I was reading through Mark 14 this morning during my quiet time…and as I read the section entitled, “The Prayer in the Garden” I was reminded of this truth: Jesus had to die.

Verse 35 starts: Then He went a little farther, fell to the ground, and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him.

Jesus called out to His Father. One whom He knew the absolute best. His creator, His friend, even Himself as part of the trinity.

Verse 36: And He said, “Abba, Father! All things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”

Jesus, being fully God and fully man, knew God was capable of anything and everything. He, after-all, created everything. He told the waves when to cease and where the stars to hang in the sky. He took away diseases and brought man back to life – looking at you, Lazarus.

Like we often do, Jesus sought the Father to remove this sentence upon His life – He knew what was coming. He wasn’t a stranger to his ‘why’. Why He had been sent to earth in the first place.

Thankfully, Jesus also knew that it would have to be the Father’s will and not His own. And even more thankfully, the Father didn’t remove that “cup” from Jesus.

God knew, in order for mankind to be restored to Himself, there had to be an Ultimate Sacrifice and it had to come from Himself. It had to be Jesus, the Spotless Lamb. The one who never sinned – not even a little white lie.

To think that there have been times when we have sought the Lord ourselves and begged for something to be taken away from ourselves, or a beloved family member or friend, and the Lord seems to have turned a blind eye or a deaf ear…

Maybe it’s for a bigger purpose? Of course Jesus knew the bigger purpose for why He had to suffer and die… But we often do not. Can you and I trust the Father as Jesus did. Can we remember that though He was betrayed, beaten and hung on a cross, left there to die….He DID rise again three days later. And He is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

Praise be to God that He can see the full picture, the full story. He knows the ending…and wow, it is glorious.

Dear reader, whatever you may be asking the Lord to take from you today, rest assured that He knows how it will go. He knows the pain, the tears, the fear…and He knows what will happen. Seek His face today and rest in His goodness and unfailing love.

Today was the first day our family got to go back to church. We were all so very excited to be back in our house of worship, because though we have been able to watch our services via all the ways technologically: tv/Facebook/the internet, it just doesn’t compare to being there.

Of course, remarkably enough, a familiar song started playing just a few blocks from our turning into the church parking lot:

Take me back
To the place that feels like home
To the people I can depend on
To the faith that’s in my bones
Take me back
To a preacher and a verse
Where they’ve seen me at my worst
To the love I had at first
Oh, I want to go to church

I turned the dial up and sang it out loud! We were getting to go to church!!! This called for windows down, head hanging out the window screaming at the top of my lungs {no, I didn’t…but I wanted to. I had, after-all, washed and straightened my hair AND put on makeup!}. How many weeks and days had passed when I had heard that song and lamented that we couldn’t go to church…and how great it would be to sing that song and be able to go back. Well, we sang and we went!

Thank you Lord.

For the place that feels like home

For seeing the beautiful faces of the people that we have come to depend on {for an encouraging word, a prayer, a laugh, all the things}

For our preacher, Wes, whom you have gifted to bring Your Word each and every Sunday

For the love I had at first – for my Savior, Jesus Christ.

Oh, yes. Thank you so very much that we got to go to church today.

How was it? you may ask… It was everything wonderful and more. Two of my absolute favorite songs were sung – I could have cried if I hadn’t been so completely overjoyed. Pastor Wes even said that it sounded like our whole choir was there today, when it was only a fraction of the singers. I imagine Heaven sounds a lot like our church when we get our worship on 🙂

The kids were mostly well behaved – many thanks to crayons and coloring pages. Today was even Emory’s very first Sunday morning in ‘big church’ and he did quite well.

To say we’ve missed being in the building…the place where I know without a doubt the Holy Spirit shows up every Sunday is an understatement. To worship with other believers, the ones with hands and heads lifted high, praising the Lord with everything they have, it was glorious.

Many friends from church have been posting this verse and when I read it again today I couldn’t help but shake my head and smile, indeed.
Very much indeed, “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.'”

God, may we not take for granted the fellowship we have with other believers, especially in Your house.

If you haven’t been able to go back, I hope you get to go to your church, soon.
Until next time…

Sometimes I wonder if my thoughts are worth sharing. Am I wise or thoughtful enough. Will I chose the right wording or possibly hurt or offend someone.

So then I say a prayer, and write what’s on my heart.

Yesterday we had the great privilege of attending a Solemn Assembly service at our church. However many weeks have passed since we last stepped into our great sanctuary, and yet, it seemed like yesterday that we were there.

The day had already been full of Father’s Day-type activities so there wasn’t much time to ‘prepare’ to be there, but the kids were dressed {Reynolds wore his suit!} and we were excited to be back in the place we’ve called our church “home”…where we’ve met with Jesus so many times.

Greeters in masks…pews marked off with ‘okay to sit here’ type flyers…
It was hard to tell who was who, but in the back, I saw a friendly face – Emily and her family. What joy. I wanted to run over and squeeze her neck, but I refrained and simply gave her the heart symbol with my hands and smiled, big.

We took a pew in the back, sort of away from everyone else {a 3.5 yr old in tow doesn’t make for a quiet row}. The praise team was singing a beautiful song, “Heal Us”. The words go like this

Heal us, Emmanuel, here we are

We long to feel Thy touch

Deep wounded souls to Thee we fly

O Savior hear our cry

After a few times singing the chorus, we had a beautiful time of prayer. Pastor Wes led our time of confessional praying, by following the 10 Commandments. He read the commandment and the idea was that if you had broken or offended that commandment, to confess it to the Lord.
And then the hope seemed to be that one would repent and turn back to God.

Which brings me to a thought I had while sitting on our pew, trying to keep our kids from being so loud, so often ‘Christians’ get caught up in the rights and wrongs, do’s and don’ts… Are we/you/I doing what we do or don’t do because of religion {in the name of…}, or because of a relationship with Jesus?

What’s your motivation? Or even lack-thereof? Is it just because of a book or list of rules you read somewhere or is it because you’ve met with the Savior of the world and accept the grace He has freely given to you?

I think there are days and moments where I do or think because “that’s what the Bible says”. But ultimately, it’s because of a man. A man who suffered temptations and yet, was able to stare the devil in the face and tell him to get lost. And because I am not able to do the same, He bore the weight of my sin on His back. He took the blows to His hands and feet so that I wouldn’t have to. Because of HIS sacrifice for me, I can call upon the Maker of the universe…whenever I want.

And because of His sacrifice, I want to be a better person. I want to love better, more sacrificially. I don’t want to be petty or jealous. I don’t want to be mean or hurtful. I don’t want to covet the life or things that others have.

{chuckling} – I am certainly not perfect in any of this. Most of my struggles are daily, but praise be to God that His mercies are new every morning, great is HIS faithfulness {to me}. When I am weak, I call out to Him. When I am failing as a friend, a wife, a mother, a-fill-in-the-blank, I call upon my Savior for help.
I even take my ridiculous thoughts to him. The ones where if I said them out loud, I would be scoffed or chastised…

Anyway, if you don’t know Jesus, and do things just because you “should”, there is a better way. An easier way. All you have to do is take a leap of faith and trust in Him to be your everything.

until next time…