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Worship Wednesday – Psalm 46 – Lord of Hosts – Shane & Shane

June 15, 2023 admindeb Leave a comment

Photo Credit: Atlanta Trails, Eric Champlin – Chattahoochee River, Georgia

God Is Our Fortress [To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song.]

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the chariots with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah. – Psalm 46

Psalm 46 is a glorious and victorious psalm to encourage and embolden a people beleaguered by hardship (we don’t have details but given the context it was war, or some sort of calamity or terror). The psalmist was reminding the people that God is with them (with us) and will pierce through the noise of battle, with His powerful and persevering presence. He is here today just as much as He was with His people in the psalmist’s day.

Our part, like theirs, is to turn our ears, and our hearts, to Him.

Psalm 46 begins, not with a lament or cry for help, but an anthem of praise. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear”. Then the psalmist goes on to talk about super fearful things…yet from a place of awe and certainty. Even as he speaks with great confidence about God’s presence and provision in times of catastrophe, the Lord Himself enters the psalm with the command “Be still!”

Not just “Be quiet” but “Be still”. Stop!

God calls both His people and our enemies to essentially “put down your weapons!”

Especially to His own people, He urges them (and us today) to ‘snap out of it,’ ‘wake up,’ ‘stop fearing’—acknowledge who God is—be in awe! For us to take His “Be still” and treat it as “be quiet” is not incorrect, it’s just not enough to describe what God is truly saying.”

In the midst of whatever struggle we find ourselves, God tells us to stand still and remember who He is.

There is probably good reason for not knowing exactly what to do to go forward or how to answer a culturally dividing question. When all we have is an “I don’t know”, then we need to stop trying to solve or explain things on our own. God is Lord and has already told us He will fight our battles and take care of our enemies. We are meant to deal with hard situations with patience and steady reliance on a God who cares for us and others in beautifully loving and faithfully complete ways.

When we still our hearts and minds and surrender ourselves again to God, peace comes, even when the earth gives way, or the mountains crumble (verse 2), or when nations go into an uproar and even kingdoms fall (verse 6). Life and work can overwhelm, and getting even more busy seems our only solution, remember Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” We run to Him, we lay down our weapons and we fall into His arms. He is God and He is exalted in the earth.

We are to be still and know that He is God.

In this passage the Psalmist shows his trust in God and God affirms His own trustworthiness. It so reminds me of Moses, leading the children of Israel out of Egypt. That day when their fresh joy turned to sheer terror as, on their heels, the Egyptians came in hot pursuit.

Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” – Exodus 14:13-14

When we cease striving, drop our weapons, and lean in to God in all His fullness. He fights for us…and for those we love. Rest in that. Stand in that.

What Does “Be Still and Know That I Am God” Really Mean? – Liz Auld

What Does ‘Be Still and Know That I am God’ Mean in Psalms 46:10? – Joel Ryan

Psalm 46 – Confident in God’s Protection and Power – David Guzik

Chickahominy River, James City County, Virginia

There is a river. What does that call to mind for you? For me, living in a state that is criss-crossed with many rivers, it is a place of peace, of refreshment, of life, of abundance. My husband has a high-responsibility, sometimes high-pressure job. When he can, he finds his way to a river. Abraham Joshua Heschel has said, “If you work with your mind, sabbath with your hands, and if you work with your hands, sabbath with your mind.” Fishing on such a river allows a sabbath rest for that husband of mine.

Psalm 46 calls us to live in a sabbath rest with the Lord. We can’t always get to a river, but the river (so to speak) is always available to us in remembering the mighty God ever with us and ever battling for us.

Worship with me to Shane & Shane‘s rendition of Psalm 46 “Lord of Hosts”.

O come behold the works of God
the nations at His feet.
He breaks the bow and bends the spear
and tells the wars to cease.

O Mighty One of Israel
You are on our side.
We walk by faith in God who burns the chariots with fire

Lord of Hosts, You’re with us
with us in the fire,
with us as a shelter,
with us in the storm.
You will lead us
through the fiercest battle,
oh where else would we go,
but with the Lord of Hosts.

O God of Jacob, fierce and great,
You lift Your voice to speak.
The earth it bows and all
the mountains move into the sea

O Lord You know the hearts of men
and still you let them live.
O God, who makes the mountains melt
come wrestle us and win.
O God who makes the mountains melt
come wrestle us and win.

Lord of Hosts, You’re with us
with us in the fire,
with us as a shelter,
with us in the storm.
You will lead us
through the fiercest battle.
Oh where else would we go,
but with the Lord of Hosts.

Though oceans roar, You are the Lord of all,
the one who calms the wind and waves and makes my heart be still.
Though the earth gives way, the mountains move into the sea,
the nations rage, I know my God is in control.
Though oceans roar, You are the Lord of all,
the one who calms the wind and waves and makes my heart be still.
Though the earth gives way, the mountains move into the sea,
the nations rage, I know my God is in control.

Lord of Hosts, You’re with us
with us in the fire,
with us as a shelter,
with us in the storm.
You will lead us
through the fiercest battle.
Oh where else would we go,
but with the Lord of Hosts.

You are with us
with us in the fire,
with us as a shelter,
with us in the storm.
You will lead us
through the fiercest battle.
Oh where else could we go,
but with the Lord of Hosts.*

*Lyrics to Psalm 46 Lord of Hosts – Songwriters: Josh Miller, Jennie Lee Riddle, Josiah Warneking & Shane Barnard

YouTube Video – Psalm 46 (Lord of Hosts) – Live from the National Day of Prayer – Shane & Shane

YouTube Video – Behind Psalm 46 – Shane & Shane

Psalm 46 (Lord of Hosts) by Shane & Shane – Introduction – The Worship Initiative

How to Practice Sabbath (From a Beginner) – Holly Ragsdale

Quotes from John Mark Comer’s “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry”

Quotes from Abraham Joshua Heschel’s “Sabbath”

Attending or Focus, Faithfulness, Finishing Strong, Glory of God, God, God the Father, Grace, Jesus

Worship Wednesday – Believe – Blessing Offor

June 1, 2023 admindeb Leave a comment

And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him…There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear. – 1 John 4:16, 18a

Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! – 1 John 3:1

Today, thanks to Blessing Offor’s beautiful song “Believe”, my heart has been fixed on the beauty of God’s love. In fact, He is love (1 John 4:l6).

We can rest in that, no matter what. Do you ever struggle thinking you have to somehow earn God’s love? Some of us were raised in homes that our parents’ love was based on some sort of performance on our parts. I wasn’t raised in such a home, but that message, through others, or culture, or the Evil One himself settled in my heart.

This belief of performance-based acceptance has generated a ridiculous state of mine that has, of late, been called “imposter syndrome”. I write about this from time to time to wrestle it to the ground and regain perspective – as in “Stewarding Our Current Situation”:

On my worst days, I struggle with doubt and insecurity. The dark cloud of imposter syndrome hangs over my head and heart. Having known great favor in most of my career, those successes almost haunt me and disturb the joy of life that is meant to be ours…today…no matter our situation.

The thing is – whether we are high performers or not so much, whether we have a seat at someone’s table or not, whether we are hard on ourselves or not…none of that alters anything about the love of God.

He loves us. Period. Full-stop. He is a good father. Nothing keeps Him from loving His children. Nothing surprises Him, and nothing causes Him to turn away from us. He is the Father running down the road to His returning home prodigal son. He is the Redeemer God who will receive us Home one day.

Blessing Offor‘s prayer of a song reminds us of this.

Worship with me.

So You catch me when I fall, right?
And You hear me when I call cryin’
And You fix me when I’m broke, right?
And that’s all I need to know
So the storm is gonna break right?
And the sun is gonna start shining
And everything is gonna go right
And that’s all I need to know

[Pre-Chorus]
But what if You know something I don’t?
What if You will something I won’t?
If You don’t give me what I want
But You give me what I need
Is that enough to…

[Chorus]
Believe, believe, believe, believe in Your love?
Will I still
Believe, believe, believe, believe in Your love?

[Verse 2]
So nothing’s ever going wrong, right?
And every day I’m gonna be smiling
Turned my water into good wine
And let the good times roll

[Pre-Chorus]
But what if You know something I don’t?
What if You will something I won’t?
If You don’t give me what I want
But You give me what I need
Is that enough to…

[Chorus]
Believe, believe, believe, believe in Your love?
Will I still
Believe, believe, believe, believe in Your love?
Believe, believe, believe, believe in Your love
Will I still
Believe, believe, believe, believe in Your love?

[Bridge]
Do I want You? Do I want You?
Do I want You or what You can do for me?
Do I love You? Do I love You?
Do I love You or what You can do for me?
Sometimes I don’t know
But all I wanna do is

[Outro]
Believe, believe, believe, believe in Your love (Yes, I do)
Believe, believe, believe, believe in Your love
(All I wanna do, all I wanna do is believe)
Believe, believe, believe, believe in Your love (Yes, I do)
Believe, believe, believe, believe in Your love
(Believe in Your love)
Believe, believe, believe, believe in Your love (Yes, I believe)
Believe, believe, believe, believe in Your love
(I believe, I believe, I believe)
Believe, believe, believe, believe in Your love
(In Your love, in Your love, in Your love)
Believe, believe, believe, believe in Your love*

In her Bible study on Believing, Kay Daigle writes:

Believing requires commitment and intellect when feelings aren’t there. A time of trial has been, for me, a time where God is saying, “Do you really believe what I say in My Word? . . . Do you really believe that you can trust me?”

For several years, our family has been under a lot of stress. We have been through many emotions with the situations and with the Lord. But what we have learned is that the details of the trial are not what is important. Seeking the Lord, drawing near to Him when we don’t feel like it, looking for and finding flowers in the desert – evidence of His Hand – these are the things that sustain us. In seeing His provision in unexpected ways, we see His love and hold on tighter to the promises in His Word. While we don’t see the purposes, we do know and believe that He is working all things together for His good [our good and His glory], because we are called to His purpose. – Kay Daigle

*Lyrics to Believe – Songwriter(s): Blessing Offor & Hank Bentley

Blessing Offor Gets Gut-Level Honest on Vulnerable Song, “Believe” – Lindsay Williams

Religious Faith Can Lead to Positive Mental Benefits, Writes Stanford Anthropologist Tanya Luhrmann – Sandra Feder – a fascinating, researched, completely secular take on how believing impacts our health

Courage, Faithfulness, Fear, Finishing Strong, God, Grace, Jesus, Walk with God, Wednesday Worship, Worship

Worship Wednesday – You’re Not Done – Leeland & Charity Gayle

May 18, 2023 admindeb Leave a comment

Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. – Galatians 6:9

He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. – Isaiah 40:29-31

Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. – 1 Corinthians 15:57-58

You know where you are right now. I can’t begin to stand in your shoes or carry the burden that’s yours right now. We rejoice together in the glorious days of victory. The long haul and the momentary defeat both draw us into ourselves…searching for what can get us over the next hill.

Two things. Christ and community.

I just heard this song for the first time this week. “You’re Not Done”. It was written by the band Leeland inspired by a friend gravely ill with COVID. Struggling to breathe. After this friend recovered, these lyrics poured out, as coming from the Lord, remind us of God’s sovereignty in all matters. “If you still have breath in your lungs, you’re not done.”

God is with us always…whatever is pressing in on us. Of the many graces He gives us for the battles in our lives, community is one of our greatest strengths. Leaning on Him, and leaning on each other.

If you are battle-weary, the song title “You’re Not Done” may not encourage your heart at first, but dig into the lyrics. They are meant to speak love, truth, encouragement, and mercy into our hard place. Don’t lose hope. The Lord’s in the battle with us. He knows what it is costing you. In the fighting and in the waiting, He will not leave your side. The victory is His and ours.

Worship with me to “You’re Not Done”.

I know you’re tired, I know you’re weak
And all of that fighting’s got you down on your knees
You’re desperate for change, desperate to know
There’s a light, still a light

[Chorus]
Child, lift up your eyes
For your help draws nigh
Child, lift up your eyes
It’ll be alright
Every tear you’ve cried
Let the sunlight dry
Every tear you’ve cried
It’ll be alright

[Post-Chorus]
If you still have breath in your lungs
If you still have breath in your lungs, you’re not done

[Verse 2]
I’ll be your strength and I’ll be your song
I’ll be the solid Rock you can stand on, oh
I’m with you always, you’re never alone
‘Cause I’m right by your side

[Chorus]
Child, lift up your eyes
For your help draws nigh
Child, lift up your eyes
It’ll be alright
Every tear you’ve cried
Let the sunlight dry
Every tear you’ve cried
It’ll be alright

[Post-Chorus]
If you still have breath in your lungs
If you still have breath in your lungs, you’re not done
No, you’re not finished, hey
If you still have breath in your lungs
If you still have breath in your lungs (Hey)
If you still have breath in your lungs (God’s just getting started, yes, He is)
If you still have breath in your lungs
If you still have breath in your lungs
If you still have breath in your lungs (What the enemy meant for evil)
If you still have breath in your lungs
If you still have breath in your lungs (Oh, God is turning it around for His glory and your good)
If you still have breath in your lungs

[Chorus]
Child, lift up your eyes
For your help draws nigh
Child, lift up your eyes (Ooh, oh)
It’ll be alright
Every tear you’ve cried
Let the sunlight dry
Every tear you’ve cried

If you still have breath in your lungs
If you still have breath in your lungs (God isn’t finished)
If you still have breath in your lungs (Keep on keeping on)
If you still have breath in your lungs (He’s making a way)
If you still have breath in your lungs ([?])
If you still have breath in your lungs (Oh), you’re not done
You’re not done (No, no)
If you still have breath in your lungs (My child)
If you still have breath in your lungs (Look up where your help draws nigh)
If you still have breath in your lungs (He’s not done)
And if you still have breath in your lungs (Oh, yeah)
If you still have breath in your lungs (God)
If you still have breath in your lungs (He’s just getting started)
If you still have breath in your lungs (Don’t give up)
If you still have breath in your lungs (Keep on breathing)
If you still have breath in your lungs (Yeah)
If you still have breath in your lungs (He’s your hope)
If you still have breath in your lungs (He’s your joy)
If you still have breath in your lungs (Yes, He is, yes, He is)
If you still have breath in your lungs
If you still have breath in your lungs
If you still have breath in your lungs (Hey, keep holding on)
If you still have breath in your lungs

[Outro]
He’s making streams in the desert place
He’s making a way in the wilderness, yes, I know
(If you still) If you still have breath in your lungs
If you still have breath in your lungs, you’re not done*

*Lyrics to “You’re Not Done” – Songwriters: Leelan d

Song Review: “You’re Not Done” by Leeland and Charity Gayle

Leeland

Charity Gayle

YouTube – Unfinished – Mandisa – Lyric Video

Monday Morning Moment – Waiting – a Waste or a Way to Wisdom – Deb Mills

Waiting – Deb Mills

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Worship Wednesday – Light a Fire – David Leonard

April 27, 2023 admindeb Leave a comment

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit. – Psalm 51:12

There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death…[We] do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. – Romans 8:1-2, 4-5

Last night I was spent…not because the day was exceptionally full or tiring. More spent from overthinking and troubled by the usual. Checking my heart…not with the truth of Scripture, but with that emotional judgy part of my brain that insists that: I don’t do enough or love well enough. Of course, my thoughts rarely go so far as “I’m not enough”, because that is actually true. I know, with all my being, that God has to be in every equation. God and community.

A couple of nights ago, after a day that was full and exhausting, I got a phone call from a young Afghan friend of ours. A middle schooler whose little family our church helped resettle over a year ago. He was so excited that a friend of his (who he knew from their first refugee experience entering the US) was visiting in town. He had this one night to see him before this friend returned to his home. Our young friend, his Afghan friend from school, and this visiting friend had the opportunity to spend the evening together. He just needed a ride.

My response was less than loving. He must have known about this opportunity before the moment that he called needing a ride. I was not going to be engaged. Sounds pretty cold, right? Especially because I know this middle schooler very well and care deeply for him and his family. Or do I really?

As we talked about possible other options, my husband came through and communicated for me not to get drawn in. He knew my day had been long and wasn’t over, with a meeting still in front of me. Then… in seconds, he said, “I’ll drive him.”

I was shocked. And immediately pulled out of my spiritual dullness about this situation. I told our young friend that he had a ride, and then sent an alert to our church refugee resettlement team. Help! Could anyone give him a ride back home later this evening? Within minutes, one of the team said she could do it. Later when she reported on their ride back home, she wrote how happy and talkative he was (unusual for this sometimes unengaged 14 y/o). Having grown up overseas herself, she completely understood what a joy it was to meet up with friends from other places, and she was glad she could help him with that.

God and community. My chilly reception of this need from someone I love was met by God’s answer within the Body. I am so thankful, actually, that He moved in where I was tempted to distance myself.

So why am I sharing all this? There are days…weeks…months that struggle draws us away from the heart of God. Too many losses. Too much responsibility. Too little encouragement. Whatever it is…we can lose our joy. The Psalmist writer of Psalm 51 recognized his sinful heart and cried out to God. His confession and repentance led to restoration.

We know because of the finished work of the resurrected Christ, that our salvation is secure. It is the “joy of our salvation” that is sometimes lost along the way. We lose our fire…we forget the distance He came and the death He died to bring us back to Himself.

In Revelation, the apostle John wrote about the vision God gave him for the churches. He warns against the danger of being lukewarm – of doing the work in our own flesh, out of obligation, or in fear of man, whatever the motivation. He warns the Laodicean church not to shame them or even judge them but to remind them of what they are missing. Choosing a life of self-sufficiency (stunningly deceptive at best) rather than the all-sufficiency of Christ. “Christ in us. The hope of glory!”

“Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: Thus says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator of God’s creation:I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth. For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. I advise you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see.As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be zealous and repent. See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

To the one who conquers I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.

Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.” – Revelation 3:14-22

A Timely Warning from the Church of Laodicea to Us Today – Michael Jakes

The love of God is like nothing else in this world. He warns us not to condemn but to compel. For us to see and hear how life is meant to be for us…and for our community. We are not alone. Nor do we have to obey God out of obligation…we are free to operate out of a willing spirit knowing that He will sustain us – both in the power of His Holy Spirit and within the community He draws around us.

May our lives ever be an altar that burns brightly to the glory of a God who loves us and provides all we need.

Worship with me to David Leonard‘s Light a Fire

Restore to me the joy of my salvation
Take me back to where it all began
Where all I ever wanted was Your presence
How I long to be there once again

Light a fire that the world can't burn out
Fan the flame till nothing between us remains
Oh, my life is an altar to You
Breathe again on the embers that burn In my heart
A love taken back to the start

Oh, my life is an altar to You
Renew in me a pure and willing spirit
Take me back to where it all began
Before it all became so complicated
How I long to be there once again

God, I'm sorry
Please forgive me
For when I've gone cold
Lord, I need You
How I need You
To awake my soul*

*Lyrics to Light a Fire – Songwriters: David Leonard, Jonathan Smith, Jason Ingram

Instagram – Bart Millard – Cover of Light a Fire sung by Sam Wesley (Millard’s son)

YouTube Video – Unspoken – Start a Fire

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Resurrection Sunday of Holy Week – Day 8 – Risen, Indeed! Thank You, Jesus!

April 9, 2023 admindeb 1 Comment

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. – John 20:1

Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”. – John 20:18

On this Sunday, this most glorious day in all of history, death gave way to life. The grave could not hold Jesus. In the early morning, a small group of women who had loved and followed this Jesus, came to the tomb, guarded and sealed, and found it empty. Then ones, twos, small groups, and a crowd of 500 saw him alive. Jesus himself, bearing the wounds of the cross, walking with them, eating with them, teaching them again…as he promised.

He is alive! This man from Nazareth, the Messiah of Israel, the Lord of the world.

With the breath of creation, He speaks of peace, faith, and mission.

With lungs full of air, He breathes on His disciples and grants His Spirit. My Jesus – alive!

The eyes that saw the darkness of death now drink in the sunlight of Easter. My Jesus – alive!* – Trevin Wax

[Read the rest of Wax’s poem here.]

Oh the joy…the indescribable joy of that reality. He died and yet he lives. We were dead in our sins, and because of him, we have life.

Take the time to read this amazing story yourself. The Gospel writers all have given detailed accounts of the risen Christ ( Matthew 28:1-13, Mark 16:1-14, Luke 24:1-49, and John 20:1-29). The Apostle Paul also wrote about Jesus’ resurrection in his letter to the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 15).

Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive…

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Cor. 15:20-22, 55-57

Sadly, there are those who think the resurrection of Jesus a myth, or a fairy tale. Even his life is treated casually. Yet, for sure, anyone who does a careful examination of the life and teachings of Jesus would be radically changed. This certainly was my experience. I know too well how wicked my heart can be…my thoughts and actions. God draws us to Himself, and in the drawing we recognize our desperate need for a savior, a strong arm to pull us out of the muck and mire of our own making. Jesus did that for me.

I know Jesus is alive from the historical accounts and the writing of eye witnesses, and because of his own word. I also know he is alive because of how he has transformed lives through the ages. He has changed my life, and he continues to do so.

For the past 20 years, during Lent, I have read Adrian Plass’ book The Unlocking. I would like to close with a portion out of his Easter reading.

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” – John 20:19

“On that dark Sunday morning, Mary could never have guessed the cosmic significance of the empty tomb. When Jesus rose from the dead the ancient engines of order were fired once more and, in his body on earth, chaos was defeated. And what a wonderful moment for Jesus and his disciples. Neither locks nor fears could withstand the peace and security that the risen Saviour brought, and still brings to his people. It is the peace of knowing that, however rough the road may need to be (and it often is), we shall indeed, in the most real sense, live happily ever after.” – Adrian Plass**

Christ is risen! — He is risen indeed!

[Many of the links below are praise songs of various genres – as this year’s Holy Week closes, I hope you will take some time before the day ends to worship the Lord in the quiet of this great day. Hallelujah!]

Holy Week – Day 8: Resurrection Sunday! – Thank you, Mary Fairfield for writing so well, so thoughtfully, and so thoroughly for LearnReligions.com.

Evidence for the Resurrection of Christ by Sean Davis

5 Reasons to Believe That Jesus Rose From the Dead – Adam4d

*My Jesus – Alive! by Trevin Wax

**The Unlocking – God’s Escape Plan for Frightened People (1994) by Adrian Plass

Hope in Times of Fear: The Resurrection and the Meaning of Easter – Timothy Keller

Spotify Playlist – From Palm Sunday to Resurrection – Beth Wayland

ToGather: Time to Reclaim the Joy (April 4 2021) – Demetrius Collins & Phil Ware – This is a powerful Easter Sunday service via a pastor’s written message and great singing thanks to YouTube selections!

YouTube Video – Doxology – David Crowder

YouTube Video – Because He Lives – Matt Maher

YouTube Video – Passion Song – The Story of Holy Week (Lyric Video) by @scartermusic

YouTube video with lyrics – I Can Only Imagine – MercyMe

YouTube video with lyrics – Before the Throne of God Above – Selah

Story Behind the Song Before the Throne of God Above

YouTube Video – Easter Song (Live) – Keith Green – (song starts 2 minutes in)

YouTube Video – Easter Song (1974) – The 2nd Chapter of Acts

YouTube Video – He’s Alive – Don Francisco

YouTube Video – Then Came the Morning – Guy Penrod

The Bridge Gospel Presentation

عيد القيامة يسوع المسيح مبارك وكلّ عام وانت واعئلتك بالف خير! المسيح فام! حقّاً قام!

P.S. For the last time, all the days of Holy Week are described in my posts below, if you missed a day.

Palm Sunday – Day 1 of Holy Week – Jesus’ Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem on the Way to the Cross

Jesus and Holy Week – Monday, Day 2 – Jesus Curses a Fig Tree and Cleanses the Temple

Jesus and Holy Week – Tuesday, Day 3 – A Long Day Teaching & Countering Religious Opposition

Worship Wednesday – Jesus & Holy Week – Day 4 – A Day of Quiet Before the Storm – & We Worship

Photo Credit – Baptist Press – Courtesy of DeMoss News Pond

Jesus and Holy Week – Thursday, Day 5 – Passover Celebration and His Last Supper Before the Cross

http://debmillswriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Blog-Holy-Week-Good-Friday.jpg

Photo Credit: GoodFridayQuotes2015.com

Jesus and Holy Week – Day 6 – Good Friday – His Trial, Crucifixion, & Burial

http://debmillswriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Blog-Holy-Week-Black-Saturday.jpg — Photo Credit: Catholiclane.com – Garden Tomb, Jerusalem

Jesus and Holy Week – Day 7 – Black Saturday – the Silent Tomb

Resurrection Sunday of Holy Week – Day 8 – Risen, Indeed! Thank You, Jesus!

Attending or Focus, Character, Church, Crucifixion, Culture & Religion, Easter and Lent, Faithfulness, Finishing Strong, Friday Faves, God the Father, Grief and Loss, Inspired, Jesus, Lamb of God, Love, Rebellion and Sin, Reconciliation/Forgiveness, Walk with God, Worship

Jesus and Holy Week – Good Friday – His Trial, Crucifixion, & Burial – It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Coming

April 7, 2023 admindeb 1 Comment

Photo Credit: GoodFridayQuotes2015.com

It was a day like no other day in history.

For years we lived in countries where Christianity was a minority religion. While the few of us passed this week in reflection and wonder, it was, of course, just another week for most of our friends, neighbors, and colleagues. Easter had its name – Eid Al-Qiyama (“Feast of Resurrection”) – but, for so many, Good Friday was shrouded in the ordinary. For Jesus, and all who have experienced life through his teaching and example, this day was and is wholly extraordinary.

Good Friday – good for us, hard for Jesus. The events of his trial, crucifixion, death, and burial are all recorded with great detail in the four Gospels. They are riveting accounts of this terrible and triumphant day – Matthew 26:57-27:61, Mark 15, Luke 22:66-23:56, John 18:28-19:42.

Jesus had no opportunity to sleep in the hours of night before this dawn. From the garden where he prayed, he was forcibly taken into the custody of the high priests. Through the early morning hours, he was bounced brutally between the Sanhedrin, the high court of Israel, and the Roman authorities (Pilate and Herod Antipas). While in their custody, Jesus endured hostile interrogation, false accusations, trumped-up charges, relentless attempts at public humiliation, and repeated beatings. Yet, he somehow retained his full faculties, responding to the authorities, when necessary, with great wisdom and understanding of both the proceedings and the people.

In the midst of all this trauma, he even made eye contact with one of his dearest friends and followers, Peter, hiding himself nearby…in his own painful moment.

The outcome of all the wrangling between the Jewish and Roman officials was an unwarranted, undeserved death sentence. Execution by crucifixion. Pilate even washed his hands of the matter, literally, declaring Jesus innocent but still consenting to the death sentence. He didn’t know then but the “blood” he tried to wash of his hands was truly innocent. Still, it wasn’t Pilate who put Jesus on that cross, nor was it Caiaiphas, head of the Sanhedrin. Not a Roman, nor a Jew.

Jesus’ death, that day, was an outworking of a divine plan. We cannot begin to understand the holiness of the Father, the sinless resolve of the Son, or the steadfastness of the Spirit. This three-in-one God orchestrated a path for us, His fallen and broken people, to be restored to Him.

That we, though wrecked by sin, can be whole again and one in Him, in that unity of Father, Son, Holy Spirit (John 17:21) is a miracle of grace.

Jesus gave his life for us that day. It was not taken from him. He laid it down. For us. Though completely undeserving, we are ransomed and redeemed. At such a great cost. This Jesus. This life. This cross.

It Was My Sin That Held Him There – Greg Morse

Jesus spoke seven times during the three hours he hung on that cross. Each time he spoke, as in all the other times his words are recorded, there was something for all of us. If you don’t know what he said, in those seven brief cries from the cross, read them and discover more about him…and about us.

Just before he died, he cried out, “It. Is. Finished.” What? What was finished? His life…oh no…not at all…that story comes later. His work? Not completely…for he continues interceding for us (Romans 8:34). What was finished? The perfect sacrifice – the lamb without spot or blemish – his life for ours. “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Hallelujah!

‘Finished’ – What the Son Cried as He Died – Scott Hubbard – Desiring God

There is so much more to say about this day and the people present. Pilate’s wife who warned Pilate about ruling against this innocent man. Judas Iscariot, Jesus’ betrayer, who tried to return the money and killed himself in remorse that same day. Simon of Cyrene, a pilgrim, who was drawn into the dreadful drama of that day to carry Jesus’ cross when he could not. Barabbas, a notorious criminal, who gained his freedom, through a strange twist of the day. The nameless thief on the cross who cried out in repentance to Jesus. The Roman centurion who in his witness of Jesus all those hours professed faith in him. John, Jesus’ closest disciple, and Jesus’ mother Mary to whom Jesus gave each other. The women, lives changed by their faith in Jesus, who stayed at the foot of the cross through all the horror of his crucifixion. Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a Christ-follower, who tried to appeal for Jesus with the Sanhedrin. Joseph of Arimathea, another believing Pharisee, who went to Pilate to receive Jesus’ body for burial, to place in his own tomb.

So many stories of lives changed. Good Friday. This marked the day of Jesus’ trial, his death, and his burial, but it does not mark the end of the story. It’s Friday…but Sunday’s coming.*

Photo Credit: popgodblog.com

[In the links below are several beautiful songs of worship. Tributes to the Lord on this day. Don’t miss the articles and the great sermon “It’s Friday But Sunday’s a Coming” by Rev. S. M. Lockridge*.]

*YouTube Video – It’s Friday but Sunday’s a Coming – S. M. Lockridge

YouTube Video – Passion Song – The Story of Holy Week (Lyric Video) by @scartermusic – powerful.

Holy Week – Day 6: Good Friday’s Trial, Crucifixion, Death, Burial – Mary Fairchild

The Way of Jesus #3: Unless a Seed – James Nored

The Way of Jesus #4: Who Do I Say Jesus Is? – James Nored & Phil Ware

It Wasn’t Nails that Held Him to the Cross – Blog by Michele Perry

Good Friday – Bible Study

Spotify Playlist for Holy Week – Beth Wayland

YouTube Video – It is Finished – Matt Papa

YouTube Video – Forever – Kari Jobe

YouTube Video with Lyrics – The Wonderful Cross by Chris Tomlin & Keith Getty

YouTube Video with lyrics – The Power of the Cross – Kristyn Getty

YouTube Video with lyrics – Lead Me to the Cross – Hillsong

YouTube Video – Skit Guys – Good Friday

Photo Credit: We Love the Bible, Pinterest

P.S. All the days of Holy Week are described in my posts below.

Palm Sunday – Day 1 of Holy Week – Jesus’ Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem on the Way to the Cross

Jesus and Holy Week – Monday, Day 2 – Jesus Curses a Fig Tree and Cleanses the Temple

Jesus and Holy Week – Tuesday, Day 3 – A Long Day Teaching & Countering Religious Opposition

Worship Wednesday – Jesus & Holy Week – Day 4 – A Day of Quiet Before the Storm – & We Worship

Jesus and Holy Week – Thursday, Day 5 – Passover Celebration and His Last Supper Before the Cross

Photo Credit: GoodFridayQuotes2015.com

Jesus and Holy Week – Day 6 – Good Friday – His Trial, Crucifixion, & Burial

Jesus and Holy Week – Day 7 – Black Saturday – the Silent Tomb

Resurrection Sunday of Holy Week – Day 8 – Risen, Indeed! Thank You, Jesus!

Courage, Crucifixion, Culture & Religion, Easter and Lent, Faithfulness, Finishing Strong, Food & Drink, Forgiveness, God the Father, Jesus, Lamb of God, Love Your Neighbor

Jesus and Holy Week – Maundy Thursday – One Day Until the Crucifixion – Passover Celebration & His Last Supper Before the Cross

April 6, 2023 admindeb 1 Comment

http://debmillswriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Blog-Holy-Week-Last-Supper.jpg — Photo Credit – Baptist Press – Courtesy of DeMoss News Pond

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John 13:34-35

The Thursday before Jesus’ trial and crucifixion was the awaited celebration of Passover. In this day, we have a picture of Jesus, in all his humanity, and in all his deity. All four of the Gospels written about Jesus’ life have an account of this day’s events (Matthew 26:17-75; Mark 14; Luke 22:7-65; John 13:1-18:27).

After sunset, the Jewish people would take the Passover meal together – as families usually. They would share the Seder and remember how God protected them during the days of their slavery in Egypt.

Photo Credit: Seder Meal, Robert Couse-Baker, Flickr

This particular Thursday is known as Maundy Thursday. Maundy means “commanded” and also can refer to the ceremonial washing of feet. Jesus took upon himself to wash the dusty feet of his disciples, modeling for them his command to love one another (John 13:34-35).

After Jesus and his disciples finished their meal together, he would then enter the garden Gethsemane to pray. As He prayed, He wrestled with his heavenly Father over the need for him to die. “O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup [of suffering and death] pass from me.” Then, settled in his obedience, “O my Father, if this cup cannot pass away from me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” [Matthew 26:39; Matthew 26:42]

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

Sometime during that dark night of the soul, he turned his attention toward his disciples and all the rest of us, across the ages, who would follow him. His prayer to the Father, recorded in John 17, is exquisitely beautiful, especially in the context of this difficult night. [Take time to read it in full, but I’ve included a part of it below.]

“Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.”

Then out of the darkness, disciple Judas Iscariot came to betray Jesus. He was leading a group of the religious leaders, along with a huge company of soldiers. Although Jesus’ loyal disciples wanted to resist his arrest, Jesus refused their intervening and surrendered himself…not to the mob but to the will of the Father.

The betrayal was complete. His disciples fled (although those closest to him would soon follow). He would spend the rest of the night in the tormenting custody of his enemies. The countdown to the cross had begun in earnest. A countdown that actually began at the Fall of humanity, and, under the careful watch of God, our Father…a countdown toward restoring us back to Himself.

One more day…

Jesus Pray for His Disciples…and For Us – Ralph F. Wilson

P.S. All the days of Holy Week are described in my posts below.

Palm Sunday – Day 1 of Holy Week – Jesus’ Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem on the Way to the Cross

Jesus and Holy Week – Monday, Day 2 – Jesus Curses a Fig Tree and Cleanses the Temple

Jesus and Holy Week – Tuesday, Day 3 – A Long Day Teaching & Countering Religious Opposition

Worship Wednesday – Jesus & Holy Week – Day 4 – A Day of Quiet Before the Storm – & We Worship

Jesus and Holy Week – Thursday, Day 5 – Passover Celebration and His Last Supper Before the Cross

Photo Credit: GoodFridayQuotes2015.com

Jesus and Holy Week – Day 6 – Good Friday – His Trial, Crucifixion, & Burial

Jesus and Holy Week – Day 7 – Black Saturday – the Silent Tomb

Resurrection Sunday of Holy Week – Day 8 – Risen, Indeed! Thank You, Jesus!

All Good Gifts, Attending or Focus, Babies & Children, Character, Community, Courage, Faithfulness, God, Walk with God, Wednesday Worship, Worship

Worship Wednesday – My One Comfort – Dustin Kensrue

March 15, 2023 admindeb Leave a comment

Photo Credit: Dreamstime, Heidelberg Catechism

My One Comfort. What would you say is yours?

We look to loved ones and friends for comfort. Sometimes we even lean on rickety counterfeit comforts (food, drugs/alcohol, entertainment) to help us get through…or escape from…the challenges of our lives.

This song “My One Comfort” is new to me, although it’s been out for several years now. The lyrics deeply resonated with my heart and mind. The Lord is truly our one solid and forever comfort. He is the rock of our lives, no matter the storm. Because of Him, we can stand against whatever comes.

Through this song, I discovered the Heidelberg Catechism. It has not been part of my church or worship tradition. Studying it this week has been a blessing.

The first Question and Answer of the Catechism reads:

What is Thy only comfort in life and death?

The answer is:

That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, hath fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him. – Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 1

Scripture Annotations for the Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 1 – Jan van Bruggen

Heidelberg Catechism (pdf)

Singer, songwriter Dustin Kensrue‘s treatment of the first Question & Answer above brings it to us beautifully.

Worship with me.

My one comfort both in life and death
Is that I am not my own
I was bought with blood and I confess
I belong to You alone

[Chorus]
By the Father’s good decree
Jesus, You’ve delivered me
By Your Spirit set me free
To follow You

My one comfort both in life and death
Is that I am not my own
I was bought with blood and I confess
I belong to You alone

By the Father’s good decree
Jesus, You’ve delivered me
By Your Spirit set me free
To follow You

[Bridge]
Jesus, You have taken hold of me
And in Your grip of grace, I’m finally free
By the Father’s good decree
Jesus, You’ve delivered me
By Your Spirit set me free
To follow You*

*Lyrics to My One Comfort – Dustin Kensrue, The Modern Post – inspired by the Heidelberg Catachism

P.S. This morning as I was sitting down to write, a friend’s post on my social media reminded me of the greatness of God and His presence in our lives. She’s a young mom training up warriors and worshipers. The post was about fairy tales and dragons, but it struck me as very real and instructional (as only G. K. Chesterton can be). What a glory and mystery the God of the universe accompanies and empowers us in this life!!! Dragons, whatever they are, can be killed. He knows, He is near, and He is able.

Photo Credit: PicturesQuotes, G. K. Chesterton

Thank You, Lord!

Photo Credit: Charles Kingsley, Heartlight

All Good Gifts, Attending or Focus, Character, Contentment, Conversations, Faithfulness, Finishing Strong, God, God the Father, Wednesday Worship, Worship

Worship Wednesday – The Goodness – TobyMac & Blessing Offor

March 8, 2023 admindeb Leave a comment

“I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.” – Psalm 27:13-14

Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in him!
You who are his holy ones, fear the Lord, for those who fear him lack nothing. Young lions lack food and go hungry, but those who seek the Lord will not lack any good thing. – Psalm 34:8-10

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” – Psalm 46:10

“The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion. The LORD is good to all; His compassion rests on all He has made. All You have made will give You thanks, O LORD, and Your saints will bless You.” – Psalm 145:8-10

Today has been the quietest of days. This may be unrelatable to most and the envy of some. I love a full day myself usually…but today was a gift. A gift of quiet.

Within that quiet I was reminded of the many Psalms that speak to the goodness of God. How He loves and moves with both mercy and justice in this world. When we are bombarded by news, much of it bad, and the challenges and distractions of life, the temptation is to take matters into our own hands. To make ourselves the actors in this narrative. What a blessing to have a block of time to quiet the mind and remember the reality of a sovereign God. It takes stillness to listen to the Spirit of God and our own hearts as we gather our thoughts around the beauty of His character. I had that kind of day.

It doesn’t take a day though, right? A moment will do. Even in the midst of busy little ones or weary old ones, as well as demanding work or co-workers, we can turn our hearts in wonder at the goodness of God.

Christian artists TobyMac and Blessing Offor sing together about The Goodness of God. Both of these men have known terrible loss, and yet they will tell you that God’s goodness meets them at every turn.

Quiet days leave me quiet, but I want to share this song and my own gratefulness to God for His great goodness.

Worship with me.

You made the rain
So when it falls on me
Should I complain?
Or feel You callin’ me?
It’s all on me to stay
And really catch what You’re showin’
It’s my roots that You’re growin’
‘Cause life is more than this moment

You are the Light
So when the darkness falls
The greatest heights
They never seem so tall
No, not at all
You’re right
It’s my roots that You’re growin’
Don’t want to miss what You’re showin’

Ain’t no doubt about You
Everywhere that I go
You keep showin’ up
Lord, You make me wanna shout it, oh
You’re the goodness in my life
And I’ma tell you my truth
They may come, they may go
You keep showin’ up, sure do
Ain’t no doubt about it
You are, You are the goodness in my life

You are the joy (Joy)
You’re the smile on the face of Your boy (Boy)
You’re the flowers at that park in Detroit
Still the words on the back of our coins
Let’s make some noise

You cover me
My Defender when You’re rollin’ up Your sleeves
You’re the truth that’s gonna set the captive free
The only King that’s ever chose to bleed (Chose to bleed)
Is what I believe (What I believe)

But they keep tryin’ to make Your glory fade (Fade)
But I ain’t really sweatin’ what they say (Say)

Through the good and the bad and the ugly
I can still see the sunshine above me
Lord, I love all the ways that You love me
You’re the good, You’re the good
You’re the goodness
Through the good and the bad and the ugly (Woo)
I can still feel see the sunshine above me (Tell ’em, Blessing)
Lord, I love all the ways that You love me (Yeah)
You’re the good, You’re the good
You’re the goodness

You’re the good (You are)
You’re the good (You are)
You’re the good, You’re the good
You’re the goodness (You’re the goodness)
You’re the good (You are)
You’re the good (You are)
You’re the good, You’re the good
You’re the goodness

Ain’t no doubt about You (Ain’t no doubt about You)
Everywhere that I go
You keep showin’ up (You keep showin’ up)
Lord, You make me wanna shout it, oh (Ah)
You’re the goodness in my life
And I’ma tell you my truth (Yeah)
They may come, they may go (They may come, they may go)
You keep showin’ up, sure do
Ain’t no doubt about it (Ain’t no doubt about it, woo)
You are, You are the goodness in my life (The goodness in my life)

You’re the good (You are good)
You’re the good (You are good)
You’re the good, You’re the good
You’re the goodness in my life (You’re the goodness in my life)
You’re the good (You are good)
You’re the good (You are good) (In my life)
You’re the good, You’re the good (Yes, You are)
You’re the goodness in my life (Yeah, ooh)
You’re the good (You are good) (Thank You)
You’re the good (You are good) (Yes, You are)
You’re the good, You’re the good
You’re the goodness in my life

You are, You are still the goodness in my life.*

*Lyrics to The Goodness – Songwriters: TobyMac, Kyle Williams, Gabe Real, & Bryan Fowler

Worship Wednesday – Habakkuk’s Response to the Incomprehensible Goodness of God – Deb Mills

Worship Wednesday – Goodness of God – CeCe Winans – Deb Mills

YouTube Video – Goodness of God – CeCe Winans (Live)

YouTube Video – Goodness of God – Bethel Music – Brian & Jenn Johnson

Attending or Focus, Attitude, Character, Conversations, Courage, Critical Thinking, Daughters and Sons, Decision-making, Disciplines, Faithfulness, Family, Fathers, Fear, Finishing Strong, Habits

Monday Morning Moment – Reject Passivity

February 20, 2023 admindeb Leave a comment

When a father dies he leaves a legacy. Yesterday, the three sons of our friend Mike Pineda, stood on the platform, at his funeral, and spoke beautifully about their hero of a dad.

[Their tributes for their dad can be found here. Worth your time.]

Mike Pineda had faithfully walked alongside his sons all their lives. Teaching, mentoring, and modeling. One of the lessons their dad had taught them (by word and action) was to reject passivity.

That stuck with me. What is it to resist, in fact, reject passivity? Where does the temptation to be passive come from?

We can go all the way back to the first man who lived – Adam. When the Evil One tempted him and Eve to question the goodness of God, and even though Eve seemed to take lead in sinning against God (Genesis 3:6), Adam was physically present, right there with her. [This isn’t to cast greater judgment on Adam, or Eve, for that matter. It is a declarative statement of what can result from passivity.]

Men have been living in Adam’s shadow ever since. Rather than being strong dads, men often just stand there. Rather than being loving husbands, men often just stand there. Why is it that so many men are so decisive, focused, and effective in areas of life that don’t really matter, but tentative, uninspiring, and passive in some of the areas that matter most? It’s as if passivity is in our DNA. And that if we don’t actively fight it, we’ll default to being passive.

Where does passivity reign in your life? Is it at home? Or with your finances? Or in your career? Or with your wife or girlfriend? Where are you doing nothing when you should be doing something? Where are you being silent when you should be speaking up? Authentic men reject passivity. They refuse to live in the shadow of Adam and instead choose to fight for what truly matters most. They find their strength in the grace of Jesus and follow His example of rejecting passivity—ultimately by coming to earth to rescue us. – Authentic Manhood

Now, please don’t get me wrong here. I’m not trying to bash men for being passive. No way! Maybe like Eve, we as women, hold some measure of complicity in this whole issue of passivity. Do we make it difficult for the men in our lives to act decisively? Do we act in ways that prove to be passive-aggressive and pose for men a lose-lose outcome…that either way, they will pay for “manning up”?

Even as I write, it’s a little uncomfortable having grown up in the era of women’s liberation, ERA, and feminism. Hard battles have been fought for and by women to fare well in the workplace. In the home as well. Yet, is it possible that one of the fruits of this movement has been men just stepping aside and letting us have our way? Even when that’s not the case, what could it have been with both men and women working better together?

Of course, we know this whole issue of passivity didn’t start a few decades ago (go back to Adam and Eve). So what do we do about it?

I’m going to talk to my sons right now…all the way to the end of this piece [You’re welcome to read along].

“It’s so easy…too easy…to let others make the decisions. When others make the decision, you may think you don’t have to accept the consequences of those decisions. You can, in many cases, let those others live with the outcomes. You can elect to go along with the decisions, or (if not required) you can step back, and let the chips fall where they may. Now if it’s work, and you’re held to a standard requiring you to go along with the decision once made, you have little recourse. You didn’t speak into it, therefore you must to some extent abide by the decision. How much better if you had entered into the decision-making yourself?

What about the larger community? Your circles of potential influence outside your work. Are you willing to sit silently…to offer nothing of your giftings, your intellect, your experience to those conversations?

What about your family? Your wife, your children? Are you willing to let others speak into their lives and you take a quieter, more disengaged space? You will find the years will go by…and the voice in their ears and hearts…is not yours. Is that really what you want?

Passivity is like a weak link in a chain…compromising the strength of that chain. In relationships, passivity is something we can correct, if we’re willing to take the perceived risk to do so.

Photo Credit: Life Going Through Some Day

In Lay Aside the Weight of Passivity by Jon Bloom, we are reminded of how our expectations and resultant emotions shape our engagement with struggle:

What we expect shapes how we respond. If we expect peace, we will resent having to fight. If we expect rest, we will resent having to endure. If we expect leisure, we will resent having to work hard.

This is why it’s so important for us to prepare our minds for action.

We lose perspective and forget that in this age war, not peace, is the norm; vigilant self-control, not indulgent rest, is the norm; difficult cultivation, not easy picking, is the norm.

Our emotions typically tell us what our mind-sets are; our responses reveal our expectations. So, when weariness, disappointment, disillusionment, and resentment set in, we need to examine what’s fueling those feelings.

Our emotions springing from misplaced expectations of peace, rest, and leisure ask to be coddled. – Jon Bloom

Passivity is sometimes born out of exhaustion from battling for too long a season. Or a lack of hope when looking at the opposition. As Bloom states in his article: as we choose to stay in the battle, with a mindset to act, we resist passivity and the false sense of safety it projects.

In thinking back to our friend Mike’s funeral, his sons talked about both his rejection of passivity and his pursuit of a quiet life. He aspired “to live quietly, and to mind [his] own affairs, and to work with [his] hands (1 Thess. 4:11). This is not passive living. It takes focus, prioritizing, and hard work…out of which is the great harvest of those in your sphere of influence learning the tools of fruitful and faithful lives. By your example.

So my loves, I’ll let you get back to your lives. I see you resisting passivity. Keep nurturing that habit of life.

Stand with or stand against, but don’t allow yourselves to stand aside.“

Fatherhood.gov

Fathering Practices in Twenty-six Intact Families and the Implications for Child Contact – Jane Lewis & Elaine Welsh

YouTube Video – Purging Passivity – an interesting video on a martial arts training approach with children (Christian perspective – fascinating – whether you agree or not)

Reject Passivity (1 of 5) – Stephen T. Messenger

YouTube Video – Passivity Is Not an Option! – Dave Ramsey – EntreLeadership

YouTube Video – The Problem Of Passivity | Paul Tripp’s 1 Peter Study (Episode 012)