Redeeming the Crumbs

 

Some days there is just this internal rage at seeing another crumb. I mean, where do they all come from!? I know… my kids, my husband, and if I must admit it… myself. The worst are the days when I’ve JUST swept, vacuumed and mopped the floor, and everyone has the audacity to eat again. More crumbs.

There are other areas that incur the same defeat: Finishing all the laundry, even putting it away and once again, people are wearing clothes! Dishes done, but dinner just ended. Bed was made, but we have to sleep somewhere.

I often find myself living with this unrealistic goal of completely finishing my to-do list. As if there is going to be one golden day when there is nothing else to finish. I will sit back and bask in my easy life, having complete freedom over my time and choices.

Why am I like that? When have I ever even completed a “check-list” of items for one day? Focusing on this desperate desire to check all the boxes off and finally be “done” can bring about some unpleasant feelings and a need for a reality check.

The funny thing is that I’ve had this subject in my mind to write about all day, and the moment my husband got home today, I started complaining about feeling overwhelmed… too much to do… can’t get it all done… didn’t do what I wanted… me, me, me. What a fast downward spiral that becomes. So, hear me when I say, these reminders are directed first at this author.

Notice all of the negative things: being swept up in feelings, complaining, inward focus, frustration toward other people, bitterness. 

But I once heard something on the Risen Motherhood podcast that can completely change that internal perspective and point me toward God, who He created me to be, and how I can live my daily life, surrounded by crumbs. I want to share the concept with you.

This daily act of cleaning and making right fulfills two beautiful images of the gospel. The first is that we are redeeming the mess. We are putting back into order. Even though it will inevitably come around again while we live in this fallen world, we have the opportunity to express a picture of what God has done in our lives. He has taken the destruction of sin and our hopelessness and redeemed it all through His Son! He redeems, restores, makes new, fixes, perfects. He redeemed us once and has promised to restore creation to what He intended it to be. So when we are once again crawling under the kitchen table, restoring the floor to cleanliness, we are able to live out a simplified model of what the gospel is. And that brings hope to a weary heart.

Another way we are able to be daily images of the gospel is in that very word. We are image bearers and part of our bearing of God’s image is to work and create. Satan loves to take the opportunities we have to bring glory to God through work and creation and turn our hearts to focus on drudgery, stress, and failure. When instead, we see these things as our God-given opportunities, the perspective shifts, and with that comes joy and hope!

I’m sorry to tell you, I have no answers for the amount of crumbs you will have in your life. But I do hope this brings you some peace and patience in the daily grind. These are the moments God gives us to proclaim the gospel to our families and as we truly need, to ourselves.

 Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.

Revelation 21:5 And He who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

 

(Risen Motherhood Podcast Episode 7 “Dirt Dishes and Diapers: Dealing with the Never-Ending Mess”)

--Sandy Gromacki

The Potter and the Clay

 

A few weeks ago, I went with my daughter, her two boys and a friend from school to spend the day at Chester Frost Park.  The kids love building sandcastles in unique shapes, and they have found that in a certain part of the lake, they can find clay.  On this particular day, they decided they wanted to catch a fish and put it into a clay pot.  So, my oldest grandson, who happens to be very artistic, began to mold a small clay pot for the fish.  As I watched him very carefully mold just the right size pot with the clay they found, I was reminded of the Scripture passage in Isaiah 64:8.  It says, “But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hands.” 

 As many of you know, I thoroughly enjoy crafts and love going to craft fairs.  I’ve never worked with pottery but have several little vases that my children made in art class in school.  I think of pottery much the same way I think about making bread.  It is an art to know when the clay is just right for molding and when the dough is perfect for kneading.  It takes practice to learn when everything is just right.  I love watching potters work with the clay, molding it and shaping it on the wheel.  It is truly an art.  As my grandson was molding his pot, he would continually splash a little water on it so that it would not crack.  At one point another child came along and took some of the clay and threw it in the water for no reason.  My grandson was upset, but he became more protective of his work.

In Jeremiah chapter 18, God gave the prophet Jeremiah a beautiful example of what He could to for Judah, if only they would repent.  God sent Jeremiah to the house of a potter.  While the potter was working, his project became spoiled.  He didn’t stop and throw the clay out;  he continued to work with it until he was able to use it again.  God shows Jeremiah through the potter that He can do for Judah what the potter was able to do with the remolded clay.  All they needed to do was repent.

 This example applies to us today.  We fail God daily in little things and sometimes in the big things.  Yet we need the reminder that God is in control of our every thought and deed.  He molds us and makes us for His glory.  If we fail and acknowledge our failure, He can mold us into something so beautiful and bring glory to Himself.  God continually promised to restore Israel to their land if they’d repent and turn back to Him.  He has promised us restoration and hope if we stay faithful to Him.

Allow God to mold you and shape you for His glory.  Romans 9:21 says, “Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?”  Which vessel will you be?

 

--Bonnie King

Life is Hard, and Then You Die

 This summer has not been an easy one for our church family. Along with the continual waiting
on the funds for rebuilding, we have experienced sudden, tragic loss. During my senior year of
college, I walked through losing a friend very unexpectedly. It was an incredibly difficult time in
my life, and I wrestled with guilt, anger, and overwhelming grief. My heart hurts for the family
and friends of Ryder who are grappling with sudden loss and trying to figure out how to move
forward with a weight of grief that hits at unexpected moments.

I keep coming back to a blog post I wrote several years ago that discusses the brokenness of life
and how God can handle our complex emotions. I share this post with you in the hope that you
will allow yourself to feel your hard emotions and begin to allow God to bring healing.

“Life is hard, and then you die.”

This is a statement commonly used by one of my English professors to encompass the topic of most
pieces of literature. And you know what? It’s true. Life is hard. We all will die.

As a Christian, I have a greater hope to look forward to. I know without a shadow of a doubt that
Christ will come again, wipe away every tear, and make everything right. Things are going to get
better, and that gives me something to cling to in the midst of difficult times. For me, "and then
you die" is the best part of the statement. Death means being reunited with God and worshipping
Him forever. This is not morbid. I don’t seek death. But I’m not afraid of it. Any fear I might
have is directed at the possibility of pain and sorrow that may lead up to it, though I know that
God has that handled too.

But having hope does not change the fact that life is hard. Knowing that it will someday get
better helps me cope, but I still feel deep heartache and pain. There’s no way to get away from it.
Because of the fall of mankind, pain will persist until Jesus comes again. Contrary to the
teaching of the prosperity gospel, Christians are not promised a life of ease for being faithful to
God. We are given the Holy Spirit as a guide and a comforter, but he is not a shield from the
troubles of the world.

Life is gut wrenchingly, agonizingly hard.

And you know what? It is ok to dwell on that fact for a little bit. It is healthy to let ourselves feel
the pain that life brings, as long as we do not let it lead us to despair. What is unhealthy is
attempting to suppress the heartache. This will only cause it to build up inside us until we just
can’t take it anymore. So accept the fact that life is hard. It is ok to feel completely and utterly
overwhelmed by everything that this world throws at us. It is ok to throw a fit and ask why. It is
ok to be broken.

God can handle it. Over and over again in the Psalms, David cries out to God in sorrow or anger.
And it is strong emotion:

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the
words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find
no rest."- Psalm 22:1-2 ESV

"May his days be few; may another take his office! May his children be fatherless and his wife a
widow! … Let there be none to extend kindness to him, nor any to pity his fatherless children!" -
Psalm 109:8-9, 12 ESV

It is ok for us to do the same, and dwell on the fact that life is hard for a time. It does not mean
that we don’t trust in God. We do not like the idea of letting sorrow envelop us. Who would? We
resist it because we do not like others to see how broken we are. We want to appear like we have
it all together, that we are self-sufficient. Yet all of us are helplessly broken people who have no
control over the circumstances that life brings, and only by admitting this do we begin to
find healing. And just because we feel pain now, does not mean we will feel it forever. Dwelling
on the difficulty of life should eventually lead us to the greatness of God and the hope that
we have in Him. Though David started many of his Psalms with doubt and anger, he always
closed by going back to God:

"All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the
nations shall worship before you. For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the
nations." - Psalm 22:27-28 ESV

"With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord; I will praise him in the midst of the
throng. For he stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from those who condemn
his soul to death." - Psalm 109:30-31 ESV

So when life hits you hard, it’s ok to not be ok. It is ok to cry. It is ok to not even be able to move
for a while. And this period of time could very well be a long while. It could take anywhere from
a few days to years. But eventually, at some point in the future, we must let our sorrow lead us to
a recognition of God’s immense power and unfathomable love for us. It is through our own
brokenness that we can more clearly understand our need for Jesus.

--Concetta Swann

Blind Spots

 

 “Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Psalm 139:22-23 (NIV)

I have been teaching some of our older residents at the TN Baptist Children’s Homes (where I work) how to drive. I instruct them to avoid hanging out in others’ blind spots. How many times have I myself been sure that it was safe to change lanes only to see a car in my mirror at the last second?

We all have blind spots that have nothing to do with driving. We don’t think we do, because we cannot see them. We are literally blind to them. I don’t think any of us want to be unkind, negative, critical, disobedient, disrespectful, selfish, prideful, etc. And isn’t it difficult to accept it and not become defensive when someone else points out our faults, our blind spots? It’s painful and embarrassing to realize that we are not okay – that we need a little work.

God has been using the book, “Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely,” by Lysa TerKeurst to show me how I have allowed past rejections to impact my life. This has been a blind spot for me. I am growing and learning still even in middle age. You would think I would have sorted these things out by now, right?

Are you brave enough to ask God to search your heart and point out any offensive ways in yourself? With trepidation I did, and He answered with this helpful resource. He never seeks to hurt me but only to bring healing. He can be trusted with my vulnerable places. He is loving and gentle (often gentler than people). You can allow Him into your most secret and closed off spaces.

I want that healing, don’t you?

joyce hague

What VBS Showed Me Once Again

 

This past week, there were multiple evenings in which I would look across the church auditorium and walk the building’s halls and see into its rooms in amazement. I wish you could have seen what I did. (Some of you probably did.) It was VBS week so, of course, there were a lot of kids. But beyond the large number of kids who attended (over 100), there were so many volunteers -- all necessary, all playing a part to make this week a success. I really think there is no ministry that our church does that shows off the variety of willing volunteer servants in our church like VBS does. Let me try to paint the picture in words.

               In the auditorium during the “all-together time,” I saw middle-school and high-school kids getting the younger kids excited and making them feel welcome. I noticed that there were college kids who were giving up this time during their summer break to serve the church even though they’ll move back away in the fall. I saw both single and married adults serving, ranging in ages from their 20s to perhaps their 70s or 80s. There were moms serving who had already spent all day at home with their own little ones; there were dads volunteering who had barely gotten off work for the day and yet still managed to show joy in being there. I saw grandmothers and grandfathers with all their experience of raising children, who could well say that they’ve “done their time” in children’s ministry, yet here they were again – another year. There were several workers from our Hispanic church serving alongside the rest. Some volunteers have been at our church for decades, others for less than a year. And here they all were, working side by side for the faith of the gospel (Phil. 1:27), the gospel that would be communicated to these kids.

               There were so many ways that these church members were serving: Some helped parents check kids in with our computer and sticker system. Many of the volunteers were assigned to one of the four different age groups as they helped with crowd control and individual kids’ needs. Each group had a leader and a Bible teacher as well. There were those who served by preparing snacks, from bagging individual serving sizes of popcorn to putting grapes on skewers. Some planned and helped with game times, others with crafts. One lady led the singing and helped teach the memory verse; several were running the song videos and sound, and a few took parts in skits. We even had a church member who is a nurse available if needed.

               And here’s what I can’t get over: How beautiful is the body of Christ that serves together! What a picture of God’s people, concerned about reaching the next generation with the truth, sacrificing their time and energy with joy (!) for children to have a fun and safe place to learn about God’s love for them and the salvation that Christ provides.

               I understand that many of our church members had other things going on this week or weren’t there for any number of other reasons. This is in no way meant to shame anyone. But I do want you to be caught up with me in the joy of brothers and sisters in Christ of various backgrounds and ages serving together. VBS is not the only place to serve; there are many opportunities. To the many of you who serve in various areas of the church: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Your effort and service is not in vain in the Lord (1 Cor. 15:58). Keep it up. To those who maybe have not gotten involved in serving yet: There are so many opportunities. Where can you help? What gifts has God given you? We need you. You too are vital to the flourishing of our body. May we continue to show forth the beauty of Christ and His design for the church as we serve Him together and seek to further His Kingdom.

--Amy O'Rear

A Look North

Nine hundred sixty-four miles northeast of Grace Baptist Church a group of our brothers and sisters in Christ gathered this morning. As members of Open Bible Baptist Church, they assembled for the same reasons we in Chattanooga did: to obey, worship, and proclaim Jesus Christ. You may never have met them, nor they you. Nonetheless, we share a bond with them that runs deeper than what the average person would guess: we are part of the redeemed family of God, and, as such, we will spend eternity with Him and each other.

The village of Cambridge, New York, has about 2,000 residents, and the pictured building was constructed in 1844. Notice the bell tower at the top. Every Sunday morning a large bell is rung to announce to Main Street and beyond that the eleven o'clock hour of worship to the Living God is at hand. Cambridge Baptist Church of the Open Bible began in 1947, and later purchased the building and shortened its name to Open Bible Baptist Church.

There are two reasons I chose to feature OBBC for my Cup of Grace rotation. The first is that it does our souls good to know that there are other believers genuinely devoted to knowing and living for Jesus Christ. In a world increasingly hostile to all that Christianity represents, there are still many scattered pockets of disciples who "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus" day in and day out. You are not alone in your devotion to Him. Your family is not alone. Your church is not alone. The Lord used this fact to encourage Elijah, and it should encourage us as well...no matter what is happening in our nation.

The second reason to feature OBBC is that last Sunday my husband accepted the invitation to be their new pastor, so our family will be moving to Cambridge as soon as possible. Bill has long had a desire to minister in the Northeast, and the backstory to how the Lord has opened this specific door is beautiful. We are excited about the opportunity to join the believers there in shining the light of the gospel.

Thank you, dear friends at Grace Baptist Church, for all that you have meant to each of us! We will miss you, but look forward to seeing you anytime we're visiting Chattanooga, and will seek to keep abreast of all that God does for you here. Please pray for the Lord to continue to guide all the aspects and timing of our transition. Know that we will continue in prayer for you as well.

Susan Warner, a native of New York who became the first American author to sell more than a million copies of a book, once wrote a child's hymn that encapsulates the goals of both Grace and Open Bible. I conclude with her lyrics, simple yet profound:

"Jesus bids us shine with a clear pure light,
like a little candle burning in the night;
in this world of darkness we must shine –
you in your small corner, and I in mine."

Amen, may it ever be.
-MaryBeth Hall

Why Doesn't God Just Talk to Us?

 

I was spending some time with granddaughters recently when one of the six-year olds asked, “Why doesn’t God just talk to us?” This is an honest question that is not so very different from what I’ve thought myself but didn’t have the boldness to say out loud. Of course I believe God has talked to us in his word, and that was my answer, but I have to admit that this answer doesn’t completely cover all the questions.

However, two times in recent years I have had what seemed to me to be direct responses from God to my own inner ponderings. Some of you may have heard this first story before, but it fits here, so I’ll repeat it.

I had been attending a meeting on Broad Street in Chattanooga and was ready to head home about 9:30 in the evening. There are many ways home from downtown, and I wanted to take the most efficient way but was feeling tired and maybe not up to dealing with I-24 traffic. I began talking to God about the best way to go as I started the car and headed up East Main Street. I wanted him to show me what to do.

If I were to take the interstate, I knew I’d need to turn on South Kelly and use the ramp there, and I was quickly approaching the turn. Then some inner skeptic said, How’s God going to stop me from taking the interstate? I’m driving the car. So I turned right on Kelly to take what seemed the best way to get home quickly.

As I came within sight of the ramp where I-24 passes over Kelly, I should have been seeing the roadway, but I couldn’t see it at all. It was as if there were a high wall just beyond the traffic light at East 23^rd. I continued down the street in wonderment. When I got to the light, I saw the problem: a large truck was stopped dead on the street, completely blocking the way to the interstate. With a wry smile, I turned left on 23^rd and took an alternate route home!

I shared this story with folks at church one Sunday night, and it has stayed with me as a recurring reminder that God can direct my path even if I can’t hear an audible voice. Another reminder came just last Saturday.

I put on a pot of beans (beans again!) and took a cup of coffee and my Bible and another book out to the front porch. I was reading about Moses and his struggles with the people of Israel, and I stopped to think about what Moses’ life was like—how he got an excellent education in Egypt that made him a fit person to write the early history of the world. I have seen a chart showing that Moses could have known someone who knew Noah, and thus had a good source of information for the flood narrative. But then I started thinking, How did God communicate with Moses about the earlier days? What reliable source did Moses have? Did God just talk to him? That seems a little hard to believe. About that time, I thought of my beans, jumped up and ran into the house and lifted the lid to find a pot almost dry. In another minute or less I’d have had burnt beans. I got to them just in time. Why? I recalled with some chagrin the question I'd just been asking when God said to me, Beans! I believe God was showing me that he can, indeed, communicate needed truth when he wants to.

I did not hear God’s voice in my ear, but I certainly heard him in my mind. Can God just talk to people? Yes, he can.

More than once in scripture, God poses the rhetorical question, Is anything too hard for the LORD? (Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:27), and in Luke 18:27, Jesus asserts, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

I don’t know what kind of struggle you face. Maybe it’s as simple as lost keys or as momentous as a health crisis, but God can and does intervene in the lives of his people. Perhaps you don’t have that inner skeptic that rises up in me, but if you do, let these examples give you courage to believe.

--Sherry Poff