Tag: truth

Corona Crazy Days

Posted on by Karyn Jeffrey

The corona virus has inflicted more than physical harm. Fear and crazy panic are washing over us as a result of corona’s spread around the world. The mandated isolation of huge numbers of people has caused even more anxiety. Fear and isolation are a dreadful combination in our thinking. Why are we in such a dither? What can we do to “keep our heads?”

Not knowing what will happen causes fear. We are not in control. We cannot know what the next moment will bring, let alone what tomorrow or next week holds for us. Our world seems upside down and out of control just now.

It isn’t. God is still God and like the old spiritual says “He’s got the whole world in His hands.” But, this season is a severe test of what we believe about some very serious matters. Life and death are staring us in the face. A huge list of “what ifs” have unfurled before us.

Considering death we ask “What if I get sick and die?” “What will happen to my family?” “What will dying be like?” “Where will I go after death?” Considering life under the restrictions, shortages and isolation, we wonder “What will I do if I run out of food?” “If I can’t go to work, how will we pay the bills?” “If one or more of us are sick, how will we know what to do?” “Will our doctor be able to help?” “Will we get turned away at the door of the emergency room?”  “What will I do to be sure my kids don’t get behind in school?” “What will I do to fill the days and hours of enforced solitude?”

Difficult questions to be sure, but I am reining in my thinking and reminding myself of some wonderful things that are true.

God made me and the whole world. He has not “lost control.” I do not fear what I cannot see because I know He knows and sees all things.

“…I am God, and there is no other’ I am God and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established and I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;…Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.”  Isaiah 46:9-11

The Almighty does not slumber or sleep. (Psalm 121:3) He knows the plans He has for us. When the prophet Jeremiah gave God’s people the horrifying news that they were about to go into captivity, he also relayed God’s kind and comforting promise.

“‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope…call upon Me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, ‘declares the LORD.”  Jeremiah 29: 10-14

God has a plan. Think of the confusion the Apostles must have felt in the days and hours leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion. They had come to believe that He was indeed the long-awaited Messiah the Father had promised Adam and Eve in the Garden. But here He was, arrested, beaten, mocked and even murdered. He, who had done not one thing wrong, was dying the ignominious death of a criminal. They must have wondered why God had let this happen. Why didn’t Jesus just speak a word and destroy the hated Roman authorities? He could have become king with the power He had. He had fed thousands from offerings of a tiny lunch, healed dreaded leprosy, caused those who had been crippled from birth to walk and run. He walked on water, calmed a storm with a simple command—“Peace, be still.” He had raised people from the dead. Why was this One who had such power allowing Himself to be crucified?

Nothing can thwart God’s plan. Nothing the world does can change or thwart that plan. The Godhead, in eternity past, determined to bring men who are dead in sin and under His just judgement for that sin to life and to make them into righteous beings for eternity. The Great, Holy, Triune God did what He planned. Jesus—God in human flesh—came to earth at the perfect time, lived and then died exactly as He planned. He was raised on the third day and He lives forever. Jesus is coming back to deal with sin and evil finally and forever. The entire flow of history from the Garden, through the Cross to this day and on to the Day of His appearing is entirely planned by Almighty God.

Not one action or circumstance in which we find ourselves is out of His awareness and control. The spread of this fearsome disease causes us alarm. It is not an easy thing to contemplate being sick and dying. Death is an enemy that entered our world when we fell into sin and rebellion. But God is using this situation to accomplish His plan. We can’t know how that will be except that we know He will use it for His glory. In the meantime, we must discipline our thinking and use what He has given to live soberly and sensibly.

How can we overcome the confusion, anxiety, fear? I would suggest several things, but first and most importantly, I remind myself and urge you to draw near to God and He will draw near to us.

How do we “draw near”? Sincere prayer, careful reading of and meditation on the Bible. His Word gives what we need in time of turmoil. Remember the words He spoke to the storm? “Peace, be still.” The Psalmist says it to us as well. “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 He has promised to hear those who call upon Him.

Question: Will you call on God today? Will you give Him your fear and trust Him to be with you and help you in this time of uncertainty?

 Your Ideas are Showing

Posted on by Karyn Jeffrey

In this age of trends, buzzwords and memes we Americans are eager to show what we believe in ways that often fail to think through what we are really saying. I recently saw a bumper sticker that read “Protect Abortion Rights-Don’t Criminalize Women.” The ideas, presuppositions, and implications in those six words are powerful. They reflect the zeitgeist of our time. I am distressed at the way we, as supposed “enlightened” and “educated” people, have succumbed to such shallow thinking, careless logic and complete moral blindness.

Let’s pull apart the thoughts in this bumper banner. The well-coifed and immaculately groomed driver of the upscale (and upsized) SUV is shouting at every driver and passerby what she believes. I daresay it is likely she has never thought through the implications of what she is saying.

The “right” to an abortion is a legal perversion of our time. When a child is conceived, sexual intercourse has taken place. With very rare exception (rape or incest) these interactions have been a CHOICE for the parties involved. Each partner has consented to an act in which human beings have engaged since the beginning of time with the full knowledge that the conception of a human child is a possible or even likely outcome.  Until very recently in human history the taking of the life of an unborn or newly born child was considered murder.  Our society has thrown off the “shackles” of admitting we live under the  Creator who has declared the taking of human life a heinous moral wrong.  (One of the 10 Commandments: Thou shalt not kill. Exodus 20:13) As a result our lowest, twisted moral selves have legally sanctioned self-indulgent and irresponsible behavior and even called the evil of murdering the weakest and most defenseless of us “good.”

The couple who CHOOSE to have sex which results in pregnancy can CHOOSE to carry the baby to term. Then, in a few days or months, if they find the baby is inconvenient or not perfect, they can CHOOSE to “terminate” it. “WAIT!” you cry. “That’s murder!” Yes. So what is the difference? What makes killing a baby who is 9 weeks from conception different from one that is 9 months and one hour from birth and one who is 9 years old? Absolutely nothing except time, nutrition and location.

from conception to natural death we are obliged to honor and preserve the life God has bestowed

We “enlightened” and “educated” people of the 21st century have taken leave of our sense. We have abandoned our God-given conscience regarding life and the moral imperative for its preservation.

Consider that bumper sticker: “Don’t Criminalize Women.” Why not? If a woman CHOOSES to murder her child, why not recognize she has committed a criminal act? She has violated what humans have known for millennia: the unborn child is a living human being. The “tissue” in a woman’s womb, from the moment egg and sperm unite, is a living being created in God’s image. That “unwanted” or “inconvenient” child did not CHOOSE to be conceived. We “already-born” “former fetuses” have the obligation to CHOOSE to care for those we conceive. Self-indulgence may run headlong into personal responsibility and “Adulting” may be hard, but there are so many resources and ways to deal with “mistakes” or “problems” that none has an excuse worthy of murder.

QUESTION: What do you believe? Are you giving thought to what is behind the clever saying you posted or “liked” on Facebook? Is it morally true?

Black Hole of January

Posted on by Karyn Jeffrey

Today I have been soaking in the exquisite blue-sky, biting cold, snow-laden day from the comfort of a warm house. The joy of a cup of coffee in a patch of sun and silence makes my heart pour over with joy. It seems strange to love this harsh beauty all around me. Ordinarily January is a hard month for me. There is the let down after the whirl and excitement of holidays. The glum gray weather and short daylight conspire to drag my heart down. It is so easy to just push my nose into a book, or let my eyes glaze over staring at a home improvement re-run, or mindlessly tap keys to play a computer game. I shrug off the nudges of conscience that urge me to get that project done, or get busy in my studio again now that there is time to work. I slouch my way through the days with a niggling undercurrent of embarrassment at my sloth and indolence.

Thankfully, God doesn’t let His kids wallow and wander too long or too far. A few days ago, in the gray gloom of despair, I prayed and asked for relief. His Spirit gently nudged me to bring my trouble to Him.

“Casting all your cares on Him, because He cares for you.”

So, almost reluctantly (to my shame—there is a perverse delight in being miserable sometimes, isn’t there?) I took out my Bible and got on my knees. I asked for help to break out of the miserable hole in which I found myself.

“Here I am, God. I feel like a slug. I have gained too many pounds eating mindlessly during the holidays. I have been lazing around building bad habits that are dragging me down and ruining my witness for You. I have procrastinated on several major projects and now I am in a state of immobile misery. Help me! Stir me up to want to do what I should. Create in me a desire for the things that honor and delight You. I can’t do this on my own. I even know that in my old self I don’t want to ‘straighten up.’ Please help me.”

My prayer was not terribly eloquent. Not fancy. But from my miserable heart to His kind and listening ear, Jesus stood at the Throne of the Father and interceded for me. And, Faithful Father! He sent out His Holy Spirit to come along side and work in me.

God isn’t like the fairy godmother in Cinderella, just waving a magic wand and making everything wonderful and “sparkly.” Rather,  He stirred up my soul in almost indiscernible steps at first. A song  heard here, the word of a friend there. The verse I read that morning. An unexpected invitation rendered. A reminding thought of an opportunity nearly passed by because of my recent indifference. And, in answer to my pitiful prayer, He began stirring in my heart, creating the desire and the will to do what needed to be done

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 1:6

Today, especially, I have reason to sing. The Holy Spirit, truly a Comforter, the gift of Jesus to His own, has worked in my heart and mind. I am refreshed, changed and recharged. I know it is His work because in my own strength I most certainly would not have pulled out of my emotional, spiritual and artistic black hole.  So, here, today, God has jolted me with this glorious day that begs my soul to sing. As the Psalmist says,  He is Good and does good. Psalm 119:68  I will praise Him for all His wonderful works which He has made known to me.

Question:

Are you bumbling around in despair? Are you struggling with winter gloom? Will you call on God to help you?

Gratitude Eclipsed

Posted on by Karyn Jeffrey

 

Hot weather engulfing wide swathes of our country this week stir my thinking about how we are engulfed and swayed by the immediate and often lose sight of what is really important. When the heat and humidity soar we are preoccupied with how to stay cool. We find conversations everywhere focused on the communal misery of the oppressive heat. When you are enduring triple digit heat and 99% humidity, thinking about anything else is truly difficult.

It seems the same with our political climate this past year (has it been that long already?!). The waves of words and crashing craziness combined with world events that seem careering out of control have swamped me, and I imagine many others, with a high tide of anxiety about life. It has caused me to lose sight of what is true, beautiful and lovely.  I have often not noticed the beauty of daily blessings.

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Our garden is being particularly lovely just now but there I sat in my chair, staring at it all, busy mulling morosely over the political debacles unfolding, instead of praising my Creator for such a joyous panorama.

I am in good health and, shame on me, I have failed to thank Him for that good gift today. God has put so many people in my life who are delightful. I have failed to thank Him for each one. And to compound it, I have taken them for granted failing to let them know how much I love them.

He provides a comfortable and safe home for me and given me so much to do that I have grumbled about my “overload-ness” and complained about my stress. What a shame that I have not stopped to thank Him for the talent, training, time and space to do what I love. I love caring for my husband and mother. I love being able to do laundry and hang sheets on the line to dry. I love being able to cook and eat tasty food. I love being able to lie down and sleep in peace and safety. I love being able to draw and paint and make beautiful letters with my pens.  Oh, this list could go on a long time!

God is so good to me. And how have I repaid Him? With careless ingratitude stirred with sinful anxiety. I think the best antidote to this situation is a fresh reflection on Philippians 4: 4-8.

philippians 4_8