Healing Rays of Righteousness

Beverly Sills was a superb and popular soprano opera singer, who died on July 2, 2007. She was also known to be a very joyful and giving person. This is clearly evident in the following story.

Beverly had just completed an outstanding matinee performance, and according to the program, she would give another performance that evening at 8:00. Backstage her loyal fans were congratulating her, when one of them said to her, “You must rest now, because I see that you have to give another performance tonight.”  “No,” said Beverly Sills, “I don’t have to give another performance tonight.”  “Well,” said her fan, “it says here in the program that you have an 8:00 p.m. performance this evening. Did you forget?”  Beverly answered, “Yes, I do have a performance tonight, but I do not have to give it. I get to give it.”

Beverly Sills always felt it was a privilege to be co-laboring with Jesus in blessing people with her singing, and so every musical performance was always a “privilege” and never a “duty.” She never considered it a task to do or a burden to endure. She believed her performance to be co-working with Jesus because she believed that “SINGING” was what God called her to do. And so, always feeling privileged to be yoked with Jesus, she gratefully lived her life SINGING.

In Matthew 11:28-30 we read, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

With these words, Jesus compassionately invites you and me to come to him and find rest, wisdom, and strength for the often difficult and pain-filled journeys of living in a world that frequently challenges our commitment to being faith-filled disciples of Jesus.

It is easy to forget that every difficult situation is also an opportunity to deepen our relationship with Jesus, and to strengthen our trust in him. Yes, Jesus knows our limits of strength and our weaknesses, and invites us to find needed rest by being yoked together with him in our living.

The Greek word for “easy” means “well-fitting” and so I hear Jesus saying, “My yoke fits you well; your work or situation is tailor-made to fit you. Yoke yourself with me, and I will labor with you, making your life easier and your burden lighter.” 

Jesus’ invitation to rest is not the promise of an easy road, but rather of a difficult road made easier because of his being a traveling companion whose wisdom and strength makes the journey more stress-free and restful.

The story of Beverly Sills feeling privileged to be co-laboring with Jesus in blessing others with her SINGING, rightly reminds me that I do not have to love my neighbor. I do not have to share what God has given me. I do not have to feed the hungry, visit the sick, and be a friend to the lonely and dying. I do not have to be kind, compassionate, and considerate of others. As pastor and chaplain, I do not have to preach the “Good News” or minister pastoral care to hurting people at any hour of the day or night.

I do not have to do any of these things, but I am invited to do them as a privilege of being yoked with Jesus in his ministry of loving and serving others. And being yoked with Jesus, God’s gracious love transforms my life and attitude, making my labor and ministry a privilege to do. With the apostle Paul, I now say “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” 

I confess that I have not always viewed my work as being a privilege. My life journey has had its share of dark, difficult, and discouraging times, and my work as pastor and chaplain seemed at times more wearisome obligation than privilege.

But I also can affirm that whenever I would remember Jesus’ invitation and that I was yoked with him, the healing rest I needed flowed into me, making lighter the burden, and transforming my work into a joyous privilege.

I am so grateful to Jesus for his amazing grace in my life and ministry. I now reflect on my many years of being yoked with Jesus in ministry to others as a joyous privilege. And so, I say to you, stay yoked with Jesus. Trust him with your life, and you will forever be glad you did.

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Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 6/12/24

In many ways “being busy” is a blessing. But too much of a good thing often causes life to become pressured and stressful. We may need to slow our pace or increase our “down times” to live relaxed and enjoy living a busy life. But most importantly we need to discipline ourselves to keep in step with Jesus, not racing ahead or dragging behind. This ability is not automatic, we must intentionally practice being fully relaxed and trusting while sitting, walking, or running with Jesus.

I agree with Chuck Swindoll when he said that “A relaxed, easy-going Christian is far more attractive and effective than the rigid, uptight brother (or sister) who squeaks when he walks and whines when he talks.”

I believe the first step toward living a relaxed life with it many expectations and demands, is to regain and strengthen our confidence and trust in God’s presence and purpose. This comes through frequent conversation (prayers) with Him.

Yes, we are often tempted to think we are too busy to pray. But I say that it is in the “being too busy” times of life that we most need to pray. I have learned that no matter how busy I may be there is always time for the “arrow prayer” which is a few words of praise or petition shot like an arrow into the heart of any situation, need, or uncertainty when and wherever it occurs.

It seems to me that many Christians fail to appropriately value the rich resource that prayer is for us. We glibly “say a prayer” at mealtimes and begin our meetings and special event with prayer; and yet, in doing so, we are often more motivated by tradition than by a sincere, genuine desire for God’s presence, wisdom, and power in our midst.

Prayer is one of God’s majestic gifts to us, a gift of gracious privilege, and a gift of tremendous value toward enabling us through life’s busy, uncertain, and often difficult journey. To be privileged to come into the presence of God Almighty and speak with him about what is on our hearts and minds, is a gift of grace. And to be privileged to come into God’s presence as his children, and to have conversation with him as “Our Father” is a privilege of unimaginable worth.

Furthermore, praying opens the gates of heaven for God’s “will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  Prayer connects us to the wisdom, power, and energy of God. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” (Isa. 40:31).

Yes, it is the privilege of every child of God to have this super-natural power and energy of God’s Spirit in their every-day life and work. The biggest challenge for us is to keep our eyes open, our minds alert, and always focused on Jesus. And this can only be accomplished as we give time to diligent, informed, and focused prayers with thanksgiving.

We have many moments throughout every day that could be used as prayer moments for self and for others. Such “in the moment” praying will teach us how to be both busy and relaxed; how to be in flesh the God of peace among a people stressed to pieces.

William Temple is quoted as saying, “When I pray coincidences happen, and when I do not pray, they don’t.”  Mother Teresa said, “Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of containing God’s gift of Himself.”  And Leonard Ravenhill wrote, “The self-sufficient do not pray, the self-satisfied will not pray, and the self-righteous cannot pray.”

Let us always remember Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” God’s love for us and his desire to be in relationship with us is so awesome that it is utterly amazing that it is being offered us. Why then are we so reluctant to come to Him in any busy or stress-filled moment and enjoy the rest and peace He offers us?

John Greenleaf Whittier wrote a beautiful prayer-hymn that I find helpful as my own prayer.

     Dear Lord and Father of mankind, Forgive our foolish ways! Reclothe us in our rightful minds;    

              In purer lives Thy service find;  In deeper reverence, praise.

     Drop Thy still dews of quietness  Till all our strivings cease. Take from our souls the strain and stress  And let our ordered lives confess   The beauty of Thy peace.

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Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 6/5/24

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.

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

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!

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

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.

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

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.

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

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!

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

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8, NIV).

This “Who” that Paul is speaking of, is Jesus. And I believe this to be one of the greatest and most moving passage the apostle Paul ever wrote about Jesus. The amazing truth in these words is so majestic that I hesitate to comment on them, lest I say too little and diminish their power and majesty or say too much and detract from their glorious truth.

This “Who” is the same entity as “the Word” in John’s introduction of Jesus, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. …The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:1, 14).

This “Who” … did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; … made himself nothing.”  Or, as the New Living Translation reads, “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges.” 

This “Who, … made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Yes, “Jesus” laid aside majestic glory and power to become human, just like you and me, and to become a servant to all.

Yes “Jesus,” who had everything, gave it up to become human, to walk where we walk, to fully experiencing what we experience. He who was God, gave up royal rank, privilege, and rights to become a human being with all the limitations, temptations, agonies, disappointments, and griefs that are part of the human situation.

And being human, this “Who, … humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!”  What humiliation. You cannot get any lower in status than death on a cross. Here is God coming into our suffering world and suffering with us. Here is God coming into our world of death and experiencing death with us, and, most importantly, for us.

The story and its truth are so gloriously incredible, so astounding, that we may never fully comprehend it. But that is okay. To be in awe, even puzzled awe, when contemplating God’s coming to us in Christ Jesus, is an appropriate Christian response.

I hope and pray that as you ponder the crucified and resurrected Jesus you will begin to understand in greater measure what was happening and why, and then become so overwhelmed by His love, that you will bow at his feet in confession and adoration, singing, “Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an of-f’ring far too small. Love so amazing, so divine, demands my life, my soul, my all.”        (“When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” – Isaac Watts, 1707) 

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“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – Ray M. Geigley – 4/24/24

Christianity is separated from all other religions by belief that its leader, Jesus Christ, was bodily resurrected from the dead, and that his spirit is now a living presence among his followers. Thus, to counter and destroy Christianity, one must disprove Jesus’ resurrection and aliveness.

Satan knows this and since day one continues to deceive many church leaders and religious scholars into disregarding or distorting the historical facts with various conspiracy theories, such as the one recorded in Matthew 28:11-15. However, none have succeeded because they cannot find Jesus’ dead body as evidence to support their theories.

When I read the story of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, I discover the following “proof-positive” snapshots from the story that provide convincing evidence of Jesus’ bodily resurrection and aliveness.

1. When the two women, both named ‘Mary” came to the tomb early Sunday morning to prepare Jesus’ dead body for decomposition, they came with a broken heart, crushed hope, and resigned to his death. The ugly terror of Friday was over, and the hopeless grief of Saturday was still with them. They came with zero faith that anything could or would change in their relationship with Jesus. He was now and forever dead and gone from their lives.

And so, you can imagine their surprise when they found the tomb entrance open and going inside to find no body. Imagine their stunned bewilderment and fright when asked by two men in dazzling robes, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” (Luke 24:1-5).If you had been there with them, how would you have responded at that moment?

2. We can correctly assume that the Jewish leaders, being faced with evidence of a great spiritual awakening led by Jesus that threatened their proud Judaism, would have anxiously desired to find and expose the dead body of Jesus, and give the lie to this resurrection rumor. But they could not.

3. Under Roman law, the soldiers guarding the tomb would be held accountable for the disappearance of the dead body they were guarding. And the penalty for such negligence and disappearance was imprisonment or death. We can be assured that they would be extremely eager to produce the dead body. But they could not.

4. It is inconceivable to think that the disciples might have stolen the body, as the soldiers were commanded and paid to report. Why? Because at that moment, following the crucifixion, the disciples were a demoralized, defeated, confused, and powerless minority group, hiding in fear of the Roman and Jewish authorities coming to arrest them for being disciples of Jesus.

5. The gospel writer, Luke, who was a knowledgeable physician, wrote a detailed record of Jesus’ life and ministry, telling us in Acts 1:3 that during the forty days after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, the risen Christ “presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. … and spoke about the kingdom of God.” 

6. The reliable physician, Luke, also tells us that when Jesus appeared to his disciples during those forty days before ascending into heaven, it was with the same body that hung from a cross and was put into the tomb. The marks of his physical torture and suffering were still visible on his body, and Jesus invited the disciples to touch his flesh and bones. (Luke 24:36-43).

7. And lastly, Just before his final departure and ascension into heaven, Jesus reminds the disciples that the Scriptures confirm that the crucified and resurrected Messiah was not an adjustment in God’s plan. This was God’s design all along, and everything written about the Messiah in the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled. (Luke 24:44-53).

These several snapshots provide overwhelming evidence that something supernatural occurred in Jesus’ resurrection. And it is amazing to see how God took special care in establishing the truth that Jesus’ resurrected body was a real body and not some illusion, or phantom spirit. So be it, and so it is!

“Lift your glad voices in triumph on high, for Jesus has risen and we shall not die. Vain were the terrors that gathered around him, and short the dominion of death and the grave.” (Henry Ware Jr., 1817)

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“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – Ray M. Geigley – 4/03/24

Gloria and Bill Gaither’s hymn by that title is a beautiful praise/adoration response to Peter’s declaration that “It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, … that this man stands before you healed. … Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:10-12).

“Je-sus, Je-sus, Je-sus! There’s just something about that name! Master, Savior, Jesus! Like the fragrance after the rain. Je-sus, Je-sus, Je-sus! Let all heaven and earth proclaim: Kings and kingdoms will all pass away, But there’s something about that name!”

Zechariah prophesied that the Messiah would enter Jerusalem as triumphant King. “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zech. 9:9).

Paul says that this King’s name is “Jesus” and that this name has life-altering implications. “Jesus” is the name above “every name” and is the name by which “every knee should bow, …and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” (Philippians 2:10-11).

“Jesus” is a name with a specific meaning, and it was given to the child of Bethlehem with that specific meaning in mind. “Jesus” is the Greek parallel to the Old Testament name “Joshua” and literally means “the Lord saves.”   

There are a lot of people who will say that “Jesus” is a great moral teacher. Or that he is a great spiritual guru, just like Buddha, Mohammed, or Mother Earth. Others will say he is an ethical character of a story, as in Aesop’s fables. Still others will say that “Jesus” is nothing more than a swear word. Certainly, none of these understandings of “Jesus” are going to bow a knee to his Lordship or add voice to his Kingdom praise hymns.

Unfortunately, today’s Christianity is not offering much, if any, compelling counter-portraits of “Jesus” to our confused, misguided culture. We who claim to be followers of “King Jesus” need to give more serious attention to Ghandi’s indicting words about Christianity: “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”Although spoken several decades ago, they are even more relevant as an indictment in our present day.

Today, the name “Jesus” is frequently invoked by those who name themselves “Christian” when speaking in favor of certain political issues at the expense of others. Such hypocritical use of the name “Jesus” causes many nonbelievers to assume that while Jesus saves, Jesus saves only straight, pro-life, law-abiding, drug-free, racially white, middle-class, church-attending, American citizens.

That might be some people’s version of Jesus. But it is not the biblical “Jesus” who, journeyed through city and country to offer love and salvation to thieves, hookers, social and religious outcasts, as well as blessing just about everyone he met with healing of mind, body, and spirit, during his three-year ministry on earth.

We so quickly forget that Jesus did not die for the “put-together” people who need no physician nor king. Instead, he died for helpless “train wrecks” like you and me. Even better, the biblical story tells us that “Jesus” would save “whosoever believes” – both the messed-up greedy power-people and the messed-up grieving powerless-people.

Most importantly, followers of “King Jesus” have been invited to honor his Kingship by remembering his suffering, death, resurrection, and “exalted highness” as we share his bread and cup in communion with him and with one another at the King’s table of life and love.

The relevant question during this week of remembering Jesus’ suffering and death is, what do I think about the name “Jesus”? Do I agree that the name “Jesus” means “the Lord saves,” and that anyone can be the recipient of this salvation? Do I believe that confessing “Jesus as Lord” is to acknowledge that he is the person who embodies and enables all that I am and should be in my world of worship, work, and family.

To love the name “Jesus” is to humbly bow and joyfully worship his “exalted highness” as “King Jesus.”  And it is to daily live as “Jesus” people, bringing light, love, and hope into the lives of our neighbors. As followers of “King Jesus” we are commissioned to tell others that the evil powers of Satan may crucify Jesus today, but Jesus’ resurrection from the grave, assures us that he is alive and continues to lift up the fallen, comfort the brokenhearted, and set at liberty those who have been imprisoned. Hallelujah! He is alive!

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“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – 3/27/24 – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – Ray M. Geigley