I Resolve to Resolve

The new year is a wonderful time to reflect. There are other good times for that, of course, but with a fresh year ahead it can give a different outlook.

So with a clean slate before us, so to speak, I think of Romans 12:1-2. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

I haven't been one to make New Year's resolutions in the past because many of the examples I've heard were made so flippantly, and there seem to be so few taken seriously that the resolution isn't kept. Perhaps, that's because in our own strength, we simply fall short like an arrow dropping before the target. Recently I've acquired The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards, who was one of the well-known evangelists of the 18th century. The key resolution, written as a preface to the 70 resolutions to follow, is this: "Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to His will for Christ's sake." With Mr. Edwards quote in mind, I have one goal for the coming year for which I'll strive for more than previous years. My resolution, my goal for 2009 is Romans 1:16 & Philippians 1:20. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

Looking back at the entries of this past year, I realized that most included a song. For the start of this new year, I am going to and yet another one. One that accurately reflects the verses on my heart today, of proclaiming Christ's love, growing closer to Him, and looking for His coming.

I'll Tell the World

Baynard L. Fox

I’ll tell the world, that I’m a Christian;

I’m not ashamed, His name to bear.

I’ll tell the world, that I’m a Christian;

I’ll take Him with me anywhere.

I’ll tell the world, how Jesus saved me,

And how He gave me a life brand new;

And I know that if you trust Him

That all He gave me, He’ll give to you.

I’ll tell the world, that He’s my Saviour;

No other one, could love me so.

My life, my all is His forever,

And where He leads me I will go.

I'll tell the world that He is coming;

It may be near or far away.

But we must live as if His coming

Would be tomorrow or today.

For when He comes, and life is over,

For those who love Him there’s more to be;

Eyes have never seen the wonders

That He’s preparing, for you and me.

O tell the world, that you’re a Christian;

Be not ashamed, His name to bear.

O tell the world, that you’re a Christian,

And take Him with you everywhere.

The Birthday of a King

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
(As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name [was] Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.

~ Luke 2:1-33

This passage is a favorite among believers this time of year. And with due reason: it is Christ's birth that we celebrate. As is the well-known saying, Jesus is the reason for the season! And He is. Why is Jesus the reason for the season? Because we needed a Saviour, and only He could be the one to redeem mankind. That's why verses 30-32 have been especially dear tome in recent years... because this is His reason for the season. "For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." Jesus came to earth for one reason: to be our salvation.

As we commemorate the birth of Christ today,
may the light of His Word shine in your hearts
and the glory of His presence be very real to you.

Merry Christmas!

Light the Brightest Candle!

One of my favorite songs when I was a little girl was a sweet little Christmas song called Happy Birthday, Jesus. It's always been a reminder to me off the preciousness of Christ's birth, the very essence of this celebrative season.

Happy birthday, Jesus!
Happy birthday to the Lord.
Happy birthday, happy birthday,
Happy birthday to the Lord!

Let the earth cry out, "Hallelujah!"
Let the people shout for joy.
Let the starburst light the brightest candle,
And the celebrate the birthday of God's baby boy!

Happy birthday, Jesus!
Happy birthday to the Lord.
Happy birthday, happy birthday,
Happy birthday to the Lord!

It's quite common to receive gifts on our birthday. However, His birth day is a gift to us. Because of His birth the gift of eternal life is yours for the taking by placing your trust exclusively in Him and His finished work on the cross, and that's a gift so great that it could never be matched! Truly, Christmas is this love gift of everlasting life being commemorated.

So as we look forward to a day of festivities, may your focus be on the things with greater than earthly value, and may you never lose sight of the Christ in Christmas.

Happy birthday, Jesus!

It Is Well With My Soul

In recent weeks there has been a song that has been on my mind quite a bit. It was encouraging to think on its lyrics when we received the news that my grandma's twin sister was failing. Those last days were filled with precious times to remember. The special moments we had alone with her, reading comforting Bible verses to her, praying together, and, although my great-aunt was unable to speak, her gestures were telling us what she had been trying to communicate yet couldn't say in words: that she was trusting in nothing else, no one else, only Jesus as her Saviour. Trusting in Jesus removes the penalty of sin, the fear of death & eternal suffering of hell, and gives the assurance of God's promise of eternal life to believers. She is now with her Lord! The week following her promotion to glory, the hymn was sung at the funeral for the son of my father's good friend.

One thing that makes this song so dear to me, and seems to draw people especially during suffering, is that the author himself had trials of great sorrow within just a few years time. In this beautiful hymn, the writer attests that no matter the circumstances of life, with Jesus Christ as your Saviour, all can still be well with your soul. The history behind a song is always of interest to me, so, with the families of these dear ones in mind, I thought I'd share this one with you with the hope that all who read it will be comforted on their life's journey, too.

Horatio Spafford, a successful lawyer who invested heavily in real estate, and his wife, Anna, along with their five children, lived in Chicago, Illinois. With the help of Biblical teaching and preaching of his close friend Dwight L. Moody, he learned to live a life surrendered to God, and from that time forward, he committed everything he had into the Lord's care - his life, his family, and his earthly possessions.

A major time of grief came when their son passed away. His death was followed closely by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which left the Spaffords' financial state in ruins. Thereafter, he and his family made plans for an extended time in England, corresponding with Mr. Moody's evangelistic endeavors there (with whom they intended continuing their close friendship). However, last minute business hindered Horatio from leaving alongside his family. His wife and four daughters continued on ahead to England while he would follow shortly after to join them.

Anna and the girls set sail on the passenger liner Ville du Havre from New York. In mid-ocean, disaster struck when the Lochearn, an iron clipper, collided with their ship in the early morning hours on November 22, 1873. The Ville du Havre sank in just twelve minutes. That day 226 lives were lost at sea; the survivors of both vessels, totaling 172, were brought to Cardiff, Wales.

News reports reached the States of the tragedy, yet Horatio heard nothing about his family. Finally, nine days after the collision, Horatio received a brief message from his wife. "Saved alone. What shall I do..."

On the ocean voyage to be reunited with his wife, the vessel's captain approached Horatio to notify him that they were nearing the area where the Ville du Havre went down. As they passed through those mid-Atlantic waters where his four daughters left this earthly home, he penned the words to this well-known hymn, which no doubt was a comfort his wife also needed. Soon after he said, "On Thursday last we passed over the spot where she went down, in mid-ocean, the waters three miles deep. But I do not think of our dear ones there. They are safe, folded, the dear lambs."

It Is Well With My Soul

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

It is well, (it is well)

With my soul, (with my soul)

It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trails should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well, (it is well)

With my soul, (with my soul)

It is well, it is well with my soul.

My sin - oh, the bliss of this glorious thought -

My sin, not in part, but the whole -

Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well, (it is well)

With my soul, (with my soul)

It is well, it is well with my soul.

And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,

The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend,

"Even so" - it is well with my soul.

It is well, (it is well)

With my soul, (with my soul)

It is well, it is well with my soul.

Sometime later, he added verses that aren't commonly known, but still just as beautiful. When placed in their proper succession, these are considered the fourth and fifth verses:

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:

If Jordan above me shall roll,

No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life

Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But, Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,

The sky, not the grave, is our goal;

Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!

Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

The rest of the story: Mr. & Mrs. Spafford returned to Chicago where they raised 2 more daughters and another son, Horatio, Jr., whom they lost to scarlet fever in his childhood. The Spaffords journeyed to Jerusalem, and it was there that Mr. Horatio Spafford, Sr., passed on to his heavenly home.

Each and every verse of It Is Well With My Soul illustrates a little bit more of the comfort we have in Christ. The second and third verses clearly state why we can have that comfort and assurance.

Oh, this glorious, blessed assurance! Christ has seen our sinful condition. He willingly left His home in heaven to live a perfect life on earth, all with the purpose to shed His blood on the cross for us, then rise from the dead to conquer death. So if we will trust only in Him, all our sin is nailed to the cross for us to bear no more because He will save us. "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2

This hymn is also a reminder to me of another precious truth. It is comforting to know that others who have experienced similar circumstances as our own understand what we are going through. Yet how much more so to know that Jesus Christ understands all that we are going through and more besides! He knows the pain, the suffering, the grief. We can take all our burdens and sorrows to Him, and He will take them upon Himself and sustain us.

"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. ...who is the health of my countenance, and my God." Psalm 42:5, 11b

Counting Our Blessings

Thanksgiving Day is here again! I love having a day set aside for the giving of thanks! It's something we should take time to do every day, yet to dedicate an entire day is also a special thing. When we give thanks we usually take the time to stop, reflect, and count our blessings. So why don't we take a moment to do just that as we also think about the words to this beautiful hymn.

Count Your Blessings

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God hath done!

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,

And you will keep singing as the days go by.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God hath done!

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;

Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy

Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God hath done!

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,

Do not be disheartened, God is over all;

Count your many blessings, angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God hath done!

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

One thing that I think makes this song so lovely is that it expresses "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (I Thessalonians 5:18) Each verse begins with something that doesn't seem all that great and concludes with a reason to give praise. It doesn't matter where you are in life, or what your circumstances might be, because if you know the Lord as your Saviour, there's nothing that can take that away from you. And that's worth more than the world!

So, may we give thanks to Whom it is due. ... Not just today, however, but every day and always.

Happy Thanksgiving!

More than a Life Jacket

Some of my fondest memories are of times when I was out fishing with my father and grandfather. With today being Father's Day, I thought I'd share one of those fishing memories, a rather recent one of last summer with my dad.

It was the first time we were taking my littlest siblings out in the boat. When Kevin and I were young, Dad and Grandpa instilled in us safety precautions that all fishermen need to know, and the laws too in just the right way so little minds can grasp them. Now, it was time we do the same with 6-year-old Chelsea and 3-year-old Garrett. So as we were getting them settled in, we went over the dos and don'ts, the how to and not to behave. One of the things on the list was "don't jump in the lake." We already had made sure they had their life jackets on, all strapped and secured - not only as a safety measure, but because it's the law. It kind of has a double importance you could say. So Garrett says in his matter of fact way, "But if we fall in, our life jackets will save us." I had the privilege of explaining to him that, yes, it will save you, but you still don't want to fall in. Or at least we didn't want him to fall in; he probably would have liked it, after he got over the initial shock and surprise, that is.

We had a wonderful time on the lake. We quickly arrived at our little fishing spot, with Garrett persistently cajoling us to "go faster", and Chelsea enjoying our cruising along, too. My siblings were catching fish with almost every cast, so much so that I set my own pole aside to devote my time to taking the fishes off their hooks! As we Minnesotans are prone to do, not only did we take note of who caught the largest fish, but also the smallest. Kev was awarded with the largest as he pulled in both a northern pike and a bass just as we were packing up to go. Chelsea and Garrett both managed to "beat" my tiny little sunny that I had brought in early on, so I didn't get to claim that "accomplishment." Many were kept and others released (including our three record-breakingly small sunnies), and "the keepers" made a nice dinner the next day. We made our way inland under a beautiful sunset, with Garrett now trying to persuade us to go slower and slower, and Chelsea also not seeming all that eager to get off the water, either. It indeed was a lovely time, and thankfully no one took an unexpected dive.

Kids really do have a way of saying things, don't they? "If we fall in, our life jackets will save us." As I was explaining the life jackets to Garrett, it didn't escape my mind how valid his point was, the simple trust he had, and the lesson that can be learned.

A life jacket can indeed save you from drowning. However, just having one won't save you, of course; you have to be wearing it. You can't just throw it aside when you don't need it; you have to store it right when it is not in use. Not to mention, you have to have the right size, too. And if you follow these specifications, it will save you. You know it will be there for you when you need it, not needing to worry about the "what ifs", just having the trust that it won't fail.

I went on to think of how Jesus Christ is like our spiritual life jacket. You see, we all sin. "As it is written, there is none righteous, no not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:10-12, 23) Our sin deserves to be punished, and that punishment is death. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) Yet God loves us, anyway, in spite of our sin. And He loved us so much that He did something about it. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures." (Romans 5:8, I Corinthians 15:4) All who place their trust in Him have passed from death unto life. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:9-10, 13)

Because we sin, it's as if we're already in the lake, and we're drowning, fast. Compared to eternity our life is just a small vapor, not even a drop in the bucket. We need something - Someone - to rescue us, and that Someone is Jesus Christ. Like the flotation device we had on while fishing, we have to do things the right way for Christ to save us. I don't mean "good works"; I mean doing things God's way: You have to admit that you sin and you need a Saviour because you can't do anything to save yourself. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9) Believe that Christ's work on the cross is sufficient and He alone can save you. It takes the simple trust likened unto that of a child, and when you go to Him with a humble, contrite heart and ask Him to save you, He will. The forgiveness and grace He offers will always be "the proper fit." It's as big as you need it, and it is renewed every day. He will be there for you through life's calm and through life's tempests, and He will be there for you when you leave this world behind and pass into eternity.

But a "life jacket" isn't quite the all-encompassing analogy, there's so much more to it. A life jacket is something you fall back on, something you hope you won't really need, and something that can still leave you stranded - floating, but not necessarily able to reach dry land. Jesus Christ is even more than that, He's our Saviour. He's not Someone we only need at certain times or troubling moments; we need Him always, even after our initial saving from an eternal demise. Nor does He only provide us with just the ability to stay afloat, He plucks us out of the water and gives us a safety we've never had before. That doesn't mean we'll never pass through a storm, but that we will never have to go through it alone or without any hope of escape because He'll be there with us and we'll be in the boat which cannot sink. And someday we will reach the final Shore, our beautiful eternal home, with Him, the One who loves us so much, there face-to-face and by our side.

Happy Father's Day, Dad! Thank you for being the godly example you should be and for teaching me in the wisdom & knowledge and admonition of our Lord - not only in my growing up years, but even now. I love you!

Holding the Torch High

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

It was upon the death of a friend and comrade who lost his life during the battle the previous day that Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD., of the Canadian Army expended precious moments of rest to compose this tribute as he looked across to a cemetery where wild poppies had sprung up and were being blown by a gentle wind. From the first, I've always liked that poem, for to me it is the epitome embodiment of the many courageous men and their effort to serve their country. With a cause they are devoted to, they press on into the battle, even giving their all if that is what is called of them. And the silent, or not so silent, charge and entreaty to carry on, to not allow the fight of the fallen to be in vain. The courageous who survive march onward despite, or because of, the losses all around them.

Let us, the Soldiers of Christ, also not allow our fight be in vain. Let us be "stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." (I Corinthians 15:58; Hebrews 12:1-2; II Timothy 2:3)

To those who have served or are serving, I salute you. Thank you for your example, your service, and your dedication.