreement to provide host families for nine children, asking if I would help  pick them up.  What I didn’t realize was that it meant going all the way to Algeria.  And I was terrified.  An all-Muslim nation, and I had no idea what might happen.   I expected the worst.

Our first stop in Algeria was its capitol city.  I had been cautioned to keep my faith quiet, and to not do anything that would draw suspicion to our little team of 3 women.  Our hotel was a lovely place near the city center, with a private garden area, and a large windowed lounge looking out into the gated garden.  Our second day in the hotel, I decided to venture into the garden, passing through a spacious lounge that included a beautiful grand piano.  A man was playing beautiful music, much of it famous classical and popular music which I recognized.  

After my garden stroll, I returned to the lounge to simply enjoy the live piano music.  After a while, as I sipped a cup of hot coffee, enjoying the garden view, I heard the beginning notes of a very familiar old song . . . “Amazing Grace” . . . I quickly looked up and our eyes met. 

The bar pianist gave a slight nod and a smile, as his skillful fingers played that beautiful old hymn through several verses and choruses.  He was wordlessly worshiping.  And so was I.  God’s Presence was there….being shared without a word between two Believers who had this Moment together.  No words were necessary. 

In a place where the Gospel could not be openly spoken, God’s Spirit connected two hearts in which His Presence lives.  The pianist and I never met. Never spoke.  I never saw him again.  But that sacred, secret Moment will stay with me forever.  And I know that God’s Spirit is alive and working in Algiers and all the way to the refugee camps that cover a piece of the Sahara Desert of that nation.  

Check out Janet’s book: Not Forgotten on Amazon

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Setting the Stage for Him

“He has told me,
‘My Grace is all you need, because my power is perfected in weakness.’ 
Therefore, I will most happily boast about my weaknesses, 
so that the Messiah’s power may rest on me.”    
2 Corinthians 12:9

I am now in a sixth decade of my faith journey with Jesus. I have a fairly extensive perspective and experience in church life and the way “church” has slowly evolved over the past half-century.   My earliest memories of “church” are of a rather humble space, with a pulpit and an old upright piano with several keys missing, some hymn books to share, and the pastor/greeter/song-leader/announcement-giver/daddy(all one and the same….including janitorial clean-up afterwards).  

I don’t miss those days, but I do miss some of the simplicity and authenticity that was inescapably present, whether welcome or not.  

Today’s “church” experience now commonly includes a stage, musicians, lighting effects, clear sound-system quality of everything unfolding on the stage,  and visual displays that not only help the congregation easily engage, but people, via media in their own homes can participate in what is happening on stage.  Technology, artistry, visual effects, talented musicians and speakers are all part of the stage experience. 

And in the majority of churches, the stage is set for the purpose of presenting Jesus.

Paul shares a perspective that seems incongruent to most of our experience.  Paul knew well the “higher-level” things of life.  Power.  Authority.  Fame.  Influence was his.  Paul had held a powerful position in the eyes of his own people, as well as in the eyes of the Roman Empire that ruled his nation of Israel.

The “Stage” in Paul’s message became “Weakness.”  Paul himself was that “Stage” upon which Jesus had stepped . . . as “Center Stage” of Paul’s life.  (Remember, Paul had literally fallen off his stage (and horse) at the height of his fame and power.)

God’s Power became Paul’s new reflective identity.  Laying flat on his face in the dirt, blinded and unable to do anything about it, Paul had his “Moment of Truth” with Jesus, in a very personal way.  His previous “M.O.” dissolved.  His “Stage” became dust.  What “was” . . . was no more.  His new “Stage” was a life of total submission to Him.

And that is the Favorite Stage upon which Jesus Himself chooses to step into the Spotlight. . . for a watching, waiting world to experience the “ONE and ONLY” . . . 

Light of the World.

Order Janet’s book, Not Forgotten, Stories of a Refugee People on Amazon

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Mercy by Day…And a Song in the Night

“The Lord commands His Mercy during the day,
and at night
His Song is with me -
a prayer to the God of my life. “
Psalm 42:8

When I was growing up, I often spent time each summer with my favorite Aunt and
Uncle in the mountains of North Carolina. They directed the youth camp they had
established on a beautiful mountain top. The camp cook, “Winnie” . . . was often heard
in the large camp kitchen, exclaiming, “Laaawd, have Mercy!” as small disasters often
occurred in the preparations for feeding 200 kids 3 times each day.

Mercy is often needed in the daytime. That’s when most activities are taking place.
There is more risk . . . tension . . . stress . . . in the daylight hours. Relational conflicts
are apt to ignite as people spend their days working, studying, and actively engaging
with each other in the daytime hours.

As night comes, darkness falls, the absence of the sun’s light has an impact on our
minds and energy levels. Life tends to quiet down . . . there may be more time to think .
. .to contemplate . . . to simply slow down.

God understands the ebb and flow of our human lives. He created the setting and
major elements that influence the energy we expend in the daytime hours. He knows
our need to slow down and find rest. In that quieting . . . in the stillness of the night, He
Sings to us. We are more apt to tune our ears and hearts to listen.

Have you heard His Song in the night? As a mother will gently hum a sweet melody to
her sleepy, restless child, the song brings a sweet sense of simple beauty that can
soothe and quiet the soul. Sleep comes softly.

God is Present day and night. He promised to be with us always. In the more active,
daytime hours, His Mercy is more essential for us to experience.

As the day wanes, and our energies slow, His strength and power flows into a gentler
Presence . . . a Song that helps His beloved sons and daughters to slow down . . . a soft
Melody begins as night falls. We need rest. We need the softness of a moon’s glow,

following our day’s bright sunshine and spent energies. He sets the atmosphere to
become a cushion for our weary minds, bodies, and souls.

His Presence wraps itself around us, providing the atmosphere our weary bones, minds
and bodies need to begin to restore our strenghth for tomorrow.

Winnie’s soft and low voice could be heard sometimes, from her rocking chair on the
porch, humming in the moonlight. . . a tender echo of God’s bedtime “Lullabye” to His
beloved children.

Check out Janet’s new book, Not Forgotten on Amazon.

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  Encounter #5

A Little Village, A Desperate Couple, A Shelter for Animal . . . and a Baby

“While they were in Bethlehem, 
The time came for Mary to have her child. 
She gave birth to her firstborn son.
She wrapped Him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger
because there was no room for them in the inn.”
                                                          Luke 2:6

The young couple were newly-weds.  But it had been a rough start.  The bride was pregnant.  Mary had been at risk of being publicly stoned to death.  And Joseph would have been the obvious culprit.  The unfolding Story  could have  cost Mary her life, and ended then and there.

But through God’s Divine Mercy and Love, God assured Joseph that the Child in Mary’s womb was of His Orchestration.  The Angel-Messenger told Joseph that God was orchestrating the Events through which he and Mary were being led.  God was unfolding a Plan that could change the eternal destinies of every person  who would choose to follow His Plan – through all time.   Mary and Joseph would be the first ones to hold, love, protect, and nurture the Son of God, now growing in Mary’s womb.  The Child would grow into a Man Who would provide the Way to Eternal Life.  

The Way would cost this Child everything.  

Before the young couple and the Baby in Mary’s womb could settle into their new life together in Nazareth, the Roman Empire sent out a decree to the people of Israel.  The Empire wanted a headcount of every person in Israel.  Taxes were to be assessed and required of each.  Every citizen had to go to the cities of their family’s heritage, be registered with the Empire, and taxes paid. Joseph’s family heritage was from Bethlehem.

This was certainly not a “honeymoon” trip for Joseph and Mary.  It would have been a nightmare trip for the young couple. Mary was now carrying her unborn Son through hot, rugged terraine with only the supplies they could carry. Hormonal changes, physical changes, and emotional impact of pregnancy is challenging in a “normal” situation.  But the stressful realities the young couple had to walk through must have caused questions and challenges at a far higher level than what they could have imagined. Fellow travelers would be physically spent and emotionally frustrated as their occupied nation was forced to even more merciless demands than had already been imposed under the brutal Roman occupation.  All of Israel shared  the same cruel treatment by the Roman military in their small nation.  The journey could easily be a trip that many would not survive.  Rugged, hot, hilly terraine, and  limited water would complicate their journey from Nazareth. . . most probably on foot. Then, at their destination, they would have to hand their hard-earned money to greedy, often cruel hands of their merciless, God-less  oppressors.  

For the young family,  especially Mary being far along in her first pregnancy, the journey would have held risks, problems, and stress beyond imagining.  The trip was likely by foot, through rugged terrain for a distance of about 90 miles. The precious Baby in Mary’s womb would have added even more concern and sense of responsibility for the two first-time parents. 

Joseph was likely required to pay his taxes in Bethlehem, the city of his family’s heritage.  However, the small town was teeming with travelers from all over Israel who were now flooding the city because of the Roman mandate.  Their hoped-for  “inn” with no vacancies was likely in Jerusalem.   Bethlehem is within sight of Jerusalem’s walls, about 5 miles from the Temple.  But the small village would not be large enough to accommodate such a human overflow of visitors to Jerusalem.  

Whatever the logistical situation, Bethlehem was nearest to Jerusalem. The humble village was where David had been born, and where he had watched over the sheep of his father.  From the hills of Bethlehem, Jerusalem is clearly visible.  The lambs needed for Temple sacrifices were primarily raised in the rolling fields between the little town and the Temple in Jerusalem that glistened within sight.  Lambs raised for Temple sacrifices grazed those hills, with their shepherds keeping watch over them.  The Gate in Jerusalem’s wall used for the sacrifice lambs to be brought to the Temple was within a few miles’ walk of the humble village.  The hills between the village and the City were pleasant pastures for the flocks of the shepherds of Bethlehem.

Bethlehem’s small-town setting offered Joseph and Mary a possible “Plan B” urgent alternative to Jerusalem’s crush of frustrated, oppressed, (literally taxed visitors that had flooded the city.)  

Plan “B” was now in process. . .

Arriving in Bethlehem did not relieve the young couple’s desparate situation.  Mary and Joseph now faced a new reality of NO place to stay.  No water to wash the dust of the hot, rugged trip. Likely, no clean water to even quench their thirst.   Any shelter for travelers was no longer available.  Every available room in both Jerusalem and nearby Bethlehem was full of equally weary, frustrated, hungry and thirsty travelers who had been forced to make the journey.

And now, Mary was clearly in labor.  The Baby was coming.  In desperation, Joseph found space in a stable . . . inhabited by the animals.  There was no other option.

 . . . and the Baby was born.  

A young man helped his new wife as she gave birth to the Baby that God had intentionally placed into their lives . . . into their arms . . . into their hearts.  God had given His Own Son into their keeping.  Father to father.  Son,  now in human  form, was held within a young woman’s arms.  The Divine entrusting the Divine into human arms. . . . human hearts. .  .  for the sake of the World.

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The Vine (with a twist)

“I am the Vine….you are the branches.
Abide in Me…and you will live.”

John 15:5

This morning, checking my little flower garden beside my back porch, I discovered, much to my delight and surprise, that my favorite flowering vine had sent out a new little tendril, which had somehow reached, through mid-air, to a tall shepherd’s hook about a yard away from the blossoming vine. There was nothing but air between the vine and the shepherd’s hook to which it had now begun to wind itself.

I was delighted . . . yet surprised and puzzled. I know, from the growing bouquet of bright red, large blossoms, that the shepherd’s hook will soon extend that original beautiful “bouquet” further into the garden far beyond what I could have hoped.

I couldn’t help but think of the Words of Jesus, as He taught His dear followers, using a word picture they were seeing as they walked with Him in the countryside.

My dear, Good Shepherd Whispered to my heart the Words He had spoken to His closest followers as they walked along with Him.

I don’t know how that Vine reached across the space and onto that shepherd’s hook. I did not see it happen. But carried by nothing tangible, it had reached beyond where it was planted and blooming, and was now beginning to bring beauty to a plain old, rusty-black shepherd’s staff among the stones.

That’s what Jesus does with us . . . for us. Apart from Him…the Vine….we’re sure to become a shriveled, droopy, dying blossom. We’ll hit the ground eventually, and again become part of the earth.

But the blossoms still connected to the Vine continue to bring color and life and beauty to a landscape of rocks and dirt. A vine moves…extends…and nobody sees it happen. It simply does. And its blossoms will come, open,and bring beauty to a spot that had nothing but stones and a plain, rusty pole.

I am sure that I will soon see that Shepherd’s Hook “blooming” soon.

Our Good…GOOD Shepherd does that as He leads us to places beyond where we were planted. And through our lives that are wrapped around Him, beauty…color…fragrance…
will extend to the rocky places that had no beauty nor life before. It often happens in unexpected ways, and not by human orchestration. That’s part of what makes it so special.

No person can take credit for the new color and fragrance that has entered a plain, rocky place. He simpy chooses to share His surprises in unexpected places where He has brought new life and all ofits beauty.

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Talking to Myself

“For God alone, O my soul,
wait in silence,
For my Hope is in Him.”
Psalm 62:5

Do you talk to yourself?

I am in a stage of life that gives me a lot of quiet time throughout most days. I’m quite
comfortable with that. But I do find myself talking to myself quite often. Sometimes I even
answer myself. (shhh….let’s keep that just between us, if you don’t mind!)
I know that I am not alone in this sort of activity. I find comfort in reading the Psalms of David, and he talked to himself quite a lot, too. So I am in good company.

What do I talk to myself about? Stuff like, “Now, where did I put ?” “Why did I come in here?” “What should I wear today?” “Why do I have all this stuff?” “Why did I say
that?”

What do you talk to yourself about?

Sometimes we need to talk to ourselves, like David, and remind ourselves of Truth that we have learned through past mistakes, through experience, and through good advice we have gotten from wise people in our lives. We need to remind ourselves of Truth that God has whispered to us in the past. . . often repeatedly.

Some nuggets of wisdom that we can glean from David’s personal conversation with his soul are worth our own consideration, “. . . For God alone , O my soul . . . “ The deepest core issue is that my very innermost “self”, the part of me that will continue on forever, long after my earthly life is finished, must focus on God more than anything else in life. What things of this earth take up most of my thoughts?

Most of my time? Most of my worries? Most of my energy? When do you / I intentionally
Pause all the noise of our day, and simply listen to silence. When do you give your full
attention to the silence that allows the Still…Small…Voice of God to be heard by your soul.
“…Wait in silence. . .” How much “silence” is in your day? The TV is off. The radio is off. The
phone is silenced. The music is paused.

Who does most of the talking to your soul . . mind . . . heart?

Maybe you need to ask yourself what you are afraid to hear in that silence.
“… for my Hope is in Him.”

We are all very experienced in the ways we personally choose to avoid listening to His Voice. But…
Thank You, God! . . . He continues to listen for ours.