Tag Archives: Bible study

Shining in Darkness

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20130411-172241.jpg Have you ever been in complete darkness? I don’t mean spiritually or depression, I mean physically can’t see any light?

Amidst our world travels – Australia, Africa, Thailand – we’ve also been to Mammoth Cave Kentucky. The largest cave in the world. Far below the surface of the earth, Jeff and I crawled through tunnels and squeezed through tight spaces with only our headlights to light our way. While we were down there our guide had everyone turn their lights off just for a minute. Complete darkness.

It’s a little scary. I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face! But as soon as one light was turned on, I felt safe again. I could see everything around me.

Jesus says that we, as His followers, are the light of the world. He says “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

I’ve always wondered how to do that. Sometimes people compliment me for something I’ve done. But how do I get them to compliment God? How do I live in such a way so that I shine, giving glory to the Lord?

I think my friend Heidi was a great example of that. Today at Bible study our small groups combined to share stories and remember Heidi. Several people talked about how she was a light. Set apart. A special friend. Most of us knew while Heidi was living how special she was. But now that she’s in heaven we realize even more how great her impact on us. And we praise God for giving us such a light as an example.

“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:9).

What have you learned – from Heidi or from other faithful leaders – that God is calling you to put into practice? How will you shine so that people see your good deeds and glorify God?

Lord may You show us the work You want to do in our lives to make us more like You. Help us to seek You with all our heart and mind. To hear Your voice comforting us and leading us. May You shine Your light through us to reach this dark world. In Jesus name we ask these things. Amen.

Why Are You Crying

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Heidi and I at Bible study - my first week back after being on bed rest for 4 months!

Heidi and I at Bible study last year – my first week back after being on bed rest for 4 months!

My husband has heard my quiet sniffles and seen the redness of my eyes enough to know when I’m crying. At times in my life it seems obvious why I’m crying, like in the days and weeks after we lost our first baby. Yet still Jeff would first say “Why are you crying?” Most of my responses would have sounded like a sarcastic comment like “Why do you think I’m crying! Duh!” But I was too busy crying.

Its a question Jesus asks also. But what I find more interesting is when Jesus cried. “Jesus wept” John 11:35 – the shortest verse in the Bible. Jesus cries because His friend Lazarus has died, except that Jesus has planned to raise him from the dead. So why would He cry?

I think Jesus cries to show us He understands our sadness and our sorrow. He has experienced it. Even though He knows better things are ahead, He enters into the grief of the moment with Mary and Martha, Lazarus’s sisters, and weeps with them.

“He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief… Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” Isaiah 53:3-4

Many of you who have read my blog lately are grieving our friend Heidi. We are sad for us – that we will miss her joy, wisdom, and friendship. We are sad for her husband and children – that they will grow up without her by their side. But we are not sad for Heidi – because she is where she always wanted to be: in heaven with her Savior.

The One who bore her griefs and sorrows and sins on the cross, the One who died and rose again, the One who conquered sin and death once and for all, the Lord Jesus Christ has called Heidi home to Him. While Jesus rejoices with Heidi in heaven, in His omniscience, He is also here with us. Bearing our griefs and sorrows, yet reminding us there are better days ahead.

He Found Them Sleeping

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Everyone is known for something. Their job, family, personality, jokes they tell.  I am famous for sleeping. When I was a baby my parents had the entire second story of the house constructed. I learned to sleep through the hammering and sawing, and so we credit my deep sleeping abilities to the early days of my life.

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I’ve slept while a poopy diaper sat on the pillow next to my nose. I’ve slept in an arcade when supervising a youth group retreat. I’ve slept in restaurants (although that was after a concussion so it doesn’t seem like it should count). I’ve slept in my car – if Jack can do it, so can I. I taught my nieces and nephews how to play a sleeping game so that I could actually sleep longer instead of getting up to play. I’ve slept at work waiting for our party to begin. While I may enjoy sleeping, I realize some things are more important. Still, it can be hard to choose to wake up early.

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Just days before Jesus was going to be crucified, He was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane and a few disciples were with Him. Jesus tells the disciples to keep watch while He goes to pray. He returns to find them sleeping. “Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so you don’t fall into temptation,” Jesus said to them as He went away a second time to pray.

When Jesus came back, He again found them sleeping because their eyes were heavy. This time Jesus didn’t even say anything to them, but turns and goes away to pray a third time. Returning, Jesus finds them still sleeping.

How would you feel if you were Jesus? Facing torture and death and your friends are clueless – sleeping because their eyes were heavy. I wonder what the disciples missed out on because they were sleeping. We know they couldn’t have prevented Jesus’ death. Jesus said He had to die. What was He praying for those three times? For God to take the cup away from Him. “Yet not as I will but as You will,” Jesus prays to the Father.

I wonder what have I missed out on because I was sleeping. Have I missed opportunities to show compassion to friends? Have I missed time with the Lord because I chose to sleep instead of pray? Have I misunderstood what God is trying to say to me?

We know that we all need sleep. God created us like that and He says in His word that He gives His beloved sleep (Psalm 127:2) and that our sleep will be sweet (Proverbs 3:24). But I don’t want Jesus to find me sleeping. I don’t want to be “asleep” to His word or His guidance or His message for me. But to be aware of how the Lord is leading me, I need to read the Bible and pray. And in my life that’s going to mean choosing less sleep.

Matthew 26:36-46

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*I’d like to point out that I wrote this instead of taking a nap. 🙂

**My new favorite sleeping position is cuddling with Jack!

NOT a Diet Book

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When I was on bed rest several friends, acquaintances, even strangers – very nice strangers – signed up to bring dinner over. It was wonderful! One of these nice strangers has become a friend from my Bible study. She had brought Greek food, and while I’m not a very adventurous eater, I loved it! Last week I was thinking I should make what she had made us, but my knowledge of Greek food is so little I didn’t even know what to google (I guess you could say “it’s all Greek to me!” Ha!)

So I emailed my friend explaining my conundrum and she promised to bring recipes to Bible study. (My friend will remain nameless just in case she’s not this nice to everyone). Bible study mornings can be kind of busy for me between making sure Jack is taken care of in the nursery and practicing music with the band. This particular morning my friend had to leave early so she hands me a bag and says “I’ll email you about the book.”

I open the bag after study and pull out The South Beach Diet book. Most people may think a diet book… what is she trying to tell me?! Which is why I received an email from her later with the subject line “I did NOT give you a diet book!” I wasn’t offended. Not only did she buy me a cookbook with the recipes I wanted, but she went through and flagged her family’s favorite meals! She’s pretty amazing.

It was like a strange giveaway at bible study that week because I also received a reminder card to hang in the shower about breast self-exams to prevent breast cancer. [Other weeks I’ve received a gingham print children’s chair with “Jackson” embroidered on it, as well as a small bag with “Jack” embroidered which has come in handy to tote around Jack’s toys and food! Both passed down to us from an older Jackson and Jack. It’s so great!]

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Oh yeah, and it was also a great lesson… praising God even in the midst of our suffering. When you’re going through a hard time, it’s like you have a checklist: talk to friends, read self-help book, eventually pray … But praise God. Thank God even for the hard time you’re going through. It doesn’t seem natural.

When we fix our eyes on the Author of our faith, the Sustainer of the universe, Creator of the world, Lover of our souls, we realize He does have a plan and as much as we dislike what is currently happening we can trust Him. This horrible thing in our life didn’t surprise the Lord. It hasn’t caught Him off guard. It has been woven into His perfect plan, with perfect timing, in our life and He will work all things together for us who love Him and are called to His purpose (Romans 8:28). I wonder what bible study will be like tomorrow!

Anxiety or Faith?

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A newsletter from our hospital just arrived in the mail. I glanced through the articles and my eyes stopped at “Patients Learn to Face Down Anxiety.” Sounds interesting. An anxiety cure has been found…

A patient in the program explains, “Instead of trying to eliminate your negative thoughts, you accept that you have them.” Maybe that will work from time to time, but I have a better solution.

Resist the negative thoughts. Instead think about “whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things… And the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9).

With you. What’s the cause of most anxiety? Letting negative thoughts consume you, thinking you’re in control, the only one who cares, the only one who can do anything about it. But you’re wrong. I think somewhere deep inside we know that we can’t fix everything. We can’t protect our loved ones from every sickness, bully, bad grade, or injury. We can’t keep them alive, or keep them home, or keep them from losing their job. As much as we may try, we can’t do a lot of things. We don’t run the world.

Good thing. We would make a lot of mistakes.

The Lord – who does rule the world, whether we want Him to or not – The Lord is with us. If we think how He directs us, we will have peace not anxiety.

The next time you’re on the verge of anxiety or worry or fear, pray. Pray to the God who is with you, who holds your cares in His hand, who loves you more than you can comprehend. Pray to the One who is able to do more than all you ask or imagine.

“Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things… And the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9).

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Hello? Hello?

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Don’t you hate when the phone rings, and you actually get up to answer it, but no ones there? Maybe it’s worse when you answer and it’s a telemarketer. That’s kind of like what happened to this boy Samuel in the Bible.

Samuel heard a voice calling him during the night. So he got up and went to his boss (who he was living with) and said here I am (i.e. what do you want??) But the boss said he didn’t call him. This happened three times! Finally the boss realized that God must be the One calling Samuel. He told Samuel to stay in his bed next time he heard the voice and to ask God what He wanted.

I wonder how many times we do the same thing as Samuel. We hear a “voice” and turn to who we think is “calling.” Maybe it’s not always a voice or a phone ringing, maybe it’s a crisis. Maybe it’s losing a job or a loved one. Maybe it’s a fight with your spouse or an argument with a friend.

Instead of turning to human solutions, maybe God wants to use this event in your life to get you to turn to Him.

Turn to the Lord in prayer, in reading the Bible, in going to church. Ask God why He has allowed this crisis. Ask God to be your strength. For wisdom and peace when you’re fighting. For comfort and hope despite loss.

You can try to solve things and live life in your own power but you’ll continue to fail. Turn to Jesus who is the source of hope, peace, and love. He heals the brokenhearted. He comforts the weary. He takes away your burdens and gives you peace.

If you’ve never called out to God its not too late to start. He says “call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and marvelous things” (Jeremiah 33:3). I could use some great and marvelous in my life. I bet you could too.

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