Bless You

by Rebecca Irwin

I have a dear friend from college who has the habit, when we correspond, to respond with a written prayer just for me. She will address the concerns I have written about in an email or note as we “catch up” on each other’s lives and boldly claim God’s promises and power to address them. It is an indescribable blessing.

In Ephesians 6, Paul wrote : “Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.” (vs. 14-18,)

In 1 Timothy, chapter 2, we read : “The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know…Since prayer is at the bottom of all this, what I want mostly is for men to pray - not shaking angry fists at enemies but raising holy hands to God.” (vs 1, 8).

James also writes in 5:16 “Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.”

Sisters in Christ, I offer you a challenge today. Bring someone into the intimacy of prayer and bless him or her by writing a prayer for them or praying out loud over the phone or in person. It has a powerful impact when another hears your prayer for them (or reads it) and knows you mean it when you say, “I’m praying for you”.

Lord, I pray for this dear reader that she would have the boldness to bless someone with her spoken or written prayer today. I pray that she would not worry what the other person might think or her words or language. If she lacks words Lord, reminder her of yours. Amen.

Sacrifice

by Rebecca Irwin

I can now freely eat sweets. I no longer have to feel the guilt of breaking my Lenten commitment to abstain from them. Oh, how I missed Oreo cookies and milk shakes! However, I must confess I did give in several times to the temptation. Once, almost savagely, after I passed on dessert at my friend’s, I came home, yanked open the freezer door and ate three scoops of mint-chip ice cream covered in chocolate syrup.

I had the privilege of being included in a Good Friday service last week held in a friend’s home. A very random and eclectic group of people was assembled to eat soup and bread together. After a simple meal, we moved into the living room and sitting in a large circle, we read portions of the gospel account of Jesus’ crucifixion and suffering. At times, our host would break and allow others to tell a story of brokenness or God’s silence in their own lives. We left with a greater anticipation for the joy and victory that Easter Sunday celebrated.

As I reflected on Lent, it struck me that simply giving up sweets for six weeks was at times incredibly hard! My weakness in even keeping this one self-imposed law was time and again revealed. I began to fudge the rules (well, tapioca pudding isn’t really a sweet) or justify my indulgence. It struck me on Easter Sunday that Jesus’ sacrifice was not JUST dying on the cross! His sacrifice for us was made minute-by-minute, day-by-day as he time and again made the choice to be our PERFECT sacrifice! His crucifixion was the culmination of His consistent sacrifice.

Look with me at Hebrews 10:14 (the Message) “It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people. By that single offering, he did everything that needed to be done for everyone who takes part in the purifying process.”

And at Hebrews 5:7-9 (ESV) “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him…”

May you stand today all the more amazed at the gift we have been given in eternal salvation!

Thank you Jesus for your perfection! We would have never made it past a day if this was required of us. Only God’ son could have planned the perfect redemption and accomplished it. May we stand in awe of you. Amen

Story

by Rebecca Irwin

I was given a writing assignment to begin a story that I could add to over the next three weeks. I struggled to come up with a character for my story until one day, my youngest son walked in and I had an “ah-ha” moment. I told him I was going to write a story about him. If a boy of five could look flattered, he did. The beginning of the story reads like this :

“His name, as he skips across the grass or whistles in the kitchen is usually Jack Henry. He is the boy with the wild hair, always a scraped or skinned knee, and chocolate brown eyes that look deeper than seeing. He is the boy who can make a new friend in an instant, charm you with his smile and a wink and say laughable things with just the right timing. He is also the boy who can grit his teeth and curl his lip and stomp off when his plans are foiled. But this boy doesn’t always match his profile. Sometimes, he takes a different name and exhibits new behaviors.”

When I had completed the first page I invited him in and read it to him. He was totally thrilled with himself for being a character in a written story. He urged me to keep writing!

For this same assignment, we were given a series of questions to ask ourselves about the story in progress. Questions like: “Do each of your characters have a desire?”, “Do your characters evolve?”, “What happens in your story?”.

This caused me to ponder; Is our life a story of random chapters with no evident over-arching theme? Are we the authors of our story? Do we have sole control on our character development? What will happen in my story?

We all live out of a story. But it is a hopeful truth that as followers of Jesus we are given an alternative story to live out of through the work of Jesus Christ.

I find, like the disciples, (especially Thomas) I have a difficult time trusting God’s story will turn out like he said, or that His promises are true. In Matthew 28:6 we see “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” (italics mine) But we also read in the resurrection story about their doubt : “Still later, as the Eleven were eating supper, he appeared and took them to task most severely for their stubborn unbelief, refusing to believe those who had seen him raised up.” Matthew 16:14 (italics mine).

Step back and see that Jesus Christ has included us as characters in an amazing story that has purpose and direction. And, just as He said, He will come again to restore His Creation! My hope this Easter is that our hearts will believe His promises as we live out His story as His church and await His return.

Jesus, thank you for giving us a record of your amazing story and including us in it. Thank you for being the Author and Finisher of our faith. Thank you for the certain victory you will have over death in our lives too – your resurrection power! Please eliminate our “stubborn unbelief” and doubts and cause us to have faith in your promises and live out of your story.
Amen!

Garden Stories

by Rebecca Irwin

Sunday, in a timely message titled “Fear and the Stories We Live By,” Pastor Lou Huesmann used the phrase “Garden Stories”. It was here he gave a brief contrast between the Garden of Eden and the Garden of Gethsemane.

In the Genesis 3:9-10 we read about the first time FEAR entered into the story in the Garden of Eden : “But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’ He answered, ‘I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid’." Here, in the garden, entered a fear of death, a fear of others and a willingness to sacrifice others to make our self safe. Adam and Eve sought to preserve their own lives.

The second garden story is first found in Matthew 26. Jesus has gone to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. In verse 38, he cries out to His Father, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." Again, in verse 42 Jesus prays, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done." Finally, in verse 44 the Scriptures state “So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.” In this garden, Jesus renounces the idol of security and comfort. He did not choose to sacrifice others to make himself safe. He did not choose to preserve His own life. What wonderful news to my ears that Jesus Christ did not give into fear!

I could not help but think of a third garden story in the Bible. It is described in the Song of Solomon. It is a beautiful description of the pursuit of love. In chapter 4 it says, “You are a garden fountain, a well of flowing water streaming down from Lebanon. Awake, north wind, and come, south wind! Blow on my garden, that its fragrance may spread abroad. Let my lover come into his garden and taste its choice fruits.” The love Jesus had for us caused him to pursue us and woo us. He created and cultivated a beautiful garden where life began. Then he created a way to save us from the death that had entered in. His new life, the new creation has broken into human history. Stop today and smell the rose of Sharon fragrant with his love for us!

Father, we respond with the same reflex of fear that Adam and Eve demonstrated in the Garden. If we honestly look at our fears, we seek to preserve ourselves. Sacrifice is not natural. It is too risky. That is what makes the Garden of Gethsemane so astounding. Your son, Jesus, renounced self-preservation. He was willing to make the sacrifice. An unblemished life! Thank you for your deep and passionate love for us. Teach us to put fear aside by finding our self and our security in you. Thank you Jesus!

What We Believe

by Rebecca Irwin

As I attempted to sift through one of the constant piles beside my desk, I came across a responsive reading I had saved from an old church bulletin. As I read it again, the firmness of my belief felt rock-solid in the midst of our current culture’s shifting sand. This is what I wish to build my house on. My prayer is that this will encourage your heart with victorious hope today. Say it out loud – We believe!

Nicene Creed

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation
He came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
He suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory, to judge the living
and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy universal and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.

Amen

Change

by Rebecca Irwin

We are a people anticipating change. A change of seasons, a change in the weather, a change of days. A change of the channel, a change in the bad news, a change in the bull market. A change of fashion trends, a change in the hot colors, a change in the sofa we sit on. A change in our child's whining, a change in our mate's attentions, a change in our short tempers.

As we go about our days we either hope for and anticipate the change, or we doubt the change will ever come. Sometimes, we dread the change. We can pray for a change and stand amazed at how quickly the answer seemed to come. Other times, we can pray for a change in our loved one's hearts and lives and begin to think we will never live to see it.

The truth remains that change, in whatever form it comes, is inevitable. With time, comes change. We do not save the innocence of our childhood. We do not keep our first teeth and remain a youth like Peter Pan. We feel the effects of change at a more rapid pace than Methuselah who lived to be 969 (Genesis 5:27). We cannot change the storm like Jesus when he spoke to the sea. We do not have the power to reverse time and undo something that changed our life, or someone else's. We cannot hold onto our child and keep them at yesterday. And as we strive to change the things we dislike in ourselves, we are set back sometimes and realize that change can come slowly, it is a process.

BUT. But there is one who does not need to, or hope in, or strive for change. It is written : "What is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." (James 4:14). "The world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:17). "They will perish, but You will endure; yes, all of them will grow old like a garment; like a cloak You will change them, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will have no end." (Psalm 102:26-27). "Jesus Christ is THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, and FOREVER." (Hebrews 13:8).

What a comfort to know that we can count on Jesus Christ in totality because He is ALWAYS Himself. He does not act differently with a change in circumstances. He does not respond once we have changed. He does not wish to take something back because He changed His mind. He will never feel less loving toward us.

As I reflect on this Lenten season and our anticipation of Easter, I am so very grateful that through His sacrifice He changed my death sentence to eternal life. Yes, but even more, I am struck by the hope that unlike any other being or thing we have known, Christ remains the same. As an uncreated being he does not change.

Thank you Triune God for your nature that is unchanging. We could not, we need not hope for a better God. You are all in all. You are the I AM. It is because of your sameness that you can bring about much needed change in us and through us. May we be your instruments of hopeful change in a world anticipating good news.

Amen!

Do Not Be Anxious

by Rebecca Irwin

Last Sunday, my pastor spoke on fear. It is a very palatable frame of mind today, in "these times". Daily, we read it, watch it, hear it, see it, feel it. There are very real reasons to worry and fear today. I cannot encapsulate his entire sermon but I urge you to look for it, and listen to the whole message : http://www.gracelbmedia.org/

The text that was read was Matthew 6:25-34, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life..." My pastor shared that this command "Do not fear" or "Do not be anxious" was stated more often that "love one another". But, is Jesus, in essence, just telling us to "get over it?". Nay, he said! Consider this : when a child wakes from a nightmare in the dark of night and comes to his parent's bedside frightened, does a loving parent say "stop it!"? Of course not! They say "don't be afraid, I am right here, I will protect you." It is in this loving way Jesus points to His Father and says, "Don't be afraid, see how the Father cares for even the birds and flowers? He will surely take care of you!".

We also looked to the Psalms to see that in our humanness, we express our fears. See Psalm 3 (v1-3) "O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul,there is no salvation for him in God. Selah But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,my glory, and the lifter of my head...." As we speak our fears to God, he can correct our mindset.

At the end of this message, he showed a clip from the movie "Two Towers" based on J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Eowyn is a lady who wishes to go to battle :

Eowyn says "I do not fear either pain or death.

Aragorn replies "What do you fear, my lady?

Eowyn says "A cage. To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire.

Aragorn counters "You are a daughter of kings, I do not believe that will be your fate."

The point Pastor Lou made from this, rung in my mind all week. Our "cage" is self-protection. But living in the will of God is the safest place to be.

I urge you today, daughters of the King, take the risk to trust Him!

King of Kings, cause us to look to you rather than down at our swelling fears. Help us to feel your constant and faithful presence so we are not scared. Allow us to see your light when we feel we are being swallowed by the darkness. Empower us through your Spirit to break free from our cages of self-protection and experience the liberation of knowing we are in your will. Amen.

by Rebecca Irwin

I have been challenged to seize this season of Lent, which began yesterday on Ash Wednesday. It is a day for SELF-examination. A day people wear a visible mark as a sinner. As I continue my journey to understand where SELF fits into God's economy, I searched for readings and prayers that correlate with the Lenten season.

From a liturgical website, I found 6 readings :

Let your hearts be broken, not your garments torn.

Joel 2:12-18 [12-13]

"But there's also this, it's not too late - God's personal Message! - "Come back to me and really mean it! Come fasting and weeping, sorry for your sins!" Change your life, not just your clothes. Come back to God, your God. And here's why: God is kind and merciful. He takes a deep breath, puts up with a lot, This most patient God, extravagant in love, always ready to cancel catastrophe."

Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Psalm 50:3-6, 12-14, 17

..."The whole cosmos attests to the fairness of this
court, that here God is judge."

Be reconciled to God...now is the favorable time.

2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2

"God put the wrong
on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God."

A pure heart create for me, O God, and give me again the joy of your help

Psalm 50:12,14

"Spread for me a banquet of praise, serve High God a feast of kept promises..."

Harden not your hearts today, but listen to the voice of the Lord

Psalm 94:8

"Well, think again,
you idiots, fools - how long before you get smart?"

Your Father, who sees all that is done in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

"Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet,
secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there
as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God,
and you will begin to sense his grace."

OR, from the Common Book of Prayer, you may find another set of readings here : http://www.io.com/~kellywp/YearABC/Lent/AshWed.html

My SELF is a sinner! What these readings reinforced is my need for a Savior! He is a fair Judge who put all my wrongs onto Jesus Christ, who did no wrong. I hope and pray during these five weeks leading up to Easter, the focus will shift from my SELF to God and I will begin to sense his grace as it is written in Matthew.

I borrow this prayer from the Common Book of Prayer :

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

by Rebecca Irwin

I have been really wrestling with where SELF fits into God's economy. In Oprah's economy, in our American culture at large, SELF is clearly first. But in God's Word (Mark 8:34) I read "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himSELF, take up his cross, and follow me." I enjoyed reading the paraphrase in the Message :

"Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for? "If any of you are embarrassed over me and the way I'm leading you when you get around your fickle and unfocused friends, know that you'll be an even greater embarrassment to the Son of Man when he arrives in all the splendor of God, his Father, with an army of the holy angels."

It is a daily struggle to remove mySELF from the driver's seat and allowing God to show me my true self. This includes the really ugly - the depth of my sin. But also, how I am made in His image. The way I am His creation, fully human (though broken from the Fall). I am grasping at a morsel of understanding that the self-control I read so much about in the Scripture is not a subservient role, but an action that requires great strength. It is not in my SELF's best interest to speak MY mind. Instead, there is great power in restraint.

This is just the beginning of this new area of study for me. I would love to hear other insights into this tension we feel as followers of Jesus. Today, I would like to borrow a prayer from an old prayer book I found at my favorite used bookstore before its closing. It is titled 'Bless This Mess & Other Prayers' by Jo Carr and Imogene Sorley.

Total commitment, Lord,

is getting the bills paid on time,

instead of putting it off just because it is a dull and

colorless task.

And it is a priority of stewardship,

arranging my finances so that my bills are worthy

bills.

Total commitment

is getting the kitchen floor mopped when it needs it,

or leaving it unmopped when my child needs me -

and having wisdom to know which is when.

Total commitment?

Lord, God! It's a phrase that haunts me.

Total is such an absolute sort of word-

an all-of-life sort of word-

with no little private compartments kept back for

me.

Commitment is a surrender sort of word-

a not-my-will-but-thine attitude toward every day.

I run. I shudder. I want no part of it.

So why does it haunt me so?

Why do you keep it in my mind, ringing in my other

ear?

Can't I beg off? Can't we settle for something less?

Must I agonize over all THY needy children?

Must I sacrifice?

My own burdens are enough Lord. Must I bear these

others also?

Total?

Commitment?

To Thee.

Amen.

Greetings

by Rebecca Irwin

I have been an observer of introductions and greetings over the last month. The observation began when we watched the concert that took place the night before the Inauguration in front of the Lincoln Memorial. We taped it and watched it the weekend following the events. It was certainly entertaining, but what stuck in my mind was the end, after all the performers and announcers were through, they asked everyone to remain seated while Barack Obama and his family exited. The expressions on the celebrity's faces as they shook his hand and exchanged a few words were notable. Their faces reflected that they were in the presence of someone very important.

In my own life, an example of greetings is my grandfather. He customarily addresses his letters with 'Greetings!'. He often gives a hearty "greetings!" when we speak on the phone as well. It is his signature in my memory. Paul is also known for his greetings. I looked up Romans 16 and I was surprised at how many greetings Paul sends! I counted 28! I was curious about these greetings - why did he make it a point in his letter, and what does verse 16, "greet one another with a holy kiss..." mean to me today? How am I to greet others? I looked on bible.crosswalk.com in several translations with study notes and found some intriguing answers.

The Geneva Study Bible said "He calls that a holy kiss which proceeds from a heart that is full of that holy love." Digging deeper, John Gill's Exposition of the Bible explained "Christian salutation is a wishing all temporal, spiritual, and eternal happiness, to one another; and which, as it should be mutual, should be also hearty and sincere, and this is meant by the "holy kiss"...Christian salutations should not be mere complaisance, or expressed by bare words, and outward gestures and actions, either of the hand or mouth; but that they should spring from real love and true friendship, and be without dissimulation, hearty and sincere."

I would feel such joy to be greeted in that way! I imagine the awe and reverence that I saw in the faces of the performers greeting our new President that evening was an example, a reflection of how I should see other believers. We share the same hope, the same belief, the same Spirit resides within us. We are sealed by Christ. Imagine how I would make others feel if I greeted them with that kind of importance and love! In fact, what might happen if I greeted the cashier at the grocery store that way? Instead of mumbling "Hi," punching in my club card number, waiting for the total and finishing my transaction, I might look her in the eye and greet her like a person who mattered.

The observation continued as I watched the Grammy's last night (again, we taped it). Several times, presenters made the point of saying "It is my greatest honor to present," or "I am pleased to introduce my friend,". I even turned to my husband and said "why are so many people making a point of being buddies?". As I thought about it, that same reverence, that same importance and community was evident there. A respect for those who made history was clearly evident. The awards seemed more reverent. What refreshment reverence brings.

Father, train me to look at others and see what you see. Help me to show reverence and respect to people as I encounter them in my daily walk. Allow me to risk feeling foolish, perhaps, or uncomfortable in order to greet others with enthusiasm and love. Your people are important! They are my family, my friends. May I show them with each greeting that I sincerely see them that way too.

broken

by Rebecca Irwin

Lately, it seems like everything around me was broken. My car was broken and then my husband's car was broken. A relationship in our family was definitely broken. People's bodies were broken. Toys were broken. Small things around the house were broken.

When Max or Jack break a toy, they cannot grasp the understanding that once broken, always broken. We cannot repair it back to its original state. We can attempt to restore its usefulness with glue or tape, but it becomes more fragile. It is not the same as it was before.

While packing for vacation, I was feeling very tired and grouchy, and the boys were running around the house like wild things. I had reached the end of my rope, and I snapped, yelling at them with a fierce face and an angry growl. Jack...began...to cry...and with tears in his eyes he looked at me and said, "Mama, you broke my heart.". And just then, my heart broke too.

It is amazing that God can take broken things, like my mothering, and not just restore me, but renew me from the inside out. He is the only God who can give us that hope! We can draw from his strength when we feel weak. We can learn from his patience when ours is gone. We can rest in His grace when we lose it.

Today, I asked Jack how his heart was and he replied, "Good, I have a new heart.". That's exactly what our God does for us.

Hope-full

by Rebecca Irwin

On Tuesday, like many of you, I watched and listened to the 44th president of our nation address his fellow citizens. Perhaps some of you did not care to watch it because he was not your choice. But please hear me. I know thousands of voices have critiqued the words, the wardrobe, the gestures, the setting, the senses, the feeling, indeed, every aspect of Tuesday, January 20, 2009. I don't claim a better analysis, a more intelligent point of view, a forecast of the future, or words of warning. However, as I have listened, and allowed the words to settle into my mind and my heart, a few things stood out that are like a bellows, stoking a passionate fire.

The first thing that caused sparks was his (nay, his speech-writer's) selection of Scripture : "We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things.". In fact, on Tuesday morning I rose early to read from The Message and had flipped quite randomly to Ephesians where the verse that was used in the speech echoed in my memory as the chapter I had read. I understand it was most likely pulled from 1 Corinthians 13 - the "Love Chapter" as it is commonly referred to :

11When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good. 12 We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! 13 But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

Listen now to Ephesians :

14 No prolonged infancies among us, please. We'll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. 15 God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love - like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. 16 He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love. The Old Way Has to Go.

Do you see what I see? "TRUST steadily in GOD, HOPE unswervingly, LOVE extravagantly." Paul wrote to the Corinthians. Then, to the Ephesians, "to know the whole TRUTH and tell it in LOVE...grow up healthy in God, robust in LOVE.".

Which leads me to the next phrase in the inaugural address that stoked my fire again "we have chosen hope over fear...". HOPE over FEAR! Pardon my shouting but that is a fantastic phrase to claim as followers of Jesus Christ! Do you hear a call to be different? Do you sense the choice we can make? In fact, the rest of the sentence is good to be mindful of "unity of purpose over conflict and discord.".

On Sunday (prior to the Inauguration), with uncharacteristic passion and fervor, my pastor said that NOW is the time for the church to illustrate to the world true covenantal relationship within community. It is not dependent on the economy, or the politics, or the weather for that matter. It is simply and succinctly dependent on Christ's gift of the Spirit, filling us with his grace and love and our willingness to obey God - simply because He is God. Again, Paul wrote to the Ephesians :

1...I want you to get out there and walk - better yet, run! - on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. 2 And mark that you do this with humility and discipline - not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, 3 alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. 4 You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. 5 You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness. 7 But that doesn't mean you should all look and speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of Christ, each of us is given his own gift.

Dear friends, don't mistake my urgency as overwhelming nationalism, or a case of red white and blue fever. Rather, I rejoice in the Lord for his unfailing Hope. His life-changing Love. His true ability to cast out all fear. And his call to us to testify to this by "pouring ourselves out for each other in acts of love". Sue Donaldson has been steadily urging us to live generously and hospitably for years and I am grateful for her example and encouragement! May your fire be stoked to LOVE EXTRAVAGANTLY starting with today.

Our prayer is simple, Father God. We choose hope over fear. We choose to Love extravagantly. We choose to follow you. Thank you for the freedom to do so. Amen.

(note, to download Pastor Lou Huesmann's sermon, find it here once it is posted )

Borrowed Language

by Rebecca Irwin

I just returned from a fabulous trip to New York with my mom and dad in which I was completely spoiled. Each day was so full, I could write chapters on my observations and amazement. However, with jet lag and little time to process, I wish to share a prayer with you today from the Sunday service we attended. The worship we experienced at Redeemer Presbyterian Church was without a doubt, one of the highlights. My mom and I talked many times about the sermon we heard that day by Dr. Timothy Keller. Entitled Paradise in Crisis it was such a foundational message, I want to hear it again because I could not write fast enough to make notes of all he fed us. If you wish to hear it, you can find it here :(Redeemer Presbyterian Church - Sermons).

I have found quite recently, that I love to borrow language for my prayers. I find my mind gets stuck in mundane repetition of "please do this" and "watch over that person Father" and "help me here" if I do not. I am trying to retrain my mind in prayer. I resonated with many words and phrases in the prayer that follows. And, I loved the purpose stated in the words "created to reflect your beauty". May it help you speak your heart to our Father as well.

Prayer of Confession

Our gracious Father, you sent your Son to die and rise to new life in order that death might be brought to an end and that we too might live a new life. Yet foolishly, we have chosen death over life. In our thoughts, words and deeds we have rebelled against you and your intentions for us. In so doing, we have broken our fellowship with you whose love is better than life and whom to know is life itself. In so doing, we have hurt others, sometimes unintentionally and sometimes deliberately, and have diminished their lives. In so doing, we have damaged ourselves who have been created to reflect your beauty.

Father, forgive us our sin for Jesus' sake. And grant that your resurrection power might course through our entire being so that we walk in the ways of love and justice to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

Full Armor

by Rebecca Irwin

"Ching ching, ching ching"! My youngest son was fighting an imaginary foe, clad in a silver breastplate and weilding his sword. His interest in knights lead us to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) last weekend to see the "golden knight" exhibited as part of William Randolph Hearst's collection. He was not disappointed, nor was I. There were four suits of armor on display behind glass cases. Each one was an amazing work of craftsmanship and a study in how they once did battle. But it also shed a spotlight on Ephesians 6:10-17:

"10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God..."

Looking up at the armor it finally made sense! The wearer of this armor was fully concealed in heavy steele. It would have taken great strength to run, and even then, it would not be far. That is why Paul writes "that you may STAND", "STAND firm" and "STAND therefore".

It also became apparent that it was no small chore to "put on the whole armor" or "take up the whole armor". The first thing that struck me is that it required discipline to fit into it - the breastplate fastened together front and back and was cast in metal! There was no room to gain weight, or wear another layer. I also imagine each piece had a sequence: the chain mail, the breastplate, the shoulder and forearm pieces, the hands, the upper and lower legs, the shoes, the shield, the weapon. Since one could not bend a the waist, they would have required assistance strapping each piece of armor on. That is why we must be strong IN THE LORD and the strength of His might! We cannot put on the whole armor on our own - it requires God!

I wish I could collect you for a field trip and perhaps even at Hearst Castle, as we view a suit of armor, we could contemplate the other "aha!s" drawn from this Scripture. I certainly could meditate on this all week. However, I also wanted to share something about the sword. We were also able to view an amazing, intricately detailed, beautifully cast sword. It was exquisite. This week, providence lead me to read John Piper's blog entry from January 5 titled Swords are For Killing. The title caused me pause - what a violent heading! But the portion I wish to share with you had a great impact on me.

In New Testament times swords were not for digging, shaving, or whittling. They were for killing. The only reason Peter cut off Malchus’s ear was that he missed (John 18:10)...That’s what swords are for. So when Paul calls the word of God the “sword of the Spirit” in Ephesians 6:17, he is serious—something must be put to death. And it is not people. Christians don’t kill people to spread our faith; we die to spread our faith. The link in Paul’s mind is given in Romans 8:13.

If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

The word of God is the sword of the Spirit. The Sword is for putting to death. And by the Spirit we put to death our sinful deeds. So I conclude that the way we kill our sins is with the Spirit’s sword, the word of God. All temptations to sin have power by lying. The are “deceitful desires” (Ephesians 4:22). They tell us that the pleasure of the sin is worth it. The killing blow against these lies is the power of God’s truth. Hence the sword of the Spirit, God’s word, is the weapon to use. As John Owen said, “Be killing sin, or it will be killing you.” That is what swords are for, especially the Bible.

Father God, may we do all to stand firm in this evil day! Arm us with your Word. Show us the value in each piece of armor as we are clothed in it. We are so grateful that you do not leave us unarmed, unprotected and without power in this other-worldly battle. You have given us all we need, including the example of your Son, Jesus. Thank you!

A New Covenant

by Rebecca Irwin


As I bid adieu to the year 2008, I typed "praise" into iTunes and let it play. And, when this song played, I knew I had found an anthem for my New Year's resolution.

I want to wish you a new year that is fully lived in our covenant with Jesus Christ as God's people!

May you find strength and resolve in the remembrance of God's faithfulness, His power, and our legacy in the lyrics from Covenant Song sung by Caedmon's Call.

Caedmon's Call
Covenant Song

We belong to the Lion of Judah
We are Abraham's seed
We belong to the God and Creator of everything

Let us raise up a covenant chorus
Let us bring forth our lives
To the One whose host gathers among us and fills the skies, and

Raise up His name on high
Raise up you people of His pride
Raise up and bare the fire that's in our eyes
And in our lives and shows that we are not afraid

In His light we can never be hidden
In His love we are here
We will shine through the night like a city upon a hill, so

He delivers His people from bondage
Sets the prisoner free
He has given us love and salvation, His eternal legacy

He will spare us the sword of His anger
He prepares us a home
Where we'll worship and glory before his throne, so

Raise up His name on high
Raise up you people of His pride
Raise up and bare the fire that's in our eyes
And in our lives and shows that we are not afraid

May this be our prayer oh God! May we love extravagantly. May your fire burn within us. May we never be lukewarm. May you release us from our bondage and allow us to taste freedom in Christ! May we boast in nothing but you. May we show that we are not afraid for you are our God and we are your people. Amen!

The Perfect Longing

by Rebecca Irwin


What is it in our human race that wants perfection?

This question puzzled me this week as I scanned the LA Times headlines...a Governor tried to sell a Senate seat - imperfect! A celebrity cheated on his wife - imperfect! A money manager cheated people out of millions - truly imperfect! Why is the standard so golden? Why do we gasp when people fall so short? Haven't we come to expect this kind of thing?

We even desire the moments around us to have Martha-esque perfection. Scan the magazine headlines and you will see tips on finding the perfect gift! Cook the perfect holiday meal! Have a perfectly wonderful time! Achieve a flawless look! The perfect look for the season! You can go on, can't you? They are so familiar to us.

Sadly, what appears perfect, rarely lasts. In our skepticism, we wait to catch famous people failing. We want to see cellulite on a beautiful person's body. We try to expose powerful people abusing. We want to implicate the person that seems too good. We strain to hear the story of our neighbor's failure.

This Christmas season, it struck me that a longing for the Messiah like the one Simeon had is still present today. We long for the Perfect to come. We long for Christ to conquer our modern-day Romans. We want to be freed from our self-imposed slavery and idol worship. We inherently want all things to be made new. We do, in fact, long for perfection. It is the tension that Paul wrote about to the Corinthians "For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known."

Jesus, we praise you that your perfect work has begun! Your kingdom has broken into this world. In the life of Jesus we catch a glimpse of perfection. We see him restore perfect health. We see him resolve hunger. We see him weep at death. We see him quell fear. So, Father, we eagerly await the Messiah's second coming, when this imperfect madness will be finished. When we will see a new heaven and a new earth - and we will finally see perfection. Amen

Eight

by Rebecca Irwin

Well-intentioned as I was, eight days into the advent season we fell behind. Max and Jack had to eat three day's worth of chocolates, we speed through the missed devotions, and we had to recount the paper chain and tear off four links at once. As I lay in bed reviewing my lengthy wish-I-could-do list and trying to weigh it against reality, along with my discouragement for letting more than one ball drop in all that I was juggling, I wondered about Mary...

Eight miles into their journey to Bethlehem for the mandatory census, did she want to cry from exhaustion and just turn around and go home? Eight months into her pregnancy, did she wish she was not with child? Did she long for the simple life she had imagined living - the wedding she had dreamed of to Joseph, the home they were going to make together, the children they would have once they had settled into their marriage? Eight days after giving birth to this baby boy, and receiving strangers who came to see him, did she wonder what she had gotten herself into? As she traveled with an eight week old, not to her hometown of Galilee, but to Egypt because of Joseph's dream, was she frightened? As she raised an eight year old, did she look back and feel like she had failed, or was failing as a mother to this boy? How did this young girl from a small town and a simple life press on through extraordinary circumstances to literally live for Jesus, the Christ child?

In my own family, my mom and dad were engaged on August 8th (8-8) because there are eight letters in "I Love You". I pondered the significance of this. Love is the reason why Mary must have pressed on. She loved God and in her response "I am the servant of the Lord," she surrendered her whole self to that love and all it would require of her. But her journey would have been impossible if she had not known the love God had for her. He chose her for this special purpose, this amazing journey. I'm sure she never fully understood for what reason, but she was picked to be the mother of God's own son!

In my own life as a mother of young ones, love for my children is why I still get up in the morning even though I had far less than eight hours of sleep. This is why at the eight-o-clock hour I kiss the boys goodnight and then fall into a chair with exhaustion but only for a moment and then carry on and prepare for the day to come. This love is why I still nurse my little boy back to health after eight days of a stubborn cold. And this love is why I might bake eight dozen cookies for my kiddo's Christmas party. But to elevate my life to Kingdom living? To place myself on a path of the unknown, the uncomfortable, the sometimes scary things it will require, how does one do that? I don't know the how in each moment, but I do know this - it requires that I love God and knowing, with deep certainty, that He loves me. Look to Mary, she was a quiet and steady example of how a woman and a mother might live for God's Kingdom!

Father, may we also say "I am a servant of the Lord". Amen