Just Because

I recently received an unexpected check that had "Just because" written in the memo. It surprised me mostly because the givers have never given me a personal gift before and really have no reason or obligation to be blessing me with a gift of any kind. That is what made it even more surprising and special.

God does things like that for us all the time. He sends a cooling rain on a hot summer day, He warms the winter days with sunshine, He gives an encouraging song to the birds and smiling faces to the flowers just because He loves us.

My five year old granddaughter understands just how special she is to God. Here is her story written by her mother:

Pink Clouds

by Piper Hawkins Koeppen

 

I took Addison to McDonald's today and let her get a soda...I know, it's not good for her, but she was really good today and I just couldn't help it; she's my sweetheart. Later this afternoon we were driving home and she was whining about something. I finally had to say in a stern voice, "Addison, that's enough! No more whining!" Shortly after, she was still whining a bit and I decided I needed a Starbucks. She wanted a steamer, I knew I shouldn't get her one, she'd already had a soda AND she was being naughty....but I got her one anyway...I couldn't help it, she's my sweetheart. As we pulled away, with her steamer in hand, she whispered, "Mommy look!" I turned to see what she was pointing toward and there was the horizon with the sun beginning to set. Smiling she simply said, "See Jesus painted me pink clouds today." Right then I heard Him whisper, "I couldn't help it, she's my sweetheart."

God has chosen you to be his own special treasure. (Deut. 7:6) You don't have to take my word for it. It is all through the Bible how much God loves us. We are His treasure. He keeps us safely tucked away from harm in His "treasure pouch" 1 Samuel 25:29

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 1 John 4:9-10 (NLT)


God doesn't have to do anything for us, but He does just because!

Additional scriptures:

John 3:16 (Whole Chapter)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.




Ephesians 1:4 (Whole Chapter)
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.


Exodus 19:5 (Whole Chapter)
Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me.

Deuteronomy 7:6 (Whole Chapter)
For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.

Deuteronomy 14:2 (Whole Chapter)
You have been set apart as holy to the Lord your God, and he has chosen you from all the nations of the earth to be his own special treasure.

Deuteronomy 26:18 (Whole Chapter)
The Lord has declared today that you are his people, his own special treasure, just as he promised, and that you must obey all his commands.

1 Samuel 25:29 (Whole Chapter)
“Even when you are chased by those who seek to kill you, your life is safe in the care of the Lord your God, secure in his treasure pouch! But the lives of your enemies will disappear like stones shot from a sling!

Malachi 3:17 (Whole Chapter)
“They will be my people,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child.

Dusted for Fingerprints

 

Call me crazy, but I truly enjoy all the forensic based shows on television. CSI, NCIS, NCIS-LA, CSI-NY, even Bones, (we can skip Horatio from Miami!).  My husband doesn’t understand my attraction to these shows. To him it’s all guts and gore. I don’t care for that part of the show either – when they do an inside the body scope-like journey to follow the track of the bullet or whatever. However, the mystery – the search for answers based on only the facts of the evidence is very intriguing to me. It is amazing the equipment that has been developed to determine chemical compounds and fiber matches. They have machines that can break down fluids into a number of chemicals; they have scopes and databases to tell the exact car a fiber came from or where a bit of dirt originated. It’s almost sci-fi in nature! But the old reliable “dusting powder” hasn’t changed and is still used to determine the very unique markings of fingerprints. Any time a person handles or just touches something we leave behind a fingerprint, a print that is undeniably our mark. Some fingerprints bring blessing; some bring destruction.

The power of Jesus’ fingerprints is revealed in the Biblical books of Matthew, Mark and Luke when He touched people at their point of need bringing healing and comfort to them.

·  Matthew 8:15
But when Jesus touched her hand, the fever left her. Then she got up and prepared a meal for him.

·  Matthew 9:29 
Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.”

·  Matthew 17:7 
Then Jesus came over and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”

·  Matthew 20:34 
Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.

·  Mark 1:41
Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!”

·  Mark 6:56
Wherever he went—in villages, cities, or the countryside—they brought the sick out to the marketplaces. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.

·  Mark 7:33
Jesus led him away from the crowd so they could be alone. He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then, spitting on his own fingers, he touched the man’s tongue.

·  Mark 10:13 
One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

·  Luke 4:40
As the sun went down that evening, people throughout the village brought sick family members to Jesus. No matter what their diseases were, the touch of his hand healed every one.

·  Luke 7:14 
Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” he said, “I tell you, get up.”

·  Luke 13:13 
Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised God!

·  Luke 14:4 
When they refused to answer, Jesus touched the sick man and healed him and sent him away.

ALL these lives were changed by the touch of Jesus. His touch left the fingerprint of  God’s mercy and restoration.

Paul, a disciple of Jesus Christ, knew the importance of baring the marks or fingerprints of God in his life.  In ancient times the Greek word for “marks” was used of the brand that identified slaves or animals. Paul’s suffering (stoning, Ac 14:19; beatings, Ac 16:22; 2 Cor 11:25; illness, Gal 4:13-14) marked him as a “servant of Christ”.* The touch of God on Paul’s life so marked him that “When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his (Paul’s) skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.” (Acts 19:12)

The fingerprint of God on Paul’s life included pain and suffering but he fully understood the favor of God’s touch as well. When arguments arose among the first century Christians about circumcision, the first identifying mark of the covenant between God and Abraham (Gen 17:9-14), Paul gave explanation of the new covenant.  “¹² Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. ¹³ And even those who advocate circumcision don’t keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples.

   ¹⁴ As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross^, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. ¹⁵ It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. ¹⁶ May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.

   ¹⁷ From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars (or marks in some translations) that show I belong to Jesus.” (Gal 6:12-17)

What does the mark of God’s fingerprint on my life look like? Do those I encounter every day see God’s touch or the smudge of sin and failure? Is there a definite sign that I have been in God’s presence, marked by Jesus’ touch and empowered by the Holy Spirit? How will they know?

Jesus told his disciples at their last supper together, "Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other." (John 13:34-35) The new command was much like the old one given in Lev 19:18, but for Jesus’ disciples it was new, because it was the mark of their brotherhood, created by Jesus’ great love for them (Matt 22:37-39). *

The people around us are always “dusting us” for fingerprints. There is a great desire to see genuine love and the demonstration of faith and confidence. People need to see we are who we say we are and do what God says we should!

Watching forensics shows make you want to be sure you clean your doorknobs well so, if the need ever arises, the CSI agents will be able to determine the unusual set of fingerprints found there to solve a crime! Even more, when we realize we bear the marks of things that touch our lives every day, we need to purify our lives with the touch of God.  It is the undeniable fingerprint of God Almighty that I want to display in loving my neighbors and demonstrating the love of Christ to my brothers and sisters in the faith.  I hope when they “dust me for fingerprints” I’m COVERED with God’s!

*Footnotes from the NIV Study Bible

Blessed Is She Who Has Believed

Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished! Luke 1:45 NIV

Can you imagine what it would be like to have a spirit-being show up in your room? It would be even more unnerving to have him speak to you! What if he said “Good morning! You’re beautiful with God’s beauty, Beautiful inside and out! God be with you.” (Luke 1:28 Message) Well, that is EXACTLY what happened to Mary, mother of Jesus! Is it any wonder that Mary was “thoroughly shaken”? The Bible, no matter what translation you read, makes no mention of Mary screaming or fainting or losing control of her bodily functions. Nothing! It just says she was “greatly troubled” or “thoroughly shaken”. Yes, I think I would have had that response including a LOUD reaction.

Mary must have at least looked scared because the angel, Gabriel, said, “Do not be afraid”. To my knowledge, I have never met an angel face to face but I have the feeling, once you get past the sudden appearance, there would be great peace in their presence. That is the reason I think it was possible for Mary to believe the things Gabriel told her. “Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus. He will be great, be called ‘Son of the Highest’. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David; He will rule Jacob’s house forever- no end, ever, to his kingdom.”

Mary’s only question was “How?” She didn’t ask “why” or “are you sure you have the right house?” She didn’t even ask “When?” Her only question was “How?” Gabriel explained God’s plan of supernatural conception; “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest hover over you; Therefore the child you bring to birth will be called Holy, Son of God”. (Luke 1:35 MSG) Her response was “Yes, I see it all now: I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say.” (Luke 1:38 MSG)

There are things God has spoken into my life; assignments, dreams, purpose; that have been difficult for me to accept. My questions are not only “how?” but also “Did I hear you correctly?” and “Are you sure I’m the one?” Its unfortunate there have been no angelic visits with an announcement and explanation but there has been confirmation through scripture and friends. That should be enough, shouldn’t it?

Mary’s faith was demonstrated in her ability to only ask “How?” It was a question that asked, “What do you need me to do to make this happen?” There was no hint of “are you kidding me?” or doubt. Once she understood God had a plan to make it happen she was ready to go. Gabriel encouraged her faith by telling her of her cousin Elizabeth’s pregnancy “in her old age”. “For nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37 NIV)

Mary may have also remembered the story of Abraham and Sarah who became the parents of the child that began the lineage of “many nations” promised to them. “Without weakening in his faith, he (Abraham) faced the fact that his body was as good as dead – since he was about a hundred years old – and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” (Romans 4:19-21) Abraham’s faith “was credited to him as righteousness.” Because it was true faith, complete confidence in God’s promise. (Romans 4:22)
In today’s world, people who have that kind of faith are thought of as “kooks”, eccentrics or weak-minded. In reality, that kind of faith – faith that believes God will do every thing He said He would – requires great strength and confidence.

Abraham was credited with righteousness and Mary was called blessed by all generations (Luke 1:48) because they believed that the Lord would do everything He said He would. Lord, help me be the “who” and let You worry about the how, what, when, where, and why!

Luke 1:45 “You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what He said.” NLT
Genesis 18:14 “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” spoken to Abraham & Sarah
Job 42:2 “I know you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.” - Job
Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” - Jeremiah
Luke 18:27 “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” - Jesus
Matthew 19:26 “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” - Jesus