Billy Graham the last Crusade

I remember watching Billy Graham many times as child and it is the same message.  

There is nothing that compares to the Cross.  The only way is Jesus.  All of us are sinners, every one of us. 

Thank you Billy Graham for your faithful Service to the Lord Jesus Christ.

                           http://myhopewithbillygraham.org/c/videos/

Life of the Beloved Henri J.M. Nouwen 

Henri wrote the Life of the Beloved from the fruit of a friendship.   It is a true blessing to have a friend where joy, pain and struggle can be welcomed. The Life of the Beloved tells us the Spiritual life is worth all our energy.


My favorite Quote from the book:

“To be chosen as the Beloved of God is something radically different. Instead of excluding others, it includes others. Instead of rejecting others as less valuable, it accepts others in their own uniqueness. It is not a competitive, but a compassionate choice. Our minds have great difficulty in coming to grips with such a reality. Maybe our minds will never understand it. Perhaps it is only our hearts that can accomplish this. Every time we hear about 'chosen people', 'chosen talents', or 'chosen friends', we almost automatically start thinking about elites and find ourselves not far from feelings of jealousy, anger, or resentment. Not seldom has the perception of others as being chosen led to aggression, violence, and war.” 
― Henri J.M. Nouwen, Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World




"We are chosen to be blessed and broken so as to be given."

We are a chosen priesthood and a holy nation to be blessed and broken as to be given.  God has so much to share  in our brokenness.


Advent reading from the Life of the Beloved
http://wp.henrinouwen.org/rgroup_blog/

Job Compassion and Injustice Part 3 Friends

Job 2:11-13

11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to show him sympathy and comfort him. 12 And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. 13 And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great

Job Speaks 

3 After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. ² He said:

³ “May the day of my birth perish,
    and the night that said, ‘A boy is conceived!’
⁴ That day—may it turn to darkness;
    may God above not care about it;
    may no light shine on it.
⁵ May gloom and utter darkness claim it once more;
    may a cloud settle over it;
    may blackness overwhelm it.
⁶ That night—may thick darkness seize it;
    may it not be included among the days of the year
    nor be entered in any of the months.
⁷ May that night be barren;
    may no shout of joy be heard in it.
⁸ May those who curse days^[a] curse that day,
    those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.
⁹ May its morning stars become dark;
    may it wait for daylight in vain
    and not see the first rays of dawn,
¹⁰ for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me
    to hide trouble from my eyes.

¹¹ “Why did I not perish at birth,
    and die as I came from the womb?
¹² Why were there knees to receive me
    and breasts that I might be nursed?
¹³ For now I would be lying down in peace;
    I would be asleep and at rest
¹⁴ with kings and rulers of the earth,
    who built for themselves places now lying in ruins,
¹⁵ with princes who had gold,
    who filled their houses with silver.
¹⁶ Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child,
    like an infant who never saw the light of day?
¹⁷ There the wicked cease from turmoil,
    and there the weary are at rest.
¹⁸ Captives also enjoy their ease;
    they no longer hear the slave driver’s shout.
¹⁹ The small and the great are there,
    and the slaves are freed from their owners.

²⁰ “Why is light given to those in misery,
    and life to the bitter of soul,
²¹ to those who long for death that does not come,
    who search for it more than for hidden treasure,
²² who are filled with gladness
    and rejoice when they reach the grave?
²³ Why is life given to a man
    whose way is hidden,
    whom God has hedged in?
²⁴ For sighing has become my daily food;
    my groans pour out like water.
²⁵ What I feared has come upon me;
    what I dreaded has happened to me.
²⁶ I have no peace, no quietness;
    I have no rest, but only turmoil.”

12 And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven.

Job's friends yelled wept tore their clothes and sprinkled dust on their heads and shared silence with Job for 7 days.  Have you mourned with your friend? Have you wept and sat in silence with a dear friend.  There is no better way to help a friend then to come without words sharing in sadness.  

I imagined that the world has gone about their work. Nothing stops.  While Job lay on the ground weeping everyone else went about their busy lives. Sadness cannot move, it is numb.  Job's body would have had to completely shut down and stop to grieve.  The three friends stopped with Job.  They cried with Job.  No words can ever make pain go away. Nothing said or done could ever help to sooth a numb body and soul.  Have you cried with a friend and sat with them in silence?

In verse 12 we read that Job's Friends did not recognize him.   This has reminded of Isaiah 52:13-15 describing the suffering of Christ.  The appearance of Christ was disfigured that beyond that of any human. 

The Suffering and Glory of the Servant

13 See, my servant will act wisely[b];
    he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him[c]—
    his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being
    and his form Lomarred beyond human likeness—
15 so he will sprinkle many nations,[d]
    and kings will shut their mouths because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
    and what they have not heard, they will understand.

God did not saved his own son from the suffering at the cross.  God loves his people and desires to draw his people near to him.  Our lives are a tiny speck in eternity. God's love for Job is eternal. Job is on the journey of everything wasting away and what is remaining is love of Christ.
This is a love story. 

Job's friends have left and Job now sits alone.  Silence has given Job time to find the words to speak.  Job is alone and he wants to die.  Nothing could relieve the great pain except death.  Who is Job talking to?  His wife?  God?

²⁵ What I feared has come upon me;
    what I dreaded has happened to me.

Thoughts

Have we considered that the loss of a soul of one of our children a death? Have you contemplated that when a soul is lost this is permanent?  Do you grieve for the souls of your friends, loved ones and family more than you grieve for their lives in this tiny speck of time?

Amen

Job Compassion and Injustice Part 2...True Worship

^{Job 2}

⁶ One day the angels^[a] came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan^[b] also came with them. ⁷ The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”

⁸ Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

⁹ “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. ¹⁰ “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. ¹¹ But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has,and he will surely curse you to your face.”

¹² The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”

Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

¹³ One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, ¹⁴ a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, ¹⁵ and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

¹⁶ While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

¹⁷ While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

¹⁸ While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, ¹⁹ when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

²⁰ At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship²¹ and said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,    and naked I will depart.^[c]
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;    may the name of the Lord be praised.”

²² In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Satan is on the move From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.” because he cannot be everywhere at once. I wonder what has Satan seen among the people.  Could he have heard the people express that Job is blessed by the Lord with all the beautiful things and family?  Is it possible that the people believe that when you are wealthy you are blessed by God and when you have nothing that you are forsaken by God? 
God knows Job's heart and consents by saying ,¹² The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger."  Satan obeys the Lord and  destroys his beautiful family given to Job by God.  The Lord himself did not destroy,  it is Satan that has destroyed.
  
The deep embedded pain in losing his children has pierced the inmost being of Job.

²⁰ At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship²¹ and said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,    and naked I will depart.^[c]
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;    may the name of the Lord be praised.”


Some may see that praise is a happy hand clapping ceremony. Oh, and yes we worship is music as the family of God. Praise God and be happy, really?  Ignore the pain and see that the Lord is good.  Have you heard these things and have you taught them to your children?  Stop crying.  Why should you be so sad,  you have your life?  You look ridiculous get up off the ground!   Have you had people in your life that wish you to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps?  Have you worked to cover the pain so that people will see that you are strong and courageous? Please! The"fake it" is your own work and has nothing to do with the Lord. Have you cried out to the Lord?  Real strength comes from  the fear and love of the Lord.
Have you worshiped is gladness in the family of God with music?  Is that the only worship for you? Have you shared you deepest pains with the Lord?  How does it feel to walk into music worship everyone clapping and smiling while you are in deep pain?  Job will morn aloud, a wailing music, with the Lord..

Job has torn his clothes shaved his head fell to the ground.  Laying on the ground he cries out to the Lord.  

Real strength comes from  the fear and love of the Lord.   Job will morn aloud, a wailing music, with the Lord.

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

    and naked I will depart.^[c]
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;    may the name of the Lord be praised.”

Do you know the worship that morns?  Have you worshiped the Lord in tears and anguish?

"God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”  John 4:24

Imagine
I imagine that Job can barely move.  The grief is unbearable and he is wailing in anguish in the dirt on ground. I imagine a the wet tears have been mixed with dirt on his hands and face.  The Lord has taken away.  The Lord has taken away his children.  The pain stabbing in His inmost being.   

Job Compassion and Injustice Part 1

                                                        Compassion and Injustice

Job

1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. ² He had seven sons and three daughters, ³ and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

⁴ His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵ When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.

I have been contemplating the written words that tell of Job being upright and blameless. I wondered if blameless and upright means because he feared God and shunned evil.  Does blameless and upright mean Job did not sin?   How could it be that Job was without sin?  When I read 1 John 1:5-10. "If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us."

Early in the morning Job would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of his children thinking perhaps that they might sin.  What a beautiful gift for father to give his children. Job dearly loved  his children with the act of repentance so that they could be presented before God as blameless and upright.
Job desiring  his children's blameless and upright before their maker reminds me of my Heavenly Father graciously and tenderly loving me by sending his son the Righteous Jesus to atone for my sin.

Imagination
I imagined that Job's regular repentance act had also included himself and his wife.  Or maybe he had been able to keep from sinning.  It does say that he brought his children and really Job did not know for sure if they had sinned..Perhaps?  

Truth
In repentance I am cleansed from my sin.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Thank you Lord Jesus  that as I come to you and confess you will purity me from unrighteousness

Wonder
When Jesus enter the dessert and Satan tempted Him.  Jesus did not sin.  Will Job be able to hold himself in check or will he be in need of a Holy God?

Baby Santa’s Can't Rob Jesus

 “I have an idea for a restaurant.”  I heard some say.  It sounded amazing.  Convert the old railroad Depot while leaving all the beautiful history and adding trains coming and going chugging along throughout the old building.  How cool is that?   People would come to see the art of history in collections, plastered in frames on the old wood.  The vision of it had me imagining delightful children’s stories “The little engine that could” and “The Polar Express”.   It was all about the trains, or was it?  I was captured by the visual attractions and all ideas that are imagined to inspire others toward “buy into my product” or “Creativity popularity”.  This could also be called “The Solo Track”.  “   Pile on board everyone, come on and join in, bring your family and friends for an original railway ride”.  It says, “Enjoy my imagination, and enjoy the work of my creative hands.”  “Get on my track and do what I do.”   I had forgotten that we were discussing a restaurant.  Then I begin to wonder, what kind of food are they serving?   I never even asked about the menu.    I still do not know.  

Creative Tracks are meandering through our homes and neighborhoods.  Pinterest leads the way in magnifying the ultimate creativity world.  Ideas are springing up by the millions happy to paint a brain fog that is deporting our ability to stop and be still and listen.   Conversations from friends have become a design and idea course. “Amazing, you so, could make that!”  “Oh look, that is so cool; I am going to work on that for my next project.”  “Wow, how did you make that?”  “Please, may I have the recipe?” 

Yesterday I visited the Salvation Army Thrift Store.  I weaved in and out of tables and shelves covered with everything Christmas; Santa’s, trees, lights, snow and more.  I was delighted with the old childhood fads that displayed Christmas glitter and magical whimsical fairy tale moments.  Christmas treasures had been  dumped in piles were wasting away and a track from an Lionel Train cracked it half reminding me that  this Christmas stuff is off track. Or is it?  I walked by musical dancers spinning in tune to Jingle bells, Santa with a twinkle in his eye and a broken manger with three baby Santas between Mary and Joseph.  Where was baby Jesus?  I searched under a Christmas stocking and a messy pile of Christmas cards. "Baby Santa’s robbing the manager, really?"  Then I stopped and listened to the feeding of my soul  spoken by Paul in 2 Corinthians 4 “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” How funny you are Lord.  The verse seemed to say, Baby Santa’s can't rob Jesus.  I swallowed it all savoring the joy of the wasting away of everything but Jesus. 

I Want to Wear the Messy Crown

Corrie ten Boom’s illustration of the right side and the wrong side of the crown is a beautiful illustration of what is to come and how God sees me.  I am blameless in His sight.   The story before the crown is not the wrong crown.  It is the crown that brings me to Jesus.  It is the right Crown. 

Corrie’s Illustration

_________________________________________________________________________________

During Corrie’s presentations to audiences, she would often hold the back side of a piece of embroidery (pictured), with hundreds of tangled threads hanging from it. Many wondered if she was holding up the wrong side by mistake. As she held up the messy side of the embroidery she would ask, 

“Does God always grant us what we ask for in prayer? Not always. Sometimes He says, ‘No.’ That is because God knows what we do not know. God knows all. Look at this piece of embroidery. The wrong side is chaos. But look at the beautiful picture on the other side – the right side.” 

Triumphantly she flipped the cloth over and revealed an elaborately embroidered crown – symbolizing our crown of eternal life. The crown was intricately stitched, and had threads of many colors, including gold, silver and pearls. 

“We see now the wrong side, God sees His side all the time. One day we shall see the embroidery from His side, and thank Him for every answered and unanswered prayer.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

I began to think about the right side and the wrong side in Corrie’s Illustration.  I stared at both crowns.  The messy crown on the left in Corries embroidery, the  messy crown is the crown of eternal life.  I asked God, “Why is the messy crown the crown of eternal life?”   

Each messy Strand of embroidery is a marker that has given me a glimpse of God’s glory.  “The Lord is near” rings a gentle tone as Jesus is revealed to me in each string.

I have imagined my sins are like a pebble dropped into a well and I do not hear the stone hit bottom meaning that I have so many sins and I am not always totally aware when I sin .   Therefore I cannot possible find all my sins and yank them out myself.   I need Jesus.  Every String hanging out is a significant string to Jesus. Why would I want to cover strings to Jesus and wear it on the inside of a perfect crown? 

I want to wear the beautiful messy Crown. 

I want to wear the beautiful messy crown.   I believe that is what Paul meant when he said boast in Christ Jesus.  I certainly cannot boast about Jesus while trying to wear “I perfect crown”  when it is as plain as the nose on my face that I am not and then I might as well have a note on my back that says, "just call me a hypocrite."

When the stringy crown is replaced with the "I perfect" crown we all might as well shout, “I don’t need the cross, I don’t need Jesus.”   When I put on the crown the way God sees me, I avoid Jesus and I am telling the world, “I don’t need the cross."    The world laughs.  The world sees the strings hanging on the crown.  The world sees pretend, avoid, fake the truth.  What kind of God is that, the God of Pretend?
We all want to have our cake and eat it now.  Corrie says, “One day we shall see the embroidery from His side”   While we wait…........ take off your " I perfect" crown and begin wearing the true messy crown that leads to Jesus, The Only Way.