MUCH-AFRAID ON THE WAY

(Again, if you are just starting to read about Much-Afraid, go back a few days in the blogs and read the story from the beginning.  You can tell which they are by the titles.)  Now, from the very beginning the way up the mountains proved to be steeper than anything Much-Afraid had supposed, and she was forced to seek the help of her companions.  Each time she took hold of the hand of either Sorrow or Suffering a pang went through her, but she found they had amazing strength and seemed to be able to lift her upwards over places which she would have considered impossible to reach.  Without their aid, she would have been a goner.  She also began to realize how much she needed their help in another way, for it was not only steepness of the climb that was difficult, but her own lameness and weakness which caused difficulties.  And to her surprise and distress she found enemies who she met on the way who would certainly have succeeded in making her turn back had she been alone.


Of course, the family back in the Valley wanted to go to the mountains themselves, they were full of envy and it was intolerable that Much-Afraid should go without them.  It was decided that by some means she must be brought back, that the hated Shepherd would be robbed of his success.  After consultation, it was agreed that she was under the protection of the Shepherd, so it was a certainty that she must be beguiled into leaving of her own free will.  But how could that be accomplished?  Their plan fell on Pride, strong and powerful, and also a handsome young man. He would feel no scruples against exerting all of his powers of fascination to coax Much-Afraid away from her goal.  To confess defeat and return empty handed?  No.  Pride would not allow himself to fail.


So, one morning barely into their day's journey, the climbers saw Pride striding toward them. Much-Afraid was surprised at this unexpected apparition, but not unduly alarmed.  Pride had always ignored her and  it never occurred to her that he would even speak to her. Yet Pride approached her quite affably, stopping to greet her with, "Well, cousin, here you are at last.  I have had such ado to catch up with you."  Well, our poor simple girl who should have known better, greeted Pride pleasantly, and reached out her hand, after being snubbed by him for years.  Pride continued, "I have made this journey  on purpose to try and help you.  I do beg you to allow me to do so and to listen very seriously."


And he went on, "You must give up this extraordinarily fruitless journey and come back with me to the Valley.  All those promises the man made about bringing you into his kingdom and making you live happily ever afterward will prove false.  He will abandon you altogether, and you will be put to lasting shame."  Poor Much-Afraid tried to pull her hand away.  She had begun to understand why he was standing in her presence! This was Pride! He is the hardest thing  in the world to throw off! She hated the things he said, but with her hand in his, they seemed true, horribly true.  Had not these thoughts come to her before, yes,  but she had thrust them back.  Could it not be true that as the Shepherd allowed Sorrow and Suffering to be her companions, would this not also bring her shame before her relatives?  She was feeling weaker by the moment.


But it is a terrible thing to let Pride take one by the hand and Much-Afraid realized that his suggestions had an irresistible force. Now, he was urging , "Give it up before it's too late.  You know what I say is true.  This is a fictitious promise of living on the High Places!  Is it worth the cost you will be asked to pay for it?"  And feeling beaten, she simply let the words be dragged out of her, "I am seeking the Kingdom of Love." Pride sneered. "I thought as much!  Seeking your heart's desire eh?  Now, Much Afraid, have a little pride and ask yourself. "Are you not ugly and deformed? No one in the valley loves you, right? That is the brutal truth!"


Just then, before Pride could stop her, Much Afraid looked out and saw something was happening in the distance. There was a radiant vision in the distance and a  soft humming sound, "Behold thou art fair, my love; thou hast dove's eyes.  Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee." And Much-Afraid uttered a desperate cry for help and was calling up toward the mountain.  "Come to me, Shepherd!  Come quickly!  Do not tarry, O my Lord." There was a sound of loose stones and a whish of a prodigious leap ,and the next moment He was there before her. His face terrible as he faced Pride.  His shepherd's staff raised high above his head, but only one blow  fell, and then Pride dropped Much-Afraid's hand, and he made off down the path and around the corner, slipping and stumbling on the stones.  And then he was out of sight.


"Much-Afraid," said the Shepherd, gently, "Why did you let Pride take your hand?  You must cling to the hands of your helpers."  And of her own free will, she held out both hands to her two companions, and they grasped her strongly.  She felt their love, and she felt her own pain, filled with her own sorrow.


If we can see this story as an allegory, we may find ourselves in it someplace. Isn't it possible that each of us at one time or another did perhaps just one thing that we might not have done if we had thought better about it or perhaps prayed about it?  I confess that I have, and now have learned from it.  At least, I pray that I have learned what not to do, and wait. For waiting helps me to pray, and praying helps me to know best what I must do. Oh, it is hard, as we try to live this life doing what we know is best to do for ourselves, our families, and for all. Yes, it is hard, but not impossible.  I do not live among Fear-ful people.  But, each of us can go through fearful situations in this life. I pray that you have some people around you that are not Fear-ful.  But, if not, maybe you will have to be the new head of a new family, which could be a new part of the Shepherd's family!!


Hoping you are cheering for Much-Afraid!
Jo INMN

STILL NOT AT THE HIGH PLACES?

If you are just catching up to the tale of Much-Afraid, don't hesitate to go a few steps back and read the blogs up until today about this young woman who wants a better life because she comes from a family with many fears and doesn't know how to live any way but with fear. She has met the Shepherd whom she senses can teach her about Love and Trust. He has given her a thorn of Love which was pierced into her heart and she is learning more and more about Love and the additional pain you come to know. She has also discovered that nature is filled with love, if you know where to look.  The two are on their way to the High Places as Much-Afraid is determined to get better feet that will take away her weak, pitiful feet and give her new ones, along with a nature that  does not fear, but trusts.  But, Much-Afraid shows she is yet fearful by begging the Shepherd to take her himself to the top of the mountain, but he is just as determined that she goes with the two guides, he himself  trained for this very job.


Fear had still made its way to her mind, for she said to the Shepherd, "Will you not take me all the way?  When I am with you I am strong and I am sure no one else but you can get me up to the High Places!" Although he looked at her kindly, he answered, "Much-Afraid, I could do what you wish.  I could carry you all the way myself.  But if I did, you would never be able to develop hinds' feet, and become my companion and go where I must go.  Please!  If you climb to the heights this once with the companions I have chosen, I promise you that you will develop hinds' feet."


"Afterwards you will be able to go with me, 'leaping on the mountains,' and be able to make the ascent and the descent in the twinkling of an eye.  But, if I carry you now, with only a tiny seed of Love in your heart,  you will not be able to live in the Love Kingdom!  You would have to stay outside on places not so high, and you would still be within reach of your enemies, the Fears!  Some Fears can still visit the lower parts of the mountains.  Now, the guides I have chosen are the best and strongest.  And if you ever need me, even though you otherwise won't see me, I will come.  You have my promise."  And, He added, "You will have your new name!  For when the flower of Love is ready to bloom in your heart, you will be loved in return and will receive a new name."


She saw the scenes around her of her peaceful cottage, the green valley, and the Shepherd's helpers going about their happy work with the flocks.  It was a happy place, full of Love.  She looked up into the good face of the Shepherd and said, thankfully, "I will trust you and do whatever you ask."\


And so, off they went and she soon saw the figures of two veiled women seated on one of the rocks at the side of the path.  The two rose and came to meet them, the two bowing silently to the Shepherd. As she was being introduced, Much-Afraid,  once again, fell into the old fear.  Why did they hide their faces?  Why were they so silent?  So mysterious?  Why give her no friendly greeting?


The Shepherd recognized her fear, and said, "They are not dumb.  They speak a dialect of the mountains which you have not yet learned.  But as you travel with them, little by little, you will learn to understand their words.  They are good teachers."  And so, the Shepherd taught her their names in her own language.  She blanched and began to tremble when she heard their names.  One was called Sorrow and the other, her twin, was called Suffering.  She clung to the Shepherd for support, and the Shepherd began to see her fears might become the end of her.  (End of today's story)


Have you ever known fear such as this? I suppose each one of us has known some kind of fear.  Or else we had good teachers from our beginnings to tell us how to overcome our fears. I tend to choose to do that with which I am familiar, but growing older--(By that I mean getting old, really old!!) has taught me that in some things we do not fear for our lives, but fear for our lack of convenience.  Losing our sense of direction, becoming very forgetful, not being able to keep our balance, and other things that we had known well when we were younger...these are the things we don't want to lose, and fear can play a part in this, too, if we are not careful.


But, trusting God is the only answer.  Know the Good Shepherd and fear goes away. Those chosen to be His helpers can keep old ones like me, and younger ones with fears, from hiding in shame from the Shepherd.  Why? Because fear causes shame. Look at Much-Afraid, there you will see how hard it is for her to trust, to trust the only one who really cares! Had the Shepherd asked the impossible for Much-Afraid? No. And doesn't she feel shame because she is afraid?  You bet.  More on her tomorrow.


Hope you are all doing better with FEAR than Much-Afraid.  Praying for you!!
Jo INMN

STARTING UP TO THE HIGH PLACES

 I hope this is not a day too late, but I have become aware that yesterday's blog, after the weekend, was difficult to understand without help.  So, I will explain this the story is about a woman named Much-Afraid who wants to take a spiritual journey for her own personal growth.  She is full of fears, and suffers living incapacitated  regarding the joys of life. She has met the Good Shepherd who has promised to help her climb the mountain of Love where she can learn to accept Love in trust and joy.  The story is from HINDS FEET ON HIGH PLACES by Hannah Hurnard.


Today, she is searching for the Shepherd whom she trusts to give her a new name once she has found the peak of the mountain. She missed her meeting with him because she was kept behind by the Fear Family who wants her to marry the well-known Craven Fear whom she despises.  Now  back to the story.


It was the morning of a beautiful day.  The valley lay as though still asleep. The only sounds were the joyful laughter of the running streams and the little songs of the birds.  When she saw the Shepherd, she threw herself at his feet and sobbed saying, "Don't leave me behind.  Please take me with you."  And the Shepherd said, "I knew you would come."  And as the sun rose over the peaks of the mountains, he took her hand


They walked over patches of thousands of tiny pink and violet blossoms, each minutely small and delicate forming a brilliant carpet.  Once the Shepherd stooped and gently touched the flowers, then said, "Humble yourself, and you will find that Love is spreading a carpet of flowers beneath your feet." And she answered, "It seems strange that something so beautiful is hidden out here in the wild, where they are so rarely seen." And the Shepherd answered, "I must tell you a great truth, which only a few understand. All the fairest beauty in the human soul, its greatest victories, and its most splendid achievements are always those which no one else knows anything about, or can only dimly guess at.  Every inner response of the human heart to Love and every conquest over self-love is a new flower on the tree of Love." Much-Afraid listened carefully.  The Shepherd continued, "Many a quiet, ordinary, and hidden life, unknown to the world, is a veritable garden in which Love's flowers and fruits have come to such perfection that it is a place of delight where the King of Love himself walks and rejoices with his friends. Learn this lesson now, down here  in the valley, and when you get to the steep places of the mountain it will comfort you."  And they both began to sing with the birds.


As they were singing they came to a place where a rushing stream poured itself across their path and cascaded down the mountain  and the sound of its running seemed to fill the valley with a laughing voice.  Much-Afraid said, "I do wish I knew what it is that running water sings,"  for she had heard it in the silence of the night from the little stream which runs past her cottage. And the Shepherd smiled, standing silently for a few moments, and the stream seemed to shout exultantly just for them.  Water language began to become clear to Much-Afraid and she thought she heard, "Oh, what a  joy it is to race down to find the lowest place."


Now, this puzzled Much-Afraid, and the shepherd, once again, explained.  "The High Places are the starting places for all who would serve in the lower places.  To run with hinds feet from the mountain to the lower places, as you will be able, is joy.  It is only up on the High Places of Love that anyone can receive the power to pour themselves down in an utter abandonment of self-giving.  And even the rivers and streams know this law.  "Here is the law by which we live--Oh it is sweet to give and give."  And Much-Afraid whispered, "Oh, I never knew  before that the Valley is such a beautiful place and so full of song."  The Shepherd laughed and answered, "Only Love can really understand the music and beauty and joy which was planted in the heart of all created things. And now, you, too, have that same Love planted in your heart.  I hope you have not forgotten?"  After a moment, as Much-Afraid considered all the Shepherd had said, he continued, "Now, we must be off to find the two guides waiting for you."


More about Much-Afraid tomorrow.    If you are reading about her for the first time, feel free to go back to the first message about Much-Afraid in my previous blogs.


I was like Much-Afraid, but am thankful for my own Shepherd (make that a plural) who helped me learn over the years.  Hope you have a Shepherd, too.


Out of the pasture and into the Barn!
Jo INMN

A NEW DAY BEGINS FOR MUCH-AFRAID

Much-Afraid woke early the next morning without fear.  "Probably sometime today I will be able to start for the High Places with the Shepherd and the thought so excited her she could hardly eat her breakfast!  In fact, she found herself singing! "My faults he does not see, but loves the beauty that shall be."


The morning wore on and still he had not come for her.  But just after midday, something terrible came, invading her--her terrible relatives.  They tramped with their feet and yelled with their voices until she was surrounded by aunts, uncles, and cousins.  She was grateful that Craven was not with them.  They had purposely left him at home.  Still they were determined to overrule Much-Afraid's objections to the marriage, get her out of the cottage and to one of their own dwellings where  they had power to coerce her.


The whole gang talked on and on, while poor Much-Afraid sat cowering in their midst, beginning to feel bewildered and incoherent with fear. She was almost at the point of giving in when they all stopped talking at once and turned toward the window.


Now came a distant sound of a man's voice raised in song, singing one of the old songs  which Much-Afraid knew from long ago.  It seemed as though all other sounds were hushed to stillness on that quiet afternoon as the Shepherd sang while passing the cottage.  The cottage itself was listening, and all within it. "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away with me; the flowers are appearing, and beckon unto thee." And Much-Afraid knew with agonizing pain that the Shepherd was calling!` And she knew she must respond!


But, the next moment she felt someone's hand over her mouth, and other hands gripping her firmly, holding her in the chair,  And as the Shepherd passed, the words of the song and the bleating of his sheep  died away.  It was then discovered that Much-Afraid had fainted.  The Fearings decided therefore that they would remain in the cottage until darkness fell, and put Much-Afraid in bed, gagged, so she could not be carried off   And one would be left to guard her until the morning.


Much-Afraid gradually regained her senses and was horrified.  She dare not cry out for help or her guard would awaken, and it was later than she had anticipated when she realized her neighbor next door was already up and about.  But she surprised herself and sprang from her bed to the window, shouting to her neighbor, "Valiant!  Valiant!  Come and help me.  Quickly come!  Help!" And her neighbor heard and ran to the cottage , trying the door.  But it was locked, so Valiant ran to a front window and cried out, threatening, "Get out of this house right now, every one of you Fears, or I shall call the Chief Shepherd who owns this cottage.  Out with you now!"


The effect was magical. All of the fears poured out pell-mell, tumbling over one another to get away.  And Mrs. Valiant, once a prisoner of the fears herself, assured the trembling girl with all of her kindness,"We'll have some tea and you'll feel better." 


Then she went away and Much-Afraid was left alone in her cottage.  For hours she lay sleepless on her bed, bruised in mind, tossing and turning.  She felt uneasy, trying to think if she had forgotten something.  And the new thorn in her heart was throbbing and aching.  She could hardly bear it.  Then all of a sudden, it came to her.  "The Shepherd  already called me!  Just as he promised!  Why didn't I go out to him?"  Then she remembered the FEARS!  "Supposing he has gone already and left me behind!"


She immediately knew what he would have thought---that she had changed her mind!  "No!  I haven't changed my mind!  I am not afraid!  Not any more!"  Yet he had urged her to be ready.  Perhaps he has already gone..without her!  She had failed to respond to his call of Love.  Now, Love had gone away!  She was devastated. But she began to remember another old song, "I sought but I could not find him, And now I will rise and go----"\


She could not go quickly because of her lameness, but limped along the village streets toward the open fields and the sheepfolds. And she whispered to herself, "O Shepherd, when you said that Love and pain go together, how truly you spoke."


This ends the story for today.  More tomorrow.  Have you ever come to the point that when you love someone there is often pain?  For if we love someone, we feel each pain that our loved one feels.  And there is pain in this world, isn't there?  Pain is good, for at least we are able to "feel"! If we couldn't feel pain, we wouldn't feel love.


And wouldn't becomes couldn't far too often!


Jo INMN

GETTING TO KNOW MUCH-AFRAID

May I correct the title of the story I began to blog yesterday?  It is HINDS FEET ON HIGH PLACES, and not FOR Highplaces. I believe I mis-wrote the title yesterday.  And now, getting on with the story.....Much-Afraid, the young  woman, is like many of us as we are just coming into adulthood; we are afraid.  But Much-afraid came from a whole family and neighborhood of fearful people who relished the unsettling things of life that most families would try to avoid.  And after Much-Afraid met the Shepherd, she began to feel Love for the first time, and it transformed her for  the Shepherd granted her request to know Love and planted a seed within her that, perhaps one day, would become Love in its finest way.  However, the planted seed would cause her to feel pain, because as she learned to Love, she would feel the pain that loving often brings.  Much-Afraid also learned that if she got to the top of the mountain, she would also get a new name, and she cherished that idea.


Now, the Shepherd asked, "Are you still willing to be changed completely, and to be made like the new name which you will receive if you become a citizen in the Kingdom of Love?"  She answered, "Yes, yet I do fear  that if I really love someone, I will give that person I love the power to hurt me like nothing else can." "That is true," agreed the Shepherd.  "To love does mean to put yourself into the power of the loved one and to become very vulnerable to pain.  And you are very Much-Afraid of pain, aren't you?"  She felt miserable, and said with shame, "Yes.  I am very much afraid of pain," and her head bowed low. "But, it is so happy to love!" said the Shepherd quietly and added, "It is happy to love even if you are not loved in return.  And Love does not think pain is very significant."


At that, Much-Afraid thought suddenly that the Shepherd had the most patient eyes she had ever seen.Yet there was something still that she wondered, Could she be sure she would be loved in return? And the Shepherd said without hesitation, "I promise you, Much-Afraid, that when the plant of Love is ready to bloom in your heart and when you are ready to change your name, then you will be loved in return."


He looked very kindly at the little one anxious to be a shepherdess who had been "planted" with the seed of Love and was preparing to go to the High Places.  He knew her thoroughly, far better than she knew herself.  No one understood better than he, that growing into the likeness of a new name is a long process.  But he looked at her with tender pity and compassion and saw her glowing cheeks and shining eyes which had transformed the appearance of plain little Much-Afraid. And they arranged the time that they could start for the mountain.


On her way back to her little cottage, Much-Afraid was accosted by Craven Fear.  Her face became white and her eyes were terrified which stimulated Craven's desire to bait her.  She was alone, and in his power.  But the Shepherd approached just then and was standing beside them.  One look at his stern face and flashing eyes and the stout Shepherd's cudgel grasped in his strong uplifted hand, and the bully slunk away like a whipped cur, actually running from the village.


Much-Afraid burst into tears.  She was overwhelmed with shame that she had so quickly acted like her old name and nature, which she had hoped was beginning to be changed already. It seemed it would be impossible to ignore the Fearings People, still less to resist them.  Would she never be able to be all that the Shepherd wanted her to be?


And then she remembered, with a thrill of wonder, that the seed of Love had been planted in her heart.  And she knew delight, a bittersweet, indefinable but wholly delightful ecstasy of a new happiness. and said, "It is happy to love!"  And there in her cottage and in her bed, before she fell asleep, she sang an old song, ending with the words, "And be to me, As I to thee, Sweet Company.  And she fell into a heavy, dreamless sleep, happily waiting until the morrow. 

Tomorrow?  To the mountain. "Be to me, as I to thee, Sweet Company!"


Jo INMN

A STORY ABOUT MUCH-AFRAID

I want to tell you a story about a little girl named Much-Afraid. It is not a long story, nor is it a true story.  No, it is a story that illustrates what it is like to become a believer in the One God who gave Himself to His people that they might know Him, and therefore know Love.


Much-Afraid was a young woman who lived among her family, people who were named after fear and fearful things.  She  wanted badly to escape from them, especially since she found they were to marry her to a man named Craven Fear. For a long time Much-Afraid had been in the service of the Chief Shepherd, who had large flocks in the pasture down in the Valley of Humiliation, and she loved being near to him because of his Love which he  gave to all around him.


Now, Much-Afraid had some hardships that kept her away from the attention of most of her people, but not out of the attention of the Chief Shepherd and her co-workers, Mercy and Peace.  The two girls lived with her in a tranquil little white cottage but all three were friends with Much-Afraid. And all three were aware of Much-Afraid's badly mangled feet and her timidity.  They each wanted her to attempt to earn hind's feet so that she might be able to jump and skip on the mountain cliffs like the hinds, whom some call mountain goats, do. And, even more importantly, to live among the people who Love.


In order to earn these miraculous feet which could let her jump and skip and climb easily, she had to offer herself to the Chief Shepherd and stay obedient, which means without fear, for a duration to earn her new, miraculous feet and find that new, miraculous attitude called Love.


One day she set out, and immediately became afraid because she had to pass by her own family and she was certain they would see her and stop her.  Her feet began to tangle, just a wee bit.  Then, she began to worry that she had missed the Shepherd, and her tangled feet slowed her down some more.
But, finally she came to the well where she realized he had been waiting. When she saw the Shepherd, she knew right away that he was disappointed.  "Where were you when I gave you the signal that you should join me?" he asked.


"You did?" she answered.  "I didn't hear or see you.  Oh, I was hiding out from the guy I'm supposed to marry! I was so afraid he would find me, so I didn't see you or hear you!  I'm so sorry!"  "Yes, I know," the Shepherd said. "Nevertheless, you must always be watching first for me!  OK?  Next time, you must be looking to find me!"  She agreed, and the journey was to begin.(Thus ends today's edition.)


I will continue this little story of imagination tomorrow and continue with it until it is done. I hope you like it! It is an old one written by a woman named Hannah Hurnard,  and it is called HINDS FEET FOR HIGH PLACES.


PS.  Max and the two of us are doing fine!


Jo INMN

LIVING WATER AND SPIRITUAL BREAD

After I came to a point in my life that I began to reach out for God, I saw  my past this way, "I was God-hungry and didn't know it!"  And once I realized my hunger, I did something about it--I started to go to church. Although Jerry was born and raised as a Lutheran, we tried other churches, too, and finally felt God wanted us at a Presbyterian Church in Richfield, MN.  It was a joyous time, a time  of throwing ourselves right at God!  He didn't throw us back, so it worked out well!  But we still had much to learn.


Because I had so much to learn, I began to read all kinds of Christian literature, and especially the bible.  But one of the smaller books I liked was a book called Experiencing God by Blackaby.  I got it out the other day, remembering its delight and thought you might like to see these two days of readings.  The first, dated April 28 is called LIVING WATER  and the second, April 29 is called SPIRITUAL BREAD.  I will try to unite them, for the sake of time spent reading them.  Living Water is taken from Jeremiah 2:13 and Spiritual Bread from John 6:35. Now, they will not be totally copied, but I have rearranged words and thoughts which express the same ideas as did Blackaby, with my apologies for imperfection.


There should never be dry spells  in Christian life, nor did God expect us to go hungry.  He has provided both the water to live by and the food to nourish us both provided daily through the power of the Holy Spirit. "God said that He would be like an artesian well in the life of the believer so no one should thirst, nor should we be undernourished as Jesus is the Bread of Life." Every time we get thirsty for God, we must remember: "The fountain of  living waters resides within you. You don't need to run all over the country to find the source of spiritual refreshment."  We must not depend so much on others for our spiritual food and drink. If we are lacking something spiritually it is not because God does not have an abundance of food for us, but that we did not learn to tap into the Holy Spirit to guide us to the place of nourishment.  And if we need spiritual food, remember we have been promised a daily provision.  But we must pray, "Give us this day our daily bread."  Spiritual nourishment is something each one of us must seek daily. Have you received yours yet today?


Thanks to the Blackabys in the book EXPERIENCING GOD. And thank you God for putting these thoughts into the hearts of your servants that we might be encouraged.


I hope these words have encouraged you to come forward to be fed. I know I needed the reminder!


Loving each of you,


Jo INMN

AT HOME, THE THREE OF US

Yes, we are home once again, all three of us!  Picked Max up late yesterday afternoon from the Vet and we are again at home.  Had a good night, sleeping until after 7 a.m., I think.  We all slept well, at peace to be all back home again.


Max is eating the crunchy stuff, not the soft stuff.  Sleeps a lot, yet has gone twice for a walk, both morning and afternoon.  We'd like to get more water in him, but he has never  been too eager for his water unless it's ice.  So will keep offering  food and water and ice, but will let him sleep, mostly.


It is a wonderful thing to have a pet back in the "fold" after being at the Vet's for a day or so.  We missed him and we are grateful that he's on the mend.  We will not overfeed him as he needs to lose a bit of weight.  And I can no longer give him any people food!  Years ago, our dogs ate only  people food; they ate our scraps and leftovers.  No More!  Dogs today are more refined, and as our daughter Peg says, "They're born of wolves; but these days it's hard to see the wolf, thank you.  Our dogs eat only what is meant for them!"  I have been reminded and will do just what I have been advised!


Who knows what the future will bring as far as our 13 year old Maxie!  I thank God for giving us a little longer to enjoy each other, each day and as another day comes along.  Thanks God!


Hope your life is one of answered prayer that pleases you.  And if your life is not an answer to prayer, perhaps you are praying for the wrong thing! What God gives, we must be pleased to receive.  And that's not always very easy!  But it's is right.


Thanks for your prayers!  I felt the love!


Jo INMN

PRAY FOR MAX

I want to take just a minute to write about Max, our dog, who looked at us with sad eyes yesterday morning when he realized that there were spots, once again, on the carpet and his chair, and perhaps, especially sad because he would have to, once again, have a bath!  He has been at the Vets now for the second day, and they think he is doing well.  We will speak with them once again today and probably pick him up later this afternoon.  He has done well at the vet's.


Now, it will be just the question of what we can feed him so he does not erupt later all over the house. He definitely had some trouble with his pancreas, as the food digested way too loosely.  At least that is what we have been told.



So, he will probably be given a better diet and one that we can follow with ease, as the time we tried to follow the medical advice had been difficult for us and for him.  So, we pick him up today at 400pm unless we hear from them again.  It will be so good to have him home again.


Yesterday, Jerry had taken a short nap, and when he awoke he said, "Where's Max?"  Just for a moment, his thoughts had gone to an earlier time, and we both felt sad at the loss of our little dog.  Still we were grateful this morning as we  both slept until 7:30, an hour later for me, as usually, Max and I would be up and awake by 6 or 6:30!  We sat and remembered earlier different moments with Max this morning after our morning coffee, and I thought of how sad he looked at what a mess we had to clean up, as if he was saying, "I didn't mean to do it!" And of course, we knew that, for it is rare for an animal to be sick  on purpose!


So later today, we should know if we get to bring him home or if he has to stay one more day at the vets.  Whatever day he comes home, I am hoping they will give us some meds for diarrhea, just in case!!


Thanks for your prayers for Maxie.  Will do the same for you, if you leave a need for me to read.  We pray for you--all of you--anyway, as someday, somehow, these messages will get through to someone who needs God, like Jerry and I do. Maybe those sprayers will last until that day, even if that day is far away!


Love,
JoINMN

TOTALLY SURRENDER;TRUST AND OBEY

Having read MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST for many years, there are a few teachings that have escaped by understanding.  Try as I may I can't quite grasp some of Oswald Chamber's thoughts. So today, I am going to work on one called ALL OR NOTHING, dated April 17. It is based on the passage John 21:7 and reads: "When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment and plunged into the sea." And it goes on, "Have you ever had a crisis  in your life in which you deliberately, earnestly, and recklessly abandoned everything?  It is a crisis of the will. You may come to that many times externally, but it  will amount to nothing.  The true crisis of abandonment or total surrender is reached internally, not externally.  The giving up  of only external things may actually be an indication of your being in total bondage."


I want to take a moment and take the above words and try to make sense of them to me and maybe to you.Simon's putting on his clothes before jumping in the water to go see the Lord is an outer attempt to cover Simon's despair at being left alone by the death of Jesus to do the work Jesus asked of his disciples before his crucifixion. He had given up without Jesus.  He had decided he would just go fishing, and all the rest of the disciples followed.  Do you think that is what Jesus wanted?  No.  I don't think so.  But Simon and the rest of the men were crisis burned.  So they went fishing.


But, Jesus intended to help them through their crisis, simply because they had not yet learned to tackle the problem crisis internally.  Now, what does that mean?  I can only make a guess, but if Simon Peter had only said to himself and the other disciples, "Look! Jesus promised He would not leave us alone.  So we must trust that He will send us the Holy Spirit.  We must not give up and go fishing as if our hearts are broken.  We must trust!" Trusting is an internal decision.  Leaving to go fishing is an external decision.  If they had not reached the crucial point in their experience they may never have gotten through the disappointment of being left without Christ's guidance.


We have a seriously sick doggie,by the way. Today Max is back at the vet's to get a treatment which
adds water to and through the pancreas.  (At least that is my understanding!)  We are to return at 2:00. The past weekend has been awful.  His poor system demanded being fed with watered down food, which has caused serious mess throughout the house by morning.  So for the past few days, we have not only worried about our pooch, but have had to clean him up,as well as his mess for the past two days! Or has it been three?


Now, what do we do regarding the possible death of our Max?  Do we determine that he will outlive whatever procedures he is given?  Do we determine it is doubtful he will survive these treatments? Or do we trust in God that He knows what needs to be done and in what order.  We can trust God to know when it is the right time for a 13yr. old Pomeranian to go home to doggie heaven. And we can trust God to give us the strength and determination to continue whatever regime is necessary for his life to continue with us.  We trust in God. Thanks be to God.


Keep with us for further developments, and stay in prayer for our right choices,


Jo INMN

ANOTHER DAY........PRAY FOR MAX

Waiting for my husband, Jerry, to come home with Max, our dog, from the Vet. Poor Max, he has had a few days of discomfort after the vet found a needle-like metal object in his stomach.  He has been on an awful diet, including finely shredded cotton mixed into his food. The cotton shreds are an attempt to get the metal to move down and out.  He had diarrhea as soon as he woke up this morning and he wouldn't eat anything, afterward.  Although it's not strange for Pomeranians to live a long time, he is already 13 years old.  No one, including the vet, wants him to go through surgery.
The last year we were in Phoenix, he had problems, too.  I guess Poms are apt to have intestinal difficulties.


There are problem days, always, mixed in with regular living.  And what have we been learning about having problems?  Call upon the Lord. So I am. And guess what I read this morning in Jesus Calling!  You guessed it!  My help will come in the Lord!


From Sarah Young's book, JESUS CALLING: "Peace is my continual gift to you.  It flows abundantly from my throne of grace.  Just as the Israelites could not store up manna (in the wilderness) for the future but had to gather it daily, so it is with My Peace.  The day-to-day collecting of Manna kept My people aware of their dependence on Me.  Similarly, I give you sufficient Peace for the present when you come to me by prayer and petition with thanksgiving.  If I gave you permanent Peace, independent of My Presence, you might fall into the trap of self-sufficiency.  May that never be!


"I have designed you to need Me moment by moment.  As your awareness of your neediness increases, so does your realization of My abundant sufficiency.  I can meet everyone of your needs  without draining My resources at all.  Approach My throne of grace with bold confidence, receiving My Peace with a thankful heart."  Thanks, Sarah, for your help!


Now, I am much relieved of fear because of my going to the Lord.  I know that if something happens that we lose our beloved Max, we know that he has had a good life and he has given us lots of joy.  We also believe that God might give him a bit more time with us, if it is the right thing to do.


Please note the following excerpts from the Bible that give merit to the passage for Apr. 18.  Exodus 16:14-20,  Philippians 4:6-7, 19 and Hebrews 4:16


Saying a prayer for Maxie; won't you pray for him, too?
Jo INMN

SUFFERING BELONGS TO ALL

When I copied the following thoughts from someone's face-book page, I am sorry to say that I did not copy her name, so I can not give her credit for them. At the time, I had no intention of using them here, but since then when re-reading it, I have become more and more interested.  This was very helpful to me, as I have re-digested time after time some old sorrows and some constant attitudes and suffer them as imperfections. Therefore the following meant a lot to me.  Perhaps it is by the Dalai Lama, who learned much of his thought from the works of Jesus Christ, as I have been told.


"We are all One, universally we all want love and a minimum of suffering.  Suffering is subjective if we live in a free country, without war, and have food, and shelter.  Some might think their day is ruined because they broke a fingernail and did not have a nail file on their person.  We all have our stories, we are unique like snowflakes but all snowflakes, are not either superior or inferior. When we learn about our ego, it is not (measured) by our circumstances but how we react to our circumstances.


Dalai Lama..."We are all pure inherent souls living the human experience.  The ego tries to separate us.  Once we feel pride, then we start to think one is superior or inferior. Then pride opens us up to judgment, jealousy, anger, greed, and all the pain that is created in our minds.  Once we learn about mindfulness, and self-compassion, we do not look outside ourselves for true happiness and contentment.  Once we have embraced a sturdy foundation, and strip away all our labels and lay them bare, and realize we have the power to stop judging ourselves and others, we are all ONE.  We then understand that we are Enough.  A Final ending to all stories."   There is much common sense for each of us in these words.




But, excuse me, but I must add this:  I find it much easier to trust God than to trust myself.  So, at any part of these thoughts and instructions, such as, "when I feel pride and the numerous other painful and binding thoughts I might have", I pray to the Lord God.  And yes, this may be thought as looking outside myself which is what the above seems to find unnecessary!  But, I have asked for the Holy Spirit of God to live in me, so part of me (and I hope the largest part) is of God. Although he has three parts (Son, Spirit, and Father) He is still One....The One!  And faster than I, by myself, can find the mindfulness and compassion for myself and others, I find, through God,  the true happiness and contentment the Dalai Lama speaks about.  More power to you if you can get there by your own thinking! As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!  (Job, "Choose you this day whom you shall serve, But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!)


I  pray for peace  in the Lord for you and yours...and as for me and mine, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!


Jo INMN

INTRODUCING: JESUS CALLING

I think somewhere in the last year I may have already introduced  to you this little book called, JESUS CALLING.  If not, I shall introduce it today. Written by Sara Young, the book is written as if Jesus is speaking to the reader at that moment.  I have found it teaching me, and hope, as it is used here once and awhile, you will find it a teaching tool as well. Today's message, April 17th, is as follows:                                        ( But remember, it is Jesus speaking!)


"I am training you in Steadiness. Too many things interrupt your awareness of Me.  I know that you live in a world of sight and sound, but you must not be a slave to those stimuli.  Awareness can continue  in all circumstances, no matter what happens.  This is the steadiness I desire for you.


Don't let unexpected events throw you off course.  Rather, respond calmly and confidently, remembering that I am with you.  As soon as something grabs your attention, talk with Me about it.  Thus I share your joys and your problems I help you cope with whatever is before you.  This is how I live in you and work through you.  This is the way of Peace."


Then, the author tells us from which scripture these words come. Psalm 112:7 and Isaiah 41:10,NKIV


Now, it's me talking. First, I admit, that I need this training.   Our children are now grown and living elsewhere.  But one telephone call from any one of them, or the church, or my sisters, or Jerry's sister or even the neighbor upstairs might sound the alarm for neediness or whatever else might tip me away from my goal of being aware--in all ways-- of the Lord and of my Peace.


Usually, action may be taken, or a prayer for returning to my peaceful place, and I'm good to go as God directs, for that is where Peace ultimately comes. Where God is activated, that is where my Peace is.  I see Him in the quiet hours.  I see Him in the friendliness to and of a neighbor.  I see Him in a phone call, and in writing words of faith.  I see Him in our dog, Max's, delight on his walk. I know Him when I plan our meal for our  dinner, and even when I look in the mirror and smile, no longer seeing the young-looking face I used to have. Even then! Good friends are few as we grow older, and they are pure  blessings!  But most of all, I know where God is all the time, because He lives within us...within me... and you.


Yes, you.  Even if you don't know anything about Him at all or have never acknowledged Him, He is in you.  Yes.  He is in you.  And now you know.  And because you now believe He is there, re-introduce yourself to Him, and become His friend. He is waiting for you, just as He waited for me.


And may God find you in Peace.


Jo INMN

WHAT BURDEN DO YOU CARRY?

For a few days at least, I must take a sabbatical from writing about the people of the Bible.  I have covered many interesting characters, so far, and I hope the lessons they learned were helpful to you.  They have been to me.  But for a time, I would like to share some "lessons" I have learned from a few significant books that I read. The first, I may have mentioned at some time or another to you, is called MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST, by Oswald Chambers.  In this writing he deals with WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR BURDEN IS OVERWHELMING, based on the scripture Psalm 5:22, "Cast your burden upon the Lord." Any quotes will be in quotation marks.


"We must learn to recognize the difference between burdens that are right for us to bear and the burdens of sin or doubt." One burden I have found hard to let go of is the conviction I have carried since a small child that tells me...I am not good enough.  Now, if it is born out of my naughtiness as a little one or from an ego that is super-sized telling me that I am better than others therefore I cannot make mistakes, either way, it is not helping me to be the person I want to be for God, for in God, I am forgiven, yet imperfect. I am perfectly designed for His pleasure and His purposes.


"There are some burdens placed upon us by God which He does not intend to lift off.  God wants us to roll them back on Him--to literally 'cast your burden' which He has given you."  Sometimes we may be tempted to "get out of touch with Him, the sense of responsibility we feel will be overwhelming and defeating.  But if we will only roll back on God the burdens He has placed on us,  He will take away that immense feeling of responsibility, replacing it with an awareness and understanding of Himself and His presence. "


"Many servants set out to serve God with great courage and with the right motives.  But with no intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ, they are soon defeated.  They do not know what to do with their burden, and it produces weariness in their lives.  Others will see this and say, 'What a sad end to something that had such a great beginning!'"


"Commit to God whatever burden He has placed on you.  Don't just cast it aside, but put it over onto Him and place yourself there with it.  You will see that your burden is then lightened by the sense of companionship.  But you should never try to separate yourself from your burden."


Chambers also reminds that the scriptures tell us in Isa. 9:6, "The government shall be on His shoulders." Therefore, God is meant to "shoulder" what we  cannot fully carry ourselves.  Thanks be to God!


How many of your friends and families as well as yourself are now carrying heavy burdens?  If I were to go down our block and ask that question, I am certain I would hear as many burdens as there are address numbers. Right now, one of our grandsons is doing a good job of recovery from heroin addiction.  We are so thankful!  And it has been an uphill battle for him, but he hopes as we do, that his new life will be healthy and whole.  There have been many, many people praying for his wholeness.  He is aware of our dependence upon God.


I am not sure at this time what I will write about tomorrow.  I think it will be a lesson from JESUS CALLING by Sarah Young which has impressed me very much.


I am so thankful for the many writers and teachers who have witnessed to me through their writing.  And I am thankful to God for their initiative.


Love from MN...It's spring!


Jo INMN

THE EIGHTH DAY OF CREATION

I apologize to Mike Carlson, lead pastor of St. Andrews Lutheran Church, for using his  thoughts and words which he used  in a sermon on April 12, 2015, in regard to a day thousands of years ago which he described as being the eighth day of creation. Christ rose on the seventh day.  What might have occurred on that long ago eighth day?


It tells us all about it in the bible's Book of John, chapter 20, and the  19th through the 31st verses, but I will tell it as a story:  Early on the morning of the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary (probably the Magdalene)went to the tomb.  She was surprised to see that the stone had been removed from the opening. So, her first thought was that someone had stolen her Lord's body, so she ran to tell the disciples. When she found Peter and John, she blurted, "They have taken Jesus out of the tomb, and I don't know where they put him."

So, Peter and John started running, but John ran faster and reached the tomb first.  But, Peter did not stop, running past him and into the tomb.  They saw the strips of linen lying there which had covered his body and the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head.(They believed that His body had been stolen, for they did not yet know that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)Then, sadly, they went back to their homes.  


 "They have taken my Lord away, and I don't know where they have put him." This statement, uttered by Mary, sat like a weighted stone in the hearts of the Lord's friends. The Lord Jesus was gone.


Have you ever gone on a long trip away from those you love? Remember the joy at your reunion?  Imagine then what it would have been like for those who Jesus had left behind when he came to them on the evening of the first day of the week, that forever afterward eighth day! Jesus came to them and said, "Shalom," which means "peace."  And they rejoiced.  Oh, it was a grand reunion,  beautiful, unbelievable! Jesus went on to say, "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."  And He did send them out into the world, but that night, that unforgettable night, Jesus  breathed on them. Yes!  He breathed on them! And he said, "Receive the Holy Spirit!  If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them they are not forgiven."


And our pastor continued with a challenge, "As the Father sent me, so I send you," just as Jesus said.
So I challenge you this week, at all times and in all places, BREATHE THE HOLY SPIRIT! (Jesus  in;breathe in) Sin out; (Jesus in).  Sin out; breathe Jesus  in. sin out! Fill me (in), out! Send me(in), out!  Offer forgiveness!  Stay in the Word!  Call out bullying and racial jokes!  Stay in the Word of God!"


Pastor Carlson says to remember to Receive the Holy Spirit.  And thank you, Pastor, for this solid reminder of the Holy Spirit and our need for Him.  I hope and pray that some one of you will find this reminder that he gave to us as helpful as it is for me.


Jo INMN

ESTHER; QUEEN AND JEW

Now, we must make a giant leap backwards to a time centuries before Saul and David to a beautiful Jewish woman named Esther. She was part of a drama somewhat like the dramas written today with power, romance, intrigue, and double-cross.  The story is found  in the bible, in the Old Testament.


There was a king named Xerxes who disliked his queen. Queen Vashti was not fond of obeying her king and husband and did just what she wanted all of the time.  This rankled King Xerxes and she was finally banished from his sight, and a search began for a new queen. The king sent out a decree asking for all the beautiful women in the empire to come forward that he might choose a new queen. A Jewish maid was chosen and her name was Esther.  Although this sounds like the beginning of an old fairy tale, the outcome of the story is unusual because God Almighty has a big part in its ending.


A Jew named Mordecai has a large role in this story. He was Esther's older cousin who had earlier become  a government official and during his term he foiled an assassination plot.  But an ambitious, self-serving man, named Haman, became second-in-command in the empire.  Haman made a rule that everyone must bow to him when meeting, but Mordecai would not bow, as he knew Haman well.  Haman, becoming furious, then determined to destroy Mordecai and all the Jews with him by deceiving the king, convincing him into issuing an edict condemning all the Jews to death.


By this time, Esther had become a favorite of King Haman, and had become  Queen, so when she entered the king's rooms soon afterward, she suggested to the King that he and Haman be her guests at banquet the next day.  The king agreed, being very fond of Esther.  During that feast, the king asked Esther what she really wanted, and he promised to give her anything.  But she just invited both men to dinner again for the following night.


But, the same night as the first dinner, the King, flipping through some old records, was reminded of the assassination plot Mordecai had halted.  He was surprised that the old man had never been rewarded for this good act, and asked Haman, "What should be done to properly thank a hero?" Haman, assuming the king was talking about himself, said, "A lavish reward.  Perhaps, bring a robe and a horse belonging to the King, one with the royal crest upon it,  Let the king's princes robe and horse this man and have him be lead throughout the city streets, proclaiming, "This is what is done for a man the king delights to honor."


Now, Queen Esther had invited both the King and Haman again to dinner that next night, also, and when they were drinking her fine wine, the King, once again, asked the Queen what she really wanted. "Even up to half my kingdom, it shall be given you!" he said.


And Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor with you  O King, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life--this is my petition.  And spare my people--this, too, is my request. For I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation.  If we had been sold as slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king."


And King Xerxes shouted, "Who is he?  Where is the man who has dared to do such a thing?"


And Queen Esther calmly said, "Why, the adversary and enemy is this vile Haman."  The king left abruptly to her porch in great anger and Haman then begged Esther to save him, throwing himself over her form while she reclined at her couch where she had been dining. The king, returning to the dining room, and seeing Haman crawling up onto the lap of Queen Esther, cried out,  "Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?"


So, Esther got her request from the King, and the Jews were saved as was Esther and Mordecai.  Mordecai got to take the king's horse, wearing the King's robes, throughout the city.  And Haman?  Well, he was hung on the very gallows he had built for the Jew, Mordecai. 


And even now, the Jewish children hiss and boo the bad guy, Mordecai, on  one of their special days.
And did the king and queen live happily ever after?  Maybe not! This was not Cinderella, but it did make the bible!


Study/"While we should not expect earthly rewards for being faithful to God, they often come.  Esther and Mordecai were  faithful, even to the point of risking their lives to save others.  When they were willing to give up everything, God gave them a reward in proportion to their all-out commitment."


Hope you enjoyed this little tale probably written about 470 B.C.


Jo INMN

MORE ON EARLY ISRAEL AND ITS PEOPLE

Directly from the study on the kings: "After Solomon's reign, the people continually turned away from God.  The rest of the kingdom era ends by a vivid fulfillment of Solomon's prayerful description, 'When the people turn back to you, Lord, and when they confess your name, praying and making supplication to you in this temple and  turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, then hear them from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants. And when there is no  rain because your people have sinned and they turn from their sin and pray confessing your name and turning from their sin, then hear from heaven and forgive them  Teach them the right way to live.  May your eyes be open to your servant's plea and to the prayers of your people Israel and may you listen to them whenever they cry out to you."  When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the Lord, he rose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had been kneeling, and turning to the assembly, he said, "Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised.  Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.  May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep the commands, decrees and regulations he gave our fathers.  And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night."'


Both kings, David and Solomon, did what was possible in their human restraints. They failed often to turn to God, yet they tried and when they would fail, they cried out to the Lord for forgiveness. How like all humans they were, and it isn't right to fault them.  It is right, though, to see how their failures hurt them and what they had to do in trying to right their wrongs.  Each time they failed, they had to turn to God for forgiveness, trying once again, then, to do the right thing.  We are blessed that we have their lives to study and to adapt for ourselves in order to use the lesson they learned for our own lives.


Israel was to have been a light for the world around them.  However, it was not always the way it was.  They were to reach out to the world with God's love, but unfortunately, it was left to the time of Jesus and to Him and to his disciples to reach out to others in God's love.  As we read, or write this, let's each one of us know with all certainty that we are now the ones who are left to do the reaching out.


Soon, I hope, a story about a great queen!
Jo INMN

DAVID'S LAST DAYS; SOLOMON RISES

There is very little to say about the rest of David's reign, although many, many things happened.  Men were killed who opposed him.  His commander, Joab, took control of David's army and killed  whomever threatened David's throne.  David's own son, Absalom, wanted the crown, and although David did not want him hurt, Joab made certain that Absalom died. Many others tried for the throne and failed, and Joab protected David even when David no longer cared if he lived or died.


Joab was a hypocrite and would have turned on David if he dared.  Yet he was a great military leader and was torn because David would no longer lead, and no longer used his kingship as an advantage. David finally replaced Joab with Amasa securing the allegiance of his army once again.  David also showed tremendous mercy and generosity,  sparing lives and rewarding those whose actions were questionable, setting a fair example toward many whose loyalty was questioned.


Yet, David still wanted to build a temple for the Lord, but the Lord told him that he had killed in too many battles, and the honor of the building of the temple would be given to his son, Solomon.


Solomon was a man of extreme intelligence.  His one fault was... the ladies.  He married every lovely woman he was to encounter, including the maidens of other lands whose beliefs were different than his own.  His maidens had brought their favorite idols with them and Solomon, so entranced by the women and their beauty, eventually began to worship with them as they worshipped.  God let him build a Temple which became filled with beauty and gold and silver.  When Solomon died he was known as the wise king, but he never became as close to God as David had come.


God cherished and honored Solomon for his wisdom, and for building His temple.  But the people of Israel and Judah became cold to God's Laws, resulting  in the ruin of families and government, and eventually leading to the destruction of the nation.


Study/Through the reigns of David and Solomon we can learn the importance of the King's nature in the resulting attitudes of the nation's people. "All the kings of Israel and Judah were told to obey God and to govern according to his laws.  But their tendency to abandon God's commands and to worship other gods led them to change the religion and government to meet their own personal desires.  This neglect of God's law led to the nation's downfall."


One story which shows us the  wisdom of Solomon is the situation where two women claimed to be the mother of the same child.  Solomon basically threatened to kill the child so that neither woman could have him.  But, the real mother cried out, "No! Don't kill  him.  Kill me, and let the other woman have him."  And Solomon knew at that point, "Give that woman her child.  She is the real mother."


Too bad Solomon's wisdom didn't stretch beyond his desires for his little ladies and their little gods. Sorry!  I'm a bit prejudiced  regarding women chasers!


See you tomorrow.  Same time; same station!  Something new coming up!


Jo INMN

DAVID GETS HIS COME-UP-PANCE !

When Bethsheba heard her husband, Uriah, was dead, she mourned for him.  After the time of mourning was over, David brought her to his house and she became his wife, and bore him a son.


Now, the Lord needed to rebuke David for his selfishness concerning Bethsheba, and he sent Nathan, a prophet, to David. This is what Nathan said, "There were two men, one rich and one poor. The rich man had much, with many sheep and cattle. The poor man who was traveling, had only one little ewe lamb. The rich man refrained from using any of his sheep or cattle for meal preparation, and took the little ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for dinner."


David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, "As surely as the Lord lives the man who did this deserves to die!  He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity." Then Nathan said to David, "You are that man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says,  'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.  I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms.  I gave you the house of Israel and Judah.  And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.  Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes?  You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own."


And Nathan continued, "This is what the Lord says, 'Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you.  Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives  in broad daylight.  You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all of Israel.' "


Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." And Nathan replied, "The Lord has taken away your sin.  You are not going to die.  But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the Lord show utter contempt, the son born to you will die."  And the child immediately became ill.  David pleaded with the Lord, fasted, and spent  the nights lying on the ground.  He would eat no food, yet on the seventh day the child died.  David went to Bathsheba  and comforted her, laying with her again.  She later gave birth to a son.  She had over the years four more sons, and the last son was named Solomon.


Study/ "David did not continue to dwell on his sin.  He returned to God, and God forgave him, opening the way to begin life anew. Even the name God gave Solomon, "loved by the Lord," was a reminder of God's grace. When we return to God, accept his forgiveness, and change our ways, he gives us a fresh start.  To feel forgiven as David did, we must admit our sins to God and turn to him.  Then move ahead with a new and fresh approach to life."


This part of David's life disappointed me, as I held David in such high esteem. But, I see the part of his return to God by asking for forgiveness is the most heartening part of his story, the part that is most difficult for me. I am working on this aspect of my life, for I know in my head that God's forgiveness is for everyone who asks for it, but my memories keep reminding me of a little girl who could not say, "I'm sorry." She did learn to say it, but somehow never quite believes everything is yet forgiven.


Still working  on it!


Jo INMN

THE ONE, BOTH GOD AND MAN

I ask that you bear with me one more day before I get back to the special people in the Bible.  Today is the anniversary of the day after Christ was resurrected from the tomb in the Garden of Gethsemane, and I want to talk about one more thing concerning our Lord. The words I'm sharing are not my own, but are taken from the April 5 devotional in our precious book, MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST, by Oswald Chambers, a man  who loved God and started a seminary for pastors many years ago. He is no longer living, but his words are still alive.


It is titled, "HIS AGONY AND OUR ACCESS" and it is dated April 5.  It refers to Matt. 26:35,38,
"Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, 'Stay here and watch with Me.'"  Of course, the disciples did not watch with Him; in fact they fell asleep. And Jesus agonized alone.  Chambers goes on:


"We can never fully comprehend Christ's agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, but at least we don't have to misunderstand it.  It is the agony of God and man in one Person, coming face to face with sin.  We cannot learn about Gethsemane through personal experience.  Gethsemane and Calvary (the Cross) represent something totally unique--they are the gateway into life for us.


It was not death on the cross that Jesus agonized over.  In fact, He stated very emphatically that He came with the purpose of dying.  His concern here was that He might not get through this struggle as the Son of Man.  He was confident of getting through it as the Son of God--Satan could not touch Him there.  But Satan's assault was that our Lord would come through this struggle for us on His own solely as the Son of God and the Son of Man would not be credited.. 


No, the Agony in Gethsemane was the agony of the Son of God in fulfilling His destiny as the Savior of the world.  The veil is pulled back here to reveal all that it cost Him to make it possible for us to become sons of God.  His agony was the basis for the simplicity of our salvation.  The Cross of Christ was a triumph for the Son of Man as well as the Son of God.  It was not only a sign that our Lord had triumphed but that he had triumphed to save the human race.  Because of what The Son of Man/God went through, every human being has been provided with a way of access into the very presence of God."


Personally, I feel closer to Christ when I realize how he suffered as the Son of Man. And, perhaps, he equally suffered as the Son of God, not for his own sake, but for ours, afraid he might not be able to endure what he must endure as a man which must hang on a cross.


This reminds me of us, you and me.  We are all human, but we are also part God, thanks be to the Holy Spirit of Christ. I accept Christ; Christ comes to me as His Spirit. And how much of Christ I become depends on how much of Him is given me, which depends on how often I seek Him.  Which reminds me..........Thanks God, for your work on the cross which provides for me a place in your eternal home.


Hope you will be there with me!
Jo INMN

HE WILL RETURN!

Today is the day....many hundreds of years ago....and still today......the day the world waited for God to reveal himself.  We can celebrate tomorrow because the history of the ancients tells us that tomorrow is the day that Christ re-revealed himself.  Friday was his crucifixion day and the day he was buried.  Saturday was the day they mourned...and today we await in quiet reflection, for we know from history's story that tomorrow Christ will rise again.


We know He rose on Sunday, because on Sunday His tomb was empty. Even the cloths that had covered Him were folded neatly and left behind.  Peter and John had rushed to the tomb after Mary Magdalene had found the tomb empty and had run to tell them.  They, too, found nothing there, no sign of Jesus, nothing to identify, nothing to prove to the world that He was the Son of God.


Mary Magdalene thought she knew him, and she thought..maybe...she had seen him yet that morning in the garden.  But...was it a dream?...He was no longer there.  Who might have carried him away?  Her heart was heavy at the loss of the one who had loved them so very much, no matter who or what they had been....he had loved them all.  No one but just their few had known of his complete love.....and of his power.


Why did they not understand?  Why did they not accept Him?  Why did they not see  that He was their Messiah?  He did not come to make war.  He came to love them and heal them, and even to know them and forgive them. Ahhhh!  Perhaps that is it.  It is so hard to become aware that we need to be forgiven!  Perhaps we can only be touched by Jesus when we become aware that we need His forgiveness.  Like I did...like I do.  I shall always need His forgiveness and I shall always accept His promise of new life in Him.  Always!


I hope He comes back!  He promised He would be back!  Wait!  I remember now!  He promised to be with me.  He promised He would always be with me. Are you here with me now, Lord? Are you?        Are you, really with me?  I believe you are.  Or you soon will be.  And all I must do is to believe....no matter what! I believe!  I believe!  I believe!


And I, too, Believe.  Won't you tell someone today that you believe?


Jo INMN

TWO HOUSES? ONE WITH A BALCONY!

Now, David was settled in his palace in the City of David, with many slave girls and his two wives.  He had brought the Ark of God near to him and he rested from his enemies.  HIs prophet was now Nathan, and one day David said to Nathan, "Here I am, living in a palace, while the Ark of God remains in a tent."  Nathan replied, "Whatever you have in mind, the Lord is with you."  But, that night the Lord came to Nathan, saying, "Tell my servant David, 'Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt. I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, son of your own  body, and he will be king.  He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.  I will be his father and he will be my son.  I will punish him if he does wrong, but my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul.  Your house and your kingdom will endure forever.'"


David, in answer to His Lord's revelation said, "How great you are, O Sovereign Lord!  There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.  And who is like your people Israel--the one nation on earth that You have redeemed from Egypt?  O Sovereign Lord, you are God!  Your words are trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you , O Lord have spoken."


Now, David had peace, in his house and in his world.  And one day while loitering on his balcony,  he happened to see a woman taking her daily bath on the roof of a neighboring building.  He was enthralled at her beauty and desired to meet her.  David sent someone to find out about her, and the man told him, "She is Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, who fights in your army."  Then David sent messengers to get her and she came to him and he slept with her and she conceived.  So David tried three times to bring Uriah home to sleep with her, but the soldier did not sleep with her because he did not want to sleep with his wife when his fellow soldiers would not have this same privilege.  David was frustrated with this man and sent word to Joab, the leader of his army, and told Joab, "Put Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest.  Then, withdraw from him so he will be struck down, and die!"  So, this is how David got Bathsheba as his own.


Study/"David put both Bathsheba and Joab in difficult situations.  She knew adultery was wrong, but to refuse a king's request could mean punishment or death. Perhaps she rationalized this away, or perhaps she was proud that he wanted her, or she may have deliberately bathed in his view. And Joab did not know why Uriah had to die but it was obvious the king wanted him killed.  We sometimes face situations with only two apparent choices, and both wrong.  Therefore, we must not lose sight of what God wants.  The answer may be to seek out more choices.  By doing this, we are likely to find a choice that honors God."  Certainly, let us hope, or else, put our own desires aside.


Study/ "David showed no grief for Uriah, a good man with strong spiritual character. Why? David had become  callous to his own sin.  The only way to cover up his first sin, adultery, was to sin again, and soon he no longer felt guilty for what he had done.  Feelings are not reliable guides for determining right and wrong.  Deliberate, repeated sinning had dulled David's sensitivity to God's laws and others' rights."


What a mess our hero dug for himself!  Hero no longer?  Or just a sinner like the rest of us! If he were alive today, I would suggest we pray for him.  Perhaps we should pray for all those who may be caught up in this kind of "live trap"!  More tomorrow on the outcome of David's situation.


Does David have a conscience?


Jo INMN

DAVID...KING OF JUDAH!

After years of running from Saul, David is finally crowned king of Judah (Israel).  In the course of time, David inquired of the Lord, "Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?" And the Lord answered, "Go up!  Go to Hebron!"


So David went up with all his family and the families of the men who had stayed with him.  The men of Judah came to Hebron and anointed David king over the house of Judah. (The rest of Israel did not accept David as king for nearly eight more years.)  David publicly thanked the men who had buried Saul, for they had risked their lives to do so.  Still, the two sides who had made battle against one another, one side for Saul, the other for David, these two continued to pursue one another in war. And this war would last a long time, a war between those who had followed Saul and those who still followed David, but David grew stronger and stronger while Abner, fighting for Saul's men, grew weaker. There seemed to be everlasting jealousy between the warriors that seemed would never die.


Finally, the men who had warred against  one another and their leaders agreed to set aside their differences and come together under David's Kingship which had flourished during this time.  All the tribes of Israel came to David and said, "We are your own flesh and blood.  In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns.  And the Lord spoke to you and said, "You will shepherd my people Israel.. and you will become their ruler.""  David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.  


Now, a tribe named the Jebusites lived in Jerusalem, and David and his men marched to Jerusalem to capture the fortress of Zion.  They succeeded and the fortress became "the City of David."  He built up the area around it.  Hiram king of Tyre sent  cedar logs, carpenters and stonemasons to build a palace for David, and David knew the Lord had meant him to be king.  And David did not do any fighting unless the Lord sent him to do so, his goods and servants increasing.


David, in thanksgiving to God, proceeded to have the ark of God brought from the place where it had been hidden in Israel, to the City of David.  But, one of the oxen stumbled while pulling the cart carrying the Ark and one of the carriers touched it.  God struck the man down and David became angry at God! Because of this, David feared the Lord and left the ark in another safe place for three months,  the household of Obesd-Edom a Gittite, and the Lord blessed him and his household.  It was found that wherever the Ark went, the persons were blessed.  So, David desired the Ark to be with him in the City of David.


That day happened not too long afterward.  David danced behind the ark as it was carried into Jerusalem, and the people loved it.  Except for Michel...remember her?...she was the daughter of Saul who was given to David in marriage because of his fearlessness in battle.  And she now hated David.


Study/ "Whatever the reason Michal was contemptible of David dancing behind the Ark, the contempt she felt toward her first husband escalated and she ended up childless for life with her second husband.  Feelings of bitterness and resentment that go unchecked will destroy a relationship.  We must deal with our  feelings before they escalate into open warfare."


I couldn't agree more.  Yet I feel sorry for Michal, spoiled by her father and unable to accept David who lived in caves and on horseback.  Yet it was her father who wanted David dead and a man can't stand still and wait for death to come!!  Poor Michal, a very unhappy, jealous woman.


I guess I like the stay at home type, too. 


Jo INMN

IS THERE AN END TO THIS BATTLE?

Now, with David missing, back at his Philistine home hiding from Saul, a  great battle is being fought between Saul and his army and the Philistines. Philistia was winning and Saul was fleeing away, for many had fallen, killed, on a mountain called Gilboa. Pressing hard against Saul, the Israelites had killed Saul's sons, including his son, Jonathan, who was a friend to David.


Saul's death came by his own hand, as he had become critically wounded, so much so that he fell on his own sword because no one else dared to do it for him.  Therefore, with Saul gone, the Israelite army fled and abandoned their towns, and the Philistines occupied them. The next day when the Philistine army went back to salvage what they could from the battle scene, they found the remains of Saul, Jonathan and his other sons, and fastened Saul's body to the wall of their city. When the people of Israel heard what they did, they came and took down Saul's body, burned his body along with his son's bodies, took their bones and buried them, and fasted for seven days to honor them.


Study/ "Saul, the king, was characterized by inconsistency, disobedience, and self-will.  He did not have a heart for God.  Samuel, the judge, was characterized by consistency, obedience and a deep desire for God's will.  He had a genuine heart for God. Saul's death was also the death of an ideal--Israel could no longer believe that having a king like the other nations would solve all their troubles.  The real problem was not the form of government, but the sinful king.  Saul tried to please God by spurts of religiosity, but real spirituality takes a lifetime of consistent obedience.  Heroic spiritual lives are built by stacking days of obedience one on top of the other, like a brick wall.  Each obedient act is small in itself, but in time the acts will pile up, and a huge wall of strong character will be built....a great defense against temptation.  We should strive for consistent obedience each day.."


After Easter, I would like to go on with David's life.  Of all the biblical characters, David's strength was good for Israel ...and his faults and weaknesses?  Not so good.  Even so, David's rule was considered...well done!


We have gone through many a battle with this era of Israel life, and a bit is still before us.  But these lives are not that different than yours and mine.....imperfect, even in our attempts at being perfect.


Keep your chin up and your heart blessing the Lord!
Jo INMN