The Hardest Part

The Hardest Part

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;" Matthew 11:29a

As a Christian, I'm called to be like Jesus.

Be like Jesus. I take a deep breath. Jesus loved difficult people. He was flat out selfless. He served people he knew would turn on him. Still, he loved. He even loved people he knew would one day drive long stakes into his sinless flesh and smugly taunt him as he died a criminal's death.

Not even his closest friends were able to endure a day of sacrificial prayer for the Savior of their souls. Jesus gave and he gave, but they could never give back what his heart needed. They didn't have the capacity to love their Lord the way he loved them. Jesus' relationships were definitely one-sided. Except one. God the Father. He loved the Son perfectly and provided all the comfort his humanity required, while giving ultimate value to his sufferings.

Jesus might appear to be a doormat. He was no doubt used by the multitudes for what he could do for them--as many walked away, thankless, dusting their filthy shoes off on the ground he created. That hasn't changed.

I squeeze my nails into the palms of my hands. I refuse to be a doormat.

But, lets not be unaware. Jesus set clear boundaries with people. And he still does. His boundaries are grace and truth. Set in such an infallible way, he mercifully bestows upon mankind the choice to be in relationship with him—not the other way around. 

Jesus was never a people pleaser--like me--but a God pleaser and a God lover above everyone else. This commitment hardwired him to love his enemies and enter into a loving relationship with them. 

Be like Jesus. The crux of such a high and holy calling is loving people. Yet its the hardest. Loving people is so painful at times that my soul screams for release. Sometimes I despise the hard command—to love people. Especially people who come against me, who hurt me, who hurt people I love. 

Sound harsh? Are you surprised? Or are you thinking, "Finally someone is telling the truth"?  

Let's just be honest—loving others the way Jesus loves is not natural. Actually, its impossible. And pretending to love people "like Jesus" defiles my soul more than anything. Jesus wasn't pretending when he hung on that cross. My fake love is the greatest insult to his offered salvation. The often practiced fake-it-'til-you-make-it mantra is only a cunning appeal to my self-righteousness. Its insincerity--cloaked in niceties--lies to my heart that hypocrisy will eventually turn into love. Not in my strength, it won't. Only bitterness and resentment will flourish there. 

"Just be like Jesus . . . love like Jesus", I'm told. As I write this, the answer hits me as to why a rebellious urge to resist God's supernatural work in me to love unloveable people moves front and center, aiming to push Jesus out of the way.

Its not because I don't love God, but because I love myself more. Loving difficult people, even praying for my enemies threatens that love. Threatens me. My soul screams, "I can't! I won't!"

Tears stream down my cheeks. In Jesus' presence, I am broken. Because my soul truly longs to love like him. It yearns for more of Christ to love like Christ. And with God's help, I am able to love him and love others—even those who hurt me—a little more today than yesterday.

Because God gives value to suffering. 

I pause at that unexpected notion and I chew on it a while. It tastes like nothing I've ever experienced. 

Father God, thank You for loving me. I am unworthy. My love is prideful and self centered. Please help me to love like Jesus. Please help me to love You. I can't love right without You. Amen.

"Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:3

by Dana Lange

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CANCER JOURNEY--BOWL OF LEMONS

CANCER JOURNEY--BOWL OF LEMONS 

Editor's Note: The CCEA Cancer Support Group meets on a semi-regular basis at the home of Marie Hyepock (for information, please contact Marie at mhyepock@gmail.com or see the Cancer Support Group page on the CCEA Women's Website--cceawomen.org). The meeting this month was cancelled due to health issues. By way of encouragement, we are pleased to introduce you to a gifted artist, Crystal Maes. Crystal chose to document her journey from cancer diagnosis to victory in a series of paintings. Please go to her website, www.crystalmaes.com, to see her full message of honesty, truth and hope through this most pronounced of life changes. 

"I have cared for you since you were born. Yes I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime--until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you." Isaiah 46:3b-4

oil on panel, 36 x 36 inches

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I spent a lot of time thinking about what this journey—this detour in my life—meant to me. As an artist I decided to tell my story through painting. I visualized each process of the emotional and physical challenges I encountered. It became obvious to me—life was handing me a big bowl of lemons and it was up to me to determine what I was going to do with it. So I painted it.

 The image on this page is protected under copyright. Crystal Maes, 2018.
Used by permission of the artist, Crystal Maes, 2018

Joyful Praise

Joyful Praise

"I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High." Psalm 9:1-2

Choice. Five times the Psalmist states "I will." Praising him is a choice from our free will. No matter the circumstances of life--loss or failed relationships, concern for our children, health issues, insecurity, pain, or you-name-it--we are to exercise our free will and praise God in the circumstances. Why?

"For you have maintained my just cause; you have sat on the throne judging righteously." Psalm 9:4

The character of God is holy. His righteousness extends from that. He doesn't play games with us, tease or taunt us by 'holding out the lollipop" then snatching it away just as we reach for it.

"But the LORD abides forever; he has established his throne for judgment, and he will judge the world in righteousness; he will execute judgment for the peoples with equity." Psalm 9:7-8

His goodness is unchanging. Because we live in a fallen, sin-orchestrated world difficulties come to us. But God...will use those circumstances to purify and mature our faith.

Whatever we are going through, he has a greater purpose than we can see. To look at someone else's life and think they have it better or worse than we do is a trap from the enemy. 

God does not show partiality. He brings into our lives the outcome that will cause us to seek him. He is our strong tower that we can run to, the solid rock that will never crumble beneath our feet.

"The LORD also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, A stronghold in times of trouble; And those who know your name will put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you." Psalm 9:9-10

With this kind of reassurance, can we not make the choice for praise to "ever be on our lips?"

"Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion; declare among the peoples his deeds. For he who requires blood remembers them; he does not forget the cry of the afflicted. Be gracious to me, O LORD; see my affliction from those who hate me, you who lift me up from the gates of death, that I may tell of all your praises, that in the gates of the daughter of Zion I may rejoice in Your salvation" Psalm 9:11-14

And the icing on the cake of the believer's life:

"...those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father's will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day." John 6:37-40

by Marilyn Allison

Quicken Me

Quicken Me

"Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD." Psalm 150:6

Things are happening all around us. Can you see them? There is a melody sweetly sounding in the air. Can you hear it? It is a song as old as time and all creation around has been moving to the sound of it.

“For ye shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” Isaiah 55:12

Leaves are dancing, flowers bobbing, bees buzzing with delight. Let us join this continuous praise to our Savior and Creator—to our Lord Jesus Christ. Look around at the opportunities to share that joy—to tell the world it is theirs for the asking.

Shhh, listen. The birds are singing, asking us to join in the melody--to share in their songs of worship.

“Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches. Psalm 104:12

In fact, let your song be an act of worship, a prayer.

Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice! Psalm 141:2

Me, I’ll dance with abandon to an audience of One.

"Praise him with tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flutes!" Psalm 150:4

Find joy in this day. Dance or sing or skip or raise your hands in worship. Yell out loud,  ‘Hallelujah!”

Why?

Because God loves you. Creation knows it and you do, too. That, my friend, is reason enough.

“and though you have not seen him, you love him, and though you do not see him now, but believe in him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.” 1 Peter 1:8

by Eve Montano

Can You Imagine?

Can You Imagine?

"It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. They were calling out to each other, 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Heaven's Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!' Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke." Isaiah 6:1-4

Have you ever been "nudged" by the LORD with a thought or a direction and you just had to obey? You couldn't wait another minute? Well, that happened to me during worship this morning. Singing, eyes closed, hands in the air:

"You were the Word at the beginning
One with God the Lord Most High
Your hidden glory in creation
Now revealed in You our Christ
What a beautiful Name it is
The Name of Jesus Christ my King...
You didn't want heaven without us
So Jesus, You brought heaven down
My sin was great, Your love was greater
What could separate us now?
What a beautiful Name it is
Nothing compares to this...
Death could not hold You, the veil tore before You
You silenced the boast, of sin and grave
The heavens are roaring, the praise of Your glory
For You are raised to life again..."*

"Write it down."

What?

"Write it down...Now, before you forget."

So, I pulled out my phone and quickly dashed off a note. Then returned it to my purse and resumed singing, eyes closed and hands raised.

"I cast my mind to Calvary
Where Jesus bled and died for me
I see His wounds, His hands, His feet
My Savior on that cursed tree...
His body bound and drenched in tears
They laid Him down in Joseph's tomb
The entrance sealed by heavy stone
Messiah still and all alone...
O praise the name of the Lord our God
O praise His name forevermore
For endless days we will sing Your praise
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God...
And then on the third at break of dawn
The Son of heaven rose again
O trampled death where is your sting?
The angels roar for Christ the King."**

"Write it down."

What?

"Write it down. Can you hear it?"

I pulled out my phone and typed a note. And then I heard it...

I witnessed the LORD on his throne
His train filled the temple
The seraphim called Holy, holy, holy...
The angels and all heaven roared with a thunderous sound
The Son of heaven is risen from the dead
The Son of God is welcomed home!

Can you imagine the rejoicing in heaven when Jesus rose from the tomb?
Can you imagine the rejoicing in heaven when he ascended in the clouds and came home?
Can you imagine the rejoicing when we celebrate the Marriage Supper of the Lamb?

"He shall return in robes of white
The blazing sun shall pierce the night
And I will rise among the saints
My gaze transfixed on Jesus' face...
O praise the name of the Lord our God
O praise His name forever more
For endless days we will sing Your praise
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God."**

by Marilyn Allison

*"What a Beautiful Name It Is" by Brooke Ligertwood, Ben Fielding--Hillsong Worship
**O Praise The Name" by Dean Usher, Benjamin Hastings, Marty Sampson--Hillsong Worship