What Will We Do?

Spring! Blooming trees, tulips, buttercups, pansies, wild green onions, weeping willows, breeze-tickled ponds and streams. The days’ soundtrack harmonizes cardinals cheering; chickadees chick-a-dee, dee, deeing; children giggling; lawnmowers humming.

Spring, for me, equals resurrection wonder. But with the beauty and wonder comes a nauseating mindfulness. The life, death and resurrection certainly didn't look or sound much like the beauty I see in spring days.

Rereading the story of Jesus' last days, his betrayal, and crucifixion, I see that most of life and the way I perceive it, the way I pursue it, the way I process it evolves around the answer to one question: What will I do with Jesus?

The Jewish leaders decided what they would do with Jesus. The following He was gaining, the work He was doing, the claims to be the Son of God had to be stopped. Unable to end His life under their laws, they took Jesus to Pilate with a plan. The shifting of responsibilities and the blame game was on.

But Pilate knew how to play, too. "What are your charges against this man?" said Pilate to the angry mob. "Well, we'd not have brought him here if he'd not committed evil," they retort.

Pilate serves, "Then take him and judge him by your laws."

"Well, by our laws we can't kill him – we can kill no one under our laws," they return.

So the death game continues, back and forth, the volley of the ball of guilt. Players, they thought. Oh, little did they know……

Before time began, before a single one of them had breathed their first breath the Plan was in place. God knew there was no winning the games we would play without a perfect redeeming Lamb.
They thought they were directing an end to their problems, when, in fact, they were part of an ends to the means of saving a world that would die an eternal, hopeless death without a Savior. So He came……

So spring comes every year, to the earth, to my heart, to the world. It comes in the beauty of nature. It comes in the shadow of the cross; in the damp coolness of a tomb, rock rolled back, death cloths emptied, morning sun peeking through a symphony of birdsong.

Praise God, Jesus came; he died; he arose; and He's coming again!

What will I do with Jesus? What will you do with Jesus?

Who am I?

Draping his shoulders, anticipating the honor and respect that always saturated the air, I am shocked, realizing something is terribly wrong as they place the crown on his head. Thorns! "Hail, King of the Jews!" The words were right but they were jeering, mocking and spitting. His blood mingled with my rich dyes as they crushed the brambled ring into his scalp and brows. I inhaled deeply the sweat and earth as all of life stopped, and I was sucked into a vacuum of darkness.

Transported, I watched with wilted heart from wisteria as they left the garden, but hope resurrected as I was called into service in the tabernacle and the courts of the children of Israel. I heard he was coming. They heard he was coming. What now?

And in a flash I sparkled amethyst bright and bold, joined by my fellow precious gems, our lights dimmed by His presence enthroned. New heaven, new earth -- everything new -- everything here, everyone here, reflecting His glory.

I fall at his feet as they lead him away. You can't strip him of his royalty and his honor. Oh horror, you cannot crucify hope! Gloat today, ignorant of your role in the very deliverance for which all of creation groans.

I am purple, but He is Lord!

A Little Light, Please

Brown, not black. I couldn’t tell the difference as I fumbled in my sock drawer, in a hurry for work. Low light in the bedroom coupled with a vision problem made it impossible to know the difference without assistance.

My cell phone’s flashlight provided the exact tool to solve the problem. The answer was right at my fingertips.

In a world of a billion choices – tweets & texts; posts & pins – I am quickly overwhelmed and easily distracted. Daily devotion time is crucial and life-giving; without it, I starve and strive.

Technology has placed the Word in our hands and at our fingertips on our phones, tablets, and computers. We are blessed to possess the Word in print without fear of persecution … yet. It's the Light on our devices and nightstands.

I can’t promise I’ll post on a schedule, but I’d love to have you journey with me on a path where our steps are illuminated and the big picture is growing clearer. Our sustenance is the Word; it is the one thing needful – Jesus.

 

Will you join me? Let’s travel!