Entertaining Angels Unaware

AS A YOUNG CHILD, I walked to a neighborhood church every week.

> At this point, my religious life was either social or recreational with summer church camp along with the usual songs and stories. There was no real understanding. Bedtime prayers were occasional with the sense of an invisible companion I could talk to any time. 

 

> Sometimes, people walk through our lives leaving footprints on our memory that mark our personality. Sometimes, we entertain angels unaware of doing so. Such a person left her footprints in my childhood.

 

> This special lady lived alone down the street and attended the same church. She was frequently called on to give prayer during church service and her prayers were lengthy. She didn't leave out anyone or anything. We became acquainted and developed a wonderful relationship. She was widely known as "Mother Carmichael".

 

> No telling how old she was; anyone over the age of forty seems old to a young child.

 

> All her furnishings seemed antique to me. She did not own a cat. She had no television, and she was frequently seen doing her own yard work. Mother Carmichael would even climb a ladder to wash windows and clear gutters of leaves. I would go to her house on Sunday mornings and we would catch the church bus together, after our church merged with another outside our neighborhood. There would be evangelist programs on her radio and I would watch her comb her long silver hair to tie in a knot at the nape of her neck. After the bus returned us, I sometimes stayed to visit. I genuinely enjoyed the company of this woman who was so "different". She never said an off-color word or spoke a tidbit of gossip. There was a quiet peace in her home that didn't exist anywhere else in my world. 

 

 

 

> At this point, Mother Carmichael was my only spiritual mentor. Occasionally, I would stop after getting off the city bus from school. She would be sitting in her front porch swing or raking leaves and we would share. She was always patient and made time for me, always interested and a good listener - I could be a chatterbox.

 

> As I grew and became secretive, the visits gradually became fewer and farther between. I have no idea what ever became of her. I don't remember anything about a family. She was still living in that same house when I graduated from high school and got married. She was so unlike anyone I have known before or since.

 

> The peace that I felt in her presence has never been forgotten. I fin, in my senior years, that I consciously strive for that illusive peace. If not for the lovely Mother Carmichael, I might never have a reference point for this peace. I know now that gentle lady was evidence of God in this world.

We Are His Children

I don't know who created this image but I dearly love it.  (I hope there is no copyright penalty for using it.  If I knew the artist, I would give them full credit.  It was on the inter net so I assume it is for public use.)

As someone who was an abused child, I give great meaning to this scene.  Let's consider this image together.  

The child has a most content look on his/her face.  We don't know if this is a boy or a girl so we understand anyone can relate.  I see "child" in this little person:  the shy, the playful, the innocent.  He/she is very comfortable.  There is no fear.  They are happy to have all the attention placed solely on them at this moment; reveling in the company.  

I believe this is how our loving Heavenly Father intends for us to feel:  safe, secure, trusting, confident, doted on - loved.   He wants us to accept His Son as our atonement, the sacrifice paid for us.  We can feel clean and free to allow Him in anytime.

Then, there is Jesus.  His hands folded and space between him and the child.  No threat here.  He is not invading the child's space.  He is not even reaching out to the child.  There is genuine interest in His expression.  He is totally in the moment: there is only Him and this little child.  He makes no pretense to be anything other than the simple and humble person that He is.  His figure towers over the child but is not overwhelming - does not threaten but, rather, seems protective.

This is my Savior.  He is not pushy.  He does not come in to me unless I ask Him to.  He never forces Himself.  He respects my space and my choices; right or wrong.  I am free to make those choices with confidence He will be available if I need Him for advice, shelter or forgiveness.  He dotes on me and wants only to help, to see me safe, happy and healthy doing His will.

They are sitting on solid rock, surrounded by rock; symbolic of the strength of Jesus as the cornerstone of life; our security for eternal life. 

Notice the light that surrounds the head of Jesus.  Halo?  Light of the world?  Light in the darkness?  All of the above.

Notice also the vine around the stalk.  Jesus is the vine.  He is the stalk and we are the branches.

There was a lot of thought and planning put into the structure of this image.  God put a lot of planning into His master plan for us.  Jesus is the central part of that plan.

   Now, take a look at this scene:

The child has consented to sit on the lap of Jesus, in his hands and we see from his/her posture there is no fear.  The child is relaxed, at ease, content, feeling safe and happy.  

Jesus is smiling, happy to have us secure within his hands.  He is offering happiness and safety.  This is a confident man.  No one would dare confront Him to take us away now that we have consented to accept Him.  We are His and He is ours.

Amen

Believers Are Free

Well, it's Monday again and I had coffee in front of my favorite tel-evangelists on TBN.

When the coffee is gone and the programs are over, I have a little talk with my Heavenly Father.  This morning, I say "thank you" which is usually reserved for bedtime.  (Like counting sheep, only better.)  I was raised to pray for others in the morning and thank God at night.  This seems to help with too much self indulgence.  Although,  my Father in heaven is a generous father and I know I can ask for anything anytime. 

After four half hour sermons, from four different speakers, I am feeling particularly good about my freedom as a Christian.  (This is a pretty good way to start the week.)  To be the righteousness of God, as a gift, through the sacrifice of Christ is so much more than we realize; so much more than we deserve.  We do not have to work for anything.  We just accept by believing of, and in Jesus and His resurrected life.  That's it!  I don't think about this as much as I should.  It makes me very much at peace, with a lot less stress.

Christians are free from worry and fear.  We will be saved through the rapture before the worst of the end times.  We do not have to please God by working to do right.  We do not have to feel guilt - it's been taken away.  You can't change it.  It's already happened.  Whether you believe it or understand it.  We are saved from this world now.

When God looks at a believer, He sees His Son, Jesus.  In God's eyes we are as pure as our Savior Himself.  His shed blood covers over all sin and God can only see Jesus'  holiness.  Yes, we are holy.  We are ambassadors of heaven.  We are apostles.  We are brothers and sisters with Christ.  We can lay all problems at the feet of our savior and he will plead our case for us.  We can go directly to God, the Father and commune.  And. . . He will answer us.

When a believer dies, he sleeps.  He knows nothing.  In a twinkling of an eye he wakes to the rapture with all other believers throughout history.  This is an amazing thing to understand.  Talk about reducing fear.  

As Jesus is in heaven, so are we.  We, as believers, can heal and be healed, teach and be taught, anoint and be anointed, give and take communion and receive the same standing as Christ Himself.  Understand, we achieve this through what He did and the blood He shed - not by anything we could ever do.  We are sinners; have been, are and will be until we are changed to that new life.  Our sins no longer count against us.  Even as we sin today, it is already forgiven - because we believe that is why Jesus died and rose.

Some time ago, I left a Bible study because the leader was teaching that a believer can lose their salvation.  I guess, by committing a sin.  At first, I thought we might just agree to disagree, as brother and sister in Christ.  That does not work.  For one thing, both of us stand firm in our belief.  

Let me plead my case here:  Did Jesus die for nothing?  Is he saying that Christ needs to be nailed to that tree again so he can be saved every time he slips?  I say,  "NO".  It is once and for all - like Paul said.  Once died for all!  It is done!  We are saved.  We are free!  True believers WANT to do what pleases our Father because we know the love involved and the sacrifice from Him and The Son.

Let us be humble and take a few times today to reflect on all this.  Let's go through our Monday being happy for the amazing blessings God has freely given to us through His most beloved son, that He is so proud of. 
Amen