Bold and Creative Love

Sedona, Arizona
Photo by Christine Tracy

Did you know Paul the Apostle liked talking to the “New Agers” of his day? He did. He was not afraid. He was creative. 

The story goes that this group loved to discuss new ideas and philosophies. They were eager to hear Paul's news. I can picture Paul, brilliant and with the Holy Spirit as his guide, pondering how to reach these people with the message of Christ. Paul looked around and noticed there was an altar “to the unknown God.” That was it. That was what he would talk about.

I think Paul actually loved the challenge. Boldly he followed the leading of the Spirit. Boldly he opened his mouth and taught about this God they honored with an altar but did not yet know.

God loves all people. He loves the ones who don't know Him yet. He loves his Church – even those that are, like the Pharisees, walking in judgment and condemnation and bringing great pain to Him.

The veil is about to be lifted and truth will prevail. The Church, the Bride of Christ, the love of God Himself, will walk in purity and love. It will be  the goodness of God that will lead people to repentance in this great revival.

Are we ready? We, His children, filled with His Spirit, are the carriers and purveyors of His goodness. Love - not fear, not condemnation, not judgment - but love will open doors to let the truth prevail.

My Beacon of Light

I remember those 12 mile drives home from my newspaper job in Kremmling, Colorado. The normally beautiful drive became terrifying when I drove through blinding blizzards, struggling to stay on the road and not sure where my Gore Pass turnoff was. As snow blasted my windshield and blew fiercely in front of my headlights, I knew that ahead there was "my beacon of light." I trusted that street lamp would be there for me to show me where to turn.

Today, my heart hurts. My brain feels damaged. I can barely breathe. I struggle to sleep or eat. This grief of losing my loved one is nearly unbearable. And yet, through it, I know whom I have believed. And yes, He is faithful.

He is my rock and still my joy. I would never have had this revelation had I not gone through this pain. God is indeed with me. Jesus holds my heart.

In my life I have known His favor, His promises, His healing. I have known His love. Yet in this time, all this has gone even deeper in me than I ever believed possible.

These past weeks have been another type of blinding blizzard. But in it I have recognized God to be my beacon of light - for He is showing me the way back to life and light and truth and hope.

Sadness in Colorado

As I write this, the television coverage of last night’s tragedy continues to describe the horror. Children dead and critically injured, a married couple dead, more than a dozen killed and more than 50 injured at the hand of a seemingly intelligent young man who had no previous criminal record. President Obama wonders what could possiblly move a person to hurt another human being. Candidate Romney has put in his thoughts about the living God bringing comfort. People all over the world are listening. People all over the world are praying.

What does motivate something like that? Incomprehensible. Tragic. Horrific. All words that continue to be uttered as witnesses and reporters describe what happened.

My heart is so sad. So sick. Everything within me is wanting to fight, yet what are we fighting? The only answer to President Obama’s question is - no human being could do something like this to fellow human beings. Pure evil is as real as our living God. It is a battle that has waged, according to the Bible, from before the foundations of the world. How do we respond as humans?

We can talk to the One who is able to bring the only comfort, peace, truth, light, life, healing, and love, that can transcend the pain of this time. Prayer works. Intercession works. Allowing Him to love others through us works. Times like these make us hold our children closer; count our blessings; and bond even with strangers. God is with us. He loves us. He loves Colorado. He is present. He will prevail. He is good.

God bless Colorado.

One Small Book

Rick and I were talking yesterday. He had my Bible in his hand and commented on how small it was.

“It’s funny,” he said. “You could have a whole set of encyclopedias and still they would not contain the wisdom that is in this one small book. It has everything we need for every situation we’ll ever face.”