Month: September 2019

TeacherStudent

Coming to the Place of Healing: Seeking the Great Physician

“So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.” 1

The man on the gurney, immobilized by straps across all limbs;

A woman in a wheelchair, pain grimacing through her face;

The toddler coughing and wheezing in his mother’s weary arms;

A man at the door, eyes widened with fear and uncertainty.

                        The Hospital ER Waiting Room

 

A man sitting in the back pew, held back by unseen bonds;

The woman in the middle pew, struggling with inner pain;

A toddler, tired and whining, cradled by a weary mother;

The man in a front pew, uncertainty and fear behind his eyes.

                      Sunday Worship from the Pew

 

The struggling, the hurting, the innocent, the fearful;

Coming to this place for a remedy, a respite, a release;

Seeking a physician to heal hurts within, pains without;

Finding him in the Man of Sorrows, who died, yet lives.

                          Golgotha, at the Cross

 

“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” 2

 

His promise, our need, our action to “Come.”

We are the hurting, the desperate in ER;

We are the struggling, the bound in the pews;

We are the ones who need His healing touch.

         Arriving at the Place of Healing

 

The struggle ended, fear dispelled, bonds broken;

Hearts open to receive healing from within;

Mercy and Grace beyond our comprehension;

Love enduring, joy unending, hope fulfilled

         Reaching the Place of Restoration 

 

‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 3

1 Isaiah 41:102

2 Matthew 11:28

3 Revelations 21:4

(Sharon G. Tate 09/28/19 blog)  teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

BE THE ONE WHO ACTS FOR THE LORD

  “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.                It’s not.” 1

This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have. 2

***************************************************************

NOBODY

10 “So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”  (Exodus 3:10-11)

 Do we feel like “nobody” at times when we are aware of an important job that should be done for the Lord, but start questioning our abilities, our talents, our enthusiasm, our time, our responsibilities–and even our want to?

WHO? ME?

And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.” (Exodus 3:12)

Our questioning and so-called “reasoning” fall short every time, because God always promises to be with us. We are never alone as the “nobody” or the “somebody” or the “anybody” in the task.

So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

 (Isaiah 41:10)

 Unfortunately, even when God makes this promise to us, we, like Moses, often still question.

13 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites:  ‘I am has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:13-14)

 And God answers all our “supposes” too. To Moses, He said, “Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.” (Exodus 3:16)

 To us, He, also, says, “Go.”

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 29:19-20)

And He watches over us and is with us

As we go forth to do His work.

 (Sharon G. Tate blog 09/22/19)  teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word

1 https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/dr_seuss_

2 https://www.lollydaskal.com/leadership/story

TeacherStudent

GOD BREATHED INTO MAN THE BREATH OF LIFE

 Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.  (Genesis 2:7)

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BREATH

OF
LIFE

BREATHED

INTO

MAN

FROM

THE

LIVING

GOD.

 Have we truly tried to envision this picture of God breathing the breath of life into the man that He formed from the dust of the ground, so this new creation could become a living being? Do we feel, with awe, the intimacy between God and His creation captured in this moment when the life of man began?

 The spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

(Job 33:4)

Without this breath of life, we are as dust again. God’s breath inside us maintains the life within. Yet, what we do with the Word of God, “breathed out by God,” creates the living being we each become in this life. Are we a living example of His Word– or are we just living beings?

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

 We are living beings with a choice.  God never breathed into us His Word as robotic obedience. He offers us the best way to live through His Word, “equipped for every good work,” the way He hopes we will live in order to return to Him when our bodies do become as dust once more.

What have we inhaled from His Word?

What do we exhale to those around us?

23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23)

 

(Sharon G. Tate blog 09/15/19) teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

Jehovah-Shalom: The Lord is Peace

 

11 The Lord gives strength to his people;
    the Lord blesses his people with peace. (Psalm 29:11)

When reading the headlines in the newspaper or hearing the day’s events as presented by the nightly news anchor, we might question, “WHERE IS THE PEACE, LORD?”

Jesus clearly answers us: 27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John14:27) 

The world outside may be a raging storm, our inner world may be a tempest–but He gives us peace from it all, if we are willing to let Him into our hearts. The Lord gives us this promise when winds blow, lightning strikes, hail falls, floods rise, inner thoughts assail in our moments of uncertainty and fear: 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)  Jesus is the “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6) who gives us refuge from the storms of life.

10 Though the mountains be shaken
    and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
    nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
    says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

(Isaiah 54:10)

The only way we are removed from this peace is by our own doing– when our faith is weak, when we fear a sinful society seems beyond redemption, when our internal thoughts become ridden with doubt. Through all of this, we limit God, and His peace cannot reach us. The giving end from God is always powerful and strong; the faulty transmission comes at the point of reception– you and me.

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

PEACE! PEACE! BE STILL.1

1 “Master, the Tempest is Raging” lyrics by Mary Ann Baker 1874, music by Horatio R. Palmer 1874. hymntime.com

(Sharon G. Tate 09/08/19 blog )  teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word