STRESS!! It consumes, divides and doubles. You would think that a little quiet time would be welcome, but that’s not always the case. In fact, for many of us quiet time may invite the most intimidating minutes of our day.
A quiet awakening
I should have welcomed opportunity for more sleep, for my night had been nearly sleepless. Yet after awakening to near silence before dawn I turned off the alarm and remained awake.
What was on my mind? Everything. And I must confess that my first thought was not,
This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24
We arose as usual, beginning the necessary routines of each day. The dog stretched and hurried toward the door. Routine, but required, we set out on today’s event full journey. Charlie followed his nose along previously blazed paths oblivious to my attempt of a hurried pace along a cold continuous sidewalk.
Running from work
A jogger ran by, buds in her ears and pulse-monitoring watch on her wrist. She tracks more than time and steps. On warmer days I sensed her daily pace, caught in her mini-marathon between school drop-off and her gym or coffee shop. A man drove by in his loud pizza-logoed car, bobbing his head to a beat of some music inside.
Charlie walked further, but I was no different from these running to and from work. I could have been busy in some song or sense of life’s sprint, but this day all was quiet except multiplying messages of a mind caught up in my ‘what to do next’ and ‘why did I do that.”
Once I had driven miles between accounts with my mind also cruising well above the speed limit of a time-constrained goal list. I once listened to anything louder than my passing thoughts; nostalgic classics or current upbeat songs by young musicians full of life. Yet work always approached with the day’s music fleeting to where carefree sounds, singing and smiles fade into hope of a different journey.
As I thought ahead to work I considered a place filled with well-meaning souls, busy building barns most will never see. Eight or so hours without running to places where we have time to count the costs before the laying of foundations of futility.
An unexpected glimpse at quiet sleep
Unexplored paths led by tugs of long leash from long-wandered straight paths of purpose, we returned to a road taken by only a few headed to their cul-de-sac of journey’s end.
A sight behind an open blind of dawn-lit window imprints image of both past and future. The man lay sleeping peacefully in a hospital bed, between his room’s window and rising metal tree with clear bags of liquid extending long lines dripping life into failing flesh and relief into the delay of decay.
Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.
A mere breath, vapour, a fleeting shadow are the lives of mankind. Souls caught in the image of God trapped in failing flesh. What question of man precedes such astute observation though the looking-glass of life?
In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him; 2 the Lord protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies.
3 The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.
Charlie had inadvertently led me to a path where in the near silence of our morning walk I had to remember our path toward a final rest. So many have passed this way before us, yet today in an unwelcome misstep I glanced briefly into my own future as well as a sudden step back into a memory of a deathbed before.
By the sweat of your face You shall eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.”
It had been brought into my own living room. She had been sick for months and they couldn’t figure it out. Doctors were busy and work went on while family and life rushed about. A trip to the ER told more of the disruption of life to come.
After giving up on work and her parents moving in, trips from doctor to hospital and home again… to a bed not our own…
Once I sat by her inadvertently on her oxygen tube. It was that kind of sudden realization that the breath of life we take so granted becomes perilously cumbersome to draw in for just one more moment. She would live fully just two score and ten, one more month and one more night to say ‘Good-bye, I love you.’
The days of our years are threescore years and ten;
and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years,
yet is their strength labour and sorrow;
for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Who knoweth the power of thine anger?
even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.
So teach us to number our days,
that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Charlie and I turned off into home, just a short way along our temporary path of these days. I remained lost in contemplative prayer and unexpectedly fond memory, for I knew just how temporary was this life for her and for me.
“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live…
“..and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
I have two brothers and a sister, not to mention other challenging family members who generally disagree with my considered path which seldom offers the least resistance. Lately we’ve had some ‘family disagreements.’ Has that ever happened with you?
We’re all hard to convince on important points of life, so in general most of us just go about our own way until someone comes to us mentioning that your brother or your mother (or father or cousin) wants to see you.
What could be so important? Interruptions by brothers or family happen to all.
Perhaps you recall an incident like this mentioned in a couple of the Gospels about Jesus. When I first read of it, I thought that Jesus seemed rude to ignore His family members. Now, after many such interruptions of my own agenda by family members I’m not certain that ‘rude’ is the best description, though I’ll bet my family frequently thinks I’m rude.
While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. But he replied to the man who told him,
“Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”
Jesus had been teaching and had had a rough day. (More about that later.)
Doesn’t it always seem like your brother or a family member shows up with an issue when you are busiest?
Continuing just a bit further in the same story as recorded by Mark:
Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came and stood outside. They sent someone in to summon Him, and a crowd was sitting around Him. “Look,” He was told, “Your mother and brothers are outside, asking for You.”
But Jesus replied, “Who are My mother and My brothers?”
Looking at those seated in a circle around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers!
Jesus’ Brothers Before & After the Resurrection
We’ll visit the prior scenes and conclusion later, but moving ahead in our story here, authorities doubting the true identity of the Messiah ask:
Is not this the carpenter’s son?
Is not his mother called Mary?
And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? – Matthew 13:55
They mention Jesus’ sisters, question His wise teaching and mighty miracles and they even took offense to him.
Once again Jesus makes a seemingly disrespectful comment about his community and family.
“A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” – Matthew 13:57b
The world around Him is trying to disrespect the Lord, associating Him first to His brothers and sisters and mother. Have you ever experience that?
Later John would reveal something of Jesus’ brothers and others who had witnessed the Lord’s teachings and healings. Even Jesus’ own brothers (half-brothers, really) challenged Jesus:
“… If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” – John 7:4b
Then John observes,
For not even his brothers believed in him. John 7:5
After Jesus’s resurrection and fifty days of witness on earth, observe Jesus’ brothers at Pentecost. The brothers (and sisters) of Jesus had proof. They then lived lives of witness along with the Apostles, but at first they had no faith.
All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers [adelphoi may refer either to men or to both men and women who are siblings].
True Brothers
Brothers in a larger sense are ones connected to you closely, ones united by family and life and circumstance.
[ctt title=”Even a prodigal brother may roam from the security and promise of those who were once inseparable.” tweet=”Are you a true brother to the Lord by your obedience to His will?” coverup=”zfRWy”]
Some won’t change even if the Lord appears
Some believed Jesus and they followed. He called these disciples brothers, even the many faithful who followed our Lord in addition to the Twelve. Yet looking back at Jesus’ day leading up to His half-brothers and mother beckoning the Lord from His teaching, we see the importance of His work.
Let’s trace back the Lord’s teaching of the day He was interrupted by family.
46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.
43 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none… and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”
42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks… 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
22 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.”
It had all started with Jesus doing good: powerful healings. Jesus proved to eyes which would not see and ears that refused to hear: He IS the Son of Man, the Messiah!
Jesus healed a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath.
14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him…
15 Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all 16 and ordered them not to make him known.
Now moving forward once more to hearing Jesus’ question, “Who are my brothers…?”
[ctt title=” “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” – Matthew 12:48-50″ tweet=”For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”” coverup=”w41LB”]
49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
Do you have a brother closer than those of your own blood?
By the Blood and Sacrifice of Christ Jesus for our sins, we are redeemed into the family of God our Father.
As beloved sons, beloved daughters, co-heirs of our same eternal inheritance in Christ, are these not our nearest brothers and our dearest sisters?
Who is your brother, your sister, dearly beloved one of the Lord?
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ invites us into His Own Royal Family of the Most High! Even unsaved family and loved ones may join the Lord. They may by believing join our true brothers?
Won’t you allow the Lord to speak into your life? For like in this story, He will have a place for you always at the time of His joyous return.
Pray for our dear family in Christ, beloved. Pray also for me.
‘Padiddle,’ it came to me as I was driving home at dusk one evening. Padiddle, where did that come from? Then I remembered.
I had not grown up with it, for our family had played other travel games in the car. In fact, as I observed a car in traffic with no lights on at all, the very moment from 45 years ago came to me.
The car in my rearview mirror had only one headlight, which from a perspective of safety was just a little better than a car with no lights whatsoever. ‘Padiddle,’ I thought. I had first heard it from my first wife (so many years before). She went back to her daddy after just a little more than a year of our young marriage. I was devastated, but recalling some of our happier moments brought a smile to my heart.
Failures from our past
I had failed in that marriage forty-five years ago and in other relationships/marriages since. Of course I was part to blame; but I was never the one to give up on my vows or run out on my marriage. I had even had a successful, ‘until death us do part’ marriage which lasted more than two decades. Nevertheless, even after all these years guilt and regrets remain from my marriage to the bride of my youth.
Why couldn’t I have gotten it right – the first time… or those other times? Why didn’t I see the hurt in store from the most-intimate of relationships?
“Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? – Luke 6:39
Embarking into the mysterious journey of a dating relationship can be a most blinding experience. We listen to our own hearts and hormones. We look to others for advice, if anyone at all. Seldom do even the faithful seek to be equally yoked; thus we run into the love of a new relationship at different speeds.
The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it? – Jeremiah 17:9
A further examination into this description of our blind hearts will reveal more convicting words than sick. (Who has not been described as ‘love sick?’) Think of it more like עָקַב beyond cure, exceedingly corrupt or desperately wicked, to name a few.
Truly, failed relationships recall times of great darkness. Yet in Christ we have a Light brighter than the darkness of the world. … in him is no darkness at all.
Relationships often rush forward without tail lights to warn, ‘don’t follow too close.’ An oncoming unexpected one of the opposite sex approaches you with only one dull light, frequently trespassing God’s centerline in their approach to winning your love.
Will you swerve to miss the impact of the pain ahead? Or will you too cross the center line of God’s will?
A Promise we can hold
So what is it we have, if we look to the Lord for hope in our marriages?
Although Jesus was never married to a woman, for our Lord is married to His church; Christ gives couples a new hope to which we can hold.
[ctt title=”Christ\’s promise of forgiveness releases us from the deserved guilt for the wickedness of our past and the continued trespasses of our flawed daily lives.” tweet=”https://ctt.ec/EjeI4+” coverup=”EjeI4″]
If the Lord is part of our marriage, He will not leave us stranded or deserted or alone once more.
Although the intent of this quote of the Law in the letter of Hebrews is not specific to marriage, it applies to the character of Christ. Taken in context, a look a the preceding verse will also encourage.
Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.
[ctt title=”Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” tweet=”Hebrews 13:4 https://ctt.ec/b6Qkc+” coverup=”b6Qkc”]
May I remind us of Jesus’ words to the Apostle Philip, who followed Him three years?
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? – John 14:9
I find it most encouraging in our marriage that Jesus, who said,
‘Let your yes be yes and your no be no;’
Jesus, who watches over the lost sheep and our Lord who teaches that ‘the two become one;’
He who IS and was, the One judge of all souls at the end of the age assures us:
14“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
31“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” – Acts 10:43
[ctt title=”A marriage without forgiveness is one soul without light.” tweet=”Love forgives, as the Lord lifts guilt from the forgiven.” coverup=”Va0Wr”]
Have you replaced your missing Light?
In Christ Jesus we have forgiveness of sins. Whoever believes in him is not condemned. John 3:18a
This includes your partner in marriage. Jesus includes you, as well. Believe in the forgiveness of of your sins of the past. Just replace the light and turn back to your Lord and Savior.
John 3:19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
Padiddle, I say. We cannot have just half the light the Lord intends for our marriage.
21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
Replace the darkness of the broken light of your failing love. For He IS our Light. Our love cannot shine clearly for others, even the one we love, without Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Each husband and every wife need the complete Light of Christ in the oneness of their marriage; for He IS the One who says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
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14“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.