Give Jesus the Dregs

     Dregs contain the least value of anything. Originally it described the left over sediment in wine. Undoubtedly, you’ve drunk coffee or cider or pulpy orange juice, What happens when you get to the end?

     Wine from Bible times was not as refined as today's vintages. So think of Jesus as He drank the Passover wine. When He got to the bottom, and what did He do? He drank every last drop. He gulped the sediment of pride and gossip. He swallowed murder and abuse. He digested self-righteousness and arrogance.

All our sins settled in the waste of wine. In His act, He gave us two choices. We could allow Him to drink it. Or we could allow it to be flung out at us in judgment.

Image via Wikipedia

     Within twenty-four hours, the wine he drank became his blood. The soldier pierced his side and from it flowed blood and water (John 19:34).

     The disciples had to have recalled Jesus’ prophecy from the Last Supper.“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt 26:28). If we don’t allow Jesus to drink our sins, we must drink them ourselves.

     In the hand of the Lord is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices; he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs (Ps 75:8).

The Goodness of Imperfect Fathers

Dad, me, Art, Mom

  My father wasn’t perfect—he drank too much and smoked unfiltered cigarettes and died too soon. However, these aren’t the moments I recall. Much of the goodness in me and my family is the direct result of him.

  He adored my mother. I remember him coming home from work and we kids would crow for his attention. We received our hugs and kisses, but then he got to mom. He’d hold her in the kitchen and they’d hug and smooch—none of us existed in that moment. Their love came first.

  His interests centered on his boat—and the boat meant family time. We spent summers sailing the Long Island Sound, picnicking on sandbars, fishing off the boat and cruising. 

  He’d arrive home from work at the same time daily. The great joy of my life was to “surprise” him by walking the half-mile to the main road to meet him.

  These are  heirlooms I can finger, joys that play out in my life today.

Bob, Dad, Janine, Alan

  He consciously taught me not to smoke by showing me the tar his cigarettes produced. Neil bought a boat and it’s the one motorized entertainment I relish. And today, when Neil’s return from work nears, I grab the dog, and walk down the route he takes. I feel a childhood joy in meeting my love.

  Little details of my life show my father’s impact: my love of reading, Of classical music, the joy of learning.

  He taught me faithfulness to my spouse and integrity.

  My father loved anything to do with the sea—was a commander in the Long Island Coast Guard Auxiliary. His dedication to altruistic causes flows in my veins.

  And how about you, fathers? You see your flaws, and honestly, so do your children. But they see your goodness and both will impact them for the rest of their lives. 

Marianne, Mom, Dad, Art, Bob, J-9, Al

.

  Strengthen what’s good and perfect and true—it will push out the negative.

  And children—what do you choose to remember about your father? You can allow bitterness and unforgiveness to highlight the pain or allow Jesus to help you forgive so you know this man as God designed him to be.

  This Father’s Day celebrate the dad he always wanted to be.

From the Heart: Praying for Forgiveness

When cut to the quick by those who should have loved us, the pain hurts more than the wounds of a stranger and Jesus certainly understands this more than we. We know the Scriptural admonition to forgive--and this doesn't mean to condone or accept because wrong is wrong. However, we know we are flawed individuals, and we each have erred. And forgiveness is not an option. When we me our Father on Judgment Day we want to hear, "Well done my good and faithful servant" not "I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoer!"

So how do we forgive, especially when we were right--clearly and without pride? (and remember, this isn't always the case--we are human, after all).

The first step is to pray for the offender which is not easy and often our will rebels against it. However, we cannot hold the sin against the believer--whatever we forgive on earth is forgiven in heaven, and we certainly want forgiveness from God and people for ourselves. To get that, we must give it.

One trick I've found that works when I do not want to pray for something goes like this: "Lord, help me want to pray for forgiveness." Sometimes I go a step further and pray that I want to want to--because I know how to hold onto a grudge. Usually I couple those prayers with an actual petition for the offender, and I'm honest. I tell God I may not mean it now, but I want to mean it. Eventually, my prayers become sincere.

Prayers restorative. Read James 5:16 and see. Although verse 15 talks about praying for the physically ill-- it has an application beyond the physical. "...confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

For me, I want to be able to fix things--do something. However, we cannot forgive unless we lean on God our Father. This is the first step.

My next post will explore concrete steps to take.

From the Heart: Forgiveness

Matt 18:35
"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

From your heart...this is not a superficial forgiveness, but a deep, no loop-hole forgiveness. It sounds good, but the Bible doesn't give us a twelve step program on how to achieve this. Perhaps because each of us is different, we need to find our own path. Although the process offers latitude, the end result doesn't. We need to forgive.

The ability to give grace from our hearts is God's gift. People have been raped, beaten, cheated and destroyed by others, and God does not absolve them from forgiving because the severity of the issue—unforgiveness condemns us. So how do we do it?

Jacob’s favorite son, Joseph, represents a perfect example of God’s divine will. His position in Egypt could exact vengeance on brothers who had caused him years of misery. But what did he do? He forgave them all and gave them sanctuary. Because of Joseph’s actions, his family found salvation.

Matthew 18: 35 be says, “…forgive your brother from your heart.” We frequently mouth the words with conviction, but God wants us to go beyond words, beyond confession. He demands forgiveness from the heart.

Heartfelt forgiveness doesn’t condone, doesn’t say, “Gee, no problem.” But it does release us from pain. It does loose forgiveness from heaven. Like Joseph, it can lead our enemies to salvation.

           

I suppose the first step in forgiving is acting like Joseph—treating the offenders with love and respect. But I’d like to hear from others…how does one forgive when every fiber of our lives is torn? What has helped you?

How Do You Deal With Pharisees?

Luke 18:14
 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

    The above Scripture is the summation of the parable of the Pharisee and the sinner. The Pharisee had been acknowledged as the holy one in the church. Indeed, his deeds were good: he prayed, read Scripture, tithed, gave to the poor. His problem? He made sure no one--not even God--forgot. He probably even corrected those who lacked in their faith in efforts to make them holy or get them saved.
     The other guy? He didn't have a resume. He knew only one thing: he was a sinner and unworthy of all God gave. He admitted where he was weak and asked for help.
     I wish I was holy, but I'm not. I hear people disparage those who do egregious things, and shame burns because I know that I certainly am capable of doing the same things--both as a sinner and a Pharisee. I can envy those who know their faith is flawless and they please God in every detail, that their salvation is irrefutable and that God is lucky to have them on His side. I'm lucky Jesus accepts me--warts and all.
     And I write this in grief because I am a sinner and I am who I am and others must remind me of my lacks. Without Jesus I cannot change.
     And I wonder...how do you deal with the Pharisees in the church?

In Death We Find Life

     After 92 years full of giving and loving and caring, my husband's Uncle Neil passed away. He was a man who knew his own mind right until the end--sometimes to our own chagrin. For example--he had to be hospitalized in Potsdam--not Massena--he refused to have a will, yet took meticulous care that his funeral was taken care of, and will be laid out in a flannel shirt--so he'll be comfortable for eternity. We watched him fail for nearly a year, and watching him become increasingly helpless hurt almost more than his passing.
     Tomorrow the McClain clan will gather at Hammill Funeral Home to say good-bye. Yet, there's a sense of celebration. My Neil has found old pictures of his family in their youth to share--times when they looked gawky or the fashions really needed to rethink themselves. Unc Neil's niece and nephews and great-nephew will travel long distances to say their final farewell--and these are distances they traveled for Unc Neil when he could still appreciate them.
      Over the past year, we've shared tales of Unc Neil's strengths, his character and his foibles. We've been blessed with neighbors who looked at Unc Neil more as their father than a man who lived down the road.
     We'll gather and cry--the family together. Then we'll share a meal and in that time, strengthen the bonds that make the McClain group the family of character (or characters) they are. We will rejoice in our lives and the memory of one that touched us all.
     How significant that Unc Neil died on Maundy Thursday--and will be laid to rest over the Easter weekend. I can't help but think of another man whose death brought life.
     Have you found joy in dying?

God Created the World for Women: The Proof

     God must be crying over the irony of the patriarchally driven world when the very opening of the Bible shows us the world was created for us--the women. I do not expect you to take this thought in blind faith, so I will demonstrate it exegetically. (Go to the source, and see that I don't err).

Image via Wikipedia
•  Day 1--Every woman knows she looks best with a sun-kissed tan, thus day 1, God created the sun.
• Day 2--What better place to get a tan than on the beach? Day 2,  God separated the water from the land and thus gave us beaches.
• Day 3--I covered this in depth yesterday. Coffee, chocolate, wine and golden Oreos all come from plant life.
• Day 4--(Do notice how creation gets more complex as it goes along--this is an important point). We now have moonlight and starlight for a little romance in which to enjoy our chocolate.
• Day 5--What good is a red wine without the red steak? Or an excellent book without a kitty cat purring on our laps?      On Day 5, God created the animals.
• Day 6--the complexity builds--and here I'll separate two components. God creates man who all alone cannot deal with life. But he is necessary to provide for God's crowning achievement--the beach house and fine foods and romance. Once man is finished--along comes woman, His crowning achievement. With the creation of woman, what else can the good Lord do? He's done it all.
• Day 7--He can finally rest.

Therefore, woman was the sole reason the world was created. I am so glad I am a Bible scholar! No one can refute this.