As America is locked down to mitigate the spread of the Coronavirus, it has become apparent that Easter will look much different this year. Consequently, churches have been worshiping online for several weeks now as we practice social distancing. Though I have enjoyed attending the worship service in my jammies, I sure do miss the face-to-face interaction with my church family…and the hugs! How about you? Are you feeling isolated these days? Lonely? Afraid? If so, I have good news if you continue reading.
The Cost of Sin
Today is Good Friday, a remembrance of the day Jesus died on a cross to pay the penalty for our sin. Just the other day when I was talking with my cousin about celebrating Easter alone this year, she reminded me that Jesus was alone on the cross.
Separation At Its Worst
Unlike us, it wasn’t the separation from people that broke Jesus’ heart. But rather, it was being separated from His Heavenly Father. God cannot be in the presence of sin for He is holy. When the sins of the whole world—past, present and future, were heaped upon Jesus, God turned His back on His Son and allowed Him to die a criminal’s death on a cross. Jesus, who was without sin, went through all that for you and for me. Why? Because He came to do His Father’s will.
“He appeared as a man. He was humble and obeyed God completely. He did this even though it led to his death. Even worse, he died on a cross!”
Philippians
2:8 NIRV
God’s Redeeming Power at Work
Jesus’ death was part of God’s redemption plan for His people, for Jesus was the final and perfect sacrifice for sin. His blood was shed for you and for me. God loves us so much that He sacrificed His Son to redeem us. And Jesus loves us so much that He gave His very own life for us. He was separated from His Father momentarily so we would never have to be.
Ever Present
As isolated and fearful as you may be right now in the midst of this pandemic, please know that you are NEVER alone. He said so! Fear not, for God is bigger than COVID-19 and He is with you.
“Don’t be afraid. I am with you. Don’t tremble with fear. I am your God. I will make you strong, as I protect you with my arm and give you victories.”
One definition of community is a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals. Did you know you were made for community? God never intended for us to go it alone. Otherwise, I suppose He could have stopped with Adam.
Pros and Cons
I am an introvert, but that doesn’t mean I don’t need people. I just need them in smaller quantities and fewer doses! I cherish my alone time. And I cherish my family and friends too. That has only been reinforced over the course of the last 6 weeks or so here in Florida. It’s been the best of times and the worst of times…all at once! We have connected with very few people here, and because we haven’t had any company yet, it has been lonely at times in 2020. I miss my people! But on a brighter note, this quiet time has afforded me a chance to do some things that I struggle to find time to do at home. If your inbox has had a steadier stream of email from The Ultimate Gift lately, it’s because writing has been one of those things!
The Family Expands
If, and when, we accept Christ as Lord and Savior, God adopts us into His family. We are His children. And that makes us part of a community of believers, aka the body of Christ. Your family just got WAY bigger!
“so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.”
Romans
12:5 NLT
A Branch of the Family
On a smaller scale, we can have greater access to the community of believers through a local church. Living a Christian life is anything but easy. It’s important for each of us to have support and encouragement along the way on our faith journey. Connecting to a local church can be an invaluable resource as we seek to become more like Jesus. Paul had this to say in his letter to the Romans:
“When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.”
Romans
1:12 NLT
Loosely Connected
Larger churches generally have more programs to offer, but it is also easier to slip through the cracks in such a church. The church we’ve been attending here in FL reminds us quite a bit of our home church. We are well connected at home, but not so much here. And it’s our own fault! We walk in at the beginning of the Sunday morning service and head straight for the door at the end. In our second winter here, we still haven’t met the pastor! Yet, we love attending this church. We smile and say hello to many, but that’s about the extent of our relational involvement.
Downsizing
The following is an unpaid advertisement for small group ministry! So as not to have anyone in the family slip through the cracks, many churches offer an opportunity to connect to other believers on a deeper level through small groups. These groups are generally made up of 8-12 people. We study, we fellowship, we eat, we do life together…on a regular basis!
I
was invited to join a small group at my home church shortly after we became
members. (Membership is not a prerequisite) Being the introvert that I am, I
didn’t say a word during our study time for the first 18 months. When I finally
took that step of faith, God used it in a mighty way. I ended up co-leading the
group a few short months later and my spiritual growth took off. I have
continued to lead various small groups intermittently ever since and feel
certain that I get more from those in my small group than they get from me.
The Bottom Line
The point of this post is that God created us for community with Him and with fellow believers. If you are trying to go it alone, I can’t stress enough how important it is to find a church home. Once you take that step, then you may have to take another by joining a small group. That will lead to an even deeper sense of community.
“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”
Ecclesiastes
4:9-12 NLT
I
will close with a math lesson to summarize the preceding verse:
2 > 1 and 3 > 2
We are GREATER together than we can ever be alone!
When I teach my students about signed numbers, we generally have a discussion about real-life situations in which we would encounter a positive or negative number. Because my students are not as familiar with negative numbers, I place the emphasis on those. When we brainstorm this topic, my students almost always come up with temperature and bank accounts as examples of where we may encounter negative numbers in real life.
Is a Negative Always Bad?
If the temperature dips below zero, we represent it with a negative number. Since I’m not fond of being cold, it also indicates that it is time for me to go to Florida!! Another negative scenario would be having an overdrawn bank account. That too, would be represented with a negative number. It would also prompt notification from the bank in the form of an overdraft charge. Generally speaking, situations where we use negative numbers have a negative connotation. But there are exceptions. Usually, I have to give a hint before anyone comes up with one though. When I give “sports” as a clue, eventually someone in the class comes up with golf. I can’t imagine there are many golfers who would be disappointed with a negative score!
Backwards Thinking
This anomaly is not limited to math. God is delighted by some words that typically have a negative connotation. The converse is also true—God is grieved by some words that we view in a positive light. The Holy Spirit brought two such words to my attention recently, one of each type. The words—independent and surrender.
Is a Positive Always Good?
When you think of the word independent, don’t you think of it as a good thing? As a parent, my goal was to raise my kids to be able to stand on their own two feet. In other words, I wanted them to grow up and become independent adults. I believe most parents would consider that to be a good goal. And it is! BUT, an exception should be included in the parenting handbook. We were never intended to live independently from God. Jesus longs for us to acknowledge our deep need for Him.
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”
John
15:5 NLT
We are totally dependent on Him. But it sure is hard to admit that!
Could Giving Up Be a Good Thing?
Independence has a positive connotation from a worldview, but not with God. The opposite is true of the second word, surrender. What is the first thing that pops into your head when you hear that word? When someone surrenders, I think they quit, or gave up. It seems to be one for the loss column, right? Who wants to be known as a loser or quitter? Not me! Yet, surrendering to God and acknowledging His sovereignty would be the wisest of choices. Surrender is generally looked at negatively in our world, but, for our own benefit, that is exactly what God calls us to do.
“Submit to God, and you will have peace; then things will go well for you.”
Job 22:21
NLT
Though
the word isn’t identical, submit is a synonym for surrender. Just ponder the
benefits for doing so from the preceding verse.
As you can see, dependence and surrender are closely related and something God desires for us when it comes to our relationship with Him. The desires of our flesh resist though, don’t they? I know I have a bit of “control freak” in me and I have no desire to depend on or surrender to someone else. But God is not just anybody else. He is the all-knowing, all-powerful, ever-present God of the universe. There is no other, none like Him. He is the name above all names.
Maybe it’s time to wave the white flag and allow Him to run the show!
“Remember the things I have done in
the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me.”
Isaiah
46:9 NLT
Focus Word and Verse of the Year
At my home church, we are encouraged
to choose a word with an accompanying verse from the Bible at the beginning of
each year. This word and verse are to serve as a battle cry of sorts as we seek
to deepen our faith and keep our focus where it belongs—on Jesus.
The Search Begins
When we flipped our calendars
earlier this month, my thought process was that it would be fitting to choose a
word that had to do with vision in the year 2020. Get it? The search for my
verse and word of the year only seemed to lead to a dead end. Or did it?
I panicked earlier this week when I
realized that January was nearly over and I hadn’t found my word and verse yet.
Was there a deadline? Only in my mind. My husband calls these my “self-imposed”
deadlines. He would know! Surely, I can’t start February without having this
settled.
I Think I Found It…I Think
Just the other night, I found a
potential winner for 2020. And then I lost it! I was using the Bible App on my
phone at bedtime when the Holy Spirit drew my attention to a verse that was at
least somewhat related to vision. I already had it highlighted, so I simply
filed 46:9 away in my brain. I remember thinking that I wouldn’t forget that
because the verse after it is one of my favorites—“Be still and know that I am
God.” (Psalm 46:10) So, the next day I go to take a closer look at that verse
on my iPad and literally couldn’t find it. Psalm 46:9 had nothing to do with
vision. Now what? I stewed about this the whole day and kept checking verses
that I could have confused with Psalm 46:9. But, to no avail. At bedtime that
night, I was on my phone and looked at my recent searches. And there it
was—ISAIAH 46:9. Oops…I was looking in the wrong book of the Bible!
My word for 2020 is REMEMBER.
Apparently, I am deficient in that skill so it seems to be a very appropriate
choice! My verse, Isaiah 46:9, states:
“Remember the things I have done in
the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me.”
A Lesson That Stuck
The first experience I had in
leading a small group occurred about 15 years ago when my whole church
participated in the “Old Testament Challenge”. I often tell my students or my
small group that you get out of it what you put into it. “It” is either the
class I’m teaching or the study that I’m leading. It’s true! I get way more out
of the studies that I lead than the studies that I am simply a participant.
Why? Because I have to put time into preparing so I don’t look like a fool! So,
I remember (LOL) one lesson in particular from that study that fits nicely with
this verse. But first, allow me to set the stage.
God’s Plan
After 40 years of wandering in the
desert, the Israelites, under the direction of Joshua, were finally ready to
stake their claim to the land God had promised them so long ago. Their first
obstacle was the Jordan River. God, of course, had it all figured out. So, He
had Joshua relay His message to the Israelites regarding what was about to
transpire. The priests would lead the way, carrying the Ark of the Covenant.
When they stepped into the Jordan, the flow of water would be cut off and the
river would stand up like a wall. This would allow the Israelites to pass
through on dry ground while the priests stood in the middle of the Jordan
riverbed with the Ark.
How’s that for a plan? Of all the
ways to get across the Jordan River, I have a feeling that this plan never
crossed your mind. Mine either. Look how my verse for the year ends—“For I
alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me.” That explains why this plan
never occurred to us!
It all shook out exactly the way God
said it would. I wonder how many jaws had to be picked off the riverbed as the
people made their way to the other side?
The Story Isn’t Over
Next, the Lord told Joshua to choose
12 men, one from each tribe, and have them take 12 stones from the riverbed
where the priests were standing. They were to carry them out and pile them up
where they would be camping that night. Joshua did as directed and the twelve
men complied. These stones were going to be used to build a memorial. Why do we
have memorials? To REMEMBER!
“Then Joshua said to the Israelites,
“In the future your children will ask, ‘What do these stones mean?’ Then you
can tell them, ‘This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’
For the Lord your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it
dry until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Sea when he dried it
up until we had all crossed over. He did this so all the nations of the earth
might know that the Lord’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the Lord
your God forever.””
Joshua
4:21-24 NLT
Taking Action
That lesson from the “Old Testament
Challenge” encouraged each of us to choose a “memorial” of our own to serve as
a reminder of God’s faithfulness in the past. Our memorial doesn’t have to be
made of stones. The only qualification necessary is that it helps us REMEMBER.
The Point
When the going gets tough, and Jesus
promised that it would, it’s easy to get discouraged. The enemy does whatever
he can to drive a wedge between us and God, remember? You may be feeling
hopeless right now and ready to give up. If you don’t feel that way now, I’m
sure your turn is coming. That is, if you haven’t already had yours. It is at
those times that it is critically important to look back and REMEMBER. Reflect
on who God is and how He has been faithful in the past. Your vision is 20/20
when looking at your life in the rear-view mirror!
“Remember the things I have done in
the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me.”
