My Morning View

Published on by Joan Category: Devotions, Uncategorized

If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME!   So glad you are here!

I recently had to leave home very early one morning while it was still dark.  I do not like driving in the dark, and I especially do not like driving in the dark in a lot of traffic, but I was headed toward Charlotte and traffic was unavoidable.  Although I knew exactly where my destination was, my nerves were already a little on edge. I was anticipating the 7:30 AM appointment, dealing with the darkness and the traffic, when I looked in my rear view mirror.

You know how the front end of some vehicles look like faces?  Maybe it’s from watching some of the animated movies with my grandchildren or reading with them from some of their children’s books, but I often look at the front of vehicles and see various “faces.” Well, when I looked in my rear view mirror that morning, I saw evil eyes looking back at me. In the darkness, all I could see were the headlights from the car riding a little too close to me, and they looked sinister.  My normally low blood pressure probably increased immediately. I know for sure my heart rate did.

I gripped the steering wheel a little tighter and tried to focus on the road. I prayed again for God to help me. A couple minutes later I glanced in my rear view again and saw something completely different. The Eastern sky was beginning to awaken with the morning sun and sparse clouds were turning pink and orange. The evil eyes were fading away as I noticed the rays from the sun.

It hit me then.  God’s light drowns out all darkness. I wasn’t alone like I had felt I was just moments before. The Lord was illuminating my heart, driving out the nervousness and anxiety, just as the sun was chasing away the darkness and the presence of evil that had threatened to hover near. Although the sky in front of me was still dark, just that quick glimpse of light behind had calmed me and gave me hope. I knew the light would soon overtake all the darkness.

That’s how it is in our spiritual lives, as well.  Sometimes it may feel like we are riding in darkness. We may feel the presence of evil eyes watching for a way to oppress and discourage us. We may know exactly where we are headed, but the journey can still feel a little scary. But when we turn our view toward the Eastern sky, the direction from which one day our Lord will appear, our thoughts and hopes can cling to the promise of His coming.  We know He is with us always, but we still must travel in a dark world.  We still have to deal with the presence of our enemy.  But, oh, someday…

How about you?  Do you know where you are headed in this journey of life? If you have placed your faith and trust in Christ, cling to the hope of His coming.  We still must endure things in this life, but we are promised that joy comes in the morning.  If you haven’t received Christ as your Savior, please consider doing so. The pleasure this world has to offer is temporary and leads to eternal darkness. But the gift of salvation will lead to everlasting light and life. What’s within your view?

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son to be the Light of the World! Help us to remember that although we live in this dark and scary place, Your Light can illuminate our paths so that we can clearly travel close to You. Thank You for the glimpses of Your love we see in our everyday lives that keeps us mindful You are near. May we keep our view directed toward the hope of Your return. We love You, Father! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“This will be written for the generation to come,
That a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.
For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary;
From heaven the Lord viewed the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoner,
To release those appointed to death,
To declare the name of the Lord in Zion,
And His praise in Jerusalem,
When the peoples are gathered together,
And the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.” Psalm 102:18-22 NKJV

Brevity Of Life

Published on by Joan Category: Uncategorized

If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME!   So glad you are here!

Maybe it’s my age.  Maybe it’s nearing the end of another year (already?).  I’m not sure of the reason, but I’ve found myself being really contemplative here lately about the brevity of life.  During times of trials, time has passed slowly.  But seeing my grandchildren growing like weeds, proves time is flying by.

It’s easy to become depressed when I think about how quickly time passes.  I start thinking about all that I haven’t accomplished.  I think about all I’d like to do but probably never will.  It’s not real uplifting to dwell on all those things.

It appears the Book of Ecclesiastes contains a lot of the same type of thoughts.  It starts like this:

“The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem: ‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher.  ‘Utterly meaningless!  Everything is meaningless.’”  Ecclesiastes 1:1-2 (NIV)

Solomon seems to be thinking back over his life.  He talks about his accomplishments, but then concludes that it’s all vanity.  He talks about his vast wisdom and says it only brought him sorrow.  He talks about all he has and about those he sees that have very little.

One conclusion he comes to that he repeats several times in different chapters is that a person should work at whatever task God has given them to do.  He makes that statement in Ecclesiastes Chapters 2, 3 and then again in these verses in Chapter 5:

“This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.”  Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 (NIV)

Solomon doesn’t deny that people have to toil and labor in this life.  But he was saying that we can have happiness as a result of our toil.  We ought to recognize it is God giving us the strength and the ability to do the things we do.  By doing the work we have before us, we can please God and bring Him glory. 

Also, when we allow ourselves to be satisfied with what we have, whether a little or a lot, that satisfaction is, in itself, a gift of God.  And when we accept what God has given us, we won’t be pondering over the sadness of life, because we will instead be pondering over the blessings of God. 

So do you, like me, find yourself contemplating life?  It’s okay to wonder about things.  It’s okay to review things in your life and even question if this is all there is.  Solomon was the wisest, wealthiest man who ever lived and he did.  And what did he conclude?

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.   For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.”  Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (NKJV)

When we have those moments of reflection in our lives, may we ponder more on His blessings and less on the struggles; more on His provisions and less on our unmet wants.   May our desire be to please Him more, and in doing that, we will have a satisfied life.

Heavenly Father, sometimes it seems life is passing way too quickly.  I often regret the time I’ve wasted and mourn over things not yet accomplished.  Forgive me Lord, for putting such emphasis on myself.  Help me to capture each moment and dedicate it to You.  May I offer myself daily to serve You while there is still time.  Allow me to seek that satisfaction of doing the work You have planned for me to do, and to lay aside the striving towards anything other than You, which is all vanity. I praise You, Father, for the opportunity to toil in Your kingdom.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

White For Harvest

Published on by Joan Category: Devotions

If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME!   So glad you are here!

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV)

I live in an area in which there is a lot of farming.  Throughout the year, various types of crops can be seen growing. Now is the time for cotton.  Every time I ride by the field with the cotton shining bright white, I think of the words of Jesus.

There are so many people who haven’t heard the truth of the Gospel.  As Christians, we ought to feel the urgency to share the love of Christ with everyone we come in contact with.  We do not know when the Lord may return, or when our last breath on this earth will be taken.  We need to be ready for that moment, and help others make sure they are ready, as well.

But recently, I saw this message I have so often thought about in a new light.  I saw a story showing where someone had stopped beside the cotton field and was gathering a little of the harvest for themselves.  In other words, stealing. Perhaps they admired the cotton as I have so often, and desired to have a little to decorate their home.  Maybe they thought that what little bit they took wouldn’t matter.  After all, there was a whole field full of it.  But it wasn’t theirs.  They were stealing from the owner of the harvest.

How often do we steal from the Lord of the harvest?  How many times do we feel the Lord urging us to speak to someone and we don’t?  How often do we feel like we need to share a word from the Lord and we stay quiet?  How many souls are we stealing from the Lord by not sharing the truth of salvation?

Selah.

I don’t know why we find it hard to tell others about Christ. Perhaps if we thought more about the end result of us not sharing, of someone spending an eternity separated from Christ, instead of the possibility of being embarrassed or ridiculed, we would share more.  Satan is doing all he can to steal from the harvest.  He is working hard to keep people from hearing and believing in the message of salvation.  I don’t want to help him along.

I pray God will help me to be more sensitive to His instructing me to share with someone as He gives me opportunity. And I hope this will be your prayer as well.  The harvest is white and ready.  Every soul matters.  May we not steal from the Lord of the harvest by not assisting in the reaping.

Heavenly Father, thank You for allowing Your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins.  Thank You for raising Him from the grave that we might have eternal life with You.  Help me to share that wonderful truth to everyone You place in my path.  Give me wisdom and strength to work in the harvest for Your glory and the salvation of souls.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Road Barriers

Published on by Joan Category: Devotions, Uncategorized

If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME!   So glad you are here!

Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.  Jeremiah 10:23 (NIV)

I live ten minutes from my place of work. But along that ten-minute route are seven, count them, seven stop lights.  Now if I can hit it right, every single light is green and I can get to work in those allotted ten minutes. Otherwise, if one light turns red, they all seem to. Then my ride becomes twelve to fifteen minutes. That doesn’t seem like a big deal, except I’m not a morning person. I hit my snooze button until the very last minute that I know I just have to get up, so every minute counts.

It would be nice to live in a world with no stop lights. Or at least, all green ones.

I recall a story in the Bible about a traveler getting detained along his trip. In the middle of the stories of Moses leading the people, there is the story of a man named Balaam.  Balak, the king of Moab, was frightened of the Children of Israel. He saw their great number and feared the destruction of his people.  Balak asked a prophet named Balaam to come to his land for the purpose of cursing the Israelites. 

A simple read of Numbers, Chapter 22, would make it seem like God told Balaam to go, then changed His mind. But a deeper study shows that Balaam’s heart did not fully belong to the Lord.  Although the Lord had told him plainly not to go and to have nothing to do with Balak’s desire for him to curse the Children of Israel, Balaam still entertained Balak’s offer.  It would be like God saying, “If you insist on traveling that dark path, go.” God gives us free will, to choose whether we will fully obey Him or not.

Along the route, an Angel of the Lord stood in the path of Balaam riding on his donkey.  The donkey could see the Angel while Balaam could not. That was further evidence of Balaam’s unrighteousness, that he had less spiritual insight than his donkey. The donkey stopped three times at the sight of the Angel.  Each time Balaam beat the donkey to try to get him to move.  God finally opened the mouth of the donkey, allowing it to speak to Balaam.  Then Balaam’s eyes were open so that he, too, could see the Angel.

Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.” The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials. Numbers 22:34-35 NIV

This story makes me pause and ponder. How often have I insisted on doing my own thing and God has attempted to place roadblocks in my path of disobedience?  Perhaps when certain plans go wrong, it’s God trying to shine a red light to get my attention to stop.

There are other similar instances in the Bible. When Paul was traveling on his missionary journeys, sometimes he made the comment that God would not allow him to enter certain areas, but instead would send him somewhere else. We need to be that spiritually discerning in our lives.  If we have that close fellowship with the Father, then when paths are lying in front of us and we need to choose, we will be able to sense which to go down. We will be able to see the red lights and green lights. I hope and pray that I will be so close to the Lord, that I will always choose the right path.  I pray all the stop lights are green.

Heavenly Father, thank You for directing our paths.  Help us to have spiritual eyesight so that we stay on the right path You have already planned for us to walk along. If we begin to wander away from You, please place a barrier in front of us to cause us to return to You. Thank You, Lord, for caring about every step we take. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Are You A David Or A Solomon?

Published on by Joan Category: Uncategorized

If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME!   So glad you are here!

A couple years ago I learned about my church’s history. They started out in a log school house in 1866 and then built a small wooden frame building. They made small additions and repairs through the years. The people started longing to build a new building in the 1930’s. Every so often the subject would come up, but they could never afford to build. 

Tragedy occurred in 1947 when the wood frame building burned. However, with the resources the church had saved, the aid of the members and the community, a new church was built and completely paid for within a few years. It housed a different generation of people, but the church’s dream of a new place of worship came to be. 

As I read of the desire of the people to build a place of worship, I started thinking about David’s desire to build a temple for the Lord. He had been a man of war. When the established kingdom was finally at rest, he wanted to build a permanent place for the Ark of the Covenant. However, God had other plans.

Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel. But the Lord said to my father David, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well that it was in your heart. Nevertheless you shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for My name.’   I Kings 8:17-19 NKJV

Instead of being disappointed at being told by God he could not build the temple, David began preparing things for his son. David stored up silver, gold, bronze, and other items that he acquired from subduing his enemies and he dedicated those things to the Lord in anticipation of Solomon one day using it in the temple.

So all the work that King Solomon had done for the house of the Lord was finished; and Solomon brought in the things which his father David had dedicated: the silver and the gold and the furnishings. He put them in the treasuries of the house of the Lord.  1 Kings 7:51 (NKJV)

This gave me a new perspective on my dreams of life. There are so many things I wish I could do for God. I hope I will get to accomplish some of those things before my time on earth is over. However, just because I know there are some things I will never get to do, that doesn’t mean I need to stop working for the Lord in whatever way He allows. I can still strive to live a Godly life and hope my life will inspire others to continue to live for the Lord all their life. Perhaps God will use them to accomplish things that I never will. Maybe I’m a David, just meant to live my life and prayerfully prepare the way for my children and grandchildren to be Solomons, fulfilling God’s purposes in their lives. 

God does put desires in our heart to accomplish His will. We need to stay close enough to Him to realize which dreams are truly from Him and to work diligently toward, and which desires, although admirable, are not in His will for us.

Don’t allow unreached dreams to make you feel defeated. Purposefully serve the Lord. Go through whatever door He opens and be thankful for the door He leaves shut. Prepare future generations to serve the Lord all their lives. If you are a Solomon, if God has given you a great task to perform, pray for wisdom. And remember the ones who prepared you for that task.

Whether you are a David or a Solomon, stay faithful and the Lord will bless you in ways you could never imagine.

Heavenly Father, like David, I pray, “How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.” (2 Samuel 7:22 NIV) May I have the same mindset, Lord, to praise you even if my personal dreams never come to pass. May I be faithful to follow you and Your plans for my life.  Thank you, Father. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Dad’s Wave Offering

Published on by Joan Category: Dad's Journey

Most days you can find my Dad spending some time sitting on the carport and waving at each person who passes by.  It doesn’t matter if he knows who they are or not, he still waves. Out of curiosity, I asked him one day why he waved at everyone. He just said it was his way to show friendliness.  A way to say hello and that he hoped they were doing well.

We went on to discuss how that was a normal thing in years gone by.  People would spend their evenings sitting outside and waving to the neighbors. I recall as a young girl going to see my grandparents who lived in the city in a quiet neighborhood on a dead-end street. They would be sitting on their front porch and often they would have conversations by yelling (in a friendly sort of way) to the neighbors next door or across the street who were also sitting on their porches.  No need to walk across the street or yard. Just raise your voice a little.

One day a car pulled into my parent’s driveway and a couple got out. They introduced themselves as neighbors who lived a short distance away.  They had become accustomed to receiving a friendly wave from my Dad each time they drove by and decided one day they would just stop and meet the kind man.  They had a nice visit and said they would come again someday.

My husband recently bought me a new study Bible. I started at the beginning and have been reading slowly, taking time to read all the study notes. Reading Leviticus and Numbers has always seemed hard to me.  I’m thankful our God is such a God of detail but reading about all the sacrifices and how everything is to be handled so precisely isn’t very exciting. However, when I read about the wave offerings, I immediately thought about my Dad.

The wave offering was when someone presented a sacrifice, other than one for sin. It could have been a peace offering or a fellowship offering. It would be waved back and forth in uplifted hands to God. Then a portion would be used to feed the priests and their families.  It was a way a person would say they were dedicating their sacrifice to the Lord and the Lord was giving it back to take care of the needs of his servants. The members of the Levite tribe, themselves, were presented as a wave offering before the Lord, signifying they were dedicated, set apart, to be used in service to the Lord.

We no longer must worry as Christians about offering physical sacrifices on an altar the way the Old Testament describes.  But that doesn’t mean we are not to offer sacrifices at all.

May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.  Psalm 141:2 NIV

We are to offer a sacrifice of praise.  We are to sacrifice our time, our talents, our treasures.  In fact, our whole life.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship.  Romans 12:1 NIV

Everything we do, we are to do as unto the Lord. This passage describes my Dad very well.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:12-17 (NIV)

I know my Dad has been discouraged about not being able to do all the things he could do before his cancer. Even well into his seventies, he worked hard. Always working on something at home. Always ready and willing to help anyone who called on him for help. Now, a good day is feeling like riding his lawn mower to mow a little. Or riding off with his brother. Or sitting on the bench inside Walmart while my Mom shops.

His body has, in a sense, betrayed him. He still has the desire to be useful and busy, but fighting the cancer robbed him of physical strength. And what the fight didn’t take, the side effects of chemo did, aging him beyond his actual number of years. Therefore, he sits. And waves.

But I feel sure that each friendly wave my Dad offers, each heartfelt desire that his wave is bringing joy to someone’s day, is rising up as a sweet-smelling aroma to the Lord. He’s still in service unto the Lord.

So, keep waving, Dad.  Keep waving.

Soaking It In

Published on by Joan Category: Devotions

If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME!   So glad you are here!

Being a grandmother is simply the best!  I have four little ones that have blessed me with the name of Bebaw.  It’s so fascinating to see how their little minds soak up things quickly.  I can tell my memory has gotten worse, but they seem to remember everything (except where they took their shoes off at!) Even the youngest one at 15 months old is learning new things every day.  The younger ones are learning by watching the older ones and the oldest one is learning by questioning everything.

The down side to soaking up everything they see is that everything they see is not always good.  They can’t be kept away from everything and everyone. And even if they could, bad behavior doesn’t have to be taught. We are all born with sinful natures.  Unfortunately, even after we have received Christ as our Savior, our old sinful nature is still a part of us. 

But it’s not just children who soak in so much information.  Everything we see with our eyes, hear with our ears, everything related to all of our physical senses, enters into our minds. Those images and experiences stay with us, affecting us in ways we may not even realize. Information overload is real. Things that are seen now openly in life or on TV, in books and magazines, on social media of any type, are things that would have made people blush years ago. Today, we hardly even cringe. 

Then once things are in our minds, our behavior is affected. 

Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. Matthew 12:33-35 (NIV)

It’s impossible to avoid some things.  We can’t exactly walk around with our eyes and ears closed.  But as much as possible, we can control what we look at and what we listen to.  The Bible states it this way:

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. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9 (NIV)

It takes discipline on our part to guard our hearts and minds.  It may mean staying away from certain people that can’t seem to control their language or topics they discuss.  It may mean not reading certain books or magazines.  It may mean turning off the TV or internet.  It definitely does mean we need to spend more time in God’s Word and in prayer.  Like Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:5, we need to, “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

May we all seek after wisdom and be careful what our mind soaks up.

Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving us our physical senses and minds to process that information. May we spend time in Your Word, seeking wisdom so that, like it says in Proverbs 4, we may:  “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.”  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Meant For Good

Published on by Joan Category: Devotions

If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME!   So glad you are here!

Age has its advantages. (Not that I’m exactly enjoying getting older.) But I’m learning a lot. For instance, I used to question “why” a lot more than I do now. Why did this bad thing happen? Why is life such a trial? Why doesn’t God do something about this? Why doesn’t God just “zap” that person?

In hindsight, I can look back now at so many struggles I have experienced in life and see how God used it for my good and His glory. He has a purpose and plan for everything and just because we don’t understand it doesn’t mean the plan isn’t being carried out perfectly. 

Joseph learned how to deal with mistreatment through experiences he endured. His own brothers sold him as a slave. Then he was sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and a captain of the guard. When Potiphar recognized that Joseph had the favor of God on him, Joseph rose in status in that household. Until Potiphar’s wife lied about him and he ended up in prison. Perhaps it was because of that time in captivity and in prison, when he had a lot of alone time with God, that Joseph learned true dependence upon the God of his fathers. 

Through a series of events, Joseph ended up second in command in Egypt. He was able to save his own father and brothers, and many others during a time of famine because of that position. After the death of his father, Joseph’s brothers expected him to finally take revenge upon them for selling him into slavery. But Joseph was merciful and gracious to them.

Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:19-21 (NKJV)

Joseph learned to leave the judgement up to God. He could see, looking back over his life, how God had orchestrated everything to save many people. Now perhaps the things we are going through are not going to save the physical lives of many people, but we could possibly influence people to trust in the Lord, thus saving them spiritually. 

Through the inhabiting of the Holy Spirit, God has equipped us with spiritual eyesight. So I wonder this: if we could use our spiritual eyesight to the fullest extent to see how God is using our trials to lead others to Himself, would we grumble less?

Some trials we experience could possibly be the consequences of sin. If that is so, we ought to repent quickly. However, when we are striving to live as closely to the Lord as possible and people mistreat us or speak harshly against us, may we have the mindset of Joseph. May we stay faithful and receive the favor of God. May we allow God to lead us and use us wherever we are and whatever position we are in. May we be able to say of every situation, “but God meant it for good.”

Heavenly Father, it’s so easy to get my feelings hurt by the words or actions of someone else. Please forgive me for wanting to rush in to judge or speak harsh words in return.  Help me Lord, to stay faithful to You in every positive and negative circumstance.  Please use each situation in my life to point others to receive salvation that comes only from You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Drop The Rocks

Published on by Joan Category: Devotions

As I lay in bed one night, another night of sleeplessness, I found my mind rehearsing a speech I so wish I could give. I must confess I have not yet mastered the discipline of throwing off worry and I often become anxious at the way things are in our world. So, I lay there, going over and over in my mind the words I wish I could say if I had the opportunity.  The topic changes depending on that day’s happenings.  But most recently, I can’t get away from this topic.

My audience? Everyone. Including myself. The scene? Someone speaking, hurling derogatory statements at the one they see at fault. They stand there self-righteously tossing their stones up in the air from one dirty hand to another, eager to throw.  As I stand up to this speaker, I would start my speech something like this:

In the Words of our Savior, “Let he without sin cast the first stone.”

No, the person you are speaking of is not perfect. Neither am I. Neither are you. In fact, the only Perfect One to have ever and will ever walk this earth is the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 3:23 states, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

“No, I’m not perfect, but I’m better than they are,” they say, pointing their finger at their target.

But guess what? When you stand before God, He is not going to compare you to the one you are trying to be better than. No. He will be looking at you and looking to His Son.

“Does this one belong to You?” the Father asks the Son.

Because you see, Christ died for everyone. Scholars say that Christ was hanging naked on the cross. I beg to differ. I believe all my filthy, sin stained garments that I, at times, try to find enjoyment in wearing, was thrown on Christ. Yours were, too. So often when we think of sin, we think of the ugly, “big” sins. Murder. Robbery. Rape. But no. In God’s eyes, sin is sin. Not just those “big” sins, but every harsh word on our tongues, every unkind thought in our mind, every impatient breath we blow out, every little lie we speak, every attitude of pride that keeps us from apologizing or accepting apologies, are all filthy rags.

Imagine us all standing before the cross, tossing one stained and torn rag on Christ after another. Those rags formed a garment of death.

I wonder which sin thrown from which person was the last stitch in that ugly robe that shrouded Christ?

Those pieces of rags must have felt like stones thrown on Jesus. Then God had to turn His face from His perfect, sinless Child, not because of His nakedness, but because of the cloak of sin He wore.

But then, praise be to God that Christ rose again!  That sin stained garment is gone. And when we receive Christ as our Savior and Lord, His red blood washes us white as snow. Our sins are forgiven!

Will Christ recognize you when you stand before Him?  Will the Sacrificial Lamb see His red blood placed on you in exchange for your filthy rags and be able to say, “Yes, this one is Mine,” to the Father?

Or are you still wearing the filthy garments of sin that Christ died for?

God will see each of us as individuals, not comparing us with anyone else. It’s time we drop the rocks. None of us are good enough to throw them.

Check out this song, “Rocks,” by The Isaacs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQDCnKvAi74