At Just the Right Time

      At this time of year, so many fond memories come flooding back into my mind.  Funny things as well as those touching moments that we hide deep in our hearts.  For example, there was the Christmas when we were eating at my grandparent's home.  Redi Whip was a new product on the market for whipped cream which none of us had ever tried before.  We were seated at the table and my mother decided to add some whipped cream to her pumpkin pie.  My father was seated across from her.  Since this was a new product, she did not know how to get the cream to come out.  She pushed down on the nozzle and instantly covered my father's new suit coat with whipped cream.  She was shocked as was my father and we all had a good laugh!

     Then there was another occasion when my mother had not gotten all of her gifts wrapped before a family get together; so she sat in the back seat of the car and wrapped presents as we drove along.  She stayed in the car until she was done.  Talk about last minute!  This was not the only time this happened and those of us who are busy can most likely relate.  However, God's timing in all things is perfect.  He is never too early and never too late.

     In his letter to the Church at Galatia, Paul wrote these words (Gals. 4:4,5):  "But when the fulness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law."  We do not know why God chose this time period, but it was right time according to His plan for our salvation.  The long awaited Messiah was born into the world.

     Thirty three years later, God did another amazing thing on our behalf.  Romans 5:5-6 tells us:  "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  He became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God through His sacrifice on the cross.  The entire story of the birth and death of Jesus Christ, our Lord, is all about being "at just the right time."  

     Almost two thousand years later, many are wondering, even as Jesus' disciples did, when will He return?  He is our strength, our hope who will one day rule and reign over our messy, hurting world.  Only the next time He comes, Jesus will not be a babe in a manger but He will return to judge the world as our conquering king.  We do not know when this will take place.  He gave us hints in the Scripture as to what things to look forward to happening but of the exact hour, we do not know.  In 2 Peter 3:8-9, we are told:  "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”   These verses tell me that when the time is just right, our Savior will come again in glory.  Until that time, we are to stand in faith against the wiles of this world.  We are to preach the good news of Jesus Christ, be obedient to His commands and never forsake the assembling of ourselves together.

     While my mother may have been time challenged in wrapping her Christmas gifts, we are to be ready because "at just the right time" Christ will come again for His church.  Like those Bridesmaids in the parable whose lamps were filled with oil and ready for the Bride Groom to come, we must also be ready (Matthew 25:7).  

     On this Christmas, may we find joy in the preparation of our celebration and be ready for our Lord's return at any moment.  He will come like a thief in the night, and we shall be with Him forever.  Selah!

     

Its the Little Things that Count

      In this season when we think about gift giving, we often think of the big things we can buy or do for the ones we love; yet, in reality, the love of Christ is best demonstrated in the small acts of kindness we do for others.  Let me give an example.

     This year, Thanksgiving was different for us.  Having had knee surgery, I wasn't able to stand for hours working on pies and various side dishes. So, our children volunteered to make all the sides, get the desserts and cook the turkey.  They took care of the dishes as well, and as an added bonus, they got out our Christmas decorations and put them up for us.  This was such a blessing!  This is the type of gift that money cannot buy.  We often overlook these little things but Jesus reminded his disciples in Luke 16:10a:  "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much..."  Character is often revealed in the many small acts of kindness we show to others.

     During this time of celebrating the birth of Christ, what are some of the little things we can do, then, to bless others?  Some are so simple, we might overlook them.  I belong to a Post Polio Support Group and a member once mentioned that she felt overlooked when she was in a store because she was riding a scooter.  She said that people rarely take time to look at her since she is
seated when passing them.  I picked up on this, and now, when I am in a store, I take the time to look at those in a wheelchair or on a scooter and look them in the eye.  A smile and a kind word go a long way.  Acknowledging someone rather than ignoring them is a gift of love to that person.

     Another little thing we can do is to call someone and ask how they are doing.  Phone calls are the next best thing to an actual physical visit.  At this time, many are uncomfortable with in person get togethers, but we have things like FaceTime, Zoom, Facebook Messenger video chat and other possibilities.  When God lays a person on your heart, take it as a reminder to contact them and pray with them.  It could make their day!

     Sending a card or a note in the mail is also a blessing.  I often think of Berdene Johnson (now home with the Lord) who had a faithful  card ministry.  Every year, she sent my husband and I a card on our anniversary.  Few people even remember your wedding day so its a treat to receive a special card.  Being remembered by Christian friends can lift a heart.

     Finally, we can offer a helping hand if someone is moving or needs some cleaning done.  This is a blessing if the person is ill or just needs assistance with a big job that needs to be completed.  While we are helping them, we can be sharing the love of Christ with them as well.  Fellowship and work often go hand in hand.  Proverbs 3:27 tells us:  "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it."  This is a great reminder to all of us to do those little things we often neglect.

     Our lives keep us busy with so many activities daily that it is easy to overlook the little things that could make the lives of others so much better.  We take it for granted that friends and family know we love them, but when we show them by blessing them in a simple manner, it enriches not only their life but ours as well.   Let us look for ways to shine the light of Christ into the hearts of those around us this Christmas season.  We will never regret the time we spend in doing the little things for others.  Selah!

In His Time

     When 2020 began, we all had high hopes of what the new year would bring.  For me, I was looking forward to a partial knee replacement on January 29th so I could enjoy going for walks again.  The surgery went well, and I completed my rehab feeling confident  I could again enjoy the outdoors.  However, as we all know, March came rolling around with the threat of COVID and this curtailed much of our activities.  Still, I was able to get out for walks on a regular basis.

     Something happened during the summer though which changed the picture for me.  I don't know how it happened but the outside of my post op knee became damaged and extremely painful.  When I returned to my doctor, he told me the only long term fix would be to take out  the partial replacement and do a full knee replacement.  This isn't exactly what I had hoped for, but God does work all things together for good.  I began the pre-op work up in August for a possible September surgery date.  Then the roadblocks came along with heart testing and a biopsy on my lung.  All checked out well after several months of tests and I am now happy to say I had the full knee replacement on November 2nd.   Yes, I have to go through rehab again and "no" I do not like it, but it is part of the process of healing.  Like all things in life, there are some things we love to do and some things we "must" do whether we like it or not.

     In my many years of walking with the Lord, I have discovered that when I make time daily for the Lord my entire day goes much more smoothly.  There are, honestly, days when I
do not feel like taking the time to be in prayer or Bible study.  So what happens to us if we choose to make this our routine?  Let me suggest that it is very much like having knee surgery and not doing the exercises afterwards.  Following the procedure, the muscles are swollen, traumatized and weak.  They need exercise to prevent scar tissue from forming that makes movement painful.  I have talked with people whose family member went through knee surgery and refused to exercise on a regular basis.  Their loved one eventually was limited in range of motion and movement.  To me, that defeats the purpose of going through the surgery.  Joint replacement is painful, but living with chronic pain and not being able to walk very far is a greater limitation.  The same is true in our spiritual lives.

     There are days when we must give the Lord a sacrifice of praise because it may be hard to rejoice in that moment.  Perhaps reading Scripture is not something we feel like doing, but when we apply ourselves, God speaks to our hearts.  Even prayer may be strained on some days due to the burdens we are carrying.  Yet, when we push through the excuses, the feelings and lack of enthusiasm, we find that making time for the Lord is like sitting beside a refreshing stream.  We come away blessed and filled with the bread of life.  By the same token, if we ignore our duty to God, our days become emptier and our spiritual muscles weaker.

     Probably within this next week, I will begin regular rehab appointments with a physical therapist.  Does it hurt?  Yes.  Do I want to do it if given the choice?  No.  But...I want to grow strong so I can walk again and enjoy the world around me.  This will take time but I am reminded of the Scripture in Ecclesiastes 3:11:  "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end."  On this earth, we may not fully grasp what the Lord has accomplished for us as we walk through the ups and downs of life.  However, we know that what He has made is good and beautiful according to His time not ours.

     Just as I must practice my exercises with fidelity, so we must also train our hearts to be faithful daily to the call of time alone with our Savior.  We must not neglect these exercises which will give us strength.  Prayer, Bible study and making time for fellowship with other believers will help us grow strong in Christ.  Selah!