How could they not see?

Stony ruins lay just beyond the trees providing shade.  Here a house, a mitzvah (ceremonial bath), a partial synagogue now only provided a residence for rock hyrax.  Excavations show that this once was a vibrant town that inhabited many people.  But what happened?  Where did the people go?

Matthew 11:20-28 gives us insight to the fate of this town because where I was standing was in the center of Korazin, a town denounced by Jesus.  Jesus had once walked the stony paths that wound around these ruins long ago.  The people there had seen the miracles that He performed but they stubbornly refused to repent from their sins.  They saw but didn’t believe therefore suffered a greater punishment than the wicked cities of Tyre and Sodom. (Cities that didn’t see Jesus.)

As my eyes traced the outlines of the former buildings my thoughts wandered back to the plane ride to this country.  The woman sitting next to me was an Israeli. As she inquired about why I was on the long plane ride she said: “oh you are going to walk where that Jesus walked.  He was only a good teacher but the Son of God?  No” As I sat there before my feet ever hit the soil of the Promised Land, I wondered: “How, how could you be from this place and be blind of who He is?”

The voice of our guide snapped my thoughts back and as he quoted scripture. Here I stood seeing the verses come to life into a real space.  How could they have had Jesus walk among them and not see nor know?

Then it was like Jesus whispered to my soul…”And you? How many times have you been blind to what I was doing?  There were times when I worked something out right in front of you, times when through my handiwork I orchestrated events that none other could have done but yet you were blind to me as well.” Yes I, too, was guilty of being blind.

In verse 25 of the passage listed above Jesus mentions two kinds of people in His prayer:

1.      Those that are wise and clever in their own eyes

2.      Those that are childlike.

God hides things from those wise and clever in their own regards BUT He reveals to those that are childlike.  

One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.”

Are you being wise and clever in your understanding of things going on around you? Or are you leaning with childlike faith into the One who walks among you? 

Even if you think you are walking along your own stony path with ruins on each side, Jesus is there working. Don’t be blind but look around and pray that you will see!

Open the eyes of our hearts Lord, that we may see Him!

The Fifth Gospel

“THE LAND is the fifth Gospel,” wrote Cyril of Jerusalem in 348 AD. “After one has seen the old cities and landscapes,” wrote St. Jerome a century later, “one reads the Bible with different eye.”

Those statements ring so true.  After walking where Jesus walked, gazing upon the Land of Milk and Honey and experiencing a pilgrimage of a lifetime, I WILL NEVER READ THE BIBLE THE SAME WAY AGAIN! The Bible leapt from the page and became a visual in my mind forevermore.

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John…the Four Gospels. 

The first four books of the New Testament that declares the good news and tell the accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry as He walked this earth as God-head in bodily form.  I have read these but I never thought or even considered a fifth gospel.  When our guide asked us what the fifth gospel was, I could sense the muscles in my face contort and my eyes squint with questions forming.  I think he saw it too.

Fifth gospel?  Well that’s a new one on me.  So our guide explained, “These lands, ruins and cities will declare the good news and testify of Jesus as you travel your way through it.”  This country that takes 14 seconds to fly across the width and 45 minutes to fly the length is a slice of tranquility surrounded by chaos (well until recent days) that cries out about The One that came before and those that paved the path and those that walked with and served him.

Our guide was correct!

The Sea of Galilee, Capernum, Mt. Carmel, Nazareth, Bethlehem and so many more shouted the authenticity of the Bible. My  favorite?  Well to begin with you are asking a gal that has trouble deciding what to eat when given the opportunity to go out, so of course the answer is ALL of THEM!!!!

Over the next few Tuesdays I will try to give you a glimpse of the land that declares The Light of the World.  That’s if I can narrow it down and not write a novel each day. J

But before we get started may I ask you…Are you maybe the Sixth gospel?  I have often heard that sometimes we are the only gospel that people read. 

Luke 19:37-40, “Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”  and some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”

Are you declaring The One and Only with your actions before others? How are you displaying Him for others?  Don’t keep silent we don’t want rocks shouting louder than us!  

Get Ready!

New post coming every Tuesday beginning Sept. 16th.

Can't wait to share my summer adventure with you!!!!

Looking for Bread Crumbs???

As a child I loved the story of Hansel and Gretel.

Now let me tell you...that is very odd because as a child I was NOT the adventurous type.
I mean really, two kids going out into the dark scary forest and leaving a trail of bread crumbs to find their way home? Nope wasn't happening with this girl!

The story during that time of my life was exactly that...a story.  Full of things that I wouldn't dare do on my own because you know good and well my mind thought I would run into that witch and be trapped so why not let those kids just do it.

Now that I am older the adventurer in me has surfaced a little more.  I love stepping out and finding things...OK maybe not in the dark outside but I do love seeking stuff.

Maybe that is what drew me to read the book, "Chasing God" by Angie Smith.

At one point she talks about Thomas wanting to see the nail scarred hands and needing to place his hand in those of the Lord.  She even discusses Thomas' question, "how do we know where you are going?"

Let me share with you what Angie says about Jesus saying "Follow Me."  "I am the way".

"Which is why the Lord explains that He is the way, because our eyes shouldn't be on the ground, looking for bread crumbs that lead to Him.  Because if they are, they aren't beholding that for which they were created to see:  Him."

My thoughts swirled with these thoughts.

How often am I dropping bread crumbs to get back to where I was?

 

Do I spend more time looking down for those bread crumbs and not looking up at The One who blessed the bread to feed the multitude...even me?

I want to be that adventurer but not one that steps out with a back up plan.  Rather one that is led by the Spirit where my trust is without borders or bread crumbs.  I don't want to chase God. I want to abide in Him.

How about you?

Call to Prayer

Prayer

Where would we be if we didn't have God to pray to?

LOST!

Prayer is not something to be afraid of, not something to ignore and not something to put off.

We are told to pray without ceasing. (1 Thess 5:17)

We are also told to pray for those in leadership of our government.

I consider it a blessing that we can still join with other Christians on the lawns of court houses across America to pray for our country.

If you are unable to attend one of these gatherings.  I encourage you to take time today May 2 on The National Day of Prayer to lift up our country, our leaders and our military.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says, "If MY people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

May we humble ourselves before the Lord today because we all know we need forgiveness and our land needs healing.

What Line is it?

Have you ever walked, ran, biked, swam or what ever you do in a race?
You see that line ahead that is your main goal for crossing. 
Yes the one that says,

"Cynthia, you can now stop punishing yourself.  You are done!" 

 

Oh that wonderful line that once in sight makes you sigh with relief.  That marvelous spot that some how pumps out a few more drops of adrenaline and speeds you up even in the slightest bit.

That favorite line called the FINISH LINE.

Now don't get me wrong, this ole gal doesn't see those type of lines often.  I really can only say I have seen maybe enough to count on one hand.  But I have seen finish lines on projects and other types of life events where finish lines have been crossed.

 

BUT have you ever considered another line in the spiritual realm?

I sat in a class recently and heard the speaker talk about our salvation experience.  He shared that in his findings, that many Christians view their salvation experience...saying the prayer to accept God as their Savior...as a crossing the finish line. That final lunge for the ribbon, the cry of victory then the sitting down to rest.

Is it really that?  A finish line? Or could it actually be a STARTING line?

What? Wait a minute, are you telling me that I have to START again?

Well YES! 

 

Jesus invites us to join Him on an amazing race.  One that requires us to walk through His Kingdom with Him. We are not to kick back and rest once we accept Him as The LORD of our lives. Rather we are to place each new step of ours next to the Saviors. A race to make God's name famous and reach all the nations.  A race to share the love of God to all the world so that no one is lost forever.

Jesus didn't just invite us into his kingdom he also invited us to share his kingdom.

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your savior, what line was that you crossed?  Was it to you a finish line or a start line?

If you first thought it was the finish line it is never to late to change it to a STARTING line!

Let's join together to start the race of making HIS name FAMOUS!!!!

Lessons from Nicaragua

With the aid of an interpreter, her face showed harsh concentration as she told her story.

It was like she was digging deep into her memory pulling out the words that would share parts of her life.

Abandonment

Abuse

Grief

Rejection

Loneliness

These words and more seemed to echo in the space surrounding me as she spoke.

Then like a flick of a light switch her countenance changed.

She told of how she now forgave those that turned their backs on her, those that placed her in harm’s way and those that hurt her.

She said with a smile of confidence, “I have learned that God has forgiven me so how I can I not forgive those that hurt me?”

Oh the lessons I learned while in Nicaragua.  Although I had been through times in my life where the hurt was so deep, I was called to forgive and did, there are still times when there is hurt and I am slow to forgive. 

May I learn that all levels of hurt deserve forgiveness not just the deepest ones. May others see a confident smile that comes along with forgiving like I saw in a hot sticky village in Nicaragua.