The Death of the Lamb, Part 3 I had heard that it could take as long as four days for the crucified to die and asked Simon if he wanted to leave the horrible scene, as some others already had, making their way miserably back into Jerusalem. He said he would stay until the end. But he didn't think death would take nearly as long coming as it usually did for those crucified. He said that by the look of Jesus’ back and head, which was still ringed by the crown of thorns, he had lost so much blood from the scourging and the beating that it would only be a matter of hours before he was dead. I had heard that sometimes those sentenced to scourging and crucifixion didn't even live long enough to make it to the cross. I guess it depended on how enthusiastic the scourgers were. I decided to stay with Simon. I felt that I owed it to Jesus. He had changed my life. Before he had come along, I was focused only on myself and what I could get out of life and out of others. But Jesus taught me that my focus needed to be on others, not for what I could get from them, but for what I could give to them. You don't leave a man who has made that kind of impact on your life alone to die. Simon and I sat down on the stony ground, a little apart from the rest of the people. I glanced up at the sky to check the time and suddenly noticed that the clear day had become overcast and gloomy. But by my estimate it could be no later than the third hour from sunrise. The morning wore on. My lamb had fallen asleep. I held it gently on my lap and stroked its wool. It was comforting to feel its warmth and to watch it breathing. I leaned over and whispered, “You, little one, were spared from death today. Because of Jesus death, you're going to become a pet for my little sister instead of a sacrifice for sin.” The lamb slept on, oblivious to its salvation. The Roman column that had escorted the procession to Golgotha was now idle. These men had seen so much death that crucifixions made no impact on them. They were just doing their jobs and now they were simply bored. A few of them now and again would mock Jesus, saying such things as, “Save yourself! Come down from the cross!” Or, “If you're truly the Son of God, as you say, come down!” Even the men who were being crucified alongside Jesus said these things. And I must admit that I couldn’t help thinking the same thing. If Jesus really was the Deliverer, where had his power gone? I had heard about how he raised a man from the dead in nearby Bethany a few weeks ago. If a man could defeat death like that, how could he have allowed himself to be taken like this and nailed to a cross? I confess that I began to doubt, sitting there hour after hour on the uncomfortable rocks. But then I remembered all the things I had seen Jesus do, and I remembered so many of his words, and first and foremost I remembered his words of forgiveness for those who were executing him, and my doubts withered. No mere man could say those words and really mean them. Yes, Jesus was who he claimed to be. I would go on believing him even if I didn't understand what was happening. Later in the morning, the religious leaders came out and began to mock Jesus. I was appalled. These were our spiritual leaders, and there they strutted in their long rich robes, gloating before Jesus and shouting to us, “He could save others, but not himself! Surely you don't still believe that he is your Messiah?” I was completely disillusioned. If these spiritual giants could be so consumed by hatred and vindictiveness, what hope was there for a simple, uneducated country boy like me? And then, with a flash, I remembered the words of Jesus during one of those confrontations with the religious leaders. He had said to them with fire in his eyes, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so, you too outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” And right then, I knew. These men may be religious, but they didn't know God. And I decided right then that I would continue to respect their position, but I would never again follow what they taught. I would follow the teachings of Jesus. They didn't stay long at Golgotha. Apparently, the rabble and the stench of blood and mangled flesh didn't agree with their refined senses. They certainly seemed satisfied with themselves as they walked away though. The morning wore on. Jesus, head bowed, was suffering unimaginable pain now with every movement he made. Flies swarmed over his wounds. Now and again he would raise his battered body, suffering the agony it produced, just to get a precious lungful of air. I had heard that almost every victim of crucifixion died of asphyxiation; finally, not able to lift the weight of his body from off his lungs, he simply suffocated. The sky’s gloom grew deeper and deeper. Soon the crosses could only dimly be distinguished in the murky light. By midday, total darkness had fallen. It was almost as if God was shielding His eyes from the scene. The darkness quieted most, although weeping could still be heard from some of the women. The puzzled and alarmed soldiers sent into the city for lamps and placed several of them on the ground. Suddenly we were in an island of light, surrounded on all sides by blackest night. The lamplight, weakened by the murk, cast only a faint glow upward on Jesus, producing ghastly shadows that transformed his ever kind and gentle face into a grimacing, misshapen terror. This spectacle, combined with the stillness of the air produced an eerie, awesome effect. The afternoon passed slowly. The darkness, almost tangible, beat down unbearably upon us, like a black, heavy blanket trying to penetrate our tiny haven of light. No one spoke, and the soldiers no longer mocked Jesus, but sat silently, except for one group that sat apart gambling. Their laughter was jarring in the stillness. My lamb awoke and, frightened by the darkness and the silence and the scent of blood, bleated softly. I bent to comfort and quiet it. As I did, it occurred to me that right about now was the time of the sacrifices in the temple. As the ninth hour neared, I could see that the Teacher's agony was intensifying. His movements, although restricted by the nails, became more agitated. His entire body began to quiver, certainly causing unbearable pain, but he made no sound. Suddenly he lifted his battered face toward heaven and with a trembling yet amazingly strong voice, cried out in anguish, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” The utter despair in that cry pierced my heart like a blade of ice, and I wept again, desolate. Then, quietly, he spoke again. “I thirst.” One of the soldiers dipped a sponge in some vinegar, mounted it on a short reed and stretched it up to Jesus. In a voice trembling with emotion, it seemed, Jesus said, “Tetelestai – It is finished.” Then, deep in the earth, a tremor began that slowly grew and grew until it seemed that the very foundations of the world would crumble under its force. It was terrifying in the blackness. Wails and shouts of fear rose all around Golgotha. Both Simon's and my lamb panicked. Simon was able to control his, but mine struggled with a strength borne of terror, and I couldn't hold on. The lamb leaped to the ground and ran as if pursued by wolves. I hurried after it as best I could over the heaving ground. A panicked commotion had begun among the people, alarmed at the Earth's violent shaking. Just as I caught up to my lamb and snatched it up in my arms, the shouting of the people was suddenly cut short. I turned to several near me to ask what was happening. Their eyes were all on the cross. I turned and followed their gaze. Jesus’ head had snapped erect. All eyes were on his face, which was fully illumined by some unseen source of light. He was smiling and his eyes shone, clear and bright through his swollen flesh. He gazed toward heaven and said in a strong, vibrant voice, full of love and devotion, “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit.” With that, he went limp, his beautiful head hanging on his chest. The crown of thorns fell, clattering to the ground at the feet of the centurion.  Jesus was dead. They would take him away later and put his body in a tomb. Simon and I turned quickly from the scene as the earth began to settle and with black hearts and blind eyes, stumbled away into the growing light.

The Death of the Lamb Part II I was nearing the city, thinking of how, with a bit of help from some of my friends, I could probably get my mother to Jerusalem to see Jesus in a few weeks, and how pleased she would be at that thought, when I noticed a loud commotion on the road ahead. A large procession was coming out of the city gate. That tiny little seed of dread, sown so mysteriously in my heart that morning, momentarily forgotten as I mused on lambs and little sisters, now suddenly began to grow again. For I could see that it was a crucifixion procession. The Romans had brought this ghastly method of execution with them when they had occupied Palestine, and more were taking place every day. This man was probably a runaway slave or maybe a thief, and now he was going to die carrying his own cross. But as the procession passed by me, I was suddenly stricken by a paralyzing horror. For a moment I couldn't move, I couldn't think, I couldn't even breathe. This was no rebel Jew, it was Jesus! They were going to crucify Jesus. He was bent nearly double under the weight of the horizontal beam of the cross. His rugged face was hardly recognizable, swollen and disfigured by countless blows. A cruel circlet of thorns was embedded deep in his scalp and blood streamed from the gashes it inflicted, covering his battered features. His beard had been savagely torn, and his eyes were swollen half closed and glazed with pain and fatigue. His bloodstained garments, evidence of a severe scourging, stuck to his open wounds. As my numbed mind beheld this awful scene, all hope fled, both for the glorious Kingdom promised by the Teacher and for the miraculous healing of my mother. Even as Jesus passed me, he stumbled in exhaustion and fell, his face in the dust of the road, the heavy crossbeam on top of him. He lay as one dead, except for the heaving of his bruised chest as he fought for air. A horrible silence fell, broken only by the rattling gasps of the Teacher. The centurion in command, seeing that Jesus could no longer go on, quickly scanned the crowd in the road and picked out Simon. I had met Simon that morning and we had walked together toward Jerusalem. He was bringing his own lamb for the sacrifice, too. He was a big man and from the country like me. Also like me, he was enthusiastically awaiting the advent of the new kingdom and had been going to hear Jesus again. He hastily thrust his lamb into my arms as the centurion grabbed him. “I've got it,” I said, now with my arms more than full with two squirming little lambs. Simon was made to pick up the Teacher's beam and carry it. Jesus was dragged roughly to his feet and made to stagger onward. I abandoned my plans for the Passover celebration in Jerusalem and followed the horrible procession. I almost let my lamb go, but the monetary investment I had made in it stopped me. I hitched up both lambs a little higher under each arm and trudged on. My mind was in a daze. Though the sun still shone, in my eyes the fair day had turned black and I felt cold inside. That seed of dread had bloomed and its deadly flower covered my heart because I knew where we were going. Golgotha, the Hill of the Skull. It was a name that recalled anguish to many whose loved ones or friends had been slain on that loathsome hill. It was the place of death. Everyone knew the name Golgotha. It struck dread into every heart. No one sentenced to death ever came back from there. Many others also followed this procession, some wailing, some weeping softly, some silent, but all filled with despair. All hopes for the overthrow of the Romans were dashed. Our supposed Messiah was defeated and on his way to ignominious death, and the double column of legionnaires flanking him ended any thought of rescue. When we arrived at the hill, we saw that two men already hung writhing in agony on their crosses. I was told later that they were thieves caught red-handed. Simon was released from duty. He put the beam down gently, took a quick, pitying look at Jesus, and came to stand by me. I gave him back his lamb. Both of the lambs were bleating, hungry and afraid. Some of the women of the city hurried toward Jesus and offered with trembling hands the drink of myrrh mixed with wine taken by those about to be crucified. It provided numbing release from the worst of the pain. But strangely, Jesus refused it. The Roman soldiers detailed to the Crucifixion brutally ripped the Teacher's clothes from his body, tearing flesh and reopening wounds that now again sent forth streams of bright blood down his hideously scourged back. I had to look away at my first sight of his back. It had literally been torn apart. Under the horrifying mass of bloody pulp, I could see the chunks of flesh were missing. As Jesus bent and his skin stretched, I was sure I could see the white gleam of a rib showing. All watched, appalled, as Jesus was made to lie down on what was left of his back. His arms spread wide over the rugged crossbeam. One of the soldiers knelt on Jesus’ upper arm, pinning it to the beam. He then took a hammer and a large iron nail and deftly placed the point of that nail on Jesus’ arm. He raised his hammer and brought it down with a dull clank, driving that nail through Jesus’ forearm between his two arm bones, just above the wrist. Several of the women gasped. But Jesus, looking straight up into the sky, made no sound. I turned away to hide my eyes, but I couldn't shield my ears from the dull clanks of hammer on nail. Quickly and efficiently, the soldier repeated the process on the other wrist. Suddenly Jesus cried out the first words I had heard him utter. But this was not a scream of agony or a curse against the Romans, he cried, “Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they do!” I was astounded. How could he possibly be forgiving these Romans who were treating him so brutally? They were killing him! The Teacher's actions were beyond me. My mind was filled with sorrow and hatred, and Jesus was not only neither angry nor bitter, but he was sympathetic and forgiving of his tormentors. The soldiers then helped Jesus to his feet, supporting the weight of the crossbeam on their shoulders for a few moments. They attached a rope to the center of the beam. The other end of the rope was threaded through a pulley on top of a tall post already standing between the crucified thieves, and several of the soldiers took their places on it. As they pulled on the rope, the beam and Jesus began to rise, bumping their way up the post. Blood from his wrists poured out onto the ground. The weight of his body on his outstretched arms immediately caused both of his shoulders to dislocate. I shuddered to think of the excruciating pain he must be experiencing. When the Teacher's feet were two or three feet off the ground, one of the soldiers nailed a short plank to the post between his legs to partially support his body. Several soldiers then lashed the crossbeam to the post, while still others secured the pulley rope to a peg in the ground. The soldier with the hammer stepped forward again then and, bending the Teacher's knees slightly, drove a nail into the post through the heel of each foot. Finally, one of the soldiers mounted the back of the cross and hung on a nail a board on which was written in Aramaic, Hebrew and Greek, “Jesus, the King of the Jews.” Jesus was crucified. The loving hands that had healed so many, that had miraculously fed the thousands, that had welcomed and blessed the children; the feet that had trod so far over the dusty roads to bring hope to so many - were nailed, bleeding, to the rugged cross. No longer would the Teacher sit on the ground, surrounded by eager ears, and tell of his wonderful kingdom. No longer would he stand before the sick, healing far into the night. And no longer would my mother and I look forward to the day when she and I could walk side by side into Jerusalem, her crippled legs straight and true. Coarse laughter interrupted my thoughts. The soldiers were distributing the Teacher's bloodstained garments among themselves. Squatting just behind Jesus’ cross, they then drew lots for his robe. It was woven of just one piece of fabric, and the soldiers apparently considered it too valuable to be divided among them. The lot fell to the one who had wielded the hammer. He draped the blood-stained thing over his shoulders and the others bowed low to him in mockery of Jesus. Hatred welled up in me so that, had I a sword close at hand, I might have attacked the filthy Gentiles. And I’d most likely have ended up dead too. I felt Simon's heavy hand on my shoulder. I turned and saw tears in his eyes as he shook his head and said, “It would do no good, my friend.” Finished with their sport, the soldiers went and sat down. Their job was done. To be concluded

The Death of the Lamb, Part I The morning was warm and fair, but a strange dread lay on my heart as I walked toward the city. My lamb squirmed in my arms, not liking to be confined. I paused for a moment in the throng and looked up at the sky. I couldn’t put my finger on it; there was just an ominous sense of expectancy in the air, like when you first awake on the day of an unpleasant event. You know it’s not going to be a good day, but you can’t remember why for the first few moments. Today was like that. The sun was shining, but there was something dark lurking around the edges of its brightness. Today was Passover, one of the most important days of our year. I was walking to Jerusalem both for the afternoon’s Passover sacrifice and hopefully to listen to the Teacher again. I could hardly wait to hear and see Him. I had first seen him three years before, when I was helping my mother at the Pool of Bethesda. We were looking for the movement of the magical waters that could heal her crippled legs. He had made a lame man walk that day, and I had tried to get my mother up close to him in the hope that he would heal her, but of course everyone else had the same idea. The crowd was just too great, and my mother was nearly trampled in all the confusion. I had wanted to follow the Teacher when he left Jerusalem back then, but eventually I had to agree with my mother; I was just too young and she had no one else to care for her. Jesus had returned to the area several times since then, and last year, with my mother’s permission, I had gone for a couple days to listen to him as he traveled from town to town. I had never heard anyone speak the way Jesus spoke. I can’t describe the feelings that welled up inside me when he looked at me. He made me feel like I was the only one in the crowd, like he was talking to me alone. It made me feel somehow worthy and capable of doing great things for God, like Moses and David did. The religious leaders said that Jesus was a blasphemer and demon-possessed, but it certainly didn’t seem that way to me. I had seen my share of the demon-possessed. They were irrational, unpredictable and sometimes violent. Jesus couldn’t have been less like that. He was calm, logical and supremely confident, and that seemed to upset our religious leaders. They also said that he was uneducated and a bastard half-Jew. I couldn’t comment on that. I guess it all depends on how you measure a man. It doesn’t seem right to judge a man by his parents. I don’t imagine any man has much say about who his parents are. And I could certainly relate to the part about being uneducated. I am uneducated. Of course, like most boys, I spent several years early on in school to learn the basics of reading and writing so that I could study the Torah as well as do business, but then the demands of learning a trade stepped in and I had to give up book learning. The same is true of all my friends. So if being uneducated is somehow something wrong with a person, then there is something wrong with me, too, and with virtually everyone I know. Jesus was the most intense person I had ever seen. During the short time I had spent traveling with him, it seemed like he never wasted a moment. I got the impression that somehow his time was short and he felt that he needed to get on with his work. I didn't understand it then, and I still didn't understand it as we slowly made our way into Jerusalem that morning. He was fairly young, maybe a little bit younger than the age my father would be had he still been alive. Most men Jesus’ age could look forward to at least another 20 years, and sometimes many more than that. Why there was such a sense of urgency about him was a mystery. Jesus spoke with love, but had no time for those who weren't serious about living lives that glorified God. And it always seemed that he could discern who those people were. Every time Jesus had an encounter with the religious leaders, the tension in the air would almost take your breath away. I had witnessed a few of those confrontations and I remember feeling uncomfortable watching Jesus take these men to task. What he did was turn our ideas about what pleases God upside down. You see, we were taught from the beginning that the sacrifices we made pleased God, and that the keeping of the law pleased God as well as our giving money. In fact, the religious leaders taught us that the more we gave to the coffers at the synagogue, the more God would shower his blessing on us. But here came a man who taught that it wasn't our actions so much as our hearts that God was interested in. He said that our actions would follow as our hearts became more attuned to God's. He said that daily obedience was more important to God than our sacrifices; that loving and serving others was more important than keeping the Sabbath. And that God was more interested in the cheerful heart of the giver than He was in the amount the giver gave. All of which stuck in the craw of our religious leaders. It is one thing to be a nobody like me and have your lifelong way of thinking challenged, but it is another altogether to be a respected religious leader in the same position. Although I was taught to respect our leaders, I never really thought they cared much about us. They were certainly very spiritual though, and it was hard to watch them being embarrassed by the Teacher. The Sunday before, Jesus had again entered Jerusalem, but this time riding on a white colt amid the joyous shouts of the people. We had all thought that this must be the day of our deliverance. We had suffered under the iron fist of Rome for almost 100 years now. Ever since General Pompey came rolling into our land with his legions. In my more bitter moments, I was gratified by the knowledge that Pompey was murdered by the Egyptians as he got out of his boat on the shores of Alexandria. Betrayed by the very people who had promised to protect him from the wrath of his popular rival, Julius Caesar. Too bad that hadn't happened before he came to Israel. Ever since that conquest, we have been living on our own land, but subject to the pagan Romans. I had difficulty understanding why God, the one true God, would allow this to happen. Why would He allow the worship of idols to go on in the land of His people? Why would He allow the rights of His chosen people to be trampled? And why didn't He answer our prayers for salvation? Like every Jew, I knew that our people had suffered much longer enslaved in Egypt back before the days of the deliverer Moses. But that didn't make it any easier to swallow our present plight. A great number of people thought that Jesus must be the next deliverer promised to us. He certainly had the power of God with him, and the support of the people necessary to begin a revolt. And when he came riding into the city of God that bright morning, he was hailed as the promised deliverer, “Hosanna Hosanna. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” the crowd shouted. Word spread like wildfire all over the countryside that the Deliverer, the promised Messiah, had arrived in Jerusalem. It would be only a matter of time before he would lead us to victory over the Romans and establish the everlasting Kingdom that the prophet Isaiah spoke so much about. The desert would bloom and the lion would lie down with the lamb, and I was sure that in that Kingdom I would eventually be able to gain an audience with King Jesus and he would heal my mother. So we waited expectantly. But Jesus didn't do anything. All we heard was silence. In fact, after teaching in the temple each day that week, Jesus disappeared each evening. No one knew where he went, and nothing happened. The Roman legionnaires still walked unchallenged through our streets, their coarse speech insulting us and our way of life. Their armour glittered in the sun, boasting the invincibility of the Empire. The people still had hope, however, and they hung on the Teacher’s every word, waiting for him to make his move and send out a call to arms to begin the revolt. I knew with Jesus at the head of our army, with his miraculous powers, we couldn't help but crush the Romans. They didn't have a chance. So it was with an air of expectancy that I went into Jerusalem that morning. What better time than Passover for Jesus to overthrow our enemies? After all, wasn't this centuries-old annual celebration about God's overthrow of the Egyptians and his deliverance of his people by the hand of Moses? Jesus had probably been waiting for this very day to make his move. Of course, that was why he had delayed. He was waiting for just the right moment. I was not the only one walking toward Jerusalem that fair morning. Beggars, pilgrims and others like me, wishing to hear the Teacher again or awaiting the expected revolt, made their way into the city. The sound and smell of livestock was strong. Many were leading or carrying lambs as I was. Early this afternoon we would all go into the Temple and with a priest standing by with a bowl, we would sacrifice these lambs to atone for our sins. The priest would catch the blood in the bowl and then sprinkle it on the altar. There were so many thousands of people that we would have to go in shifts. This commemorated the deliverance of our people from slavery in Egypt so many years ago. I had bought a lamb from the temple stalls last year and it had cost me so much that I decided to buy, raise and bring my own for the sacrifice this year. My little sister had been appalled when I told her why I was bringing the lamb with me this morning, and had run away in tears. Someday she'll understand what the Torah says. There has to be shedding of blood to pay for our sins, and only a spotless lamb, one without blemishes, qualifies to be that sacrifice. To be continued...

The Divine Exchange Each year, my wife Erin and I try to read some kind of special devotional book during the weeks approaching both Christmas and Easter. We usually do this separately, but this year we are together reading a book by Charles Martin titled It Is Finished: A 40-Day Pilgrimage Back to the Cross . On Day 5 (p. 39), the author lists all the things brand-new sinners Adam and Eve lost when God banished them from the Garden of Eden. For example, he writes that they went from “effortless to impossible, gentleness to hatred, intimacy to alienation.” And I thought, as I read this super-discouraging litany of loss, that if we turned all those examples around, it would be a list of all the things we gain when we believe in Jesus! I hope Charles Martin won’t mind if I reproduce his list, in reverse. Buckle your seatbelt and prepare for your day to improve! “We are walking from not perfect to perfect. From uncertainty to provision. Abject poverty to limitless wealth. Homeless to mansion. Rejection to acceptance. Disqualified to qualified. Curse to blessing. Disease to perfect health. Need to abundance. Burdened to carefree. Prideful to humble. Heavy-laden to weightless. Impossible to effortless. Hatred to gentleness. Alienation to intimacy. Uncertain to certain. Sorrow to joy. Torment to tenderness. Depression to praise. Absence to presence. Imperfection to perfection. Legalism to grace. Unrighteousness to righteousness. Unclean to clean. Slavery to freedom. Vagabond to heir. War we cannot win to peace. Limited to limitless. From a lifetime of pain to the absence of pain. Utterly powerless to power. Chaos to order. Lies, accusation and falsehood – and not being able to tell the difference, to truth. From blasphemy to the inerrant Word. Creature to Creator. Dominated to dominion. Dark to light. Death to life. From the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of heaven. From dead sinner to immortal, holy and blameless.” What wonderful list! Everything bad in your life that you can possibly think of, God turns to good when you trust Him as your Savior. In Colossians 1:13,14, Paul writes, “For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” We’ve worshiped with Phil Wickham’s song House of the Lord in church many times. In it, we sing “We were the beggars, and now we’re royalty. We were the prisoners, and now we’re running free. We are forgiven, accepted, redeemed by His grace. Let the house of the Lord sing praise.” I encourage you to go back and read that “backward” list from Charles Martin again. Meditate on it and thank God for this amazing exchange. God brings to the table His righteousness and every possible good thing, including eternal life with Him; we bring nothing but darkness and sin. And God exchanges what we bring for what He offers. As Paul writes in Ephesians 2:4-9, “But even though we were dead in our sins God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love He had for us, gave us life together with Christ—it is, remember, by grace and not by achievement that you are saved—and has lifted us right out of the old life to take our place with Him in Christ in the Heavens. Thus He shows for all time the tremendous generosity of the grace and kindness He has expressed towards us in Christ Jesus. It was nothing you could or did achieve—it was God’s gift to you. No one can pride himself upon earning the love of God.” (Phillips)  “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (II Corinthians 9:15 NASB).

Marc h Forth Star Wars aficionados have appropriated May 4th as their official Star Wars Day, by restating the famous phrase, “May the Force be with you,” as “May the Fourth be with you.” It’s a cute pun. I was a huge Star Wars fan when the original trilogy came out in the 1970s, but haven’t been inspired by any of the movies since. In the same way that May the 4th is big for Star Wars fans, I have always thought that March 4th should be a day when we Christians celebrate God’s grace, mercy, love and forgiveness in our lives and, with renewed joy and energy, go out to share those virtues with a hurting world. March Forth! You could call it ministry, or you could call it simply loving people. God has blessed us so richly, it only makes sense that we would share Him and His riches with others. Has God laid a person or a group of people on your heart? March Forth and love them! I know a man who hands out personal care/hygiene packages, including Bibles, to the homeless. I know a woman who leads a group study involving wounded women to biblically address their pasts and find healing. I know a man who meets one-on-one with several men regularly, discipling them. I know many people who bring food to church for the various meetings on a Sunday. Several women send birthday cards. A woman prays for the people in her church every day. Another woman regularly makes meals for those whose lives are in crisis. A man does household jobs and small repairs for those who can’t. Several folks lead groups that bless those who attend. A woman who fills the communion cups and a man who makes sure everyone gets one. People who set up and tear down meeting rooms. A man who walks his neighborhood every day he is able, praying for his neighbors. A man who regularly prays with his waiter/waitress. Another who looks for opportunities to befriend the friendless. And these are just a few examples. God has given us so much, how could we help but let His love overflow to the people around us? How about a few Scriptures to encourage you? 1 Peter 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD yourGod is with you wherever you go.” Matthew 28:19,20 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Colossians 3:23,24 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. Where to begin? Henry Blackaby, in his book Experiencing God, wrote, “Find out where God is working, and join Him there.” Look around with spiritual eyes, asking God to show you where there is a need. Ask Him where He wants to use you. Listen for His leading and make sure your selfishness and pride are locked in a cabinet out of reach. Then, following your heart, knowing that you can’t go wrong, march forth and love people!

Anxiety Are you anxious today? Are you worrying about something? You can be honest; it’s just you and me here. If you’re anxious about something, you’re certainly not alone. According to a May 1, 2024 report by the American Psychiatric Association 77% of adults in the United States are anxious about the economy, 69% are anxious about gun violence and 68% are anxious about keeping themselves or their families safe. Other issues producing anxiety are identity protection (63%), health (63%), climate change (57%) and the impact of emerging technology (46%). That last percentage has probably increased significantly in the almost two years since the article was written, as the influence of Artificial Intelligence continues to expand. Is there a situation out of your control that you wish you could do something about? Is some unpleasantness looming? Is there a relationship in your life that is not what it should be? Are you concerned about family members? Is the slow deterioration of your body keeping you awake wondering what the future holds? Are you worried that you aren’t doing enough? It’s very likely that if you’re honest with yourself, at least one of those questions causes you at least occasional concern. And there are plenty more such questions looming out there. Anxiety doesn’t just plague the younger folks, after all. We have plenty of things to worry about, too! Or do we? Read Philippians 4:6,7: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (NASB) Richard DeHaan, who led the Our Daily Bread ministry for many years, gives us the following illustration: “I heard about a woman who kept a box in her kitchen that she called her "Worry Box". Every time something troubled her, she would write it down on a piece of paper and put it in the box. She resolved not to think about her problems as long as they were in the box. This enabled the woman to put her troubles completely out of mind. She knew they could be dealt with later. Occasionally she would take out a slip of paper and review the concern written on it. Because she had not been drained by anxiety, she was relaxed and better able to find the solution to her problem. Many times she discovered that a specific worry no longer existed. Writing your worries on paper and putting them in a box may be helpful, but how much better it is to place them in the hands of God. Worry robs us of joy, drains us of energy, stunts our spiritual growth, and dishonors God. Jesus said, ‘Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble’ (Matthew 6:34). Let's believe the Lord's promises and trust Him to meet our needs. Placing our problems in His hands is far better than putting them in a worry box. And if we go back about 150 years, we can read what Charles Haddon Spurgeon had to say about anxiety. He pastored a very large church in London, England for many years and is sometimes known as the “Prince of Preachers.” His language is a bit archaic in places, but his point is clear. “No care, but all prayer. No anxiety, but much joyful communion with God. Carry your desires to the Lord of your life, the guardian of your soul…Do not pray doubtfully, but thankfully…Hide nothing. Allow no want to lie rankling in your bosom; ‘make known your requests.’ Run not to man. Go only to your God, the Father of Jesus, who loves you in Him. This shall bring you God’s own peace. You shall not be able to understand the peace which you shall enjoy. It will enfold you in its infinite embrace. Heart and mind through Christ Jesus shall be steeped in a sea of rest. Come life or death, poverty, pain, slander, you shall dwell in Jesus above every ruffling wind or darkening cloud. Will you not obey this dear command?” Both Richard DeHaan and Charles Spurgeon agree with the apostle Paul that we should take our cares/anxieties/worries directly to the throne of God. God may not erase the situation that causes our anxiety, but He will give us the “peace which surpasses all comprehension.” I hope you have experienced that peace. Spurgeon said “it will enfold you in its infinite embrace.” Paul, in Philippians 4, says that sweet peace that “transcends understanding (NIV)” also guards our hearts and minds. It keeps our attention on Jesus so that when the anxious thoughts come pounding on the doors of our heart and mind, they are turned away, rejected into the cold night, while we enjoy the warmth and light of the presence of God, knowing that whatever happens, our Father is in control. So if you are anxious today; if the cares of life are weighing on you, take them to God in prayer and leave them with Him. If you’re like me, you may need to do that several times every day. In return for that burden, God will give you miraculous peace. For more Scripture encouragement regarding anxiety and peace, read I Peter 5:7,  II Thessalonians 3:16, Colossians 3:15 and Isaiah 26:3,4.

Judgment and Grace A few years ago, the Cleveland Clinic produced a powerful video about empathy. The video shows various people moving about in a hospital setting and places captions above their heads. A husband and wife in the hospital cafeteria looking careworn; “19-year-old son on life support.” An older man in the elevator: “Wife just had a stroke. Wondering how he will take care of her.” The woman next to him: “Recently divorced.” A nurse working with a patient: “Nearing the end of a 12-hour shift.” A woman sitting in a waiting room: “They saw ‘something’ on her mammogram.” A man coming up an escalator: “The tumor was malignant.” The video ends with the words, “If you could stand in someone else’s shoes, hear what they hear, see what they see, feel what they feel, would you treat them differently?” The video makes no claim to be faith-based in any way, but it got me thinking. Even though God, as well as many people throughout my life, have shown me amazing grace, I still judge others far too readily. Maybe you do, too. Whether it’s in traffic or at the store or in a restaurant, in a conversation, watching the news, or just watching people, I’m much more likely to pronounce judgment than I am to grant grace. I seldom say to myself, “I wonder why he/she did that?” I have no idea what life events have made people what they are, what struggles are dogging their steps or what kind of pain, whether physical or emotional, they are dealing with today. Maybe this man’s wife just had a stroke, like the man in the video. Could it be that woman was sexually abused by a close relative for years? Maybe that man has cried out to God over and over for release from an addiction. Perhaps this woman is in the middle of a horrible custody battle. It’s possible that the pain almost kept that middle aged man in bed this morning and he’s struggling with it every day, wondering if he will ever find relief. It’s possible that young lady’s parents and teachers lied to her about her identity and about God throughout her formative years. None of that background information is visible. Should we never judge the rightness or wrongness of someone’s behavior? Hardly. Many have interpreted Matthew 7:1 (“Judge not, lest you be judged.”) to mean that no one should ever be held accountable for their sinful behavior. But that interpretation runs contrary to many other teachings of Jesus and, in my experience, is typically used by people attempting to justify their sin. One of my professors put it this way: “God is the only Judge of the motives of the heart, but you and I are called to be fruit inspectors.” In other words, we can never know what causes people to behave the way they do, especially if they are total strangers to us, but we can certainly discern whether their actions are supported by Scripture. Shall we be the judge and jury of the people we encounter every day? Do we qualify? James 4:12 says, “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?” Who am I to judge and condemn the people I encounter every day? Do I know anything about that rude man who cut me off in traffic and then honked and glared at me like it was my fault? Have I any knowledge of what experiences shaped the life of that angry screaming woman on the television news? How about that woman walking down the sidewalk in rags, or the man berating the barista? In John 7:24, Jesus told His followers, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” Look beyond the appearance and behavior and see the person underneath. Every day I need to consciously work to break that condemning, judgmental spirit that lives inside me. I am going to make every effort, with help from the Holy Spirit, to reserve judgment on the people I see. I’m in no position to know the motives behind their behavior. Though many behaviors are unquestionably wrong by God’s standard, I don’t have the right to condemn that person. I can condemn the sin, but I have no right to judge the sinner. That’s God’s job. If you’re a “judger” like me, I hope you’ll join me. We’re called to grant grace. Just like God does for us.

The Beauty and Wonder of God’s Creation Contrary to what you may have heard, God created this world and all that is in it. Genesis 1:1 couldn’t possibly be more clear. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Nehemiah 9:6 says, “You alone are the LORD. You have made the heavens, the heaven of heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them. And the heavenly host bows down before You.” And in Psalm 33:6, the psalmist sings, “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host.” God’s creation is astonishing. In many places, it beggars description. Just think about what it must have been like before the Fall when everything was just as God originally created it; before sin entered the world and the long slide of corruption began? I have experienced just a small portion of creation’s amazing beauty. I have gazed at Mt. Rainier from its Springtime meadows and I have partaken of the splendor of the Tetons in autumn. The thunder of countless waterfalls around the country still resonates inside me. I have watched the sun set over Haystack Rock on the Oregon coast and enjoyed the rainbow of Grand Prismatic Spring. I have driven through the wonder of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. The towering cliffs of Yosemite Valley left me speechless, as did the vast curtain of stars over the Paradise Valley here in Montana. I was inspired by the view of Atlantic waves crashing on the rocks on the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland. I have experienced the sunset’s glow on Delicate Arch in southeastern Utah. The view of Zion Canyon from Angels Landing took my breath away. I’ll never forget the glorious sunset from the island of Santorini, Greece. I have been terrified by the awesome power of a thunderstorm high in the Washington Cascades and I have gasped in awe at several of the most incredible vistas Glacier National Park has to offer. I have enjoyed the intimacy of the Black Hills from the summit of Black Elk Peak and I have watched enthralled as clouds scudded above the magnificent chasm of the Grand Canyon. And yet, there is so much more I haven’t seen or experienced. I encourage you to take a moment to think back over your life and remember those powerful experiences you have had in God’s creation. Maybe it was admiring the delicate structure of a wildflower, or maybe it was drinking in the view from the summit of Mt. Everest. Where were you and what happened? What did you see, hear, smell, touch and feel? How did God work in your soul as a result of the experience? Thank Him for this world He has given us, as well as His personal dealings with you. And that brings me to my final point. Every time I experience the majesty of God’s creation and marvel at His works, I’m reminded of one of the most astonishing realities known to man. God, who created all this world around us, as well as our sun and our solar system and yes, the entire universe, knows my name. And He knows your name. In fact, He knew us before He created the universe. Paul writes, in Ephesians 1:4, “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him.” And in II Timothy 1:9, Paul writes, “He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.” My finite mind can’t comprehend that; how the Creator of the universe could know me personally. And equally as mind-boggling, if not more so is that, knowing me and all of my sin and rebellion against Him, He loves me and gave His only Son to die in my place! Almost unbelievable. But He asks me to believe it. And if I do, and if you do, we receive eternal life into the bargain! What a God, what a Father. Let’s thank Him for His love for us and for the creation He has given to us to enjoy.

Where Are They Going? Every day driving I’m surrounded by people Where are they going? To work, an appointment, the grocery store, out to eat, to the doctor, To run an errand, buy a gift, home, to pick up a child from school I’ve considered following a random car, just to see Where they are going Every day living Surrounded by infinite souls Where are they going? Does it even cross my mind? What have they done with Jesus? Son of God killed in my place, alive again my Savior? Or quotable dead guy, like Charles Dickens only maybe more important A friend of mine died Sunday night, more of an acquaintance really Ashamed to say I don’t know where he went I have my suspicions We talked off and on for years The subject of eternal destination never came up Does he now wonder what I was playing at? I don’t know, don’t really want to Surrounded by aimless, heartless, mindless I hear Jesus say, “The fields are white for harvest” Unless I step out I know where they’re going