“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”    John 13:35

I love crime dramas. As the viewer, I am drawn in by the details of each case trying to figure out what really happened – whodunnit?

In court, the prosecutor always has the burden of proof, proving who is guilty. To do this, circumstantial evidence is collected that leads jurors to a compelling conclusion of guilt. An eyewitness who places the defendant at the scene of the crime, fingerprints, audio recordings of threats, harassing emails or texts are all examples of circumstantial evidence. When this type of evidence is used, one piece of evidence is not enough to convict someone. Remember, guilt beyond a reasonable doubt must be established. The more evidence the better, sealing the defendant’s fate. 

If I were to stand trial for being a Christian, I wonder if there would be enough evidence to find me guilty. How would this be measured? What kind of circumstantial evidence would there be to convince jurors that I am a Christian? 

In the 1960’s, a hymn was written titled They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love. It is based on John 13:34-35. In those verses, Jesus gives the command to love one another. He goes on to say that people will know His disciples by their love for one another. 

They will know we are Christians by our love … 

We are commanded to love one another. Period. End of sentence.

Love unconditionally. The way we are loved by God. (Yes, He loves us even when we are unlovable and don’t deserve it.)

Not – Love one another unless you are …

            … cut off in traffic

            … cheated 

            … deceived 

            … put down

            … unappreciated or underappreciated 

            … mistreated

The list goes on and on – doesn’t it?

Thank goodness, I have never been on trial; however, when I get to Heaven, I know I am accountable for how I live. I want to live each day so that there is insurmountable evidence to convict me of being a Christian by my demonstration of love for others.

Who will be on the list of eyewitnesses? Those who have seen me express love.

Will there be a paper trail or eTrail? My words recorded in cards, emails, and texts that lift up others.

Can my fingerprints be found where I have shown love? My touch documented in service of love to the church and in acts of love in our community.

In those crime dramas, evidence is presented at court that takes the defendant by surprise and shocks the gallery. I imagine this is the same with examples of how people know we are Christians. In those little moments and the everyday, ordinary way we carry and conduct ourselves, people recognize and later recollect what we do, where we go, and how we act – much to our surprise.

In the days, weeks, and years to come put love first. Show you are a Christian by your love, and you will be blessed in return. Guilty as charged!

Dear Lord, 

Thank you for loving me even when I am unlovable. In the drama of my life I need your help to show others the same love you extend to me. I pray today for love overflowing. I promise to show others I am a Christian beyond a reasonable doubt through my actions and my words. 

Amen. 

“On the evening of the first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you! As the father sent me, I am sending you.’”                                     John 20:19, 20 (NIV)

Years ago, we never (or very rarely) locked the doors of our home. It wasn’t until well after I was married that I really began to habitually check the doors and make sure they were locked before going to bed. 

I really only started doing this after waking up one Saturday morning with a neighborhood child peering down at me and my husband as we were sleeping in our bed. We awoke startled and confused. He, however, was just looking for our kids to come out and play on a warm, spring morning.

Obviously this was not a dangerous situation; nonetheless, we thought it was time to make sure we secured our house each night. Not out of fear of the five year old rascal from down the street but from the fear that the next time someone watched us sleep it could be someone with not so innocent intentions.

That’s the world we live in. One with locked doors. We lock ourselves in trying to keep others out. Generally, we do this out of fear – fear of violence, theft, the unknown. You have to be careful because you never know what or who is out there, right?

That fear in our lives is very real and affects each of us in different ways.

Like the disciples, there are times when we lock ourselves behind closed doors physically. Physically trying to keep whatever it is we are afraid of away. More commonly, we lock ourselves up in other ways, emotionally and spiritually.  We do this by avoiding people, events, and situations. We do this when we lock our heart refusing to let anyone in because we have been hurt before.

We are all afraid of something. 

What are you afraid of? And I don’t mean spiders, snakes, or the dark. What is fear keeping you from?

Maybe you are afraid of rejection which keeps you from forming close relationships, or failure which keeps you from trying something new, or losing someone you love which causes you to smother those you hold dear, or being alone which makes you too controlling of those around you.

Whatever it is, God wants to release you from your fear.

Just like the disciples, He wants to bring peace to your life and free you from fear so He can send you out on His behalf.

He is calling us out from behind our locked doors. He longs to send us out.

Whatever it is you are afraid of that keeps you from reaching out or moving ahead, it is time to grab hold of the peace given by God and unlock the doors that lead to greater things in your life. 

Where is He sending you? Do not be afraid. God is there, right beside you offering strength and courage to face whatever it is on the other side of that locked door. 

He is the key to unlocking your fears. 

”So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside will be clean.”                                                                                               Matthew 23:25, 26 (NIV)

I must admit – I am not a very good cook. I can cook, but I don’t enjoy it. I can follow a simple recipe; however, I always try to rush through the process. My husband, on the other hand, enjoys cooking and even creates his own recipes. He finds it therapeutic. Therefore, he cooks and I take care of the dirty dishes.

When I tackle a sink full of dirty dishes, I rinse out the inside of each item first and allow it to soak in soapy water if needed before I rinse off the outside (even if I am putting it in the dishwasher). I scrub the inside of each pot, pan, and plate. Then I rub my hand along the surface to make sure it is smooth and free of the pesky remnants of what it contained – which I refer to as gunk. I finish by wiping a rag across the outside surface and rinse the item one last time. Considerably less time is spent on the outside of each dish for obvious reasons. 

Jesus’ warning to the Pharisees about their dirty dishes clearly puts the focus on the importance of being clean on the inside. 

As Christians, we acknowledge this and make it a focus during the Lenten season. We give up something that is bad/ unhealthy or take on something that is good/ healthy to be cleaner on the inside. 

The problem comes when we only attend to this during Lent. When the 40 days are over, we all too often have a sense of relief that we can now return to our old ways – letting all that gunk (like greed and self-indulgence) build up again until next year. 

We all have dirty dishes. I would wager that you don’t go more than a couple of days before cleaning them. So why do we allow ourselves to remain a dirty dish?

This is one simple yet profound message for this Holy Week. 

I challenge myself and you to remember that after the Easter celebration of the resurrection the dishes still must be done. 

Clean the inside of your cup and dish and the outside will sparkle too!

Dear Lord, 

I thank you for this concrete, relatable example and reminder. Each time I face a sink full of dirty dishes may I remember your teaching to not allow things like self-indulgence and greed to build up inside of me. I want to be a clean vessel for your service.

Amen.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”                                                                                         Psalm 32:8

As a high school classroom teacher, I taught – students, of course, but more specifically – grammar and literature. I had some classes that were filled with honors students and others that were a blend of students with various levels of ability. 

In my classroom, I always did my best to provide challenging assignments for all students. When pushed out of our comfort zones, we find just how much we can achieve. I still believe lessons need to be relevant for the learners too. My classroom bulletin board simply stated, “Literature Reflects Life.” That is what I wanted students to understand. I wanted students to be able to apply their knowledge, connect their learning to their everyday lives, and become better communicators. To do this, students had to create new things and demonstrate their understanding. The best classes aren’t passive. They are active.

Students didn’t always get it quite right the first time so I would give them feedback and an opportunity to do the assignment over, better. This was most evident with writing assignments. The writing process can be a tedious one and for some people downright painful. Write. Revise. Rewrite. Revise. Rewrite … Maybe you can relate. But the process is necessary to improve not just grammar skills but overall communication skills. 

As an English teacher, the courses I taught were required for graduation. For better or worse, students needed to pass my class to take one more step closer to receiving a diploma. I never took that responsibility lightly. I wanted students to do well, advance, and ultimately graduate; however, it required work on the part of the student. Grades aren’t just given. They are earned. Earned with help and support along the way. 

Jesus is often referred to as the great teacher. His ministry on Earth was one of teaching and healing. He taught many lessons through parables to make his teachings more relevant to the listener or learner. Through the Bible, we see the examples of His teaching and we are challenged to improve and be better. For Jesus, the world is His classroom. We are His students. 

We encounter challenges in our lives. These are part of our lessons. Sometimes life is hard. We may think we can’t do it, but He is there to support us. Isaiah 41:10 reminds us, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

We have support and the opportunity to do better, be better. Thank goodness because I can be like that student who finds certain lessons painful taking me several tries to get it right. 

With help from the Lord, I can get it right. 

This is Christian Life 101 and it is a required course. We rise each day to new – or maybe repeated – life lessons and face new challenges as they come. Only by working through the challenges in life and following the teachings of Jesus do we reach the ultimate goal to finish and receive our heavenly reward hearing …“Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” (Matthew 25:23)

When challenges come your way, don’t wish them away. Look for the lesson. Know that you were meant for this. These challenges and trials are part of your development and move you one step closer to that heavenly goal. 

Be a great student of the Christian life. Grow as a Christian knowing that by following His teachings you are being led in the way you should go. Find it comforting to know you always have the good counsel of His loving eye on you every step of the way. 

Dear Lord,

Thank you for life’s lessons even when they are hard. Help me to always look for the good in times of trial and challenge. Let me appreciate the process of continuous self-improvement to grow closer to You.  I know you are bringing me to this and through this for a reason. I want to be a good student so that I can be a better Christian.

Amen.

“Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.”                                                                                                                   Psalm 62:8 (NIV)

Throughout high school and college, I worked at a large family amusement park. As an employee in the rides department I had the opportunity and took the initiative to become a ride operator. Through that process, I was trained to operate all of the rides in the park from a variety of roller coasters to the carousel. 

Part of my duties as a ride operator and foreman was to complete safety checks twice a day which included actually riding the ride or a group of rides where I was working. I never got tired of this. What a great job! I got to talk to people, work with my friends and ride the rides – no waiting!

Like most unbridled teens, I loved the thrill of the roller coasters the most. I was always ready to experience the next bigger, faster thrill ride they would build. Yet, as an old soul in a young body, I also appreciated the tranquility and peaceful atmosphere of the old carousel perched in isolation upon a wooded hill. 

While in my youth I most preferred the excitement of the thrill rides. Today, I am not as brave or spontaneous. I am not so willing to jump onto the nearest closest roller coaster for an adventure. I have traded my carefree, let’s-try-everything attitude for one with a little more caution. 

When I visit an amusement park, I no longer race from one ride to the next, visiting the larger thrill rides multiple times. No, when given the choice, I prefer to take a more leisurely approach and space out my heart-racing experiences. I am careful to choose wisely.

In our daily lives, however, we don’t always have the choice.

In life, you can find yourself stuck in the mundane – a repetitive circuit. Safe, consistent, relaxed – like the carousel. Then, before you know it you are thrust onto a roller coaster. Climbing, falling, dipping, swerving – plummeting breathless into the unknown. 

This can be terrifying, especially if you didn’t see it coming.

Equally as terrifying can be the thought that you are stuck on the carousel. No change in sight. Everything is predictable. 

It really doesn’t matter where you find yourself on any given day at any given time in your life. Whether you are in the midst of the chaos of kiddie land or kicked back in a quiet corner watching all of the action, God is there. Have no fear. 

As you are holding on white-knuckled while life tosses you about and your heart sinks into your stomach, have no fear. Pour out your heart’s desire and know He is your refuge – your redeemer. 

Whether you are on a death-defying, you-never-know-what’s-next kind of roller coaster or experiencing the routine course of the carousel, turn to the one who loves you – your refuge and strength. He will ride it out with you!

(This week has been filled with grief in our community. I felt compelled to share the devotional below which I wrote several years ago after the loss of a student as it speaks to the grief we face in life as well as the hope and peace we find only in God.)

“My soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, ‘Gone is my glory, and all that I had hoped for from the Lord.’”                                              Lamentations 3:17-18 (NRSV)

Sadly, I attended a funeral for a teenager. A young man had been battling cancer for several months. Although, it seemed he might be gaining the upper hand on his illness another unforeseen complication arose and he passed away unexpectedly. 

I had the opportunity to share my condolences with the father as he was navigating through his grief. Through it all, I continued to wonder how could there be any greater pain than the pain of losing a child? Why does this happen? How can a parent come to terms with and move through such a dark time?

As you can imagine the reason I am sharing this experience is because the service for this young man had a profound impact on me. In part due to the incomprehensible loss of young, innocent life, and in large part due to the thoughts shared in the message that day. 

I appreciated the officiating pastor who directly addressed and acknowledged the deep understandable feelings of grief, loss, and loneliness on that day. Moving beyond that, he underscored the joy to be found in that day … no more pain, brokenness, restrictions, or disease. The joy of the eternal life we all seek. Then he went deeper by linking that joy to music which this young man loved so much. Everyone was encouraged to sing with a challenge by the pastor for all in attendance to find just one reason to be joyful – to praise God. 

Just one reason …

As we each joined in the singing very softly at first, it all clicked within my heart and mind. Even in our darkest, loneliest, most grief-stricken moments, we need only to find just one reason to rejoice with God. Here are some of the words we sang:

Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I’ll worship Your holy name

The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes      (excerpt from 10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman)

It is my sincere prayer that in the coming days, weeks, months, and years those dealing with grief that accompanies an unimaginable loss will wake each day and find just one more reason to praise God.

When we walk through those dark valleys on life’s journey and hit those all time lows, may we each find Just One Reason for joy and may that one reason lead us out of that darkness and back into the light.

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-23

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”             Romans 12:12 (NIV)

Do you ever have those days when you just think to yourself, “My heart just isn’t in it today”?

Possibly on the way to work, at church, with your chores, or just looking in the mirror? 

I do. Sometimes I don’t just think it. I say it out loud. I have even confessed it to others. 

Some days, I am just not invested in the task at hand. Deep down I want to be on fire and totally devoted to whatever I am doing. The quote on my signature line of my email sums it up: “Each day I wake up determined to change the world and have a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult.” (paraphrased from E.B. White)

The truth is some days or at times I just don’t feel it. I am not sure why. That feeling – or lack of feeling – drives me crazy. I feel out of sorts, discombobulated. No sense of purpose. No sense of direction. I just go through the motions.

Sometimes those motions are slow – like I am walking in mud. Nothing is truly getting accomplished. I am meeting the minimum requirement to exist. Then at other times, everything moves in fast forward – hurrying from one thing to the next. Just checking off tasks from the list. During one of my whirlwinds, I can remember saying to my children, “Take as much time as you need, but hurry up!” My version of exercising patience, I guess. 

During those times, I just can’t find the meaning. I can’t find the joy. No one stole it from me. I just can’t locate it. I must have misplaced it. 

I begin to wonder if I have done something to cause this emptiness. Have I done something differently? Am I doing this all wrong? I get bogged down. 

Then just as suddenly as I lost heart, I remember – pray. I remind myself to pray. 

Pray for joy – pray to find the joy. And if not joy, peace. Pray for the kind of joy and peace that only comes from God. 

Today, have you misplaced your joy? Have you lost heart? Is your heart just not in “it” today? 

Pray. Pray about it. I guarantee you will be pleasantly surprised with the results.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”   Romans 15:13

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise.”     Ephesians 5:15 (NASB)

So there I was walking swiftly down the hall at work, sporting some really cute three inch heels with no back strap. (I know this detail means very little to the men reading this, but all of the women are shaking their heads knowing what’s coming next or wondering if I got a great deal on the cute shoes.) As it goes, my right foot landed a bit sideways on one of my steps causing my whole foot to turn in and me to slip. 

Instinctively, I looked around after regaining my balance wondering if anyone saw what happened. Then, I began to check the floor as if something on the perfectly clean floor caused my slip up. Seeing nothing, of course, I resumed my walk even more confident and purposeful on my mission. 

Much in the same way, I occasionally slip on my Christian walk – OK, so it is more like frequently. Then, I catch myself acting in a similar manner as I described above. It goes something like this: I am speeding through life, moving swiftly down the halls of time. I do something I know goes against my Christian way of life and beliefs. I might join in the gossip, use some unflattering vocabulary, judge someone before I give them a chance, skip Bible study, and the list goes on and on. Upon realizing my slip up, I worry – wondering if anyone noticed. Did someone who knows I am a Christian notice I wasn’t “walking the talk”? Or worse did I cause someone else to stumble? Maybe negatively influencing a non-Christian who saw me and thought, “… And she’s a Christian?!” Next, I look for someone or something else to blame. Creating excuses like I have been really stressed lately, someone was mean to me, nobody’s perfect! I brush aside my mistake and before you know it, I am well on my way again. Full steam ahead. Zooming through life until the next stumble. 

Isn’t that the way it usually happens? You don’t mean to trip, slip or falter as a Christian, but it just happens – when you least expect it. Ephesians 5:15 reminds us to watch our step. Be wise in your Christian walk. The next verse clarifies the reason:

“…making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”  Ephesians 5:16

You don’t have to look far to find evil in our world. Furthermore, time is often not our friend. It is up to us to use our time wisely and to make the most of the days we are given. 

All the more reason to be careful how you walk and … watch your step! 

“… but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not faint.”  Isaiah 40:31 (ESV)

One of my guilty pleasures is fast food. Sometimes I just can’t resist those salty, golden French fries. On days when I decide to treat myself, I will drive out of my way to swing into one of my favorite fast food locations to place my much anticipated order.

Occasionally when this happens, the line at the drive through window will be wrapped halfway around the building causing my heart to sink – this is supposed to be “fast food,” right?! However, almost always I put my car in line which extends it even farther.

To me, it is worth the wait.

What else is worth the wait? Waiting in a mob of crazed shoppers on Black Friday to get a great deal on the latest technology. Waiting for a seat at my favorite restaurant; Waiting on a call from a friend to schedule a get together or waiting to see a doctor when I don’t feel well. These are all well worth the wait to me. 

Your own personal “worth the wait” list may be longer or shorter depending on your tolerance and patience. Although in this fast-paced, instant gratification world I believe most people aren’t willing to wait on much – because we usually don’t have to. 

As I look back over my “worth the wait” list, I realize most of the things on my list are silly or insignificant. Yet to increase my personal happiness, I would most surely wait on each and every one of them. 

My list makes me question – I am willing to wait for French fries but am I willing to wait for the Lord?

To that I have to answer – not always.

I ask God for answers. I pray for outcomes. But, I get impatient. I want God to operate on my timeline. I am inclined to believe He isn’t listening to me when I don’t see a result in what I consider a reasonable amount of time. I catch myself asking: Aren’t you listening God? Don’t you care, Lord?

Why is it I am so patient waiting 6 cars back to place an order for food but I am so impatient with God?

The psalmist wrote in chapter 40 verse 1, “I waited patiently on the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.”

It is all about patience.

You would think by now I would realize God is worth the wait. As frustrating as it may be, sometimes the wait is part of the answer. The wait can prepare us for the outcome. For better or for worse, His answer is perfect with perfect timing. The outcome He orchestrates is part of the bigger picture called life.

God is worth the wait. 

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”      Psalm 27:14 (NLT)

Sometimes the answer to our prayers is bold and clear and at other times it is quiet, subtle. Regardless – yes – God’s answer is worth the wait.

So what in your life is worth the wait? Catching the perfect fish? A long awaited vacation? 

How do those things compare to how God works in your life? Most likely, you will find those things pale in comparison to what God is doing in you and through you over time.

The next time you drive up to make your requests known to God and you find  you have to pull over and wait because the answer does not come, remember (before you get frustrated): Wait for the Lord. God is worth the wait!

“I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore, I will wait for him.”  Lamentations 3:24 (NIV)

“… he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;”             Psalms 103:10-11

As a young girl – a preteen – I remember picking a flower seeking insight and direction regarding a burning question: “Does he really like me?” I plucked each petal in search of the answer – 

            (first petal) He loves me.         (second petal) He loves me not.

While alternating these phrases, one petal at a time floated gently to the ground until only one remained …      He loves me – not.

Not exactly the answer I was looking for so I did what any other stubborn child would do – I picked another flower (and another, and another). Even when I got my wish and believed, He loves me, it wasn’t true or at least not for long anyway. 

With time and maturity, I came to realize that no amount of petal-plucking could ensure someone would love me.

Don’t we act the same way toward God? We think he picks and chooses who to love.

He loves me.  He loves me not.

            I share my gifts and talents with others – He loves me.

            I have a moment where I don’t use my church words – He loves me not.

            I’ve done all that I should; pray, read my Bible, attend church regularly – He loves me.

Things from the past come to mind making me feel shameful, embarrassed – 

He loves me not.

You keep this pattern going and end with one last proverbial petal and you conclude:

                        He loves me not. How could He?

If you find yourself with one last petal and it is labeled, He loves me not, I am here to remind, tell, and emphasize, you couldn’t be more wrong.

Read Psalms 103:10-11 again.

Thankfully, God does not treat us we deserve. His love is unconditional, transcending all reason. His love for you is as high as the heavens. Vast, immense, beyond measure.

So next time you’re tempted to pick yourself (your words, thoughts, actions) apart like that flower, remember and recite He loves me.

How can I be sure?

Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.  On that you can depend!