The devil thought he’d won it when they laid Christ in the tomb,
His plot to kill Messiah and to spread hate, death, and gloom.
But God Almighty had a plan, and to our foe’s surprise,
Our lord got up in glory, out of the grave to rise!
I went for a beautiful walk this week up the hill from where we live. After plentiful rains, the literally acres upon acres of yellow-green mustard plants glistened in the sun. Bright golden fields of Brown-eyed Susans were punctuated by the royal purple of lupine and phacelia. I looked for my favorite—mariposa lilies—on the way up to the top, but did not find them in their haunt from two years before when rains were also abundant.
Simon Peter was one of Jesus Christ’s most intimate friends and co-workers. He knew what he was talking about when he spoke to Cornelius and his household.
Acts 10:38:
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
After a quick two-hour trip up the road to Columbus, we reunited with dear friends, Rich and Vera, who we can practically call family having lived in the same home for four years, next door for another year, then up the street for four more years. It’s difficult to put all the life we shared together into a few words, but I think the word, “celebrate” sums it up.
I remember spending countless hours in front of the mirror during my teen years. To me, so much of my life depended on my current hair style, the clothes I wore, or the state of my acne. I was constantly worried about what other people, especially my “friends,” thought of me. And the whole basis for my self-evaluation was my outward appearance.
I also remember during that time trying to know more about God. Books on Zen Buddhism and other Eastern thought were popular in the early 1970s. I vividly recall sitting in the rocking chair in our basement wondering about my destiny. I even tried to read our Jerusalem Bible, but gave up in the genealogies at the beginning of Genesis. I deeply worried about my future. I was taught that if I committed even one mortal sin before death, I was doomed to a fiery eternity in hell. I did not know the Creator as a personal Father. I did not realize how much He knew about me!
At times, born-again believers need to speak for God, to help others learn to worship Him, and to lead them into practically walking with the Father. Those three jobs are similar to what an Old Testament prophet, priest, and king would do. God prophetically foretold that the coming Messiah would be a prophet like Moses, a priest like Melchizedek, and a king like David. Jesus Christ was all three!
To get to Cincinnati, we decided to wind our way through the peaceful, rolling green hills on the back roads of northern Kentucky. I began to really enjoy driving but I knew Cindy enjoyed it, too. So we needed to find her driver’s license—not only to share the driving but also to get her through airport security and onto the plane back home!
Sherry and I love to go out to eat. A good restaurant offers a win-win situation for all involved. The diners receive a delicious meal in a delightful atmosphere. The owner receives payment and offers a valuable service to his customers. And between the two, the waiting staff has the joy of serving both the owner and his guests, and receiving rewards from both.
Similarly, we have the joy of service and receive rich rewards as we work with our heavenly Father to serve the bread of life to those who are spiritually hungry!
Life Lesson #3: God’s love is what gives me the strength to love myself and others. Over time, responsibilities in life can pile up. The free time once available to take care of personal needs can grow sparse. But even when the pressure is on, God’s people still have needs and God will take care of me as I minister to His chosen.
The second life lesson I’ve learned is instrumentally woven in with humility (Life Lesson #1)—that I must prove everything by the Word of God. The apostle Paul emphasized to the Thessalonians, “Prove all things. Hold fast to the good” (I Thessalonians 5:21).