Psalm 111

A tug on the heart

I woke up once again with a fierce spasm in my leg and, to my great discouragement, my arm as well. This thorn in my flesh, or more accurately spasm in my muscles, has caused me more frustration than I can possibly express in mere words. The unexpected tightening of muscles in my left leg and left arm has brought me to tears. The pain has been so acute that I've struggled to find the will to walk. Moving has been a matter of mind over matter, or mind over pain.
This morning was one of those mornings. It has been over a month since I've experienced the spasm of my delicate muscles. They have remained still and at rest since I began oxygen therapy over a month ago. With the "breath of God," as I like to refer to it, has come the relaxing of that debilitating tug on my extremities. But last week I couldn't go to as many sessions as I would have liked and my little body has felt the effects of less oxygen. Who knew that just an hour less of God's great oxygen could undo so much positive progress?
Instead of being frustrated at the regression, I am choosing to be thankful for the discovery of this therapy. Now I know that there is a mode of treatment that can indeed help me. I now know that it is worth continuing.
Tomorrow I return to the oxygen chamber and to the blessing of healing but until then I am going to thank God for the tugging on my muscles. Yep, that's right, I'm going to thank Him. It may seem odd to praise God for pain. Doctors are visited and aspirin is taken to get rid of pain but today I am not going to try to escape the pain caused by this spasm. Today I am going to thank God that He knows the intricate working of my petite body. He is fully aware of the nerves and cells that are communicating to the ligaments and muscles in my legs and arms. He knows what messages my brain is sending and which messages aren't being sent correctly. And thankfully, He has designed my body to be resilient. No matter how many times my muscles flare or arm spasms God has proven that He can restore my body to proper functioning. Time and time again I've seen Him work miraculously in my body and prove to be a great physician.
So, why would I complain or worry when I have a day when things aren't working just quite right? Has God suddenly lost His ability to fix my broken body? Is He no longer the Master Physician?
No, God is still all-powerful. This tug on my muscle isn't here to stay and it isn't here because God has forgotten me or can't heal me. Maybe it is here because God wants to remind me to look up to Him. Could it be that this tug is His pull on my heart, drawing my gaze back to His loving, smiling face?
When I feel the pull of a tender muscle radiating through my leg and even up into my arm I am reminded that God is constantly tugging on my heart, pulling me in closer to Himself.
"Come near to God and he will come near to you…" (James 4:8).
God is bidding me to come near. If I heed the call and draw close to my Sustainer He is right there, just waiting to be found and ready to give me strength. My muscle may be flared and my arm may be suffering from severe spasms, but the greater pull is the pull of God. His tug can overcome any pain that my physical body experiences.
This morning, as I reflect on the state of my body and what could be seen as a step backward in my healing, I will see nothing but progress because I am not looking at my leg. I am looking at my Savior and He is pulling on my heart, calling me close and drawing me near to His side as He says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Highly Favored

I woke up this morning with the words "highly favored" running through my mind. Nothing more. Just the simple affirmation "highly favored" accompanied by an unexplainable serenity. I was overwhelmed by a peace that truly passed my limited understanding.
"Highly favored"… the words didn't come in an audible voice or a burning bush. This wasn't a Mary moment complete with my own angelic messenger. That would have been quite an experience, albeit a shocking one! Can you imagine Mary's surprise when she was greeted by an angel? I probably would have pinched myself. The New Testament record doesn't give account of such an action taken by Mary but it does hint to the fact that Mary was scared. The angel must have seen the fear written on her face because he told her, "Do not be afraid, Mary." (Luke 1:30). A jaw dropping moment to say the least, I'm sure. Not only was Mary looking at an angel but she was hearing him say her very name!
But before that angel ever called her by name or comforted her anxieties, he spoke to her with words of love and affirmation, "Greetings, you who are highly favored!" The angel came with a message from above, calling Mary by name, aware of her fears and knowing the condition of her heart. She had a spirit of obedience that had found favor in the eyes of God.
The angel went on to tell Mary that she would be the mother of the Son of God.
Simple, just give birth to a baby. Women do that all the time. The rest will be a piece of cake because He's God so He'll be fine. No big deal, right?
Wrong. This was in an age when a pregnant unmarried woman would not have been welcomed with open arms. Her punishment would have been severe - far worse than a big red scarlet letter. She could have been subject to death.
Was Mary feeling highly favored in that moment knowing that she would be with child yet without a husband? In fact, she would be with child and with a fiancé who knew he was not the father of her child! Talk about doomed.
One moment Mary was just a simple, quiet girl, not even what we would consider yet a woman by today's standards. The Bible doesn't even talk about her life before her encounter with the angel. She hadn't done any great works written up in history books. She wasn't of royal standing. She was just a young Jewish girl from Galilee.
Yet, the angel told her she was favored. And not just favored but highly favored. In her simple home, going about her quiet life, Mary experienced something incredible. She experienced the favor of God and a critical role in the salvation of the world. God used her to bring one small, delicate child into the world. That one little boy, Jesus Christ, was God himself and would go to the cross to redeem a world full of lost sinners. And He was brought into the earth through the body of Mary - a young, highly favored woman.
God favored Mary highly and chose her for a wonderful part of His master plan. He protected her from the threats of the authorities and laws of her day so that the mission of delivering baby Jesus could be accomplished. He sent an angel to calm her nerves and deliver a miraculous message. This young woman, nothing much by the standards of the world, was a highly favored treasure to God, chosen to be the mother of His one and only precious Son.

This morning as I heard the words "highly favored" I was reminded of Mary and her obedience. Her life was simple but God used it for something spectacular. Despite logical reason to fear, Mary cast off anxieties and submitted her life to God's will. Through her obedience the Son of God was brought into the world. Not too shabby for a young girl just going about her daily routine.
Isn't incredible how God works? He takes the unassuming and turns it into a story of His greatness. When you and I are obedient and surrender our lives to God's will we, too, can experience the unmatched favor of God. 

Walking together

She wore a crimson red sweater, white ankle length pants and a perfectly white pair of Keds. To complete her look was a head of white, wavy hair that looked like she had just stepped out of the hair salon for her weekly set and style. She was the classic throwback to a better era when women decked themselves out in classy attire for every occasion, even a simple walk along the bay. Her look was nautical, timeless and oh-so sophisticated.
But what really stood out to me about this women was not her outfit or her perfect posture or her walk which gave her the other-worldly appearance of floating on air. No, what struck me most was who was next to her.
Attached to her arm was a man. He too had a head of white hair, freshly pressed khaki pants and a handsome sweater. The two walked along the path next to the bay at a comfortable pace, linked arm in arm, taking one step in perfect synchronized timing with each other.
Their walk was beautiful. One did not outpace the other. Their steps never looked labored or awkward. They were in perfect time with one another.
As I came up behind these companions I couldn't help but smile. How precious was their journey along the bay! Who knew that something so simple, just an afternoon stroll, could be such a glorious picture?
I don't know the names of that adorable couple, how long they've been married (assuming they are married) or how often they take their afternoon walks together. But I can't help but think that their love has been one spanning years, decades, perhaps even half a century. I can't help but think that they didn't always walk so perfectly in step together but that this ease has grown with time. I can't help but believe that their journey has become more beautiful with time,  just like a fine wine. It just keeps getting better with age.

In my journey through life I have yet to embark on an arm-in-arm walk with a companion. As I walk along the bay I do so alone. My arm is not linked to a faithful walking buddy and my pace is not influenced by a partner. Not yet, at least. But someday I hope and trust that will change. Someday I too would like to walk with my arm linked to my life partner, my husband.
 But until that day arrives,  I do not walk alone.  I am linked to a companion whom I long to follow in perfect step; my Savior. I am walking with God. His arm is around me and I am clinging tightly to Him. He sets my pace and guides my path. He chooses where we will explore on our walks and when we will take a rest.   He is walking me towards an earthly companion who will join us on the journey, so that as I am linked to Christ's left arm my husband will be linked to His right. We will walk arm-in-arm together along the path of God's design.

Like that adorable couple walking along the path by the bay, the journey and walk with God only gets better with time. My steps are more closely aligned with His with each stride forward. I become more comfortable with His pace as time passes. The rhythm He has set is becoming more my own with each new day spent walking with Him.
As I walk with God the peace of His presence becomes increasingly more real, more tangible and more overwhelming. When I "walk by faith and not by sight" I find that my walk has an ease that isn't found by walking alone. He is guiding me, protecting me, sustaining me and leading me in His path.

Heavenly Harmony

I think it is safe to say that everyone is looking for harmony. Just look around, doesn't it seem that everyone is looking for the balance and peace that harmony brings? Who doesn't enjoy smooth sailing and pleasant skies? Doesn't everyone appreciate suitable circumstances and ease of living? This, my friends, is harmony and I don't know a soul on earth who doesn't want a bit more of it in their life. Just look at eHarmony.com. We all want a little more harmony in our lives.
So, if we all want harmony so badly why does it seem to be so elusive? Harmony can be a challenge to obtain. Disharmony is found in political life, family life, work life, marital life... you name it and I'm sure disharmony can be found. There is no human relationship on earth that is free from disharmony. Yet, we are all yearning and striving to beat the odds and live in perfect harmony.
Good luck, right? Perfect harmony is as hard to come by as the perfect pair of jeans. You may find one pair of perfect jeans in your whole life but at some point those jeans will wear out, get lost or have a run in with a nasty beverage that leaves a ghastly stain. Even the perfect pair of jeans doesn't last forever.
Likewise, the relationship or circumstance in life that appears to be perfectly harmonious will not last. Reality will come busting in with unwelcome force and knock your harmony right out of the ballpark. Hello strife. Hello arguments. Hello tension and disagreement. Hello disharmony.
The life long pursuit of harmony, seen from this brutally honest viewpoint, can be depressing. The unattainable nature of this longing of the human heart can put a damper on the joyful spirit of the harmony seeker. So, why even try? Why continue to search for harmony and try to produce harmony in your life if it is never to be achieved?
Because, ultimately, the harmony we are striving for is not earthly harmony, but heavenly harmony.
On this earth we are in an inescapable predicament thanks to that nasty little human condition called sin. No matter where we go, who we know or who we avoid knowing, our lives are going to be surrounded by sin. Sometimes it will be our own sin and sometimes it will be the sin of others. Sin is unavoidable. Therefore, perfect harmony cannot be attained in a world marked by imperfection.
Yet, you and I, those that are living in light of the Kingdom of God, aren't caught up in the disharmony of this world and its lack of perfection. We are living for the perfect harmony of Heaven. Our home is there, our heart is there and our harmony is there, too. We can live in peace and balance because we have the harmony of eternity with Christ. We don't need the false, temporary, fleeting harmony of this world that is here today and gone in a moment. We have a harmonious Heaven to look forward to that cannot be shaken. There, in the presence of the Almighty God, sin, dysfunction, arguments and fighting are no more. The evil of this world that prohibits lifelong harmony is no longer a factor in Heaven. Perfection reigns. Harmony is achieved and sustained.
Knowing that you and I have the perfection of Heaven ahead and eternal harmony to look forward to, we can live with overflowing love and unity found only in Christ. This earth and its evils are temporal but Jesus and His Kingdom are eternal, forever, never-ending. It is because of Christ that you and I can heed the words of Romans 15:5, "May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus..." We can live in harmony here on earth because we have the promise of eternity in perfect harmony with our Savior. So, keep up your endurance and don't lose heart, because you are a citizen of Heaven where perfect harmony reigns victorious and it never ends.

Remember the cross

It happened in an instant. As I walked along the road with Pippy my ears were suddenly met with the unmistakable sound of wind chimes. The rest of the world seemed silent, as if it were listening to the playing of the wind on the high pitched metal rods of the chime. The sound of nature's musical arrangement was carried by the leaves on the trees and ran straight into me. Right there, in the blink of an eye, I was transported away from that street in Erie, Pennsylvania to the home I fell in love with back in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.
It was not so long ago, only a couple of years, that I moved to Chagrin Falls believing that I was meant to be in that town, living my fantasy Gilmore Girls life. It all looked like a dream and I jumped at the opportunity to make it a reality. Actually, I pushed, shoved and fought to make it a reality. I wanted that little house, that little life and that little town.
Somehow, that dream did become a reality. There were a million roadblocks and slammed doors that could have stopped me from getting to Chagrin Falls, but despite all the odds, I did end up in that little house, in that little town.
And in that little house I heard chimes. Frequent, noisy, persistent chimes. My neighbor loved them. She had a variety of chimes in an array of pitches, playing harmonic melodies. Any time even the slightest breeze picked up, the chimes would start their refrain. Chimes became the soundtrack of my life in my little house in Chagrin Falls.
Now that I'm living back in Erie, away from the close quarters of village life and an abundant display of wind chimes, I rarely hear the sound of metal and wood clanging together. When I do happen upon such music I am immediately transported back to Chagrin Falls, back to that house and back to the dream that became a reality, and, in turn, ceased to be so dreamy.
Despite the fact that life in Chagrin Falls didn't pan out the way I had hoped and planned, I wouldn't take back those days on May Court. There were lessons to be learned by making that move. Lesson number one, don't be so hasty! And of course, the lesson of appreciating the family and the simplicity of home. These were all lessons I needed to learn and the sound of the chimes reminds me to never forget them.
I'm thankful for the chimes. They take me back to a different place and remind me that what God has revealed to me in the past is meant to be remembered today. I've left Chagrin Falls but I don't want to leave behind the lessons I learned from that town and that experience. Every time I hear a chime I have the opportunity to reflect on the ups and downs of my journey to Chagrin Falls and how God used that time in my life to refine me, teach me and hopefully make me more like Jesus.

We all have "chimes" in our life - sounds, sights and smells that take us back to a different time in our lives and a different place in our journey. Sometimes you and I don't want to go back to those past experiences. Maybe they are painful because they ended tragically or maybe they are uncomfortable because they are filled with regret. Our pasts can be messy.
Yet, even the dirtiest of messes and biggest mistakes can be used for good if we let God teach us, mold us and change us through them. Messes can be turned into blessings when God gets a hold of them.

Tomorrow is Easter and there is no greater reminder, no greater "chime," than the Cross of Calvary. Each year when Easter rolls around we are reminded of the greatest gift ever given and the greatest sacrifice ever made: Jesus Christ's death on the cross. The Son of Man bore the sins of the world in His very body, bleeding the blood of sinners and dying the death of a criminal, so that the guilty could go free. The image of the cross serves as a stark reminder of the price paid for the redemption of sinners like you and me. We were destined for eternal damnation and separation from God, but Christ went to the cross so that we could have the hope of eternity in heaven. Jesus carried our guilt and shame on His back up to Calvary and was nailed to the cross to pay the penalty for all of our sins. By His wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)
The cross looks messy. Jesus death wasn't pretty. Every romantic and artistic depiction fails to capture the reality of that cruel death. It was gruesome, tragic, and agonizing. The blood He spilled was real. The pain He felt was acute.
Yet, God did the most glorious work of all through that savage crucifixion. He redeemed the whole human race. Jesus went to the grave for sins and rose victorious, the conqueror over death itself. His work didn't end on the cross. The brutality of man couldn't end His reign. He rose again. He left the tomb. He overcame the grave.
Beloved, as you look upon the cross this Easter let it serve as a shining reminder of the life you have received through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He died to save you. He rose to claim you. Sinners like you and like me have the promise of eternal life through the death of our perfect Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ. The mess of the cross was the price Jesus had to pay for our redemption. God's masterful plan took the ugliness of that murderous cross and turned it into the most beautiful and precious gift. Through Jesus Christ, there is abundant blessing and eternal life when we turn to the cross and remember the price our Savior paid to set us free.

Declined

My absolute favorite button on my cell phone is the "decline" button. A bit harsh, I know, but hear me out, I have legitimate rationale to support my enthusiasm for hitting decline.
Namely, solicitation phone calls. Are you plagued with these incessant automated callers who want to sell you a new insurance policy or inform you that you just won a once-in-a-lifetime cruise to Tahiti? Ninety nine percent of the phone calls I receive are from these phone banks which are probably somewhere in India.
Before the decline button, I used to answer, get annoyed and then press end.
As a side not, hitting end on a touch phone just doesn't have the same stress-releasing benefits as hanging up the old phone with big round buttons and cumbersome wire. At the end of a frustrating call there was nothing better than smacking the receiver back onto the cradle with force and an exacerbated "humph." It made the annoyance of the call less acute.
Those days are no longer. Now you and I must settle for a weak little red "end" button that only responds to a light touch. Try hitting the end button with force and see what happens. The call doesn't end. It is as if the high tech screen can't register frustrated poking so it just remains on the line. So instead of easing frustration, the whole situation is aggravated further and that telecommunications caller from India is still on the line trying to convince you to upgrade your motorcycle insurance when you don't even own a motorcycle. "Humph" just doesn't cut it in this situation.
That brings me to the "decline" button. This whole situation and subsequent frustration can be avoided by employing a slight tap of the finger on the "decline" button when one of these unknown, blocked or obscure numbers pops up on the phone's screen. Numbers with 800, 866, or no numbers at all are immediately flagged in my mind. They all are met with a touch of decline. No answer, no frustration, no aggravated hang up. Just a simple little decline and the whole ordeal, sales pitch and cruise ship run around is avoided. Thank you, whoever thought up the decline button. You are a genius.
As much as I love hitting the decline button when I'm faced with another solicitation call, I can't stand the decline button when it is used against me. Being declined is only tolerable if your an automated machine but if you are a human being with feelings and no sales pitch, decline is more hurtful than helpful.
Sometimes the declining doesn't come in the form of a physical button. Sometimes the decline is administered with the silent treatment, being ignored or being avoided. Have you ever experienced this kind of decline? You reach out to someone and they decline you by denying your request for friendship or backing out on plans you've made. Maybe you extend an invitation to someone you'd like to get to know better and they respond with excuses for why Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the next three months won't fit into their absurdly busy schedule. Decline can come in the form of not receiving a call back or being down right stood up. No matter how the decline is issued, it hurts.
This side of heaven you and I are bound to be faced with our share of declines. For most of us they are probably too great in number to even count. I know because I've been there, over and over and over. And even if I could count all of my declines I'd rather not because it is embarrassing and downright depressing. So, I'll keep the tally to myself. Just take my word for it, this world loves to use the decline button on more than just solicitation calls.
Being the recipient of so many declines has taught me a valuable lesson. In this world I am going to face rejection. That is a given. It is to be expected. Jesus even warned His followers when He said in John 15:18-19,  “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." 
Well, that about settles it, don't you think? If you and I are going to follow Christ we should expect to be on the receiving end of the decline button. He tells us upfront, no sugar coating or whitewashing, that we are to anticipate being declined, rejected and hated. The world did all of these things to Christ and they are sure to treat His followers in the same manner. 
There is no escaping rejection in this life as a Christ follower. By being in Christ you and I are out of this world and are no longer accepted and embraced by this world. That is the trade-off we make when we surrender our lives to God and enter into a union with Jesus. We give up this world and our place in it so that we can be one with Christ and spend eternity with Him. 
Is the trade-off worth it? Of course it is. I'd take a thousand years of relentless decline buttons for one day in the presence of my perfect Savior. His love is truly better than life and the promise of Heaven is greater than any acceptance you and I could ever attain here on earth.