Hosanna! Save now!

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So many images, memories, and scripture come to mind.

A lifetime of Good Friday’s, and Resurrection mornings!

I have even been to a few Sunrise Services over the years. Even though I might have grumbled and complained a little at the time, they were wonderful experiences. Getting up before dawn just to be at church, or an outside gathering, to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord is special. Very special.

I do love and revere the week of Easter. Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and everything in between,  should be a time to give thanks.

Strong’s Concordance gives the original meaning of “Hosanna” as “Save now, or Save, please”, specifically in the Old Testament where it is referenced in the Psalms. “Save now, I beseech you, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech you, send now prosperity.” Psalm 118:25.

And Clarke’s commentary has this to say,

“Save now, I beseech thee – These words were sung by the Jews on the feast of tabernacles, when carrying green branches in their hands; and from the הושיעה נא hoshiah nna, we have the word hosanna.”

So when Jesus entered Jerusalem, humbly riding on a donkey, or colt, it would have been appropriate for the Jewish people to cry out,

Hosanna! Save Now!

Some assumed He had come to reign as King on this earth, to save them from their life of “serving” the Romans. They wanted a deliverer!
Jesus did not come to be an earthly king, He came to reign in the hearts of men and women. 

But to others, the  term had changed over the years to mean something a little different. Psalm 118:26, the very next verse, is followed with; “Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” This cry for help, “Save now!” was immediately answered with shouts of praise that the Deliverer was coming! Salvation was on its way! Whether they recognized it or not, the answer to their prayers was entering the city.

They would not only be delivered, they would truly be SAVED!

  • Saved from their sins and made new creatures! “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.
  • Saved to rise again on that great, and coming, Day of the Lord! “For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:52.
  • Saved to live a life full of the Spirit of God, sharing the Good News! “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8.
  • Saved to make a difference in the life of others! “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45.
  • And saved…to someday spend forever with the Lord. “He that overcometh , the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his nameout of the book of life…” Revelation 3:5.

He gave them more than they imagined, more than they asked for. He gave His very life so that they (and we!) would not have to.

He came as Hosanna…in the Highest…and then forever changed the world.

Join me all this week as we reflect and celebrate the Resurrection and feel free to share your Holy Week remembrances with us!

Kingdom2

 

 

 

when your surprise doesn't look like you expected

When your surprise doesn’t look like you expected

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“Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives, is the perfect preparation for the future only He can see.” ~Corrie ten Boom

When we were living and working in the country of Latvia, The Sweetheart went on a prayer walk by himself one day. Most everyone he would meet on the street spoke either Latvian or Russian, unless they were 30 years or younger, then they were taught English as the international business language in school. So there was not much interaction, but plenty of time for praying, as you walked.

Coming upon a little park area, he noticed a man slumped over, shirtless and likely inebriated. He felt led to talk to the man and at least see if he could help in some small way so he started over towards the park bench when all of a sudden, the naked-from-the-waist-up man sat up and The Sweetheart shockingly discovered he was not a he but a she! Surprise! Likely in her late 60’s, heavy set and definitely not cared for, this poor soul was so drunk she had left the house without any upper clothing.

None. Nada. Zilch. Naked.

Lord! Why would you lead me to talk to someone like this? She won’t speak English, she isn’t half there and how could I be of help to her when I can’t even look at her? Arguing with himself and with God, he decides to go into the little market and get some meat, bread and water to at least have something to offer her if he must go through with this mission.

Coming out of the market, he sees Latvian policija have approached the poor soul and were helping her back to her apartment. A sense of relief and confusion came over him as he wondered what it all meant.

Did he miss the opportunity because he hesitated?

when your surprise doesn't look like you expected

 

Sad and sorrowful, thinking he had totally messed up a chance to share the Gospel, or at least be the hands and feet of Jesus, he stood there wondering what to do next when he saw him.

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:37-40 NKJV.

Digging in the trash in the park was another older man, who was really a man, with all of his clothes on. Obviously, he had not eaten a good meal, or a fresh meal, in a long time and truly looked destitute. The Sweetheart approached him, and in his limited Russian, offered him his little lunch. Surprised and thankful the elderly man uttered, “Spasiba! Spasiba!” thanking him over and over for his generosity.

He wasn’t able to share the Good News that Jesus saves but he was able to bless him and give him strength for his physical body. Was that what it was all about? Was the Lord just wanting to see, like Abraham with Isaac, whether this American, out of place in Eastern Europe, would be willing to approach a lost soul, any soul, and trust God to take care of the rest?

I think so. The Sweetheart discovered much about himself that day and discovered much about others as well. We are all lost like the woman on the park bench or the man digging in the trash. We might even be wealthy and think we have need of nothing but in reality, stripped bare, we are all the same: lost and undone if we do not have Jesus Christ.

How many people do we pass on a daily basis that are hungry, physically or spiritually, that are just waiting for someone to stop and share either their lunch or the bread of life? Are we too busy? Are we too embarrassed to be seen with some of them?

Will we let God surprise us in the big and little ways and allow ourselves to be a tool in the hand of the Creator?

God will use us for great things if we make ourselves available in the little. Some of the situations might surprise us and some might cause a giggle or two (I like to think even God was smiling while watching The Sweetheart in his dilemma). But the surprise might really be when we stand before the throne and discover that one that we reached for, shared with, or just offered a cup of water to, might be standing beside us.

Remember, one plants, another waters but God gives the surprise, the increase.

 

I Choose to be Distracted! 13 tips to help deflect chronic pain (Pt. 2)

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I Choose to be Distracted! 13 tips to help deflect chronic pain (Pt. 2)  Joining my friend, Joy Terrell, for the second part of her wonderful suggestions for helping to distract from chronic pain. If you missed the first one you can find it here! Be blessed!

Yesterday, we focused on things that you could gather ahead of time and have ready for those days when functioning is a chore all its own. Today, there are other helpful activities that do not require any physical things but are just as helpful!

Distracted

Before dismissing these, give them a try. Remember, focusing your attention away from your pain is the goal. Keep your brain busy! Don’t allow your thoughts to wander back to your pain.

• Prayer or meditation can be calming and soothing.

• I find guided imagery to be very effective. All it requires is your imagination. Think of a place that makes you feel happy and safe. Allow yourself to remember the sounds, smells and other attributes that make this place special. For instance, I like to transport myself to the beach. I feel the sun warming my face, feel the sand as my bare foot sinks into it, hear the seagulls squawking, feel the spray of the ocean, hear the waves, feel my hubby’s hand holding mine. You get the idea. The possibilities are limited only by you!

• Controlled breathing is also a great technique. It takes concentration to slow down and control each breath. There are many apps available to help you learn to do this. I have used this when in line at the grocery store, and the pain is screaming at me. You can do this anywhere, and no one will even notice.

• Here are a couple of things that may sound clichéd, but they are useful. Turn your thoughts to gratitude. Yea, I know it’s hard to think gratitude when your pain is a 10. Just do it! Think of five people you are grateful to have in your life. Think of the things they have done to make your list. Think of five blessings you are thankful for. The list could go on and on.

• Another thing that sounds a little bit hard is to do something to show compassion to someone else. No one understands compassion like someone who has suffered their own share of misery. This doesn’t have to be a major production. Write a note in a card for someone who is lonely or hurting. It will make both of you feel better. Send a text that says you are thinking about and saying a prayer for someone. It doesn’t take much to brighten a day. You can’t think about yourself while caring about another person.

• Doing some gentle stretching and range of motion exercises can be helpful. Just saying the word exercise can sometimes be painful! But, if you can get yourself moving a little bit, you just might feel better.

By now, you may be thinking I am crazy if I think these things will fix your pain.

Here is the bottom line, nothing short of a miracle, is going to fix your pain.

The best pain medications will take off the edge, but never make you pain free. Distractions will not fix it. However, they can get your mind off it. Experiencing pain requires you to consciously think about it. Remember, your brain can only focus on one thing at a time. None of these ideas are intended to be used 24/7. If I can distract myself from the pain for even a short time, that break gives me the ability to carry on. Maybe you are waiting for pain medication to kick in. Dwelling on how much it hurts, will make the wait seem forever. We do have a choice about the way we allow ourselves to react to chronic pain. I think I will choose to be distracted!

385665_437965479547500_1068992269_nJoy is a graduate of Purdue University School of Pharmacy. She is a licensed pharmacist, in early retirement. She is married to her favorite guy, Doug. They are “pet parents” to Kenzi, a golden doodle. Joy has served her church family as a Sunday school teacher, church secretary/treasurer, board member, and a willing helper.

 You might also like her post, Living at the Intersection of Faith and Chronic Illness, along the same subject lines. Blessings.