Coming home today

Today’s Reading: Acts 3:22-23 (NIV)

22 “For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything He tells you. 23 Anyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut off from among His people.’”

Good morning!

I don’t know of anyone who likes being cut off. Technology is great, until it does not work, and then it can be extremely frustrating. My husband has been having some ongoing cell phone issues. If I need to reach him urgently and his phone is not working properly, he may not be able to pick up my voice mail message or page. While we were on vacation last week, I had difficulty transmitting documents online. After we returned home, I discovered I had a far greater issue than mere internet connectivity. My laptop is simply malfunctioning and this has caused a great deal of anxiety with course work coming due. If you’ve ever tried to start your automobile in a parking garage downtown on a cold winter’s day, only to find that your battery is dead and the towing company cannot get to you for at least three hours, then you may understand what it feels like to be totally cut off and standing out in the cold.

We get cut off by our family, especially when disagreements arise. Spouses forget how to communicate their differences of opinion in a loving way, attacking each other with sharp and hateful words. Harsh criticism and hurtful actions will often lead to someone shutting down after a time. I’m sorry to say that I have instigated more hateful conversations than I can count. Fortunately, I’m married to a man who practices daily forgiveness and he continually extends his unconditional love to me, especially when I least deserve it. A short fuse and uncontrolled tongue often gets me in over my head before I realize it. I spend more time repenting for this very thing. That is why I can relate so well to the Apostle Peter. He had a short fuse too, and I am convinced we are definitely related by blood.

Children often clash with their parents, disrespecting their authority over their lives. Sometimes children try to cut their families off, simply out of spite, hurt and resentment, but mostly out of shame. When we choose to cut ourselves off from our family, we hurt ourselves most of all. I often think of how the Prodigal Son ran as far away and as fast as he could, with the gift of his inheritance burning a hole in his back pocket, thinking of no one but himself and his own personal pleasures. When every dime was spent and all seemed totally lost, the son recognized the error of his way and made a conscious decision to seek forgiveness and reconciliation with his dad. What is most touching about this story is not the son’s return, but how the Father reacted when he saw his son coming back. He ran to him, with arms outstretched, welcoming him home with absolutely no hesitation, no harboring of resentment. He held only great love and joy that his son, the one who was so lost, chose to turn around and come home.

If you are feeling cut off from your people today, God has provided a way for you to come home. Through faith in Christ alone, we have the opportunity to repent, turn around, and receive forgiveness for the attitudes and issues that have caused us to be cut off. Harsh words can be forgiven; broken hearts are healed at the foot of Christ’s cross every day. We need to pay close attention and learn to obey the sound instruction of those who have been placed in positions of authority over us, whether it is our parents, spouses, pastors and teachers, and even our employers. As we willingly serve others through Jesus Christ, we can learn how to forgive what seems to be unforgivable in the human realm.

Have you walked away from the God’s authority over your life? Are you ready to come back home? When you take that step of faith and ask Jesus to help you, the Father will run to you with arms outstretched, eager to welcome you back. Just tell Him how sorry you are for the mistakes you’ve made, and ask Jesus to help you daily obey His instruction, trusting Him with your life. You’ll no longer be cut off from the one relationship your heart longs for. Come home to Jesus Christ today.

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.

The river of life

Today’s Reading: Acts 3:21 (NIV)

[Peter said,] 21 “He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as He promised long ago through His holy prophets.”

Good morning!

When I was a little girl in grade school, my music teacher taught us a song of about the Erie Canal. It’s funny how a few words and a melody stays with you through the years. Do you remember the words? It was written in 1905 by Thomas S. Allen after the Erie Canal converted from “mule power” to “engine power.” The canal runs through the cities of Utica, Rome, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo. Fifteen miles was about all a mule could do in a day to pull the heavy barges down the channel. Once the boats became “self-propelled,” they could move much faster from city to city.

I stood on top of a low bridge overlooking the Erie Canal lock last week while visiting Rochester, New York. For folks who hitched rides on the barges that floated along the canal, they would be forced to duck their heads when passing underneath the bridges. As we drove in the car to the lock that morning, we reminisced about the time-honored folk song that we learned in school, teaching us about the rich tradition and history of the infamous Erie Canal. Sing the words of the chorus with me:

Low bridge, everybody down! Low bridge, for we’re coming to a town.

And you’ll always know your neighbor, and you’ll always know your pal,

if you’ve ever navigated on the Erie Canal.

We walked onto the tiny fishing pier near the lock. I watched a gentleman play with an electronically controlled toy sailboat floating along the water’s edge. I photographed a family of ducklings, obediently following their mother as she climbed the muddy banks from the river onto the grass. Two of the tiny ducklings kept sliding in the mud, falling back into the water, eventually finding some solid traction with their webbed feet. I imagine pulling the mules down the canal each day would have been a very slippery and muddy job indeed.

Time passes as we travel down life’s canal. The barges do not stay in one place very long. They are continually moving, carrying much needed supplies to all the people. There is a distinct rhythm and motion at the water’s edge, for even the water flows in rhythmic motion. The prophets recognized and spoke of God’s perfect plan for the world. The Father fashioned the universe with His very own hands and breathed new life into its being. With one holy movement, we begin our journey back home, to the One who draws us closer to Him. Our walk is filled with life's rhythm and motion; we find ourselves getting pretty muddy along the banks as we pass through the narrow places; the locks of our lives. Sometimes we have to duck to avoid the low bridges; even as the river continues to move forward. We are coming to a time when the Father will restore the earth just as He has promised to do. There will be a day when we will see Him face to face in all His glory.

Fifteen miles is not very far to go when you know you’ve got someone special waiting to meet you there. Our heavenly home is just a breath away. Come join me today! Let's take a ride together on the river of life.

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.

A walk on the beach

Today’s Reading: Acts 3:19-20 (NIV)

[Peter said,] 19 “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that He may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you – even Jesus.”

Good morning!

I walked along the public beach barefooted in Greece, New York at daybreak, watching the groundskeeper run a tractor over the sand. He was preparing the soil for all who would come to walk by the water’s edge. The sand was soft and cool where he had been, and I followed the pattern left by the grater, as I moved along the shoreline. Gulls were gathering in small flocks, leaving their webbed footprints all over the newly plowed beach. The water from the lake was sending a cool dew spray into the air, and I could feel a splash of water on my face as I gazed down the shoreline.

I’ve always liked playing in the sand. I could sit for hours and run my hands through the tiny grains that wash up by the water’s edge. This morning, however, I was reminded of something quite different as I felt tiny particles cover my toes and cupped in the palm of my hand. I saw my sinfulness exposed in a brand new light.

How many sins have I committed? Can I name every mistake I’ve ever made? I couldn’t help but see millions of tiny grains covering the shore. God sees and hears every harsh word, unkind thought, and cruel deed that has washed up like the sands of time on life’s beach. My sins were so many they were too numerous to count, just like every particle of sand. What once brought me great delight suddenly reminded me of my human shame. Our sins can be quite comforting at first, eluding us to the dangerous sharp and jagged edges buried underneath its silky exterior. If you are brave enough to stop and dig deep enough into your sin nature, you will find tiny bits of sharp glass and jagged pebbles cutting the soles of your hands and feet. In this God moment, I was impressed by how much He sees and knows of all my sins. I felt convicted; my soul overwhelmed in embarrassment and shame.

I sat crying at the water’s edge. The sand was no longer comforting, and had begun to form clumps that I could not completely free myself from, no matter how hard I tried. There it was - right in front of me, my sins written in the sands of time. Who could possibly wash this mess away? I needed to see Christ’s cleansing power at work in my life. I repeated the words of the 51^st Psalm, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from all my sin.” (Psalm 51:1-2 NIV)

I felt a sudden rush of water lap up from the lake, covering my feet and legs. I watched as it quickly removed the tiny grains embedded between my toes, receding back into the deep lake. The sun had started to peek through the morning clouds and I gazed up in wonder at the most beautiful, colorful spray of rainbow light spreading across the bay. In that holy moment, Jesus Christ came and washed my sins away with His living water; I knew it was His blood covering me.

For every sin you’ve ever committed, Jesus waits at the water’s edge to heal you. He died and rose again so that we can be finally free from the sin separating us from God. IF you are willing to humble yourself before the Lord and turn away from sin, Christ will come and His mercy and grace will cover you like the waters washing away the sand covering your feet.

The Apostle Peter understood our deep need to repent and turn back to God. Through Christ alone, we receive His everlasting refreshment, as our sins are washed away in the blood. Come and take a walk along life’s beach today and confess your sins to the Father. Jesus Christ will come and wash your sins away if you willingly repent, turn around, and trust Him completely to be the Lord of your life.

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.

Keeper of the light

Today’s Reading: Acts 3:17-18 (NIV)

17 “Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer.”

Good morning!

We often miss seeing the truth, even as it stands right in front of us. Have you ever made error in judgment simply out of pure ignorance?

I had never been inside a lighthouse until last week. In preparation for our trip, I read about the lighthouses of the northeast, viewing beautiful online pictures of these life saving stations dotting the shorelines of the Great Lakes region. Many of these buildings were erected in the mid 1800s, formed out of limestone and concrete, to withstand high winds, crashing waves and the test of time. I had absolutely no idea how narrow the interior space of a lighthouse could be, or how difficult they were to climb until I experienced it for myself.

The lighthouse caretaker had to be quick in responding to the urgent needs of a ship trying to reach land safely in a sudden storm. He would climb a ladder to the top of the lighthouse whenever a storm blew up over the lake, risking his own life just to provide a much needed light in the darkness. One day while we were in Rochester, I counted five separate storms that blew over the lake within a twelve-hour period of time. The lighthouse caretaker was on call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. His life was totally devoted to the safety and care of the people out there struggling to survive in the water. What if he was not there to light the way when the storms came? Standing inside the interior of the lighthouse, I touched its cold, damp walls, and realized, for the very first time, the lifelong sacrifice made by the keeper of the light.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the light of the world. The Apostle Peter explained the kind of Messiah our Father had sent to earth. He is our life saving station, and it is only through His light that we can find The Way home. The sacrifice Jesus made to save people is truly profound; yet, we are so blinded by the storms of life to see His absolute Truth, even when He stands there, right in front of us. What will it take for you to fully comprehend the love that will not let you go?

Christ’s light is a continual reminder of the Father’s love for all people drowning in a sea of sin. His supreme sacrifice on the cross continues to light the path for each and every generation. The love of Jesus is our only hope for survival. May we experience His light in a brand new way today, as we reach out and touch the interior of the lighthouse wall. Can you sense the awesome power of the caretaker’s amazing love? Only Jesus Christ saves.

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.

First Step of Faith

Today’s Reading: Acts 3:16 (NIV)

¹⁶[Peter said], By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.

Good morning!

As I stood on the fishing pier looking out over Lake Ontario, I remembered how my Savior walked across the Galilean lake, calling Peter’s name. I imagined what it might be like to step out into the deep cold water, with nothing but the name of Jesus resonating in my mouth and His face ever before me, and take a walk toward Him without fear of drowning. It is no wonder that the Lord could use Peter to speak His Word with such conviction and authority. Peter knew what it was like to walk on water when the Lord called his name. Peter knew Jesus would be there to catch him if he fell. This is the first step of faith.

When the morning storm clouds gathered over the bay, small rip tides made their way toward the beach, pitching and clapping in rhythmic motion along the shoreline. Gulls perched along the water’s edge, watched the miracle unfold. I stood barefooted in the sand, feeling the fresh spray from the lake water cleanse and wash away the dirt in my life. Just like the troubles that rise up in our daily walk, the lake waves came crashing hard against the shore line. I was caught up in the force of the water beating the sand back; the centrifugal force was a daunting thing to experience. All the while, I could hear God’s voice calling out in the sound of the wind and water. “Come to me, for I am here. I am everything you need. Come.”

In the cool mist of the lake spray, I heard the voice of my Savior urging me to follow Him out into a deeper faith. It is easy to stand your ground when your feet are firmly planted in the sands of the shore; yet, Christ calls each of us to wade out into the deep water, where we can no longer stand on our own. He wants us to let go of the sin of self-sufficiency that keep holding us back and just trust Him enough, knowing that He is there to carry us back to shore, even in the raging storms of our life journey.

I looked back at the light house nestled atop a small hill not far away, where the light was shining brightly through the morning fog and clouds. I listened for the fog horn beckoning the sail boats floating out there in the blue deep. When you are out there, all alone, with nothing to hold onto except the name of Jesus and the faith He plants inside your heart, there is great comfort in focusing on the sound of the horn and the light shining ahead. I found great comfort focusing on Christ in the water. When Peter stepped out of his fishing boat, the place where he was most comfortable, and began walking toward Jesus by faith, it was only Christ’s light and the sound of His voice that mattered most. Regardless of how rocky the waves or deep the water, His presence in the midst of the storm is all the healing Peter needed to take that first step of faith.

It was the same faith that helped the crippled man walk for the first time in his life, and it is that very same faith that helps us launch out into the deep water today. Only the name of Jesus Christ and the faith that comes through Him can heal you completely. Are you willing to trust Jesus and step out into the deep right now?

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.