Chaplain’s Corner – Road Conditions

There’s nearly always a silver lining, and one of the silver linings to all the precautions of the Covid-19 pandemic is that the much-maligned Nashville traffic is so much better. Here lately, I can usually travel the speed limit to work and back home each day, sometimes cutting in half my customary drive time.

When traveling these roads, whether it’s our usual commute or a special trip, whether we are traveling in our own vehicle or as a passenger in public transportation, we are affected by road conditions. Sometimes the road conditions are man-made (construction and wrecks), and sometimes they are naturally occurring (rain and snow). I can remember when I first learned to drive, it was on a stick shift (yes, really). Hills were so scary to me. Sometimes I didn’t get up enough speed and couldn’t make it to the top, and God please help me if I had to stop on an incline (I get nervous just thinking about it). 

Trust is a really important component of road travel in America (and probably even more so everywhere else). Think about it. While driving defensively as much as possible, we are really trusting that the other drivers know and obey the laws of the road and the street signs and traffic lights. I’d like to say that good manners are also an important component, but sadly, I think we’ve given up on that.

We’ve followed a theme in the last few devotions about pilgrimage using the Songs of Ascent, Psalms 120-134. As mentioned in an earlier devotion in this series, we can relate our pilgrimage of sanctification to epic journeys in the Old Testament: Abraham journeyed from Ur to the Promised Land. The Israelites journeyed from Egypt back to the Promised Land. The Jews journeyed from their place of exile to Jerusalem, returning home and rejoicing at the temple after it was rebuilt. None of those journeys was easy. Abraham was traveling to the unknown, by faith. The Israelites were escaping from the Pharaoh, and because of their unfaithfulness wandered in the wilderness for forty years. The Jews encountered all kinds of trouble on their road back to Jerusalem and the completion of the temple and city walls.

Here are some biblical admonitions for our journey taken from biblical writers during the times of those journeys of old:

• “Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Take note of the highway, the road that you take.” (Jeremiah 31:21).

How did we ever travel without GPS (and maps before that)? Someone had to survey the road and figure out the best path. That’s true for a road trip, and it’s true for our life journey. And though we may complain about road signs, I think we would be in one continuous accident without stop signs, yield signs, and caution signs. And again, that applies literally to our road trips as well as to our life. “The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” (Psalm 19:9-11).

• “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” (Hebrews 12:1).

I don’t know if you see me coming to work, but I have my regular purse with all my essentials, my little work purse for my badge and keys for getting around inside our campus, my book bag and my lunch bag. So many times, someone takes pity on me and wants to help me with my baggage. And that’s just for a day trip! Don’t ask my husband how I pack for an overnight trip! I wonder sometimes if I could be brave enough to shuck all that stuff and just travel lightly, taking a chance that God would supply my needs. What an adventure! If nothing else, then I would have a free hand to help someone else.

• “What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When they walk through the Valley of Weeping,it will become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings. They will continue to grow stronger, and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.”  (Psalm 84:5-7).

We’ve heard the saying, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” I think that’s what this passage is telling us. Our journeys include some tough times, times of pain and sorrow and shame and challenge. How we respond determines our legacy, and maybe even our destiny.  Overcoming these temptations and trials and temptations are the most powerful testimony of all, so ultimately, by God’s grace we hope to get to the point of being grateful for them rather than bemoaning them. To paraphrase Beth Moore, “All our letdowns and disappointments lead us to Jesus.” So, we can take the next step with the next strength; it is in strength to strength that we walk our road.

“Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” (Hebrews 12:1-3).

Above all, remember that our destination, the Promised Land, is worth the trip.

I am so grateful and blessed to be on this pilgrimage with you.

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Comfort and Hope

“But I am calm and quiet, like a baby with its mother. I am at peace, like a baby with its mother. People of Israel, put your hope in the Lord now and forever.” (Psalm 132:2-3)

I was blessed to spend the last week of May with my husband, children, and grandchildren in a beautiful chalet in the Smoky Mountains. Like most everyone, we had not been able to celebrate Easter or Mother’s Day together as we were practicing social distancing. I was so happy to have all my babies under one roof for five days, and we had a great time. 

My husband and I have seven grandchildren, ages 13, 11, 10, 9(2), 4, and 3. The older kids, ages 9 and up, were fairly independent. However, the younger two were not so independent. They needed help with dressing, eating, playing, sleeping, etc. With so many adults and older kids around, there was always someone to help, and usually, help was accepted.

However, there were those times that only their mother would do. We would all offer and try to help, but at those times the child was inconsolable until Mama appeared and wrapped them in her arms, as only a mother can do. For a baby, there is no greater sense of security than to be enfolded in the arms of his or her mother. And Mama, while grateful for our attempts, never seemed to be unwilling or too tired to step in.

While studying the Songs of Ascent, Psalms 120-134, I “discovered” the verse shown above and found such comfort in the words. “But I am calm and quiet, like a baby with its mother. I am at peace, like a baby with its mother.” As a mature adult, I have developed some pretty good coping skills. Sometimes I can seek comfort in the company of others. However, I know that my only true and lasting comfort is in the arms of my heavenly Father. I could imagine how secure it felt as a baby to be held by my mother and know that God’s security is even greater. He is always willing; He is always available. Even though He alone knows my deepest secrets and darkest fears, He still loves me, and He loves me more than anyone else ever could! Yes!!

On this pilgrimage through life, I may run to other resources for temporary comfort. Others may lovingly seek to comfort me. While all efforts are welcome, and while we are commanded to comfort one another, we all know this is a shallow and short-term solution unless we are pointing each other ultimately and always to the hope that only God provides.

My hope is in the Lord now and forever.

In Christ,

Judy

I realize it’s overly simplistic, but my mind sometimes categorizes people and things into “one or the other.” For example, my father-in-law used to say “some like chocolate, others vanilla” in response to complaints about people with different opinions, etc. Then there’s that Coke or Pepsi thing. Dichotomy is the technical term, and in a true dichotomy there is no middle ground. Jesus expressed a dichotomy when he said you are either for me or against me (Matthew 12:30).

I most observed this phenomenon when I was operating a management practice consulting with organizations who were going through change and then directly with the employees who were impacted by that change. My clients naturally reacted to bad news such as job demotion or job loss in a variety of ways, and usually not favorably at first. However, once the shock was over, it was always insightful, many times frustrating, and sometimes inspirational to see how individuals moved through this change.

In short, as we consulted with individuals going through career transition, we found that some were “takers”: bitter, begrudgingly going through the motions, oblivious to anyone else’s situation, victims, and never thankful. After meeting with someone in this state, you just felt like the life was sucked out of you.  And there were “givers”: those who were grateful for any help, eager to reciprocate, interested in the experiences of others, and willing to help or give of themselves. These were the ones who brought the donuts to the meeting and/or shared their networking contacts or job leads.

Of course, everyone has a bad day now and then, and most people were somewhere between the two extremes of the taker/giver scale, so it really wasn’t such an obvious dichotomy. But usually it was obvious which general side someone “lived” on. I’m quite sure you can relate to this based on your work with individuals experiencing homelessness or participating in the life recovery program.

If we identify moving through a difficult change as an inevitable part of our life’s journey or pilgrimage of sanctification, as we have been studying using the Songs of Ascent (Psalms 120-134), we can apply some biblical teaching to help ourselves to stay on the “giver” side and avoid unproductive detours.

1. Prioritize: Make sure the main thing is the main thing.

“Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.” (Psalm 126:5-6).

Beth Moore tells a powerful story from her experiences traveling to war-torn Angola. As she witnessed extreme starvation and poverty, a local minister said, “One of the most frustrating things is that in villages where they receive seed, they often eat the seed rather than planting it and bringing forth the harvest.”* We can surely see the shortsightedness of such a thing and how it would result in ultimately starving to death, but do we do the same thing? Do we eat the seed (the Word) by merely reading and studying, rather than sowing it? Perhaps I am too satisfied that I accomplished my 30 minutes of daily Bible study but didn’t make it a priority to invest God’s love into others through building relationships and giving of myself, in the name of Jesus. I will tell you that this story impacted me more than anything else in this Bible study. Whatever hardship we are going through, although major, should not deter us from our priority of being faithful to God’s word, to study and to share it.

2. Acknowledge that it is God who gives the harvest.

“Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain…In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves.” (Psalm 127:1-2).

Since this past Sunday was Flag Day, I’ll share a story from Benjamin Franklin’s 1787 “Speech to the Convention for Forming a Constitution for the United States.”

“In the beginning of the contest with Britain when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers in this room for the Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered …. And have we now forgotten this powerful Friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need his assistance? I have lived for a long time (81 years), and the longer I live the more convincing proof I see of this truth, that God governs the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it possible that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that ‘Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it.’ I firmly believe this, and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall proceed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel.”

As we journey, as we seek to make our way, as long as we submit to God and put our hope and trust in Him, we can know that the ultimate results will be good. Incidentally, Psalm 127:2 also gives us permission to get our much-needed sleep. We’ll be our better selves and likely more “giving” if we are rested.

3. God blesses our obedience.

“Blessed are all those who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways.” (Psalm 128:1).

Trying to do anything on our own, and going our own way, will ultimately be frustrating and fruitless. Paul says in Romans 6:16 “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?” And in Galatians 6:7-9, Paul encourages us by saying “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

It’s truly a joy to journey with so many “givers.” I hope that this message encourages you and confirms that you are on the right course. I’ll close with this blessing to all my fellow pilgrims on this journey of sanctification. It’s from the Song of Ascent Psalm 128:5-6:

May the Lord bless you from Zion;
    may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem   all the days of your life.
May you live to see your children’s children—
  peace be on Israel.

In Christ,

Judy

*Excerpts from Stepping Up, by Beth Moore.

How wonderful it is, how pleasant, when brothers live together in harmony! (Psalm 133:1).

We are continuing our focus on our journey. We have been tracking with the Songs of Ascent (Psalms 120-134) which sing of the pilgrimage that the Jewish people took to Jerusalem each year to celebrate their festivals, and they also represent the journey the Jewish exiles made back to Jerusalem from their captivity. We are applying this term “journey,” or “pilgrimage” to our growth in our Christian life.  Journey, pilgrimage, and walk are all metaphors commonly used for the sanctification process which occurs from the time we are justified by Christ until the time we are glorified in Christ.

Most of us do not travel alone through this life. In fact, if you are on staff at Nashville Rescue Mission, you definitely are not a solo traveler. You are traveling with fellow staff as well as the people we serve. Most likely, you also have family, friends, neighbors, fellow church members, and service providers with whom you “travel.” We are fellow sojourners, traveling partners.

Back in Bible days, people did not often travel alone because it was dangerous. They traveled in company, having a shared destination, for safety because they could look out for each other along the way. Even today, we as believers have a shared destination, and even though dangers might not be apparent, we know that the Enemy is putting every obstacle possible in our way to throw us off our path to try to prevent us from reaching our Promised Land. Therefore, we realize that as believers we are traveling in company and should be looking out for each other. Here are some ways that we can be effective traveling partners*:

• Wise up concerning the Enemy’s schemes. As Paul said in his letter to the Corinthians: Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. (2 Corinthians 2:10-11). Satan is the author of all offenses. His goal is to “steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10). Can you just imagine how gleeful he is right now? We are paying tribute to Satan when we do not live harmoniously with our traveling partners.

• Encourage one another at all times. As the writer of Hebrews put it, “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). As we all know only too well, the Enemy is very effective in using discouragement, so we need to take very opportunity to infuse our traveling partners with courage; to speak life and not death.
  • “Gentle words bring life and health; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit” (Proverbs 15:4).
  • “Kind words are like honey–sweet to the soul and healthy for the body” (Proverbs 16:24).
  • “A person’s words can be life-giving water; words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbling brook” (Proverbs 18:4).

• Fight for each other. You may recall from the book of Nehemiah what strategy they had to use to build the wall while facing the vicious opposition. ^“From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked.” (Nehemiah 4:16-18). Make no mistake, we are in a battle. We must remember who the Enemy is and fight together, in harmony, for each other. Nehemiah and his crew were building the wall around Jerusalem. We as believers, as Peter put it in 1 Peter 2:5 – “like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood.”

• Love one another deeply. Peter, in his first letter, used a framework of pilgrimage. In 1 Peter 1:1, he addressed his letter “To the pilgrims of the Dispersion.” In 1 Peter 2:11, he admonished, “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul….” So, in that context, we are commanded: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). Loving God and loving each other are the two greatest commandments, so it makes sense that Peter would say, “Above all.” Peter adds that we should love deeply. Not just a superficial love, but with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

My fellow travelers, I love the imagery of standing “shoulder to shoulder” in the following verse. I love you, and I am so happy to be with you on this journey.

“Then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him shoulder to shoulder” (Zephaniah 3:9).

In Christ,

Judy

*With credit to Beth Moore’s Bible Study, Stepping Up.

Today’s Chaplain’s Corner continues from the Songs of Ascent, which are written from the perspective of a pilgrim on a journey. Many of these songs speak of dangers which travelers face during their journey. The songwriters are very conscious of the need for protection against the enemy.

• Psalm 120 and 121 speak of lying, deceit, war, and evil.
• The writer of Psalm 123 seeks mercy from those who hold him in contempt and scorn. Yes, we want some of that mercy, too!
• Psalm 124 reminds us of what might have been if it had not been for the LORD’s protection. “…if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us,they would have swallowed us alive when their anger flared against us; the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away”  (Psalm 124:2-5).
• Psalm 129 paints a vivid picture of being run over (picture tire treads on your back). Since they didn’t have trucks back then, the metaphor was to farm equipment. “The plowers plowed on my back, they made their furrows long” (Psalm 129: 3). Ouch! I think some of us have been here.

The enemies of the Jews were real. They faced constant threats. Likewise, we face a real enemy right now in this pandemic. This Covid-19 virus is our enemy and we seek protection. The precautions most of us are taking are quite simple (not easy, mind you, but within our own capabilities)—keeping apart, wearing a mask, washing our hands, making sure our surroundings are clean, etc. We could have been taking these precautions all along but didn’t realize this enemy was out there until people started getting sick. We can also see evidence of a greater enemy, Satan, because we see the effects of his handiwork. The precautions we should be taking against Satan are also quite simple (and not always so easy). We need to stay in alignment with God, in His Word, in prayer, and in fellowship with other believers.

These songs are a reminder that when we face our enemies, we can cry out to Jesus. We can seek mercy. We can seek protection. We can seek justice; to be avenged. God might not answer our prayers in the way we think he should, but sometimes what we need most is to be able to cry out to someone somewhere. And we know that God is good, and that He cares for us, and we know that He hears us when we cry. I love the words in this song, Cry to Jesus (Third Day).

There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
And love for the broken heart
And there is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He’ll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus.

“The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. “(Psalm 121:7-8)

In Christ,

Judy

 “In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered me.” Psalm 120:1

I am currently participating with a group of women at my church in a Beth Moore Bible Study, Stepping Up, based on the fifteen “Songs of Ascents,” Psalms 120-134, which sing of the pilgrimage that the Jewish people took to Jerusalem each year to celebrate their festivals, and they also represent the journey the Jewish exiles made back to Jerusalem from their captivity.

Those pilgrimages were historical, but the application for us today is to our growth in our Christian life.  Journey, pilgrimage, and walk are all metaphors commonly used for the sanctification process which occurs from the time we are justified by Christ until the time we are glorified in Christ.

In a purposeful journey, our starting point matters. If I’m just strolling the neighborhood or the park, it doesn’t really matter, but in a purposeful journey, I must have a reason and a starting point, as well as a desired destination.  The Songs of Ascent begin with a distress call, “In my distress I called to the LORD.” Psalm 120 goes on to describe a dangerous and miserable place, both physically and spiritually. In the ESV, the writer says he is an alien in his present place. Our journey begins when we realize that we are in a dangerous and miserable place, somewhere that we don’t belong, so we call out to the LORD.

The next requirement of a purposeful journey is a destination. Psalm 121 provides that imagery of the destination for all of us. “I raise my eyes toward the mountains, Where will my help come from?” (Psalm 121:1).

We are saved by the grace of God, who sent his Son to pay the ultimate punishment for our sin. All we must do to be saved, that is justified before God, is to believe and receive that grace. However, our ongoing growth as a believer, our journey to maturity, is a cooperative process, meaning that it takes our own effort along with the Holy Spirit. One of the things we must do on our journey is to constantly look ahead to our destination. We must raise our eyes toward the mountains constantly rather than looking behind or even side to side. When I’m driving, I like to look around. It scares my husband because he says that I turn the wheel the direction I’m looking. I’m trying to do better, but it is true; we tend to veer off in the direction in which we look. And you can apply that concept to any number of things. The point is to keep our eyes focused on the goal of eternity in the Kingdom of God.

My husband and I recently purchased a roadside protection plan from our automobile insurance company. It’s kind of like AAA.  There’s a tollfree number to call if we get stranded, have a flat tire, need towing, etc. The provider will come to wherever we are, fix the problem, and get us going on our way again. Psalm 121 is also a beautiful reminder that on this journey, God will always protect us. The question in verse 1, “Where will my help come from?”  is answered by the remainder of the psalm. Verse 4 says God is 24/7/365; he “will never slumber nor sleep.” “The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forever more” (Psalm 121:8). I don’t know about you, but that verse is tremendously reassuring to me, especially when I am facing the unknown. And I don’t even have to be concerned about paying an annual fee to keep the plan active. The cost has already been covered for my lifetime.

“Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault” (Jude 1:24).

It is a wonderful thing to be on this journey with you as fellow pilgrims in Christ.

In Christ,

Judy