Month: April 2023

A Call to Community

Posted on by Wendy
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20

In the past week, I have read and heard several different devotions and sermons that focused on the Road to Emmaus account found in Luke 24:13-35. I have learned to pay attention when the same scripture crosses my path within a short period of time because God often uses His Word to communicate with us. So, when my hubby casually mentioned that the same scripture was the topic in his men’s prayer group, I knew I needed to sit down and prayerfully read the account again.

There’s so much to learn in those twenty-two verses.

I think it’s noteworthy that when two followers are discussing Jesus, He joins them. They weren’t in a place of worship. There was nothing formal. They were simply discussing Jesus, the crucifixion and the accounts of the resurrection.

Of course, Jesus said in Matthew 18:20, “Where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

We can always trust Jesus to keep His promises.

I also love that when Jesus was going to depart and they asked Him to stay, He stayed. These men were in shock and disbelief over what they had seen and what they had heard, yet they were wholeheartedly seeking Jesus. When we humbly seek Jesus with open hearts, He will always be there.

Even when we can’t see Him, He is there.

But, I suppose what spoke to me most, was what happened in the breaking of the bread.

The text says, “Jesus took bread, gave thanks and began to give it to them.” Luke 24:32

When we sit down at a table to fill our physical need, but intentionally remember to give thanks to the One who ultimately provided it, we are openly acknowledging that we are both physical and spiritual beings. When we ask God to bless what we are about to eat, we take it a step further.

We live in an ongoing tension on this side of eternity. It’s easy to recognize the physical. It’s right in front of us. But, acknowledging our spiritual needs takes effort and discipline.

Jesus didn’t have to give thanks for that bread; He is part of the Trinity, but He chose to give thanks, probably so those two men would always remember to do the same.

Verse 31 tells us that when He gave them the bread, their eyes were opened and they recognized Him.

Even though Jesus left them right after they realized who He was, those two men returned at once to tell the other disciples that they too, had seen the risen Christ. Keep in mind, it was a seven mile trip, so that was 14 miles for them in a single day. They couldn’t wait to share what they had learned.

Maybe we need to be reminded of the importance of breaking bread with other believers. Community is so important.

Scripture has a way of meeting us where we are. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 😊

Fig Tree Inspiration

Posted on by Wendy
We always have the choice between mourning for what was or celebrating what is.

About a month ago, we had some unseasonably warm weather. Everything started blooming. Then, we were slammed with a cold snap. For four nights, my hubby and I covered our tender hydrangeas. Unfortunately, we couldn’t cover our fig tree. It’s really big, but also very established and we felt like it would be ok.

It had already put out some nice big leaves. While the hydrangeas that we were able to cover had little brown spots on the ends of their leaves showing some damage, the fig leaves turned completely brown and withered. The hydrangeas bounced back fairly quickly, but our fig tree showed no sign of life for a long time.

I began to worry about it a little bit. Had the cold snap killed that mature tree?

Finally, I saw some signs of life, a few little green nodes. It was slow, but it finally started coming back. I removed most of the dead leaves, but a few were too high for me to reach. As I was examining it this week, I was amazed at all of the new green growth bursting around what looked completely dead. I had allowed myself to become discouraged because I couldn’t see signs of life.

But, that fig tree, with its established, deep root system, was at work beneath the surface. Life was still there and regeneration was going on even though I couldn’t see it.

As I looked at the withered leaves still hanging on the branches among the new bright green ones, I was reminded how easily we can get discouraged in our own cold and dark seasons. We too, sometimes believe that our prayers aren’t heard or that growth, regeneration and redemption aren’t possible.

But, God sometimes starts at our roots and the important, hard work that goes on, happens on the inside. That work and growth sometimes take a lot longer than we think it should. We wonder if change will ever occur, but then it does and life bursts forth, just like those tender brand new leaves.

I could mourn what was lost when I think how big the original leaves would have been without the cold snap.

Looking back and mourning what could have been is always a choice.

But, as I marvel at a tree that looked completely lifeless a couple of weeks ago, I choose to celebrate its life and new growth, so very thankful that it made it through a dark time. It reminds me that I should do the same during my own dark times. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

He is Still in the Boulder Moving Business

Posted on by Wendy
He is still in the boulder moving business.

I recently watched an Easter service where the pastor showed a picture of what the boulder probably looked like that sealed Jesus’ tomb. It was massive. Most internet searches say it would have weighed somewhere between one and two tons.

That photo sprang to mind when I later read Mark 16: 1-3: “When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

I marvel at their faith. They loved Jesus. They wanted to serve Him in the best way they knew how, which was anointing His body. They got up first thing in the morning, got what they had together and went to serve. There was no physical way they could move that stone, but they went anyway.

They brought what they had. They showed up and had faith God would too.

Their faith was rewarded.

“But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.” Mark 16:4

Their stubborn desire to serve Jesus with the gifts that they had, gave them a front row seat to the greatest miracle ever bestowed on humankind. In Mark’s Gospel, they were the first to witness an empty tomb.

How often do we make excuses for not being able to serve? We claim that we don’t have enough time, talent, or money. Sometimes we don’t set out on a particular mission because we don’t think we can make a difference. It’s a dark world we live in. Just turn on the news. Can a handful of believers change anything? Is there even a point in trying? Should we just stay at home and pray for Jesus to return?

These three women give us our answer.

We serve a living God who is still in the stone moving business. He moved that boulder on the first Easter morning and He is still moving boulders.

Our job is not to doubt our abilities or focus on our lack of resources. Our job is to bring what we have and serve, no matter how big or small the mission may seem, remembering in God’s hands nothing is impossible. Three determined women reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 😊

Easter is Coming!

Posted on by Wendy
He is risen!

We are at the end of Holy Week. It’s supposed to rain today. It always seems to be either gray or raining on Good Friday. It’s almost as if creation itself, remembers and mourns the day that mankind decided to kill God. It appeared, for a time, that we succeeded.

As Jesus’ followers mourned and Peter was filled with remorse over his denial, evil celebrated. I truly cannot imagine how dark that Friday and Saturday must have been.

But, God had a plan.

Aren’t we thankful for any statement that begins with “But, God,”? It always means the miraculous is about to happen, so you better buckle up.

As horrific as that weekend must have been, God knew Sunday was coming. So, when Mary went to the tomb, just as she was supposed to according to Jewish law, she was met by the resurrected Jesus and history was changed forever.

And Peter was forgiven. He took his second chance to acknowledge Jesus and ran with it. He became the Rock that Jesus knew he could be.

As we sit in the gloom of Good Friday, mankind looks as evil as ever. There are those who are still actively trying to kill God and they too, seem to be succeeding.

But, take heart friends; God still has a plan.

Easter is coming.

As dark as our days might be, they aren’t as dark as that Friday and Saturday were. Those believers didn’t have the benefit of living on the Sunday side of the cross.

Let’s take some time this weekend to remember the sheer weight of Friday and Saturday, but when Sunday comes, let’s truly celebrate as a people who are forgiven and loved by a God who is very much alive. He is risen! Praise God!

Happy Easter!

Wendy 🙂