Who Do You Say I Am?

by Amanda Idleman, as posted on crosswalk.com the devotional

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” - Matthew 16:15

Men and women often die needlessly difficult deaths, what makes Jesus' death on the cross meaningful? Why does Jesus matter? 

The answer to that question is really the centerpiece of the Christian faith. What we each believe about the identity of Jesus has the power to transform him from being just a prophet, clever speaker, or possibly even a crazy man into the living breathing son of God. 

Jesus proves his divinity to humanity most remarkably through his death on the cross that fulfilled the prophecies laid out about our Savior in scripture and his subsequent resurrection. No one else in human history has the power to overcome death. Jesus’ death is his living sacrifice for our sins and his resurrection defies the rules of this world in a way that only God can accomplish. 

God’s love is displayed through his incredible sacrifice. If Jesus only came to Earth in order to display his divine power to humans so we would worship him then our need for him in our lives as a personal savior would be diminished. If he only showed up on Earth to parade his power and coerce us into worshiping him then he would be just like those cruel Greek and Roman gods that were filled with pride and selfishness. 

Jesus is different from the other gods of this world because he clearly tells and demonstrates to us the purpose of his incarnation. John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” His arrival on Earth was a well-thought-out rescue mission. He came to redeem his fallen creation.

Hope for the Brokenhearted

BY: Pastor Luis Rodriguez

This week has been hard, in the aftermath of the Uvalde shooting the healing process begins, in these moments of grief some people are brokenhearted, some are angry, and some may feel that they can’t go on. This situation reminds me of Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” What beautiful words from King David, and these words could not be truer during this situation. We may not see it and we may never understand it, but we know that the Lord is near the ones who are brokenhearted, he is near the people of Uvalde, TX. He is there to save those who’s spirit has been crushed. This event has changed this small community, forever changed by this act but even amid this tragedy I know that the Lord is at work and will heal this community, and in time they will be able to move forward. We do not understand why these things happen, but even in the middle of this tragedy he creates something good. It reminds me of the master potter, the Lord is the master potter, when the clay spoils in his hands he can rework it into a new vessel, the same way the brokenness brought forth by this tragedy, in the hands of our Lord he will rework it and make something beautiful that we cannot see at this moment. 

One question remains in this situation, what can the church do? I believe that the church needs to be the salt and light of the earth in this situation, the church needs to be that city on the hill that cannot be hidden, for all to see the light of Jesus shine in the middle of this storm, and they may come to the Lord with their broken hearts and find hope and peace in Jesus.

My prayer this week is for us to continue praying for the people of Uvalde, that the light of Jesus shines in the middle of this dark tragedy and that the survivors may find peace and hope in the precious son of God, our Lord Jesus.

The Value of VBS

Devotional by John Stewart originally printed here and was modified for our theme.

Acts 8:30-31 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked.

"How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Some of the most important work in the church’s year is taking place this [next] week. It’s our annual Vacation Bible School and this year’s theme is [Weslaco 101, where we will study about the 101 years that FBCW has bore fruit in the mid-valley]. The kids love the singing, story-telling, crafts and games, and our church is so blessed with many faithful volunteers.

Those volunteers are crucial to passing on our faith to the next generation. Their week-long commitment is a life-long investment in the spirits of our children. Years after the VBS program is over, some of the kids will remember their friends, families, and church workers enjoying the whole experience. Hopefully, it will keep them positively connected to God and the lessons that they learn will give them the godly guidance to help them make good decisions in their lives.

In today’s passage (Acts 8:26-31), the apostle Philip is urged by the Holy Spirit to walk alongside a fellow traveler. The man on horseback is reading a passage from the prophet Isaiah but he does not understand what is written. Philip has been placed there beside him to interpret the writings and tell the Ethiopian about Jesus. The consequences of this conversation will have a profound effect on the travelers and will introduce the Gospel to Africa.

As Christians, we are all called to share our faith and help other people understand who Jesus is. Philip did this for the Ethiopian; our VBS team is doing it for the children. The question we should all be asking ourselves today is this: where will the Spirit place me today to share Christ?

Prayer: Holy Spirit, thank You for the inspiration that You have given to Christ’s followers throughout the centuries. Thank You for the work of evangelists like Philip and faithful people like Vacation Bible School volunteers. May their ministries plant seeds of faith, which will bear much fruit in the generations to come. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Discontent Default

by Annie Yorty, as posted on Crosswalk the Devotional

“Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one is affluent does his life consist of his possessions” (Luke 12:15 NASB).

The seat warmers felt amazing. I never dreamed a warm tushy would feel so good. We normally purchased cars without many bells and whistles. Those were not necessary, and I figured money could be better spent elsewhere. Seat warmers seemed like the ultimate luxury. But that fall when we unexpectedly found ourselves in the market for a new-to-us car, God provided one with seat warmers. 

As temperatures began to drop overnight, my morning drives were more comfortable than I had ever thought possible. I reveled in the toasty hug from my seat even as the heater still blew lukewarm air.

It’s too bad the steering wheel is so cold. It should be heated too. That complaint popped into my head one morning as I pulled out of my driveway with my rear on fire. It had only been two months since I had been driving Essie. (Yes, I admit it, I name my cars.)

Shocked by my own thought, I immediately chided myself. Where did that come from? How quickly you are dissatisfied! Thankfully, the Holy Spirit quickly convicted me of my sin, and I confessed it to God. But my short-lived pleasure in God’s good gift reinforced to me the default position of my wayward heart. 

I am prone to discontent. Jesus warned us of this tendency in the parable of the rich fool found in Luke 12:13-21. We usually focus more on temporary and worldly issues than on critical, eternal matters. And what exactly are those things that cause us to slip into grumbling and wanting something more or different? 

It’s easiest to identify discontent with belongings. The “perfect” home seems run-down when compared to our neighbor’s. Our wardrobe becomes inadequate when we wear the same items repeatedly. The bank account now looks puny when we desire a dream vacation. The parade of advertising we view on media whets our appetite for more and more possessions.

But there are also more abstract sources of discontent. Have you ever groaned over your appearance? Too fat . . . or too thin. Wondering why you couldn’t be just a few inches taller. Wanting your hair to be straight. Wishing it had more curls. Wishing you just had hair! Does someone else always seem to look better than you? Our world’s emphasis on outward appearance often drives these complaints. 

What about love and relationships? Are you single and longing to find a spouse? If only you had a soulmate, then your life would be complete. Yet married people experience discontent too. Your co-worker’s wife looks like a model. Couldn’t your own wife take a little more care with her appearance? A friend’s handy husband always attends to home maintenance and car repair, while yours can barely identify a hammer. Another’s spouse finds time to plan romantic dates with chocolates and flowers while yours is lucky to produce a card on your birthday. 

We sometimes wish for what we don’t have spiritually too. God distributes spiritual gifts to His children for His own glory. But what do we do? We wish for a gift He did not give to us. We count some gifts as more valuable than others.

The writer of Hebrews also reminds us about contentment, connecting it to God’s presence. “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever abandon you’” (Hebrews 13:5 NASB). He says we should be content because God promises He will always be with us. That is the Father’s default position with His children.

The more we appreciate the richness of God’s presence in our lives, the less discontentment we will experience. Then we can use, but not depend on, the possessions given by God. We can enjoy God’s good gifts but revel more in our Benefactor. Even when a temporal blessing is removed, we can still rejoice as the One who gives and takes away fills any void. 

As my warm bottom will testify, more of anything else will never satisfy.

Summer With God

GuidePosts, jun/Jul 2022 issue: “Summer With God” Prayer Power – by Bob Hosteltler, contributing editor

For some, summer is a verb. As in “Where do you summer?” The question assumes a certain level of wealth and leisure. Of course, not everyone can afford a lake house or a country home, let alone an extended stay away from the pressures of daily life. But we can all summer with God. Want to enjoy a season of spiritual warmth, growth and renewal? Pick from among the following six suggestions, which form the acrostic summer. Or even try them all!

Slow Down.

Summer brings a change of pace – vacation, holidays, travel. Why not take advantage of that change and invite God into it? Take a break, whether it’s a beach vacation or a week-end away, and listen for God’s voice. Pause for prayer on a walk or hike. Arrive early at church or linger a little longer in God’s presence.

Unload a Burden.

We dress lighter in the summer: No heavy coats, scarves or sweaters. But is something still weighing you down? A grudge? Regret? A bad habit? An unrealistic expectation? This summer, ask God to help you let go of whatever’s cluttering your spirit.

Move Prayer Practice Outside.

Take your morning coffee and prayer time to the backyard. Or find a spot in the park to pray and read your Bible or an inspirational book. A favorite memory of mine is from a backpacking trip I took with my teenage son. We stopped by a mountain stream, kicked off our shoes and read In His Steps, while dangling our feet in the cool water.

Mingle Seasonal Pleasures With Prayer.

Stop to smell the roses – literally – and give thanks for the fragrance of summer. Share a tall glass of lemonade or slice of melon with your prayer partner. Drop by a Little League game or neighborhood playground to savor the sounds of the season, and let God prompt a few fond memories from your childhood – or your children’s.

Enjoy an Outdoor Worship Experience.

Do any churches in your area host concerts or worship services in the park or at the beach? Some churches even hold periodic “holy hikes,” blending worship and low-impact walking. Check out a nearby prayer labyrinth. Or simply find a flower-filled meadow and sing a hymn of praise to God.

Reflect and Recharge.

When you look back on these summer months, how would you like your spiritual life to be different? Refreshed? Rejuvenated? What moments might produce such a result in you and for you? You might spend an hour reflecting on the first half of this year and asking for God’s blessing on the second half to come. Or you might renew a practice you’ve let slide, such as attending church or singing in the choir. Or you might rekindle a friendship and pray together over the phone.

Summer is an easy season to love. You’ll love it even more if you include God in your plans and summer with Him.

Why do things like this happen? By Pastor Luis

As this week unfolded and as I was returning from a quick trip from Houston on Tuesday, I was feeling joyful by finally finishing the long process of becoming a U.S citizen. As my wife and I were driving back, just being glad to finish the second to last step in this long journey, we got the message on our phones of the shooting in Uvalde Texas. At that moment there were only reports of an active shooter. We took a moment to pray for the safety of the students and the teachers, but a few hours later we checked the news again and at that moment the death toll was 12 children. As of Wednesday, the death toll was up to 21.

It seems that everyday things are worse in our country. We have gotten to the point where a school shooting has become as common place as any other incident. I can only imagine what these children were feeling as this event was unfolding. I can imagine their terror as this event reminded me of the 9/11 attacks. I remember feeling uneasy, and even afraid, because my school was put in lockdown; I remember seeing the many military vehicles and planes patrolling the city of Houston; I remember the uncertainty as all we saw in the news for the next few weeks was the fear. Even as we got back to school, you could sense the fear in everyone that war might start at any second or that more attacks may come in the following days. Since then, we have taken measures that have change how we travel, but over time, we got comfortable, and it has become the norm. This shooting is unfortunate. It should sadden our hearts. It should not become the norm, but I fear that over time, we will move on with our lives.

A friend asks the question, “if there is a God, why do things like this happened?” It is a fair question by someone who does not believe in God because in his mind how can a God that is so loving and all powerful allow these horrible things too happened to the most innocent and vulnerable group in our society. No sane person would ever say that children deserve to be massacred. The reality is, that these things happen because we live in a world that is ruled by sin. A world that dehumanizes people leads to horrible acts because they devalue humanity. As Christians, we are to see people as image bearers. Jesus teaches that the two greatest commandments are to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Our world is very different than the one that I grew up in, but there is one constant: our God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. I don’t have an answer that will satisfy my friend’s question, but the reality is that these events happen when we live a life that is not guided by God. Brothers and sisters, lets us stand up as the people of God and pray to our God who hears our voice. As the ones who are made righteous by God, let us pray for the healing of our nation and for us to shine the light of Jesus to our neighbors.

My prayer is that we don’t forget these tragedies, and that we can be light in these times of darkness in our communities. And for us to remember the words of the prophet Micah 6:8

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Worthiness or Workmanship?

Ephesians 2:1-9

2 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body[a] and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.[b] 4 But[c] God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

I had a great conversation recently with a friend who was approached about being a deacon. He felt “unworthy” of even being asked to serve in this capacity. It lead me to wonder what really makes a deacon candidate worthy?

The Bible is clear in a deacon’s characteristics:  “Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons” (1 Tim. 3:8-13). Also, deacons should be “full of the Spirit and wisdom.” (Acts 6:3).

It is quite clear when someone displays these characteristics and when someone does not. But as for being worthy, no one is worthy apart from Jesus. No one is righteous. All have turned aside. We were dead in our transgressions and very much un-worthy to be called children of God. “BUT God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved in Christ Jesus…through faith….it is not your own doing…so that no one may boast!” (vv. 4-9)

When we think we are worthy because of our works, we become boastful. But when we put our faith in Jesus, we must remember that we are HIS workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. For my friend, the question is not one of worthiness, but workmanship. God either created him to be a deacon, or he created him for some other good works - either way, my friend, like all of us, must walk in them.

Dear God,

Thank you for saving us and bringing us from death to life. Help us to take part in your great story of love, redemption and recreation by walking in the good works for which you have created us!

Pastor Ray is the Pastor of Worship and Administration at FBC Weslaco where he is blessed to be serve side by side with God’s workmanship for God’s Kingdom each and every day.

Do You Need To Feel Seen by Jesus Today?

By BETH KNIGHT, as posted on Encouragement for Today daily devotional

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“neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:39 (NIV)

Jesus unexpectedly showed up at my cash register that day.

Although my heart was hurled into the depths of despair before my shift, I had a job to do. So I wiped away my tears, buried my emotions beneath a pasted-on smile and strolled through the door with my head held high.

I worked at a local Christian bookstore, so books about Jesus surrounded me, and songs about Jesus serenaded me, but the grief inside me made me feel separated from Him. I was a champion at hiding my pain from God and others, and my trophy was gut-wrenching loneliness.

By God’s provision, one customer saw past my pretenses. As I rang up her items, she stopped me and said, “I sense the Holy Spirit leading me to hug you. May I come around the counter?”

I agreed to her proposition and watched her slowly walk around the counter to embrace me. My tense shoulders softened within the warmth of being seen.

This happened 20 years ago. I don't remember the woman's name or what she looked like, but I will never forget what God taught me through her obedience.

1. Our deepest sorrows do not signify a separation from God’s love. In today’s key verse, Romans 8:39, “separate” comes from the Greek word chorizo, which means to divide, separate oneself, depart or go away from.

Paul makes it clear that “neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate [chorizo] us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Praise God! Not even the depths of despair can cause God’s love to depart from us.

1. Feeling separated from God often stems from a longing to feel seen. While we may be surrounded by people at church, at the grocery store or in our own home, our inner turmoil can seem invisible to others. Yet God sees us so clearly that He knows every single hair on our heads. (Luke 12:7) And sometimes, He’ll send a willing vessel to remind us that He sees us. At other times, we can be that willing vessel to those who are grieving.

Unforgettable, holy moments can happen in unexpected places when someone is sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading. Because of one woman's obedience, I carry a vivid reminder that God is near to the brokenhearted. (Psalm 34:18) Are we willing to have the same obedience?

Precious friend, if you are alone and hurting today, I pray the Lord will miraculously show up through His Word and through His people. He sees — He is near — and as John 10:28 says, nothing will ever snatch you out of His hands.

Heavenly Father, thank You that through Christ I am eternally secure in Your love. When sorrow makes me feel separated from You, help me feel seen by You. And help me share Your love with others who are hurting. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Just a Tap

My husband and I have been receiving the Guideposts publication, ever since we were married (17 years this year!) from his Mom as a gift subscription. She keeps renewing it, year after year, and I love reading it! It is full of inspirational stories filled with hope. 

My most favorite part to read first is the story in the Mysterious Ways: More Than Coincidence section.  Here are stories submitted by someone who has had a “guardian angel” or what I call – a “Godwink” moment. These moments can only be God watching over us and taking care of us in our times of need. 

I have had many Godwink moments in my life – too many to recount in this devotional – but this I will say. Each time, I recognized the gift of that moment was the Holy Spirit watching over me, saving me, sustaining me, lifting me up or leading me in a different direction. He is always there to help and He “…will never leave me nor forsake me”  (Hebrews 13:5).

Taken from February 2021 issue by Arlene Malanga Ocean, NJ

There was a touch on my shoulder. A gentle tap. I blinked awake in the darkness of my bedroom. The clock read 2:55 AM. Way to early to be up.

“What is it?” I asked my husband. He was sound asleep. Like I should be. I rolled back onto my pillow.

I’d just started to drift off when I felt it – another tap. Not so gentle.

I shook my husband, frustrated. Finally he opened his eyes and looked at me blearily. “You tapped my shoulder,” I said. “What’s wrong?” He mumbled something, then flopped over. He was snoring within seconds.

Maybe I’d just had a vivid dream. I lay back down and closed my eyes.

This time it was less like a tap on the shoulder and more like a poke. The feeling that came with it was just as insistent: Go to the basement.

At three in the morning? Why? The basement was unfinished, with bare cement floors. The only things down there were the washer and dryer.

The feeling persisted. Go to the basement. I swung my legs over the side of the bed. Fine!

I peeked in our daughters’ rooms. Both were sleeping. I opened the basement door and clicked on the light. What was I even looking for? I headed down the stairs.

Thump, thump, thump.

The dryer! I rushed over to turn it off and opened the door. Inside was a pair of my husband’s work pants. I reached for them – then pulled back my hand with a gasp. They were burning hot!!!  How long had the dryer been running?

I found out later that morning. My husband had spilled coffee on his uniform pants the day before. He’d washed them and thrown them in the dryer just before going to bed. But the dryer malfunctioned and hadn’t turned off automatically. It had been overheating for hours.

If I hadn’t gone down there when I did, a fire could have easily started.

“Lucky break,” my husband said.

I knew it was more than that.

RW: Another rescue by our awesome and loving Holy Spirit who never sleeps!! We all need to pay attention to those taps or pokes in our lives that point us in a different direction.  We never know when we need saving.

Blessings to you this day! 

Prayer:

Thank you Father for providing me with a Helper who is always watching over me. Thank you for loving me so much to care what happens during my day – even down to the smallest cares such as looking for a lost item. You never cease to amaze me with your generous loving Spirit.  Help me to pay attention to the signs when you are guiding me. In Jesus protecting name – Amen. 

Fighting Lies With the Power of God’s Living Word

BY: ELLIE HOLCOMB 

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“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword …” Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

Years ago, I sat across the table from a friend who was going through a dark time.

As she shared her heart, I got mad. Not at her but for her. It was clear the enemy was feeding her so many lies, and she was believing them. As she continued to share, my anger grew because I realized there is a mountain of lies I believe, too.

I was sick of the enemy stealing our hope and peace — our life “to the full” that Jesus promises us (John 10:10, NIV) — and I decided that day that I wasn’t going to let the enemy do that anymore without me putting up a fight.

Telling my friend to get her journal, I flipped through my Bible as fast as I could, looking for anything and everything I’d ever underlined. (Do you ever do this when you’re desperate?!)

Asking her to write down different verses, I told her the truth of John 8:44c: Satan is called “the father of lies,” and “when he lies, he speaks his native language” (NIV).

My heart was beating fast. “I don’t think it’s enough for us to just keep acknowledging the lies,” I said to my friend. “We desperately need to hold on to what is true. So you and I are going to start memorizing God’s Word together.”

She was hesitant but willing, and I was seriously worked up. “God calls His Word a sword, and we’re gonna use it!”

So we started memorizing verses in God’s Word together. We call them our “fighting words.” And guess what? Our lives have been transformed!

Memorizing Scripture hasn’t necessarily changed our circumstances, but it has changed us from the inside out. It’s given us something solid to hold on to when the shame storms roll in; we’re reminded that God is not lying when He says that His Word is “alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword …” (Hebrews 4:12).

He’s also not lying when He says, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish … so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will … achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11, NIV).

We have seen God’s Word water our souls, grow good fruit in our hearts and give us an anchor that holds fast when the storm waters rise.

Truth be told? My husband was recently in the hospital. It was scary. We know now that he’s going to be OK, but there have been many unknowns, and he has been in a world of pain that the doctors haven’t been able to control.

It’s in dark places like this that I cling to my fighting words. For example, passages like Psalm 139:7-12 often exhale out of me as prayers: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? … If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to you. The night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you” (NIV).

I’ve whispered these words in the dark while my husband was struggling in the hospital, and I whisper them to this day when hardship descends. They comfort my worry and raise the burden off me, up to the face of Jesus. As I speak the Word, I fight back fear and keep the enemy’s lies at bay.

And so can you.

God, thank You for Your living Word that helps me fight against the lies of the enemy! Help me hide Your Word in my heart so that I’ll be equipped for victory, no matter the battle. Lead me to the verses You want me to use as a sword when the shame or the fear starts rolling in. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Reason We Sing

By: Emma Danzey as posted on Crosswalk the Devotional

Psalm 47:6 says, “Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!”

Sing Praises
Have you ever heard the voice of a young child singing throughout the day just because he or she can? The sweetness of a little voice can easily bring a smile to any face. Even if the child is completely tone-deaf, it is still precious for that parent to hear the melody of the son or daughter. This is similar to how God must feel when we sing praises to Him. We worship Him and use the voices He gave to us out of pure delight and joy in our Creator.

As kids begin to grow up, something unfortunate happens. They become more self-conscious and aware of their own singing level. The house that was once filled with noise and musical tunes is now full of silence. How often have we allowed our praises to the Lord to snuff out because we begin to grow more like the world and ignore the child-like faith we are called to live out?

The Hebrew word, zam·mə·rū— means sing praises. Part of the joy of a believer in Jesus is the gift of singing. We see this modeled in people throughout the Scriptures. In the Old Testament, we see Moses, Miriam, and king David. In the New Testament, we read of Paul and Silas singing in prison, and the disciples of Jesus singing at the Last Supper. We also see singing as an important act of worship in Revelation. This means that the future Heaven will be filled with singing.  

Some people do not have the ability to sing for various reasons, and they can worship God with the song in their hearts and in their own ways. That too pleases Him greatly.

Singing When We Don’t Feel Like It
Something very difficult to do is to sing when you don’t feel like it. However, God commands our worship and deserves it. Some days, singing might be the last thing that we feel like doing. We might be in the midst of heartbreak, loss, or sadness. However, the Lord can strengthen us through songs of praise. Many times when we feel as if we have nothing to bring to God, we have everything that we need, a humble spirit, and a willingness to worship.

We see this found in many Psalms of David. He was a man with many highs and lows in life. He was a sinner and he was a man after God’s own heart. He was a shepherd and he was a king. He was also a musician. That harp was one of David’s favorite instruments. He played the harp to soothe others, and I assume it also calmed his own spirit as well. Music is very therapeutic. It can sound the emotions we have bottled up, it can express what we are unable to say clearly. The Lord knew when He created music that it would be a tool for proclaiming victory to Christ, a comfort to those who mourn, and a unifier for the church body.

Many times we see the psalms of David begin with a burden and then turn into praise. Our singing to God can help us to rid ourselves of our emotions or thoughts and refocus our attention on what truly matters and Who has us. Many times people in the Scriptures would sing and play instruments in battle. I am sure they may not have felt like singing at that moment, however, they chose to worship and use their musical abilities as a weapon against the enemy. We are in a spiritual battle today and can do the same in our lives. 

Sing praises to our King
This verse brings up the importance of God as our King. Just like a person might bring a song as a gift to royalty or do some type of presentation, we can offer our voices as a blessing to the Lord. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. We have been brought into His presence and are given the joy of having His Holy Spirit live within us. We can celebrate that we do not have to work hard to get a moment with the King, our King came down to us. We get to worship a personal God, who loves us and pursues us. 

1 Chronicles 16:9 says, “Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.” 

Part of the responsibility in singing is witnessing that Jesus is Lord. When we sing a song, it can hold such power and testimony within it. I can think of a few songs rather quickly that have made a personal impact on my walk with God or in my journey in life. When the church comes together and sings praises, we are a light shining brightly for the community around us to see. We should never underestimate the power and witness that singing has for others. Jesus can use a voice and a message from a song to help open the eyes of a blind person to the truth of the gospel.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
How are you singing praises to God? Are you unashamedly lifting your voice for Him and His glory as King? If not, how can you begin to sing again and let go of anything holding back your worship of Him?

From the Mouths of Babes

BY: KIRSTEN WATSON, as posted on Encouragement for Today Daily Devotional

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“For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” John 13:15 (ESV)

It turns out newborns are great theologians. Who knew? Babies don’t know why they cry. They just know something’s not right. You can lovingly pick them up and coo and coax, but they’re still going to be upset until you supply what they need — the things they can’t ask for yet.

I’m a lot like that, if I’m honest. I push, pull and try so hard to make things happen. My need for control can be overwhelming. What I’m trying to do is learn from my children. What if I surrendered? What if I lifted up my open hands and said, “God, I don’t know what I need, but You do. Help me.”?

Before my firstborn, Grace, came along, my husband, Benjamin, and I had a good groove going. We were at work during the day, but we’d meet up for dinner, share about our day — who we’d talked to, what we’d accomplished. Then Grace was born, and it was like everything stopped for me. I was on a new planet where there were no other humans — at least nobody who could talk.

Being a “people person,” I started singing and talking to her almost constantly just to hear the sound of someone’s voice. Practically overnight, my life became unrecognizable to me. It was a rude awakening. Everything was about the baby, as it should have been, but I wasn’t quite prepared for my whole world and timeline to revolve around this little human. Even a simple thing like when to take a shower or run to the grocery store had to be carefully timed. If she fell asleep in the car, it could throw us off course for hours.

I deeply loved her and felt so grateful to be her mom, and at the same time, I had never felt so alone. I wondered if my education and my career and everything I’d worked for were meaningless. I felt like I was losing a part of myself because I wasn’t sharing myself with anyone. It was just me and my baby, cut off from the world. I couldn’t help but wonder if this motherhood thing was going to be enough. Even now, with a big family and the joy they bring me, a snide little voice in my head sometimes says, This job is so beneath you. When this attitude starts to get its claws into me, I recall how Jesus washed His disciples’ stinky feet.

Can you imagine how horrifying that must have been for those disciples — to have the God of the universe pick up their stinky feet and start washing them? The Bible doesn’t describe their feet, but I feel sure those guys hadn’t just come from getting pedicures! At first, Peter objected to having the Son of God stoop to such a menial task, but Jesus turned it around. He said, “If I then … have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you” (John 13:14-15, ESV).

Jesus always turns things upside down, doesn’t He?

When I’m up late with one of the kids or one has a fever and I’m cleaning up vomit from the floor, frantically sanitizing everything to avoid an outbreak — I remember Jesus’ model of servanthood. He has a way of making a proud girl humble.

God, give me my manna for the day. Nothing more and nothing less. Give me a servant’s heart to use what I have to minister to others in Your name. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The God Who Cares for Us, Reputation and All

“With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.” Proverbs 11:9

The God Who Cares for Us, Reputation and All

 By: Dr. Steven K Parker

Several years ago I was alerted to a post on social media that spoke disparagingly about a small business owner who happened to be a friend.  By the time I found this post (I’m not the most adept Facebook detective), it had been shared thousands of times.  I reached out to my friend to offer prayer and comfort and discovered that he was fine.  He is older and not on social media and didn’t seem to understand or care about the thought that negative buzz about him and his business was “breaking the Internet”, at least on a local level. I knew him well enough to know that there was more to the story than what was being reported by a disgruntled customer who cast my friend in the worst possible light and presented his skewed accusations in a way that completely disregarded the nuance of normal human interaction that would offer layers of depth to the story.  I took the time to scroll through every shared version of this account and discovered that two of the people who shared this narrative were people I knew, on some level, personally.  I private messaged both of them and told them that the person who was described so unfavorably in the post was a friend, who I knew well and had experienced to be a reasonable, kind, generous person, despite what this much-shared post had indicated. One of the people I messaged responded positively and deleted the post after some hemming and hawing; the other did not. I doubt that my intervention had much positive effect on the “buzz” dying out, but it did go away, and my friend’s business didn’t close over the ordeal.

I’ve thought about that experience a lot the last few days as I’ve seen other stories on social media “blow up” without much regard for nuance, the whole story, or whether or not certain events even happened at all.  It seems that the rise of 24-hour news stations produced a shift in storytelling to a model that pays more of a premium for being first than for being right.  That model certainly seems to be winning the day on social media.  As a society, we are quick to hit the “share button” on posts, often without questioning them, looking for the nuance that lies beneath the surface of most interactions, considering Paul Harvey’s quest for “the rest of the story,” or pondering whether or not the story is even true in the first place.  The ripple effects of these episodes produce legions of damaged reputations and hurt feelings.  The truth becomes perhaps the greatest casualty produced by online warriors who broker in falsehoods and half-truths and those who are complicit in their efforts by commenting and sharing without the due diligence of truth-seeking or thinking twice about the implications of who will be hurt by the spread of misinformation.

Author Richard Foster advocates for a renewed practice of the spiritual discipline of silence.  I know I would often benefit greatly from being more intentional about speaking, commenting, arguing, and “sharing” less.  Foster says:

One of the fruits of silence is the freedom to let God be our justifier.  We don’t need to straighten others out.  There is a story of a medieval monk who was being unjustly accused of certain offenses.  One day he looked out his window and saw a dog biting and tearing on a rug that had been hung out to dry.  As he watched, the Lord spoke to him saying, ‘That is what is happening to your reputation.  But if you will trust me, I will care for you—reputation and all.’  Perhaps more than anything else, silence brings us to believe that God can care for us—‘reputation and all.’ (Celebration of Discipline 101).

That’s an easier principle to affirm when we talk about it in concept than when it comes up in the context of being maligned ourselves or seeing a friend or family member being the victim of a story and the ensuing comments that cared more about being first or provocative than being correct.  In the midst of vitriol directed against us or someone we care about can we trust God to care for us “reputation and all”? 

I suspect that my friend who was the victim of this type of “bullying” at the hands of keyboard warriors was probably right to not worry too much about it, pray for those who were making themselves his enemies, and leave the success or failure of his business, that was beyond his control, in God’s hands.  The faithful spirit he showed throughout this ordeal is the kind of thing that led me to try and come to his defense in my feeble way.  But, in truth, God had his back, and he overcame.

Whatever it is about human nature that leads people who shout, “Hosanna on Sunday” to shout, “Crucify,” less than a week later, is alive and well on social media. The good news is that none of that has ever thwarted God’s care and concern for us or Jesus’ resurrection power.  That being said, the days between Friday and Sunday can get pretty dark. May God grant us the courage and strength to shine light into that darkness with the grace and truth of Jesus Christ and the discipline to practice trusting silence when it’s the best option we have.

“Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.” Proverbs 12:19

Honoring God through the Discipline of Sabbath Luke 6:1-17

On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. (Luke 6:1-17)

Honoring God through the Discipline of Sabbath

Luke 6:1-17

Yesterday we discussed how Luke strings these stories together intentionally to teach us something about the Sabbath.  Sabbath means “to stop” and “cease productivity.”  Sabbath was something God modeled when He created everything that was created in six days and rested on the seventh.  Sabbath for human beings was prescribed by God in the beginning and commanded by God on Mt. Sinai.  Evidently people are hardwired to need regular periods of rest, renewal, re-creation, and worship.  By the time of Jesus’ ministry, the Jewish religious establishment had made a mess of the Sabbath and transformed it from a good, God-honoring discipline into a prideful, legalistic, life-denying ritual.  In passages like this chapter form Luke’s gospel, Jesus modeled a return to God’s original intention in Sabbath.  Jesus’ example shows us that in order to honor God through the discipline of Sabbath, our priorities ought to be grounded in a prayerful desire to do good. 

When I think about the discipline of Sabbath keeping or the lack thereof in today’s world, it seems that we are still pretty guilty of corrupting God’s intention for this prayerful discipline.  Far too often we can be guilty of either making an idol out of sabbath keeping by turning it into a legalistic, prideful ritual or making idols out of ourselves or our work and productivity by denying our own need for regular rest, worship, and renewal. 

As we commit ourselves to the discipline of Jesus-honoring Sabbath keeping by turning away from legalism or the idolatry of workaholism, let’s reflect on these words from Bishop William Willimon:

Sabbath keeping is a publicly enacted sign of our trust that God keeps the world, therefore we do not have to. God welcomes our labors, but our contributions to the world have their limits. If even God trusted creation enough to be confident that the world would continue while God rested, so should we. Unlike the Greek god Atlas, we need not bear the world on our shoulders. Like the God of Israel, we can stay away from the office for a day of rest in the conviction that neither our business nor the church will go to hell simply because we are not there to run it.  (Pastor: The Theology and Practice of Ordained Ministry p. 329)

May God bless us as we live into a renewed commitment to regular, prayerful, God-honoring rest and worship that seeks to prioritize doing good in Jesus’ name and spirit.

§  What is Sabbath?  Why do you think God invented, prescribed, and commanded Sabbath?

§  What are some of the ways we can corrupt God’s intention for Sabbath?

§  How can we recapture a Jesus-honoring practice of the discipline of Sabbath?

WAAC

Acts 17:16-34 (NIV)

16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’[a] As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’[b]

29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

The title to today’s devotional is not a typo, but an acronym for the phrase “Win at all costs.” One of my favorite hobbies is to play a table top war game called Warhammer. I won’t bore you with the full details on how to play this game, but to put it in simpler words, I play make believe war battles with toy soldiers. If this interests you, then we can talk about it at another time.

In the wargaming community there is a group of individuals called “Power Players” who do everything in their power to win at all costs (WAAC). This type of player sucks the fun of the game, or in other words, they don’t understand the spirit of the game. In their pursuit to win, they become rude towards other players and they insult others for choosing to play an army that may not be competitive even though that person chose it because they love the lore behind that army. These type of players fail to see the spirit of the game which is about community.

As our culture shifts and the political divide grows every day, we sometimes take the mentality of the power player in that we feel that we must win at all costs, we must win every argument, and we must become crusaders for the gospel. We often lose sight of the spirit of the gospel and winning souls to the kingdom and instead focus on winning the argument at any cost. In my experience with people, the reason they are so resistant to the gospel, is because we act like mean spirited “Power Players.” We forget that the great commission given to us by our Lord Jesus is to go to all the nations and make disciples. Our job is not to win the argument but to share the gospel. Even though it may feel good to win the argument, that is not what we are called to do.

In Acts 17, Paul is in Athens and uses the title of the “Unknown God” in order to preach the gospel to the Athenians. In v. 16, he is distress by all the idolatry around him, but he is not a “Power Player.” He is not there to WAAC. He is there to share the gospel. In the end we see three different results:

1. Some sneered.

2. Some became interested and wanted to hear more.

3. Some believed.

By understanding that the gospel is not a “game” that we must win at all costs, we can share the gospel knowing along the way there will be those that will believe in and follow Jesus, and those who don’t.

Prayer:

Dear Lord,

As we travel together doing God’s Story, let us remember that we are called to share the gospel not to win arguments. May lives be changed by the work of the Holy Spirit as we share the gospel and make disciples. May we not become power players, but rather display the love of Christ for all to see.

Pastor Luis Rodriguez is an avid board gamer and would love to teach you how to play Warhammer any time you have three hours to kill. He joined the FBC Weslaco staff in October of 2021 and shares the gospel by whatever means possible.

Let the Little Children Come to Me by Janice Curry

For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand. Isaiah 41:13a

Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. Matthew 19:14

Just shy of 6 years old, I knew I wanted to become a Christian. I walked the aisle alone here at First Baptist Church. Of course, I didn't understand completely how or why the sacrifice of Jesus took care of all my sins, I only knew that it did. My parents and pastor didn't dissuade me, and I joyfully became one of his own. A tiny hand reached up to a holy God and met His hand already reaching down to grasp mine. He knew my heart. He has never let go and holds that very same hand today.

I'd like to say that what followed has been 60 years of selfless, sinless service to my Lord but many of you know me too well for me to get by with that! Granted, there have been times of sweet fellowship walking hand in hand but also periods of time where I strained against His firm but gentle grasp wanting to go my own way. As much as I pulled, He held firm. I was His. I have always known it. Through teenage years, young adulthood, middle age and now senior years, He still holds that same hand. No longer tiny but lined and wrinkled. The same hand he will hold as I someday walk from 'earth to eternity'.

As Vacation Bible School approaches, please be in prayer for the children of our church and community. This is a unique time of saturated Bible study for them.

You never know whose tiny hand will be reaching up to grasp the hand of a waiting Father.

About the Author:

Janice Curry was born across the street from the First Baptist Church Weslaco and lived there until she was 6 years old: so she has gone to this church her whole life…29 years!  Actually 67 years in August. Janice was saved in this church as a little girl and continued to attend as she got older.  You can see her singing in the choir most Sundays!, something she has done since she was 19. Janice was married at First Baptist Weslaco and her children grew up here as well.

Grace for Today

By: SARAH FREYMUTH, as posted on Encouragement for Today daily devotional

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“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 (ESV)

It’s been a slog of bad weather lately. Bleakness everywhere. Outside, the yellow sky is shrouded in gray clouds. The water pounds down, pooling across pavement and earth. My own body, mind and soul feel much the same: gray, fragile, drenched.

Coming out of a season where COVID-19 and family health challenges have left me battling fatigue and anxiety, each day seems to melt into the next with no differentiation. I am weary. I am worn, and I am wondering where my God is in this moment. It feels like I’m scrambling for answers, screaming for immediate healing that hasn’t come.

Where do I look for breakthrough when I feel I’m about to break? 

I lift a prayer into the air, hoping it will land.

Later that afternoon, I get a reply:

Grace for today.

These words come into my heart, unexpected in the middle of my tasks and the distractions of my racing mind. I focus on the here and now.

Grace for today.

I’m reminded of how God’s people, when they were wandering in the wilderness, woke up each morning to gather manna, bread from heaven that God miraculously provided, “a day's portion every day” (Exodus 16:4, ESV).

I look around and see that He has already given a dose of grace: the ribbons of pink and purple now entwining with blue in the fading day’s sky; the ocean driftwood candle alight on my table, flame flickering but steady. The miraculous moment of stillness that brings peace to my weary soul. Here is my manna. We all can receive this manna of grace that arrives in the morning, midday and evening. When we cannot think past today, or when we exhaust ourselves in the churning minutiae of the why, when, how and what of wanting to know what lies ahead, we have a throne of grace we are allowed to come before. There’s a good God full of mercy gives the right amount of grace in our time of need.

We may not understand what is happening in our lives right now, and we may wish like crazy there was a way for us to see down the road. But we can rely on God’s ways and timing, knowing that He gives us our daily bread, and He promises to help us in our time of need. The “how” is up to Him, but we can stretch out our hands to receive His presence, this manna in our wilderness.

He has made a way in the past. We can hold to His promises even when we are unable to see Him working, when we feel tired and nothing in our situation seems to change. He is at work. He is here, providing, drawing us close. What is ahead is not revealed, but He does give us what we need, how we need it, in this moment.

Nothing is out of reach for God, and He, in His infinite love and wisdom, holds us close in His arms, keeping us reliant on Him, so we don’t have to be overwhelmed by tomorrow.

Here we rest in His grace for today.

Father, You know how I long for answers and an immediate fix to my situation. Right now, You aren’t revealing what’s down the road, but You are giving me exactly what You intend for me in this moment: Your manna to sustain me, Your grace for today. Let me rest in this mercy and grace, and let that be enough. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

It’s Time to Talk About It

Submitted by Robin Wiley

MAY IS MENTAL AWARENESS MONTH!!

Written for Devotionals Daily by Shawn Johnson,

author of Attacking Anxiety: From Panicked and Depressed to Alive and Free

Have you ever struggled with anxiety, depression, hopelessness, or suicidal thoughts? If you have, you’re not alone. Those thoughts are running rampant in our world today. 

The CDC says that over 50 percent of all Americans will struggle with mental health issues during their lifetime. That stat tells us that every one of you reading this right now have either dealt with anxiety or depression yourself or know somebody who has. It's that prevalent in our society today.

Which means there couldn't be a better time than right now to start having really good, open, honest, and biblical discussions about mental health! But unfortunately, the church can be the hardest place to talk about it. 

That was my story. I'm the pastor of a large and growing, church, but for years I kept my mental health struggles to myself. I didn't talk openly about them because I didn't think I was allowed to. So instead, I suffered silently until I hit a breaking point and couldn't hold it in any longer. 

There's this weird stigma with church where we talk about, learn about, and sing songs to Jesus, who gives us peace, joy, and freedom. But for many of us, there is a disconnect between what we are singing and what we are actually feeling. Because in the middle of our seasons of mental health struggles, peace, joy, and freedom are the furthest thing from what we are experiencing. 

And so we start to feel like we must be second-class citizens, second-class Christians. We think we are the only ones struggling and we start to think, Maybe I don't have enough faith. Maybe I don't really believe in God. Maybe I'm too broken. Maybe no one else will understand. 

Since we feel like we are the only ones struggling with mental health, we assume we must be doing something wrong. Plus, we feel so much shame about it that we start to think we are supposed to hide it. After all, everyone else has it all together, so no one else will understand, right? So,I've just got to hide it and pretend that I'm okay. 

We treat church like a courtroom instead of a hospital. We go there and pretend that everything's okay instead of being open and honest about what we're struggling with. 

And Satan absolutely loves it. He wants us to suffer in isolation. 

The Bible says that we're supposed to bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2). But when we hide our burdens, how can anyone help us carry them? How can they bear it if they don’t know it exists?

I’ve learned over the years that we're all suffering from the same thing, but we don't know it because we're all keeping the same secret. It's time to start talking about this in the church. We have to start admitting that it's a real issue. And the starting point is calling out the lies of the enemy: 

• No one will ever understand.

• I must be going crazy.

• I'm so broken.

• I've got to hide this stuff.

Those are lies from the pit of hell. The Bible shows us that we don't have to just deal with depression and be attacked by anxiety, but through the spiritual weapons that God has given us, the power of the Holy Spirit inside of us, and the powerful name of Jesus, we can experience more peace, joy, and freedom than we ever thought possible.

And it all starts with opening up the discussion!

Your Turn 

Have you ever felt resistance to entering into the community of God during a season of profoundly isolating trial and suffering? What happened when you dipped your toe back into church? How did the fellowship of other believers help? Come share with us on our blog. We want to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily

Spiderman for Mother’s Day

About 20 years ago my husband asked me an interesting question: “Would you like to go see Spiderman for Mother’s Day?”  I think my response surprised him: “Spiderman for Mother’s Day … that sounds good!”  So, when Sunday rolled around, we sat next to each other in the theater and watched Toby McGuire’s Spiderman.  His question, my response, and our unconventional Mother’s Day celebration reveals something about my story: Mother’s Day is different for us. 

            A few months before my husband’s Spiderman question, my precious mom, died in a car accident.  Our lives were changed in an instant; I knew the world would never be the same.  My mom was my first best friend.  She taught me how to laugh and have fun.  She taught me how to sew (but I wasn’t as good as her, so I quit).  Mom taught me how to cook.  From my mom I learned that church is important, and prayer is necessary.  Mom modeled how to take care of a family and make sacrifices for them.  My mom taught me how to love and how to be gracious to others, loving without thinking about whether or not they deserve that love.  My mom wasn’t perfect, but she was pretty darn close.  I wanted to be my mom.

            As I look back, the grief that followed in those days, weeks, and months after mom’s death is still a blur. Even twenty years after her passing, it’s still hard to think about her not being here with us.  There are still days, two decades later, when that pain feels fresh, and the unfairness of that tragedy really hurts.  Mother’s Day has tended to be one of those difficult days, because it draws all that heartache to the surface.  So, twenty years ago we went to see Spiderman on Mother’s Day, several years ago we started going to a rabbit show on Mother’s Day weekend, and this year we took the Sunday off to spend it at Long Island Village with our family, celebrating my mother-in-law who’s going through a difficult season of grief herself. 

            The Psalmist says, “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning (Psalm 30:5). I must admit that my tears for my mom have lasted many nights, but I have also experienced many mornings that have brought unexpected joy.  I love my husband and my children and enjoy celebrating my day with them, but it still makes me sad. I miss Mom and I hope she knows that we are ok and how much we love her and try to keep her memory alive for our kids.  Mother’s Day makes me sad, but somehow, I make it to Monday morning and God’s joy comes as I get to spend time doing unconventional things with my family who loves me.

Today’s devotional was prepared by Lisa Parker who has been a member of FBC Weslaco for going on 15 years since her family joined the church in 2008.  She is a daughter, a wife, and a mother.  She cared for her Gran until her Gran passed away this past December at the age of 92.  Lisa grew up on a family farm in the Delta Area of the Rio Grande Valley where she now lives with her husband and four children.  She taught 4th grade and preschool for 5 years before becoming a stay-at-home mom.  Lisa enjoys making mosaics and doing DIY projects around the house.  She also happens to be married to our pastor.

Happy Mother’s Day

By Pastor Luis Rodriguez

“And she said, “Oh my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord.  For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him.  Therefore I have lent him to the Lord.  As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.”  And he worshiped the Lord there.” 1 Samuel 1:26-28

 As we prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day this weekend, I think especially of my mom. This is the first year that I won’t be celebrating Mother’s Day with her, as we no longer live in the same city.

Thinking of my mother makes me think of Hanna, the mother of Samuel. Hannah prayed to the Lord for a son, and my mother prayed for a son. Though my mother’s prayer was answered differently from Hanna’s prayer, because my parents adopted me when I was born.  As a matter of fact, my biological mother lived with my parents while pregnant with me, and once I was born, she gave me to my parents.  I know that the Lord put me in her care, picked her particularly to be my mother and placed me in a family where I would be loved.

I am grateful for having her as in my life, I am grateful that God gave her to me as my mom. I am so proud of my mom, because after my father passed away when I was eight years old, she did everything in her power to provide for me, to raise me, and to deal with the growing pains of a teenage boy.  Even though we did not have much, she always supported me in sports and school, she worked extra shifts and made sacrifices to be able to get what we needed for me to travel to the many soccer tournaments that I had the opportunity to participate in. She always told me to work hard, and to always trust in God. Even through my rebellious stage, she had patience and love for me, and for that I am forever grateful.

I know we all love our mothers, and we may all say that there is no one like her. On Sunday let us celebrate with our moms, if they are still with us, let’s enjoy a good time with them, if they are far away, let’s give them a call and tell them how much we love them, and if our mothers have passed on, let us remember them, and as we reflect on this Mother’s Day weekend let’s be thankful that we had a mother that loved us. We may not know it or realize that we are an answer prayer for these wonderful people.

Hanna prayed for the blessing of a son, and when her prayer was answered she dedicated her son to the Lord. This Sunday, and my prayer for this week is that we thank God for our moms,  let us celebrate them, and remember the great blessing they have been in our lives.  To my mom, gracias por ser mi mamá y amarme como tu hijo y por darme una familia a la que pertenecer. (Thank you for being my mom and loving me as your son and for giving me a family to belong to).