Saturday, February 23, 2008

Marching orders

Today’s Reading: John 7:33-34(NIV)

33 Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I go to the One who sent me. 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”

Good day!

When I was a little girl, I wanted to go to work with my daddy. He got up at 6am each morning. I can remember listing to the sounds of KMOX® Radio crooning on the air waves every day. The first song I would hear was the Lord’s Prayer, followed by a John Philip Susa patriotic march. In the first five minutes of the 6am hour, we received our marching orders for the day. We learned that the first order of business was to pray, and the second, to march right out of bed and get ready to go to school and work.

I didn’t want daddy to leave me behind, so one dark and chilly morning, I got up before KMOX came on the air. I grabbed my coat and boots and put them on over my pajamas. I carried my pillow and doll to the doorway in front of my parents’ bedroom, where I laid down and went back to sleep. I remember how my parents laughed at me when they emerged from their sleeping chamber and saw me on the floor. I didn’t think it was funny. It’s a wonder they didn’t trip over me stumbling into the bathroom! I really wanted to go with him, but it wouldn’t have been safe for him to take me to the construction site. I thought I was ready to go, but it was obviously not the right time.

The disciples yearned to go where Jesus was going, and He understood their deepest need. Jesus reminded them that He would only be with them a short while in the flesh before returning to the One who had sent Him. Jesus said that one day, they would look for Him but would not find Him, because where He is, they could not yet come.

We search for Him, crying out to the One who gives us new life. We often forget that He finds us first, and it is in His love that we are drawn closer to Him each day. If you are seeking the risen Christ this morning, I have good news for you! You wouldn’t be looking for Him if He had not already sought you out. That means that He is right here, right now! Look up and see your salvation smiling back at you! Jesus Christ finds us first. He gives us the deep desire to seek His face, following wherever He leads. It’s time to take up our morning marching orders.

Rise and shine, baby! This is the perfect day to follow Jesus Christ.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Vital statistic

Today’s Reading: John 7:28-29 (NIV)

28 Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own, but He who sent me is true. You do not know Him, 29 but I know Him because I am from Him and He sent me.”

Good day!

Which high school did you graduate from? This seems to be a vital statistic for people living in the “Show-Me” state. It is a common thread, linking Midwesterners, particularly Missourians. I am often asked about where I went to high school. My answer will reveal the area in which I grew up, and the social status of my family. I want you to know that I am a proud graduate of McCluer Senior High, class of 1977. What does this say to you about who I am?

The people thought they knew who Jesus was. Many watched this man grow up in Nazareth. He was the son of Joseph and Mary, a carpenter by trade. They questioned his religious training, knowing He had not spent time studying with the religious teachers of the law. Jesus suggested even though they knew where He grew up and who raised Him, they did not know the One who had sent Him. This was a confusing testimony to understand. They asked amongst themselves, “By whose authority had Jesus been sent?”

Remember how Jesus was rejected by His own community? We humans tend to hold preconceived notions about what people will become, based upon their upbringing and culture. While moral and spiritual values (for better or worse) are instilled during our childhood years, the God we serve has all power to transform every heart to a heart that radiates His love. When we know the ultimate transformer, we are not so surprised when the transformation occurs. Jesus said, “I am not here on my own, but He who sent me is true. You do not know Him yet, but I do, because I am from Him and He sent me to you.”

Maybe we should learn to not place so much emphasis where we were raised and educated. Maybe the better question should be, “In whom do you place your faith and hope?” Do you know who Jesus Christ really is? Have you met the One who sent Him here?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Mere appearances

Today’s Reading: John 7:24 (NIV)

24 Stop judging by mere appearances and make a right judgment.

Good day!

We make judgment calls every day. We choose to watch a television show or movie based upon a thirty-second sneak preview, or maybe because we like the lead actor. We select books to read for enjoyment based upon topic or because it has a catchy title and cover page. We develop friendships with people who appeal to our own unique personalities. Some are drawn to outgoing, life-of-the-party people, while others prefer a somewhat subdued and reflective person, who chooses to purposely hold back and quietly observe their environment.

It is not uncommon to be judged by mere appearances at work. If you’ve ever sat through a job interview, then you may relate to how it feels in having several sets of eyes fixed upon you, as you field a variety of questions relating to educational background, general knowledge and work experience. The way you answer these questions and the body language you emit will determine whether you are the “proper” candidate for the open position. At one interview, I was seated in a glass-walled conference room, surrounded by an aesthetically modern and eloquently appointed office space. Employees and guests who were seated near this room could see me from every angle, during the entire interview. Talk about swimming upstream in a virtual fishbowl! I met in that room on three separate occasions before I was offered the position I had applied for. We are judged by mere appearances, which may only be a shadowed reflection of who we truly are.

The Pharisees had passed judgment on Jesus for healing a man on the Sabbath. They contended He broke the law of Moses by choosing to perform miracles on a required day of rest. Christ inquired why it was permissible to circumcise a young child on the Sabbath. This single act signifies the baby’s identity with the body of believers, who is then accepted as a member of God’s covenant people. Why was it not all right to heal the whole man on the Sabbath, bringing him into a right relationship with the Father, and setting him free from the suffering he endured? Jesus demanded that we stop judging others by mere appearance, but take a deeper look and recognize the truth within them.

I am thankful that the Lord who heals me didn’t pass judgment based on mere appearance. He cares enough to go beyond this shallow exterior of mine and He sees straight into the depths of my heart. No greater friend will you ever find than the One who forgives completely, offering a brand new start. Come to Christ today, and let Him love you from the inside out. He will completely transform your life, if you let Him.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

The letter of the law

Today’s Reading: John 7:19 (NIV)

19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?

Galatians 3:14 (NIV)

14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

Good day!

I’m guessing those religious leaders really did not like it when He said that no one keeps the law given by Moses. OUCH! That must have ruffled some self-righteous feathers. I know it shakes me up every time I reread this particular passage of Scripture. And then, of course, Jesus chases it with a question that completely pierces the soul – He asks why they are trying to kill Him. I don’t think the crowd even knew what the Pharisees were thinking about at that particular moment. Isn’t it amazing how Jesus Christ manages to go straight to the heart of the matter? For a man who often talks in parables, He sure knows how to make a point.

We’ve created all these rules to follow. God gave Moses the big Ten and we have somehow managed to expand them into large volumes of ordinances, constitutional amendments, and by-laws. Commentaries have been written on how to uphold the laws that have been put into place throughout the generations. We amend what seemingly no longer applies, looking for loopholes to get around the letter of the law. There is no getting around the law of God. We can try to clean up its language, making it more palatable to our own personal taste. Yet, truth has a way of dispelling the dark. When the crowds came, Christ’s Word cut them to the quick. Some left quickly. Others stood by and grumbled. Some continued to listen and seek out the greater meaning for their lives. There were a few who regretted they had failed to keep God’s law. And some even repented and received Christ’s grace and forgiveness, in spite of themselves.

A little bit of faith goes a long way when it comes to Christ’s redeeming love. For what is impossible with man is possible with God. And while we were stuck in a rut, Christ came to redeem us from our sin. This is Good News indeed for you and me!

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Bigger faith

Today’s Reading: John 7:17-18 (NIV)

17 If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the One who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.

Good day!

When I was a little girl, I used to dream about the day I would grow up and be an adult. Now that I’ve been an adult type for a very long time, I find myself dreaming about being a child again. Is there some strange irony to these brief, fleeting thoughts? Just yesterday, I was reminiscing with a friend about my love of growing up in Missouri. We had four distinct seasons here. Springtime was glorious, with fresh air and blue skies and lots of baby birds chirping wildly from their safe nests tucked between the slats of a trellis amid the thorns of a climbing rose bush. We looked forward to Easter dresses and pretty white bonnets for Sunday morning worship. We hunted eggs in the back yard amid the blooming buttercup daffodils and tulips. Summer time was dreadfully hot, with brilliant blue skies and shade trees bursting forth with sweet fruit. Apples and plums would fall from its branches, just waiting to be consumed by the children who played in its shade. We would go swimming every afternoon, and the refreshing water transformed a hot summer’s day into a virtual festival of warmth and sunlight. The brilliant, bright colors of changing leaves made the fall a beautiful time of year, as they blanketed the virtual playground of our back yard. My grandfather would spend hours raking piles of sweet color for his grandbabies to jump in. The glory of fall was by far, my favorite season of the year. The blanket of white winter snow and the cold north wind made hot chocolate an enticing heavenly drink, especially after building snowmen in the front yard and making snow angels on the ground. The snows were deeper and lasted longer than they do today. Life was so much bigger when I was a little child.

As a parent of adult children who are now raising children of their own, I’m beginning to experience the gift of faith in a whole new way. When our babies were young, we were given an opportunity and responsibility to shape and mold their young hearts, by encouraging them to place their faith in the arms of the Savior. As they grew into young adults, our children began making their own life choices. Parental beliefs are not always popular with the kids. Some embrace faith while others run as far away from it as possible. Parents learn that while we are planting the seeds of faith, we do not have ultimate authority whether our sprouts will grow to their fullest potential in faith or somehow be choked out by the weeds surrounding them.

Christ came to offer new life to all people, knowing some would never accept His teaching or the authority in which He spoke. Because I love my children and want them to experience life with the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, I am given a tiny taste into how our heavenly Father must feel as His children turn a deaf ear to the living Word.

It seems that adults have asked the same question over and over again since the days when our Lord lived in human flesh on earth: Is Jesus Christ the real deal? Is He the fully human yet fully divine Son of the living God? Truth takes on a whole new meaning when truth makes Himself known through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

If we must become like little children again to experience the beauty of a bigger faith, then let it be so, dear Lord, this day.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Higher education

Today’s Reading: John 7:12-13 (NIV)

15 The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having studied?” 16 Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from Him who sent me.”

Good day!

My father was born during the depression, when the necessities of life were scarce and precious commodities. Daddy went to school with his brothers and sisters in a one-room school house four miles from their family farm. His teacher was a distant relative; one of his mother’s cousins. It was there he learned to read and write and work math problems on a small, slate chalkboard. Daddy learned as much as he could and graduated from that one-room school house with an eighth-grade education. Daddy supported his family for forty years as an electrician and carpenter, with the eighth grade education he received.

An eighth grade education will not take you very far by today’s standards. A prospective employee will have a much better opportunity at getting the job they want if they can produce a college degree and continued education (such as a master’s work or specialization studies) on their personal resume. Higher education carries great weight in today’s workplace. One may not have a specific degree for the position to they are applying, but having completed a college degree may make all the difference in being considered for the position. Likewise, not having that degree may very well keep you from the job opportunity you’ve always wanted.

The Jews kept questioning Jesus’ teaching. Some thought He was prophet and others believed He was the Messiah. Jesus’ curriculum vitae did not include having studied at synagogue under the wing of a personal tutor. They wondered how one man could gain so much wisdom without having studied with the best religious teachers in the land. Jesus contended that His teaching was not His own. It came from the Father who had sent Him.

When it comes to higher education, there is no greater instructor than our heavenly Father. We can spend thousands upon thousands of dollars and invest years of study toward the pursuit of degrees and certificates and pieces of paper that confirm we are capable, qualified, and basically certifiable. Someone once said that God does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called. God may choose to use an uneducated, unqualified candidate by cultural standards to spread His Word around the world. He does it all the time throughout Scripture. He does it even today. God will not disqualify you from serving Him simply by what may or may not be written on your personal resume. He looks deeper than the piece of paper you hold in your hand, and chooses to personally examine your heart.

Is the Father preparing you for His kingdom’s work? Can you hear Him calling out your name?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.