Archive | February 2024

Chaplain’s Corner – Posture of Climbing

Feb28

“Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it” (Genesis 28:10-12).

When you google Jacob’s Ladder, you will see a plethora of examples of ladders for construction or home repair work, ladders as fitness equipment, and even a movie. It takes some digging to get to the original use of this term, which is from scripture (see the Scripture reference at the beginning). Some of you may remember the old song, Jacob’s Ladder. I remember singing it as a child; it was originally sung by enslaved people before and during the Civil War.

A ladder is a great picture of how we live our lives. We climb in every other area, why not spiritually? We need to realize that we cannot stay where we are and go where God wants us to go. Here are several things to ponder as we consider climbing this spiritual ladder:

  1. When we are first saved, one might call that “fire insurance.” But as we step it up, our perspective changes. The higher we go, the greater our perspective. We see the bigger picture of God’s plans for us.
  2. Even when we are far from God, He is near. We see in this passage from Genesis that Heaven touched earth via the stairway.
  3. When Jacob awoke from his dream, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” (Genesis 28:16). We must become aware of God in every situation. Every moment is sacred. Jacob changed, not God. God’s presence might not change our situation, but it changes our perspective. When our perspective changes, our actions change. Spiritual maturity is not what we know but what we perceive.
  4. Stepping it up involves an investment. There is no ‘golden elevator’ to the top. Jesus came to earth, wrapped in flesh, and experienced the cross. He calls us to sacrificial service.

In John 1:51, when Jesus was in the process of calling Nathaniel as a disciple, He compared himself to this same ladder: “He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.” What does he mean by this? He means that He is the one that connects earth with heaven. How appropriate is it, then, that later in John’s Gospel Jesus calls himself the gate (John 10:9)? Jesus opens up the way to God.

The beauty of this posture is that it is not ours to assume. We do not have to climb. We don’t have to build our own stairway to heaven like they did in the Tower of Babel. Jesus descended to earth to sit with us, to walk with us, to carry us. Jesus is the doorway to heaven. He knocks on the door. All we must do is open the door, and the journey begins.

Getting to God is not about building a big enough tower of good works and effort so that we can get to where He is. Getting to God starts with God getting to us. He comes down the ladder; By sending his Son, God left heaven to come to earth in order to give us access to himself.

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:5-8).

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Posture: Standing

Feb21

“He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights” (2 Samuel 22:34).

Since beginning this series on “posture” three weeks ago, I have become intrigued with the concept of “standing.” Just like “kneeling” conveys submission and “sitting” conveys community, “standing” conveys steadfastness and power. Who is standing when others fall? There are so many situations in which we are to stand. We stand trial. We withstand the tests of time. We stand in line, stand in for others. I loved the old song, “Standing on the Promises.”

For a person who is well-known and respected, we say they have “standing” in the community. That means they are someone to be listened to and followed. “Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a man of standing from the clan of Elimelek, whose name was Boaz” Ruth 2:1).

Standing firm is an emphatic positioning meaning (literally and/or figuratively) “I’m not going anywhere.” Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again” (Exodus 14:13). Nashville Rescue Mission is standing firm in its physical location in Nashville, and in its stance on the Gospel. “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13).

We stand in reverence. “Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up” (Nehemiah 8:5). “Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds Lord” (Habakkuk 3:2a).

To stand in a setting can imply a place of honor and responsibility.
“At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister and to pronounce blessings in his name, as they still do today” (Deuteronomy 10:8).

It can also imply strength. “No one will be able to stand against you. The Lord your God, as he promised you, will put the terror and fear of you on the whole land, wherever you go” (Deuteronomy 11:25).

Standing does not convey lack of humility or community; in fact, it implies both of those things. One of the most inspiring scriptures in the Bible is in the passage in which Stephen is being stoned to death. “But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” Remember that after His resurrection, Jesus ascended to sit at the right hand of God. The visual of this scripture, seeing Jesus stand to recognize the complete giving over of Stephen’s life to follow Jesus, Stephen’s willingness to die for Jesus, fills my heart. Jesus is not submitting to Stephen in any way, but he is standing in recognition and welcome to his brother.

There are so many examples of God giving us a place to stand. “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand” (Psalm 40:2).

So many examples of where God calls us to stand up. “l stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts” (Habakkuk 2:1).

Most of all, we stand in hope, in the confident promise of our LORD and Savior. “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:12-14).

“I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth” (Job 19:25).

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Lent: It Is Not About Chocolate

Feb14

“At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him” (Mark 1:12-13).

Has it crossed anyone else’s mind the irony of the fact that the first day of Lent (Ash Wednesday) and Valentine’s Day fall on the same day in 2024? In fact, I struggled a bit at first, because if I were to give up a food for Lent, it probably should be chocolate. Not only is it my favorite food, but what signifies Valentine’s Day more, besides flowers, than chocolate? Clearly, I have chocolate on the brain. So this devotional is for me, and if you like, you can read along.

Background: Christians celebrate Easter and proclaim the resurrection of Christ. For the forty or so days before Easter, we may also celebrate a special time on the formal Church calendar called Lent. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. By observing the forty days of Lent, Christians remember Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days.

Lent is typically marked by fasting, both from food and festivities. Lent officially begins today, Ash Wednesday, and ends on Easter Sunday, March 31. In case you are doing the math, the forty days of Lent include all the days except for Sundays between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. During Lent, we are celebrating Christ’s resurrection, and since Christians already celebrate resurrection every Sunday, Sundays are not included in Lent.

Why 40 days? Forty is a significant biblical number; there are many references to forty in the Bible. For example, it rained on the ark for forty days and forty nights. Moses stayed on the mountain for forty days and forty nights, and the Israelites ate manna in the wilderness for forty years. And Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness fasting and praying and overcoming temptation from Satan. The number forty is figurative language representing a long period of trial, testing, or patience; so the forty days before Easter are set aside by many to prepare spiritually for the celebration of Easter, the highlight of the Christian year, because Christ’s Resurrection means eternal life for all believers.

What is my plan for these forty days of Lent? I must remind myself that the object is not to glorify myself by completing an assignment such as the avoidance of a favorite food. The objective is to glorify our Lord and Savior. My understanding of fasting is that it is a private practice, and the goal of fasting would be to better utilize my time in prayer and Bible study.

  • For example, rather than spending time on grocery shopping and meal preparation and the consumption of food, you would spend that time in prayer and Bible study. Or you could spend time in prayer and Bible study rather than a video game, Netflix movie, etc. Better utilization of time.
  • Another thing to remember is that this change in habits will be uncomfortable. Even Jesus was famished at the end of his forty days of fasting.
  • Also, fasting by definition is intended to be private. Don’t ask, or tell, what you are “giving up for Lent.” That defeats the purpose because it makes it about us rather than Jesus; about the sacrifice rather than the One being honored for His sacrifice.
  • Also, it is a practice. We may not perfectly complete our fast, but it is our motivation and effort that matter. So if you mess up, just ask for forgiveness, and then begin again.

Will I be able to observe Lent and enjoy Valentine’s Day? You betcha. What am I giving up for Lent? Don’t ask. Just know that I will be making every effort to devote myself to prayer and Bible study. Do you have to observe Lent to do that? Of course not. Again, the point is cultivating our relationship with the Lord, however, you choose to do it, in preparation for a glorious celebration of Resurrection Sunday.

“Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ” (Colossians 2:16-17).

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Posture: Sitting

Feb7

“Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land” (Proverbs 31:23).

Sitting is a common posture. We read examples in the Bible of people sitting at home, sitting on a donkey, sitting at a gate, sitting in judgment. We sit all the time—at work (well, some of us), at home, at church, in restaurants, etc.

I want to focus on three types of sitting. Think of this posture as an element of the setting and intention of the activity.

In class – The assumption here is that we are sitting in class or in church to learn from a teacher, pastor, or supervisor. Our posture should be to sit attentively, to eliminate distractions, and to engage appropriately with the leader of the session. Even though we are not the one speaking, we should participate with our attention and nonverbal reactions.

As a student or disciple, we figuratively sit at the feet of our teacher, hungry to absorb all that he has to teach us. In the story of Mary and Martha, we learn that when Jesus visited the home of Martha, that “She (Martha) had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.” When Martha complained about Mary to Jesus, Jesus replied: Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-42).

I had a pastor tell our congregation one time that he noticed when we were sleeping or inattentive, and when we were engaged. He said our engagement really made a difference; it energized him. I have tried to remember that when I am sitting in any audience, I am a participant, not just a seat-filler.

In community – Another time we find ourselves sitting is at the table with our friends, either one-on-one or in a larger group, perhaps enjoying a meal or good discussion of some sort. In this posture or setting of community, let us be mindful that we are sitting with two kinds of people—believers and nonbelievers. That is the only distinction that matters. When we are sitting with our fellow believers, we should be mindful that every opportunity to gather with others is an opportunity to strengthen relationships, provide encouragement and edification, to console. And when we are sitting with nonbelievers (or if we are not sure), then our intention should be to point them to Jesus.

“While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners? On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:15-17).

In a public setting – Most of us have experienced sitting in a doctor or hospital waiting room, sitting on the bus or plane, or some other office. This is my biggest missed opportunity. I tend to focus on the waiting, either fretting about the waste of time or selfishly retreating into a book or headphones. I so admire those who see this for what it is—an opportunity to speak life into a stranger God puts into your life who, like you, is also waiting. Being effective in a setting like this, more than any other, requires prayer and discernment, because we have no foreknowledge of the other person’s history or personality.

I have a friend who drives for Lyft, and she sees it as a ministry. She has had amazing and varied opportunities to interact with her passengers, including some that her life has not particularly equipped her for. However, if we, like her, pray for opportunities, they will come our way; and if we pray for guidance, the Holy Spirit will never fail us.

Whether active or passive, the point is this: we should be mindful of our setting and our purpose in it. Sometimes the temptation is to lose ourselves in a crowd, or the opposite—to stir up undue attention in a crowd. Remember, you always have something to offer, so be prayerful and mindful of how to apply the fruits of the Spirit and your gift of the Spirit, no matter the setting. Think about your day and the opportunities you will have and pray to God for his direction in each situation.

“Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:46-47).

In Christ,

Judy