Tag Archive | Nashville Rescue Mission

Chaplain’s Corner – Wisdom of God

Apr15

Wisdom as described in the Old Testament is fairly straightforward. It includes the ability to govern well by accurate interpretation and enforcement of the law, to understand visions and dreams, to demonstrate morality and good judgment in making decisions.

Saul of Tarsus was probably considered to be wise as well as passionate. He was well-educated, highly regarded, and on the fast track to Jewish leadership. However, after his conversion to Christianity, he gained true wisdom. He, as Paul the Apostle, describes true wisdom in 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, and I am helpless to improve upon his writing (this is from the New Living Translation). I encourage you to take your time to read this passage, think about what you are reading. Read it out lout if possible.

The Wisdom of God

18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
    and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”

20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. 22 It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. 23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.

24 But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.

26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. 27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.

30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. 31 Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.”

These are powerful words. In the aftermath of Easter, as we live in the light of the Resurrection, as believers unified with Christ Jesus, regardless of our past, regardless of our mistakes, know that God chose us. What an opportunity we have before us to boldly preach Christ crucified, to demonstrate the love of Jesus to the least of these.

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – The Time Has Come

Apr8

“My times are in your hands…. “(Psalm 31:15)

These certainly are unusual times, and we are learning how to live a new normal. But what if everything we have ever learned or experienced in life has been leading us to this time in our lives. Without realizing it, we have been preparing for just this moment so we can demonstrate our faith, our willingness to serve, our mandate to love God and others in the most difficult and unusual of circumstances.

Bringing us to the crucifixion which happened on Friday of Holy Week which we are now celebrating, we can reflect on the fact that Jesus had all along been preparing for just this time because he knew even at age twelve that he was about his Father’s business. Jesus had a purpose for how he spent his thirty-three years on earth.

  • Early in his ministry, he told his mother: “Woman, why do you involve me?” He went on to say, “My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4).
  • Later in his ministry he told his brothers, “You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.”  (John 7:8).
  • However, Jesus did go to the festival privately, and then went to the temple to teach. Although the authorities were seeking to arrest him, no one laid a hand on him. He was spared, he said, because “his hour had not yet come” (John 7:30).
  • Immediately following the festival, Jesus again taught in the temple, and no one arrested him despite the threats. John explains that “his hour had not yet come” (John 8:20).

It was not until the week before His crucifixion that he acknowledged that his time had finally come.

  • Then when Jesus had made his triumphant entry into Jerusalem… “there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival.  They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we would like to see Jesus.’  Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. Jesus replied, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified’” (John 12:20-23).
  • And when Jesus was praying with his disciples at Gethsemane during His last week before the crucifixion, “After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you” (John 17:1).

Some Bible scholars say that the Gentiles seeking Jesus in John 12:21 were the triggering event for Jesus to declare that his time had now come, that this request by the Gentiles triggered the plan that God had designed all along to reconcile his people back to himself—Jesus’ arrest, trials, humiliation, condemnation, beatings, crucifixion, burial, resurrection, and ascension. 

This is a solemn reminder that God has a plan, and it will come to pass in his own timing. There will be a triggering event and then all the elements of Christ’s Second Coming will fall into place as described in the Bible. There is some disagreement about all the events and the exact timing, but there is no disagreement among believers that the Second Coming will happen. That is what we long for with hope. 

The Jewish people knew that the Messiah would come; they had the writings of the Prophets to tell them many of the signs they could expect to see to confirm His first coming. But they were still taken by surprise when He did.

We should not be surprised when trials and tribulations come. Jesus told us in John 16:33“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

We celebrate Christmas and Jesus’ first coming, and we celebrate Easter and His resurrection. We know the Jesus will come again. In John 14:3, Jesus states, “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.”  We know what many of the signs will be. We just don’t know when. However, we should not be surprised when the time comes. We have been informed. Be ready.

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Preparing for Holy Week

Apr1

“If I do not wash you, you have no part with me” (John 13:8).

We are in the middle of a crisis, and my daily communications to fellow staff have been directed toward prayers and encouragement. We are encouraged by the fact that this crisis will end at some point and we will return to some sort of normal (at least that’s what we are counting on). However, we are also approaching the remembrance of another momentous occasion, one which seemed to be a crisis at the time, but which changed us forever for the good. In just eleven days we will celebrate Easter. Whether or not we can attend a worship service, Easter will be Easter and we are forever blessed to be able to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So, my devotion today is directing us to think on the days leading up to that holy event.

This coming Sunday is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. It starts with Jesus entering Jerusalem to the adulation of the crowds. It ends with him in the grave following his humiliation and crucifixion. Immediately before being arrested, he gathers his disciples together for their last supper. He surprises them by washing their feet.  It is, in fact, shocking that he would do this. As their teacher, the culture told them as the disciples that they did not have to wash his feet. But here is the teacher washing the feet of his disciples!

 As a long-time believer, I have heard this story about Jesus countless times, but recently during an in-depth study of the book of John, a different perspective was presented to me and it took me aback, as conviction often does.

As Jesus begins the process of preparing himself and the water, Peter exclaims that Jesus will never wash his feet. It’s not that Peter didn’t want Jesus to touch him; he was acknowledging that Jesus was too good to wash his feet. It comes across as a humble statement on Peter’s part, but is it really? How often do we reject the simple acts of kindness and assistance offered by others around us? Is it really because we are humble and truly believe we don’t deserve it? Or is it because we are too prideful and think we don’t need it? Maybe we don’t want to be beholden to anyone or we don’t want to feel that we will be obligated to repay the favor.

What do you think Peter’s motivation was for not being willing to accept Jesus washing his feet? How would I have responded to Jesus? Probably the same way. We who serve often take pride in not needing to be served. (Can you sense my conviction?)

Jesus answered him in John 13:8, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with me.” David Guzik writes that “This foot washing was a powerful lesson in humility, but it was more than that. It also shows that Jesus has no fellowship, no deep connection with those who have not been cleansed by Him … We should be grateful that Jesus did not say, ‘If you do not have great holiness, you have no part with me.’ We are happy he did not say, ‘if you are not a Bible expert, you have no part with me.’ Having a part with Jesus begins simply with receiving something from Him, not achieving something ourself.”

A clue to Peter’s pride can be found when Peter replies, then don’t just wash my feet, wash me all over. Now he’s telling Jesus what to do and how to do it! Who does he think he is? This was a loving act by Jesus. Are we too proud to accept his loving acts of service? We can see how Peter matures over time by his statement in 1 Peter 5:5 which shows Peter’s change of heart “Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility.”

Food for thought: According to Guzik: “Sometimes we show a servant’s heart by accepting the service of others for us. If we only serve, and refuse to be served, it can be a sign of deeply rooted and well-hidden pride. “According to Temple: “Man’s humility does not begin with the giving of service; it begins with the readiness to receive it. For there can be much pride and condescension in our giving of service.” *

What did Jesus tell us to do? (Clue: It was not to wash his feet.)

  • John 13:12-14 “you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” Jesus tells us to show the same humble, sacrificial love to one another. Charles Spurgeon writes: “If there be any deed of kindness or love that we can do for the very meanest and most obscure of God’s people, we ought to be willing to do it—to be servants to God’s servants.” *
  • John 13:34-35: “I’m giving you a new commandment: ‘Love each other in the same way that I have loved you.’ Everyone will know that you are my disciples because of your love for each other.”

We are also called to receive the blessing of salvation from Jesus and service from others. We are called to love one another, serve one another, encourage one another, give to one another. We are called to do these things cheerfully and generously and sacrificially. Let us seek to fellowship with each other in mutual love, service, and encouragement. Let’s also seek to do these things without a speck of pride as our motivation, with only gratitude and praise to our Holy Father who is the source of all the resources we have at our disposal. In this way, we can prepare our hearts to worship our Lord and Savior during this upcoming Holiest of Weeks.

In Christ,

Judy

*David Guzik Text Commentary from Blue Letter Bible

Chaplain's Corner – Spring

Mar25

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

I love Spring. As it is for many of you, Spring is my favorite season. This past Sunday afternoon, after watching my pastor preach online, I went for a walk on the greenway in White House. It was delightful to see so many people out enjoying a bit of sun and relatively warm (mid-50’s) weather. Everyone looked happy to be outside and we happily greeted each other (keeping our proper social distance, of course). The trees are greening up, and it seemed like the redbuds just popped out right on March 19, the first day of Spring, along with other trees with pink clouds of flowers (cherry or apple trees, perhaps). I like to photograph wildflowers and was pleased to get some pictures of mayapples, trillium, spring beauties, bluets, and violets breaking through the fallen leaves and beginning to carpet the ground.

With all the disruption that has occurred on account of the coronavirus pandemic, with all the unexpected changes we have experienced, it is so comforting to know that some things will not change. The sun will rise and set every day and the seasons will proceed in an orderly fashion right on schedule. As God promised Noah after the Flood, “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” Noah 8:21-22.

It is important to note that Noah was obedient in preparation for the Flood, he was faithful during the Flood, and when it was over he worshipped. This is a good formula for us to remember.

“Noah was another who trusted God. When he heard God’s warning about the future, Noah believed him even though there was then no sign of a flood, and wasting no time, he built the ark and saved his family. Noah’s belief in God was in direct contrast to the sin and disbelief of the rest of the world—which refused to obey—and because of his faith he became one of those whom God has accepted.” (Hebrews 11:7)

In Christ,

Judy Cline

Chaplain’s Corner – A New Normal?

Mar18

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is” (Ephesians 5:15-17).

“Live as children of light.” (Ephesians 5:8)

Here lately I often hear people say, “These are crazy times.” I’ve said it myself. Well, the times are crazy in the sense that they certainly are unusual. There has been a run on groceries, so now some of the things we take for granted as always available are a little more difficult to come by. I had heard of rationing, but other than gasoline, this is the first time I have experienced it. (We can be thankful that currently there is plenty of fuel to go around.) We may not have exactly what we want to eat, but we do have something to eat. And we can still get water by turning on the faucet rather than walking half a day to a water source. We may not have toilet paper, but we have plumbing. Social distancing is a new thing to me; as are restrictions on meeting together in groups, sequestering the elderly, and closing places of business with high and close customer traffic like bars.

So, while these times are not what we have typically experienced, they are our new normal (at least until tomorrow). So how do we live wisely, making the most of every opportunity to understand and to do the Lord’s will? One way I like to think about this question is to anticipate how I would evaluate myself a few months from now. Looking back, what would I wish I had done differently or better? Here are my thoughts, and I welcome yours.

  1. Put total trust in God (and leave it with Him). That doesn’t mean we don’t take reasonable precautions such as social distancing and disinfecting, etc. What it does mean is spending more time with God in prayer than we do watching the news or rehashing current events (more than is productive) with our friends/coworkers. Recalling what God told King Jehoshaphat is encouraging. “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s…. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’” (2 Chronicles 20:15, 17) As believers, we can claim the victory now, because our God is with us and He fights with us. Our faith is what sets us apart.
  2. Live with confidence in the knowledge that God will provide. “So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide (Jehovah-jireh). And to this day it is said, ‘On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided’” (Genesis 22:14). Jehovah-jireh is one of my favorite names for God, given by Abraham when God supplied the lamb as a substitute for Isaac on Mount Moriah. Over and over in the Bible, whether it be manna in the wilderness to the lilies in the field to the feeding of the five thousand, God provides. It could be that this situation we are facing is a test of our willingness to demonstrate our faith in our good God. Yes, the stock market is fluctuating wildly. Yes, many people risk losing their jobs or at least their current livelihood as restaurants cut back. Yes, the shelves might be empty when we are shopping for necessities. But there is a reason we are told so many times “Do Not Be Afraid.” That means no panic, no hoarding. It means cheerfully giving what we have to someone else who needs it more. We may be the way in which God provides to someone else. The way we handle adversity is a testimony of our faith in our good God.
  3. Look for opportunities to be grateful. Some of them are listed in the first paragraph of this devotional. One of my friends is now intentionally posting beautiful images on Facebook to counteract all the negative news. “… give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). There is enough negativity. Let’s make an extra effort to look for God at work and take every opportunity to proclaim His goodness.
  4. Be especially kind to one another; encourage each other and especially our leaders. We are accountable for all our words and deeds. We can use our words to build up or to tear down. Every story that I hear from you about how you have overcome a challenge is so encouraging to me. Imagine the encouragement your stories of overcoming this challenge and how God has provided will bring to others; your focus on your blessings and how you can bless others will encourage others and help all of us to bear up together, for this is truly no small thing. “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you” (Hebrews 13:17). “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).
  5. Treat each new day as our new normal, rather than taking the perspective that the coronavirus and the tornadoes are temporary interruptions to merely “get through” on our way back to the way things were. Christina Fox, writing for the Desiring God website, says: “Though these interruptions are unexpected and catch me off guard, they do not catch God off guard. They are not random, meaningless events. In fact, these interruptions are divinely placed in my path for a reason. God uses these interruptions to change me to be more like Christ.”

Thank you for all the ways in which you demonstrate these things on a daily basis, and my hope is that this devotional is just a gentle reminder that we can always do just a little bit more to glorify God by living as children of light, in a way that glorifies God, living wisely, making the most of every opportunity to understand and to do the Lord’s will.

In Christ,

Judy Cline

Chaplain’s Corner – Do Not Fear

Mar11

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

We are facing challenging times right now with the incidence of the Coronavirus. Our dedicated Mission staff, as service providers in the generic sense, and as ministers in the spiritual sense, are called as never before to reflect the love of Christ to the neediest of people. We are called to serve vulnerable people who exhibit risky behavior and/or who have come out of potentially compromised environments.

We are inundated with news about the Coronavirus from every news source, and while it’s good to be informed, we need to be discerning about what we read and hear and how we respond. We must not forsake our calling, but we must be diligent and wise. Let me say that I don’t have all the answers. I’m listening and learning just like you are; however, I feel very confident about these things:

First, we must practice what we know about keeping ourselves healthy. We owe this to the people we serve as well as to ourselves.

  • Each of us must be diligent about following what we have learned from our Wellness initiatives about staying as healthy as possible – drink water, eat healthy foods, get plenty of sleep, get plenty of exercise. Stress-eating in front of the television or staying awake googling the latest news will not help us to stay strong.
  • We should exercise caution about physical interactions with others—fist bump instead of shaking hands or hugging, for example.
  • We must wash our hands properly and often; and keep our hands off our faces.

Second, we must trust that God is in this situation. I’ll digress for a moment to the other tragic event that occurred last week. I heard someone praying during a televised Metro Council meeting who said tat God was not in the tornados but was in the recovery. My friends, I do not believe this is completely true. We worship an all-powerful sovereign God. Our God is in everything. There is nothing that He has not created or ordained or has authority over.

This might surprise you but think about it. We might not want to think God is in the bad things that happen, but if we begin to separate out what God is in and what He is not in, how do we as created beings decide which is which? And do we want to worship a God who is only partly in control? Of course, we know that with the Fall, God has allowed Satan to work in this world; but ultimately, he is only here at the pleasure of God, and at the time ordained by God Satan will be destroyed.

We worship a sovereign God. He is in control; He is good; and he loves us. Romans 8:28 is true and we can trust that “All things work together for good for those who love the Lord and who are called according to His purpose.” We may not know the purpose for the occurrence of this disease, but we must be obedient to God’s word and that God’s ultimate good purpose will prevail.

For more on this topic, read here.

My message is not the Nashville Rescue Mission official response. The Mission has been proactive in researching and coming up with a prudent plan of action which we will learn about in due time and which I’m confident will be appropriate and comprehensive. In the meantime, let us remember and continue to be dedicated to our calling to serve the least of these, let us use this opportunity to communicate hope for today, tomorrow, and eternity to those we serve, and let us be comforted by these scriptures:

“Even though you planned evil against me, God planned good to come out of it” (Genesis 50:20 GW).

 “Even though I walk through the dark valley of death, because you are with me, I fear no harm. Your rod and your staff give me courage” (Psalm 23:4 GW).

 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10 NIV).

“The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (2 Timothy 4:18 NIV).

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Weathering the Storm

Mar4

I had another devotional prepared for today, but after witnessing the events of the last couple of days, I just felt that something else would be more appropriate. My thoughts are a little jumbled, but here goes:

  1. I am so thankful that, at least as far as I know, no one in our Mission family was injured, and no one has been displaced from their home (if I am wrong about this, please let me know).
  2. I am so thankful that both campuses were spared damage.
  3. I didn’t realize that it could be so dark in the Women’s Campus hallways and interior rooms and kitchen without artificial light.
  4. I am so thankful to those who answered the call and provided flashlights, lanterns, headlamps, etc. It’s amazing how even a small source of light can make a huge difference in a dark space.
  5. I am so thankful to those staff at the Women’s Campus who were on duty during the night the tornado came through and kept the women safely in the stairwells and other designated places, keeping them calm and safe, dispelling the fears of their charges in spite of their own fears.
  6. I am so thankful for the donations that came through to ensure that our women had hot food for supper Tuesday evening, even when we didn’t have the resources to prepare it ourselves.
  7. I never fail to be impressed by the ability of our staff to come together in the face of adversity and ensure safety, order, and provision in especially challenging circumstances, taking on needed roles, working extra shifts. I mean it. You all are ROCK STARS!!!!

When God responded to Job, he chose a storm as his platform in order to demonstrate his sovereignty:

Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:

2 “Who is this that obscures my plans
    with words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.

4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
    Tell me, if you understand.
5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
    Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 On what were its footings set,
    or who laid its cornerstone—
7 while the morning stars sang together
    and all the angels shouted for joy?

8 “Who shut up the sea behind doors
    when it burst forth from the womb,
9 when I made the clouds its garment
    and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10 when I fixed limits for it
    and set its doors and bars in place,
11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;
    here is where your proud waves halt’?

Preview(opens in a new tab)

Job 38:1-11

It’s hard to know how anyone could weather the storms of life without the knowledge that our God is sovereign, and God is good. We understand that we do what we can and trust Him for the rest. We recognize that He always comes through in ways that may surprise us and that will ultimately delight and sustain us, if we can receive His ways with gratefulness.  We find comfort in His presence; we give Him all the praise and glory.

I am so thankful to serve alongside each of you. I am so encouraged by your faithfulness and servant hearts. I am confident that God will richly bless each and every one of you.

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Wise Choices

Feb12

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. (Genesis 3:6)

You may recognize this passage from last week. As I pondered the meaning of “wisdom,” this story of the Fall kept coming back to mind. What happened? Eve made a bad decision. What is a decision? Decisions always involve choices.  Even a decision by default is a choice to do nothing. As I look back on my life, I can think of so many choices that I made, from choosing to diligently do my homework rather than play outside (or the other way around), to accept or reject invitations for dates and parties, to continue or discontinue my education, to take or abstain from that drink, to hit the snooze or get up in time for Bible study, etc. We make choices as to what to say and when to say it (or to keep our mouths shut), we make choices about what to look at and when to turn our heads. We even make choices about what to think about (that’s a hard one, I know). I’m sure you can identify with me, and perhaps even with me experience the burning of shame for some of our bad choices as well as hopefully the relief of some of our good choices.

Getting back to the passage in Genesis cited above, one of the first questions that arises from the serious Bible student is why God put the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden and then told Adam and Eve not to eat of the fruit. One commentator asked why he couldn’t have at least put a fence around it! I’m not sure we will truly know the answer this side of Heaven, but what seems to make the most sense is that God put it there with the instruction forbidding eating it in order to give us a choice. Our ability to choose is, in other words, free will. God created man for relationship. He is love (1 John 4:8) and He loves us (John 3:16) and desires our love in return (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37). While we are created with the capacity for love, the act of love is a choice, and the way we demonstrate our choice to love Him is through our obedience. So, our choice to obey is demonstrating our choice to love God and our choice to love God is demonstrated by our choice to obey; in either case we are exercising free will. “In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands” (1 John 5:3a).

What is wisdom? Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary defines wisdom as “knowledge, and the capacity to make due use of it.” I think that boils down to using what we know to make good choices.

“Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe” (Proverbs 2:11).

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – The Beginning of Wisdom

Jan29

“The fear (awe and reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” Proverbs 9:10).

A couple of weeks ago I was inspired to write about how our staff had rallied around one of our own who is going through a rough patch. The Scripture that came to mind was about how we join together for mutual encouragement, support, and strength using the analogy of joining our individual “temples” together to build the church (Ephesians 2:19-22). Then last week, continuing a similar analogy, I wrote about the mansions we can look forward to in heaven (John 14:2-3). As so often happens, in my reading last week on wisdom, the Scripture referenced another building analogy, this time a house (Matthew 7:24-27):

 “Everyone then who (1) hears these words of mine and (2) does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

By the way, this passage is the final section of the three chapters that make up Jesus’ beloved Sermon on the Mount, which closes with this admonishment:  “And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching,  for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes” (Matthew 7:28-29). In other words, Jesus knows what he is talking about; he is speaking the truth.

Jesus is comparing the wise (one who builds his house on a foundation of rock) with the foolish (one who builds his house on sand). Note that there is no in-between. In other words, if you are wise, then you are not foolish. If you are foolish, you are not wise. According to this parable, there are only two requirements to be wise: 1) to hear the Word, and 2) to do what the Word says. So, if we refuse to hear God’s Word (because we don’t read our Bibles or pay attention in church or participate in Bible study), or if we hear it but are not obedient to all the teaching, then we are foolish.

What is the result of being foolish? When hard times come, we fall/fail/give up/relapse/etc. Notice that we are not talking about a momentary slip which we recover from quickly using what we have learned from our discipleship process. We are talking about epic fails. The scripture says, “and great was the fall of it.” This is a fall that wreaks havoc, causes damage, seriously impacts others. It doesn’t mean we can’t rebuild, but it does mean that we must rebuild on the rock next time to be successful.

What is the result of wisely building on the rock? It means that when hard times come (and notice that being wise does not exempt you from hard times), you will be able to withstand temptation and stay strong.

The Rock. (Notice that the definite article “the” is used, not the indefinite “a” or “an.”) The Rock. Jesus said that our acknowledgement that Jesus is Christ, son of the living God, is The Rock on which the church is built. Jesus says that the greatest commandments are to Love God and to Love Others. He says that those who love him will demonstrate it by keeping his commandments. In other words, wisdom means obedience to the teachings of Jesus, which of course you can only know by reading your Bible, participating in Bible studies, and listening to your preacher in worship services. It’s simple; not easy, but it is simple. As so many of you have said to me, it’s making the next right decision, and being diligent day by day. The Apostle Paul reinforces the connection between Jesus as the rock in 1 Corinthians 10:3-4, which refers to Numbers 20:8-12 where the rock was the source of water for Israel when they were in the wilderness. (Don’t you just how the gospel is woven through every section of the Bible?)

I mentioned in the first paragraph that I had been reading on wisdom. Every year, I choose a word to focus my studies around. This year, the word is “wisdom.” This means that you may be hearing a lot from me this year on the topic of wisdom, beginning today.

My heart is full thinking about my great love for all of you, and this only recalls Jesus’ infinitely greater love for each of us. He asks nothing of us but our love and obedience, and he does nothing that is not for our good, in His impeccable timing. We can trust Him. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – The Way Home

Jan22

I was very fortunate growing up in that I always had a place to call home. I was never in doubt as to where I lived or that there was someone at home to welcome me. I didn’t fully appreciate this until I went to work for Nashville Rescue Mission where I have come to know so many, many people who have had times, sometimes extended, where they did not have a secure place to call home.

As a child, I loved to read and had a vivid imagination. As blessed as I was with home and family, I imagined other places to call home that were, at least in my mind, so much better. I confessed during the Operations Bible Study last week that as a child I dreamed of finding out that I was actually a princess and that I was finally going to live in a castle. I also dreamed that “The Millionaire” would come to my door with, you guessed it, a million dollars. I would lay awake at night and think about how I would spend that million dollars, and always near the top of my list– after ten new dresses each described in minute detail with shoes to match–was a red brick house. You see, I had always lived in a white frame house, and I thought that red brick houses were somehow better. Rich people lived in red brick houses. I know, how petty of me. But I’m just being honest.

Most of us do probably dream of better things than what we currently have. It’s really okay to have a picture in our minds of something to aspire to. Jesus was especially good at painting word pictures. And you know what, He even gave us a word picture of how our home will be like in heaven. He promised us, in John 14:2-3 – “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

In other versions, the word “mansions” is replaced with “rooms”, or “dwelling places” or “homes”. But I really like the idea of a mansion which is how the King James Version describes it. Heaven won’t be just a room, or an apartment, or any old dwelling place. It won’t be a little frame house, or even a brick house. It will be exquisite, inside and out. It will be more beautiful than we can imagine, and it will be furnished with beautiful things. More importantly, it will be filled with love. It will be home in the finest sense of the word.

What I sensed but did not appreciate as a child was that my home was not my home because of the type of physical structure. It was my home because that’s where my family lived. After we moved from Navy housing, we lived with my grandmother. Then when we moved out to our own home it was my mother, my father, and eventually my two brothers. Even though I dreamed of castles and red brick houses, I knew they would never be home without my family. It’s the same way with our heavenly home. The picture of a mansion is glorious. However, it’s the last part of the passage above that makes Heaven our Home: “… that where I (Jesus) am, there you may be also.”

In last week’s Chaplain’s Corner on Unity, I referenced the church as a physical structure as well as a “body of believers.” In keeping with those metaphors, 2 Corinthians Chapter 5 contains references to both the earthly dwelling and the heavenly home of our souls. Just as the church is really the people and not the structure, being at home in Heaven means being in the presence of the Lord.

“For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands…. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”

The takeaway? No matter your current earthly status—your current vs your desired living arrangement, your current vs your desired job, your current vs your desired marital status, or any other current vs desired status—put your trust in Jesus. It’s your eternal status that really matters. The Apostle John tells us this, and so does Paul in 2 Corinthians.

The point of this passage from the Gospel of John is reassurance of Jesus’ ongoing love for his children. He and his disciples have just enjoyed an intimate time of fellowship during the Passover celebration (we now call it the Lord’s Supper or the Last Supper), and now Jesus is now trying to prepare them for his death, resurrection, and ascension to Heaven. Even though he will not be with them physically any longer, he will be there for them, and us, in Heaven. He tells them: “‘Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.’ …Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” (John 14:1-4, 6).

Trust in Jesus, He is the way Home.

In Christ,

Judy