Sweet Words from Maine

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.

The Earth Speaks?

“…ask the animals, and they will teach you,
or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish in the sea inform you.
Which of all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?

( Job 12:7-9)

When the Mist Rolls Away

Faith is like lobster fishing before GPS technology. Fishermen used compasses, running times, buoy colors, fog horns, visible land marks, and knowledge of the fishing grounds to find their lobster pots. With that knowledge, they had confidence they would locate their gear even in low visibility.

Our belief systems unfold as we weave through foggy ideas and unexplained mysteries. Guided by intellects, physical senses, experiences, and influencers, we gather evidences to develop and substantiate our developing world views. Yet, we all have to “walk by faith not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) We can do so with confidence in God when we listen to important voices speak to our uncertainties even though answers to many religious, metaphysical questions are speculative and will never be clearly defined during our earthly search.

Creation whispers, even sings, and practically shouts for us to ponder origin, design, beauty, harmony, and mysteries as it points us to the Creator. The Psalmist was overwhelmed when he looked at the night sky: “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place… O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:3-9)

Scripture’s powerful truths and the awesome revelations of Christ are crucial voices which should not be ignored in our pursuit of meaning. General information may be incomplete, confusing, or unreliable, but God’s Word is an unchanging guide for dealing with a dark world. “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades.But the word of the Lord remains forever. And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.” (1 Peter 1:24-25)

Christ’s resurrection and Good News are messages of eternal hope. The “ word of Christ lights the way” to eternal life with God. (Psalm 119:105). (Romans 10:17) (John 6:68).

These evidences, like those of the fisherman, direct us to conclusions. They assure us that our faith will not fail to attain its expectations. In 1890, Anne Herbert wrote a hymn recognizing mysteries but expressing confidence in the outcome of faith’s journey:

When the mists have rolled in splendor/ From the beauty of the hills/ And the sunlight falls in gladness/ On the river and the rills/ We recall our Father’s promise/ In the rainbow of the spray/ We shall know each other better/ When the mists have cleared away.

Planning for Harvest…

Although it is still winter here in Maine, gardeners are looking at seed catalogues, and farmers are thinking ahead to spring planting and dreaming about the fruits of their labor. Some Aroostook farmer sowed (and most importantly painstakingly cultivated) this beautiful field of blossoming potato plants shown in the photo.

Knowledge of seed types, best planting conditions, and proper soil care are crucial to assure the best possible harvest. Ancient Jewish prophets knew this because they lived in agrarian societies from which they drew many prophetic illustrations teaching spiritual truths.

Hosea spoke of the havoc and turmoil engendered by the wickedness of people who ignored God: “They sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind (Hosea 8:7). History has repeatedly shown that when societies lose their God-consciousness, self reigns, spiritual principles are broken, and untoward consequences result. Fulfilling urges and achieving wants without regard to God or our neighbors or our redemptive needs will bring disruption and unhappiness.

Where there is no love or compassion, there will be injustice. Jealousy, divisiveness, and discord will erupt in rebellion and war. Unforgiveness and hatred will lead to vengefulness. Breaches of morality will result in shame and hurt. When there are no absolutes and a lack of moral framework, there will be anarchy and crime. Confusion will beget chaos. We will not be at peace with others or ourselves. The Apostle Paul captured that thought in his letter to the Galatian believers: “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7–10)

Christ used farming imagery in his teachings. His words are seeds sown into human hearts of various soil types. Some seed falls by the wayside because there is neither understanding or pursuit of belief. Rocky soil hearts allow the stresses and difficulties of life to interfere with developing strong roots of persistent faith. Thorn infested soil symbolizes a heart choosing worldly things over God. But there is good soil. Some hearts hear, understand, are transformed by belief, endure, and yield faith’s fruit of peace and kindness and patience and love.

We all have a heart response to God’s Good News. We may have no interest in or be callous about Christ’s Gospel, but to delay or neglect consideration is just as dangerous for us as it was for those who ignored God in Israel during the days of Jeremiah, who saw looming disaster and lamented: “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved”(Jeremiah 8:20).

Jesus’ answer to that dilemma is that “ Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24) If we choose God’s way, we will reap the ultimate harvest of eternal life. (Galatians 6: 8-10)

Planning for Harvest Now?

Misty morning and Potato blossoms, Aroostook County, Maine

In the Dark?

Darkness and Light. Reading at Camp. Sullivan, Maine

Our country has been widely blessed with the benefits of electricity, batteries, and generators. During a recent, prolonged power outage here in Maine, the miracle that light bulbs can disperse darkness became very relevant. Even so, there are times if one wishes to read, it must be done by candle light, lamplight, or beside an open fireplace.

The Apostle Paul had a solution for darkness long before Ben Franklin discovered the lightening rod and electricity. Paul recognized (and we can’t disagree) that spiritual darkness pervades our world. There is a perverseness about humanity. Evil exists and is effective because humanity has a character problem. Scripture clarifies that problem. We “love darkness rather than light.” (John 3:19)

Even though we consider ourselves enlightened, spiritual blindness leads us to neglect, misinterpretation, disbelief, or failure to comprehend the truth about God and what He has revealed to us. We see through “a glass darkly,” but we don’t need to.

To that point, John the Apostle wrote that Jesus, who is the living Word and the Light of the World, still “shines in the darkness” which “will not overcome his light.” (John 1:5) And the Apostle Peter wrote to his readers that the “prophetic Word” should be heeded as “a lamp shining in a dark place.” (2 Peter 1:19) Scripture dispels the darkness and brings hope and renewal to one’s soul.

Generation after generation of humanity has proven itself incapable of moving beyond the dark shadows of selfishness and its consequences. If Scripture illuminates the beauty of God’s holy, immutable character and our defective, sinful spirits, if we fight spiritual darkness, and if Christ’s perfection is the light that dispels that darkness, then both Scripture and Jesus deserve our utmost attention. He is humanity’s one hope for redemption and for eternal reconciliation with God.

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Finding Peace

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Many of us have a favorite place conducive for relaxing, thinking, or meditating. Some of us may use mantras or mindfulness or some other form of meditation to lower stress levels, to relieve anxiety, and to achieve inner calmness. The prophet Isaiah knew the secret to inner peace. Speaking of God, he wrote, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on You…” (Isaiah 26:3)

Scripture encourages meditation as a thoughtful consideration of God by focusing on His nature, His works and precepts, and especially on His words—words which bring joy and goodness into life when adhered to; words that show how to navigate life gently, peaceably, mercifully, graciously, and successfully; words which lead to a transformed spirit confident in God’s strength and presence; and words which have eternal as well as temporal effects.

Meditation was not a foreign concept to Israel. Isaac found solitude in a field where he could meditate. (Genesis 24:62) As Joshua was taking over leadership from Moses, God told him to be strong and courageous, that He was with him, and that Joshua would be successful if he kept “this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.” (Joshua 1:8)

Recognizing the great benefits of knowing and following God’s prescribed precepts, the Psalmist composed the lyrics to the first Psalm: “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law which of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season.” (Psalm 1:1-3)

Our Psalmist fully understood that this crucial spiritual activity was both empowering and redemptive because it established a relationship with God, His Redeemer. He wrote , “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” (Psalms 19:14) The 119th Psalm repeatedly extols the benefits of meditating on God’s promises and precepts.

The New Testament also testifies to the spirit-penetrating power of God’s revealed Word: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,”(2 Timothy 3:16)

In his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul encouraged his readers to pray, to make their requests with thanksgiving, and to not be anxious. As they considered God’s great goodness, His peace which “surpasses understanding would guard their minds and hearts in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7) He then proceeded to tell them how to maintain that healthy mind state: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

Just as Isaiah focused on God, the author of the book of Hebrews points to the character of Christ, who held a special life-perspective. “Lay aside every “weight and sin,” the writer said. “Look”, concentrate on Jesus. Live as he did. Have his attitude. Jesus had to have led a meditative life. He claimed that he came to fulfill the Law. Reading the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7) one realizes the depth of his thoughts and how the immense implications of the moral Law played out in his life. He humbly endured evil oppression and cruelty and sacrificial death on the cross for humanity. Yet, he lived confidently and joyfully in the context of eternal purposes and values. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Meditating on Scripture leads one to an increasing knowledge of God’s loving character, to clues about what He is up to, to understanding where we fit into the work and plan of His Kingdom, to discovering meaning and purpose, to trusting the powerful assurances of His promises, and to growing faith in Christ. God’s Word is not only informative but is spirit-transformative.

“Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, (Psalm 119:2)