Separation, Satisfaction, & Salvation

By far, the hardest part of this pandemic crisis is not getting to see my family.  It’s been a month today since Caleb and his family visited us for St. Patrick’s Day.  Missing my grand daughters as well as concern for my daughter Mary who is in Bolivia weighs heavily on my heart.  

The Lord has met me in my sorrows and taught me about the fellowship of sharing in His suffering. Philipppians 3:10 says, “I want  to know Christ, and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.

The first  part of that verse is understandable and attractive, ‘to know him and his power.’ But the second is not something I would choose, ‘to share in the fellowship of his suffering.’

It’s quite a mystery because it seems to be my suffering I’m experiencing, not his, first of all!  I don’t really get that deep truth, but I can tell you what I have experienced in this time of withdrawal from the ones I love.  The ones that make me feel truly complete as a person, as a mom and a grand mom.  

It’s in the moments where I am completely honest with my sadness, allowing my tears to flow while I share my grief with the Lord about missing them, that He is right here with me, to comfort me and to show me that He too went through the separation from his Father.  I feel closer to him than ever before.  

The amazing part is that he fills me with joy and satisfies my soul so I actually feel like I’m not missing anything!  The thing that I was determined to avoid, more than two weeks’ separation from my grands, has not ruined me! I am learning a lesson that I need to repeatedly learn, that “The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup, he holds my lots, The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places, indeed, I have a delightful inheritance.” (Psalm 16:5-6)

He is my Portion, the source of my true satisfaction and well being comes from him alone.  All the other blessings, as great as they are, are not necessary for my joy. He is jealous to teach us this as often as necessary for our hearts to be undivided.  

I had always and will always make it my goal to see my grandchildren at least every other week when this is over.  I just love them and delight in the wonder of their little lives. Tomorrow, Suzanna turns one year old already!! She is walking and talking and I would love to hold her or run after her little self for 24 hours straight right now!!!

This love, this longing, it’s from God and is actually a reflection of his love and longing for us!  He can’t stand to be separated from us. And He goes to great lengths to overcome the distance between us.

Jesus’ last priestly prayer for us before he went to the cross was recorded in John 17:20-26

“I ask for those who will believe in me, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us..Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me, may be with me where I am..I will continue to make your name known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

I am comforted to know that heaven will be a place of eternal union with God and with his family.  I am so blessed that my children believe in him and will be there with me! I pray for all those we love, our extended family and friends, to also trust in Christ’s atoning blood so they will be there as well.  I pray for my grandchildren and great grandchildren, etc. to believe and be with us in Paradise!

John 17:3 “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

                                                       

What Are You Looking Forward To?

With our lives on hold for the most part, it’s a good time to make a bucket list of what you hope to do when life resumes.  I’ve been blessed with a good bit of travel already, but still hope to do much more in the future! So there’s that. And of course, just spending as much time as possible with my family.  I love my kids and grandkids to the moon and back. Our precious moms as well.

One thing that is pretty certain is that this life is short.  I hope I’m still middle aged at 54, but that would be the best case scenario!  I can’t complain, but only count my many, many blessings. I am so happy to know that the best is yet to come.

The blessings of this life satisfy for a little while, but not fully or finally.  Only God can satisfy our deepest needs and desires. He really can! He made us with a void that only He can fill. He is actually jealous for us to know this is true.  Kind of like a jealous husband. He has a right to our hearts since He made us for HImself. He is the only One who knows you fully and loves you fully.  

Sounds too good to be true?  I know. But it is. I have tasted and seen how good, how personal,  how true, how faithful, how loving, how patient, how forgiving He is.

This is not about religion.  This is about a relationship with your Creator.  And it’s about preparing for the trip of a lifetime that will last forever and ever.  Way better than any destiny you have experienced. Your ticket there is simply to trust in Jesus.  

Are you ready for the next adventure?  To a beautiful place that is free from sin, politics, viruses, sadness, suffering, injustice, intolerance, hatred, violence and unemployment?!  I pray so!

Life & Death

This month will be one for the books.  A virtual shutdown of our country is at hand as we seek to limit and destroy the virus that is killing us.  Already over 5000 have succumbed to its wrath. A deadly enemy indeed has halted our lives as we knew them.

As we have more time than we’d like to be quiet and unemployed, I am feeling led to write.  I’ve never taken a writing course and am not very good at it. But still I think it’s a worthy endeavor for my own soul and maybe to share with others.  Written words can be powerful and immortal. I hope mine will serve in some way to offer hope in this dark time.

I pray I get to see my grand babies this month.  Ellie is heading to 5 years old in June! And Suzie will be one on the 18th of this month!  Wow! What joy they bring to my heart! What wonder it is to watch them grow and discover this good world God made for them.  They are with their wonderful mom and dad as well as their grandparents an hour from us. Chris, their grandpa, has a heart condition and surgery that was postponed til June due to this COVID season.  

We pray for our moms, Chris, and all those who are older or with health conditions that make this virus especially dangerous.  That they will all be safe and protected from its reach.  

My daughter Mary is in Bolivia where she has taught fourth grade for the year.  They are on lockdown there, only allowed out once a week in the morning. She is on spring break this coming week and will stay with friends for good company.  She could’ve fled home like I wanted, but decided to stay in case school reopens. The airports have shut down and the borders are closed as Bolivia seeks to limit the virus’ access.  So far they have about 100 cases. I pray they can reopen, but if not, I pray Mary can come home.

Death is a terrible thing.  It means separation from those you love in this world.  And it can mean separation from the God who made and loves us as well.  Our sins have caused the biggest problem, so much more than this crummy virus.  After all, this thing is temporary. But death is forever.  

The only way to have true well being in this life and the next is through a relationship with God.  Jesus made a way for us to be reconciled to God. Isaiah 59:1-2 says

“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or His ear dull that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.”

This chasm was bridged by our Savior’s life, death and resurrection.  

I grew up hearing about this great Savior named Jesus.  I might have heard about him too much if that’s possible.  It’s not! But it wasn’t until I went off to college and was inadvertently in a Bible study mainly because the chocolate chip cookies were so good, that I began to take this gospel personally.  I remember it dawning on me, slowly but surely, that Jesus died for my sins. That He was a personal God who loved me and knew what was best for me. It was truly amazing to be born again.

It still is, it still is amazing to be His daughter.  He speaks to me through His Word, He hears my every single prayer.  He is not just up there, He is right here in my self isolation. Never to leave, to withdraw, to stop loving me.  

He is my source of true joy and peace.  Knowing I’m safe in His Hand no matter what happens.  This is true life and well being.

If you’ve read this far, I hope you will consider opening your heart to him as well.  He is waiting to be your Savior and Lord.

John 1:11-12 says

“He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”