Mid-Week Message - Why Are You Crying?

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.  All these things are gone forever."  Revelation 21:4  (NLT)

Tears are a gift.  They allow us a way to release our emotions and share our overflow of feelings with others.  Most of us cry when we are sad, some of us cry out of anger or even exhaustion.  We even have times when we cry out of sheer joy.  Scientists say that "happy" tears are chemically different than the ones that fall out of sadness.  What an amazing Creator we serve!  

John 20:15-16 recounts a very tender moment.  Mary has gone to Jesus' tomb but when she does not find him there, she weeps because she thinks someone has taken his body away.  While she is crying, she hears a voice that says, "Dear woman, why are you crying?  Who are you looking for?"  She believes Him to be the gardener and asks Him where He has taken the body.  Then Jesus speaks her name and she recognizes Him.  I am not sure, but I would imagine that her tears became those of joy rather than of sorrow at that moment.

When infants are born, we long to hear their first wails.  It is reassurance of the life that is inside of them and that their lungs are working well.  Then we find ourselves kneeling by their cradles and praying that their sorrows and hardships in life will be few.  I remember well taking my tiny daughter to her well-checks and sobbing along with her as she received her vaccines.  The fact that my child was in pain, even for just a moment, broke my heart.  If we love our children that deeply, how must Almighty God, who is the very epitome and definition of love, feel when He witnesses His children weeping?  

My personal belief is that when Jesus spoke to Mary in the garden, His voice was compassionate and comforting.  It was a moment that showed His reaction to tears.  And I believe with all my heart that He reacts to each of us the same way when He sees us in pain or sorrow.  Just as he said to Mary, He says to us, "Why are you crying?"  He wishes us to know that He is beside us and is ready to take us into His holy arms to comfort us.  

Why do I believe that tears matter so much to Him?  Because the verse for today is very specific in mentioning what will be gone forever in Heaven.  It lists tears, death, sorrow, crying and pain.  If they were not important to Him, why would He call them out and reassure us that they would come to an end?  

Another verse that shows the importance of our tears is Psalm 56:8 which says, "You keep track of all my sorrows.  You have collected all my tears in your bottle.  You have recorded each one in your book."  The Bible, our love letter from God Himself, makes sure we understand that He sees, hears and cares when we cry.  The Author of all that is, is touched when we weep.  How precious is that?  

We all go through moments that bring us to our knees, that make us feel as though there is no end to the amount of tears that will flow from our eyes.  In those moments though, our Savior is there beside us.  In the times when we feel most alone, we are far from it.  He cares and His compassion has no end.  We can each go forth in confidence that no tear is unseen and they are of the utmost importance to the One who created them in the first place.   

Why are you crying?  Listen for Him to call your name.  God bless.

Mid-Week Message - Valentines Thoughts

"Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor." Romans 12:10

I used to love Valentines Day in school.  Each year we got to craft a "mailbox" for students to put our Valentines in. I would dig through my mother's sewing box and dig out pieces of fabric, lace and ruffles to glue on mine.  Then I would cut hearts out of construction paper, doilies and foil.  Each year I thought my box would be the most elaborate and the prettiest one in the classroom.  There was no award for the nicest box but it was important to me that mine stood out.  I guess somewhere deep down I thought the prettiest box would get the most cards.  

Fast forward to adult life.  When I was single I used to look longingly at the flowers that were delivered at work to the ladies with boyfriends and husbands.  Not all of them received them, but many did.  I thought it would be the most romantic thing ever to have flowers delivered to me at work.  The first Valentines Day of my married life, the flowers never came.  However, when I got home, my husband met me with a dozen roses and a glass slipper.  I was overwhelmed with emotion as I realized that it didn't matter if the flowers were delivered to my job or not.  It didn't even matter that I received flowers and a gift or not.  What mattered was the demonstration of the love my husband had for me.  

We all crave affection, and not just one day of the year.  Holidays have become opportunities for financial gain for companies that cater to them.  Cards, candy, jewelry, and flowers are big sellers this week.  Florists are working overtime trying to deliver all the orders.  But flowers die, candy gets eaten, cards eventually get either thrown away or shoved in a drawer.  What lingers is the satisfaction that comes from the love that was shown.  That is what matters because we each have a basic need for love.  

Romans 12:10 intrigues me.  What would happen if we actually followed its instruction to "outdo one another in showing honor?"  If each of us made it our mission to be the most loving to our families, neighbors, acquaintances and everyone else around us, what would change?  If we met that basic need for love in one another, if we all made that our mission, can you imagine the joy that would ensue?  I was elated to be met with flowers and a glass slipper one time.  It continues to impact my life even today.  That is how important a display of affection can be.  

Wherever you find yourself today, please know that at least one person loves you - me.  If it was in my power to deliver hugs or other displays of that love, I would do it eagerly.  Please reach out to those around you and honor them.  Don't wait for a special day or occasion.  There may not be another.  God bless you.

Mid-Week Message - More Like Jesus

"He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less."  John 3:30  (NLT)

Social media is everywhere.  It seems that almost everyone has an account on a site where they can share what's going on in their lives.  Selfies, pictures of the food that is being served, families posing together, babies, home decor and the list goes on.  But there is one thing that is most notable about these sites.  They provide a place for us to indulge our egos.  

I will admit that there have been times when I have posted something and then checked again and again to see who is "liking" or "loving" what I have posted.  I had to get over that because if it was something really dear to me, like a picture of my child, then I was upset if I either didn't get a lot of responses or if more people only "liked" rather than "loved."  My ego was hurt.  Why?  Because my purpose in sharing was all about me. 

If we stay within ourselves, if we keep our focus inward, then how can we reach out to anyone else?  If we are more concerned with all things personal rather than spending our time in concern for what those around us need, then not only will we miss a lot of joy, but we will also be sinning.  

Philippians 2:3-4 says, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."

Our goal, as Christians, is to be like Christ.  If we study His life, how often do we see Him more worried about Himself than He is those around Him or those in the crowds that came to hear Him?  Granted, He was fully God and fully human and we are only fully human.  We aren't perfect as He was perfect, however, through His grace and mercy, if we spend more time learning about Him and walking with Him, then He will begin to change our hearts and teach us how be more like Him.

Simply put, it needs to be more and more about Jesus and less and less about ourselves.  Rather than posting attention getting selfies, we can use our social media time to honor our Savior.  It is far greater to have His approval than that of man. 

There are so many opportunities to show His love.  Many people need prayers and encouragement.  It costs nothing more than a little bit of time to reach out and be supportive. 

This week my challenge is that we all take inventory of how we represent ourselves and the Lord in any of our interactions with others.  What is our focus?   Are we seeking personal approval or are we pointing the way to the One who loves us more than any person on earth ever will?  God bless. 

Mid-Week Message - Simple Blessings

 "The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed."  Proverbs 11:25 (NLT) 

I have written before about the ministry my husband and I had in Cedar Park, TX several years ago.  We had the honor of providing the Sunday worship service and the Wednesday evening Bible study for an independent living retirement facility.  We served there for a full five years and we will both tell you that it was a great privilege to get to know so many delightful people.  We learned about their younger lives, their careers, their children, and their life experiences.  We also walked with many of them through illnesses.  We literally held their hands as we sat by hospital beds, or as we listened as they told us of a diagnosis of Alzheimer's or cancer.  And, we provided several memorial and graveside services.  

We loved those folks, most of whom are gone now.  But what we learned from them and the memories we made will stay with us forever.  

I was reminiscing today about greeting each of them as they came into the theater room that we used for services.  Each Sunday morning I would stand at the back and hand out the bulletin for the week and hug them.  At some point, I kissed one of the men on the cheek and then went to wipe off the lipstick that I had left there, but he stopped me.  "No, no," he said.  "I want that to stay there."  Once one of them had a kiss mark, the others wanted one so I always made sure I wore a lipstick shade that was bright enough to be seen.  

As I was reliving those precious moments, I realized that walking around the building with that lipstick on their cheeks was a blessing for them.  It was an attention getter, a conversation starter and it made them feel special for a little while.  As I pondered that, I wondered about the little things that we can do that may not be anything much to us, but just might bring a smile or a bit of joy into someone else's life.  

The Lord has gifted each of us with various abilities.  Maybe you are one who likes to bake.  Perhaps, you are a good listener.  Some of us love to read and could possibly spend some time reading out loud to a dear one that has trouble seeing the words.  Are you an artist?  Could you do little drawing and include an encouraging scripture to cheer someone up?  

The older I get, the more I understand how much we need each other.  We weren't created to be isolated and alone.  And we weren't put on this earth to think only of ourselves.  When we use our talents and abilities to bless others, their lives are brightened but so are ours.  It is incredibly fulfilling to give the gifts of love and encouragement to another.  As today's verse tells us, "those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed."  

My heart warms when I think about those lipstick marks.  Such a little thing but it meant so much to those men, most of whom were widowers.  It cost me nothing but a dab of red from a tube.  And now that they are gone, I am the one carrying the joy of those smiles and I thank the Lord that He gave me such a joyous opportunity.  God bless.  

Mid-Week Message - How Are You?

Does this sound familiar?  "How are you doing today?"  "I'm fine. How are you?"  "Fine."  How many times a day do you hear these words?  There is a comedian that does a whole bit on this.  He enacts a day in the hallway at work.  Each time he passes someone they go through the "how are you" routine.  His question was this, "Why do we do that every time we pass each other in the hallway? Is it necessary for some reason?  Do you even care what the other person says or are we so programmed to the answer being 'Fine' that we don't even actually hear what the other person says?"

Have you heard the "how are you" question today?  If so, how did you answer?  The real question isn't whether someone asked you how you were, but rather, did they ask it sincerely.  Did they look you in your eyes and stop long enough to gauge whether your answer of "fine" was true?  If you said, "fine", were you?  

In this day and time everyone seems to be so busy with their own lives that we rarely take the time to truly know those around us. Neighbors live years without knowing more than each other's names. With technology in the household came seclusion.  Rather than being out on the porch chatting with friends, we spend the evenings on the couch in front of the television.  Even in churches we often don't know the person sitting beside, in front of, or behind us.  Some churches are so large that unless you get involved in a small group, you may not even see the same people each week.  

Romans 12:10-16 has this to say, "Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.  Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited."

How can we be devoted to those we do not know?  How can we honor them, share with them, rejoice or mourn with them?  Is practicing hospitality merely a suggestion?  What do we individually and collectively need to do to fulfill what Paul is admonishing us to do?  

The answer can start with one question.  When we ask someone how they are doing, we need to stop, look directly into their eyes and listen.  They need to know without a shadow of a doubt that we are sincere and that we are asking from love, not duty or formality. Then, when they share what is on their heart, we need to go with them to the foot of the cross in prayer.  Jesus takes the time to know us.  Somehow, He deals with each of us as if we were His only concern.  That is how we need to treat each other.  When we do, relationships will form and grow and we will be able to love as He loves. God bless you.