Healing Rays of Righteousness

Precious Memories as Unseen Angels

Another Memorial Day has passed. And again, I am grateful to J.B.F. Wright for putting words and melody to the thoughts and feelings that my wife and I experience annually during the month of May.

We experienced the sudden, unexpected death of our first-born, only son, on May 1, 1984. The rest of that month was a painful blurring of time and Memorial Day at the end of the month was another day of painful grief and “why” questions.

But in the months and years since that “mayday” crisis, Memorial Day observance has taken on a new focus and meaning for me. And J.B.F. Wright’s hymn, “Precious Memories” has frequently lifted me above death’s painful grief in losing son, parents, siblings, friends, and toward the precious gift of memories they gave me. Sing the words with me.

     Precious mem’ries, un-seen angels, Sent from somewhere to my soul;

     How they linger, ever near me, And the sacred past unfold.

              Refrain:   Precious mem’ries, How they linger, How they ever flood my soul,

                                In the stillness of the mid-night, Precious, sacred scenes un-fold.

     Precious father, loving mother, Fly across the lonely years,

     And old home scenes of my childhood, In fond memory appears. (Refrain)

     In the stillness of the midnight, Echoes from the past I hear;

     Old-time singing, gladness bringing, From that lovely land somewhere. (Refrain)

     As I travel on life’s pathway, Know not what the years may hold,

     As I ponder, hope grows fonder, Precious mem’ries flood my soul. (Refrain)

I agree with Dietrich Bonhoeffer who wrote, “Nothing can make up for the absence of someone whom we love. …It is nonsense to say that God fills the gap. He doesn’t fill it, but on the contrary, he keeps it empty and so helps us to keep alive our former communion with each other, even at the cost of pain. …The dearer and richer our memories, the more difficult the separation. But gratitude changes the pangs of memory into a tranquil joy. The beauties of the past are borne, not as a thorn in the flesh, but as a precious gift in themselves.”

Establishing the significance of the life lived in our midst is key to the healing of the pain suffered in the loss. And significance is realized as we remember and share memories of that relationship with one another. To not talk about our relational memories of the person who died is to rob ourselves of good grief work and healing, as well as to rob significance from the one who died.

In his booklet, The Gift of Significance, Doug Manning writes, “The grieving process is a gradual change from the physical presence of a loved one to the sense of presence provided by the memories. The goal is to learn to live with the person not being here. Coping without their presence happens when we begin to find comfort in the memories.”  

One of the most priceless gifts that God gives us through the life of another person is the memory of our relationship with that person. Those memories are ours to keep, to hold, and to cherish. It is a treasure that no one can rob from us, a treasure that should never be locked up or buried.

Memories are “unseen angels” that take us by the hand and lead us back through the gray mists of the past to the happy scenes and experiences of yesterday. And when a life has been lived constructively for God and others, the memory of that life is like a beautiful walk through a pleasant garden.

Truly, the good memories given us by those now separated from us are very precious gifts. Let us rightly cherish them and freely share them with one another. For in doing so, we will both bless and be blessed.

<><><><><> 

Ray M. Geigley – 5/28/24 – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com

The Highest Pleasure

Loving God is the highest pleasure a human being can ever know!

Read it again very slowly and thoughtfully.

Let the thought examine your present relationship with God.

It was during my seminary training that this truth was planted into my soul and it has never stopped growing and shaping my life.  This is what I hear in Jesus’ response to the Pharisee, an expert in the law, who asked Jesus which is the greatest commandment in the Law.  We have memorized Jesus’ answer, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” – but have we ever asked why?  Why would Jesus say that loving God was the greatest thing we could ever do?

I believe the answer is this; Because He created us especially for this relationship, and He knew that there would never be another person, possession, or activity that would ever come close to giving us the fulfillment and satisfaction that surpasses being in His awesome presence.

I want to share three pictures from my memory file of a trip to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to attend a Mennonite Health Assembly during March 1999. I had shared these three pictures in a devotional I presented in a meeting several days after my return home. And I share them with you as confirmation of my opening statement.

The first picture is viewed from the fourth-floor meeting room of the Colorado Springs Sheraton Hotel while eating brunch. Looking out through a wall of glass I view the rugged grandeur of the Rocky Mountain range and Pikes Peak piercing the blue sky with its snow-capped brilliance. In worshipful awe, I muse about the God of ancient past, and His creative imagination in shaping the mountains for my present enjoyment and challenge – and with grateful eyes I humbly worshipped the Creator God of Yesterday.

The second picture is a wide-angle view as seen from the window of a jet flying several miles above the earth and at a speed of more than five hundred miles per hour. Far below farms, small towns, and cities rapidly slide by in an ever-changing pattern of fields, forests, roads, and rivers. From such heights I can see for miles in every direction.

The changing panoramic views invite me to come and explore their life and beauty. And then a question forms in my mind and searches for an answer, Is this the way God sees the world? Intrigued, I remember that although invisible, each farm, town, and city is alive with human life, the young and old, the strong and weak, the happy and sad, the healthy and the sick. Many, many hundreds of people invisibly fill the moving landscape below, and I questioned, How can God ever see me and think of me?

I then remember that God does see and know me because He, in Jesus, came down from lofty heights and lived among us humans, experiencing life, pain, and death as we do. And yes, He still comes down to live with us as the indwelling Holy Spirit – and with grateful eyes I joyfullyworshipped the Compassionate God of Today.

The third picture is a very close-up view as I sit in a large, cushioned chair on the fifth-floor maternity suite of the Chambersburg Hospital, now named WellSpan. Carefully cradled in my arms is my newly born granddaughter. Her sweet one and half day-old innocence speaks to me as I gently stroke her face, trying to visualize the future, while a myriad of feelings wash over me. Forming a circle with grandma, mother, and dad, we thankfully pray, and with grateful eyes I confidently worshipped the Sovereign God of Tomorrow.

I believe it may have been such similar experiences by the psalmist David that caused him to write,

“Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.

Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep.

You, Lord, preserve both people and animals. How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!

People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.

For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.”  (Psalm 36:5-9).

During the past twenty-five years, those three pictures have frequently replayed in my life through many varied experiences, and they continue to encourage and inspire me toward deepening my love for God and to daily enjoy His awesome, loving presence in His beautiful world and to enjoy His gracious provisions to me for life, family, and labor. Thank you, Jesus!

<><><><><> 

Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” –  www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 5/22/24

“LIVING HOPE” – The Wonder of It All

The apostle Peter begins his first letter to the suffering, scattered church of his day by addressing them with awesome descriptive words as being God’s elect, scattered exiles, chosen, and sanctified. He thenblesses them with “Grace and peace be yours in abundance.”

Peter than launches into a hymn of thankful praise to God for the gifts of hope and inheritance given them through the resurrection of Jesus. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5). Thus, Peter reaffirms the basics of salvation for both them and us.

Peter’s statement “In his great mercy” is key to grasping the fullest meaning of our salvation. With these words, Peter reminds us that “new birth” comes to us not as a reward but as a gift, a gift we do not deserve. The writer of Lamentations earlier wrote, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”  (Lam.3:22-23).

Peter experienced this truth in his own life and declared that our “new birth” gifts us into a new relationship with the resurrected Jesus Christ. The three most obvious benefits of this “new birth” are:

1) A living hope (v.3). In Jesus Christ, God has given us a “living hope” that is not dependent upon our environment or outward circumstances. The word “living” denotes that which is dynamic, vital, alive. In other words, this hope is like living waters flowing from a perennial spring which never runs dry. We need to remember that the word “hope” is a uniquely Christian word because it makes no sense without the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is more than wishful thinking and beyond “I think I can, I think I can.”

2) A heavenly inheritance (v.4). This inheritance is indestructible, nonperishable, unpolluted, and shining. It is a guaranteed inheritance, kept and guarded in heaven for each of us who believe and received Christ’s resurrection gift of new birth.

3. A powerful shield (v.5). Until the day we claim our heavenly inheritance, God has promised to provide us with living hope and shielded with His power. This powerful shield is ours if we live by faith in the living resurrected Christ. The apostle Paul instructs us to use this shield of faith to “extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (Ephesians 6:16).

In verse 8, Peter portrays these “new birth” giftings, received in our relationship with Jesus, as filling our lives with “inexpressible and glorious joy.”

Peter then concludes his hymn of praise in verse twelve by saying that our salvation is such an amazing event that “Even angels long to look into these things.” The New Living Translation is even more descriptive. “It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.” 

Can you imagine that? The angels are in the very presence of God’s heavenly glory and majesty and yet they “long to look into these things” concerning our salvation. The Greek word for “look into” means to “stoop down to take a peek.”

God’s “salvation” gift to us is so awesome that it amazes the heavenly angels. And with eager curiosity they continually peek into this wonderful salvation which had been declared by the prophets, revealed by the Holy Spirit, and is now available for all who will believe in the resurrected Jesus and receive his gift of “new birth into a living hope.” 

Pondering this amazing gift to us, has me singing a beautiful hymn written by George Beverly Shea.

The Wonder of It All

(1) There’s the wonder of sunset at evening, The wonder as sunrise I see;

But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul – Is the wonder that God loves me.

(Refrain)

O the wonder of it all, the wonder of it all – Just to think that God loves me!

O the wonder of it all, the wonder of it all – Just to think that God loves me!

(2)  There’s the wonder of spring-time and harvest, The sky, the stars, the sun;

But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul – Is a wonder that’s only begun.

<><><><><> 

Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 5/15/24

Becoming A Blanket of LOVE

Each year as Mother’s Day appears on our calendar, I remember an event at a chaplain’s luncheon meeting that I attended many years ago. Our event leader introduced the devotional time with a reading of “The Crazy Quilt of Life” written by Barbara Battin and published in Women Psalms.

“In the pattern of God’s purpose, we are stitched together in caring and community:  scraps of the lingering past, fragments broke from future’s dearest hopes; textures of disappointment and dreams, prints of pain and promise:  calico and corduroy, stripes, silks, and satins – all the colors of emotion and experience are sewn into a crazy quilt of life, patched together and transformed into a blanket of love… and our compassion comforts a cold and hurting world.”  

I think “a blanket of love” is an accurate, beautiful description of what God intends every community of persons to be in our world. And because my mother was to me a blanket of love, I am reminded of this quote each Mother’s Day.

Mother Teresa is quoted as saying, “I am a pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.”  Whether we speak of being a love-writing pencil or part of a blanket of love, we are declaring that God created us to be His means of loving the world.

I gratefully thank God every day for those many persons who care about others and will go out of their way and take the time to enrich the life of another with love. There simply is no greater reward of worth and satisfaction than that given to those who sincerely care about others and relate to them with loving words and works.

William Sloane Coffin says that “There is no smaller package in the world than a man wrapped up in himself.”  Probably we all can think of someone who would fit that description. And my guess is that they are individuals we try to ignore or avoid in our life because they are not fun people to be around. And, if you happen to get stuck working beside such an individual it makes for a long stressful workday.

That should be enough motivation for all of us to be deliberate in our efforts to not become such a “small” person. It should encourage us to always remember the instructive words of Brother Lawrence when he said, “We must not grow weary of doing little things for the love of God, who looks not on the great size of the work, but on the love in it.”

Brother Lawrence is echoing the apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatian Christians, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for in the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (6:9-10).

And the disciple, John, in his first letter writes, “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (3:18).

My plea and prayer are for all of us who claim to be Jesus’ followers, to sincerely try to be stitched together as a “blanket of love” in our community, bringing much needed comfort to this cold world of emotional, physical, and spiritual distresses. The payoff is priceless, meaningful, and ever so satisfying. In fact, such loving behavior has the promise of heavenly reward.

A song I remember as a youth is “I Would Be Like Jesus.”  It has an easy, rhythmic melody and made an impression on my young life that guided me through the teen years and still does. These are the words:

1)  Earthly pleasures vainly call me – I would be like Jesus; nothing worldly shall enthrall me – I would be like Jesus.

Refrain:

Be like Jesus – this my song – in the home and in the throng, be like Jesus all day long!  I would be like Jesus.

2)  He has broken ev’ry fetter – I would be like Jesus; that my soul may serve Him better – I would be like Jesus.

<><><><><> 

Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 5/8/24

Is It Just Jesus And You?

During my earlier years, I enjoyed the music of gospel quartets singing “On the Jericho Road, there’s room for just two, No more and no less, just Jesus and you.”  And the easy melody and words continue to resound in my mind and memory.

Even though the song has many worthy statements of faith, I do not believe that “just Jesus and you” is a biblically correct statement or thought? According to the Apostle Paul, God’s purpose for Christian believers is to share life together within a body of interdependent members. “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’  And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’”  (1 Cor. 12:21).

And in his letter to “God’s holy people in Ephesus,” Paul teaches that the Christian community should be so different and distinctive in character from the world community that the world notices and is attracted. He makes it clear that the difference is about the way the community lives together in LOVE and readily shares that LOVE within the community.

In the passage, 4:25 through 5:2, Paul gives precise directions for living this new transformed life given us in accepting Jesus’ salvation and lordship. These directives involve putting away certain things and putting on new attitudes and behaviors that imitate God’s ways of LOVE in caring for us.

Paul first directive is to stop lying and “speak truthfully to your neighbor.”  Why? “for we are all members of one body.”  As Christians, we are connected as siblings, being children in God’s family. What hurts you, hurts me, and vice versa. And all lying, demeaning, and disregard in our speech and lifestyle, always deeply hurts others.

And even though we may not speak lies, we may speak truth so bluntly and unloving that the relationship with the other is deeply wounded. Paul makes it noticeably clear that whenever we speak, love must always fully bathe our words and manner. Before speaking, we must always ask ourselves how we can best express truth in the most loving way.

The old children’s verse, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is not true. The older we become the more we realize that words do indeed painfully hurt. And hurtful words coupled with hurtful actions are much more painful than “sticks and stones.”  The sting of hurtful words and actions can remain with us for years.

Secondly, “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.”  Why? Because this will give the devil a foothold in your life and cause you to damage or destroy a relationship you have with another. We know that holding onto anger becomes a seething bitterness and most likely will break out in wrath-filled action toward others.

Thirdly, stop stealing. Why? Because stealing is selfish and sinful. And instead of stealing, Christians “must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.” The Christian’s heart is changed and becomes more generous and wanting to add to the life of others, not take or steal from them.

In summary, Paul says, “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

As children of God, we are to imitate Him. God is love, and our whole life, attitude, and actions, should be characterized by love. This means putting the needs of others before own; wanting and working for the best in others, being patient and kind, hoping and believing in others. This God-like love is much more than the soupy sentimentality of “just Jesus and you.”

When Christ was preparing to leave this earth, He said to His followers, “A new command I give you:  Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  (John 13:34-35).

Instead of traveling the Jericho road with “just Jesus and you” let us be as “Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod; For I’m a part of the family, The family of God.” And joyously singing “We’re marching to Zion, Beautiful, beautiful Zion. We’re marching upward to Zion, The beautiful city of God.” 

The biblical scriptures assure us that the “Jesus” highway is broad enough to allow all of God’s people to march together, side by side, helping one another on the way to the Father’s house. Amen! Let us do it!

<><><><><> 

Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 5/1/24