Healing Rays of Righteousness

Taken By Surprise

Today is the Wednesday after Easter Sunday.  And as in previous years, it seemed to come and go so quickly.  I reflect and wonder had I adequately prepared myself to enter into Christ’s wondrous and glorious resurrection event in order to better understand its impact on my life.

In reading all four Gospel accounts of Jesus’ resurrection, it appears that none of the disciples were fully on board and prepared to understand and joyously celebrate their Lord’s bodily resurrection.  Instead, all were overtaken by surprise and doubt.

The women bring spices to anoint his body.  They wonder who will roll the stone away for them.  They seek the living among the dead, and then are perplexed to find the stone rolled away and the body gone.  They don’t know what to make of the empty tomb and neatly folded grave clothes.  They are asked, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” and “Trembling and bewildered, they fled from the tomb,” to go and tell the Eleven and all the other disciples. They were not prepared for Easter.

John tells us that even after seeing the empty tomb, the disciples “still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.”  He also tells us that Mary Magdalene weeps with grief while the resurrected Lord stands close at hand.  They were not prepared for Easter.

According to all four Gospels, Easter is precisely for those who are not ready for it.  Easter is for Peter, too paralyzed by guilt and fear to take it all in.  Easter is for Philip, who because of doubt finds it hard to believe without concrete evidence.  Easter is for John, who believes in Jesus’ resurrection but needs time to process what difference it makes.  Easter is for Mary, blinded by tearful grief, mourning her loss, while her Lord stands behind her.

According to the story, Easter is for each one of us.  Our retail culture doesn’t give us much time to joyously ponder Easter.  Like an impatient waiter whisking our plate away before we’re finished eating, our culture tries to banish Easter from our awareness.

But we have the fifty days of the Easter season until Pentecost stretching out ahead of us; a time for spiritual lingering by the empty tomb.  Days to weep.  Days to pray.  Days to ponder.  Days to rejoice and bear witness to the Lord, who stands behind us, healing our past; and before us, beckoning us to follow him into His promised future.

“For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”  (Isaiah 41:13).

Tommy Dorsey, jazzman and gospel songwriter was singing at a revival meeting in St. Louis, Missouri, when he received the tragic news.  He was handed a telegram that read, “Your wife is dead.”

He had left her at home in the last month of her pregnancy.  The last look into her face was of his Nettie sound asleep.  All seemed well.  Now, she was dead.  She had given birth to a son, but within a day he also died.  Both were buried in the same casket.  Tommy fell apart in his soul, his inner peace was shattered, his faith weakened and struggling for answers.

A few weeks later, as he meandered close to a piano, he sat down and started to fiddle with the keys.  A melody began to flow from his fingers.  Lyrics formed in his mind, and out of the deep sorrow of loss, came these words of faith that we still sing today:

“Precious Lord, take my hand, Lead me on, let me stand. I am tired, I am weak, I am worn. Through the storm, through the night  Lead me on to the light. Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.”

When my way grows drear, Precious Lord, linger near   When my life is almost gone.  Hear my cry, hear my call, Hold my hand lest I fall. Take my hand, precious Lord; lead me home.

That is the bedrock of our Christian faith.  Because Jesus has “destroyed death” and made it powerless (2 Timothy 1:10 and 1 Corinthians 15:26), we are able to face uncertain tomorrows with this song in our hearts and on our lips, “Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.”

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – April 24, 2019

Why Do We Call It “Good” Friday

We call the day of Jesus’ crucifixion, “Good Friday.”  But what is so “good” about the day a man named Jesus of Nazareth is arrested, brutally beaten and hung from a cross to suffer and die?

The cross of Jesus is a central symbol of the Christian faith, but for many who claim to be Christian, Christ’s death seems to have very little impact in the way they live their life.  It is simply a tragic, bloody story to read on Good Friday.

At that time in history, the cross had no religious meaning.  It was simply the method of execution preferred by the Roman government for all criminals.  These executions were usually staged just outside city walls and beside main roads, where they would be prominently visible, as a scary warning to all who passed by.

But Jesus is no criminal and so there must be something different about the crucifixion of Jesus that makes the day “Good” and the week “Holy” in our annual remembering and retelling of the story.  What is it?

To answer that question, I invite you to remember what the prophet Isaiah said about God’s messiah who would come into the world, the messiah whom Jesus claimed to be.

“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”  (Isaiah 53:4-6).

And remember what the writer of Hebrews said about Jesus’ crucifixion; “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. … and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2:14, 17c)

Three things come to mind as I think about what Jesus’ death means to me.  There are three things Jesus accomplished for me when he declared from the cross “It is finished” and died.

The first thing is that by suffering death on the cross, Jesus redeemed me out of slavery to sin.  The price of my redemption was paid in full with the sacrifice of Jesus’ own life.  It is finished, the price is paid, and I am set free from slavery to sin.

The apostle Paul says that God “has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col. 1:13-14).

The second thing is that by suffering death on the cross, Jesus reconciled me with God.  Sin always separates relationships, and my sin separated me from God. But through Jesus’ sacrifice of himself, Jesus forgave me and restored my relationship with God.  In other words, his death mediated peace between me and God.

By suffering death on the cross, Jesus also empowered me to be reconciled with others.  The sinful walls of prejudice, fear, pride, and selfishness in me, are broken down.  And now, instead of being filled with fear and alienation, I am freed to enjoy peace and caring relationships.

The third thing is that by suffering death on the cross, Jesus restored to me God’s approval, acceptance, and divine nature as His adopted child.  I am now justified – restored to the relationship with God I would have enjoyed if I had never sinned.  My whole past is forgiven, blotted out.  So complete is that restoration that I am now called a child of God.

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!”  (1 John 3:1).

These are the wonderful, amazing things that Jesus accomplished for me that day, when he declared from the cross, “It is finished” and died.

To gaze upon Jesus’ cross of suffering and death with the understanding that we belong on that cross – that it is our place of deserving punishment for sins committed, is awesome.  And to understand that Jesus took our place and died the death we deserved so that we could live in God’s house forever, because He so greatly loved us, is amazing.

We can properly stand before the cross of Jesus Christ only with a bowed head and a broken spirit.  And there remain until the Lord Jesus speaks into our hearts His words of forgiveness and acceptance.  Then being gripped by His love and overflowing with thanksgiving, we go from the cross and into our world to sacrificially love and serve all others in His name.

That is why I and all who believe Jesus to be the Messiah, the Savior, call this day of Jesus’ death “Good Friday.”  Thanks be to God for His amazing love and grace.

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – April 17, 2019

Enjoying A Continual Feast

(Part Two of Two)

The wisdom of Proverbs 15:13 and 15 says that a cheerful face indicates a positive attitude toward life, and that such persons have an inner joy: “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, … the cheerful heart has a continual feast.”

However, these same verses also tell us that difficult circumstances can threaten and crush one’s spirit and rob a person of this joy; “heartache crushes the spirit, … All the days of the oppressed are wretched.”   Unfortunately, growing older often becomes fertile soil for negative attitudes to take root and grow, robbing the elderly of the joy that God intended for them to experience in their latter years.

It has been said, “It is not how old you are but how you are old that makes the difference in your enjoyment or despair of life.”  It is also said, “A beautiful young person is an accident of nature, but a beautiful older person is a work of art.”

The psalmist paints a beautiful word picture of the aging person in Psa. 92:12-14.  “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God.  They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.’”

Proverbs 4:18 states that our latter years are intended to be our glory years, “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.”  To view our aging as a journey into the light, rather into the darkness, makes a world of difference in the kind of person we become in our latter years.

Proverbs 15:14 states that “The discerning heart seeks knowledge.”  This speaks directly to how our aging can become a journey into the light rather than into darkness.  For as we continue to seek knowledge, see new visions, hear new sounds, and find new directions for our life in service to God, we nurture a joyful, satisfied heart .

The biblical story of Moses is a good portrayal of a person with a discerning heart seeking knowledge.  Moses is about eighty years old when he encounters God in the burning bush and is given a new vocation, new responsibility, and a new lifestyle for the latter third of his life.  There are two attributes of Moses that reveal a cheerful, discerning heart, seeking knowledge.

Curiosity

Curiosity and interest in life outside himself, caused Moses to remain open-minded, even at 80 years old. He never stops learning as he gathers news from wandering herdsmen about life in Egypt; debates with others around the cook fire regarding the virtues and power of the God he follows; and gleans from his father-in-law, Jethro, any bits of knowledge he could.

Curiosity moved Moses from his comfortable, placid, easygoing life into an encounter with God and a new lifestyle.  Curiosity draws this elderly gentleman into a life of purposeful action; from herding sheep to delivering God’s people from slavery.  Call it curiosity or zest for life.  Moses had it, and I think it is a vital attribute toward enjoying a continual feast throughout all of life.

It’s tempting, as we grow older, to close our minds to change when it comes too fast for us to comprehend.  We tend to back up into our little corner, shut the door to possibilities, and wish for the “good old days.”  But, Moses would tell us to always remain curious and open to new possibilities and life-changing experiences.

Sense of the Sacred 

Moses had experienced a lot of disappointments, troubles and sadness during his life.  Once a handsome, sought-after social partner, Moses is now an 80 year-old, forgotten man of many abilities.  He could have become angered by the circumstances that took him from a person of prominence as a member of the Egyptian royal house to an insignificant, smelly sheepherder.

Moses had every right to be cynical in his old age, and bitter that life had dealt him such a bad deal. Who would blame him if he became another basket case of negativity and pessimism?  It would have been easy for Moses to smirk mockingly at an invitation from God to serve Him in a grand plan of rescuing His people from slavery.

But we find here a man who has retained a sense of the sacred.  When he encounters the presence of God in the bush fire, he covers his face, realizing that for some reason, God has not forgotten him, and is now coming to him.

Some people become very bitter and cynical in their latter years.  Cynicism grows and flourishes very quickly in the soil of hardships, unfairness, and disappointments. Cynicism destroys every aspect of life, even one’s religious life.

A sense of the sacred counters any tendency toward cynicism.  A sense of the sacred opens us to God’s presence, power, and possibilities.  A sense of the sacred fills life with purpose and joy, creating a zest for living.

Like Moses, people who “age well” remain committed to God, family, friends, and special causes.  Their curiosity, sense of the sacred, and service commitments give purpose and meaning to life.  Yes, God intends for our entire life to be involved in a service mission for Him and His purposes in the world, “staying fresh and green and still bearing fruit in old age.”

According to Proverbs 17:22, “A cheerful heart is good medicine.”  This is God’s “medicare plan” for all of us.  Are you in the plan?

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – April 10, 2019

Enjoying A Continual Feast

(Part One of Two)

It has been rightly said that there are only two kinds of people in the world: those who wake up in the morning and say, “Good morning, Lord,” and those who wake up in the morning and say, “Good Lord, morning.”

The Book of Proverbs contains much wisdom regarding the heart. There are nearly fifty occurrences of the word “heart” in the Book of Proverbs.  And these “heart” Proverbs teach us that God has carefully designed us to function better physically, emotionally, and spiritually when we are cheerful.

Listen to these verses in 15:13-15; “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.  The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.  All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.”

“…the cheerful heart has a continual feast.”  Sounds inviting, doesn’t it.  Do you feel that your life, day after day, is a continual feast?  Do you wake up in the morning and say, “Good morning, Lord,” or is it “Good Lord, morning?”

The word “heart” as used in Proverbs, refers to the thoughts, emotions, and attitudes of our personal life.  It refers to our mindset, the way we view and respond to life experiences.  Verses 13 and 15 observe how the condition of a person’s heart affects our spirit or morale, and indicate that both happiness and depression are issues of the heart.

In verses 20-23 of the fourth chapter, the writer appeals to his son, “My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.  Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.  Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Wow!  This is so consistent with the medical research studies done during the past couple of decades, which consistently show that the mind plays a significant role in our illnesses, such as high blood pressure, arthritis, and coronary heart disease.

These studies indicate that certain emotions cause changes in the brain’s physical state.  The brain then triggers changes in the regulation of other parts of the body, such as the heart and lungs.  And this, in turn, impacts the immune system, and thus our body’s health.

In March 1998, I attended the Mennonite Health Assembly, and one of the speakers, Dr. David Hilton, M.D., stated that medical science is discovering that negative feelings, such as anger, guilt, fear, are the greatest suppressant to the immune system, greater than HIV.  He further said that we are learning that long-term tension and stress has a very negative effect on a person’s future health, whether they are currently ill or well.

The studies since then continue to confirm that positive attitudes and happy feelings greatly enhance the body’s immune system; that what we think and believe, has a powerful ability to keep us well, as well as to promote healing.

And so, the ancient Scriptures and modern science agree that our spiritual, emotional, and physical health are uniquely related and must be seen as one whole in diagnosis and treatment.

This truth gives greater clarity to our understanding of Paul’s admonition in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  And to the Chinese proverb which says, “Where the mind goes, the body follows.”

A parallel thought to 15:13 and 15 is expressed in Proverbs 14:30; “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”  And Proverbs 17:22 adds, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

The person who can see the good in a bad situation, who can find humor amidst trials, is a person who will be happy and contented; indeed, they will experience life as a continual feast. But the person who dwells on their disappointments, who feels that they always get the short end of the stick, is a person who is rarely happy and is usually discontented and critical.

The wisdom of Proverbs and all of scripture, declare that attitudes determine actions; and that our current attitudes define both our present and future experiences of life and health.  This wisdom also promises that changing our attitudes from negative to positive perspectives will definitely change our life experiences and body health.

And so, I try always to say, “Good morning, Lord!

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – April 3, 2019