Be Prepared To Give An Answer

  

"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."         1st Peter 3:15

I came head-on with this verse when I was asked to speak at a Lenten retreat.  The topic was What My Faith Means To Me.  As I worked on my talk,  the word that kept coming to my mind was grace.    "Twas grace that brought me safe thus far, and grace will bring me home".......words that we hear so often when we sing the beloved song, Amazing Grace.

I grew up in a loving Catholic family.  Though not wealthy, we certainly did not go without.  We had food to eat, and a warm, safe home.  I learned about love by my parent's example, and was taught respect, humility, and responsibility.   I always had a deep respect and reverence for "church."  

As a young adult, my faith took a back burner to the busy-ness of career building and the other distractions of life. I stopped attending church, and gave little thought to my prayer life.  I still believed in God, but felt no real connection to my faith.   

It was when I married and moved hours away from the security of my family and home that God's grace touched my life and brought me back to him.  My husband and I began going to church, and over time became involved in our faith community.  We faced the pain of infertility and the struggles of adoption.  I lost both parents and only brother within a few short years of each other.  In his grace, Jesus was there through it all, comforting, supporting, giving me hope.  My faith became very important to me.  God was, and still is, my hope and salvation.

When I was a child, my faith was simple.  Things were black and white, concrete.  God was God, sin was sin.   As a mature Christian, my faith sometimes seems murky.  I struggle to reconcile issues with church politics and question some doctrine.  My opinions and my faith do not always coexist peacefully inside me.  Yet, in spite of my questioning, I still yearn to be close to God.  I still cling to the hope he has planted in my heart.  Simply put, I choose to believe.

My childhood faith, with its simple acceptance, has been planted firmly within me.  When my adult faith feels complicated by my frustrations, I go to the Father in prayer.  His grace reassures me, and in my heart and soul I know that God loves me, in spite of myself.

So, I make a choice.  Every day, regardless of my questions, I choose to keep my faith.    I choose to accept the joy and peace that my faith brings.  

At the end of the day, it is quite simple, really.  God's greatest commandment is to love him, and love our neighbor.  All the rest falls into place when I just rest in his love for me.  In his amazing grace, he sent his son to bear my sins, my doubts and frustrations.  He loves me that much.    By the grace that Jesus came to give me, I am assured that his Holy Spirit is with me always.

I love him because he first loved me. That's the bottom line.  Period. 

There is a lot to think about in this short verse from 1 Peter.   Have you ever wondered what you would say if someone asked you why you are a believer? 

Blessings,

lynda

In today's Zentangle I used Lazy Eights (Denielle Noe), Meringue (Kelley Kelly), Poke Leaf (Maria Thomas, W2 (Rick Rogers & Marie Thomas), and Squid (Rick Rogers & Marie Thomas).

  

Why Are You Amazed?

"Why are you amazed at this?"  Acts 3:12

The man who had been crippled from birth clings to Peter and John.  Those who saw Peter heal the man exclaim it to the gathering crowd.  Whispers.  Shouts.  People straining to see for themselves.  It's true, it's amazing!  He walks!

"Why are you amazed?" Peter asks.  All their lives these people have been proclaiming that God is a healer and deliverer.   So why, indeed, are they amazed to actually see God heal someone through the prayers of a group of believers?  Through someone like themselves?

As I think about this reading, I find that I am not so different.  There is often a gap between what I proclaim and what I actually count on in my life.  Sure, I pray for friends and family members.  I fervently ask for healing and restoration.  I know about God's healing power, his transforming love.  I think I am praying in faith.  Yet, when God sometimes intercedes and brings about a remarkable healing, I am surprised. Why, indeed, should I be amazed?   Isn't this what I asked for?

In his infinite wisdom and grace, God gives us so much more than we ask for...so much more than we even know to ask for.  God's healing goes much deeper than the physical.   He wants to restore us on a spiritual level.   He wants to unite us to himself and to each other.  There are many blessings beyond physical healing that God wants to give us.

So, how should we pray?   

• We start, as Jesus did, with the people right in front of us.  Right here and now.  We pray for their needs, both physical and spiritual.  
• We continue praying for them daily, until we see results.  We picture ourselves bringing these people to Jesus.  We are not merely making a wish; we are praying!  Through our faith we intercede.  But that is not all there is to it.   God hears our every prayer.   He responds.
• We thank Jesus, even before we see anything happening.  We thank him for his work in their lives, and in ours.   
• We say Amen!  Because we believe.   We trust in his power to act.

Help us, Lord, to open ourselves fully to your healing power.  Make us intercessors for those who need your healing, physically and spiritually.  Amaze us, Lord, with the grace of your love. 

Be blessed,

     lynda

Tangles used in this Zentangle tile are Meringue, Mooka, and Tipple.

Rejoice! He Is Risen!

Today is Easter Sunday.  A day all about faith and family.
Today we wake up to candy and chocolate bunnies, hidden baskets laden with gifts.
Today we feast on roasted ham and scalloped potatoes and special traditional foods.
Today we dress up in our finest outfits to wear to church.
Today the choir sings with renewed vigor, and the entire congregation sings along, hardly able to contain our joy.
Today we hear the great news of Jesus' resurrection.

But not every Sunday is like Easter, is it?  It isn't every Sunday that we dress up for church.  If we are honest with ourselves, it isn't every Sunday that we may even want to go to church.  The message is not always the wonderful news of Jesus' resurrection.  Sometimes we hear the difficult things, the things that cause us to swallow the lump of conviction.  Sometimes we can't let go of our bitterness and fears long enough to hear God's voice.  Sometimes we just go through the motions, distracted by the din of our own busy-ness and pursuits. 

But it is every Sunday, in fact every moment of every day, that God loves us.  Every day he calls us to himself through our faith in his Son.  God has offered us the gift of forgiveness and eternal life.  Jesus secured this promise for us when he died on the cross and rose from the dead.  Because there was a resurrection, because there is Easter Sunday, we have hope.  Every day.  We have life.  We have His promise.  

Today we renew our baptismal vows.  We have a fresh start.  A chance to commit, again, to living the life of faith, the life of fullness in his love.   In light of the joy of the resurrection, we can proclaim, "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad, for Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.  Let us live our lives in that joy."

Be blessed,
     lynda