Selah Vie!

“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live…”

Deuteronomy 30:19

I have actively avoided discussions of this topic because it is divisive and painful, and I have learned that sometimes the truth is difficult to bear. However, I have been convicted of my cowardice this week for remaining silent.

Abortion is sin. This is not my opinion, nor is it my version of the truth. This truth is in God’s holy word and hands.

First, to the Christian women out there who have had an abortion, you are not alone. You are loved by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You are His treasured daughters, and nothing you have done or said can ever separate you from His great love for you. The fact you had an abortion does not define you in His eyes. He is full of mercy, grace, and forgiveness for all our missteps. If you are not a Christian, know that God loves you and sent his Son to die for you. His sacrifice makes way for the tremendous gift of salvation, and it is yours for the asking. Christ’s blood has the power to cover every sin and restore blameless innocence in the eyes of the Father.

If you have walked the arduous road of an ectopic pregnancy, may the Lord’s peace and comfort sustain you. Thank Him for your life and know that the little one you never got to meet is safe in His heavenly arms.

If you are a survivor of rape, I pray for God’s healing and protection over your heart and mind. You have done nothing wrong, and God sees you. He will judge those who have committed this unspeakable evil against you. Know that the Lord is your fortress and He will fight for you. There is no safer place for you than in His care.

Setting the stage:

In the Beginning…

The gift of life was so sacred that when God first granted it to mankind in the garden of Eden, He literally “breathed into [Adam’s] nostrils the breath of life.” This act on God’s part was deeply intimate and reserved only for human beings, whom He created as His image bearers.

King David beautifully describes God’s hand in pregnancy in the Psalms:

“For you created my inmost being;

    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made…”

Psalm 139:13-14a

Children are seen as one of God’s greatest blessings throughout scripture. To be barren (unable to have children) was considered a great hardship. Whenever a previously barren woman conceived, there was joy in the community. Above all, God was praised. See Sarah’s, Hannah’s, and Elizabeth’s stories.

Abortion is not a new concept, although the labels and methods have changed over time and become seemingly cleaner. The Bible records in Exodus abortion as a form of population control. The pharaoh of ancient Egypt during Moses’ day ordered the midwives to ensure that male infants were stillborn after they determined the baby’s sex on the birthing stool. The midwives refused and God honored and protected them from the pharaoh. (While some may argue that this example is not truly abortion, I’ll touch on this further. Keep reading.)

In short, all of scripture points to the value of life, and children are to be cherished and protected.

Now for the Science:

The recently passed abortion legislation in Texas involves week six of pregnancy. This is the benchmark where the new law says abortions are to be cut off. By this time, a fetal heartbeat can be detected on ultrasound.

In addition, the baby’s neural tube (foundation for her brain and spinal cord) has developed, and limbs are beginning to emerge.

Just two short weeks later, by week 8, research indicates that the fetus’s pain receptors are active. She is able to swallow and suckle (visible on ultrasound.) Her features are even more distinct.

Many argue that by supporting the “pro-life camp” a woman’s right to choose what is best for her body becomes restricted. Yes, absolutely. It is no longer just about her body. There is now an unborn body whose right to choose must also be respected.

Some take issue with the law for various reasons. Here are two major ones:

1. Because many women do not know they are pregnant by six weeks and thus “miss” the window in which they can legally choose abortion.
2. Because the law does not include exceptions for rape/incest.

Life is sacred at the point of conception. The union of sperm and egg creates a genetically unique and distinct individual who is separate, although temporarily housed and dependent on the mother’s body for survival. Science defines the smallest unit of life as “cells” and that is exactly what you and I began as in our mother’s wombs. We were cells which God breathed His life into and tenderly knit together. Thank the Lord our mothers chose not to abort us.

If you choose to be sexually active with your partner or spouse, you accept the possibility of resultant pregnancy inherently. Unplanned pregnancy can result in many types of hardship and depending on the situation, have long lasting impacts on the children who are born. However, just because life may be exceedingly difficult for a child, does not mean that the mother has the right to deny the child’s life altogether, six-week get out of jail free card or no.

While pregnancy resulting from rape is rare, it has occurred. For those of you to whom this applies, God grieves the wicked violation you have suffered at the hands of another. Occasionally, violated girls are too young to deliver safely. God sees your circumstances and He cares for you. He sees you if you are trapped in an abusive relationship. He knows your fears and pain. He will carry you if you let Him.

“Thou shalt not kill.”

Exodus 20:13 KJV

Abortion as anything other than a means to save life in a dire medical scenario (e.g., ectopic pregnancy which is already not viable to begin with) violates God’s law.

Twenty-four weeks is now the medically accepted benchmark for fetal viability outside the womb. Yet, many states legally permit abortions up to or even beyond this point.

Warning: Graphic images to follow.

What follows is imaging of fetal tissue from abortion procedures and miscarriages at various points in pregnancy.

This is an image of a six-week-old fetus, the age at which the Texas legislation cuts off abortions due to fetal heartbeat.

This image was captured by “pro-life” Dr. Russel Sacco. Fetal age estimated at 10 weeks, just 4 brief weeks after the benchmark of the new Texas legislation.

Ezekiel was miscarried at 11 weeks. His parents chose to release his photo to show that he was not a “blob” of fetal tissue.

This image is of a baby boy named Miran who died in utero at 14 weeks. His mother requested induced labor and was able to bury her son’s tiny body. She released his photo after a medical professional suggested disposal of him as “medical waste.”

Now, returning to the biblical account of pharaoh and the midwives. The midwives recognized the sacred value of life and feared God more than they feared the king. Our technology and medical advances makes it easier and more palatable to end pregnancy earlier than these midwives had the option of doing. Yet, I don’t think THEY would see it as any less shameful than what pharaoh ordered them to do. These women were the epitome of strong, fearless women exercising the power of “choice.” They chose life no matter the personal cost to them, and God rewarded them for it.

Keep to the point. We are called to bear light and truth in this age of darkness. We are called to love men, women, children, and unborn babies. Loving others does not mean we must accept every action they take or choice they make as permissible. In fact, love does the opposite.

Pray for the women in your life. The world is trying to tear them down. Be a source of hope and truth that builds them up.

Grace and Peace,

A.A. Wordsmith

Resources:

Fact Sheet: Science of Fetal Pain

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/prenatal-care/art-20045302

https://www.businessinsider.com/latest-point-in-pregnancy-you-can-get-abortion-in-50-states-2019-5

https://www.lifenews.com/2016/08/09/incredible-photo-of-ezekiel-miscarried-at-11-weeks-shows-unborn-babys-humanity/

In Memoriam of Dr. Russell Sacco

Parents Release Photos of Baby Miscarried at 14 Weeks to Show Humanity of Unborn Children

Abortion Advocates Prove They Don’t Know Basic Fetal Development Fact

We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. ² For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, ³ how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. ⁴ God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

Hebrews 2:1-4 NIV

Followers of the Lord Jesus Christ can expect to encounter miracles. It can be easy to fall into the trap of the routine. We can become so preoccupied with our responsibilities, habits, and feelings that we are dulled to the miracles happening in and around our own lives.

Breathtaking moments are available to us daily, moments we can be in awe of the Lord and His goodness. Moments to praise Him for his unfailing love and power.

Perhaps a dear friend recovers from a serious illness after the doctors predicted a losing battle. Or a flower blooms unexpectedly on your back porch. Maybe you get to experience a restored relationship or see a loved one turn to Christ. Or it could be the patient with dementia in whom you witness beautiful times of clarity and wholeness. Maybe you get to witness the journey of new parents as they nurture precious children. Maybe you are experiencing sadness, discouragement, or grief, and a phone call or letter arrives at just the right time with exactly the words you needed to hear.

If we are not intentional about it, we can miss seeing the events in our lives for what they truly are: Miracles, orchestrated by a loving God. The grind of daily life can sometimes diminish the clarity of the lens through which we should see our world.

It is easy to get caught up inside our own heads and our human knowledge of how the world works. We know the science behind why it rains, such a common occurrence that might even be seen as an inconvenience if you forget your umbrella. What if we chose to embrace the miracle in the rain? FEEL the refreshment of the raindrops on your skin. SEE the renewal of the trees, grass, and flowers as their thirst is quenched by water falling softly from the sky. THINK about it. How miraculous that the Lord allows water from the clouds to feed and heal those of us on the ground.

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 

Matthew 5: 44-45 NIV

The righteous mindset is the one that purposefully encounters miracles and acknowledges God for them. The unrighteous may go about the day seeing the same sunrise and springtime showers that the righteous do, yet fail to glimpse the miracle because they aren’t really looking.

We live in a world made by a God who created the unicorn whale and cats that run faster than a car. Choose to encounter the miraculous. Ask God to give you eyes that see and ears that hear.

Miracles abound dear friends.

Grace and Peace,

A.A. Wordsmith

When bitterness takes root in the human heart, it wreaks havoc. Bitterness consumes and changes every aspect of the one who harbors it. The effects are insidiously quiet and go unnoticed at first, but eventually bitterness overtakes the soil of the soul so that nothing good may grow there. It kills every good thing with which it comes into contact.

Bitterness consumed Naomi to the point that she allowed it to change her identity. She insisted that others call her Mara, meaning bitter, and she blamed the Lord for her suffering. (Her suffering was immense. Her husband and both her sons died within a short period of time. In her bitterness, she attributed blame to the Almighty.) Satan delights in sowing bitter thoughts amidst life’s hardships and when we are at our most vulnerable. Naomi was in mourning, and she had lost so much. Her overwhelming grief made her heart ripe for bitterness to sprout.

20 “Don’t call me Naomi,[a]” she told them. “Call me Mara,[b] because the Almighty[c] has made my life very bitter. 21 I went away full, but the Lordhas brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted[d]me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.” Ruth 1:20-21 (NIV) 

Job was a righteous man who endured terrible pain and grief. He too, experienced the suffocation of bitterness.

“I loathe my very life;
    therefore I will give free rein to my complaint
    and speak out in the bitterness of my soul. Job 10:1(NIV)

The subtle roots of bitterness bloomed into hatred of his own life. In despair, Job recognized that he spoke from a bitter soul within.

In the New Testament, Peter identified bitterness as the cause of a man named Simon’s intense greed. Simon was a magician. He saw the miraculous transformation of those who received the Holy Spirit after the apostles laid their hands on them. Simon sought to purchase this power from the apostles for his own gain.

When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”  20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” Acts 8:18-23 (NIV)

Bitterness is a prison no matter how it originates. Its seeds may be planted in many ways. Bitterness can sneak in through the emotional turmoil of grief and pain, but it can also come from lack of acknowledgement for one’s efforts, the drive for self-sufficiency, and wounds inflicted by harsh words.

Each heart knows its own bitterness,
    and no one else can share its joy. Proverbs 14:10 (NIV) 

Proverbs shows us that no one is immune to bitterness. It will attempt to corrupt the soil of all our hearts, and it is one of the enemy’s most versatile and effective weapons. We must guard our souls carefully against bitterness and the threat it poses to tear us apart.

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:30-32 (NIV)

Ask the Lord to reveal any pockets of bitterness that deaden your soul. Till the soil and ask Him to help make it fruitful and good again.

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

The Lord is faithful. He will not allow bitterness to have the last word over your heart. Rely on Him to fight your battles rather than becoming resentful of life’s circumstances. While this is easier said than done, spiritual growth, renewal, and healing from bitterness takes daily effort. Bitterness dims our joy and steals our hope. The fight against bitterness is worth waging, and with the Lord on our side, we know we are more than conquerors.

Grace and peace friends!

A.A. Wordsmith

“Abba! Abba! Tell us the story, please!”

Asaf chuckled as the children excitedly tugged at his robe and pleaded with upturned faces.

“Hmmm, which story I wonder,” he teased.

“Oh Abba, you know! We want to hear it again!”

Asaf’s knees creaked as he sat cross-legged on the ground and stroked his greying beard. His age was catching up with him now, but the youthful twinkle in his eyes belied the physical toll the years had taken.

The children squealed delightedly and gathered around. The flocks grazed across the hillsides in the fading twilight. The sight sparked Asaf’s memory of that special night so many years ago.

Asaf cleared his throat and began in a deep, resonant voice, “It was an evening much like this one. I had just returned from tracking down a wayward lamb. It was the first time I had been sent on my own to complete such a task. I was young, actually, about the same age as you lot.”

The children giggled as Asaf tapped each of their noses with an index finger and winked.

“I was proud that the older shepherds trusted me to find the lost sheep. I spent hours searching and finally found the little fellow trapped in a ravine. I pulled him out with my shepherd’s hook and carried him across my shoulders. I arrived back at camp as the first stars were appearing in the night sky. The others gathered around to celebrate the return of the lost little one. I kept him with me as we settled down to supper. The fire was getting low and I drifted toward sleep. The lamb was curled up beside me.”

“What was the lamb’s name?” one of the children interrupted.

“Hmm? Oh. The other shepherds had nicknamed him Prodigal. The little guy had developed a habit of running off recklessly. He had one black patch on his ear and that’s how we told him apart from the rest of the lambs.

Anyway, Prodigal and I were almost asleep when the strangest thing happened. A brilliant light flashed and lit up the whole hillside like it was midday! Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared. The other shepherds and I didn’t know quite what to think. I was terribly frightened. The angel hovered above us and light emanated from him. It was the most amazing thing I had ever seen!

His voice echoed out over the hills, “Fear not, for I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be for all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior. He is Christ the Lord. This shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

Then, it was like the heavens opened and a great multitude of the heavenly hosts appeared with the first angel. They were praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men on whom His favor rests!”

“I don’t know how long we listened, transfixed,” Asaf continued, “But eventually, the angels departed back into heaven. The more experienced shepherds began chattering excitedly. “Did you see what I just saw? What do you make of it?” I stood listening to them and in all the commotion, Prodigal slipped away again. I looked down and he was just gone!”

“Prodigal!” I called. An answering “baaa” rang out from the next hillside in the direction of Bethlehem. I managed to interrupt the others, “Prodigal got away again. I think he’s going toward the town.”

One of the oldest shepherds grunted, “I believe this time Prodigal has the right idea. Let’s go and find the child of which the angel spoke. We’ll catch Prodigal on the way.”

I ran out ahead of the others calling Prodigal’s name. I could hear him in the distance and each time I got close he moved away again. Finally, I caught up to the little rascal on the outskirts of Bethlehem. There was a stable and I could see lantern light filtering from inside.

I cautiously scooped up Prodigal and peered in the doorway. I thought if someone had forgotten to blow out the lamp, I had better do so just in case.

There I beheld a sight I’ll never forget. A young couple rested in the circle of the lantern’s light looking lovingly at a newborn baby lying in the manger.

The angel’s greeting echoed in my mind, “This shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

The baby’s mother looked up and saw my awestruck face peering in the doorway. She smiled, “Come in,” she whispered. “I’m Mary. This is Joseph.”

I tentatively approached. Everything was just as the angel foretold. I could not take my eyes away from the sleeping child’s face. This was my Savior the angel had said. This was the Christ. My mind struggled to fathom the incredible news. After four centuries of silence, and no prophets, the Lord had finally delivered the promised Messiah.

Even Prodigal seemed subdued. Perhaps he knew he was in the presence of royalty. The baby, who had been sleeping peacefully, fussed as a cold breeze passed through the stable.

“He’s cold,” Mary shook her head and gingerly lifted the infant into her arms before laying him against her side.

Prodigal began to squirm. “Oh no you don’t I whispered sternly. You aren’t running away again.” But, then I noticed that Prodigal seemed to be staring intently at the baby.

Carefully, I knelt next to Mary and the baby and set Prodigal down. Prodigal promptly curled up next to the child and blinked owlishly at me.

The baby’s fussing stopped immediately as he snuggled against Prodigal’s soft, wool coat.

Joseph laughed suddenly, “The lamb keeps Jesus warm, Mary.”

The other shepherds finally caught up to Prodigal and me. They were completely in awe of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

We spent the midnight hours telling the couple how the angel had appeared to us and told us who Jesus really was. They, in turn, told us of the miraculous things which surrounded their own experiences with Jesus’ birth and how an angel had appeared to each of them at different times.

As morning drew nigh, we took our leave. Prodigal nuzzled my hand and I put him across my shoulders for the journey home. I glanced up and saw the brightest star in the whole sky had come to rest over the stable.

The other shepherds and I have told our story to anyone who would listen about Jesus the Messiah.

Over the years, I heard more news of Jesus: He performed many miracles and became a renowned teacher. Many doubted whether He was really the Messiah, but I know it in my bones to be true.

“And children, when you get old like me, I expect you to tell more young children what I am telling you. Jesus the Messiah is Lord!” Asaf clapped his hands as he finished.

The children laughed and jumped to their feet, “We will, Abba,” they chorused and rushed off to play.

Asaf chuckled to himself and stroked his beard, marveling at the grace which allowed him, a lowly shepherd, to herald the news of the Messiah. He knew God’s ways and thoughts were higher than his own.

As the camp fire crackled and the stars appeared in the sky, a single sheep exited the herd and lay down next to Asaf’s side. One of Prodigal’s descendants, he had a black patch on one ear. Asaf rejoiced in his heart and praised the Lord for Jesus, his Messiah.

Merry Christmas! Peace on earth good will toward men!

Grace and peace friends,

A. A. Wordsmith

This is a work of historical fiction. Bolded quotations taken from Luke 2: 1-14.

What do Marvel’s Iron Man, Star Wars’s Mandalorian, and Narnia’s High King Peter all have in common? (I’ll give you a hint. It’s in the title.)

• 

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Each of these fictional characters frequently enter into what you might call “high risk” situations. Whether it involves challenging the White Witch, fighting off the Empire and Moff Gideon, or taking on Thanos, these heroes recognized the value of protective armor. The material from which armor is constructed is paramount to its integrity. Tony Stark engineered a gold-titanium alloy for the Iron Man armor, and the Mandalorian relied on forged Beskar. Both materials are known for their strength and ability to absorb major impacts unscathed. High King Peter’s sword and shield were exceptional gifts from Father Christmas, whose power had returned as the White Witch began to weaken. Father Christmas heavily emphasized that the sword and shield were tools, not toys, and never to be taken lightly.

“Peter, Adam’s Son,” said Father Christmas.

“Here, sir,” said Peter.

“These are your presents,” was the answer, “and they are tools, not toys. The time to use them is perhaps near at hand. Bear them well.” With these words he handed to Peter a shield and a sword. The shield was the color of silver and across it there ramped a red lion, as bright as a ripe strawberry at the moment when you pick it. The hilt of the sword was of gold and it had a sheath and a sword belt and everything it needed, and it was just the right size and weight for Peter to use. Peter was silent and solemn as he received these gifts, for he felt they were a very serious kind of present.

C.S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

As Christ-followers, we too have been gifted armor (see Ephesians 6:10-17). This armor is of the spiritual kind. The breastplate is made of righteousness and the shield, from faith. These are stronger than any physical (or fictional) metal. Our feet are fitted with the gospel of peace. Our helmet is salvation, our belt is truth, and our sword is the Spirit, the Word of God. These too, are a “very serious kind of present” to be received with solemnity.

Our “high risk” situations may not involve Thanos or light sabers, but when we chose to be identified with Christ, we painted a target on our backs for the most cunning enemy of all: the devil. However, his flaming arrows can do nothing against the armor which our Lord has provided. Yet, our armor is not automatic. We must “armor up” and use the spiritual tools at our disposal. Our Sword does not help us by collecting dust on our bookshelf. It must be polished daily and wielded consistently. Our shield does not protect us unless we first plant the mustard seed and believe in the Lord’s power to grow it. Our belt does not hold us together if we forget to buckle it. Our breastplate will tarnish in the corner instead of guarding our hearts if we allow ourselves to be carnally-minded. Instead, we must hold in high esteem that which is honorable, true, excellent, and praiseworthy. We must be transformed by the renewing of our minds and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

Our task is far more daunting than anything our fictional heroes faced. We must live as warriors of faith and light in an apathetic, darkened world. The hero’s journey is not for the faint of heart, and neither is the Christian’s walk along the narrow road which leads to life.

The time to use your armor is near at hand. Bear it well, dear one.

Grace and Peace,

A. A. Wordsmith

References:

Lewis, C. S. (1950). The lion, the witch and the wardrobe. London, UK. Geoffrey Bles/The Bodley Head.

Adamson, A. (Director). (2005). The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe. Walt Disney Studios.

Favreau, Jon. (Creator). (2019-2020). The Mandalorian. Walt Disney Studios.

Favreau, Jon. (Director). (2008). Iron Man. Marvel Studios.

Repentance of sin is not won through strength of will or sense of duty. It is won by the pursuit of a love far higher than the love of the sin. In seeking to love Jehovah, we are confronted with our own passions. Jesus declared that a disciple who desired to follow Him must hate one’s own father and mother. [Luke 14:26] In other words, love for one’s human parents must pale in comparison to one’s love for Christ. In fact, there is no comparison. The two loves are as vastly different as love and hate, east and west. The love of Jehovah is powerful, exclusive, and jealous. It supersedes everything and everyone else when it is done rightly.

“For God so LOVED the world, that He gave . . . ” [John 3:16]

“For we are more than conquerors through Him who LOVED us . . .” [Romans 8:37]

“Greater LOVE hath no one than this, to lay down one’s life . . .” [John 15:13]

“Made Himself SIN for us . . . that we might become the righteousness . . .” [2 Corinthians 5:21]

“These three remain: faith, hope, LOVE . . . ” [1 Corinthians 13:13]

Repentance is a matter of decision. One must decide whether he loves God more than he loves his sin.

Grace and peace friends,

A. A. Wordsmith

November is a month for thanksgiving. It is the time marked in our calendars to express and celebrate gratitude. However, 2020 may not feel like a time to be thankful, far from it. Hardship, isolation, quarantine, health crisis, death, riot, pain, exhaustion: these are the words used to describe this year. From the state of the evening news, life is clearly upside down, and the world is on fire.

Why doesn’t God fix everything? Why does He let us hurt so much? Why did He allow 2020 to unfold the way it has? Does He even care?

If you are looking for easy answers to those questions, you won’t find them here. “Easy answers” are like putting bandaids on third degree burns. For example, you’ve all heard some variation of these easy answers: 1. God is stretching us. 2. It’s all in God’s timing. 3. Even if you don’t see it now, God has a plan, and you can trust Him.

While there is often truth to these statements, they don’t do a lick of good and can definitely cause more harm. We say them when we don’t have anything else to tell a person experiencing hurt so deep we shy away from it, or worse, try to cover it, like we would the pain of devastating burns.

It awakens something unsettling in us and we feel like we have to produce an answer for the pain. This is a mistake in our thinking. We don’t, and most of the time, we won’t be able to come up with a solution.

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Galatians 6:2 (ESV)

Instead, bear the hurt with the person. Feel what they feel as deeply as they feel it. Get to the point where you care so much that you would willingly take their pain as your own if you could, just so they would be spared from it. This is the hard answer to the tough questions and is the answer Jesus taught: compassion.

For Jesus, compassion meant sacrificing His life for others. He tells us to take up our cross and follow. How far are you willing to go? Can you accept that sometimes there are no answers for the pain? Can you choose to believe that God is still good despite the suffering? What if the eternal definition of “good” is vastly different from our earthly one? Will you decide to bear that cross even then? There are no easy answers here indeed.

“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”

Romans 12:15 (NIV)

So, how does this relate to thankfulness?

Thankfulness is an attitude which must be cultivated without regard to circumstance. Both compassion and thanksgiving flow outward from the heart. Thanksgiving must be present in a person’s heart before compassion can flow unhindered to soothe our own hurts and those of others.

Today’s challenge, reader, is this: Thank God for 2020.

If good moments from the year come to mind, thank and praise Him for them. However, thank Him for the bad stuff too. Thank Him for every minute you have trudged through the valley with no end in sight. Thank Him for the pain that feels as debilitating as a third degree burn. Thank Him and MEAN it.

Thankfulness is not an easy answer. In fact, it may be the hardest of all. Expressing genuine gratitude to God for 2020 may be the hardest thing you have ever done. It won’t fix everything. It won’t hit some magic reset button. But it will enable you to fill your heart with compassion. Jesus said His yoke was easy and His burden light. There is a kind of freedom in gratitude, and compassion has the power to break chains.

Hold one in each hand and let them light the way through the rest of what 2020 holds.

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

    and his courts with praise!

    Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the Lord is good;

    his steadfast love endures forever,

    and his faithfulness to all generations.”

Psalm 100:4-5 (ESV)

Grace and Peace,

A. A. Wordsmith

There is one truth about you that supersedes all others: you are immortal. 

Have you ever had a moment where you were gripped by the keen desire for something more?  It is an incomparable longing.  It is a deep dissatisfaction, a restlessness in the secret places of your heart.  Something inside recognizes that this life is not enough.  There has to be something else, something that will make it all worth it in the end.

It is because you were designed for immortality.  Suffering and death feel incomprehensibly unjust and wrong for a reason.  Life is not meant to be this way. It is not supposed to be a series of mundane daily drudgeries and depressions culminating in the grave.  You have lucid moments where you recognize this truth.  You see a landscape that takes your breath away.  You watch a toddler take his first steps.  A stranger stops you in your tracks with an unexpected kindness.  In these little moments, we get a sense of what eternity should feel like.  It is utterly right and complete.  God gives us these glimpses to remind us.  In a way, that soul-deep restlessness, despite its discomfort, is a blessing.  It is meant to help us keep our eyes on the prize.  If we are Christ’s, we know we do not belong here.  We are citizens of a better country.

 ^“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”

Philippians 3:20-21 (NIV)

For millennia, mankind has been obsessed with the concept of immortality.  All one needs to do is look at the ancient myths and legends which abound in every culture to know this is true.  Often however, immortality becomes a curse as the immortal person either loses those he loves to the ravages of time or turns into a monster. Early explorers fought and died searching for the famed fountain of youth. Alchemists searched vainly for a life-giving elixir.  Even today, scientific research is conducted in the hopes of unlocking some way to prolong natural life.  

Let us go back to the beginning.  That’s right, the story of Adam and Eve.  God created man and woman in His image.  Their lives were perfect, and God walked with them in the cool of the day.  Then, they sinned.  They made an irrevocable choice.  They ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, despite the fact that God commanded them not to eat of it.  For their disobedience, God cast them out of Eden and cursed them to return to the dust from which they were made.

“And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.”

Genesis 3:22-23 (NIV)

On the face of it, God’s actions here are a heinous cruelty. He stripped them of their home and immortality.  But I challenge you to look deeper.  Man, now KNEW evil.  The fruit had done its work and now evil coursed like poison through his veins.  Well, why did God even put the tree of knowledge of good and evil there in the first place?  Why tempt them with it? Surely, He set Adam and Eve up for failure!  They could not have known the stakes of their choice.

Yes, dear reader, they could.  God told them from the outset that eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil would lead to death.  Yet, the presence of the tree was necessary.  It represented Adam and Eve’s opportunity to exercise true freedom of choice.  Without it, Eden would have been little more than a gilded cage.  It was the only thing prohibited to them in Eden, their garden of infinite wonder, beauty, and perfection.  Right next to it stood the tree of life!  Life was theirs for the taking!

Think about it.  They already knew “good.”  God walked with them in the cool of the day.  They were abundantly blessed with everything they could ever need.  However, their choice opened them up to suffering, pain, and darkness.  To know evil, means to know all of these things and more.  This was the real curse.  How terrible would it have been had God allowed them to claim their immortality in that state!  The introduction of evil tore a hole in the fabric of their souls.  To live forever in that condition would have been hell.  

By denying Adam and Eve the tree of life, it could be argued that God showed them the greatest possible mercy.  Their experience of the poisonous evil would only be temporary. Yet, God did even more than that!  He enacted a plan which would allow mankind a chance to reclaim immortality.  This would be a RESURRECTED immortality, not one stained and marred by knowledge of evil.

“But now [as things really are] Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, [and He became] the first fruits [that is, the first to be resurrected with an incorruptible, immortal body, foreshadowing the resurrection] of those who have fallen asleep [in death].”

1 Corinthians 15:20 (AMP)

This immortality comes to you in two stages.  First, you experience spiritual rebirth upon acceptance of Christ as Lord and Savior.  Second, you will have resurrected immortal life after death.  You will have a new body, perfect, complete, lacking nothing.  The curse of the knowledge of evil is obliterated.  You will taste the fruit of the tree of life and it will be the sweetest thing you have ever known.  That feeling of an unfulfilled longing just out of reach will be gone.  Everything will be set aright with Jesus, our Lord and King, on the heavenly throne.

“Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I was dead, but look—I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Rev. 1:17b-18 (HCSB); John 3:16 (NIV)

I will say it again.  You are immortal.  Nothing can separate you from the love of God.  Prioritize what matters loved ones.  We are on the shadow plane this side of the Jordan.  What we do with our time here has everlasting consequences.  Remember, we are just passing through.  Our country, our home, our Eden is just ahead.  Selah.

-A.A. Wordsmith

“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously – no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption.”

C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

“I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.”

Psalm 27:13-14 NIV

            Have you ever waited for something?  I mean really waited.  You feel the impatience and frustration bubble up in your chest.  You know what I’m talking about.  That light at the intersection just won’t turn green.  The checkout line at the grocery store is a mile long and the credit card reader decided to take the day off.   Or maybe you’ve waited for something really, really BIG.  You submit your application to university and check the mail anxiously for that decision letter.  You have a loved one serving in the military and are hoping every moment for their safe return home.  Or maybe, it’s that secret prayer in the depths of your heart that you are almost afraid to voice for fear the Lord won’t hear it.  Or worse, that He will hear, and refuse to answer.

            Whatever you are waiting for, you can be sure God is waiting with you.  Now, you may be asking how I know that.  Well, it begins with hummingbirds.  These little fellows flit left and right, and they rarely sit still.  They need constant sugar rushes to keep them in the air.  Have you ever tried to take a picture of one?  I have, and it is quite a challenge! 

            Early one morning, I decided to conduct my very own stakeout about 30 feet from the hummingbird feeder.  The little imps had been all around the feeder and I was confident I would get some good photos within a couple of minutes.  However, as soon as I got my camera set up, all the hummers disappeared.  So, I waited.  And I waited.  And I WAITED.  I could hear their tiny chirps echoing in the trees, but none would come out to drink nectar from the feeder.

            Then, finally, one flew out.  I focused him in my viewfinder.  It was the perfect angle!  I pressed the button and . . . nothing happened.  I fiddled with my camera for a moment and figured out why: error message – memory card full.  Ugh.  I changed my memory card and reset my camera, but of course by this time, the hummer was long gone.  No more were forthcoming, so back to waiting I went.  

            I sat like a statue, afraid any movement would prevent them from coming, even though I knew I was much farther away than I had been in the past when they came to drink.  Surely, on any other morning, I would have seen dozens of hummingbirds by now!  My frustration mounted.  What was going on?  What had I done wrong?  If I had been still in my heart and quiet enough to listen, I probably would have heard the Lord say, “Patience, dear one.” However, I’d had quite enough of patience.  The sun was getting higher and I was wasting precious time looking at an empty hummingbird feeder when I had a plethora of other tasks demanding my attention.

            Then, suddenly a flash of red caught my eye.  I waited on bated breath as a fox sauntered out of the forest.  It was mid-morning and much too late for him to be out and about!  Quietly, I adjusted my lens.  Click.  The fox heard the camera’s shutter and disappeared as quickly as he’d come, but not before I had managed to capture him on film.  Elated, I jumped to my feet at the exact moment the hummingbirds returned to their feeder.  Click, click, click.  I caught them like glittering jewels in my viewfinder.  The morning turned out to be a treasure trove of wonder after all, but I had to be patient to experience it.

            Looking back, had the Lord allowed those hummingbirds to swarm their feeder like they normally do, I would have taken my photos and left, my goal accomplished.  I never would have seen the fox, an unexpected gift that the Lord wanted me to have the chance to see.  I know He was waiting with me for that perfect moment to reveal a treasure I hadn’t even known to long for.

            Whatever it is that has you in a holding pattern of wait, pray, wait, repeat, be patient.  You never know when the fox is right outside your viewfinder and the Lord is making sure you don’t miss him.

            Grace and peace, friends!

-A. A. W.