As Stars Are to the Night Are We God’s Light to the World, by Rachel Lovejoy



For Carol Bassett

 Praise him, sun and moon; praise him all you shining stars. ~Psalms 148:3

 

Have you ever lain in the grass on a summer night and looked up at the stars or stepped outside on a cold winter night and marveled at how the sky seems littered with them, to the point where you couldn’t count them all if you tried? For all those celestial crystals that are clearly visible and separate from the rest, including those that form what we know as constellations, there are trillions more that appear to us as but a vast swath of silvery dust across the deeper reaches of space.

Stars matter so much in our lives that they are mentioned often in literature and in movies, are depicted in art, and are observed and studied by those who have made a science of gazing upon them through highly specialized magnifying equipment that brings them closer to us than we could have ever imagined. Most importantly, however, as part of God’s great creation, they are often used as symbols in the Bible where they hold a special meaning or play a very special role.

When the Lord commanded that there be two great lights in heaven, they included “the greater light to govern the day…and he made the stars.” (Genesis 1:14-18) Not only are we to look up at the stars to appreciate their breathtaking beauty and majesty, we are also to appropriate their light for ourselves, that we may be beacons to lead others to God. (Philippians 2:15)

In the story of Job, despite all the terrible afflictions that God rains down on him to test his faith, he never falters. In the midst of his great suffering and confusion, Job can still manage to find the faith and the strength to turn the focus from himself and onto God. And he uses stars to make his point! (Job 38:31-33)

While scholars are not certain who wrote Psalms 147 and 148, their intent is nonetheless clear as songs of praise. “He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name…praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars!” It is not unreasonable to assume here that “the stars” are synonymous with the righteous and the faithful upon whom God has bestowed his favor and grace. Like the lights that God placed in the heavens during Creation, we are to carry his message forward into the world to guide those who might have lost their way along the journeys of their lives. We are, in other words, to be stars ourselves, and not of the variety that the Hollywood gossip columnists write about!

As the Gospels begin to tell the story of Jesus’ entrance into our world, the place of his birth in the small town of Bethlehem is marked by nothing less than a star. It glimmers brightly in the sky above the lowly stable where he lies wrapped in swaddling in a manger. And it is this glowing beacon that later leads the Magi from the east to the place where they will behold he who has come to save the world from its sins. (Matthew 2:9-10)

In the second chapter of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he admonishes them to be like Christ, to acknowledge that Jesus was born to glorify God, his father. We are to take that message into our own hearts and acknowledge that God works in us to fulfill his purposes. Because of this, we are to go about our lives without complaining…”so that you may become blameless and pure…children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation…then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.” (Philippians 2:11-15)

It is impossible not to be struck wordless upon seeing a sky filled with stars. When, as children, we are told about heaven being God’s home, we naturally and automatically look up in hopes that we might catch a glimpse of that wondrous place. Our gaze is limited by the sun’s blinding intensity during the day; but at night, there is nothing between us and that great black velvet jeweler’s drape with its billions of gems twinkling and glinting across it, reinforcing our belief that God is, indeed, up there on his throne watching us, guiding us, protecting us. (Job 22:12) How miraculous is it that, as far away as God is in his heavenly mansion, he is with us in the blink of an eye when we need him and call upon his holy name!

How blessed we are to merit this concern, this attention, this great love! How special we are to God, and how much faith he places in us to carry forth his light into the world! The vastness of his heavens, and all that is in them, reminds us of our smallness and puts us into perspective. But when we look up and realize their limitless bounds, we know just how great his love for us is. (Psalms 8:3-4)

(All Scripture passages are taken from the New International Version (NIV) of the Holy Bible.)



Water: Symbol of the Lord's Eternal Presence in our Lives, by Rachel Lovejoy

How often on any given day do we turn on a faucet? We do this instinctively most of the time. We might need water for tea or to measure out for cooking. We use it to wash our hands, do the dishes, scrub the floor, make lemonade, give the dog a bath, and water the lawn, all without giving much if any thought to the fact that it is the common denominator in all these activities.

 

Water is, in fact, one of those elements that we all take so much for granted. And it's only when we are forced to live without it that it becomes a precious commodity, as is evidenced in more arid regions of the world or in supermarkets the day before a storm. The truth is, however, that not a single living thing could survive without water, and its eternal quality is particularly evident when viewed from the seashore or the bank of a river where enormous masses of it are continuously replenished through a cooperative effort between earth and sky. (Ezekiel 47:9) This quality, of an element whose source never runs dry and that keeps renewing itself and supporting the lives of all creatures, is depicted many times in both the Old and New Testaments in the Bible, where water symbolizes, among many other truths, God's unfailing presence in the universe and in our souls.

 

It's no accident that the first mention of water is found in the very first book of the Bible. "Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God hovered over the waters." (Genesis 1:2) Water was indeed one of the very first elements that God created, as all that came after it would need it to live and thrive. And without it, there would have been no more to say about either the creation of the world or of our place in it. Even then, the water that poured forth from God's creative touch contained all the physical and spiritual energy for everything that would come after.

 

As we move through the world's early spiritual history as is revealed to us in Scripture, we begin to see all the new meanings that come to be associated with water, the substance that cleanses and sustains us and that calms and refreshes our spirits. (Psalm 23:2) The Gospel writers go on to share Jesus' own words as he taught during the Festival of Tabernacles: "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." (John 7:37-39) Now, the most basic substance we take so much for granted becomes the very medium by which Jesus' powerful promises are delivered to the world through us and to all those we come into contact with. For who is not affected by a torrent of God’s truth that is, like water over a dam or a wave crashing against the shore, unstoppable and impossible to ignore?

 

As we go about the business of living, the Lord charges us to go out among others in fellowship and in witness, where we ourselves become the very vessels that contain the waters of God's redemptive power. Through our actions, we spread his good news which is "like cold water to a weary soul." (Proverbs 25:25) We allow our own righteousness in God to go before us "like a never-failing stream. (Amos 5:24)

 

When all is said and done and the Lord returns in all his wondrous glory, we will gaze finally upon the "river of the water of life, as clear as a crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb..."  The recorded story of humanity will end as it began, with God, the "Alpha and the Omega," revealing a "new heaven and a new earth,” where he will give us to drink "from the spring of the water of life" forever. (Revelation 21)

(Created in January 2019)

 

(All Scripture passages taken from the New International Version of the Holy Bible.)

The Power of Touch Revealed in Jesus’ Hand, by Rachel Lovejoy

 

In 1880, the novel “Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ,” by Lew Wallace, appeared on the literary scene and was hailed as one of the most influential books of its time. Several movie versions of the story were produced through the years, but its basic message—that belief in Jesus can and does change lives--has remained consistent.

Centering on the experiences of a Jewish prince named Judah Ben-Hur, who later converts to Christianity, the figure of Christ is first seen offering Ben-Hur, who has been taken prisoner by the Romans, a drink of water. During their brief encounter, only Jesus’ hand is visible reaching for the prisoner’s face in a gentle gesture of love and encouragement. This simple act touches Ben-Hur deeply and sets the stage for his later conversion.

Despite the emotion that such a moving scene can produce in movie-goers, it is after all only fiction. But, there are a great many more instances in the real life of the man called Jesus Christ where his touch did encourage and heal in ways that are still very much available to us to this day.

During his short ministry here on earth, Jesus healed many who came to him when they had nowhere else to go. Crowds followed him, not only to hear his word, but in the hope that his very proximity to them might have some positive effect on what, for many, were miserable existences. (Mark 8:22-25) Jesus never failed them, and through his own laying on of hands, demonstrated the incredible power of the touch of one person reaching out to help another.

Jesus’ primary mission was to convey to the world that God’s power and mercy are boundless and he used his own touch to get that message across. The pity that Jesus took on the sick and afflicted also knew no bounds, and he amazed the people by his ability to heal simply by touching them. (Mark 1:40-41)

More than 2,000 years have passed since Jesus brought his Father’s message to the world, a world which had, for the most part, turned its back on all that the Lord had done for them since the days of Abraham. The people living during Jesus’ time had the great blessing of seeing him in the flesh and hearing him speak. But was that the end of it? What about all those of us who would come later? Did Jesus forget about us? Were we doomed to never experience his loving and healing touch?

To those who believe, the answer to that is a resounding NO! While Jesus is no longer here in the flesh to reach out his hand to us, he continues to do so in many other wonderful ways. First and foremost, Jesus continues to reach us through his holy word. One has only to read a portion of the Gospels using Jesus’ own utterances to realize the impact they still have to this day. The very act of giving verbal shape to what Jesus said is in itself the gift of him speaking through us.

Another way that Jesus’ touch remains alive and vibrant for us to this day is when we share it with each other. A sympathetic hug during difficult times, a squeeze of the shoulder, a clasp of the hand, a caress of the face, even just an empathetic look, has the power to comfort and transform, as much now as when Jesus did it himself. This isn’t restricted to just interactions between those who know each other, for Jesus exists in every single person we meet along the journey of our lives. (Matthew 25:40)

Touch between humans can take another form, too, much as it did in Jesus’ time, simply through our behavior and our actions. We can effectively touch each other’s lives with our spirits, by the things we do or say, or by how we conduct our lives, specifically the examples we set that can inspire others to do better in their own lives. (Titus 2:6-7) This is the essential part of the ministry of all Christians, for Jesus saved us from our sins not only through his sacrifice but also by providing a living example of what the perfect human being should be like.

No one would argue that fiction is often entertaining and sometimes even enlightening. But it is never to be confused with what Jesus came to accomplish on earth.

For it is written… “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

*****

(Created in August 2018)

 

Note: All Scripture notations taken from the New International Version (NIV)

On the Wood of a Tree: How God Speaks to Us in Nature, by Rachel Lovejoy

In the world’s temperate regions, the arrival of the spring season is a reason to celebrate. Not only does it mean that another winter is behind us, but it also signals the rebirth of our world. Flowers honor the season’s name by literally springing from the soil and birds sing in new and more jubilant notes. It’s a lush time, a time of hope and of new beginnings. And nowhere is this as prominent and visible as in the waking of the trees as they push forth new growth and turn every shade of green imaginable.

Much has been written about the valuable role that trees play in our environment. And poets have long sung their praises. But trees figure in another even more important way and that is to enhance the word of God as given to us in scripture. First and foremost, all growing things, including trees, are part of God’s wonderful creation, gifts he gave us, not only to sustain us in our daily needs, but to add beauty to his earth. Indeed, the Lord placed the first man and woman in a garden where trees that produced fruit would be their main source of bodily sustenance. (Genesis 1:12)

Along with all else in nature, God gave us dominion over trees, entrusting them to our care. Whereas we may harvest them for our needs and our livelihoods, we are to treat them with the respect that his entire creation commands. (Deuteronomy 19:19-20)

The writers of God’s word also mention trees as a source of spiritual sustenance that goes beyond that which our bodies require. The Tree of Life that makes its first appearance in Genesis as the source of physical life for the first humans appears again in Revelation where it serves as the source from which our redeemed souls may draw when they reach heaven. (Revelation 2:7)

Of the hundreds of times trees are mentioned in scripture, it is written that the Lord also appropriated them to adorn his own dwelling. As we often incorporate the beauty and strength of wood in our own living spaces, so did the Lord in his, giving us yet another reason to value this gift he shares with us all. For not only do trees shelter us in their natural state, their raw materials also provide us with a means to build more permanent structures that protect us from the elements. (Isaiah 60:13)

It would be impossible to state how often trees are mentioned and employed as symbols in all of the world’s great literature. Depending upon the contexts of a particular story or theme, trees are used to signify strength, resignation, humility, longevity, and steadfastness. Oak trees are thought of as mighty, while paper birches are spoken of by certain poets as being flexible and resilient. In certain passages of Scripture, analogies are drawn between humans and trees with regards to how we incorporate God’s presence into our lives and how fruitful we become in the process. (Psalm 92:12)

Trees also represent yet another facet of nature’s eternal quality as imparted by God’s hand at creation. This mirrors the Lord’s own timeless personality, of which we are reminded when we remember that no growing thing can ever effectively be destroyed. Trees, as almost all other types of vegetation, are virtually indestructible, as even the smallest bit of tissue can sneak into the soil where it regenerates into a new plant or tree. All trees also bring forth some type of seed by which they produce others of their own kind, conveying yet again a tangible example of the immortality granted us through our belief in Jesus Christ. (Job 14:7)

As if all of this weren’t enough to justify the role trees play in God’s great plan, he even chose a cross made from wood upon which to sacrifice his only son to save us from our sins. (Acts 5:30) Certain versions of the Bible actually use the word “tree” to describe what Jesus was hung from. But all linguistic debate aside, there is no denying that the splintered surface from which a broken bleeding Jesus cried “Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do!” was taken from a humble tree that had no say in the matter and willingly served the Holy One who had created it. (Luke 23:34)

Pantheism denotes a system of belief in which all things in the universe, including God’s earthly wonders, are manifestations of him. But Scripture is clear on his role in all of creation. (Romans 1:20) All that he made, he made for us, and his great and eternal love for us is reflected in every leaf and twig, every fern and flower. For not only is nature the Lord’s way of surrounding us with beauty to help us cope with life’s tribulations, it is also another way in which he communicates with us.

Nature, including trees, is God at his most eloquent, speaking to us and through us. And so, “Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.” (Psalm 96:11-12)

(Created in June 2018)

 

Note: All Biblical passages are taken from the New International Version (NIV)

 

Jesus: The Living Embodiment of the Greatest Commandment, by Rachel Lovejoy

 

Reading the Bible, particularly the Gospels, is like taking a walk along a woodland path. The first things we see are the most obvious, and it is only by taking a closer look that we are able to not only discern the finer details but also to ponder what they say or mean to us.

 

In Scripture, those most obvious attributes present themselves in the form of the specifics that supply the basis for Jesus’ experiences on earth. We get a clear sense of where he was, who he was with, and what was going on at the time. Subsequent layers reveal the things he said and did and how those around him, especially his disciples, reacted. From his first interactions as his earthly mission began to his death on the cross and his resurrection, the path that Jesus’ life took is very clearly exposited by the Gospel writers, leaving little to the imagination.

 

As with any reading, it’s easy to take what the Bible’s authors wrote at face value, and just as easy to simply leave it at that. But when exposed to a single story multiple times or at more receptive and clear-headed moments, we are sometimes pleasantly surprised to discover new aspects we might have missed before. And such is the case with the story of the woman at the well.

 

As told in the Gospel of John, Jesus is traveling through Samaria when he stops to rest near a well. There, he encounters a woman and asks her for a drink. She hesitates at first, put off by the fact that a Jew is even talking to a Samaritan and a woman no less. (John 4:9) According to the mores of the times, men typically did not sit and carry on long conversations with women at all. Thus, right from the beginning of this story, Jesus has defied two conventions. Yet nowhere do we read that he is troubled by this, and the Samaritan woman apparently picks up on his lack of concern.

 

The story depicts Jesus asking the woman, “Will you give me a drink?” He doesn’t say “I’d like a drink,” or “May I have a drink?” He asks her if she is willing to give him one. (John 4: 7)Not only does this give the woman the choice of whether or not to cooperate, but it also highlights the concern that Jesus has for her and that makes giving her this type of choice possible.

 

Jesus goes on to tell the woman that the water she is giving him from the well cannot compare to the type of water he is able to give her which is much more important than that which would only slake her physical thirst. (John 4: 13-14)The basic life-sustaining element that we all take so much for granted is assigned a much greater meaning when Jesus speaks of it as the source of eternal life. And all through this exchange, Jesus continues to treat the Samaritan woman with the utmost respect, seeking to broaden her knowledge of the water of salvation she should be seeking.

 

As I read and reread this Biblical tale, I am touched by the humanity that Jesus exhibits toward a woman he should not even be associating with. He is patient with her, never insulting or demeaning her. (Titus 2:7)As their conversation moves into her marital status, Jesus continues to remain calm and nonjudgmental, which heightens her trust in him to the point where she runs to her townspeople after he leaves to proclaim his wondrousness.

 

Not only did Jesus use those moments to plant the seeds of redemption in the Samaritan woman’s heart and mind, but his very behavior teaches how we should treat one another. His actions, his demeanor, and his attitude all reflect how Christians should act toward each other, be it between husbands and wives, sisters and brothers, friend to friend or employer to employee. That day at the well in Samaria, Jesus illustrated how the perfect human being should act toward others in a spirit of fairness and compassion. (Romans 12: 10)

 

Jesus defied the social customs of his time to share his message of hope, forgiveness, and the assurance of eternal life with an unlikely beneficiary unprepared for such a blessing. What to the Samaritan woman was just another walk to the well that day evolved into an existential experience that changed her thinking forever. And what might have been an unpleasant exchange, had Jesus been anyone other than who he was, developed into an occasion when a woman’s sins were forgiven and her soul redeemed. (Matthew 6: 14)

 

What an example Jesus set for us all that day, one filled with the spirit and which demonstrated the basic human values of patience, understanding, lack of judgment, acceptance, and love. (John 13: 34-35)In truth, there isn’t an instance anywhere in the Gospel where Jesus does not practice some, if not all, of those virtues. The Son of God taught, not only with words, but also with his actions, a fact that the Gospel writers never fail to remind us of.

 

Jesus came into this world to pay the ransom for all our sins and to make it possible for anyone who believes to one day see the face of God. (Matthew 20:28)That day at the well, the Samaritan woman did see God's face, in the features of a stranger who stopped to ask her for a drink. To me, this speaks to all the other wonderful things Jesus did for us up until the point where he breathed his last upon a cross. He was, and forever shall be, the embodiment of all that is good in the world, and treating others in a spirit of love as we hope to be treated is just one more of his numberless gifts to us. (1 Corinthians 13:13).

Note: All Scriptural references are taken from the New International Version (NIV).

(Originally created in April, 2018)

Note: All Scriptural references are taken from the New International Version (NIV).