Under God

 

For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for?

 And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; Deuteronomy 4;7-9

We've all recited the Pledge of Allegiance and we are often reminded of the words "one nation, under God" but have you considered that you and I are one person under God? We want our nation to recognize God, but are we recognizing Him in our daily lives? 

In Deuteronomy 4,5 Moses is recounting how God gave the children of Israel the Ten Commandments. He is reminding them of how they promised God to obey His laws. The Israelites had heard the voice of God, the thundering and lightning, the smoke on the mountain, but they were afraid, so God had Moses go up on the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments. When Moses left, the people forgot their promise. By the time Moses came down in just forty short days, they were worshipping a golden calf! They had completely lost their fear of God. 

Where are we today? Are we not a nation so great with God so nigh in all the things we call upon Him for? Are not our statutes and judgments and laws righteously based on God's Ten Commandments? Have we failed to take heed? Have we forgotten all the things we have seen that God has brought us through? Have we failed to teach our children and our grandchildren? 

I won't be so pessimistic as to think there is no hope. I refuse to believe that we can no longer be "one nation under God". Beginning with the Mayflower Compact, it is He that hath made us and not we ourselves. Moses led the people of Israel — one man under God. William Brewster drew up the Mayflower Compact — one man under God. Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote for the abolition of slavery  — one woman under God. Are we not each one person — man or woman — under God who can be leaders in our homes, in our churches, in our communities, and in our nation? These and so many others have taken it upon themselves to be that one person, to make that difference, to lead their nation to be united, one nation under God. 

O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! Deuteronomy 5:29

Heavenly Father, May I be that one person willing to be under Your direction to change the direction of my home, my church, my community, and my nation so that You, O God will bless America again. In Jesus' name. Amen

The Moon is Always Round

 

For the LORD is good;

his steadfast love endures forever,

and his faithfulness to all generations.

~Psalm 100:5 ESV

I remember my sister-in-law quoting a nursery rhyme. 

I see the moon.

The moon sees me.

God bless the moon. 

And God bless me. 

Have you ever wondered why and there was just no answer? 

Someone recommended a children's book to me, The Moon is Always Round, by Jonathan Gibson.  There were several things I liked about this book. It's an easily read children's book, but with lots of deeper meaning. 

• The dad is the spiritual leader of the home even before tragedy.
• God's truths are taught from the scripture and the Creation
• Adults don't have all the answers
• God is loving and faithful in all circumstances.

I feel having the dad as the spiritual leader in this book gives dads the honor and respect God has given them as the head of the home. He protects his wife and gives her space to grieve while he takes on the responsibility of attending to his son's questions.

The analogy of the moon as a continual presence, to God as always a continual presence, gives a child and us as adults something tangible to help us remember God's love and presence. We see the moon in many phases and at times - invisible, but the moon is always there and always round. Sometimes we see God full on in a situation. Sometimes we feel like God is hard to see. And sometimes we can't see God at all. But God is always there and He knows our circumstances, our needs, and our heartaches even when we can't see Him working. 

Often children and others ask Christians why. Why did this happen? What have I done to deserve this? 

Even Christians don't have those answers. We have to look to scriptures for others who have gone through similar circumstances and see how God worked. Job, a just man, lost all his wealth and more importantly all his children. He hadn't done anything to cause the circumstance. 

God allowed Satan to try Job to demonstrate God's faithfulness and Job's trust in God.

Abraham and Sarah had no children. Neither did Zechariah and Elizabeth. God used Abraham and Sarah to create a nation. Zechariah and Elizabeth were the parents of John the Baptist. 

We may not always understand God's purposes, but we must trust he is loving and faithful in every circumstance, just as the moon is always round in every phase. 

Dear Heavenly Father, help us trust you in every circumstance. Help us know that you never want to harm us but to allow us to demonstrate your love and faithfulness to others. May we trust you as Job, and Abraham, Sarah, Zechariah and Elisabeth. May we never lose sight of your love and care. In Jesus' name. Amen.

A Deathbed Confession

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. ~Luke 23:43

So often, the message of this man hanging on a cross beside Jesus is overlooked, forgotten. He confesses his sin of a wicked life. He knows that to die is a rightful judgment, but he looks at Jesus and asks Jesus to remember him when he comes into His kingdom. Jesus tells him that today he will be with Him in paradise. Jesus pronounces salvation for this man, though he has never done anything worthy of salvation. The man's faith that Jesus is the Son of God, who can forgive sins, brought salvation to him in death. Have you ever known anyone to make a "deathbed" confession? What would be your thoughts about such a person? I would like to share a true story about someone whose life and death I am well acquainted with. 

A young man grew up in a Christian home, his dad a deacon. He married a young lady from his church. Somewhere along the way, he denied that faithful upbringing. For what reason, I do not know, but his wife remained faithful. They raised a family of thirteen children, most of whom reached adulthood. He was known in the community as the old atheist, though he personally confessed to be agnostic. There's not much difference. A lost man is a lost man. 

For all his lack of faith in God, he was a faithful husband. He loved hunting and guns. He loved his family and was a sober man. One evening, as he came in from hunting, he noticed his wife had left a basket of clothes under the line. Propping his gun against the wagon, he retrieved the basket. As he picked up his gun with his free hand, it slipped. The stock hit the ground. The bullet hit the man under his left arm. This was in the days just before penicillin. Though the doctor was called and all that could be done was done, the wound set up gangrene in a few days. His wife and children, some of whom had become believers, pleaded with him to repent and ask forgiveness before it was too late. 

On his deathbed, he confessed Jesus as his savior. The family wanted to take comfort in his confession, but there was always that nagging feeling that maybe Pa had said it to please the family.

The man's oldest son was already a Christian when his pa died. He may have already been a deacon in his church. This son contracted lung cancer when he was about 60 years old. As he languished in the hospital in and out of consciousness, his son sat by his side. In the dad's last words, he began to greet those who had gone before. "Hello Grandma, Hello Grandpa, Hello Ma, Ohhhh Pa!" Then he was gone. 

Now his son wondered what he had seen. Did he see his Pa in heaven or a vision of him in hell? No, we won't see the anguish of hell. Pa's deathbed confession was real. 

Heavenly Father, thank you that you hear our prayers and the prayer of every sinner who comes to you in repentance and faith. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

Like Trees Planted by the Water

 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Colosians 2:7

What a beautiful, quiet place. I'd like to sit on that bench and just rest awhile. Quiet places can be a place to be rooted and established in the faith. But how? 

God's creation is given to help us see his plan, his care, to teach us. So what does this picture teach besides I want to have a seat under the tree?

Paul was well taught in the scriptures. He was a Pharisee of the Pharisees. I think in our verse he is reflecting back on Psalms 1:3

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

The Lord plants us in His family, the church, where we can be taught by the word, nourished by the Living Water, the Holy Spirit, and bear fruit, spiritual fruit, in the world. 

A tree must put down roots to be firmly planted. The wind and rain must not be able to move it. Yes, it may lose a few limbs, but every tree profits from a little pruning, and so do we. Having our roots firmly planted in a church that teaches God's word will disciple us to be profitable servants.

A tree must receive water regularly, and so must we. We must include prayer, talking with the Lord, so His Holy Spirit can speak to us through His word, helping us to grow. 

To bear fruit, a tree must receive pollination, and so must we. We need Christian friends with whom we can discuss the scriptures, pray together, witness together, and give thanks for the fruit we bear. 

We all will face storms of different magnitudes at different times in our lives. When we are rooted in God's word, watered by His Spirit, and work together for the kingdom, we will be strengthened and bear much fruit. 

Father God, help me continue to grow, putting down my spiritual roots in the good soil of Your word, watered by Your living Spirit, and bearing fruit of You. In Jesus' name. Amen.