Tag: Jesus Christ

32 Million

According to a recent Barna Poll, 32 million church-going Christians will fail to vote on November 5, 2024.

No. Words.

Kidding.

I always have words. 

But I am pretty appalled. Because – what does this mean?

32 Million Christians will fail to attempt to correct injustice. Hmmm . . . Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, and plead the widow’s cause. Isaiah 1:17

32 million Christians will, in essence, passively vote for things they don’t want by failing to actually vote their conscience. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. James 4:17 (No whining later!)

32 million Christians will fuss about problems with the major parties and whine about flawed candidates. So – Hey! Let he who is without sin among you cast the first stone. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Do your best – work with what you’ve got.

32 million Christians will fail to impact our incredibly flawed political culture by honoring their legal obligation. Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Romans 13:1

32 million Christians will stand aside, claiming that God will handle it all. These people do not know their Bible because God acts through His children. For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13

The 2020 election came down to an average of 60,000 votes in five states. That’s 300,000 votes. Let me repeat, in case you missed it: 32 million will fail to vote. Correct my math, if you will, but I am pretty sure 32 million swamps 300,000. In spite of what your cynical brain (or your cynical friends) tells you – your one little vote actually really, really matters.

Yes, both political parties are rife with issues – obviously. Vote, anyway. Select the party that most closely aligns with your Biblical principles and vote. I really don’t care if you feel the election is fixed. Vote. The more overwhelming the numbers, the harder it is to fix – so vote. I also don’t care if you’re mad about the available choices, the corrupt government, or problems in America. Vote, anyway. Actually, I DO care if you’re mad about those things, because that means you have convictions – so why aren’t you voting them?

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18

Remember who you are and set the example.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

You are an overwhelmingly blessed child of our wise, passionate, and eternally loving God. Read your Bible. Educate yourself about what matters to Him and vote.

A Night Before Christmas Survival Guide for Parents

Quite a few years ago when I was having yet another MFM (Mom Failure Moment), I wrote this under the inspiration of the poem A Visit from Saint Nicholas. With a few edits, here it is again for Christmas 2023. May you have a joyful and as-relaxed-as-possible Christmas!

Dodging Hell

It was recently brought to my attention (again) that there are quite a few people who argue against Christianity because they can’t understand why an allegedly loving God sends people to Hell. So, I just want to clear this up:

God doesn’t send anyone to Hell.

Really. Hear me out –

Let’s start with a brief rundown of Plan A: God created a perfect world designed to meet all human needs, gifted humans with the ability to make their own decisions, gave clear and simple Instructions on easy Perfect World Maintenance (along with an explanation of what would happen should Maintenance fail), and offered a loving family relationship with Himself providing the highest level of Interpersonal Support to keep things running along. God’s Plan A was for this arrangement to continue as it was enjoyable for Him and very beneficial to the children He loved – but He had, as stated, created independent beings with decision-making powers, and they chose (and still do) to ignore the Instructions, reject the Support, and rebel against the family. So Maintenance failed, and the world and humanity (as foretold in the Maintenance Instructions) began falling into increasing levels of disrepair.

At this point, there is no maintenance and no good deeds, personal or environmental or otherwise, that will reverse the damage. But that’s ok, because God still loves humans and enacted Plan B. The only permanent salvation from the consequences of our own poor decisions lies in each of us making a better one: Instead of remaining separated from God, we can choose to accept His promises through His Son and regain a personal relationship with God. This does not make life perfect here on earth because the decision is individual, not global, so the world will continue to flounder and slide into disrepair and we still have to deal with it. But God is the creator and giver of all good things so choosing God does provide an amazing relationship with Him, a remarkable guide for living, incredible relief, and the promise of a future. You’ve heard of faith? This is it.

Where does that leave those who are concerned with God sending people to Hell?

Well, we each get to decide what to do about God’s offer of a relationship. He takes all comers but He doesn’t choose for you. Our parents and life situations are certainly an influence, but ultimately each person has the option to be near God or not. Those who elect to remain separate from Him do not enter Heaven since that is God’s home and they have chosen not to be near Him. Although God is grieved by this, He does not go against their choice. Hell is the place of separation from God and thus is the voluntary eternal landing zone for those who decide against God. And, yes, the Bible clearly states that suffering is involved with that choice because God is the only giver of all good, so to separate from God is to separate from everything good, and Hell is what remains – but going to Hell is still a choice anyone can make. Going to Heaven is also a choice anyone can make, and God is delighted to take anyone who wants to come.

So, really – your choice.

A Better Past

As parents of special needs children, we are undoubtedly our own harshest critics. We waste much of our thought time and precious energy debating the past – wondering if we could have or should have done a thing differently, taken a different approach, persisted more in some areas, less in others. Our own self-castigating voices rumble in the back of our minds questioning and regretting past actions even as we strive to live positively in the present and do our best to help establish viable futures for our loved ones. It’s a big load to carry.

I believe time travel shows such as Back to the Future and Doctor Who are popular because they feed the desire to change past choices that may (or may not) have ended better so we might no longer struggle with guilt or shame over decisions that can never be changed. In my own struggle with self-forgiveness, I have learned this: If we are truly to receive the grace God offers, embrace the present and move forward in hope and joy, we must give up hope for a better past.

We are, in fact, our own worst enemies in terms of grace. God’s command for us to love others as He loves us (John 13:34) indicates that He intends us to walk in compassion and mercy with those around us. In Mark 12:30-31 and Leviticus 19:18, God’s command extends to us loving others as we love ourselves, a clear indication for each of us to accept that we are no less a recipient of His mighty grace than anyone else.

I must point out here the obvious truth that most of us find it much easier to forgive others than to forgive ourselves. And yet, who are we to refuse forgiveness to anyone, including ourselves, where God has so graciously given it? Are we above Him in any way? Is it our job to second-guess his judgement and mercy? Where God forgives, we are to forgive – including ourselves. If our repentance over wrong actions is real, then the release of God’s freely given grace should be directed inward as well as outward.

The gritty inner voices of self-recrimination just slow us down. The truth is that memories of things said and done will always be with us – the wonderful, powerful times as well as the dark moments and heinous mistakes. As difficult as it may be for us to let go of that which we cannot change, it can be done and – for the benefit of our special loved ones, all those we care for, and even ourselves – it should be done. With God’s help, we can learn to allow the darkness of past regret to drop away and choose the hope, clarity, and peace that He has for each of us.

He is Here.

When you think of Jesus Christ, what image comes into your head?

Every day, every way, on more levels than any of us can possibly understand or imagine, Jesus lives. He is not a baby in a barn, a child in the Temple, preaching in Israel, bleeding on the Cross, currently resurrecting, or even wearing human skin. All of these events are part of His life and message and are worthy of breathless awe and honor, of course! But they are part of His history, not to be confused with what Christ is doing today or where He is right now – which happens to be in Heaven, at the right hand of God, listening to our hearts and being involved in our lives.

So, do these things:

Bow before the Holy Babe in the manger to honor Christ’s great love in coming to us.

Fall on your knees at the Cross and see the sacrifice He made and your own brokenness so you can repent and change your life.

Humble yourself to the ground in gratitude at the empty tomb because He miraculously conquered death to offer you a joyous forever.

Then stand in grace before the living ever-present Christ who is right here for you and is compassionate and powerful and sees exactly who you are from the top of everything lovely about you down to the tippy-toes of everything ugly and still loves you unconditionally, hears you unceasingly, laughs with your joys, weeps with your sorrows, encourages you unerringly, pours grace and mercy all over you, and stays with you wherever you go, whatever you do, no matter the darkness or mistakes – because He is yours and you are His! Reach toward the unfathomable wonder of Jesus Christ in the present and step up with confidence.

He is glorious, He is love, and He. Is. Here.

“I came so they might have life, and have it abundantly.” ~ John 10:10b

“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him.” ~ John 3:17

Remember Me

My Mom often said, “It doesn’t hurt to ask. If you don’t ask, you won’t know.” She was right.

People are so often stressed about not being “good enough”, but the most powerful evidence that Heaven is gained by faith alone – not by any human effort – may be the testimony of a dying criminal who just asked.

Jesus on the cross was bloody, gory, weak, suffering, publicly shamed and ridiculed. In the eyes of most, there was nothing to recommend Him as a human or king, and certainly not as any kind of savior. He was accused of being – and, indeed, appeared to be – a lying, blasphemous, cult-leader of a criminal under a common death sentence with two other criminals. In that moment, His appearance gave no one cause for faith. Those suffering and dying with Him were admittedly guilty. They had no good works that were recorded, they certainly were not baptized, did not speak in tongues or prophesy, and had no time left to perform redemptive acts. In that moment, they had nothing to offer anyone – certainly not God. Like many in the crowd, the criminals jeered and taunted the bleeding, dying Jesus.

But one of them changed.

And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” He was on a cross, scared, dying in shame and agony. Couldn’t hurt to ask, right?

Nowhere is it written that Christ said, “Sorry – you need to be baptized. You need good works. You need evidence of the Spirit. Sorry, man.”

Instead, at this evidence of faith alone – a shaky faith born of pain and fear – Jesus told him, “Today you shall be with me in Paradise.”

As Jesus bore the darkness of this world into death to earn redemption for all who believe, he took along the criminal dying right next door. Just because he asked.

No other reason.

So do Christ followers need to do good things? Should we study the Bible, love one another, and act kindly? Yes, of course. But we are called to lives of love and caring and acts of goodness because we have already received grace and are already destined for Heaven, and because we want to share His mercy and our hope with others any way we can. Not because we need to earn our way to Heaven – that way has already been earned for us. We have chosen to believe, we have asked in faith, so Christ has given the gift of eternity. He remembers us – always.

So today, if you just want a some peace in your life, some hope, some assurance, some comfort – even if you are not sure who He is or how He can give it – try a little faith. It doesn’t hurt to ask. If you don’t ask, you won’t know.

“Jesus, remember me.”

Resurrection chalk art by our family. Design chosen by our daughter Maggie.