The Chair...

You know those emails that circulate at the office sometimes, or that friends post on social media from time to time – those sentimental stories? Well this is one I received this past week, and because it brought something to my remembrance of what I had personally walked through a few years ago, many years ago now, I wanted to share it and my story with you…

MOM'S EMPTY CHAIR

A woman's daughter had asked the local minister to come and pray with her mother. When the minister arrived, he found the woman lying in bed with her head propped up on two pillows, an empty chair sat beside her bed. The minister assumed that the woman had been informed of his visit... ‘'I guess you were expecting me’, he said. ‘No, who are you?’ said the mother. The minister told her his name and then remarked, ‘I saw the empty chair and I figured you knew I was going to show up...’

‘Oh yeah, the chair,’ said the bedridden woman. ‘Would you mind closing the door?’ Puzzled, the minister shut the door. ‘I have never told anyone this, not even my daughter,’ said the woman. ‘But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it went right over my head... I abandoned any attempt at prayer,’ the old woman continued, ‘until one day four years ago; my best friend said to me, “Prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here is what I suggest. Sit down in a chair; place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It's not spooky because he promised, ‘I will be with you always’... Then just speak to him in the same way you're doing with me right now...” ‘So, I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I'm careful though.  If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm.’

The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old woman to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with her, anointed her with oil, and returned to the church. Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that her mama had died that afternoon. ‘Did she die in peace?’ he asked. ‘Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock, she called me over to her bedside, told me she loved me and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found her. But there was something strange about her death. Apparently, just before Mom died, she leaned over and rested her head on the chair beside the bed. What do you make of that?’ The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said, ‘I wish we could all go like that.’

This story touched me because I remember one time that I actually did this; pulled up a chair to the table and asked Jesus to sit with me because I so needed His help. It was at a time when I was going through a crisis of obedience to what I believed that the Lord was leading me to do – write a letter of forgiveness to someone very close to me. I remember thinking, ‘Lord I know that you are with me always, but how I wish I could just see you sitting on a chair next to me and that I could talk to you just like I would with a close friend. I can’t do what you are asking me to do without Your help.’

Here I was at the table with the paper ready and pen in hand; my obedience to His word to me had gotten me that far, but it was so difficult! How would I find the words, make them the right words and make them sincere words that truly came from the heart?

So I pulled up a chair next to me and talked, poured out my heart and asked for my Friend Jesus to sit next to me and help me write this letter. The more I wrote, the more my own heart was healed of the brokenness I had felt for many years. When the letter was finished I knew that truth was contained in the words that were on the page, the truth that I had truly forgiven all by the grace and ability that God had given me to do so. My Helper and my Counselor was indeed with me.

I mailed the letter, which again was hard to do because I was thinking ‘What will they think? Will they understand? Or will I be crushed again?’ I am so thankful to be able to say that through that letter God worked a healing in the brokenness of the other person too and that that person and I became close, as God had always intended for us to be.

I just want to encourage you, friends, to obey if you have felt God prompting you to do something in any area of your life. He won’t ask you to do it alone. He’ll help you all the way. Just take a step of obedience. Talk to Him like He’s your very best friend. He is!!! – a closer friend than anyone who could sit next to you on a chair.  

All is not as it seems…

I had a telephone call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft Security Systems saying they were calling me because of a malicious virus infecting computers. I knew this was a scam but for some reason I let her talk for a while and asked her questions like "So you're telling me that everyone running windows is infected?" Yes "So you are calling the millions of people in the world to advise them?" Yes. “Wow you must have some staff there!” She wanted me to go to the "run" box of my computer and type in a code. Well, of course, I did not. They sound very convincing and quite adamant that they are legit – how she was doing me a favour and was saving my computer. Ha!

Now, why would I write this in my blog???? I can certainly see a spiritual application here. The Bible tells us that the enemy (Satan) goes around looking for those who will fall prey to his schemes, those he can devour. He is the biggest scammer of all time. His goal is to kill, steal and destroy. The Word tells us there will be false signs and wonders; that he can even make himself appear like an angel of light. In other words what he dangles in front of your face looks like, smells like, seems like the truth, or a good idea, BUT it is NOT, it will lead you away from God and all that is good.

While discussing this with my husband he very wisely said “Test everything by the Word”.  Now there’s a word of wisdom !!!  Which brings me to another point. How can we test everything by the Word if we don’t take the time to study it – at least read it regularly?  When we are tempted what should we do? – go to the source for help, to the Word of God and in prayer ask for guidance. In the book of James the Word says that God WILL give wisdom to those who ask. The Lord is our helper, our deliverer, the lover of our souls, closer than our breath and a very present help in time of trouble.

We always go to the Source, the Word of God, on the matters of life, and the decisions we are faced with every day. If you are feeling a ‘check’ in your spirit about something you are considering, consult the Lord. He will guide you on the path of LIFE.

Pivot points…

Over the last few days I have watched some of the special programming on the 10^th anniversary of 9/11 – that terrible day, and pivotal time in history. On one program where people who were there on that day ten years ago were interviewed, something one man said really struck me. A man who was working in an office was interviewed. His co-workers said that this man was always smiling; nothing seemed to really upset him at work. He didn’t engage in all the trivial nit-picking and usual office complaining. The interviewer asked the man about it. He replied something like this: “I see my co-workers getting upset for such trivial things, the way I look at it, if you don’t have a passenger jet crashing into your building then you are having a good day at work”. On 9/11 this man was working on the 84^th floor of the North Tower. This man escaped just before the building collapsed.

It seems that this man now bases how he reacts to things that happen to him based on that pivot point in his life where everything changed and was never the same. I admire his resiliency and that he has been able to overcome the terror and trauma of that day, a nightmare from which some that were there have not been able to wake, who relive the horror every day. I pray that God would surround them with His grace and His love, that they would turn to Him that they might be healed.

I was convicted by the testimony of this man. I have found myself complaining over trivial things too, at work and elsewhere. Every day we have is a gift, isn’t it? What kind of an impact am I having on those around me? A positive one or a negative one. When they observe how I go about my day what do they see? – someone who is resilient in overcoming various trials? – someone who has hope and joy? – someone who overcomes evil with good?

We all face pivot points in our lives, some happy and joyful like the birth of a child; and some tragic and sad like a loss of a child. The Bible tells us in Psalm 46 that God is a very present help in time of trouble. I know this to be true experientially.

I pray that I would always turn to Him, my joy and the lifter of my head, immediately when a difficult pivotal time comes in my life so that I will receive the help He extends to me and that I would live my days with joy in my heart so that others would see that God is GOOD, that they would be drawn to this wonderful Saviour, this majestic, powerful, awesome, loving and merciful God – the God who loves each one of them with an everlasting love and extends His arms to them continually.  

I pray also that when I find myself ready to complain about trivial things that I would remember the example of this man who realizes that each day he has is a gift.

I'm praying for you...

What comforting and powerful words!

A dear lady, for whom I have great respect, spoke these very words to me before the church service started last Sunday morning. We didn’t have a long conversation, just a quick greeting and her words “I’m praying for you”.

As I went and sat down, waiting for the service to start it was as if I could feel God’s arms wrapped around me. Ah yes Lord, You are aware of my circumstances aren’t you? – of my being so mentally tired after coming home from work because of the changes that I feel too tired to write, and then feeling guilty because I am not keeping the commitment to write that I made to myself I guess, and to others.

God continually amazes me! He put me on this person’s heart and she faithfully interceded for me. And I have felt His sustaining power over the last few weeks as I struggle to organize and get my head around all that is now expected of me. He truly is my help and through Him I am able to accomplish all that He has brought into my path.

Has God brought someone to your mind lately? Sometimes it can seem like just a thought in passing; sometimes a stronger urging to pray for someone. Let’s be mindful of these invitations to pray – whether it be a quick lifting up of the person to God as we go about our day, or as need be a deeper conversation with God about the person when we have more time. If the occasion arises let that person know that you have been praying for them. Let’s use every opportunity to be encouragers!

James 5:16b (Amplified Bible)

The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].

Can you smell that?

2 Corinthians 2:14-16a

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death to death, and to the other the aroma of life to life.

Wow, I’m just wondering how smelly I am – in the good sense, of course (smile)

First of all we are told that God ALWAYS leads us in TRIUMPH in Christ – Good News!!!

And note this amazing fact: through us the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ is diffused every place we go !!! So again my question, just how fragrant am I as I go about my daily life, in my home, at the mall, at my workplace?

F. B. Meyer wrote this about this verse:

Wherever they went men knew Jesus better; the loveliness of the Master's character became more apparent. Men became aware of a subtle fragrance, poured upon the air, which attracted them to the Man of Nazareth.

As we live our lives daily honouring our Lord and His Word, as we are led by the Spirit obeying His promptings, we emit this fragrance (the knowledge of our Lord Jesus – the gospel) everywhere we go. Among those who are being saved it is the aroma of life; to those who refuse to bow the heart to Christ it is the aroma of death. Our job is to be fragrant. The result of how others perceive and react to the fragrance is not in our hands. It is between the person and God alone.

Let’s get out there and smell good!!! 

Light Overcomes Darkness

I love this picture. It was done by my teenage niece, a budding photographer. She graciously gave me permission to use it here. I see so much in it as I am sure you will as well. I love her perspective and the thought she put behind it. It speaks to me.

When we are in the midst of dark circumstances it becomes easy to forget that there is the Light of the World, Jesus our Lord and Saviour, who overcame darkness and that in Him we are overcomers as well.  I have a dear friend who is facing very dark, wicked circumstances, seemingly impossible. This friend has not forgotten the One who is a very present help in trouble, no matter how bad that trouble is. This friend is fighting the good fight of faith with the Word of God, and will see victory. Fighting the good fight of faith is not giving up hope, not giving in to fear, not giving up, resting in God, remaining in peace while the battle rages, knowing that you have a God who will never leave you, never forsake you and who is at work on your behalf.

Sometimes we need our Father to pick us up and hold us – He does.

Sometimes we need our God to give us wisdom – He does.

Sometimes we need our God to sing over us with songs of deliverance – His Word says He does.

Sometimes we need our God to whisper comfort to us with His still small voice – He does.

Sometimes we need our God to rise up in His might and do battle to smite the enemy – Oh yes, most assuredly He does that too!

Who is like unto our God!!!!! Ah, there is none like Him!!!

There is no darkness that His light cannot penetrate. Light triumphs over darkness.

Psalm 27:1-7, 11-14 THE LORD is my Light and my Salvation – whom shall I fear or dread? The Lord is the Refuge and Stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? 2When the wicked, even my enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. 3Though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, [even then] in this will I be confident. 4One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek, inquire for, and [insistently] require: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life, to behold and gaze upon the beauty [the sweet attractiveness and the delightful loveliness] of the Lord and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple. 5For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; in the secret place of His tent will He hide me; He will set me high upon a rock. 6And now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies round about me; in His tent I will offer sacrifices and shouting of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord. 7Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; have mercy and be gracious to me and answer me!...  11Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain and even path because of my enemies [those who lie in wait for me]. 12Give me not up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen up against me; they breathe out cruelty and violence. 13[What, what would have become of me] had I not believed that I would see the Lord's goodness in the land of the living! 14Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.

A Word in Season

Hello friends. I certainly enjoyed my six weeks of vacation. I was not particularly looking forward to returning to work (normal, I guess) especially as I knew that my responsibilities were to double upon my return. God is so faithful. He brought me a word through our Pastor’s sermon this past Sunday. Quite amazing – but then God is amazing, isn’t He ! Our Pastor did not know about the changes I would be facing upon my return to work and all that that entailed. Guess what he spoke to us about? – facing change! Yes folks, he did – all that he shared was definitely a word in season for me. How I praise my Father for His goodness to me. God knew all that I was facing and how I was allowing a bit of fear to creep in, a bit of sadness, a bit of stress, even anger – all to rob me of my peace. During the sermon our Pastor reminded us of a song “The world didn’t give it to me and the world can’t take it away” – speaking about the peace we have, the peace that passes understanding. There was a big AMEN in my heart on that one. I thought, “That’s right! What is this trying to rob me of my peace? I have the peace of God in me! I don’t have to be afraid, or burdened. God will give me everything I need to face this challenge.” And so, last night when I went to bed I thanked Him for that peace, asked Him that when I returned to work this morning that I would walk in with a genuine smile on my face, that I would be cheerful, as cheerful as the daisies in a field on a sunny day. That is exactly what happened – I had the peace that passes understanding and a genuine smile on my face.

Maybe you are facing change in your life. Trust in the Lord. Turn your burdens over to Him. He knows exactly where He is taking you and He’ll give you everything you need for the journey.