He is Risen

The angels asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

She answered, “They have taken away my Lord,

and I don’t know where they have taken Him.”

… Mary went and said to the other followers, “I saw the Lord!”

And she told them what Jesus had told her.

John 20:13,18

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Mary here believes she is bereft of the one she loves most. (Bereft: a form of the word “bereave” meaning “to be deprived of or robbed” of what or who is most precious to one.)

Mary here believes she has been stripped of all she had–of Jesus–the embodiment of all her hope, joy, peace, and love. Her experience of the past long day has been one of horror, despair, sorrow. She knows this deeply and she weeps. She doesn’t know the whole truth though. Jesus is close to her, within reach, she just hasn’t come to recognize him yet.

Mary here is not alone, not without comfort, not without hope. She has placed herself in proximity to Jesus, she is present and ready to see him when he reveals himself to be with her all the time. She comes close, waits and weeps, and Jesus shows himself to have been with her there even when she can’t see him.

Prayer:
Lord, we often feel bereft of joy, hope, faith, and love. We often lose heart in the face of deep suffering–our own, and the suffering of those we love, the suffering of this world, the very real despair and death all around us that, on some dark days, feels like all that remains. Remind us that this is not the whole truth. Show us your face, help us to seek it out, help us to remember and recognize your presence that is already, always with us even when we can’t recognize it yet. Help us to see better and not to lose heart. You are greater than our hearts, and you give us eyes to see what we cannot see on our own. We are truly grateful for you, already here, waiting for us to behold you, waiting for us to take comfort in and courage from your presence with us. Amen.

Margaret Roark ~ my sister

Blessed are the Pure in Heart

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Blessed are the pure in heart

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for they will see God.

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Matthew 5:8

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Being “pure in heart” seems to be an impossible goal, but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). A part of being pure boils down to the choices we make each day. This past Sunday, I had the privilege of listening to a presentation by Eric Tooley, president and founder of Noble Choices. Eric shared his story of his struggle with pornography. His nonprofit organization is speaking boldly about sexual topics. I would like to pass on his challenge to you: make noble choices in all areas of your life.

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Below is an excerpt from the Noble Choices web site. I encourage you to invite Eric to speak at the your schools and churches. 

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Noble Choices is a nonprofit organization that helps people see all of their choices and empowers them to choose the highest quality of life.

Noble Choices believes that people make good choices when they have good information.

• We help people see all of their choices.
• We help people evaluate the outcome of each choice on their own goals and dreams.
• We help people minimize or eliminate bad consequences.

Noble Choices’ Truth About Sex programs for schools and churches specializes in programs on sexual abstinence, pornography, social media, and cultural discernment.

 

Jesus looked at them intently and said,

“Humanly speaking, it is impossible.

But with God everything is possible.” 

 Matthew 19:26

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Remember to reach out to those who are 

lonely and hurting on Valentine’s Day!

You will be a crown of splendor in God’s hand

 

“You do not realize now what I am doing,

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but later you will understand.”

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~ Jesus

 

John 13:7

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As Jesus’ disciples did not understand what Jesus was doing, we also often do not understand what God is doing in our lives.  The following devotional thought, from Streams in the Desert, encourages me as I think about John 13:7. 

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In this life, we have an incomplete view of God’s dealings, seeing His plan only half finished and underdeveloped.  Yet once we stand in the magnificent temple of eternity, we will have the proper perspective and will see everything fitting gracefully together!    

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Imagine going to the mountains of Lebanon during the reign of Israel’s great king Solomon.  Can you see the majestic cedar?  It is the pride of all the other trees and has wrestled many years with the cold north winds!  The summer sun has loved to smile upon it, while the night has caused its soft leaves to glisten with drops of dew.  Birds have built their nests in its branches, and weary travelers and wandering shepherds have rested in its shade from the midday heat or taken shelter from the raging storms.  And suddenly we realize that this old inhabitant of the forest has been doomed to fall victim to the woodsman’s ax!  

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We watch as the ax makes its first gash on the cedar’s gnarled trunk.  Then we see its noble limbs stripped of their branches as the tree comes crashing to the ground.  We cry out against the wanton destruction of this “Tree of God,” as it is distinctively known, and express our anger over the demolition of this proud pillar in the forest temple of nature.  We are tempted to exclaim with the prophet Zechariah, “Wail, O pine tree, for the cedar has fallen …!” (Zech. 11:2), as if inviting the sympathy of every less-majestic plant and invoking inanimate things to also resent the offense.       

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We should not be so quick to complain but should follow the gigantic tree as the workmen of “Hiram king of Tyre” (2 Chron. 2:3) take it down the mountainside.  From there we should watch it being sailed on rafts along the blue water of the Mediterranean.  And finally, we should behold it being placed as a glorious and polished beam in the temple of God.  As you contemplate its final destination, seeing it in the Holy of Holies as a jewel in the diadem of the almighty King, can you honestly complain that this “crown jewel of Lebanon” was cut down, removed from the forest, and placed in such a noble setting?  The cedar had once stood majestically in nature’s sanctuary, but the “glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house” (Haggai 2:9).

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So many people are like these cedars of old!  God’s axes of trials have stripped them bare and yet we can see no reason for such harsh and difficult circumstances.  But God has a noble goal and purpose in mind: to place them as everlasting pillars in His heavenly Zion.  And he says to them, “You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God” (Isaiah 62:3).  J.R. Macduff

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An Easter message from Pastor Saeed … still in Iran. 

Pastor Saeed has been moved from a prison cell to a hospital room.

Please continue to pray that he will be released,

and free to return home to his family.

 

“I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Jesus

“I was in prison

and

you came to visit me.”

— Jesus

Matthew 25:36

 

I am dedicating this Lenten season to three Americans who are wrongly imprisoned in Iran: Pastor Saeed Abedini, Amir Hekmati (former marine), and Bob Levinson (former FBI agent).  I wrote about them in February, so please see that blog post for more details about this crisis. 

Unfortunately, we can’t go to visit them, but we can make “virtual visits.”  Let me explain: I can picture thousands of us praying for these men during Lent and asking angels to attend and minister to their needs.  As angels took care of Jesus in the wilderness and in the Garden of Gethsemane, we can ask for angels to care for all three men.  Angels delivered Peter from prison!  Along with praying, each time we do something for them — write a letter on their behalf, post information about them on social media, or make a donation, that too is a “virtual visit”.  

Prayer requests for Pastor Saeed Abedini, Amir Hekmati, Bob Levinson:

    – Quick release

    – Angels will be present and comfort them

    – Good health

    – Favor with the guards and other prisoners

    – Comfort for their families

    – Great sleep and peaceful dreams

    – Enough food and water

    – Provision for all needs and their families needs

 

Let’s commit to praying for Pastor Saeed,

Amir Hekmati, and Bob Levinson,

 every day during Lent.

 

An angel from heaven appeared to him

and strengthened him. Luke 22:43

 

If you have already made a commitment for Lent, please consider including this Lent request. 

Darkness to Light

Even in darkness light dawns

for the upright,

for those who are gracious

and compassionate.

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Psalm 112:4

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The words gracious and compassionate are perfect words to describe my Dad, Terry, S. Smith.  He also constantly radiates joy.  He has recently written a book about his life story, Delta Blues: From Darkness to Light.  For Valentine’s Day, it is offered free on Kindle through February 16th, 2014.  The following is a book review written by Meghan over at goodreads.com

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One of the most inspiring stories of personal redemption, Terry Smith’s ‘Delta Blues Darkness to Light’ is one of those literary rarities that we see only every once in a while. And even now I’m getting goosebumps—the most positive kind—from the story..Make no mistake about it, this book is not a straight-out “preachy” self-help book. In fact, it has a strong literary quality about it—as if you’re reading a Pulitzer Prize-winning biography-slash-novel. There is something about Terry’s writing that pulls you in and hooks you—the clever cadence, the verisimilitude, the emotional gravitas that subtly courses just underneath the surface of the entire narrative. Let me suffice it to say that apart from the story itself—apart from Terry’s personal sharing of his journey “from darkness to light”—is the exceptional language.The book demonstrates that author Terry, as a life coach, actually knows what he talks about—he has been there, done that, endured much, which makes him a much more effective life coach than all the rest. In fact, I wish somebody from Hollywood turns this book into a movie so that it can find a wider audience and inspire countless others. But as it is, this book is a keeper—read the introduction or the first few chapters and you’ll see. If Terry’s story doesn’t immediately grip you, then perhaps nothing will.‘Delta Blues: Darkness to Light’ is a definite must-read. If you’re feeling down in the dumps or you know of anyone who can benefit from a power upliftment, get a copy of this book or send this as a gift. You will not be disappointed. A sold five-star rating for this one.

I will turn darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.  These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. ~ God  Isaiah 42:16

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To order Delta Blues: From Darkness to Light, click here.

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