Learning His Way
During the midst of the
dust bowl of Oklahoma of 1929, I was born to my parents who taught
school. They learned the hard way to ‘make-do’, a key phrase for
survival in those days. It didn’t phase me, I thought every little
girl sat on a huge flour barrel at the kitchen table. I thought
every little girl’s mother sewed beautiful little dresses for their
daughters. Mom pedaled for miles on the Old Treadle Singer Sewing
Machine. I thought everyone had a pet goat that also gave milk.
dust bowl of Oklahoma of 1929, I was born to my parents who taught
school. They learned the hard way to ‘make-do’, a key phrase for
survival in those days. It didn’t phase me, I thought every little
girl sat on a huge flour barrel at the kitchen table. I thought
every little girl’s mother sewed beautiful little dresses for their
daughters. Mom pedaled for miles on the Old Treadle Singer Sewing
Machine. I thought everyone had a pet goat that also gave milk.
Before attending
school, I learned another lesson. On the neighbor’s back porch
I saw a rubber band. I picked it up. How intriguing the snap
and elasticity of a single rubber band was – until Mom saw me. That
was my first lesson in right and wrong – not stealing…anything. Mom’s
instructions were followed, I gave the rubber band back and apologized! That
was my first lesson in humility.
school, I learned another lesson. On the neighbor’s back porch
I saw a rubber band. I picked it up. How intriguing the snap
and elasticity of a single rubber band was – until Mom saw me. That
was my first lesson in right and wrong – not stealing…anything. Mom’s
instructions were followed, I gave the rubber band back and apologized! That
was my first lesson in humility.
When I was in the first
grade, I learned another next lesson. The copy ‘machine’ was a pan of
gel-like substance. When the teacher rubbed a piece of paper over the surface,
a lovely drawing of an apple appeared. Our instructions were to
color the apple red. I picked up the beautiful box of new crayons
and studied each one. I chose the most beautiful rosy-hued crayon
and began coloring. The teacher pronounced it wrong. It wasn’t
a true red. I tried to right the wrong and asked for another page to
color. The answer was no. Unforgiven I went home with a
beautiful apple colored in-the-lines, with the wrong shade of red.
grade, I learned another next lesson. The copy ‘machine’ was a pan of
gel-like substance. When the teacher rubbed a piece of paper over the surface,
a lovely drawing of an apple appeared. Our instructions were to
color the apple red. I picked up the beautiful box of new crayons
and studied each one. I chose the most beautiful rosy-hued crayon
and began coloring. The teacher pronounced it wrong. It wasn’t
a true red. I tried to right the wrong and asked for another page to
color. The answer was no. Unforgiven I went home with a
beautiful apple colored in-the-lines, with the wrong shade of red.
We long to make wrongs
right, and we want to be forgiven. We want to be blameless. If
I had known how to read and look for a red crayon, I would have known. I
chose on my own. If I had been enlightened to know what the teacher
had in mind, I could have found a bright red.
right, and we want to be forgiven. We want to be blameless. If
I had known how to read and look for a red crayon, I would have known. I
chose on my own. If I had been enlightened to know what the teacher
had in mind, I could have found a bright red.
There was a man that felt
he was doing the right thing by arresting men and women who followed Jesus and
took them back to Jerusalem in chains. He was bent with all his
heart on this mission. As he was approaching
Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around
him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice
saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” Acts
9:3-4
he was doing the right thing by arresting men and women who followed Jesus and
took them back to Jerusalem in chains. He was bent with all his
heart on this mission. As he was approaching
Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around
him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice
saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” Acts
9:3-4
This
was personal! The light caused him to be blinded. The men
with Saul heard the voice but saw no one. Saul asked, “Who are you,
lord?” The voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are
persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told
what you must do.” When Saul opened his eyes, he was blind and could not
see. His companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He
did not eat or drink for three days.
was personal! The light caused him to be blinded. The men
with Saul heard the voice but saw no one. Saul asked, “Who are you,
lord?” The voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are
persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told
what you must do.” When Saul opened his eyes, he was blind and could not
see. His companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He
did not eat or drink for three days.
Talk
about being stopped in your tracks. Saul had studied with Gamaliel
the Rabbi and mastered Jewish History, Psalms and the work of the
prophets. He thought he was doing the will of God by dragging those
who believed in Jesus to prison. He felt he was being obedient until
the light from Heaven shone around him and he fell to the ground and stopped
his mission.
about being stopped in your tracks. Saul had studied with Gamaliel
the Rabbi and mastered Jewish History, Psalms and the work of the
prophets. He thought he was doing the will of God by dragging those
who believed in Jesus to prison. He felt he was being obedient until
the light from Heaven shone around him and he fell to the ground and stopped
his mission.
No
matter how learned Saul was, he was blind to the truth. Jesus had
work for Saul to do and he had more to learn. Saul had learned to be a
debater, a learned scholar and now he would use his gifts to proclaim the words
of Jesus. That was not written in his day-planner.
matter how learned Saul was, he was blind to the truth. Jesus had
work for Saul to do and he had more to learn. Saul had learned to be a
debater, a learned scholar and now he would use his gifts to proclaim the words
of Jesus. That was not written in his day-planner.
The
Lord spoke to Ananias, a believer in Damascus, “Go to Straight Street and ask
for a man from Tarsus named Saul…he is praying right now. I have
shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so
he can see again.” (Acts 9:11-12). Ananias was afraid. He
had heard of Saul who had the power to arrest Christians. Then the Lord
gave Ananias the job description: But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul
is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as
well as to the people of Israel.” Acts 9:15.
Lord spoke to Ananias, a believer in Damascus, “Go to Straight Street and ask
for a man from Tarsus named Saul…he is praying right now. I have
shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so
he can see again.” (Acts 9:11-12). Ananias was afraid. He
had heard of Saul who had the power to arrest Christians. Then the Lord
gave Ananias the job description: But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul
is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as
well as to the people of Israel.” Acts 9:15.
Ananias
went to Saul. “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you
on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with
the Holy Spirit.” (v17). Immediately Saul could see and he was
baptized. He ate and regained strength and began preaching
Jesus. Imagine the belief, the faith in Jesus both men had. The
light of the Lord opened Saul’s eyes and he knew the truth.
went to Saul. “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you
on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with
the Holy Spirit.” (v17). Immediately Saul could see and he was
baptized. He ate and regained strength and began preaching
Jesus. Imagine the belief, the faith in Jesus both men had. The
light of the Lord opened Saul’s eyes and he knew the truth.
Even at
his birth, this same Jesus was announced by an angel bathed in the Radiance of
Light. Then a host of more angels, the armies of heaven, came saying
– Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with
whom God is pleased.” A bright star shone in the East, and led the
wise men from eastern lands to come to worship Jesus.
his birth, this same Jesus was announced by an angel bathed in the Radiance of
Light. Then a host of more angels, the armies of heaven, came saying
– Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with
whom God is pleased.” A bright star shone in the East, and led the
wise men from eastern lands to come to worship Jesus.
–
You light a lamp for me. The Lord,
my God, lights up my darkness. Psalm 18:23
You light a lamp for me. The Lord,
my God, lights up my darkness. Psalm 18:23
– The
Word gave life to everything that was created and his life brought light to
everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can
never extinguish it. John 1:4-5
Word gave life to everything that was created and his life brought light to
everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can
never extinguish it. John 1:4-5
– Jesus
spoke to the people once more and said, “I
am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t
have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that
leads to life.” John 8:12
spoke to the people once more and said, “I
am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t
have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that
leads to life.” John 8:12
– I
have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that
all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. John
12:46
have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that
all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. John
12:46
– For
God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in
our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus
Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6
God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in
our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus
Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6
–
The Lord is my light and
my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me
from danger, so why should I tremble? Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and
my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me
from danger, so why should I tremble? Psalm 27:1
Learning His Way of Love begins early
and lasts for an eternity. For I am convinced that neither death nor
life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any
powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will
be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our
Lord. Romans 8:38-39.
and lasts for an eternity. For I am convinced that neither death nor
life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any
powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will
be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our
Lord. Romans 8:38-39.
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