Happy Anniversary USA!

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So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in obedience to all that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess. Deut 5:32-33 NIV (Moses’ challenge to the new nation of Israel)

Happy Birthday, America! 250 years in the making. America is a nation that has borne many trials and tests since declaring its independence. It is a nation that has fought wars on behalf of others’ freedom and fought a war within itself to define freedom for its own citizens. It is a nation that has experienced financial booms and disasters, and the rise of political giants and their lesser peers. America is a nation that has witnessed the assassination of four sitting presidents and the survival of seven presidents who faced serious assassination attempts.

It is a nation that has survived corrupt leaders, financial mismanagement, and scandals. Yet it has stood against fascist regimes, provided aid to the hungry and displaced peoples of the world, and stood for what is right. An oft-quoted and referenced scripture among American early leaders was Micah 6:8, “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (KJV)

George Duffield, who served as chaplain of the Continental Congress, spoke during the Day of Thanksgiving on December 11, 1783, praising God and reminding the listeners of their obligations as citizens of this new nation and as followers of God. “It is that we love the Lord our God, to walk in his ways, and keep his commandments, to observe his statutes and his judgments. That a sacred regard be maintained to righteousness and truth. That we do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. Then shall God delight to dwell amongst us. And these United States shall long remain, a great, a glorious, and a happy people. Which may God, of his infinite mercy, grant. Amen.” (Robert Morgan, 100 Bible Verses That Made America).

The nation has survived even as it continues the struggle to live up to the founding leaders’ high expectations. Though it has often fallen short of that dream, it continues to champion the lofty vision set out in the preamble to the United States Declaration of Independence.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

The decision to seek independence from Great Britain was neither easy nor unanimous. Yet those leaders who could envision a freedom beyond being subjects of the king spoke fervently in favor of independence. Patrick Henry spoke boldly about why there was only one course of action. “The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them.” Henry went on to challenge the delegates meeting at St. John’s Church in Richmond, Virginia, with the words, “Give me liberty, or give me death!”

The case for independence was laid out in the declaration, “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”  The delegates voted to seek independence, and a nation was born.

Over the next several years, a bitter fight for independence was waged at the cost of many sons and daughters who gave their lives for freedom. Following Patrick Henry’s death, a small sheet of paper was found next to his last will and testament, where he had recorded some of his last thoughts about American independence:

“Whether this will prove a Blessing or a Curse will depend upon the Use our people make of the Blessings which a gracious God hath bestowed on us. If they are wise, they will be great and happy. If they are of a contrary Character, they will be miserable. Righteousness alone can exalt them as a Nation. Reader!, whoever thou art, remember this; and in thy Sphere, practice Virtue thyself, and encourage it in others.” (Morgan)

Will we be the nation of Proverbs 14:34, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people”? Each generation of citizens has faced the reality of this verse. Robert Morgan wrote, “In the days following the American Revolution, the new nation quickly abandoned its Christian heritage. Church attendance plunged, and colleges became seedbeds of atheism. The spiritual progress of the Great Awakening, which had helped fuel the American Revolution, dissipated.”

The darkness that crept across the American spiritual landscape in those early days was pierced by the blazing light of a new awakening because of the prayers, voices, and faithfulness of those who sought God’s help and revival.

July 4 will host thousands of parades, firework displays, cookouts, politicians’ speeches, and a multitude of other events. However, maybe the most critical and beneficial event will take place the next day, Sunday worship. What will our nation be for our children and grandchildren? It all depends on whom we seek. “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.” (Psalm 22:27-28)

Happy and blessed 4th of July!

God is great!

Fathers Touch of Love

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Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.

 I Corinthians 16: 13-14 NIV

Fathers, did you get that perfect gift yesterday for Father’s Day? If not, there is always Christmas. This gift may not be for you, but if you are the father of young children, it would be an answer to prayer. I am not sure if or when it will ever be released in the United States, but Chinese carmaker Seres has been granted a patent for the long-awaited “in-vehicle toilet”. This amazing invention slides under a passenger’s seat for those much-needed stops on long road trips. How many times have you just passed an exit when you hear the magic words, “I need to go to the bathroom,” and the next exit is 20 miles down the road?

The patent filing on April 10 stated, “the feature is meant to satisfy users’ needs on long journeys, while camping, or while staying in the car. The loo will come with a fan and exhaust pipe to channel odors out of the car…Waste is collected in a tank that has to be emptied manually.” (Osmond Chia)

Globally, Father’s Day is celebrated in many nations, all with the same purpose of honoring fathers. In the United States, the UK, and South Africa, among others, it is observed on the third Sunday in June. The idea of celebrating fathers came from two young ladies in the early 1900’s, Grace Golden Clayton and Sonora Smart Dodd. West Virginian Clayton proposed the idea in 1908, and though many felt her idea worthy, it was rejected. On the opposite side of the nation, Dodd convinced the Spokane, Washington Ministerial Alliance to celebrate Father’s Day the following year. The idea was accepted and gained support over the next several decades. However, it wasn’t until 1966 that it became officially recognized.

President Lyndon B. Johnson designated the third Sunday of June that year in a proclamation as Father’s Day. In his proclamation, he stated, “In the homes of our Nation, we look to the fathers to provide the strength and stability which characterize the successful family…If the father’s responsibilities are many, his rewards are also great-the love, appreciation, and respect of children and spouse.”  Finally, in 1972, President Richard Nixon signed a law officially making Father’s Day a permanent national holiday.

Father’s Day may be officially celebrated on one day of the calendar, but hopefully, fathers, just like mothers, are celebrated the other 364 days, since their roles are not limited to one day of the year.

Fathers come in all shapes, colors, abilities, temperaments, and fashion senses, yet they all share one common thread—their children. Whether their role as fathers came about through natural birth, adoption, fostering, or unique care status for children, they are fathers. Fathers know best some days and completely blow it the next. Yet a wise father who seeks to guide his children in God’s ways will unveil the true secrets of life. “Listen, my sons (and daughters), to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching…Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them.” (Proverbs 4:1-2,5 NIV).

Fathers know it is not an easy job. It never has been, nor will it ever be. Dwight Moody was not talking only to dads, but the message was encouraging. “Let God have your life; he can do more with it than you can.” The Bible does not have a special category for “Best Dad of the Year,” but we can find some noteworthy examples. One great example is Joseph.

Joseph’s role as father did not come through the normal channels. He was given a very unique role. Joseph was looking forward to a long, ordinary life with his fiancée, Mary. Plans were coming together for the marriage, for setting up a new home, for dreaming of children, and for starting his carpentry business. Then came the extraordinary assignment that changed the course of their comfortable, preconceived plans. God asked Joseph to fulfill a critical purpose in the Messiah’s birth, as caretaker of Mary and the baby.

“Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:18). Needless to say, Joseph’s perfect world was turned upside down. He cared deeply for Mary and didn’t have the heart to publicly disgrace her, so he decided to divorce her quietly.

An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, reassuring him that Mary had willingly agreed to the plan. Now, would he have the courage to say yes? “Carry the cross patiently, and with perfect submission; and in the end it shall carry you.” (Thomas a Kempis)

 “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.” (Matthew 1:24-25) Joseph did not know what lay ahead, but he said yes. He would protect Mary and Jesus from a tyrannical ruler, take his family as refugees to a foreign country, resettle them in a new home, teach Jesus to be a carpenter, and serve as a mentor and teacher.

“The characteristic of a disciple is not that he does good things, but that he is good in motive because he has been made good by the supernatural grace of God. The only thing that exceeds right-doing is right-being. Jesus Christ came to put into any man who would let him a new heredity which would exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus says—If you are my disciple, you must be right not only in your living, but in your motives, in your dreams, in the recesses of your mind.” Oswald Chambers

Little is said about Joseph after the first few years. Scholars can only speculate; we can only offer opinions, but what we do know is that he faithfully did his job as God asked him to. His obedience changed both history and eternity. Whatever or however the role of father came to you, do it in a way that prepares the next generation to follow Jesus.

God is great!

Monday morning devotion to offer encouragement, hope, and purpose for Jesus’ followers

Change of Purpose

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Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them? For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen Romans 11:33-36

Have you ever had something you thought was for one thing and ended up being for something else? Some of the most ordinary, successful products became valuable because customers used them differently from the inventor’s intention.

Tea drinking and the British go hand in hand; they are inseparable. The arrival of tea in Britain in the 17th century altered the nation’s drinking habits. To make a perfect cup of tea, place the tea leaves in a teapot and steep for 3 minutes. Add a hot scone for the perfect teatime!

You can imagine the mess of cleaning out the pot until an accidental American invention in 1908. Thomas Sullivan, a New York tea merchant, started sending samples in small silken bags. Sullivan intended that people open the bags and pour their contents into a pot. Customers started dropping the little bags into the pot, and thus, by accident, the tea bag was born. (UK Tea & Infusions Association)

Developers Hurley, Chen, and Karim had the idea for an online dating service with the slogan “Tune In, Hook Up,” and launched it on Feb 14, 2005, but it flopped as originally intended.  However, they quickly realized the value of the video-upload platform, which transformed YouTube into a place for users to upload, view, and stream videos. That failed dating platform is now worth as much as $550 billion.

Inventors Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes were trying to create textured wallpaper. They ran two pieces of plastic shower curtain through a heat-sealing machine in 1957, resulting in a sheet of film with trapped air bubbles. Unfortunately, they failed in the interior decorating business, but what they did changed the world of packing and shipping forever with the introduction of Bubble Wrap.

God is masterful at taking how one thinks something should be and turning it into a treasure that far exceeds what was intended. God used a godless king to provide a way of salvation for his people. Cyrus was a political and military genius, bringing together the Medes and the Persians into a unified nation. One of the greatest changes he introduced was a genuinely fresh idea onto the world stage: tolerance. God said of Cyrus, “He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please.” (Isaiah 44:28).

God takes the improbable and redefines it for His purpose. God takes what is hidden and reveals it for His glory. God takes what can’t be explained and reshapes the whole story. “I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.” (Is. 45:3) God is at work in the darkness where we can’t always see.

God often uses one person’s concern to ignite a spark. This is the story of Professor Robert George of Princeton University in 2023. “I happened to read a report in the Wall Street Journal. It included polling data showing that the belief of Americans in certain core values—values that had traditionally been sources of unity and strength for Americans—had very considerably diminished over the past decade or decade and a half. I’m talking about values such as religion, family, and patriotism.”

According to the polling data, the only value that had increased in importance was money. Can one person make a difference? Professor George didn’t know, but he decided to do something bigger than himself. He announced on his Facebook and Twitter accounts, “By the authority vested in me by absolutely no one, I have declared June to be Fidelity Month—dedicated to the importance of fidelity to God, spouses and families, and our country and communities.” (fidelitymonth.com website)

Fidelity is defined as “Faithfulness to obligations, duties, or observances; loyalty… Fidelity involves the unfailing fulfillment of one’s duties and obligations and the keeping of one’s word or vows.” (The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language)

Time will tell whether this one man’s concern and determination will become a movement. It has grown across the nation since launching, with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and Michigan’s House of Representatives all proclaiming June as “Fidelity Month.” Gov. Sanders told the Daily Wire in an interview after the Fidelity Month declaration, “The resolution highlights the state’s goal of creating a healthy society by sowing faithfulness to ‘God, family, community, and country.’”

Jesus taught his followers what the kingdom of heaven really looked like. Given their choice, their nation would have been a superpower. Jesus took an opposite approach, teaching parables about the kingdom of heaven as God intended. (Matthew 13). Though the consumer market has many successful products used differently from how the developer first envisioned, Jesus made sure his kingdom would be used correctly. “A disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” (Matthew 13:52b)

“Dear brothers and sisters, I pray God may open your eyes and let you see what hidden treasures he bestows on us in the trials from which the world thinks only to flee. Shame turns into honor when we seek God’s glory. Present affliction becomes the source of heavenly glory. To those who suffer wounds in fighting his battles, God opens his arms in loving, tender fellowship, which is more delightful by far than anything our earthly efforts might produce.” (St. John of Avila, 1499-1569)

“May God give you treasures hidden in the darkness.”

God is great!

A weekly devotional post to offer encouragement, hope, and purpose found in Jesus!

A Story Worth Telling

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God, now that I’m old and gray, don’t walk away. Give me grace to demonstrate to the next generation all your mighty miracles and your excitement, to show them your magnificent power! Psalm 71:18 TPT

“Leave footprints to follow rather than scars to heal.” (Gerry Brooks)

What footprint will you leave for the next generation? God designed life where generations overlap. Sometimes the overlap is not very long, but long enough to tell stories that the next generation will remember. This overlap is a time to love, to teach, to inspire, to hold the future, and to be held by the future. Count it as holy ground regardless, and if you are the generation ready to pass the baton, then you are in a grace-filled season of life.

This past week, we visited the Japanese Gardens in Portland, where there was a display of various bonsai creations. One dated back 300 years, while the others were 80 to 100 years old. This ancient horticultural art form of cultivating trees literally means “planted in a container” or “tree in a pot.” A Ficus Retusa Linn holds the title of the oldest bonsai tree in the world, at over 1,000 years old. The tree is located at the Crespi Bonsai Museum near Milan, Italy.

 Bonsai plants and the intricate art of shaping these mighty trees into containers have always fascinated me. Though Bonsai trees are deeply rooted in Japanese culture, they are found and thrive around the world. However, what they all share is the people who nurture and care for them, and that is what is amazing. A person painstakingly cuts and prunes, shapes and maintains the plant, then he dies. Then another person takes on the responsibility of care and painstakingly cuts, prunes, shapes, and maintains the tree, and then he dies. The Bonsai becomes a living story passed from one caretaker to the next, for the next generation to enjoy.

An article in Leaves & Soul says it well: “A tree doesn’t become 500 or 1,000 years old by accident—it takes generations of continuous care… It is a collaboration between nature and human caregivers over decades or centuries… They remind us that with patience and proper care, a bonsai can outlive us and become a legacy for future generations.” (Leaves & Soul, Aug 22, 2025)

God has entrusted each generation with a similar task: to be caretakers of His story for the next generation, providing a story that carries a message of hope and life. Anglican theologian N. T. Wright said, “Belief is actually not an isolated individual thing. I don’t believe in a little box all by myself. Yes, I have my own particular take on things, but the great creeds say, ‘We believe.’ Belief is something that actually we do together.”

We are caretakers responsible for sharing, “So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.” (Psalm 145:4 ESV) We are called to be faithful caretakers, “We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.” (Psalm 78:4 ESV) We hold a light as caretakers, telling the stories of a God who loves and cares for the next generation. “How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.” (Daniel 4:3 ESV)

In her latest book, “What Grows in Weary Lands,” Trish Harrison Warren poses a critical question that echoes the Psalmist’s words, “Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story” (Psalm 107:2a). Warren writes, “Who are the believers that make you want to believe? Whose faithfulness makes you want to be faithful? Surround yourself with these people. Immerse yourself in a church, in a Christian community, whose (albeit imperfect) lives help you learn, see, and seek what is most true, good, and beautiful. Immerse yourself in thinkers throughout time who have asked the questions your soul is shouting and offered you new ones as well. Immerse yourself in the prayers of those who teach you to pray and the songs of those who dare you to sing… They live as people who have known agony and ecstasy. They have been disappointed and have failed and failed and failed, yet still know themselves as beloved. To me, they are a walking, breathing apologetic. They make me want to believe.”

The bonsai tree exists only because one generation cared for it until the next was ready to take it as their own. God has given each generation the responsibility to prepare the way for the next to grow in maturity and wisdom. Wisdom demands a lifelong quest, often wrapped in a flawed shell. “The great illusion of leadership is to think that man can be led out of the desert by someone who has never been there.” (Henri Nouwen)

Solomon failed in many ways, yet he passed on life-giving words of wisdom. “Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.” (Proverbs 4:10-15 NIV)

What kind of footprints will you and I leave for those who follow? Will we be one of those who give life to those who follow? “Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story!”

God is great!

A weekly devotional post to offer encouragement, hope, and purpose found in Jesus.

 

Real Wealth

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Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. Proverbs 23:4-5 NIV

What do you do with a trillion dollars? I don’t have the foggiest idea, but Elon Musk will know soon. Musk, already one of the richest men in the world, is set to become the first official Trillionaire when SpaceX goes public. A trillion dollars is 1 followed by 12 zeros! I have the first one, just not the rest. Musk’s current net worth exceeds Taiwan’s annual economic output, according to Barron’s.

Reaching the trillion-dollar mark in 2026 seems fitting, given that John D. Rockefeller became the world’s first billionaire on September 29, 1916. Now there are over 3,000 billionaires globally and 60 million millionaires, with 24 million in the United States (Visual Capitalist). “Modern entrepreneurs have accumulated the highest recorded absolute net worths in history” (Oxfam’s Global Wealth Analysis).

We may not rank among the wealthiest, like Warren Buffett, but how do we compare with Rockefeller? Buffett would say that the vast majority of us are better off than Rockefeller. “So how could the poorest 2% possibly ‘live better’ than that? Today you can get better medicine, better education, better entertainment, better transportation—you can do everything better than he could…It’s astounding.” (Jeannine Mancini)

I think we can all agree that there have been many changes in the 100 years since the world crowned its first billionaire. We can get anywhere in the world within a day’s travel, communicate with someone on the other side of the planet in a microsecond, and even have our food delivered to our front door. Yet in all these changes, Dr. Balaji Viswanathan makes a poignant observation, “Every generation believes they are the greatest, with the past too outdated and the future too confused. Three hundred years ago, historians said we had arrived in the “modern” era and were different from all the ‘barbarians’ and ‘medieval’ people. We make the same mistakes and believe in the same myths.”

“There has never been a human in history who had so much gold and silver at his fingertips that it was as common as pebbles!” Who would you guess was the richest man in the world: Rockefeller, Buffett, Gates, Bezos, Zuckerberg, the Walton family, or Musk? How about Solomon! Scholars and economic historians estimate Solomon’s wealth at well over two trillion dollars in today’s dollars.

“The daily food requirements for Solomon’s palace were 150 bushels of choice flour and 300 bushels of meal; also 10 oxen from the fattening pens, 20 pasture-fed cattle, 100 sheep or goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roe deer, and choice poultry… Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses, and he had 12,000 horses.” I Kings 4:22-23,26

Solomon definitely had a nice lifestyle. However, even better than his wealth was his wisdom. “God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.” (I Kings 4:29)

Solomon made some critical mistakes in life that affected his legacy and generations to come. Perhaps it was from these mistakes that he had important words to pass on to us, especially to the millionaires and billionaires of this world. Solomon reminds us that, “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10-12)

Warren Buffett observed that wealth isn’t the key to fulfillment. It’s about passion, purpose, and perspective. Millard Fuller came to that understanding. By 29, he had it all, including a sprawling house, a second home, land, and bank accounts, but not purpose. In the early 1960s, the world considered him a success story, but what they couldn’t see was the inside story. Consumed with making another dollar and closing the next deal, he was on the verge of losing the love of his life, Linda. When he asked her what it would take to save their marriage, she said “all of it”. The wealth wasn’t a reward; it was a wall between them.

They decided to get rid of everything. They would make themselves poor by choice, moving to Koinonia Farm, a Christian community near Americus, Georgia, where people were seeking practical ways to apply Christ’s teachings. This sparked a vision to help others secure decent, affordable housing, and from that dream grew Habitat for Humanity. Today, the organization is active in all 50 states and across 70 countries. “He wasn’t selling a product anymore. He was selling the radical idea that the dignity of a dry, safe home was not a luxury; it was something owed to every human being who was willing to work for it alongside their neighbor.”

“The money you have in your wallet has no intrinsic value; it is worth what the Government says it is worth. It is essentially morally neutral and powerless. The Devil uses money to seduce us, and that is when it can become powerfully negative. He wants you to fall in love with it so that you will become a slave to money rather than its master. The flip side is that when we use money as a tool to invest in God’s kingdom, money becomes a powerful instrument of good. (Wealth with Purpose)”

The challenge of wealth, money, and possessions is addressed in more than 2,300 verses in the Bible. Jesus taught that money is ultimately a heart issue that affects everything you do. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”—Matthew 6:21,24

Letting God control everything is worth more than all the riches in the world. A dollar in God’s hand will do more than a million in a fool’s hand. “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Phil 4:11

God is great!

Two Events, One Purpose: Remember

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“What do these stones mean?… He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God. Joshua 4:21,24 NIV

Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.” I Samuel 7:12 NIV

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. Acts 2:1-2 NIV

“That Nation which respects and honors its dead, shall ever be respected and honored itself.” (Lt. Col. Edmund B. Whitman, 1868). Pentecost Sunday and Memorial Day are two very different yet equally important events that share the same weekend this year. One marks the beginning of life and power, while the other commemorates those who gave their lives in the struggle for freedom. One is celebrated globally in every nation, while the other is confined to a single nation.

The United States set aside Memorial Day to honor the men and women who died in military conflicts. Though this day is uniquely observed in the U.S., many other countries also set aside a day to remember their men and women who died serving their nation.

The concept of Memorial Day emerged shortly after the Civil War, when it was known as Decoration Day and graves were adorned with flowers and other decorations. B.K. Waltke writes, “Remembering the past plays a vital role in the identity of any nation. Sociologists claim that a society aspiring to endure must become a community of memory and hope.”

James Garfield, Ohio congressman and a future United States president, spoke at Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate the first ‘Decoration Day’ and said, “I am oppressed with a sense of the impropriety of uttering words on this occasion. If silence is ever golden, it must be here beside the graves of fifteen thousand men, whose lives were more significant than speech, and whose death was a poem, the music of which can never be sung….We do not know one promise these men made, one pledge they gave, one word they spoke; but we do know they summed up and perfected, by one supreme act, the highest virtues of men and citizens. For love of country, they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue.” (May 30, 1868)

Historians estimate that more than 1,300,000 men and women have died in the wars and conflicts the United States has been involved in since the American Revolutionary War. Each number represents a man or woman whose story ended much too soon, never getting to finish their life journey. A statistic on paper, but for families, a loved one, now only a picture on the wall, a memory kept alive through stories. Memorial Day allows us to reflect on the cost of freedom that others get to enjoy because of their sacrifice.

“Rest, comrades, rest and sleep!

The thoughts of men shall be as sentinels to keep

Your rest from danger free.

Your silent tents of green

We deck with fragrant flowers

Yours has the suffering been, The memory shall be ours. (stanza 5&6, Decoration Day, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)

Whether it is a pile of stones, a monument, or a specific day, history is filled with reminders that tell the next generation about a sacrifice that took place. World War II Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel wrote, “Without memory, there is no culture. Without memory, there would be no civilization, no society, no future.”

Memorial Day and Pentecost Sunday are two very different occasions, yet both serve as reminders of events that changed history. Memorial simply means serving to preserve remembrance. Memorial Day gives us pause to reflect on the lives of those who gave their lives for freedom. On Pentecost Sunday, we rejoice and celebrate the birth of the church, which has become the embodiment of Christ (1 Cor 12:12-27), as we “Go and make disciples of all nations.” From this small group of about 120 disciples, a worldwide body of over 2.6 million Christians has grown.

Pentecost changed everything for Peter, this first small group of followers, and for us, generations later. There was no turning back for them, and no turning back for us. Dr. Ray Pritchard writes of Pentecost, “That is when thousands come into the faith. And it goes from this little sect of believers who followed a Jewish rabbi from Nazareth who died and rose again, and suddenly the church breaks forth into the culture. Suddenly, it is that unstoppable force that no one can really deny any longer. Pentecost has taken on a new significance for us. It, at one point, is just a historical memory. Now it is the living reality of the moment that the spirit of God seemingly burst forth.”

We remember and are grateful as a nation for the 1.3 million who have been killed fighting for freedom. Yet Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary estimates that more than 70 million Christians have been martyred over the past two millennia. Pentecost and Memorial Day are completely different, yet both events were born of costly commitments and sacrifice. “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” I Corinthians 12:27

Blessings on this weekend of remembrance.

God is great!

A weekly devotional post offering encouragement, hope, and purpose in Jesus

In Our Worst Moments, Jesus Is There

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I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. Romans 8:18-19 NIV

What do you do when life doesn’t seem on track? Do you look to Jesus for clarity? What if he doesn’t seem to respond? It is hard to stay focused when our minds are pulled in multiple directions and how we respond makes all the difference. Dave Veerman reminds us, “Remember, Jesus is never late. In his infinite understanding, perfect timing, and deep concern, he will hear your cry, answer your prayer, and bring life. In the meantime, keep resting in his sovereignty and trusting in his love.”

In the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, a small, neat row of 20 simple stones dots the countryside. No names are carved on the stones, and without the story, their purpose is unclear. Undisturbed for more than 100 years, these simple stones mark the final resting place of Orelena and John Puckett’s babies. Married at 16, they moved to the rugged Appalachian wilderness to start a new life together. In 1862, she gave birth to Julia Ann, their first baby, who died a few months later of diphtheria.

Orelena became pregnant 24 times, but not one baby lived past infancy, and no baby ever called her mama. Baby after baby was laid to rest in the neat row, marked by a stone. The woman who would never know the love of her own baby would go on to deliver over 1,000 babies. In her mid-forties, she found her calling as a midwife and, over the next 49 years, traveled the mountains of Virginia, helping deliver babies. Orlena had no formal training or modern equipment, but she had an unwavering determination that no baby would die if she could prevent it. She delivered her last baby at 94, never losing a single baby or mother. Aunt Orlena left a legacy of compassion and care. (sources: National Park Service, Library of Virginia, and NC History Center)

What a great comfort Orelena would have had if she had been able to read the book of Job. Unfortunately, Orelena did not know how to read, but she would have found encouragement and hope in Job’s life as he faced adversity that did not make sense to him. Job redefined tragedy for all of us. Job’s morning began as usual until one messenger after another arrived. First, he heard that his oxen and donkeys had all been stolen. Then another reported that all his sheep and the servants had died in a natural disaster. Then another reported that all his camels had been stolen and his workers murdered. Then the last messenger brought the worst news, that all of his sons and daughters were dead, killed in a storm.

One horrible event after another left Job with nothing. His wealth, family, and health were gone. What did Job have left? Integrity, righteousness, and an unwavering faith in God. Job’s story shows how to respond to overwhelming catastrophe: “At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship.” (Job 2:20). Job modeled lament mixed with worship, devastation with faith, and loss with trust.

What can you do when faced with a Job-sized dilemma? You reach a place where you can hear God’s voice rather than the naysayers, even if they are friends or family members. Job’s three friends kept telling him that if only he would repent, God would restore his fortune. His wife came to him and said, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9)

Job desperately needed to hear God’s voice, so God captured Job’s attention with a powerful rebuke. “The LORD said to Job: “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!’” (Job 40:1-2) Then came question after question until Job finally reached the point where he could hear God and say, “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted… My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you.” (42:2,5)

Where do you turn when faced with a Job-sized dilemma? Joni Eareckson Tada was an energetic, full-of-life 17-year-old until a tragic diving accident left her a quadriplegic. She came to embrace her limitations and, for nearly 60 years, has lived by God’s love and strength. “Heartache forces us to embrace God out of desperate, urgent need. God is never closer than when your heart is aching. True wisdom is found in trusting God when you can’t figure things out.”

Who are you when a crisis seems ready to overwhelm you? If your identity is bound up in the problem, you will begin to look like the problem. If your identity is bound up in Jesus, you will be transformed and become a transformer. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10 NIV)

Orelena could have found her identity as a woman who lost 24 babies, but she chose to define herself by bringing life to hundreds of babies in a time when infant mortality was estimated to be 30-50%. Job could have found his identity in his devastating losses, but he chose to define himself by being righteous and faithful. Joni could have found her identity in being a quadriplegic, but she chose to define herself by helping others. She founded Joni and Friends, an organization devoted to providing “practical hope and Gospel hope to people with disabilities around the world.”

“The resurrection means that our grief and sorrow and pain have an expiration date. The world as it is now is under the curse, but God will lift it once and for all. (Rev 22:3) No more sin. No more cancer. No more dementia. No more suffering. No more death. God “will swallow up death forever” (Isaiah 25:8) –Randy Alcorn

I am so thankful that God meets us in our worst moments. He is with us through it all, giving us the encouragement, strength, and hope to face another day. In Christ, God is at work to restore, redeem, and rebuild what has been destroyed.

God is great!

A weekly devotional post to offer encouragement, hope, and purpose found in Jesus.

 

Passing On A Legacy Of Faith

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She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. Proverbs 31:26 NIV

“For the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.” William Ross Wallace penned this poem over 100 years ago, and the words still hold true. The second Sunday of May marks the one day a year in the United States that recognizes mothers for all their efforts and the impact they have on each one of us. This one day out of the year was officially established by President Woodrow Wilson’s proclamation in 1914 in recognition of mothers.

History is filled with the stories of great men and women who owe their foundation of success to a praying, faithful mother. God uses the imagery of a mother’s love to help Israel understand His judgment and hope. “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 66:13)

John and Charles Wesley became leaders in a powerful spiritual awakening, yet behind them stood a powerful prayer-warrior mother, Suzanna. Her ten children knew that when she pulled her apron over her head, she had entered her prayer closet, creating a sacred place within a chaotic home where she prayed for each of their spiritual walks.

Charles H. Spurgeon became known as “The Prince of Preachers,” yet behind him was his praying mother, Eliza Spurgeon. She prayed fervently for him and all her children that they would walk faithfully before God all the days of their lives. Spurgeon’s brother, James, wrote of his mother: “She was the starting point of all the greatness and goodness any of us, by the grace of God, have ever enjoyed.”

James Hudson Taylor became the missionary to the nations, yet behind him was his praying mother, Amelia Hudson. She was a mother unknown to the world, but not in the kingdom of God. She never stopped praying for her rebellious son that he would come to faith. Hudson Taylor would embark for China in 1853, where he would spend 54 years as a missionary to the people and establish China Inland Missions. He left knowing that his mother was still praying for him.

Timothy became a leader in the early church, yet behind him were his praying mother, Eunice, and his praying grandmother, Lois. Paul, writing to Timothy, acknowledged this great legacy that was being passed down to the next generation. “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. (2 Timothy 1:5)

Samuel became the prophet to the nation and anointed the line of David, yet behind him was a praying mother, Hannah. “LORD Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life…” (I Samuel 1:11)

Luther Little became a prominent Baptist pastor in the last century, yet behind him was a praying mother. At 15, Little knew he was called to preach. His family all made fun of him, except his mother. However, she would never live to hear him preach. The day he was to preach his first sermon, his mother wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t go. She told him, “You go on, and when you come back, you can tell me about it.” Three months later, at her deathbed, each of the boys said their goodbyes, but to her youngest, Luther, she told him, “You go on and preach the gospel, and when it is over, come on home, and I will be standing at the gate, and then you can tell me all about it.” Years later, Dr. Little wrote, “I am going on to preach the gospel as she said, and when it is over, I expect to find her at the gate, and through all eternity, I can tell her all about it.” (from an article by Joe McKeever)

“Woman, how divine your mission

Here upon our natal sod!

Keep, oh, keep the young heart open

Always to the breath of God!

All true trophies of the ages

Are from mother-love impearled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle

Is the hand that rules the world.” (Third verse of the poem, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle)

Mother’s Day consumer spending in the U.S. this year is expected to reach a record $38 billion. For this reason, Anna Jarvis, who championed the original idea of Mother’s Day, opposed its commercialization. What she envisioned was a simple day of remembrance. However, most of the $38 billion of flowers, jewelry, candy, and cards are from the heart to tell mothers and wives how important they are in your life.  Economist and researcher Mark Matthews writes, “Consumers are gifting from the heart, seeking unique gifts that create lasting memories for the mothers in their lives.”

Mother’s Day! What a great reminder to honor those who rock the cradle because praying mothers will raise up young men and women who will go on to rule the world. Mothers who may not make Time’s magazine Person of the Year or become social network influencers, but their calling will be greater, becoming eternal influencers through godly children. “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” (Proverbs 31:30-31)

God is Great! Ps 70:4

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Walking In Faith

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Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for…These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Hebrews 11:1-2,39-40

What is your earliest memory that helped shape your childhood? Depending on how many years or decades have passed since that event, it may take a little longer to remember.  I attended Sunday School, but for the most part, my life was centered on the farm where I grew up. There were no preschool or kindergarten options, so that first day, as a first grader, walking into the classroom was a new experience. My mother’s hand was my security until it wasn’t. What gave me hope and confidence was knowing she would be at the driveway at the end of the school day, waiting for me to get off the bus. My certainty rested on knowing, without a doubt, that she was always there for me.

For me, that confidence never wavered, but for many, that mother’s hand of security or a father’s strong arm wasn’t there. Over time, other things began to fill that vacuum and took that person’s hand, leading them down dark roads of doubt, fear, and hopelessness. All of us need a hand to hold onto. For some, that hand is addiction, money, sex, or religion. The good news is that God reaches out his hand for those who will take it and hold on.

We all like a hand we can touch, feel, grip, and see, but God offers a different hand, a hand of faith. “For we live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). The grasp we have on addiction, money, sex, or religion seems real until it unwinds like a magician’s empty box. What seemed real turns out to be only an illusion. What God offers may seem invisible, but in reality, it is the only real thing to hold on to.

Faith is often hard to grasp when we need to see something tangible. Yet in those moments, God offers us more than enough to keep moving forward. He offers himself. Thomas had been with Jesus from the beginning and had walked the same roads with him. Yet when he missed the first appearance of the resurrected Jesus, his faith wavered. “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25)

I am so glad John included Thomas’ story of doubt. I have known many amazing followers of Jesus, and most of them have shared similar stories of confusion, frustration, and challenges. Faith doesn’t keep us from doubt, but it carries us through the doubt. In his great love for Thomas, Jesus walked through another locked door for him. “A week later, his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” (20:26-27)

Thomas came face-to-face with his doubts. However, he also came face-to-face with faith and made a bold statement about it. “My Lord and my God!” Jesus used the moment as a powerful teaching opportunity and gently reprimanded him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Others will always follow in Thomas’s footsteps of doubt, yet we can take our doubts, like Thomas, and use his example as a powerful confession of faith in Jesus. Thomas accepted the reprimand and went on to live out a life of faith. Early church tradition records that Thomas was a missionary to India, where he preached the gospel and established a lasting legacy of Christian communities. Thomas was eventually martyred for his faith. His was a journey from questioning to unwavering belief.

We want everything laid out in plain sight, with no uncertainty in our plans. Yet it is amazing faith that creates an unbelievable landscape of life. Oswald Chambers writes, “Certainty is the mark of the common-sense life: gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life. To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways; we do not know what a day may bring forth.” However, instead of being discouraged, it is in those moments of doubt that we feel we hear the words, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Chambers went on to write about uncertainty, “it should be rather an expression of breathless expectation. We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God…He packs our life with surprises all the time…We are not uncertain of God, but uncertain of what He is going to do next…When we are rightly related to God, life is full of spontaneous, joyful uncertainty and expectancy.”

Faith is a gift that God delights to give. “God knows what we lack and what we need. He made each of us as we are, and in our character is the raw material he will use to make us who we can become.” (Claire Cloninger)

We are invited to ask for faith. When the father was confronted with his doubts and lack of faith, he cried out, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). This is a prayer that God delights to answer.

There are days when we may not be sure of the uncertainty and long for a little more certainty, but what we can do is trust God. We can be certain that he knows the plans he has for us. We take one step amid uncertainty and find ourselves in step with the certainty of God.

Lord, let me live a life of amazing uncertainty because I live a life that is certain of you.

God is great!

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Gift of Worship

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Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Colossians 3:16 NIV

Have you ever listened to a song as goosebumps covered your arms? You are not alone. Psychologists call this frisson, a phenomenon linked to heightened emotional sensitivity and a stronger connection between music and the brain’s reward system. Music has been a beautiful part of worship long before the word frisson was coined. God placed a deep desire to worship within our souls, and through the songs and prayers of the Psalms, our souls need the music of worship.

The Psalmist must have felt goosebumps as he wrote Psalm 96, “Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.”

  Tradition holds that Queen Victoria was so overwhelmed by the powerful “Hallelujah Chorus” from George Frideric Handel’s Messiah that she stood during the performance out of reverence for Christ. Whether she was thinking of verse 9 as she stood, the impact was there. “Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.”

God has opened the gates of worship for us. Augustine understood this beautifully, as he wrote in his book, Confessions, “O my God, let me remember with gratitude and confess to you your mercies toward me. Let my bones be bathed in your love and let them say, ‘Lord, who is like unto thee? You have broken my bonds apart; I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving.’ And how you broke them I will declare, and all who worship you will say when they hear these things: ‘Blessed be the Lord in heaven and earth, great and wonderful is his name.’”

There are seasons in our lives when we will pull aside for solitary times of worship. However, for the most part, worship was never intended to be a solitary act of devotion but rather a powerful, communal experience. We need each other to strengthen our faith, and worship connects us at the deepest levels. Our times of communal worship uplift, inspire, and transform us into what it is to be a follower of Jesus. “Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.” (Psalm 34:3 NIV)

The early church never doubted the need for worship or the oneness of being together in worship. The early church didn’t have the luxury of not being in worship and fellowship together. They were under intense pressure and being persecuted by the religious leaders, government officials, and the traditions of their culture. When Peter and John were released from jail, the church did what came naturally to them: “When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.” Acts 4:24

Somewhere along this journey of faith, many have forgotten the very heart of worship, which is God alone and the gathering of people together as one. The early church expected and longed for this gathering together to “Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.” Psalm 149:1. According to Pew Research, data estimates that only 1 out of 4 Americans will be in worship weekly; numbers may be worse in Europe and better in Africa.

What do the 3 out of 4 miss out on? Everything that gives life. Everything we are called to do is to worship God alone (Exodus 20). Everything that provides us with the strength, hope, and encouragement we need to live. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV

The measure of worship is found in the community of faith gathered together. Douglas Steele writes, “When we come to a service of worship, we should come to participate, to bring our praise, honor, and thanks, as well as our needs, and lay them at God’s feet in the midst of this great mixed community of the present and the past. In this act, we are lifted out of our private world into a public one, out of our personal situations into a social situation…The humbling, enlarging, encompassing fellowship into which the church’s corporate exercise seeps us is a part of the Christian experience that we dare not forgo if we are able to attend.” (Dimensions of Prayer)

God is not surprised that our lives are busy, schedules overflow, and conflicts abound. He anticipated your objections to setting aside time to worship from the very beginning. God gave us the gift of the Sabbath to live life.   “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God…For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” Exodus 20:8-11).

“The Sabbath is a weekly reminder that we don’t keep the planets in orbit. We can’t manufacture miracles, and we don’t have to. All we have to do is let God love us, let God grace us, let God heal us, let God empower us, let God repurpose us.” (Mark Batterson)

Together in worship, worshipping God. What you sound like as you sing is not important, but what you sing is incredibly important. “I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnify him with thanksgiving.” Psalm 69:30 KJV

God is great!