THE PIANIST AND YOU

March 24, 2017 | lindamowles

When I was a young girl, my mother signed me up for piano lessons. I enjoyed playing at the piano, but I had a hard time following the music. Mother would clap her hands in time with the music and I tried to play the scales, etc. but to no avail! She would become frustrated and I would become tearful.

Linda practicing piano with Mom watching in mirror — Practicing the piano with my mother watching, as reflected in mirror on the wall.

In my own defense, I didn’t understand fractions, so it was hard to figure out the quarter notes! But, the reality was that I enjoyed playing the songs by ear. But, if I could hear the song, I could then play at least the melody … but probably not in the key in which the music was written. (In fact, this is still the way I play the piano!)

Years ago I read an Internet article about a little boy and Paderewski, one of the most famous and popular pianists in the world. Ignacy (sometimes Ignace) Jan Paderewski was born in Poland in 1860 and lived until 1941. Like my mother, his teachers thought he would never be much of a pianist. My mother was correct: Paderewski’s teachers were not! He persisted and in 1885 he began his musical career exhibiting his skill and personality as he took the world by storm.

History records President Franklin Delano Roosevelt calling him a “Modern Immortal” in 1932 and in 1934, Charles Phillips wrote a book entitled The Story of a Modern Immortal, and included these words in the introduction:

“It is difficult to write of Paderewski without emotion. Statesman, orator, pianist and composer, he is a superlative man, and his genius transcends that of anyone I have ever known. Those of us who love Poland are glad that she can claim him as a son, but let her always remember that Ignace Jan Paderewski belongs to all mankind.”

See more about this brilliant musician in an article at http://pmc.usc.edu/composer/paderewski.html.

While checking to see if the story that I read had occurred or was fiction, I found a 2003 blog entry by Steven P. Wickstrom. Here is his post which encapsulates the ideas that I wanted to express.

The story is told of the great classic pianist and composer Ignace Jan Paderewski (1860-1941) who began his piano lessons at the age of six. It is said that when he was 12, he entered the Warsaw Conservatory and six years later at the age of 18, was appointed a professor there. He was a consummate master of the piano and had a brilliant career as a concert pianist, playing to enthusiastic audiences all over Europe and America.

As the fictional story goes, he was preparing to give a concert one evening when a group of admirers came to the concert hall. One of those was a mother with her young son who was quite reluctantly taking piano lessons. She thought that by bringing him to hear the great Paderewski he would gain a renewed interest in the piano.

The young mother turned to her friends and was engaging in a conversation while the young boy was getting bored. The little boy left his seat and wandered away. Seeing a door marked “No Admittance” he promptly went right through. He found himself on a stage with a piano in the center. His attention was drawn to the beautiful ebony grand piano with its glistening white ivory keys.

Suddenly the curtains parted and a spotlight lit the grand piano. The mother returned to her seat only to find that her son was missing. Then to her horror she spotted him on stage sitting on the piano stool reaching for the ivory piano keys. He started playing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”

Paderewski quickly strode up behind the boy on the piano bench, sat down beside him and put his arms around the boy and began playing a counter medley as he whispered in the lad’s ear, “Go ahead, keep playing, you’re doing great. That’s it, keep it up. You’re okay, don’t listen to the noise or the audience. Come on keep going.” The audience was mesmerized as the master played alongside the novice. When they finished, the audience exploded in applause.

****

Even though that story is pure fiction and never happened, there are some lessons that we can learn from it.

A lot of what we do for the Lord in our own strength is a lot like playing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star in a concert hall all by ourselves. If we are to accomplish anything worthwhile for Him it is going to have to be with Him. As we play on the piano of life we desperately need His wisdom, strength, and power. All the time that we are playing our tune, the Lord, the Master Pianist, comes along and leans over and whispers in our ear, “Go ahead, keep playing, you’re doing great. That’s it, keep it up. You’re okay, don’t listen to the noise or the audience. Come on keep going.” And in that moment He gives us Himself.

Step up to the piano of life and play whatever tune you know. God will sit down beside you and turn your music into something beautiful that will bring glory to Him. It is only together with God that beautiful music is created. Don’t worry if you think that you have no talent, it is God’s talent that people will see and hear. Together with God, we can play a concert that will bring many people to the Lord. *

Scripture is very clear – as a Christian, as one who believes in Jesus Christ alone for my salvation, it is my responsibility to live a life according to the Lord’s commands and to glorify God in all that I do. The problem is that I cannot do that on my own or in my own strength. So, we receive the strength to do so from Him. Jesus expressed this concept in this way:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 15:5

Of course, we are able to do things in our own strength. But, if we want to do that which will count for eternity, we must work in His strength because apart from Him we cannot bear fruit for Him.

Play the music, sing your song, teach your lesson, give your speech, and help others, all in the power of the Name of the Lord. Let Him enable you. Live connected to the Vine and your life will be eternally meaningful because you will bear much fruit.

Father, enable me to see when I am working in my own strength, even if it is doing good things for others. Then, enable me to give control to You and Your Spirit so that the words I say, the actions that I take, all that I do will be under Your direction and with pure motives that You provide. I praise You that You will be by my side, encouraging and enabling me to serve You profitably. I praise Your Holy Name.

* Steven P. Wickstrom’s 2003 post “The Pianist” is presented here with his permission.

THE UNEASY CHRISTIAN WALK

September 27, 2016September 22, 2016 | lindamowles

Recently we had a family vacation to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It was a great time, despite the record heat all over the Southeast. We played miniature golf, we went to the campground pool, we went to Pirate’s Voyage dinner and show, we went to a museum of cars from “yesteryear” (that is another word for “when Grammy was young!”). And, we went to Radical Ropes Adventure Park, a ropes course that had multiple levels of ropes, zip lines, etc. It was an awesome facility.

myrtle-beach-radical-ropes-course — Radical Ropes Adventure Park, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

All of the members in our son’s family had done ropes courses before and this one looked like a great deal of fun. But, our daughter’s son, who was traveling with us and was the youngest in the group, had not been on a ropes course and he was not at all sure about this venture. He was, shall we say, a reluctant participant!

myrtle-beach-ropes-course-reluctant-participant — The reluctant participant, at the beginning.

The personnel were detailed in getting the participants suited up with harnesses and hooks and clamps, helmets and gloves, and all were enthusiastic about the endeavor, except for the youngest grandson. He was not so sure, even when the practice run was just inches above the ground, there was an instructor at his shoulder, and his Aunt was going to go on the course with him.

myrtle-beach-practice-for-ropes-course — Practice at ground level.

After significant encouragement, he persevered and participated while letting us know that he was not excited about it at all. The adults in the group knew that this would be a growing experience for him – he would be safe with all the safety equipment and with multiple family members surrounding him, he would be on the lowest course so no fall would prove injurious even if the safety equipment failed, and he had a built in cheering section standing under the course and documenting his efforts so his parents could see his prowess!

myrtle-beach-ropes-course-practice-with-eyebrows-raised — On learning line, at ground level, with “angry eyebrows”.

The first couple of obstacles were met with scowls and an expression that said “I don’t like this but I’ll do it because you want me to!”

However, after recognizing that he could accomplish these tasks, even though they were hard and it took struggle, a transformation occurred in his expression and his enthusiasm. He still had to work hard to walk the line and overcome the barriers that were strategically placed, but his eyebrows were no longer “angry eyebrows” and there was a smile on his face that said “I’m doing it – look at me! I am going to conquer this thing!”

myrtle-beach-ropes-course-working-heard-but-now-smiling — Working hard but with a smile on his face!

At the end, he was tired, but he had the grin of satisfaction glued to his face. He had done something that he had been afraid of – he conquered his fear and had more self-confidence as a result. He persevered and completed the hard task.

myrtle-beach-ropes-course-tired-bear — One tired bear who accomplished the goals set before him.

Perseverance. It seems as though that is a theme for recent blogs on The Ruminant Scribe, but I believe the Lord is leading in that way for some reason. [Most likely it is because I need the lessons that I write, much more than the readers do!]

The Lord said that we would have persecutions and problems, difficulties and trials throughout our Christian lives as His disciples. Some even say that if you are not experiencing persecution because of your faith, perhaps your faith is hidden from the world! Bring it out in the open and the persecution will come!

Jesus promised persecution to those who believe in His name.

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.”

John 15:18-20

Persecution of the righteous is foretold in Jesus “Sermon on the Mount”:

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Matthew 5:10-12

In Ephesians chapter 6, Paul is encouraging the Ephesian believers to remain faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ. And, even though he is in prison in chains because of his preaching about Jesus, he exhorts the people to persevere and to pray for all the saints, including him. Notice that Paul provides a description of the weapons we have at our disposal through the Holy Spirit so that we can persevere and withstand the trials that will come our way.

In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Ephesians 6:16-20

I certainly am not equating the ropes course at Myrtle Beach to anything that “the evil one” would send our way [although possibly our young grandson felt this way at the beginning!]. We did not expect him to tackle the highest ropes course the first time he ever tried to do such an event.

While undertaking the lowest course was something that was way beyond his comfort zone, it was also something that we had confidence he could handle. He had his own personal cheering section for support, and it was a growing experience for him. In short, it was a building block in his self-confidence for tasks far more important than just an adventure ropes course. [In this picture he was waiting for his Aunt to cross the obstacle – notice his crossed legs, a position telegraphing “I’ve got this!”]

myrtle-beach-ropes-course-waiting-for-aunt-to-catch-up — Air of confidence as he stands on the platform between obstacles, with legs crossed indicating “at ease” rather than “terrified”.

The same is true in our spiritual life. The Church is our cheering section in heaven and the local Church is our cheering section on earth, while the Spirit is our power from within. Persevering in one endeavor is but one of many steps in our maturing so that we can persevere in each successive task that God presents to us, some of which may strike at the point of our most significant fear.

Praise God that He is willing to lead us so that we grow, progressively, into the image of His Son. Praise His Name that He guides us through our spiritual infancy into spiritual maturity as we bask in His love, rely on His Spirit to guide us, and look to do His will in our world. Praise the Lord that He has promised His grace and support as we go through difficult times.

Father, thank You for your presence with us, even in difficult times. Thank You for your Spirit who undergirds us with His power and strength as we learn to walk in faith and love for Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

PERSEVERANT PUZZLING

September 6, 2016September 5, 2016 | lindamowles

I love puzzles – word puzzles like Word Search, Word Brain, crossword puzzles, even Sudoku and Mahjong. I practiced law for 30 years so I had any number of legal puzzles to unravel and “solve” on behalf of my clients. I love the challenge of a puzzle and I love the feeling that you get when you successfully solve it. But I don’t do jigsaw puzzles.

One Christmas I gave each of the grandchildren a 30+ piece jigsaw puzzle that was made from a picture of them. My granddaughter started it and then walked away, so I thought I would finish it. As I was trying to figure out where the pieces went, my second eldest grandson (then about 8 years old) walked past … walked past mind you, not studied it or pondered, just walked past! Almost without a stop he said:

“What are you doing, Grammy?”

“Trying to put this puzzle together.”

“Oh, here you go.”

And with that, he twisted and turned the remaining pieces into the picture and off he went.

Long before I realized I was seriously jigsaw puzzle challenged, I purchased a 3D Jigsaw Puzzle of Notre Dame Cathedral. I think it was on sale for 95% off or something ridiculous – you know, a bargain you can’t refuse! But, when I got home and looked at the box, I realized that it was a puzzle with 950+ pieces and I had no idea how to make it 3D. So, I did what any puzzle challenged person would do, I put it on a closet shelf and forgot about it.

Fast forward to 10 days ago. The puzzle genius that solved the puzzle years ago found the 3D puzzle on the closet shelf.

“Look what I found. Can I put this together, Grammy?”

I almost said “No” since his family would be moving in a couple of weeks and I certainly did not want this thing to be partially finished when they left the house. But, being rather indulgent when it comes to the grandchildren (sometimes), I gave him permission, figuring that I could vacuum up the pieces that fell and chuck the whole thing later.

The next morning, after he had opened the box, he came to us and said:

“It appears that I seriously underestimated how much space 950 puzzle pieces would take!”

All the tables, TV tables, boxes and any flat surface in the room had puzzle pieces on them. Not to mention the floor, until I pointed out that the dogs in the house might enjoy nibbling on a stray piece!

I checked on the status of Notre Dame’s construction a couple of times and was very impressed with how he was doing.

IMG_20160830_2013085_rewind — 3D puzzle in its infancy.

The number of tables had been reduced, but there were still quite a number of pieces in differing levels of completeness, and there were a host of single pieces strewn around, but overall, I was surprised at how far he had come.

IMG_20160830_2013296_rewind — Puzzle pieces in various states of completion.

But with school, band, homework, etc., I still didn’t think he would finish it even though he was exerting a good effort in the cause.

The day after these pictures were taken, and just 4 days before they were going to move, this is what he brought downstairs.

IMG_20160831_221051 — The completed 3D Puzzle of Notre Dam Cathedral, on a board in the living room.

The completed 3-dimensional Notre Dame Cathedral! I was stunned!

Needless to say, the entire family joined in the celebration of a job well done. (Even Snickers was looking at it in admiration – or perhaps wondering what the cathedral would look like if she had eaten a couple of pieces, not really sure about her expression!)

It was as if we could not get enough pictures of the work. Phones, ipods, kindles … all were emitting binding flashes as the cameras were working overtime to record this epic achievement.

In less than 10 days he had finished the 950+ piece 3D puzzle. Granted, each member of the family had put their fingers in it, you know the kind of assistance that is almost irrelevant in the grand scheme … “Here’s a piece that looks like that one!” and then you walk away glad that you could “help” him accomplish his goal. But, it was his work that sat before us on the table!

IMG_20160831_2212582_rewind — The puzzle’s Cathedral view from the top!

The look of accomplishment and achievement that radiated from his face was palpable, as the family congratulated him on achieving a goal that Grammy had dismissed as impossible and had put on a closet shelf.

IMG_20160831_221359 — The puzzle genius who persevered and constructed the Notre Dame Cathedral 3D puzzle.

Perseverant puzzling. Facing a task that is big and tricky, and sticking with it until it is conquered; being unwilling to call it quits even if the job is huge.

Now I don’t intend this post to be arrogant bragging about my grandson, nor does it reflect my brilliance in purchasing this 3D puzzle in the first place. No, I think this is a sort of illustration of what Jesus was talking about relating to the perseverance that we need in our life as we walk with the Lord.

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Luke 9:23

Jesus is saying that there is a cost to discipleship. We must consider what the cost is and then determine whether we are willing to pay that cost and then we are to persevere through the fight that will ultimately come. See Luke 14:27-28, 33.

Jesus reminds us to be perseverant when He said:

“But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

Matthew 24:16

Each puzzle piece was specifically designed to go in a specific place, and if any piece was missing the puzzle would not be as sturdy or complete. In like manner, each of us, as Christians, has a job to do in Christ’s kingdom, and it will require us to persevere as we do it. No one else has our exact job – we are called to do it and the Body of Christ will not function quite as well if we ignore our job and think someone else will handle it. And, the one who ignores her job misses out on the tremendous blessing that comes from being a faithful servant fulfilling the mission given to her by her Master.

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:9

Living the Christian life is difficult because it requires us to be holy, to be separated to God, to be obedient to our Lord. It requires us to be counter-cultural as we march to a very different drummer than the world follows. It requires that we persevere despite the challenges and difficulties.

My grandson illustrated perseverance in his completion of the 3D puzzle. I realize that he enjoys a challenge and that it was fun for him, but it was also hard work and took time that he could otherwise have used in different endeavors.

That is similar to our walk with the Lord. It is enjoyable because we are with the King of Kings and Lord of Lord who also happens to be our Heavenly Father. But it also is hard work to reach out to others, to spend time preparing their meals or to create the children’s studies. It is hard work to love those who dislike us, to reject the way of anger and to embrace the attitude of love in difficult situations.

The way of perseverance is difficult, but the rewards are worth the effort.

Father, may I persevere in my Christian walk. May I do that which you have called me to do. I ask that You would bless those with whom I come in contact, so that You will be glorified.

Pedal! and Perseverance

August 16, 2016 | lindamowles

There is a story that I came across many years ago, and it speaks to me as I consider my journey with Jesus Christ. It has been duplicated numerous times so you may already have heard it, but I do ask that you read it and think, again, about your own perseverance in the Christian walk.

At first I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there sort of like a president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I really didn’t KNOW him.

But later on when I met Christ, it seemed as though life was rather like a bike ride, but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed Christ was in the back helping me pedal. I don’t know just when it was that He suggested that we change places, but life has not been the same since he took over steering the bike.

When I had control, I knew the way. It was rather boring, but predictable… it was the shortest distance between two points. But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places at breakneck speeds, it was all I could do to hang on! Even though it looked like madness, He said “Pedal”.

I worried and was anxious and asked, “Where are you taking me?” He laughed and didn’t answer, and I started to learn trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure. And when I’d say, “I’m scared,” He would lean back and touch my hand.

He took me to people with gifts that I needed, gifts of healing, acceptance and joy. They gave me gifts to take on my journey, my Lord’s and mine. And we were off again. He said “Give the gifts away, they’re extra baggage, too much weight.” So I did, to the people we met, and I found that in giving I received, and yet still our burden was light.

I did not trust Him, at first, in control of my life. I thought He’d wreck it; but He knows bike secrets, knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners, knows how to jump to clear high rocks, knows how to fly to shorten scary passages. And I am learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I’m beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, Jesus Christ.

And when I’m sure I just can’t do anymore, He just smiles and says … “Pedal!”

(Author unknown)

There are many theological words we could insert into this story, but the verbal picture drawn for us is sufficient for our purposes. Life is hard – the Christian life is harder, especially if you try to do it on your own. Your way is simply not good enough … we cannot live a sinless life. That is the reason that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was necessary. We need to come to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith and repentance, and only then can we rely on His strength to enable us to persevere.

In Second Timothy Paul encourages the young pastor to endure even when the “going gets tough”. In these days of the Olympics in Rio, we can more fully understand Paul’s reference:

An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.

2 Timothy 2:5.

It is foolish for us to think we can satisfy God on our own, that we can compete in this world according to our rules and not those of the Creator God as established in the Bible. Do we really think we are bigger and know better than God? REALLY?

Sin has broken the connection between us and the Creator God. There simply is nothing that we can do to fix that situation because anything we do is just as dirty and sinful as we are. There must be Someone Who lived a perfect, sinless life, and Who was willing to be the sacrifice to pay for the sins that we have committed, so that we could be reunited with God. That Person is Jesus Christ, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

The Apostle Paul says:

And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22. The Holy Spirit is our guarantee of salvation and perseverance. What a blessing!

Jesus describes our security in Him as we persevere in our walk with Him in the Gospel of John:

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

John 6:37-40.

The Apostle John reiterates that which Jesus spoke in the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Regarding Jesus presenting us to His Father in Heaven if we are faithful to Him, Revelation 3:5 states:

The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

Perseverance in the Christian life. It really is not based on our own efforts. We must yield control of our life to Christ, but even that we cannot do on our own! Rather it is an ability that we receive from the Lord as the Holy Spirit indwells us and supplies the power that we personally do not have.

We still must run the race and exert as much effort that we can muster, as if we were athletes competing in the Olympics, but at the end of the day we must recognize that it is God who worked through us. The Apostle Paul reminds us:

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

1 Corinthians 3:6-7.

So, when you want to give up on your Christian walk, when you feel totally inadequate, when you think that you can give no more … listen to Jesus say “Pedal”. Rely on Him and He will see you through as He uses you for His purposes, all to His glory and honor.

Father, forgive me when I have foolishly tried to do Your work in my own strength. What folly! Enable me to see when I am grabbing control and let me release my grip and rely on You. May my reliance on You be my first choice, instead of my last resort. Forgive me, Lord. Your way is always the best, most beautiful and enduring way there could possibly be. Thank you Father for calling me and for granting me the blessing of a relationship with Your Son and the presence of Your Holy Spirit.

GIANT SEQUOIA TREES ILLUSTRATE PERSEVERANCE.

November 14, 2015 | lindamowles

After going to the Maricopa Grove of Giant Sequoias in Yosemite National Park, I have a tremendous amount of respect for these gentle giants of the forest. Their size can only be described as gargantuan and their age makes Methuselah sound like a teenager!

But one of the characteristics I note with particular interest is what I would call “perseverance”. Now, I know that the trees have no awareness or sense that they have persevered through difficult times. But, the fact remains, that there is evidence on many of these old creatures of significant trial, especially by fire.

Giant Sequoia fire scar with seedlings nearby.

These are two of the Giant Sequoia Trees which show the fire scars as evidence of the trees’ perseverance through ferocious wildfires through the centuries they have lived.

Fire scar completely through the base of Giant Sequoia Tree

God, in His ultimate wisdom, created these trees knowing that they would be around for a long time and that, in the natural order of things, fire would destroy some of the forest ground cover as is necessary for a healthy forest environment. So, God gave the Giant Sequoias the ability to survive severe fire damage, this being, according to the National Park Service, “a remarkable characteristic of the Sequoia.” I spoke of this characteristic in a prior post, “Difficulties Can Produce Beautiful Fruit” posted August 19, 2015.

The focus here, is not so much the physical fact of their survival, but the concept of perseverance … or, as is applicable to Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, perseverance of the saints.

I realize that the trees can’t just pick up and move when the going gets hot. They are “stuck” there, so to speak. Notwithstanding this truth, consider what is visible from the trees pictured below — above the top of the fire scar there is green growth and abundant branches. The trees are not just alive; they are healthy, surviving and flourishing. They endure the flames and then survive and keep on prospering, right where they are.

Yosemite Sequoia Tree tops showing growth despite the fire scar.

God knows me, too. He knows that trials will come and the heat may be intense. He also knows that I cannot face it alone. In His grace He has not left me alone – He has provided a way for me to survive, not through a layer of cambium but through Jesus Christ as my Savior, the Holy Spirit as my Companion, and the Body of Christ, the Church.

Canterbury Cathedral where there have been worship services for over 1400 years!

Whether grandiose and ancient as seen in the 1,400 year old Canterbury Cathedral, or small and rustic such as the historic Cades Cove Church in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, the church building is the meeting place for the Body of Christ.

Church in Cades Cove, Smoky Mountain National Park, Tennessee

Believers, themselves, are the Body of Christ when they work together for the spreading of the Gospel of Christ and in support of each other as the family of Christ and children of the Living God.

When Daniel’s three friends, Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego, stood up to King Nebuchadnezzar and refused to bow down to him, they told the king that they would only worship their God. In rage, the king threw the three men into the fiery furnace, but when king looked into the furnace, he saw four men in the fire. Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego were retrieved from the furnace and they were not burned or singed and they did not even smell of fire. See Daniel 6:23-27. God walked with them in the fire, and they were unharmed because they persevered in their faith and in reliance upon God.

I have the same God who went into the fire with His children as recounted in Daniel chapter 6. He is the Great Healer, my Companion and my Guide. He has given me His Word (the Holy Bible) and He has ordained that the Body of Christ, the visible church on earth, be available to me as a believer in Christ for support, prayer, strength, encouragement, and help in time of need. This does not mean that struggles will not come, or even that I am guaranteed that the struggle will not be stronger than I am — but it does mean that nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate me from the love of God that I have through Christ Jesus. Read Romans 8:35-39.

God's roadmap for our lives, steering us directly to Him -- the Holy Bible. — God’s roadmap for our lives, steering us directly to Him — the Holy Bible.

In short, He has provided the way and the strength to persevere through the trial so that, at the last day, I will be able to stand before Him, clothed in the righteousness of His Son and be accepted by Him as His child. My obligation is to joyfully take advantage of the strength He has provided when difficult times come.

James writes in his letter that we should “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4.

I don’t know about you, but I normally do not consider it “pure joy” when a trial comes my way. No one wants hard times – but hard times do not play favorites. Jesus promised that there would be hard times for the Christian … it is not a matter of IF there is a trial; it is simply a matter of WHEN the trial will arrive. Perseverance in our Christian walk comes as a result of enduring the testing of our faith, and the result of perseverance is maturity in Christ.

The Giant Sequoia tree reminds me that perseverance is possible. The Lord has provided these trees with protection and healing after a fire. He has provided me with the Comforter who is with me not only for healing after the fire has passed but the Comforter is with me even during the trial, giving strength, encouragement and, yes, comfort. And He has provided the Body of Christ, the Church, for my support, encouragement and aid.

Thank you, Father, for sending Jesus Christ into this world as the atonement for my sin. Thank you also for providing means of grace so that I can persevere when difficult times assail, thank you for the Holy Spirit present within and the Church present without for strength and encouragement, prayer and praise, help and aid during times of testing. Help me to be of encouragement to your children through your Spirit and the Word. Rather than fighting the test, Father, help me to embrace it and persevere through it so that I will be mature in my faith. Thank you for being with me, even in the furnace of testing. I praise your name and glorify you in all things.

THE BOBCAT AND THE TULIPS

September 26, 2015September 26, 2015 | lindamowles

Have you ever felt like something picked you up and plunked you down somewhere else, much like tornado does when it swirls through a town? Have you ever just been lost and not sure where you are or how you got there? (As noted in a prior post entitled “The Elongated Trip”, my being somewhat lost is not unusual, at least in terms of directions and routes. But that’s not really what I am thinking about today.)

I am thinking about how events, people, trials and blessings all worked together to put me where I am even though there were upheavals in every sense of the word during the process. I guess the question becomes “What am I to do after an upheaval has created chaos and made a mess of my plans for my life?”

Front yard in desperate need of landscaping

Our house has never been the garden spot in the neighborhood. If we ever had the “best garden” award in the front yard, it would be because someone swiped it from the deserving house and got tired of carrying it, so he plopped it down at our house to get rid of the load. We did have some tulips in the dirt below the picture window and a few of them would pop up in the spring, but it hardly deserved the title of landscaping. Along the street, the yard was barren due to the surplus of leaves that pile up in the fall, killing the grass beneath.

We finally decided that we would do something about it. A bobcat was brought in and we dug up and hauled off the old dirt, rocks, dried up bushes, etc.

The bobcat removing all the dirt and debris in the “flower bed”.

New soil and new bushes and shrubs were brought in for a coordinated landscaping effort. A new sidewalk was installed. No rock was unturned and no plant remained. In a matter of weeks, we had a landscaped yard!

Front yard along street after landscaping

Next spring, we looked out the window to see the new plants with their spring foliage, and there they were! Tulips ‐‐ a “leftover” from the plantings that had languished in the dirt for decades below the front window. These delightful red tulips were in full bloom with the new shrubs as their backdrop. They didn’t know they weren’t supposed to be there … they just did their thing – they bloomed where they had been planted.

How could they possibly still be there? The bobcat did all in its power to scoop out every bit of the dead dirt and roots of shrubs and flowers. It hauled off multiple scoops of debris from that, loosely described, “flower bed.” But somehow, the scoop missed the tulip bulbs.

Somehow the bobcat’s tines missed the flowers’ roots and they held tight, embedded so they could bloom in the spring. Somehow the new shrubbery did not overwhelm the simple tulips that had survived the onslaught of redesign.

Out of place? Perhaps. They are the only “flowers” not attached to a shrub, but I am not moving them! Does God care that the tulips were attacked by a mechanical bobcat and did God put His hand on the little bulbs for protection so they would bloom again? I guess theologians and academics could debate that question.

Scripture teaches, and I personally believe, that

God knows the hairs on our head (Matthew 10:30 ),
He remembers the sparrows (Luke 12:6) and
He called the plants good (Genesis 1:11-12).

Given these absolutes, I believe that He protected the tulips for His purposes. Perhaps they were saved from destruction so that He could remind me that I, too, need to bloom where I find myself — even if it is the result of what I perceive to be an upheaval and is a long way from where I started and from what I thought I would be doing.

Upheaval in our lives can come in many different forms ‐‐ a loved one’s death, divorce, cancer, loss of employment, disappointment, forces of nature, declining health due to aging, downturn in finances ‐‐ but no matter what the occurrence or how long it persists, the end result is that we are in a different situation or surrounding.

Scripture says that God is sovereign and all-powerful – He knows us and what will happen during each of our days, even before we were born! (Psalm 139:16) (I love Psalm 139!)

So, while the result of upheaval in my life may make me feel uncomfortable because, as a result I am in an unfamiliar situation, it cannot be something of which God is unaware. Our circumstance does not take Him by surprise, nor does it present a problem or situation which He cannot handle. Think about the “upheaval” that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego experienced in the fiery furnace. God not only protected them, He walked in the furnace with them. Daniel 3:25.

No matter where we find ourselves when the dust of upheaval finally settles, you will find that God is still in control and that He was in the situation with you even when you could not see Him. If you find upheaval distressing you, remember the steadfast tulips; they are beautiful in front of the shrubbery backdrop that God provided for them.

By God’s grace, you too will beautify your new circumstance with His love shining out to those around you! Praise the Lord and bloom where you are planted … even if you are the only one, you will still be a witness to God’s love, providence, grace and sovereignty!

Father, forgive me when I rebelled and struggled against Your bobcat as You were rearranging my life for Your purposes. Forgive me when I was unable to comprehend any good coming from the pain of the situation. Forgive me when I griped at the circumstance and refused to look to You for wisdom. Thank you for Your grace, patience and unrelenting love. Thank you for being present with me in the upheaval even though I did not recognize it, and thank You for changing my world, and me, even if it took a spiritual bobcat to accomplish the task.