April 5, 2020

What a beautiful day!  The sun was shining, temperatures were warm.  The boys were playing online games with their friends (internet, not in person).  Kelly & I finished cleaning her van, then I pulled weeds and spent all afternoon cleaning up the gardens.  Still MILES to go but always a good feeling to have accomplished something worthwhile and to be outside.  Kelly sat on the deck and enjoyed the sunshine and her current book.  Linus, on the other hand, is very concerned about his teacher, Miss Othmar.  Whatever her issue is, I hope she gets it resolved.  Teachers and pupils are having a tough time about now in our current circumstances.  Kids (for the most part) miss school a lot more than they might let on! 

This morning Kelly, Logan, Chase and I listened to her minister, Rod, from Martin’s Ferry Christian Church.  There were several points that I took away from his lesson.  He chose several of my favorite verses.  But the associate minister, Justin, told a short story about Palm Sunday from the donkey’s point of view, which really drove home a point.  It boils down to the fact that the next morning the donkey went back into town, and went to the well, and the marketplace, and downtown – and no one recognized him.  He was frustrated and confused, as the day before he had received all the praise and accolade from the crowds, waving palm branches and laying cloaks on the ground.  He went home and told his mother, and she explained that it wasn’t about him.  It was about Jesus.  And sometimes we take the credit or glory for something when it’s not about us at all.  Worth thinking about.  But the first scripture Rod used was II Chronicles 7:14.  If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  What will it take to make us see our ‘wicked ways’, and turn back to God?  He wants our love and devotion.  Seems like that wouldn’t be much to ask in return for His love and healing.  The world isn’t easy, and it wasn’t for Jesus either.  We tend to forget that He was human in all ways we are, and He was tired and lonely and scorned and ignore and lied about and killed.  But He loves us still.  And as we are walking with Jesus, trying to find our way, we see that Jesus served those around Him.  He served the proud, selfish, haughty, undeserving, hateful  – and instead of insisting on His status as God’s son be recognized, He served – He washed their feet. 

The other verse he referred to was in John 14:  
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God^[a]; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”  What an exciting thought!  I often just stop and think about what kind of room I would like, and what it will be like to be with Him.  And John 16:33 says In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.  What more can we even ask for.  In a world where everything is upside down and wrong and frightening, he gave us all these promises.  He came, and He gave, because He wants to be with us forever.  Jesus’ death opened the doors to heaven for us, even though we don’t deserve it.  Rod closed with the reference to the hymn IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL, which (if you read yesterday’s post) Greg included as a key point in his message.  Take hold of Jesus’ hand.  He will lift you up, give your comfort and peace.  And we will be with Him eternally.   

On this date in 1887, Anne Sullivan taught the word ‘water’ to Helen Keller.  In 1614, Pocahontas married John Rolfe.  In 1923, Firestone produced the first inflatable tires, and in the year 2063 (???) Earth had it’s first contact with extra terrestrial Vulcan species (Star Trek!) 

Today, Palm Sunday, began Jesus’ last week on earth, to complete the task he was born for.  Spend a few minutes each day thinking about how it would be to know what you were facing.  He did it for us.  The least we can do is to stand up for and by Him.  Have a blessed week.