SABBATH REST

October 23, 2018October 21, 2018 | lindamowles

We enjoy camping. While our method of camping is certainly not “roughing it”, we do enjoy the retreat into the RV and the varied scenery that we encounter in different campgrounds that we have visited across the U.S.

Mississinewa River, Indiana Standing along the shore looking at the 7 pillars of the Miami Nation of Indians near Peru, Indiana

Camping, getting away from the hectic schedule even we retired people have, is a marvelous way to unwind and just relax, contemplate your relationship with the Lord and with the various people in your family, church, work, etc. And we do just that, but for the vast majority of the time, we relax. We rest. We just sit and look at the beautiful scenery, or we walk and get closer to it.

Shoshone Falls in Twin Falls, Idaho

There usually is no schedule and nothing that would require our attention if we didn’t want to pay attention to it. And, at least after the campground deadline for “quiet time”, there is the solitude that comes from being in God’s creation, simply soaking in the silence and then the sounds of the evening. Rest for the mind, rest for the body, and rest for the soul.

Colorado National Monument, Grand Junction, Colorado

God knows that we need rest – He made us and knows us intimately. He knows that nonstop work is harmful to us, just about as harmful to us as nonstop idleness. He commanded that we stop work and rest on the 7^th day, the Sabbath, the day that He declared to be holy unto the Lord.

In giving the Ten Commandments to Moses, God said:

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

Exodus 20:8-11

In the Garden of Eden things were wonderful – Adam and Eve were not subject to the difficulties that sin introduced into the world. However, once they were banished from the Garden and subject to sin, God had to set out commandments so that His people would know His moral law.

“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.”

Psalm 19:7-9

Consider what the Psalmist says about keeping the law of the Lord. The soul is revived, the simple become wise, the heart rejoices, the eyes are enlightened, not to mention that the fear (reverence and awe) of the Lord endures forever, and His rules are true and righteous.

20180614_100633 — Badlands National Park, Interior, South Dakota

Needless to say, these commandments are not just for the Old Testament folks! While the New Testament Christians are not “under the law”, the commandments reflect how our God wants us to live, and we are told of the benefits of following the commands of our God. Surely, we must obey them even in the 21^st century.

[I realize that there are many in service professions that must work on the weekend, and that includes the day called the “Sabbath” or for the Christian on Sunday, the first day of the week; but for those folks, there should be another day on which they look to their Savior dedicating their time and energy to Him.]

IMG_20180626_1342546_rewind — Grand Tetons National Park, Wyoming

God understands that we need that time to recalibrate our lives and to refocus so that we are looking to God as the source of life and all that it has to offer. Contrary to our world’s culture and Hollywood, we are not the center of the universe, God is. He is due our reverence, loyalty and love.

Rest is not only a subject of the commandments — Jesus had some poignant words about rest as well. In one of the most beautiful passages in Matthew, Jesus says:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

Rest for your souls. That, my Beloved, is what our culture is longing for and which they will not find in materialism, philosophies, or any place other than God. Don’t be deceived by anything that promises joy, comfort and rest without reliance on God, the Father Almighty. It is in His arms that rest and relief from sin can be achieved. He is the author of rest and it is only through Him that it can be received.

Father, I praise Your Name for the rest that comes only from You through Jesus Christ, my Savior and Redeemer. For those who seek this rest, I pray that You would grant them Your Spirit to show them the way, through Christ our Lord, I pray.

TRAVEL IN GOD’S HANDS

August 21, 2018August 21, 2018 | lindamowles

We have just returned from a trip that covered over 6,000 miles, through lands that were densely populated and through lands where there was no person or building for hundreds of miles at a time. We experienced mountains followed by corn fields which were followed by huge ranch areas which had brush, cacti and very few trees. We were in the desert and going through Monarch Pass which registers over 11,000 feet above sea level. It was an incredible feeling to be standing at the Continental Divide, ears popping all the while!

The variety of the landscape is impossible to describe as we traversed from Tennessee to South Dakota, then to Wyoming, on to Idaho, then to Utah, and Colorado, Kansas and Missouri, ultimately returning to home in East Tennessee.

The trip and the thousands of digital pictures will be subject of many future blog posts, I suspect. Suffice it to say today that our overwhelming experience was encountering our marvelous God everywhere we looked. Saint John wrote in the Book of Revelation:

“”Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.””

Revelation 4:11

This is the song that the twenty-four elders sing to our God, and we echoed that song in our hearts as we saw dramatic scenery that revealed His creative power like we have seldom seen. Some examples are the Red Canyon outside Richfield, Utah.

In Indiana we saw the Wabash and Mississinewa Rivers and spent time finding and admiring the Seven Pillars on the river.

And in Wyoming we saw the Grand Tetons looming over the highway, glorious with their snow covered peaks even in the heat of July.

And in Yellowstone, the geyser basins were the source of incredible beauty. The orange surrounding the cobalt blue boiling water is bacteria which thrives in this environment. Watch where you walk, though … the water in these “ponds” is way hotter than the boiling point of water and the ground is very thin. Boardwalks are the only safe way to experience these vents in the earth’s crust.

As spectacular as all this is, God was not only seen in the grand and glorious scenery splayed out before us. His providential Hand was experienced first-hand when we were filling the gas tank in the RV in a very small Utah town. A long-distance truck driver who had been following us for some distance came up to us and said one of the rear coach tires was very low, recommending that we add air as soon as possible.

We thanked him for his kindness and, when the tank was full, we went to the back of the station where there was a three-bay mechanic’s shop. The owner came out and looked at the tires, noting that the tread on one was split and four of them were long past their replacement date. (This clearly was something the mechanic in Tennessee should have told us about, but that’s a different story.)

Needless to say, we replaced four of the six tires on the RV and we were on our way, praising our Lord that He was watching out for us, even when we didn’t know we were in danger.

“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!”

Psalm 143:10

We have always known God cares for us and is guiding us with His Hand. But when you can see His Hand working on your behalf, it is overwhelming. The God who created all this beauty cares about us so much that His immutable love is watching each moment, so that His purpose will be fulfilled in our world and in each of our lives.

Keep your eyes open and see His Hand before you. Read His Word and let His Spirit speak to your heart and mind. Bask in the love that our Lord Jesus has for you … He gave His life as a ransom for you. Praise Him all the day long.

Father, I thank You for the marvelous creation of Your Son. I thank You that You sustain all things with the power of Your Word, and yet You even know the details of my life as it unfolds before me. Forgive me when I forget the power of Your Word and when I act as though I am in control. Take my life, Lord, and make it what You want it to be and may the words of Scripture bring forth fruit for Your Kingdom.

WISDOM AND HUMILITY CARRY THE DAY

June 29, 2017June 22, 2017 | lindamowles

As adults, when we are asked a question, our most frequent response is to give an answer – usually with our chest puffed out just a bit and our head held a little bit higher. We have been asked to pontificate and show our intelligence as we provide the individual standing before us with the information desired.

However, the wise response is to investigate the issue and then give an answer. Whether it is in the realm of the law, medicine, or any other discipline, the ability to identify the issue and then know where to look to find the answer is supremely better than just rattling off an answer based on what you recalled from yesterday, last month, or last year. Indeed, knowledge is important, but wisdom is far better.

Scripture has much to say about the know-it-all and wisdom.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!

Psalm 111:10

Taylor school — A college education may indicate learning, but real knowledge comes from reverent fear of the Lord. Praise God for Christian universities such as Taylor University, Upland, Indiana, that provide a quality education while fostering Christian growth in their students as well.

A college education may indicate learning, but real knowledge comes from reverent fear of the Lord. Praise God for Christian universities such as Taylor University, Upland, Indiana, that provide a quality education while fostering Christian growth in their students as well.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 1:7

And he said to man, “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom and to turn away from evil is understanding.”

Job 28:28

What is the “fear of the Lord”? The answer to that requires more space than as a footnote to this post. But, suffice it to say at this juncture, the following excerpt from “What Does it Mean to Fear God?,” an article posted October 22, 2016 by Dr. R. C. Sproul in the Ligonier Blog gives us some guidance when thinking of the fear of God as noted in the Wisdom Literature of scripture:

The focus here is on a sense of awe and respect for the majesty of God. That’s often lacking in contemporary evangelical Christianity. We get very flippant and cavalier with God, as if we had a casual relationship with the Father. We are invited to call Him Abba, Father, and to have the personal intimacy promised to us, but still we’re not to be flippant with God. We’re always to maintain a healthy respect and adoration for Him.

So, we know the source of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. Where does humility come into the picture?

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,…

Colossians 3:12

So, what is humility? Someone named Anonymous said “Humility is a strange thing – the moment you think you’ve got it, you lose it.”

C. S. Lewis says that “humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” In other words, it is the quality of “self-forgetfulness”. Rather than, “Me first,” humility allows us to say, “No, you first, my friend.”

This does not mean that we must be passive followers; humility does not require that we lose our voice or that we cannot lead. In Numbers 12:3 we read the following about Moses, the man who told Pharaoh to let God’s people go, the man who led the children of Israel through the wilderness for 40 years, the man who spoke directly with God and who received the 10 Commandments on tablets of stone:

“Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.” (NIV)

Moses was humble and he didn’t seek his own welfare when attacked by his family. God stood up for him when he was attacked by his siblings. Read the rest of Numbers 12 to see the conflict between Moses and his brother and sister over Moses’ Cushite wife. What happened to them is priceless; but, if I may cut to the chase, I would simply summarize the story as – spoiler alert —

Humility Wins!

Of course this, too, is consistent with scripture. See, for example, Psalm 147:5-6 where we read:

Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground. (NIV)

In the Lord’s calculus, wisdom comes from Him and man’s humility trumps man’s pride every time.

Father, thank You for Your Son’s sacrifice that cleanses us from our sin and that results in life everlasting for the believer in Him. Thank You that we can come to You, acknowledging our lack of understanding, and that You will lead us and teach us in the way of righteousness. Grant me humility and enable me to see when I am acting in disregard of that quality. Then give me the grace to repent and return to Your side.

PLAN AND GO – OR GO WITH THE FLOW?

January 31, 2017 | lindamowles

I find it interesting when I talk to people about vacations. Some folks just “go with the flow.” No need to plan where they are going to stop, “there will be a place somewhere!” No need to get tickets ahead of time, “there will be a seat available!”

Others plan every hour and second of their time away from home. They have hotel and restaurant reservations. They have tickets, in hand, for various events they want to see or in which they want to participate. And, they have maps galore including the most up-to-date GPS program available.

I suspect that most people are a combination of these two extremes, but I am mostly a “planner” while my husband is more of a “go with the flow” guy. It makes for some interesting times.

taylor-mcgee-campbell-wisconsin-dormatory — Taylor University, Upland, Indiana — picture of McGee-Campbell-Wisconsin, my dormitory when I was a student in the late 1960s. It had been demolished by the time our daughter graduated from the University in 2000.

We had two children in college at the same time. They both were in out-of-state schools, each about 7 hours away from our home but in opposite directions! This did not create too much of a problem until the year when Parents’ Weekend was held on the same date for both schools. Normally we do things together, but given the circumstances, I went to our daughter’s school and my husband went to our son’s school.

vmi-jackson-hall-1996 — Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia, picture taken in 1998 of Jackson Hall (the dormitory) when our son was a cadet there.

Since we were going in opposite directions, leaving at different times, it never occurred to me to make my husband’s hotel reservations. He made his own plans when he traveled for work so I didn’t think twice about his plans for this trip, especially since he was going to an area not far from his birthplace.

I planned my trip and even arranged for an Aunt to meet me in the small Indiana college town as a surprise for our daughter. I had started loading the car with things that she wanted for her dorm room when my husband asked: “Where am I staying tonight?” I responded: “I don’t know; where did you make your reservations?”

The blank look on his face was all the answer I needed. No reservations. “Well,” he said, “there are loads of rooms in the area.” So I headed for Indiana and he headed for Virginia. He knew the area well, in fact it had been his sales territory for a number of years, so I was not concerned about his ability to find lodging.

What neither of us knew was that all of the gazillion schools in northern Virginia had Parents’ Weekend at the same time. What he also did not know, but soon found out, was that no rooms were available in any of the hotels/motels near the VMI campus.

I, on the other hand, was safely booked into my hotel when I tried calling him on his cell phone. At that point in the day, he told me about all the Parents’ Weekend activities and mentioned that he did not yet have a room. He was confident that it would be easy to find one; he just had “not really looked”.

Later, he called to tell me that he found lodging – an hour away from the college and in the direction of our home. He was not in a regular room but in the hotel’s conference room. I then had a mental picture of a long table with all the chairs pushed in forming a fence with his sleeping form stretched out between the chairs, a book for his pillow. Rather like the Biblical Patriarch Jacob, I thought!

conference-room-table

While he let me have that delusion for a while, later in the conversation he told me that the room had a sleeper sofa. There went the Jacob analogy!

Praise the Lord that He is sovereign. In our arrogance and sin, we think that we have our life all worked out, but we must remember that our life is always under His control, whether we plan and schedule or relax about the details. Job learned this millennia ago when he said:

“I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.”

Job 42:1-2

Moving into the New Testament, when Pilate said that he had the power to either free or crucify Jesus, Jesus corrected him:

“You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.”

John 19:10-11.

In Proverbs 19:21 the writer says:

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’S purpose that prevails.”

I have to confess that my planning down to the infinite detail is something of which I must repent since it falls in the category of prideful sin. You know, something along these lines: “I’ve got this, Lord. You can take care of more important things!”

I further suspect that Bill’s relaxed attitude is much more like that which our Lord desires. Rest in His arms and let Him handle the details. I’m basing this on the teachings in Matthew chapter 6, a chapter which I commend to your reading.

In it, Jesus talked about anxiety and told His disciples, and us, not to worry about our life or what we are going to eat or wear. God knows what we need and He will work His will through us. At the end of the chapter, He says:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Matthew 6:33-34 ESV

Yeah, I believe that this supports my husband’s relaxed attitude about planning, and it is something that I have to cultivate in my own life on a daily basis.

Ultimately, both of us had marvelous times with the children on our respective Parents’ Weekends. Even when things seem to be hectic, helter-skelter, and going awry, God has even the tiniest details in His hands. What an incredible, caring and omniscient God we serve. What a glorious blessing it is to call Him “Father” through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Thank You, Father, for guiding us through the hurdles that we encounter in this world. Thank You for loving us and sending Your Son to be our Savior. Thank You for blessing us with Your Spirit as He teaches and encourages us along the way. Thank You that Your purpose always prevails, even when things seem out of control to our limited way of thinking!