Friday, July 18, 2008

Leap into the deep

Today’s Reading: John 13:37-38(NIV)
37 Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!”

Good morning!

Have you ever felt led to take a leap of faith to accomplish something vitally important, only to have it come back and bite you in the caboose? Some call this exercise trial and error. Retrospect can be revealing, even alarming as we try to sort out the things we say and do.

I don’t know about all of you, but this is certainly the story of my life. At some point, one has to leap into the deep if they intend to test their survival skills. We won’t know our true potential unless we are willing to risk the possibility that we may very well fail. It is far easier to not try at all than to take a flying leap. I don’t always see that brick wall coming, even when it is only inches from my face. Do you run into brick walls, like I do? Choices have consequences. Can you see how the choices you make today will affect the lives of those around you in the years to come?

Peter was alarmed at Jesus’ words. He couldn’t possibly understand why the disciples couldn’t follow Him right then and there. Impulsively and without hesitation, Peter exclaimed that he would lay his life down for the Lord he loves. Jesus knew Peter so much better than Peter knew himself. Jesus knew that even with the best of intentions, Peter would fail to keep his word. He wasn’t yet ready or equipped to leap into the deep. Jesus knew that in Peter’s impulsiveness, he would become discouraged, disgusted, and yes, even devastated by his rash decision. Christ encouraged Peter to look beyond his own human weakness, and learn to rely more fully upon Christ’s presence and power. If Peter could simply let go and step out of His way, Jesus could work great things in and through him. How do you think Peter learned to let go and let God?

A leap of faith is never easy. We can be our own worst enemies, getting in the way of the Holy Spirit; trying to make things happen the way we want it to, rather than how God wills it into being. If we can simply learn to let go of our own desires and let God move in and through us, taking a leap into the deep might not be quite so scary. We will find that in Christ, through Christ, and by Christ, we will live, and move and have our being. Isn’t this awesome news on a day just like today?
Who’s in control of your life? Are you willing to leap into the deep for Jesus?

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, July 17, 2008

Everlasting hope

Today’s Reading: John 13:36-37(NIV)

36 Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus replied, "Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later."

Good morning!

Standing under a large oak tree yesterday afternoon, just inside the gates of the College MoundCemetery, I could feel the Texas breeze blowing gently against my face. I viewed many stone markers of friends who have gone on before me; people I had come to know and love while living in the College Mound parsonage some thirty years ago. I marveled at the beauty of this sacred space; the rolling hills lined with remembrances of the faithful - people who had lived and worked and loved each other right here at the College Mound United Methodist Church just outside of Terrell, Texas. I closed my eyes and imagined what it would be like here when the trumpet sounds and their graves would suddenly open, their physical bodies bursting forth from ash and dust, rising up to meet our Lord in the sky. What a wonderful sight to behold! His promises are faithful and true. One day, it will happen, just as the Father has said.

Last night, I stood in the beautiful sanctuary of the First United Methodist Church of Dallas, Texas, remembering our dear friend and pastor, Rhymes. How I miss him, even today. His servant leadership and walk with the Lord inspire me to go deeper daily in faith. He trusted Jesus in all things, in life and in death. Rhymes was a willing and faithful servant here on earth, and I look forward to hugging his neck and thanking Him for the example he set when I reach heaven’s holy ground. I reflected upon the many who have gone on before me, and their legacy of faithful service that they have left to our continuing nurture and care. May we yearn to follow in their footsteps, as we serve the Savior of the world.

Jesus told Simon Peter that where He was going, he could not follow now, but he would follow later. We have a future with hope; Christ is our eternal destiny; and in Him, there is everlasting life. Do you know 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, July 16, 2008

MUSTGO

Today’s Reading: John 13:34-35(NIV)

34 [Jesus said,] “A new command Igive you: Love one another. As I haveloved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are mydisciples, if you love one another.”

Good morning!

“What’s for dinner, Mom?” It seems to be the question of the hour, especially when tiny growling tummies are waiting for Mom to come through the garage door into the kitchen. The anticipation of dinner time is sometimes even better than the actual meal, especially when Mom is not a gourmet chef. Our children would have been happy had I said the word “PIZZA!” every night. And if my husband had it his way, he could have eaten pizza every night. We have an adult son who now manages a well-known fast food franchise that serves pizza twenty-four hours a day. Dad knows exactly who to call when he wants “pizza” for dinner. You should have seen their beaming faces droop when the answer to the question of what’s for dinner was the word MUSTGO. What is MUSTGO, you ask? Simply stated, “It must go.” Leftover nights were not nearly so popular. It meant that Mom might warm up left over vegetables from the night before, adding a salad and some fresh fruit to the table fare. Maybe Sunday’s barbecued chicken would be served cold, with extra paper towels for those messy little fingers. I don’t know why MUSTGO was such a dreaded word. Some foods taste better the next day, and why waste it? My favorite MUSTGO was cold meat loaf sandwiches on thick wheat bread. Now that’s a meal you can sink your teeth into.

Whenever I would hear their moans and, I would encourage my children to pretend they were enjoying these leftover delicacies for the very first time. Remember how good the barbecue smelled on Sunday? Remember how much you liked the broccoli with Mommy’s homemade cheese sauce? Remember? Reminiscing seems to prepare the palate for a mouth-watering morsel. MUSTGO might actually be okay tonight. In fact, it might taste pretty good! Of course, if this didn’t work, I could always remind them of all the starving children around the world. And, when that failed, the choice to eat and enjoy or go to bed without dinner became a viable option. Yes, I confess I said it and meant it.

When Jesus told the disciples that He was giving them anew commandment, it wasn’t really new. He wanted His disciples to really love each other, like He loves them. This love is a radical remix of the most wonderful gift the Father has ever given to the world. We love not when we extend trite lip service without action. Love is not real when we mutter mean-spirited comments under our breath orbehind our brother’s backs. Genuine love is not some show. Jesus was serving up a little MUSTGO that night, insisting that unhealthy attitudes and preconceived notions needed to stop now. Prejudice and judgmental behaviors MUST GO.

Genuine love does not grow stale with time. It is fresh and new each day, and it tastes marvelous because it is really REAL. When we choose to follow Jesus Christ, we MUST GO into all the world, loving each other the same way He loves each of us. Come and taste the real deal; we’re having MUSTGO today!

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, DebSpaulding

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, July 15, 2008

One day soon

Today’s Reading: John 13:33(NIV)

33 [Jesus said,] “My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me, and, just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going you cannot come.”

Good morning!

“Daddy, take me with you!” I remember standing at the back screen door with tears streaming down my cheeks. I wanted to go with my father. Every week day morning at 6:30am, Daddy would walk out the back door of our home with his tool belt, lunchbox and thermos in hand, tossing his stuff into our family’s tan, four-door Chevrolet automobile. I could see him wave goodbye to Mommy and me from the back door. Daddy was gone all day long and I had no idea where he was going. One morning, I was determined to be ready and waiting when Daddy got up to leave. I put my raincoat and boats on over my pajamas. With hair still in rollers and my favorite doll tucked snugly underneath my arm, I made a makeshift bed with pillows just in front of Daddy’s bedroom door, and listened for the morning alarm clock to sound. When Daddy emerged from the bedroom that morning, he nearly tripped over my tiny body, sleeping peacefully on the hallway carpet. “I’m ready to go with you, Daddy!” I exclaimed with a yawn. He smiled, gave me a hug and said, “I wish I could take you with me, honey, but you cannot go with me today.” “Can I go with you tomorrow, Daddy?” I asked, wondering whether He would ever agree to let me tag along. Daddy bent over and kissed my cheek while patting my head. “One day, soon,” he whispered in my ear.

Jesus had spent the last three years of his life teaching about the kingdom of God. He formed close relationships with the twelve disciples who left everything to follow Him. Jesus cared for the women who daily cared for the needs of His mission team. They followed and listened to His every word, yearning to know and understand all that Christ said and did. More than anything else, they longed to go with Him, wherever He went. How totally devastating it must have been for his friends and family to hear Jesus say, “I am only with you for a little while longer… and where I am going, you cannot come.”

It was the coldest January day on record according to the National Weather Service in 1996. Daddy had carried the kitchen trash outside, walking across eight inches of frozen snow covering the back yard. When he didn’t come back inside, Mom peered out the back door to see if she could see where Daddy had disappeared. His footprints stopped short of the edge of our driveway, where Daddy had met Jesus Christ face to face. His earthly walk ended that evening in the new fallen snow. His someday with the Lord had come, as Daddy crossed over from this life’s journey into His eternal rest. How my mother longed to go with him that night; how she hated being left behind. Kneeling on the cold hard ground weeping, she heard the words of Jesus whisper in her heart, “One day, soon, honey.”

There will come a day when we will take the step that leads us from here to eternity. May Jesus Christ find us ready and waiting for Him when He returns one day soon.

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, July 14, 2008

Surreal moments

Today’s Reading: John 13:31-32(NIV)

31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in Him. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will glorify the Son in Himself, and will glorify Him at once.”

Good morning!

Have you ever looked back on an experience in life and felt that it was a surreal moment captured in time? Today is definitely one of those days for me. Twenty-seven years ago, on July 14, 1981, my husband and I were living in Terrell, Texas, about forty miles east of Dallas. He was a seminary student at Perkins School of Theology at SMU and I was employed as a church administrative assistant for a local Disciples of Christ Church. At 6am, the sun was just coming up over the hillside, and we were driving into the city together, eagerly anticipating the birthday celebration to come. At 12:51pm that afternoon, our son Benjamin took his very first breath of air in the delivery room of Medical City Hospital in Dallas, Texas. He was absolutely perfect, tipping the scales at 7 pounds 12 ounces and 22 inches long. Bald as a bucket, with big beautiful blue eyes, we were smitten with our newborn cabbage patch kid. Today, Jeff and I will return to Dallas, to celebrate this special day together and remember with joy the precious gift of life that was given to us twenty-seven years ago today.

While we are there, we plan to visit the College Mound United Methodist Church in Terrell. This congregation really knew how to love a student pastor’s family. They were so good to us! We were very young then, with a new family and a dream of one day graduating and returning to our Missouri home for our first full-time pastoral appointment. Wide-eyed with anticipation of what the future would hold, we loved the time we spent at College Mound; these were moments of growth and change for all of us. We hope to catch up to some of our old friends, meet some new people, and enjoy some time revisiting an important part of our family’s history. Surreal moments are important measurements in the days of our lives.

There was no doubt Jesus knew where He was going. He knew things were about to change forever, not only for Himself, but for a dying world. Looking back, Jesus remembered where He had been and His purpose in coming. The events of the next forty-eight hours would change the course of earthly life forever. He was anticipating going home, taking His last breath on earth and His first new breath in heaven. His vision was clear; and His mind was made up. Jesus was standing on the cusp of a surreal and holy moment, purposefully stepping up into the Father’s master plan in obedience and with holy, perfect love.

As we remember the love of our Savior today, may our lives glorify the man in the glory, Jesus Christ, the One who willingly laid down His life for you and me. How will you choose to celebrate your new birth day? Will you join me in glorifying and praising our Lord?

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.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Foiled schemes

Today’s Reading: John 13:27-30(NIV)

27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. “What you are about to do, do quickly,” Jesus told him, 28 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

Good morning!

Ah, the plot thickens! Satan thinks he has it all figured out. Somehow, he believes if he can just kill the Son of Man, he will bring God’s plan of salvation to an abrupt halt. What Satan didn’t seem to understand, was the importance of Christ’s death to the Master’s plan. Satan’s scheme was foiled again. He played right into the Master’s holy hand.

We can try to blame Judas’ poor judgment on Satan, the great deceiver. We can say with some assurance that “the devil made him do it,” but the harder truth is recognizing that Judas allowed himself to be used by evil for evil. I don’t think that was Judas’ original intent. If he thought he could simply push the Savior into a confrontation with the Roman authorities, then Christ would rise up as a great warrior, revealing Himself as the true Son of the Living God. I think Judas wanted the world to believe in Jesus Christ.

But maybe his true motivation went even deeper than this. Judas wanted proof positive for his own disbelief. He was uncomfortable with Jesus’ teachings on possessions and how people should handle the gifts they’ve been given in life. Living a completely selfless life seems foreign to one who struggles daily with self-centered motivations and domineering pride. Did Judas want Christ to be raised up for the Father’s glory alone? Do we?

Have you ever prayed a selfish prayer? Christian believers today are living in what theologians have coined the “Church Age,” and many are looking toward the heavens waiting with eager anticipation for Christ to fulfill His promise to return to the earth for His redeemed. Have you ever wondered whether we might be pushing God to act before His appointed time? Is it wrong for us to want heaven’s kingdom on earth now, rather than later? Is there not just a little bit of Judas’ selfish motivation running rampant in each and every one of us?

Today, I am particularly grateful that God continues to foil every human scheme with His perfect love. His ways are greater than our ways, His plan is so much more than we can comprehend. Your will, O Lord - I pray this prayer today. I will wait patiently for You, knowing that Your divine plan for my life is the only direction I need. Teach me to honor You as I submit to the authority of Your Word. Protect my heart from the subtle deceit of the evil one. Open my eyes Lord today, in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

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.