Saturday, March 07, 2009

A breath of fresh air

Today’s Reading: John 20:22-23 (NIV)

22 And with that, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.

Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV)

[Jesus said,] 14 “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Good morning!

Grudge bearing seems to be a popular human pastime. Have you ever held something against someone? Maybe it was something they did or said that hurt you, and you were never able to let go of it completely. While we may not think of it as a lifelong hobby, it is interesting to count the cost of unforgiveness. I challenge you to a test: for the next twenty-four hours, I want you to be keenly aware of passing thoughts and comments that you think and make about others. Make a mental note of the times you recognize that you are still holding a grudge. Count it up and send me an email with a number in the header - no explanation is necessary. I will tally the results and post them in my blog. You see, trust issues run deep in every human heart, and with a good reason. It is hard to rebuild trust with someone who has let you down.

Do you think this is what Jesus means - that when we hold on to the things of our past, we are living with unforgiveness in our hearts? He was clear when He told his disciples, “If you do not forgive men their sins, they are not forgiven.” He also said, “If you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” OUCH! Grudge bearing is obviously not good for our physical, emotional and spiritual health. When we get angry and hold on to that internal resentment, we will let it eat away at the lining of our stomachs, causing us to suffer from ulcers and indigestion. We can suffer with stress or migraine headaches. We become so tired from carrying that grudge that maybe we choose to stay home and sleep, and not re-engage with the world around us. Grudge bearing makes us cynical, pessimistic, and can eventually lead to feelings of hopelessness and fear. Sounds like fun, huh? When we weigh the cost of holding on to things that should have been forgiven long ago, our hurts can literally eat us alive.

It is difficult to understand why Jesus would go to the lengths He did to suffer so and die on a cross of shame to save you and me from our sin, when we still have the freedom to choose whether or not we will forgive each other. When I hold back forgiveness from a family member, friend, or neighbor, it is as if I am personally re-attaching Christ to the cross with my nails of unforgiveness. I imagine His heart breaks every time I become uppity and stubborn, unwilling to forgive. Maybe my neighbor’s sin won’t be forgiven; but neither will I. If we are to learn how to love like Jesus loves us, then we must be willing to forgive each other, and let the great pastime of grudge bearing go once and for all.

No wonder we need His holy breath to help us. I know that I am incapable of forgiveness all by myself. It takes something greater than anything I’ve got to offer, to help me let go of the hurts and the pain that I’ve endured along the way. I need the living breath of God flowing in and through me each day, so that when I pray and ask the Lord for His forgiveness, He will not only forgive me but will help me completely forgive others.

A new breath of fresh air is just a prayer away. Are you willing to set aside your pastime and choose to really forgive? I’ll see you this weekend at the altar of Faith Church. We can pray for each other and begin to fully experience the miracle of forgiveness through our Lord.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2009, 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, March 06, 2009

One holy breath

Today’s Reading: John 20:21-22a (NIV)

21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that, He breathed on them.

Good morning!

It was a surreal moment, almost like reliving a crazy dream. I stood at the window of the NICU at St. John’s Mercy Medical Center, looking through the plate glass at my newborn grandson, Joshua David. He was in such a hurry to be born. Our daughter Rachel went into premature labor in her twenty-eighth week of pregnancy, then spent one month in-patient trying to postpone an early childbirth. Her physicians had done everything within their power to keep Rachel’s labor at bay. But on the morning of July 20th in week thirty-two, Rachel gave birth to her son. Joshua David tipped the scales at five pounds, a good size for a child born in the seventh month. His lungs were underdeveloped, but functioning. He needed help breathing, so his physicians placed him on a ventilator. I watched the air push in and out, forcing his tiny chest to rise and fall. I remember thanking the Lord for His sweet breath of life over that child. One week later, Joshua was off the ventilator and breathing on his own.

The first time I held that precious baby boy in my arms, I could feel the air push from his tiny nostrils onto my skin. I couldn’t help but remember the month I spent in that NICU with my own baby boy. David had been born three weeks premature; suffering with a serious lung infection and a birth defect that was adversely affecting his body to function properly. In 1985, baby heart monitors for premature infants had not yet been approved for home use. When we took David home from the hospital, I laid him in the bassinet next to my bed, and I would sleep on my belly, with one hand on his chest, so that I could feel him breathing all night long. I don’t think I slept much the first six months of David’s life.

Joshua went home with a baby monitor, and what a blessing that was! We could put him in his crib and hear his every move, even from the other room. If his heart rate dropped or if he forgot to breathe, an alarm would sound and we would know to go pick him up, reminding Joshua to take a breath. Sometimes babies do forget to breathe. And we know that the breath of life is an essential and necessary element in order to live.

Jesus knew His disciples were scared. There they were, held up together in the upper room, the last place they had spent significant time with their Lord. They were afraid to go outside the walls for fear of retaliation, failure, and death. Breathing had become a labor of love, as they tried to hide from their adersaries. Jesus came with a greeting of peace. And as He spoke the Word, a holy hush fell across the room just like a warm, woolen blanket keeps you warm on a cold winter’s day. Softly, He said, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that, Jesus breathed on them the breath of new life. His breath became their lifeline, just as the ventilator was the lifeline for my son and grandson in the NICU. Apart from Christ’s holy life breath, we cannot breathe adequately on our own. We need to be hooked up with His breath of life for it is only His breath that sustains and gives us courage to move forward. One holy breath was enough to give the Disciples the strength they needed to step beyond the secure walls of the upper room and go out into the world, just as Jesus commanded them.

Do you need Jesus Christ to breathe a holy breath over your life today? Will it make an everlasting difference between your staying behind in the security of your church’s walls or stepping out into the world to go share the Good News? Lord Jesus, we need Your holy breath right now. Come and breathe on us, sweet breath of God. This is our heart’s desire. Amen.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2009, 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, March 05, 2009

Overjoyed

Today’s Reading: John 20:20 (NIV)

20 After He said this, [Jesus] showed them His hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

Good morning!

What is it like to be overjoyed? I’ve felt that way a few times in my life, and I think you probably have too. I remember the joy I felt when I completed my senior piano recital and prepared for high school graduation. That sense of accomplishment brought great joy to my life. I was definitely joyful the day I walked down the aisle with Jeff after we said “I do.” The delight we shared at the birth of our three children were milestone moments of great joy. I didn’t think having babies could possibly get any better until we experienced the births of our five grandchildren. Overjoyed and overwhelmed are very good words to describe God’s great gift of new life.

The disciples were overjoyed when they saw their Master and friend standing before them. He who had died was now alive and the proof was there, right in front of them! Their hopelessness became true hope. Fear and failure, the guilt of the “what ifs” were obsolete in the proof of Christ’s rising. Everything He had said was true! Sin and death had been conquered on the cross once and for all and the gates of hell would never be the same again.

Do you remember how you felt the first time you realized that Jesus had died just to save you? I have a distinct recollection of a prayer I prayed one day all by myself in the sanctuary of my church. I was thirteen years old; mother was at a meeting and I was spending time waiting for her to finish. As long as I can remember, I’ve always been drawn into the sanctuary; it is such a great place to spend quiet time, thinking and praying. Of course, the sanctuary had a piano and organ that I had permission to play, and sometimes, I would go there just to sing and play love songs for my Lord.

From the time I was a little girl, I knew that Jesus loved me. Yet, on that incredibly wonderful day, I realized that Jesus loved me enough to die for me, and if I had been the only person in the world needing salvation, He would have come back just to save me. It is hard to understand the depth of the Father’s love; how He would give His Only begotten Son to die on a cross of sin and shame to save us from ourselves. Overwhelmed might be a better word to describe what I felt in the sanctuary that day. I remember laughing and crying; grieving and rejoicing all at the same time. There were waves of sheer delight, followed with moments of deep sorrow. It was as if I reached out and touched the scars on Jesus’ hands. I could see the life giving blood of the Lamb pouring down from the cross, covering my sin and cleansing me from all unrighteousness. In that holy moment, I was overjoyed and overwhelmed with God’s gift of love.

I have discovered that the mercies of the Lord are new every day. I remember that first time; yet, I experience His resurrection over my life every morning. I still become overjoyed and overwhelmed with Christ’s love. I do not deserve His mercy and yet, I’m just so thankful for it! When I come into the Lord’s presence in prayer and praise, Jesus meets me there with open arms. Christ will meet you too, wherever you are. He knows you by name. Jesus carried every single sin you’ve ever committed to the cross so that you would not have to live today, tomorrow, or forever in total separation from Him. Jesus knows you and He loves you, and He waits for you to open your heart and experience the overwhelming joy that comes with an intimate relationship with your Savior.

Feeling a little overjoyed this morning? It is a great way to start the day. Come, and let us worship the Lord together.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2009, 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, March 03, 2009

Peace

Today’s Reading: John 20:19 (NIV)

19 On the evening of the first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

Good morning!

It was anything but peaceful on the week that Jesus rose from the grave. Roman soldiers assigned to guard the tomb were punished for allowing the “dead” prisoner to escape. Rumors were flying all around the city as the Sanhedrin made inquiries and sought out potential grave robbers. All of Jesus’ closest friends and family were in imminent physical danger. They found themselves hiding away out of the public purview, confused by all that had occurred. The disciples wanted to believe Mary, and hoped that they would get to see their beloved Jesus alive! Still, they wondered how all this could have possibly happened.

Deep down inside, they knew it was true. Jesus told them what would happen, that the Son of Man would be handed over to evil men who would kill him, and on the third day He would rise again. Yet, it was their fear that kept them locked behind closed doors, unwilling to share what they knew to be true. Fear has a way of keeping the truth bottled up. Have you ever remained silent to protect your heart from the harsh judgment of others?

It is often easier to keep matters of faith tucked away where others cannot get to it, to pick it apart, like vultures looking for fresh meat. If any of you have ever shared your faith on a social networking site or group email, then I am certain you understand the vulnerability that comes with taking a stand, whether it be on a particular theological view or a social justice issue. We fear that our words will come back to bite us, that others might develop some preconceived notion of who we are and, as a result, accept us into their circle of friends. We are labeled by religious tags, which tend to build walls rather than break them down. If we cannot find the courage to share our faith with others, how will others ever learn about the amazing love of God the Father through His Son, Jesus Christ?

When Jesus came and stood among the disciples, He said, “Peace be with you.” Their every fear simply melted away in the presence of Jesus. It is in Christ’s presence daily, that we find strength and courage to go into the world, and share His message with others. Do not let fear keep you locked behind closed doors. Free your heart for service today. Choose to walk in Christ’s peace. It is His peace that passes all human understanding.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2009, 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, March 02, 2009

New birth day party!

Today’s Reading: John 20:18 (NIV)

18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that He had said these things to her.

Good morning!

My mother and I attended a birthday party on Saturday for our granddaughter and great-granddaughter Emily Maria, who is celebrating her fifth year milestone. Do you remember what it was like to turn five years old? We partied at Monkey’s Joe’s, which I would simply categorize as bounce heaven for children of all ages! Some of the bouncing bubbles made me so dizzy watching that I had to look away. Emily and Rory came down a slide together and the velocity had them going so fast that when they reached the end of the slide, they collided and left bright pink goose-eggs on each other’s foreheads. Daddy got it all on film. Why do children love to bounce and go fast? Of course, as the excitement level rose, so did the noise level on the play ground. Personally, I was especially grateful for the soundproof party room. It made for a nice retreat from the chaos occurring just beyond the window.

Princess Emily sat perched in the large party chair, as her friends and family gathered round the picnic tables below. She got to meet Monkey Joe in person, who gave her a high-five and a new yellow Monkey Joe’s t-shirt! We ate birthday cake and drank apple juice, while enjoying our party bag full of trinkets. Emily enjoyed her presents – everything from clothes to My Little Pony, to an oversized Easter bunny for her room! The delight and pure joy captured on Emily’s face pretty much said it all. She was ecstatic in this moment!

Mary was celebrating a brand new birth day too. She had seen the Lord and His physical presence in her life had simply overwhelmed her! What Mary could have only hoped for in her wildest dreams had just come true. And just like the perfect birthday present, Mary saw her Lord in the garden, alive and well! He is alive! She ran, bouncing down the sidewalk into the city. Breathless and shaking, she found the disciples and shouted, “I have seen the Lord!” And she began to tell them what she knew to be true.

Now this is one party I do not intend to miss. Can you imagine how perfectly wonderful it will be when we hear the trumpets sound and look up to see Jesus returning on the clouds for you and me? What an amazing new birth day party this will be! He is coming back soon, and this is one eternal celebration we will never ever forget.

And I thought turning five was fun!

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2009, 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.