Jacobs Thoughts and Doings

Therefore, let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore.  For here we do not have a permanent city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.

Hebrews 13:13, 14

Those who follow Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord discover, over and over again, that they are out of step with their cultures.  It is cozy to be embraced by a worldly culture.  There is not much suffering in that.  It is a life of compromise because the new way of faith in Jesus is constantly threatened by our cultures that ask us to join them.  We, of course, cannot do that.

The writer of this letter is clearly “outside the camp” – outside the coziness of a worldly culture.  Life outside the camp pays not heed to that which is passing but speaks from the perspective of bearing the disgrace that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, bore.

We recall how Jesus bore the cross, given him while in Jerusalem, to the lonely hill called Calvary – outside the city of Jerusalem where unwanted things were thrown away. This is how we are to live, going with Jesus, whom we love and follow, outside the camp to a forsaken place!  I see the Lord of Glory being nailed to a wooden cross on that poor hill, called Calvary.  It was very definitely outside the Jewish camp!   We are invited to live like that.

That is the heart of the story, but not the end.  We seek the new city that is to come.  The new story has begun, the story of our salvation.  Deepest horror – greatest joy.  That is the offer.

This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Romans 3:22-24

It has been a while since I thought about one of God’s greatest to us, in Christ.  It is, “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”

Paul is assuring the believers in Rome, and for all in all time as well, that the righteousness that we seek is not earned but simply received through faith in Christ. No race has an advantage here. All sinners, including me and you and Paul himself, come the same way no matter what our tribe or status.  God’s righteousness is a gift of his grace, that was perfected in the redemptive work of Jesus.

The ground is level here.  We all plead the merits of the finished work of Jesus and we are all included in the household of faith that is marked by God’s freely given righteousness.

All who believe are saved.  That is God’s promise and has nothing to do with what we may think!  God’s grace is grace indeed, free and available.

How do you deal with change in your life?  I have been bombarded with changes recently.  One thing, I used to have a license to drive, now Anna Ruth is the driver, bless her.  I drove since I was 16 – that was 74 years ago.  Ugh!  Now I sit on the passenger side!  A change indeed.  I like to be in charge.  That has, I do believe, been of my life’s needs. To sit and pray for Anna Ruth as she drives is something new!

My red blood cells are trying to get stronger, hopefully!  Every two weeks I get some kind of a shot to help on that, like today.  How do I view changes in health at this age – 90?

I have resigned from most of my work assignments.  That is a change, now who am I?  I am discovering the answer to that!  It is all a bit jolting.

Transitions are challenging, especially living with little means to help others, or myself.

For me, this is new.  I need to get used to the fact that I am like others my age!  Why should I not feel the changes that come from growing old?  At least I am pressing on with life, welcoming each day as a day of learning, knowing that I am in the hands of God which means I am safe beyond telling.  Oh, Lord, teach me how to be content when changes hit!

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

James 5:8

This, friend, is how we believers look at what needs healing.   At first glance James’ advice seems too simple, there must be more, we might think.  But, no, this is from the Spirit of the Lord, pure and simple.

Let us ponder what James is saying.  First, we who are saved must realize our frailty and when we sin, we need to confess it.  The second thing, confess the sin before the brothers and sisters, not off in a corner alone.   The community of faith, according to James, is essential for spiritual healing. This is one reason we need to walk in the light with all.

At the center of healing is the prayers of God’s people.  This assumes that the person who is being prayed for is walking in true fellowship with those who are praying.

What seemed so simple, at first reading, is so rare among us that it sounds like fiction.  For James, it is the way!  I read again, “confess your sins to each other and pray for each other.”  When have I last done that?  When have my believing friends done that?  What are we missing?  Lord, help us, help me!

May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you.

Psalm 33:22

I often reflect on the Psalms of hope, realizing, however that I see things as a person who is saved and kept by Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.  The writers of the Psalms knew God’s love and adored Him with all their hearts, as do we.

So, we are blessed as they are – even more because we have been cleansed by the Blood of Jesus.

We are impressed with the love of God toward us, it is unfailing.  He never leaves me for a moment!  I might ponder that, because it is Gospel truth!

The secret of intimacy with God is to put our hope in Him, and Him alone. We put our hope in you. Amen

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Hebrews 12:22 – 24

This is one of my key scriptures.  Probably the one I have commented on the most.

As the Jews approached Mt. Sinai in their flight from Egypt they came to a mountain in Arabia, high and forbidding, a mountain that caused them anguish.  The reason, they dreaded the voice that came from that mountain.  “Stay away, this is holy ground.”  Realizing their sin, they fell into despair.

There is a better mountain called Mount Zion.  Voices are heard from that mountain of Jesus’ atoning work, “Come to Jesus and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.”  We recall how the blood of Abel cried out against his brother whom he killed in a rage.  The blood of Able cries, “cursed.”  The blood of Jesus cries out, “The door to salvation is open!”

Mount Calvary is where all of us who believe ultimately find God.  We find he is always there!  It is not a mountain of despair but of hope.

Now we who have believed enter that rest.

Hebrews 4:3

A few years ago, I wrote a book containing 365 meditations on the book of Hebrews.  It was a blessing to write it and blessed many who have read it and still do.  When writing it, I recall how overcome I was with idea of one of God’s greatest gifts to us who believe, rest!  Today that is even more real and a gift that is just too good to believe, except God has provided us with it, rest.  The writer of the Book of Hebrews exalts in it.

I wrote that book when I was in full health.  Today as I am aging, I am learning all over again, it seems, the blessing God provides for me and all who believe, REST.  It is a gift that I have not thought too much about, but a wonderful gift it is!  In the blizzard of changes that I am going through these days, physical, emotional and even spiritual, that rest is tested.  Praise God, I do believe I am at rest!  As we sing, I am resting on the everlasting arms.  For one thing, I have nothing else to rely on.  But that is not a bane but a blessing.  It is what we learn in our life with God, to embrace HIS REST.  When all fails, my rest in God does not fail or disappoint, it is forever.

I begin this 2019 resting.  Lord, grant me daily rest, undeserved but much appreciated.

From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.”

Acts 20:17 – 19

In great humility?  What is Paul saying?  He is carrying the most precious Gospel, the power of God for all who believe.  I should have thought that Paul would have quieted all dissent as he proclaimed without fear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  This does not describe how Paul felt.  He had witnessed to the Gospel in Ephesus for three years, in a most fruitful ministry.  He is now writing to them to encourage them to follow Jesus.

He uses himself as the example.  When he and the team of missionaries settled into Ephesus, it was in the context of the Jewish synagogue.  They lifted up Jesus there and some believed, but most seemingly wanted to get rid of the team. They were opening the Gospel to Gentiles as well as Jews.  The Jews found this difficult to accept.

Paul’s approach seems surprising, instead to raising his voice he expressed great humility, to the extent of weeping with the believers as the hard-lined Jews battered them.  This is the way of love, the way of faith, the way of Jesus.  Paul is a weeping evangelist!  I knew little of that, I admit, as I tried to lift up Jesus in the ministry that God gave me.  If I felt like crying it would have been for self-pity.  Not because I was overwhelmed with compassion for others.

We hope to have lunch with Linda and Phil Byler today.  Linda is Anna Ruth’s niece, daughter of Raymond and Anna Lois Charles.  It must be well over fifteen years ago that they began their medical trips to Northern Uganda where they worked mainly among the displaced people from Southern Sudan, then living in Uganda.  Phil is a doctor and Linda a nurse.  They then left Williamsport, joined AIM full time and moved to Africa.

A new career.  For a while they were responsible for AIC work in Uganda a work that stretches West into heavily Islamic nations.  Their last assignment was in Southern Sudan, in church planting and evangelism and fraternal relationships with the small believers groups there.

I am spinning this from memory.  Sorry.

They were missionaries under the African Inland Missions that had access to these settings.  For some years, after they moved to Kampala as directors,  they were responsible for AIM ministries in that part of Africa – Uganda and West, but their hearts were in the villages of South Sudan where they spent their last years in direct interaction with the few Christians where they were located, directing a team of missionaries.

They have completed their assignment with AIM because of age and are now in US staying with family scattered in California, Honduras, West Virginia and Boston.

The Bylers had spent many years in their medical practice in Williamsport, PA.  When the children were married and on their own, so to speak, Phil and Linda picked up and moved to the Sudan where they had volunteered for short term medical missions while still residents of Williamsport.   Phil eventually became the director of AIM work in that part of Africa.

On the ministry of such people the Kingdom of God is spreading around the world.

We will enjoy being with these admirable people!  Bring on the waffles and maple syrup.

Knit cap pulled down over my head, headphones tucked in my ears I did something I have been doing for over 85 years, walking!  Almost every afternoon I bundle up and do my 2 mile trek through the community.  The cold was a challenge today, grey but still.  But it is Winter, not?

As I closed the garage door and headed out this afternoon, I popped a caramel in my mouth and did what I have been doing for almost all my life, going for a walk!  Today this simple joy took on greater meaning for me, almost by surprise!

For the first time I can remember, I found myself praising God for the joy, the privilege, the delight of just plain old-fashioned, walking.    These 90-year-old legs worked marvelously, serving the body with grace.   I love walking!

Time for reflection.  My life took me to many nations, many cultures, many cities, hamlets and farms.  As I look back, I loved walking all my life.  How could I have been so unaware of the blessed privilege of walking?

Oh, Lord, forgive me for taking so long to voice my profound praise for the gift of walking.  I do so now, having just returned from a routine walk here in our community.  I owe you, Lord, a song of thanksgiving for this unbelievable gift, to put one foot ahead of the other and walk!  Can a simple pleasure provide more delight?

Thank you, Lord, for the joy of walking!