Forgiveness

Woman, you are Freed!

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“I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Luke 13: 5 NASB

     My daughter has teased me on more than one occasion that I need to attend “Dusting Anonymous” classes. However, frequent dusting is the least of my culpabilities!
     The Lord convicted me of a greater problem when I bent to dust my dining room table legs, and I whacked my forehead on the corner edge. I was mad-cleaning, cycling with past hurts; and yet, I lead a class that helps attendees work through loss and teaches how to process similar dirt and chaos. The ugly, camouflage bump that swelled and spread matched my heart wound.   
     Although, I don’t want to dismiss my hurt and feelings, I realized I had an unforgiving spirit!
     Whether we’re sixteen, twenty-six, thirty-six, or sixty, we may strive to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God; yet, we sin and fall short of His will, time and time again.
      Whether we commit a great evil, or we bare a bruise on our forehead from our “swamp sludge,” the Lord calls us to repent; and He intercedes on our behalf with grace and mercy.
     In Luke chapter 13, Jesus tells a parable between a passage on the consequences of sin, a guarded aqueduct and collapsed tower, and a healed woman. A vineyard owner planted a fig tree; and for three years he waited for fruit. He was ready to cut the worthless tree down! But the vineyard keeper stayed his hand—He wanted to give the tree more time. He offered to break up the hard ground and feed the soil.
     Likewise, Jesus doesn’t give up on us. He has utmost patience to make our heart like His.
     The crippled woman was bent double. Her sickness caused by an evil spirit. Satan had bound her for eighteen years; and it wasn’t just a physical condition. Jesus raised eyebrows and protests by healing on the Sabbath. But the woman was set free; she stood straight and gave glory to God.
  Forgiveness is not of us. It is not natural or even possible in our own doing, for it is of God.
  The crippled woman didn’t petition the Lord’s help. Instead, Jesus invited her to come unto Him. Sometimes, God requires faith in order to heal; but in other instances, He invites the sick one to draw near. And His presence is enough. 
      Curiously, only two people questioned me about the bruise on my temple, my daughter and a close friend. How much more do we miss heart wounds? Words often leave a lasting mark, especially when they cut to the core of our identity, while my bruise disappeared in a little over a week. Lysa Terkeurst writes, “Relationships often die not because of conversations that were had, but rather conversations that were needed but never had.” Nevertheless, there are times it isn’t safe to address the infractions.
 Whatever your wound or ailment today, anger, betrayal, rejection, unforgiveness, bitterness, or else, you’re hoping I start a “Dusting Anonymous” class. . . God calls us to repentance with His love, mercy, and compassion. Towers of self-provision and self-protection must fall! Like the vineyard keeper, the Lord intercedes and warns that judgment is coming.
  I’m praising God for His patience and perseverance, for being the attentive Gardener who sees and knows our hurts and hearts. Yet, He expects growth and beauty to bloom. He digs through our dirt, fertilizes the soil, prunes the branches, and waters our dry, hard ground. And He helps us to forgive.
  What keeps you in bondage? Draw near to Jesus. Freedom is found in Him.
 

Be blessed,
 

Lily Mae

  

“Woman, you are freed from your sickness.” Luke 13: 12 NASB

Spring Beckons Humility

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If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1: 9 NASB

Spring summons us to work, rest, and play; but it also beckons humility. I’d searched for glimpses of green growth stretching forth from the mulch, but I’d missed them. I had to kneel. My grandsons joined me on the ground, and we marveled at the miniature daffodils that had burst through. Spring offers us an opportunity to bow, to dig in the dirt, weed, and plant— clear cluttered thoughts and re-frame false beliefs with Truth. We must be rid of false gods and idols.

Spring beckons us to bow, to confess and repent from sinful patterns of relating to God and others. Sin separates us from God and causes division amongst believers. However, confession and repentance restore our relationship with God and others. Repentance means to turn from our iniquity and return to God. We admit our wrongdoing and choose holiness; and He forgives. Besides, He heals what we bring into the light.

God also offers us a new way to relate to ourselves. When we perceive ourselves as beloved children of God, we’re equipped to choose life over self-injury, love and self-care over hate. Likewise, our negative self-talk is silenced. We learn to respect our hurt and limitations; and we cling to Truth. We accept compliments and praise, rather than flick them away like a pesky crumb.  And we take notice of others and offer the same.

Spring beckons Humility. Unity is possible. Deliverance and redemption. Freedom and peace. Believe! In repentance and rest we will be saved. Strength comes to the soul who trusts the Lord. He makes a way in the quiet; therefore, dig deep, confess sin and re-frame false beliefs. Recognize the lies and declare Truth:

Lie – I am unloved- Truth – I am loved! God is love. 1 John 4:8; Though the mountains be shaken and hills be removed, my unfailing love for you will not be shaken . . . Isaiah 54: 10
Lie– I’m alone- Truth– I have a Helper, Keeper, Protector who never tires/sleeps. Psalm 121
Lie-I’m invisible, ugly- Truth- I’m seen and known; fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139
Lie-I’m forgotten, abandoned- Truth– Never will I leave you or forsake you. Hebrews 13:5
Lie– I’m worthless, defenseless- Truth– A Mighty Warrior sings over me! Zephaniah 3:17
Lie– I’m ruined/marred- Truth– I’m chosen! A child of the King. Royalty. I Peter 2: 9

Lord, the enemy of our soul daily feeds us with lies.
May your Truth help us to stand unashamed.

In Him alone,

Lily Mae

For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said, “In repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength. Isaiah 30:15 NASB

Puzzle Pieces

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Psalm 60: Lily of Testimony

O God, Thou hast rejected us. Thou hast broken us; Thou has been angry; O, restore us. Thou hast made the land quake, Thou has split it open; heal its breaches, for it totters. Psalm 60: 1-2 NASB

    David faced two military battles in the Valley of Salt and was confused by the outcome. He grieved Israel’s defeat and losses and cried for relief. He felt abandoned by God. However, it was in that basin that the Lord began to fulfill His promises to David, to make him a strong leader, give him rest from his enemies, and plant him in a place where he’d find peace.

The Lord protected David and made his name great. His name means “beloved!” The remedy for our brokenness comes through David’s family line. Jesus, our Beloved. 
    
Our nation has been shaken, the country is split, and angry flames set by some in response to injustice threaten to consume our cities, but Jesus is our Balm of Gilead. He is a City of Refuge.  Through Him alone our fractures can be restored and beauty birthed.  
     
Restore—a thousand puzzle pieces, colors and perspectives, and a thousand things to do. 
     
We must return to the table. Repent. Forgive. Listen. Engage to understand. Dig deep. Revisit. Reverse. Break. Build. Circumcise. Join. Carry. Retreat. Recover. Retrieve. Bring home. Feed. Refresh. Slide back. Speak. Affirm. Say “no!” Change our mind. Turn back. Reestablish. Relent. Reset our thoughts and plans. Wait. Resume. Return to the table. Collaborate. Then do it again. Healing is no easy task.
    
Restoration requires the framework of divine and human effort. Like David’s desperate plea, we must repent. We must seek God’s forgiveness and ask His help.  
     
We have also faced two battles as a nation, COVID19 and the injustice of George Floyd’s death have threatened us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. How we respond will impact our future. Jesus willingly laid down His life for us in the face of injustice. He was slandered, slapped, beaten, and scourged. Then crucified for us. Our cities belong to Him, the strong defenders and weaker servants, the helmets, washbowls, and scepters, and the marked and rural edges. God is concerned for our well-being. Boundaries must be set. Removed. Written and re-written. But who will bring Him to the besieged cities?
    
George Floyd’s death left us with a responsibility. Names were birthed with meaning and purpose in biblical times. George means farmer or worker, and Floyd means gray-haired. Pause. Ponder. It goes back to the beginning. Mankind was created in God’s image. Male and Female. Black and White. Colorful. Rich and poor. Beauty in our differences. All called with purpose.
   
Farming is strenuous work and requires long days. Whether Floyd was a farmer or not, we’ve learned that he was a servant. He loved God and the people of God. Healing begins with humility, the one who is ready and willing to work the soil. What will you plant? Seeds of hate and revenge, or seeds of mercy and loving kindness? Reconciliation calls for us to work together; we need to be open and vulnerable. It may get dirty and uncomfortable. Nevertheless, we must start with ourselves. Unless a seed die, it will not produce. When have we contributed to racism? How have we caused our brothers and sisters to hurt? Where can we do better? It starts with our thoughts and progresses to our speech and actions.

When the flooded river banks recede, will the valley between our rocky pandemics be loaded with salt? Or, has God’s people lost their flavor? We are the salt of the earth. Oh! That we would preserve life by Jesus’ example. 

Take a hold of your piece. Begin!

Lily Mae

Continue in Grace

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As for the fact that God raised Jesus up from the dead, no longer to return to decay,
He has spoken in this way: I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.
Acts 13: 34, 35 NASB

     The Holy Spirit set apart Paul and Barnabas to do the work of God for which He’d called them. They preached the good news and reminded the crowds that God had “put up with His people for forty years in the wilderness.” Not only did the sons and daughters of Israel rebel, they requested judges and then a king; and so, God raised up David, the son of Jesse, a man after His own heart. David was far from perfect, but he repented of his sin and turned back to God.

David is a witness to the nations of God’s mercy. (Isaiah 55: 3,4) Forgiveness is offered for our sins. We can be freed from all things—people pleasing, addictions, sexual brokenness, fear, self-doubt, anger, and bitterness. All things. Our salvation is not gained by works.

Paul and Barnabas challenged the listeners in Acts 13 to “continue in the grace of God!” It’s a message for today. God’s grace is extravagant, kind, charitable, benevolent, and full of goodwill.  It is unmerited mercy and humble servanthood; shoes laced, sleeves rolled back, and gritty grins. We bow, die to ourselves, and choose forgiveness. We let go of our right to control the effort and outcome. Forgiveness is for-giving.

Grace is a gift of unexpected favor, a well-being and well-doing unto others. It’s an attitude. God sees our struggles, our good intentions, mishaps, and failures; but He also knows our loss and underlying hurts and fears. He isn’t rattled. Sin, shame, and guilt separate, but Jesus unites. He widens our circles. Likewise, God delights in us. He bestows joy, gratitude, and acceptance.

     God grants us holy and sure blessings. His love is devoted, loyal, faithful, and steadfast. Pure. His blessings are trustworthy and resolute. May we listen, learn, and live with thankfulness. Since we’ve been given such a lavish gift, we’re called to do the same.

When we’re confused, we don’t know what to do or say, or how to pray, we can “continue in the grace of God.” The Holy Spirit works in us as we endure and seek the benefit of the doubt. We re-frame the lies, negativity, and damage with God’s Truth. And we make room for others. The balcony seat provides the long view. So, we listen with our eyes and respond with our heart. We walk the uncomfortable hallway and say the hard things. Jesus’ resurrection power is for us. His light will break through our differences. We must be unwavering in our call to spread Hope.

God does a work in His people that is indescribable. He frees us of all things. Trust in His holy and sure blessings!

     May the Holy Spirit enable you to continue in God’s grace,

Lily Mae

Incline your ear and come to Me, listen that you may live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, according to the faithful mercies shown to David. Isaiah 55: 3,4 NASB

Honeysuckle Road: Way of Forgiveness

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Be kind to one another, tender-hearted,
Forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32 NASB

The weekend before my father’s open heart surgery, my husband and I traveled to Virginia. Saturday evening after dinner, my Father and I spoke alone, and as he flipped through a small book, he said, “Martha, the women you minister with may find this book on anger, bitterness, and forgiveness useful. I’d like to give it to you.” And I didn’t miss a beat as I grinned and replied, “Well, maybe I should read it first, and see if it helps me.”

Startled, my father hesitated, and then his eyes twinkled with amusement, and I’m certain they mirrored mine. He chuckled as if his true intentions had just been exposed.  I’d written my father the previous year on his birthday, and I’d told him that I’d forgiven him my past hurts, but I still had a long list of other people to work through. And I hadn’t felt at peace with him yet. However, in that moment, the wall between us crumbled, and my stone-cold heart softened. Since my father has now passed, I treasure this memory.

My husband couldn’t accompany me the weekend my father died, but my children traveled with me to their grandfather’s bedside. We joined my brothers, sister-in-law, and mother, and we held each other and wept, told stories, laughed, and helped each other to blow our noses as we maneuvered around protective hospital gowns and gloves. It was a beautiful mess. I had a few sacred minutes to sing to my father alone, and when the final grandson arrived, and life-support was removed, we sang “Happy Birthday.” The following day, my father would have celebrated his 82nd birthday.

The last half hour of my father’s life, we sang his favorite hymns. We ended with “When Peace Like a River”, and our voices slowed to a whisper as my father took his last breath to the lyrics “It is well with my soul.” He was finally home and set free of earth’s burdens.

God can also heal our generational hurt.

Our extended family was broken and torn asunder from sin, loss, and failure, and our wounds left their scars. Then again, in most families you can find the orphan, rebel, wanderer, outcast, harlot, traitor, scoundrel, and even the self-righteous proud one. But God sacrificed His only son to die so that we may all be free. Jesus came for the lost and injured; He looked the shamed one in the eye, and He ate with another on the edge of the margins. He still longs for intimacy; and so, He reveals Himself to us in the midst of our angst, and He weaves a tangle of pain and beauty as He draws us toward Him.

Our stories matter.

My father understood the power of our testimonies and the hope of redemption that they offer. We are called to demonstrate Jesus’ love and grace, mercy and forgiveness, and kindness and compassion. Ordinary work, play, song, dance, ministry, and worship are possible when we fix our eyes on Him. But forgiveness is a lifelong process for some.

My father became my dad when I watched him grandparent. He was patient when he taught my children to hook the worms on their bamboo lines, and he removed their fish. He hunted with them and also cheered them on at games. I believe that he has finally learned to waltz with my granddaughter, Reese Amelia, on streets of gold. We will clink and clank out a melody on our cereal bowls from this side of heaven, and smile at his sweet memory. And Dad, your knees no longer have to be covered for our family photos! We love and miss you already.

I don’t know what sorrow you’ve endured. It’s easy for regret, anger, and bitterness to steal your joy. Likewise, shame and doubt and fear can hinder God’s purpose for you. Seeds can’t grow in hard ground; so, I encourage you to plow the soil and sift through your dirt. Choose to forgive. Close the gap. And love. For love covers a multitude of sin.

My final words are to my mother. You are a resilient and generous and courageous woman. Your love for Jesus and unconditional love for your family has been evident through every storm and season of life. You’ve held us together with love and laughter. And so, I want to remind you that you are not alone. Though we live at a distance, your entire family supports you and the community encircles you. We love you, mom.

God called me to return home to Honeysuckle Road, and pain and beauty intertwined. However, forgiveness and reconciliation also became possible. And it is just the start. God is gracious to complete what He has begun. And what a sweet fragrance He leaves!

It is well with my soul,

Lily Mae

Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” Matthew 18: 21, 22 NASB

 

 

God’s Light Breaks Through

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If the Lord had not been my help,
My soul would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.
Psalm 94: 17 (NASB)

The cattails sway with the breeze, the pines lament, and the dock groans with resistance. On my weakest of days, God has been present, attentive, and protective. His light pierces my dark thoughts and steadies my steps. God sings over me with songs of deliverance. The battle is His-not mine.

The locust trees share their sweet aroma as their fingertips dance with ease and grace. God is the Keeper of my heart and soul. He has hedged me in with thorns and preserved my life. And so, I wait in silence and I lean into His love. Rest. Revive. Re-frame.

I walk slowly and ground my failures, shortcomings, and waywardness in God’s open fields. He is the giver of good gifts, the creator of beauty and the restorer of lost voices. He is my calm. Walls begin to crumble and defenses fall as I consider His love and mercy.

And I confess. Repent. Turn. Remember.

The baby doll was battered-ugly from the pull and play of small hands; hair was missing, one eye rolled backward, and her legs were twisted. However, I couldn’t part with her. So, I’d kept her in a cedar chest for decades.

One day, I unpacked the doll on a whim and placed her in my childhood cradle. She was forgotten until a sleepy voice called me to the room, and I cupped the broken pieces of her knee. With eyes downcast, the child mumbled a sweet apology and my heart stirred. I loved him more than the doll. And I told him so.

Forgiveness is easy when our love for another is tender. It can be a one-time decision. But when the infraction is great and the wound scabs and re-opens, forgiveness is hard. Each day, we may wrestle to show mercy. We cannot do it without God.

When I place the baby doll back in the cradle, I take note of the pint-size pillow and the green and purple blanket. My favorite cousin and I’d had coat dresses made from the same fabric. And I’d forgotten. I haven’t seen her for more than twenty years.

God sees injustice. He hears the rumble in the distance. He knows the thoughts of man.

God calls us to forgiveness and fellowship, to gather around a table and join hands.  When I don’t know how and where to begin, I consider Jesus’ Way, His walk and ministry. He broke bread with the crowds and leaned on His disciples-the close-knit circle.

Lord, help us to love. Give us the desire to forgive- and if necessary, the desire for the desire for the desire to forgive. Show us where we need to trust and step into fellowship. And we will lift our praises and our songs to you.

Blessings,

Lily Mae