Fill In the Blank

“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ…”—James 1:1

“Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James…”—Jude 1:1

These brothers, like Jesus, were borne by Mary.  They all grew up under the same roof and smelled the same wood shavings from Joseph’s shop. If it had been us, wouldn’t we have been dying to make that point in our writings so we could win friends and influence people?

And yet somewhere along the way, through the sibling rivalries, animated dinner conversations, and the years of finding it hard to believe that their brother really was this guy who the prophets of old wrote about—even if He did love going to church—something powerful must have happened that changed everything and sparked these introductory words.  Quite possibly, it was this:

They watched how He lived, and found His actions matched the words on His resume. If this was what life to the full was about, they wanted in.

Sometimes, in skimming over the greetings and introductions of the Gospels and the various letters to the churches so we can get to the “good part” of what the Bible says about us, we miss the good part.

Lord, help us to remember that it is one thing to be known as someone who says all the right Jesus words and is a good church-goer, but that the only resume that really shines through is what flows through our hands and feet in the daily grind—and especially, our attitude toward life and others. Imperfect? No doubt. But since it's Your light doing the shining, and You say 'Go!," we say once more, '________, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.'"

In Everything?

“Thank GOD in everything, no matter what the circumstances may be; be thankful and give thanks, for this is the will of God for you who are in Christ Jesus—the Revealer and Mediator of that will.”—1 Thessalonians 5:18, Amplified

On some days, the idea of being thankful to God in the midst of everything that happens in our lives—especially in our world today—sounds like the power of wishful thinking, or worse, wearing a plastic smiley-face and denying reality. But life in Jesus’ day was also filled with strange diseases, horrific executions, governments gone astray, and most of all, sheep without a shepherd.  The timeless good news is that we have a rock-solid foundation for authentic, thankful living—and it’s this:

“the God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth…” (Acts 17:24)

Being purposely and regularly thankful to God for every answered prayer big and small—or even for simply never leaving or forsaking us while in the midst of a situation that has no obvious good solutions at the moment—sends things like selfishness, doubts, and grumpiness running in the Light of the most trustworthy declaration that’s ever been made in the history of mankind.

Living in thankfulness never sugar-coats what is painful or worrisome, or shuts off the newscast and wishes it all away. Rather it declares in our witness of words, attitudes, and demeanor:

When darkness seems to hide His face

I rest on His unchanging grace

In every high and stormy gale

My anchor holds within the veil

Christ alone, the Cornerstone!

"This hope, this confident assurance, we have as an anchor of the soul—it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whatever pressure bears upon it—is a safe and steadfast hope that enters within the veil of the heavenly temple, that most Holy Place in which the very presence of God dwells..."—Hebrews 6:19, Amplified

Hymn for New England

"It makes no difference who you are or where you're from--if you want God and are ready to do as He says, the door is open. The message sent to the children of Israel--that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again--well, He's doing it everywhere, among everyone."--Acts 10:34-36, Message

All creatures of our God and King

Lift up your voice and with us sing:

This is my Father’s world…

Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas

His hand the wonders wrought

I sing the mighty power of God

That made the mountains rise

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee

How great Thou art, how great Thou art! 

I sing the mighty power of God

When through the woods and forest glades I wander

When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur

And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze...

He speaks to me everywhere

O worship the King!

And gratefully sing His wonderful Love

Love Divine, all loves excelling

Joy of Heaven to earth come down

Jesus, Thou art all compassion,

Pure, unbounded Love Thou art

Visit us with Thy salvation

Enter every trembling heart

Revive us again

Fill each heart with Thy Love

May each soul be rekindled

With Fire from above

O God, our help in ages past

Our hope for years to come

Our shelter in the stormy blast

And our Eternal home.

Revive us again.

Take my hands and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love

Take my feet and let them be

Swift and beautiful for Thee.....

A vital resolution

“I want to suggest that you finish what you started to do a year ago…having started the ball rolling so enthusiastically, you should carry this project through to completion just as gladly…let your enthusiastic idea at the start be equaled by your realistic action now.”—2 Corinthians 8:10-11, Living Bible

In the midst of a passage on a lifestyle of giving comes this hurts-so-good-exhortation for follow-through on all of our unfinished projects and good intentions, for resolve in our vows and commitments, for integrity…for putting actions to words.

And in our day, for the people in our lives, nowhere is this more needed than at the many times we say these words…

“I’ll be praying for you.”