From the Manger To the Cross -- Prepositional Phrase or Powerful Truth

From the Manger To the Cross -- Prepositional Phrase or Powerful Truth
I remember learning prepositional phrases in grade school. A preposition is a word such as: after, in, to, on, with and are usually used in front of nouns or pronouns and they show the relationship with words in a sentence. I became a technical editor at an Electric Cooperative years ago where I worked as an Administrative Assistant to the General Manager. I started out simply reading, proofing, and editing articles that were submitted for the monthly newsletter and publication. Before long, I became a journalist as I interviewed employees and customers, and eventually became the editor of that monthly publication.

Isn’t it amazing how, when we are willing to adapt to new learning experiences and then embrace them as our own, that we excel in new business and life opportunities? That on-the-job training has served me well as I continue to provide those skills to ministries and organizations today.

As a technical editor, I recognize the appropriate use of prepositions and am keen on being sure that I never leave them hanging at the end of a sentence. For example, incorrectly used: “I learned that skill at the company I worked for.” Correctly worded: “At the company I worked for, I learned that skill.” No big deal in casual communications like a text message or email, but when I was editing my daughter's books or writing an article for a publication, I made sure I wasn't leaving them hanging.

Enough of my grammar lesson for today because this post is about the proper understanding of the prepositions that should cause us all to feel absolutely charged up about important relationships. For example: Abraham Lincoln's famous words from the Gettysburg Address were "a government OF the people, BY the people, FOR the people", is memorable for its prepositions. But, even greater is our relationship with God. One of the ways we can discover more about the Lord, and His relationship with us, is through the prepositions that indicate our position IN Him: "All things have been created THROUGH Him and FOR Him, and He is BEFORE all things, and IN Him all things hold together"(Colossians 1:16-17). Our entire relationship with God is very well expressed with three prepositions: We are IN Christ, WITH Christ, and UNDER Christ. "WITH God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26 "WITHOUT Him we can do nothing." John 15:5

Just think about this little Baby Boy Who we celebrate during this tender and sweet time of the year Who is packed full of hope and purpose that links together time, people, places and things that glue us together. We aren't just hanging out there like an incorrect positioning of a prepositional phrase. No hanging, but fully IN us, living THROUGH us, WITH us, FOR us. We can apply all those prepositional phrases TO our lives WITH gratitude that the little BABY went FROM the manger TO the cross and BECAME our Sovereign Lord and Mighty King!

With God, Nothing is Impossible

We knew we were on holy ground when we saw these three crosses and sign at Camp Copass in Denton, TX. Having spent the last 4 days at their beautiful retreat center, facilities and grounds, and experiencing the peace of God in this away-from-it-all location, is beyond adequate explanation. Finding ourselves in many opportunities to "Be still and know....He is God" was exactly what we all needed AND experienced. Most of us, from young single women, to young mothers and more mature women, have daily opportunities to face and cope with conflict AND noise -- in our careers, raising children, health and financial challenges, relationships and daily routines.

But, we found the answer to refreshing, restoring, reconciling and rejuvenating is when we have the opportunity to go to place of quiet and stillness, focusing on our relationship with Jesus Christ, THE ONE who looked at His disciples and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26 -- words on the sign that welcomed us.

The 3rd photo here is my sweet roommate and I. The other photo is some of my "besties" at the retreat. I didn't know these women before, but I knew I had to set aside any hesitations about being a "newbie" and be willing to cultivate new friendships. Spending four days in the presence of God as a tight-knit little group among 79 women in attendance, made for life-time memories and bonding. My desire to meet and know many new Christian women was fulfilled. Mission accomplished.

I came home yesterday and thought about what we experienced during those 4 days -- peace, serenity, feeling in touch with God and hearing His voice, having MANY "aha" moments, seeing women experience life transformation, and it occurred to me "with God, nothing is impossible" -- especially when we put ourselves out there to take bold steps of faith, trusting He is leading and directing the way.

Maybe you can't get away to a physical retreat location, but it's possible to find a place of peace like we found at Camp Copass in our every-day of life -- even if it's in the middle of a football game (I needed that peace last night when my Dallas Cowboys lost yet another game -- LOL!) or cleaning house with kids playing Nerf War games. In our hearts and minds, we can "check-out" of the routine and experience that "peace that passes understanding". Going to Him Who is our PRINCE OF PEACE -- anywhere and anytime -- we'll find Him there. After all, "With God -- nothing is impossible"! I KNOW! I'm there right now!

Whole Lotta' Infusion Going On

Whole Lotta' Infusion Going On

Infusion -- To fill or cause to be filled with something. That word resonated within me when I heard about a friend's husband’s recent cancer surgery. Infusion is a word that my Sweetheart and I became all too familiar with during the course of his battle against cancer. He had his share of I.V. infusions for hydration, nutrition, medication, blood transfusions, antibiotics and chemo. Thankfully, no more infusions, of that sort, needed. He’s healed, whole and cheering us all on from heaven’s grandstands.

During that season, so many people asked me, "How do you cope with the ups and downs of your faith journey?" I'll tell you how we continued to believe we were "winning" no matter what we faced. When Ron and I first talked about that word, infusion, we looked at it two-fold: one, in the medical sense, but then we started saying….."We are also being 'infused' by God's Word as we continue to trust in His many promises." Psalm 119:130 says "The entrance (infusion) of Your words give light." When we meditated on God's Word, it brought light and life. As everyone knew, that was the source of our strength, as we meditated, trusted in, and placed our hope upon the infallible Word of God. We believed it was crucial for our success.

Today, in my own journey of faith, I continue with daily “infusions” of God’s Word. Here’s a verse that explains my quest. "If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction" Psalm 119:92. That is so true. It has been my lifeline. It has been my strength. Many times during the faith journey with my husband, and now as a widow, I’ve been literally squeezed, but that's why I want to be so filled with the Word of God that when I AM squeezed – when I am facing a challenge, or when I am at a loss for human understanding, or when I am faced with situations in life over which I have no control, I know that I MUST be so filled with the Word of God that I pour out faith and hope and trust in the midst of the storms. That was our mainstay and continues to be my "shelter in the time of storm" today.

In the Catholic Church, when scriptures from one of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) is read, we do the sign of the cross on our foreheads (indicating "May this Word be in my mind"), on our lips (indicating "May this Word be in my mouth") and in my heart (indicating "May the Word be in my heart"). How do we actually get those words into our minds, our mouths and our spirits? By meditating on those words, 24/7, reading them and speaking them consistently over circumstances in our lives. Being as intentional with believing, trusting and speaking -- taking in God's words like medicine, as much as we would take prescribed medications given to us.

So whatever the “issue” is that you and I are facing today and whatever the outcome, we know God’s Word that says "with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26)! We are INFUSED with those words. That Word alone is in my mind, my mouth and in my heart. How did it get there? My daily “infusions”.

Just LOVE

Day 175 of Photo Inspirations -- JUST LOVE
My grandfather was an "Old Time Gospel" Baptist Preacher. He could preach "hail, fire and brimstone" with the best of them. And, my precious polar-opposite grandmother would temper his words by saying, "JUST LOVE".

God is LOVE!  The greatest example of that LOVE was Jesus Christ. The woman caught in the act of adultery -- He loved her to repentence; Zacchaeus, the Tax Collector -- He loved him to salvation; the Naughty Samaritan Woman at the well -- He loved her to her becoming an Evangelist; Saul of Tarsus, who persecuted thousands of Christians -- He loved him to becoming an Evangelist and the writer of 2/3's of the New Testament.

During the Vietnam War, Mother Teresa was asked, "Will you march with us in protest of the war?" She calmly replied, "No, but when you have a march for peace, I'll be there."   I love that.

It's a complete drain of energy to be against something -- but to be FOR something actually increases our enthusiasm and energy. Let's be FOR peace, harmony, justice and every good thing. We don’t try to get rid of the cold in our house; we simply turn on the heat. We can't fight the darkness that may fill a room; we just turn on the light.

How can we LOVE when there is so much wrong in the world?   Grace.  God treats us -- not with what we deserve,  but He treats us with loving-kindness and mercy.  GOD IS LOVE -- and that means He is good to those who deserve it as well as to those who don't deserve it. His love embraces saints AND sinners. Doesn't it make sense that our love for others should be marked by the same kindness and mercy that God has given us?

How can we possibly love those who are just plain evil? With the response that He had for Saul and Zaccheas and the thief on the cross. "WITH GOD, all things are possible." Matthew 19:26.  In our own strength, it will be impossible, but in His strength and in His love, our hurts, fears and prejudices can be conquered.  Only the cross of Jesus Christ can free us from the cruelty of malice, hatred, revenge, and resentment.  His cross give us the courage to return evil with good.

We have a choice. To be a protester or a peacemaker; to be a hater or a lover; to be angry or joyful; to be a finger pointer or a forgiver.

"Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good."  Romans 12:21
In the words of my sweet grandmother....."JUST LOVE!"