Pull Back Your Curtains

I never even noticed that he was different. His hands were normal to me. How many fingers are you supposed to have anyway?
My brother…. Aaron was born with a handicap. Actually, it depends on who you were and how you looked at it. I just remember when I was really young, a little girl telling me that normal people had four fingers and a thumb on each hand.
But my parents raised us to look past the differences. We were taught not to be uncomfortable around others who had disabilities or just were not like us. No, we did not pretend that they did not exist; just that people are different and our differences are what make us special.

What makes me think of this? Glad you asked . . . <3

Luke 13:10-17

On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath." The Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?"
When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.....


So often we look at this beautiful story as a story of yet another miracle performed by a loving Christ. It has always represented healing. But if you look closer, you will see it clearly. For eighteen long years this woman was crippled… her worn out body shaped not much differently than a question mark. I know that there were those who pitied her; others stared and mocked; worse yet, some pretended not to notice her. They acted as if they did not even see her as they went on about their business in the markets and the temple. She was not worth even a glance. . . .
Yet when He saw her, He did not turn away. No. He looked at her and spoke to her. He touched her. He healed her. What must it have felt like to, after 18 long years, be able to stand up straight and tall and stare into the eyes of love!
I think reading this makes me ask myself, “Do I look at them?” And when I do, do I see a human being or a deformity. Is it the person that I look at, or is it their differences? If they looked into my eyes, would they see love or discomfort?



We need to look. Then we need to speak. Even if it is just to talk about what a beautiful day it is. Most importantly we need to be able to touch. We need to shake a hand, touch a shoulder, or even give a hug when it is appropriate. Just like Christ, we need to be able to put aside the differences and let others know they are valued. Let them know that they are children of an almighty, loving God and that makes them so significant. They are worth it. Who knows, you and I may be the only window by which they catch a glimpse of a loving God. So pull back your curtains.

I am Shameless :0) ~ In the Right Way

There was a time in my life where I felt worthless. I had sinned. I was ashamed. I felt undeserving of God’s love because of the sin in my life. I thought I was unworthy to be in His presence; to be given His love; undeserving of His forgiveness. I understood my faults. I knew I had sinned. After accepting His love, I needed to understand God’s Mercy and Grace.
Ephesians Chapter 2: 1- 5, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of the World and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those that are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God, Who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.”
God did show me mercy. Through His grace my sins are forgiven. I am a new creature in Christ. Ephesians 4: 22-24; “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” God’s love is unfailing. But, immediately after accepting it, thoughts of guilt and feelings of shame about my life surfaced. Shame is a painful feeling caused by awareness of one’s shortcomings or guilt. I stress PAIN-FULL….full of PAIN… Ok, you understand.
Now, shame is not always a bad thing. Some shame can be healthy. When I do something wrong, it is healthy for me to feel some shame. It causes me to be remorseful and want to right the wrongs in my life. Like when I was a child and ate all of my mom’s candy. I lied and told her that it was not me. But it was; sorry mom. Forgive me?
But shame can be very harmful. It can lead to guilt; and, guilt is destructive and critical. I have to remember that in the book of John, chapter 3, it clearly states that Jesus did not come into this world to condemn this world. He came to save.
Some of the shame that I have held on to in my life was never mine to begin with. I was, for so long, ashamed of the abuse that I endured in my childhood. I owned the guilt for what had happened. If you have not been abused it is hard to understand how a victim can blame themselves.
Throughout my life, as I made mistakes the guilt would become stronger and stronger. I hated the guilt and shame I felt. I hated it because it made me hate me. I struggled. I wanted purity. Through the Holy Spirit, God took me to the book of Isaiah. In the 43rd chapter, verse 1: “But now, this is what the Lord says- he who created you (Rebekah Lynne), he who formed you (Rebekah Lynne); Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name, you are mine.”
Redeemed! To make amends for; to compensate for; to make good; to atone for…. God had redeemed me. I was His. Not only was Christ the atonement for my sin; but He was also giving me back the innocence of my life. He was healing my broken heart. He was releasing me from the oppression of guilt (Luke 4:18). I was oppressed from the years of guilt…. Guilt that was never mine to begin with. But through Christ, I received freedom.
“But God what about the mistakes I have made,” I asked Him. His reply? “What about them? I have righted the wrongs. I have given you righteousness!” Romans Chapter 3: 22-24; “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
The Holy Spirit reminded me that Christ came to forgive and to heal. Not to point out our shortcomings and further our guilt. So then he asked me, “When are you going to accept my forgiveness? You have asked for it. I have offered it. But you do not accept it. You continue to allow yourself to feel guilt for your past sins. Sins that I have pardoned.”
As always, he was right. I asked for forgiveness; I accepted his love! But over and over I told myself that I was not worthy because of the immense shame and guilt I carried in my life. It caused me to again and again try to be good so that I could deserve his love. But I can’t always be good.
I let it go. It took time in prayer and time in the Word. I asked God to remove it. Remove this painful emotion. I understand, God, that you have redeemed me. In Christ, I am free from the burdens of guilt and shame. Galatians 5:1; “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
Through Christ, I have been made free of the guilt and shame. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). Yes, I am shameless......

Heaven's Cliques

There are times for peaceful words of encouragement then there are times for a harsh rebuke. . .I just read the book of Jude; so guess what time it is.....

clique - noun - "a small, exclusive group of people; coterie; set."

I don't want to give the wrong idea here. . . I think relationships are important to God. Hebrews 13:1-3 states, "Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."

Relationships are and will remain` very important to God. He created us to have a relationship with Him first and second to have relationships with one another. The Bible even goes on to tell us that others will know whether our Christianity is true by looking at whether or not our love for each other is genuine (John 13:35 "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."). *Note that it does not say they will know if we are true in our faith and that we love God by all of the volunteer work that we do.

It is easy for us to love those we know. I love my family, SOME of my friends (I will let them figure out whom is loved :0)= joking), and the people I work with. But what about those who are different than myself? What if they don't look like me; praise like me; eat ketchup on their french fries; drink Pepsi instead of Coke, or (Heaven forbid) have clothes like mine?

Ideally I should have quoted all of Chapter 13 in the book of Hebrews. In it the apostle Paul gives us as Christians specific instructions as to the relationships we hold in this life. He points out that our sacrifice of service to others is directly linked God.

I bring this up because, after a long and interesting conversation with a very dear friend she explained to me why she will not attend a church and has no desire to be linked with "crack pot, fundamentalist Christians" (no offense to me - and no, I do not take offense to this. This crackpot still loves and prays for you). She talked about every time she graced the doors of a church and how she was received (or really not received). How everyone would form their own groups and, God forbid if you weren't like them... Like if you smoke or drink or if you have made mistakes. . .then they would turn their self-righteous noses up at her.

So, I hope you are reading this.... There are a couple of things I need to point out to you. First of all, there were cliques in Jesus' time. They were called Pharisees and Sadducees. The religious "elite" of the bible times. Not different from our modern day, church cliques. Actually, one and the same. They too would not associate themselves with "less than proper" people. But let me point something out to you. Jesus called them for what they were: Thieves and Vipers. People who based their salvation by works they did. Showing up wherever the crowd was in order to pray the loudest and make a show. Being most righteous when in public or around each other.

Jesus Christ was quite a bit different with whom He associated Himself. He showed love to the thief, the prostitute, and the sinner. By proving His love true, He was able to win them over. In short, Jesus had relationships. He had an earthly father and mother. He had siblings and friends. No, sweetie, His friends were not perfect...at least not when they met Him. But when they discovered how true and real His love for them was, it made them want to change. They wanted to be more like Him.

Christ true church has no cliques... no walls... no closed doors.... It was and is open to all. Most of them did not even know each other. Yet they DID love each other. They DID NOT judge each other. 3 John 1:5-8 "Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth..."

His true church welcomes the sinner, the drug addict, the liar, the thief. . .His true church wants them to see His love so that they would desire to change their ways and live in His love. To quote a popular Brit Nicole song, "That's how the lost get found." And trust me when I tell you, Heaven's cliques do NOT exist. I hope I see you there. Cheers to a clique free Heaven!

I love you and hope you see His love in me.