I’m meeting a group of friends tomorrow for lunch.  We get together once a month to catch up.  It’s a lot of fun but took a lot of planning to coordinate everyone’s schedule.  We asked one person to head up the planning of place, date, and time.  Lots of emails, phone calls, date changing, etc.  Then we have transportation planning, to make sure everyone has a way to get there.

When we finally meet at the restaurant,

there’s lots of laughing,

sharing life events,

updates on our families and other friends,

maybe discussion of current events,

sometimes a tear or two,

and anything else that comes up. 

It’s a lot of work to get this group together,

but so worth it!

I have another friend who I try to meet with daily to catch up.  Sometimes it takes a lot of planning to coordinate my schedule.  I’m the one who has to take charge of setting a place, date, and time.  No need for emails, phone calls, or date changing.  I don’t have to worry about transportation because He’s always right where I am.

When I finally get together with Him,

there’s lots of laughing (at myself!),

sharing my life events,

updates on my family and friends, with requests and thank-yous,

maybe some discussion of current events with lots of whys?

sometimes a tear or two

and anything else that comes up. 

Sometimes it’s a lot of work to get us together, always on my part, never His!,

but so worth it!

Psalm 145:18   The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.

James 4:8   Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Thank you Lord, for my daily visit.

Sunday – people laid palms on the road as He entered Jerusalem. They shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

Monday – Jesus overturned the money changer’s tables in the Temple, saying
“The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves” (Luke 19:46).

Tuesday – Jesus went to the Mount of Olives where He prophesied about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age.

Wednesday – Scripture has little to say about what Jesus and the disciples did on Wednesday.  Maybe they spent this day resting in Bethany in anticipation of Passover.

Thursday – Jesus shared Passover with his disciples, And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 22:15-16, NLT)

Then He went to the Garden of Gethsemane, where He prayed in agony to God the Father.  Luke’s Gospel says that “His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44, ESV).

Later, Jesus was betrayed with a kiss by Judas Iscariot and arrested.

Friday –  Jesus endured the shame of false accusations, condemnation, mockery, beatings, and abandonment. Then He was sentenced to death by crucifixion, one of the most horrible and disgraceful methods of capital punishment known at the time.

Before Christ was led away, soldiers spit on Him, tormented and mocked Him, and pierced Him with a crown of thorns. He carried His own cross to Calvary where, He was mocked and insulted as Roman soldiers nailed Him to the wooden cross.

“from noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over the whole land” (Matt. 27:45).

His first words were, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34, NIV). His last words were, “Father, into your hands I commit My spirit.” (Luke 23:46, NIV)

Then, about 3 p.m., Jesus breathed his last breath and died.

“The curtain of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matt. 27:51).

“The earth quaked, and the rocks were split” (Matt. 27:51).

“The tombs were also opened and many bodies of the (Old Testament) saints who had fallen asleep were raised” (Matt. 27:52).

By 6 p.m. Friday evening, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus’ body down from the cross and lay it in a tomb.

Saturday – His physical body lay in the tomb, Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin by offering the perfect, spotless sacrifice. He conquered death, both spiritually and physically, securing our eternal salvation: “For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.” (1 Peter 1:18-19, NLT)

Sunday –  Early Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Salome, and Mary the mother of James went to the tomb and discovered that the large stone covering the entrance had been rolled away. An angel announced: “Don’t be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as He said would happen.” (Matthew 28:5-6, NLT)

Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!

 

John 14:8
Philip said, Just show us a glimpse of the Father and that will be enough.

Have you seen a glimpse of Glory lately?
I think many people expect that moment to be a HUGE happening:
Earthquakes, the Northern Lights, a miraculous birth, a person who was flat-lined brought back to life, etc.

But God is all around!
God was found in a whisper to a prophet.

So I’ll ask again:
Have you seen a glimpse of Glory lately?
In a child’s smile,
in a green blade of grass after a horrendous winter,
in a need supplied,
in the sweet smell of dinner in the oven,
in laughter,
in a listening ear,
in the soft snore of your family member,
in a deed done randomly out of kindness,
in a car that starts?

God reveals Himself to us every day, in the simplest of ways, if we are willing to see Him.
May you be wholly blessed, by a Holy God!

Christine Goss

Photo:  Mary-Jean Bendorf

The other day I listened while a man told the reason why his friend could not join a group that was gathering to share a meal. The dialogue went something like this:
“John was here, but got an urgent call from his wife that their dog had gotten out of the yard. He left as quickly as he could, to get home to help search for the lost dog.”
To which, another gentleman in the group said, “Do you think we should go and help, after-all Mary is home bound and cannot help him run around the neighborhood?”
The first man said, “That would really help. I’m sure with 6 of us looking we would have a great chance of finding the dog.”
They all agreed to go immediately. As they left I heard one guy say, “That dog means so much to Mary…”

I don’t know the end of the story, but for my own ease of mind, I want the dog to be found and I want Mary to be happy and not anxious. Wouldn’t you?

The men really had a heart for the lost dog, and even more so for the family that was distressed over the lost pet.

Here’s what struck my heart and challenged me:
Those men were happy to give up their meal together to look for a lost dog.
Am I willing to give up anything to help my “lost” neighbor? (Someone who does not follow Jesus as their Lord and Savior, according to God’s Word, is lost: Luke 19:10.)
Do I think it’s urgent to go to them with God’s love and grace?
Am I willing to work with a team, to tell others? (Not just “my way, or no way”)
Do I feel the hurting of my friends who have loved ones who are not “safe and secure” in the arms of God?

Oftentimes I think we hesitate to reach out to those who do not know Jesus as Savior because we don’t know what will happen next, just like I have no idea if the dog was ever found. We have thoughts such as, “What will they think of me? Will they be angry? Will I offend? Will I totally turn them off to God all together? Will I say the right thing? Will I say the wrong thing?”

We don’t need to fear others. God knows all about them and He knows all about us. Jesus Himself encourages us to share His story in Luke 12… “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God.” God knows your heart, your desire to speak His story to those who need to hear. You are valuable to Him! GO share His goodness, His mercy and love, His salvation!!! Allow Him to acknowledge you before the angels in heaven!!

If I was your neighbor, I’d be happy that someone cared enough to have a conversation.

“…and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8b)

Christine Goss

Photo:  Krista Bendorf