Sweet Words from Maine

Beauty Without End

We think of beauty as a quality of someone or something that visually pleases us. Whether or not beauty is intrinsic to something, the saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” implies that beauty is subject to personal aesthetics, appreciations, preferences or interests. That also allows certain intangibles such as music or a person’s character to be considered “beautiful.”

In his country ballad, “I saw God today,” George Strait sings, “His fingerprints are everywhere” including in the beauty of a flower, the love of a couple strolling by holding hands, and in the face of his new born baby. But he realizes, “I’ve been to church\ I’ve read the book\ I know he’s there\ but I don’t look\ near as often as I should\ yeah, I know I should,”

Although “The heavens declare the glory of God” and creation reveals His “eternal power and divine nature,” the wonders of God’s character are ‘seen” within the pages of Scripture where the enormities of His love, grace, mercy, power, and purposes are on display. And when we meditate on Jesus, we discover his pure, magnificent nature, and the Kingdom of Heaven is brought close.

Isaiah paints considerable tension and irony between the horror and beauty of Jesus’ life in a dismal yet wonderful word picture of Jesus, the suffering Messiah.“He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 52:3-5)

We may prefer not to look at the suffering Savior or admit that we sent him to Calvary! However, could anything be more beautiful than mercy, compassion, and selflessness? Can we who are of deceptive, wicked hearts save ourselves? How can we deny the old rugged cross? We must look at that cross…at the tortured, bruised, battered, innocent pathetic figure suffering, hanging there agonizing for us. There he has freed us from condemnation and eternal death when we believe.

Someone has said, “We look at the cross and see anguish, pain, and Jesus being crushed under the weight of the sins of multiplied billions of men and women. But Jesus sees the cross as bringing glory to the Father on earth. It is the glory of the Son’s obedience and the Father’s divine love that brings redemption to humanity, but at a staggering cost.”

The beauty of Jesus doesn’t end at the cross or even the morning he stepped out of the tomb in glorious resurrection. That first Easter morning cinched the bright hope that he is “the resurrection and the life.” Therein lies the awesome promise—even though we die a physical death, we will never die if we trust in his sacrifice for our sins.

The beauty continues. Trusting and loving Jesus transforms lives with meaning and purpose. The words of an old hymn express that possibility: “Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me\all his compassion and purity\O Thou Spirit Devine\All my nature refine\’til the beauty of Jesus is seen in me.” (1916, Arthur Osborne, General in the Salvation Army)

That is ongoing, progressive, unending beauty!

Unending Beauty

That is ongoing, progressive, unending beauty!

Beyond Repair?

This old, deserted place appears to have deteriorated beyond repair. Full restoration might be possible but would require the knowledge and skills of a devoted, courageous, visionary craftsman with deep pockets and much patience. There is little hope that will happen.

Sometimes it seems civilization has degenerated into total moral rebellion and has reached that point of no return from its selfishness. At times the brokenness, violence, greed, deceit, oppression, abuse, and injustices seem overwhelming. Addictions and their consequences are devastating. And we have our personal regrets, guilt, and even shame with which to deal. Many of us are running on empty.

Yet, there is great hope. The cure for our selfishness lies in recognition of our self deceit and need for repentance. Thankfully, Almighty God is in the restoration business! One of the great promises of Scripture is the vitalization of the grieving, repentant soul by an understanding, loving God, who is willing to “forgive all your iniquities, heal all your diseases, redeem your life from the pit, crown you with steadfast, love and mercy, and satisfy you with good, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Psalm 103). “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)

Jesus was a carpenter trained to create and repair, but he was uniquely qualified in spiritual restoration. When he showed up, Jesus changed lives. His touch and voice not only made lives as good as new but transformed them completely. He commanded the authority and power to defy and change physical and spiritual realities. He walked on water, spoke and calmed raging seas. Dead men tore off their funeral gab and climbed out of their caskets. Paralyzed and lame limbs flexed, moved, jumped, and walked like never before. Blind eyes saw the beauty of faces and a world never previously seen. Demons and delusions were confronted and driven out. More importantly, the deranged and mentally tortured received right minds and peace; the immoral were forgiven; the diminished were valued; the hopeless found hope; the misguided, confused, and deluded discovered truth; those in darkness came into the light; the lost found the Way of redemption.

This world is broken; our personal values are skewed, but Jesus was sent to restore hurting creation and suffering humanity to their heavenly potential and original glory. He did so by taking the sins of the world upon his sinless self and by willingly paying our ransom with the death which we deserve. The cost of our redemption is measured somewhere in the magnitude of God’s amazing grace, the extremeness of His mercy, the infinitude of divine love, the selflessness and sacrifice and wonders of Jesus on an old rugged cross, and the hope of an astounding resurrection.

Nobody is beyond his restorative touch. He will make all things new, including us, if we want him to. “A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise ( Psalm 51:17).

“Dooryard” Treasures

A Maine “dooryard” is often the source of surprises and treasures! Scrap lumber? Junk cars? Old buggies? Clotheslines? Free ranging chickens? Weeds? Goats? Playgrounds? Cast off toilets? Whirligigs? Beautiful lilacs? Callous chaos? A lovely, sculpted lawn? Or some combination with a dog or two thrown in!

Maybe even sheep and a lobster boat and gear!

Like Old Faithful, which erupts predictably for three minutes twenty times a day, this lobster boat has faithfully and reliably weathered many fishing seasons. Time and again, the boat has passed that test and is named accordingly.

Fulfilling expectations is an important trust builder. Familiarity with equipment or people or situations provides a certain comfort level. Knowing someone’s weaknesses, strengths, and quirks enables one to deal with them, but predictability and reliability promote confidence. That is what sheep find in their shepherd.

In the context of belief and relationship, the well known twenty third Psalm speaks of the Lord as being a courageous Shepherd, as One who meets the needs of His sheep, who leads them to quiet places while restoring their souls, and who never ever deserts them. But even more than that, scripture proclaims that Jesus came to us as the Good Shepherd, seeking to rescue the “lost” while willingly putting himself in harm’s way to the point of sacrificing his own life to save them.

Knowing that God’s purposes are always good and that He patiently and intentionally shepherds his sheep is assurance that His promises hold firm both for today and always. The Psalmist said , “For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.” (Psalm 33:4) He has kept and will always keep His word.

Jesus is described by different names in Scripture including “Faithful” and “True” and the “Word” (Revelation 19:11) (John1:1). As expressions of God’s nature, he met expectations and gives us confidence in his redemptive work, in his triumph over evil, and in assurances of life eternal when we believe. (Romans10:9-10). When we trust Him, we can sing with the Psalmist: Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” (Psalm 100:3)

He is forever faithful. When we discover Him, He is the greatest treasure!

A Father’s Love

Ice Fishing at George’s Pond, Franklin, Maine

I don’t know him, but I love this guy. It may be cold outside, but it warms my heart to see him huddled and enjoying life with his little family while sharing his knowledge about what he values. He is a good Dad. He has even prepared a picnic and reminds me of our Heavenly Father, who wants to provide and care for us and to show us how to enjoy life.

George Strait sang a country ballad, “A Father’s Love,” which is a touching interaction between a young boy and his Dad. The lad had gotten into trouble and feared his Dad’s would discipline him but was surprised by a tender “secret” which his Dad had learned from his Dad. It was a lesson which the boy took with him throughout his life.

“He said, ‘Let me tell you a secret about a father’s love
A secret that my daddy said was just between us
He said, ‘Daddies don’t just love their children
Every now and then, It’s a love without end, amen
It’s a love without end, amen”

A good Dad knows his children are emotionally and physically fragile. God not only knows our physical and emotional vulnerabilities but also the spiritual weaknesses arising from our rebellious natures. Yet, He “delights in steadfast love.” (Micah 7:18) Strait’s song ends with some lyrics about God’s tender heart for His children. The Psalmist knew that heart and sang about God’s tenderness toward those who reverence Him: “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:13-14).

The Apostle John personally knew Jesus well and believed that God’s love was manifested in him as the crucified, risen Savior. He marveled at Jesus’ sacrifice to save humanity: “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” (1 John 3:1) The Apostle Paul wrote to the Roman Church that in His amazing grace and mercy, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us…He who did not spare his only Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans5:8; 8:32) He further expounded on the immense magnitude of God’s affirming, loving goodness and grace to those who believe in Him: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor the to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

The second verse and refrain of “A Good, Good Father,” sung by Chris Tomlin, conveys that message:

Oh, and I’ve seen many searching for answers far and wide
But I know we’re all searching for answers only You provide
‘Cause You know just what we need before we say a word

You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am

We live with broken natures in a broken world, and earthly Dad’s may fail miserably. But God does not and will not. He is the Father from whom all good is derived. His intentions are always to give us “ hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) He knows we need redemption, gives it when we seek Him, and

loves His children “without end, amen.”

Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! (Psalm 34:8 (NLT2)

Skating on Thin Ice

Skating on Long Pond, Pretty Marsh Road, Mt. Desert, Maine

^“By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen fast” (Job 37:10).

As kids, we loved to skate on a frog pond beside railroad tracks that ran through the middle of our village. While we skated, we warmed ourselves beside, or cooked an occasional hotdog over, a fire of scavenged wood or old, cast off tires garnered from villagers. However, before we were allowed to skate, our Dad or our friends’ Dad always went the first time and checked the thickness of the pond’s ice.

“Skating on thin ice” is more than an idiom. It is a warning that we should not only be alert but be pre-prepared. Being prepared may prevent disasterous repercussions from poorly thought out or willfully bad choices that can derail one’s future. This is true for our spiritual lives as well. Knowing and living by guiding principles will help prevent us from making decisions with negative consequences because “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. (Proverbs 14:12) One wise applicable biblical principle to follow when we make choices is found in Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding but in all your way acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” If that is true, God’s purposes are the best ones to know and to personally apply because “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand” (Proverbs 19:21).

Living well is increasingly difficult in a chaotic culture where standards are fluid, relative, and based on whatever we want or think about the circumstance facing us. The ethical ice is thin when there is no substantial moral foundation to hold us up. Although we have been created with the capacity to act in the image of God, we will not be people of intention and integrity and or have stability without guiding principle by which we decide to live and without which we become side tracked or derailed.

Scriptures clearly indicate God’s desires and purposes for us are always good and involve the Moral Law of loving God with all our being and others as we love ourselves, Because we all have difficulty with that kind of selflessness, we fail in those endeavors, mar that special image, and need forgiveness and reconciliation with God and neighbors. We choose whether or not to seek those. But our choices do not negate the overarching fact that we need forgiveness. Thankfully, God is not willing any should be estranged from Him or perish without Him and is wants to redeem all who seek Him in truth. So, basing one’s life principles on God’s Word or wisdom and not on cultural leanings is crucial.

Christ is God’s wisdom revealed to us in Scripture and is the consistent, solid, immutable foundation of the Christian faith. That fact was expressed in “How Firm a Foundation”, a hymn written in 1787. It is still sung in Protestant churches today:

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in God’s excellent Word!
What more can be said than to you God hath said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

“Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
for I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

“When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
for I will be near thee, thy troubles to bless,
and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
my grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
the flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

“The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no, never, no, never forsake.”

If we choose Jesus, we will not skate through life on thin ice.

Prepared?

The awaited time is now, and “Tide Strider” is ready.

After much hard work and heavy lifting, the lobster traps have been stacked onto the wharf. Buoys and gear are on board. The weather is changing. Let the fishing season begin!

I wonder how much of life is spent “preparing.” We plan meals, social events, weddings, vacations, family calendars; we work out efficient routines for getting our children off to school and ourselves to jobs; we study for exams, for degrees, to develop skills, to become professionals: we prep for interviews, practice for recitals and competitions; we budget, pay bills, renew licenses and subscriptions; we set our GPS’s for best routes to destinations, plan for the future, designate powers of attorney, write wills and try not to leave loose ends to our lives.

Yet life happens and can be messy! Our lives are filled with uncertainty, disruptions, disappointments, impossibilities, circumstances, and surprises about which we have little or no say or control. To avoid chaos, we set priorities but often discover we don’t have the skills or are unprepared to navigate unforeseen material, emotional, or spiritual setbacks.

Scripture shows us what should take precedence in our inner life: loving God with all our being and our neighbors as ourselves. Those precepts fulfill the requirements of the moral law. However, because of weaknesses or ignorance and/or disbelief of what they mean, we all fall short in our ability to adhere to them. We are morally imperfect (sinners) regardless of how righteous and generous we are. That is the reason God in His mercy and grace prepared redemption for all who choose to receive it. Christ in his perfection gives us his righteousness and reconciles us with God if we repent, believe, and accept his sacrifice on the cross on our behalf. He loads life with love, forgiveness, peace, joy ,purpose, and future hope.

We all have beliefs about death and an afterlife. Those may range from no afterlife to reincarnation or to some post-earthly spiritual existence. Jesus addressed this mystery. As the resurrected Lord, he is the only person qualified to do so. He claimed that he is the Way to God and that those who trust him and what he accomplished on their behalf will have life everlasting in a place prepared for them even though they physically die. .

God is prepared, but are we? Are we ready for that final foray into the most impactful but mysterious journey of our lives? Do we trust His redemptive plan?

Rejected?

This bull moose is bellowing disappointment. His amorous advances have just been rejected. We all know how painful and devastating rejection can be. In fact, imaging studies have shown that rejection activates the same area in the brain activated by physical pain.

Rejection rears its head in various forms: misunderstandings, criticism, bullying, unreciprocated love, emotional and physical abandonment, social distancing, being overlooked for a desired or deserved position, failing to make the team, or being turned away from enrollment in the college of choice; and society is bursting with lack of civility, racial violence, political divisiveness, and wars.

Determination, perseverance, and belief in oneself may protect against the negative effects of rejection. Presumably, Walt Disney was fired from his first job for lack of imagination; Dr Seuss’ first manuscript was rejected 28 times; Thomas Edison was told he was “too stupid to learn.” However, what may be merely a challenge to some may have lasting, disorienting, emotional effects for others. Being overlooked, not wanted, not appreciated, unacceptable, and unworthy are devaluing, haunting emotions. Reliving the insult and focusing on its destabilizing pain can lead to post trauma anger, depression, violence, and even suicide.

However, rejection by men does not mean being spurned by God. Many Biblical leaders found themselves locked into controversies and personal rejection because of their faith and/or God’s providential working in their lives. Moses faced a national rebellion; Joseph was sold into slavery; Daniel was thrown to the lions; most of Jesus’ eleven disciples were murdered; Paul was persecuted by his fellow Jews. Hebrews 11:32-39 details the horrendous consequences which many old testament faithful suffered because of their faith, but their confident trust sustained them and kept them from despair and fear.

God never abandons His people. His love surpasses the deepest of human loves. These are truths embedded in biblical narratives and sacred songs: “The LORD will not reject his people; he will not abandon his special possession.” (Psalm 94:14) “For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me in. Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.” (Psalm 27:8-11) .The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” (Psalm 34:17-18)

God’s graciousness is found in His redemptive possibilities. There are no legal, moral, racial, ethnic restrictions or requirements for receiving redemption. It is for whosoever wills. God is unwilling that any should perish. And for those who accept his redemptive offer, there is no condemnation. (Romans 8:1) And “ nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39 (NLT2)

Although Jesus was always in His Father’s heart, “He came unto his own but his own received him not” (John 1:11). Even though he suffered much cruelity at the hands of others, there were no barriers to his compassion. When opposed, he was not vengeful but demonstrated grace, goodness, mercy, and truth. He even asked God’s forgiveness for those who crucified him. He lived with confidence that God had purposes for him as did the Apostle Paul, who endured hardship, persecution, and deprivation but never sensed rejection. “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” (2Corinthians 4:6-9)

Those who choose faith in God and His solution for flawed and sinful natures will never be deserted but will find forgiveness, strength, comfort, peace, and confidence within even the most difficult circumstances. God’s grace is sufficient because His power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

His promised Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall come not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” (Isaiah 43:1-2)

We can be confident in God and His promises: “The LORD will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage” (Psalm 94:14).

Feeling rejected?

We can be confident in God and His promises: “The LORD will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage” (Psalm 94:14).

The Best Knowledge…

Although not everyone enjoys school, most people want to learn interesting and useful information or skills. Whether intentional or incidental, learning is a life long endeavor which may come from formal education and/or by practical, purposeful “hands on” experience and the benefits of “hard knocks.” Either way, we realize that there is always more to know and understand.

The phrase “knowledge is power” is attributed to Francis Bacon. We think of knowledge as being what we have learned through instruction, observation, experience, and the conclusions we have drawn from them. Knowledge is powerful because it helps us understand and navigate the world in which we live. However, wokeness, deconstruction, AI, news manipulation, social engineering, delusional thinking, political extremism, and “influencers” have blurred the pursuit of truth and have made navigation of ideas increasingly difficult.

Although deception and the spirit of lying have been with us since our beginnings, technology and social media have greatly broadened and enhanced the opportunities for intellectual, emotional, and spiritual scamming. Discernment is necessary if we are not to be misled by misinformation, greed, and the frailties of our human minds and desires.

Scripture warns us to “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:8) That verse says that there are two conflicting belief “systems” and that there is a battle between the truth and “my truths” which are misguided human ideas and opinions motivated by selfish desires, self justifications and self exultation. It says that Christ is the key to a special life-giving knowledge which gives meaning and purpose. Could we hope for better knowledge?

That same scripture encourages us to “walk” as Jesus did. In him are the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3). How much nicer the world would be if we pondered, understood, and followed the implications of those words! However, we cannot understand Christ’s potential impact on us until we look for him where he can be found —in the Gospels.