Notes of Faith April 5, 2021

Jesus was attending a wedding with the disciples and His mother, Mary, when she approached Him with a strange and seemingly irrelevant problem.  

“They have no more wine,” she told Him. — John 2:3 NIV 

Had I been the angel on call that day, I would have intervened. I would have placed a wing between Mary and Jesus and reminded her about the mission of her Son. “He was not sent to the earth to handle such mundane, day-to-day tasks. We are saving His miraculous powers for cadaver calling, leper touching, and demon casting. No wine? Don’t whine to Jesus.”  

But I was not the angel on call. And Mary enlisted the help of her Son to deal with the problem: empty wine ladles. Folks in first-century Palestine knew how to throw a party.

None of this wedding and reception in one evening, no sir.  

Weddings lasted as long as seven days. Food and wine were expected to last just as long. So Mary was concerned when she saw the servants scraping the bottom of the wine barrel.  

Fault poor planning by the wedding planner. Fault guests for guzzling more than their share. Fault Jesus for showing up with a troop of thirsty disciples. We are not told the reason for the shortage. But we are told how it was replenished.

Mary presented the problem. Christ was reluctant. Mary deferred. Jesus reconsidered. He commanded. The servants obeyed and offered the sommelier what they could have sworn was water. He sipped, licked his lips, held the glass up to the light, and said something about their squirreling away the best wine for the farewell toasts. The servants escorted him across the room to see the six vats filled to the brim with fruit of the vine. The wineless wedding was suddenly wine flush. Mary smiled at her Son. Jesus raised a glass to His mother, and we are left with this message:  

our diminishing supplies, no matter how insignificant, matter to Heaven.  

I have a curious testimony to this truth. During one of my many less-than-sane seasons of life, I competed in Half Ironman Triathlons. The event consists of a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride, and a 13.1-mile run. Why was a fifty-year-old preacher participating in such endeavors? That’s what my wife kept asking me. (Don’t worry. I didn’t wear a Speedo.)  

During one of these races, I prayed the oddest prayer of my life. Four of us traveled to Florida for the race. One of my friends had invited a competitor from Indiana to join us.

All told, I knew these three participants. There were at least two hundred people whom I did not know, a fact that proved crucial to my story.  

I finished the swim, if not dead last, at least nearly dead and almost last. I mounted my bike and began the three-hour trek. About a third of the way into the cycling portion, I reached into the pocket of my shirt to grab some GU. GU is a packet of easily eaten essential nutrients. Well, guess who forgot his GU? I was GU-less with a good thirty miles to go.

One doesn’t find any GU-selling convenience stores on the triathlon road.  

So I prayed. Between puffs and pedal strokes, I said, “Lord, this very well might be the only time in eternity you’ve heard this request. But here is my situation...”  

Did GU fall from Heaven? Well, sort of. The fellow from Indiana, the friend of my friend, one of the three people I knew out of the entire field, just “happened” to pedal up from behind me.  

“Hey, Max, how’s it going?” he asked. 

“Well, I have a problem.” 

When he heard of my GU-lessness, he reached into the pocket of his biking shirt, pulled out three packs, and said, “I’ve got plenty!” He handed them to me, and off he went.  

You may very well be thinking, Lucado, that is a lame example of answered prayer. I’m dealing with disease, debt, the threat of layoffs and letdowns, and you’re talking about something as lightweight as GU in a race?  

That’s precisely my point.  

Indeed, I think that is Jesus’ point. Of what import is a wineless wedding? Of all the needs of people on the planet, why would bone-dry wine vats matter? Simple. It mattered to Jesus because it mattered to Mary. If Jesus was willing to use divine clout to solve a social faux pas, how much more willing would He be to intervene on the weightier matters of life?  

He wants you to know that you can take your needs — all your needs — to Him.  

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 
— Philippians 4:6, emphasis mine 

In everything — not just the big things — let your requests be made known.  

Mary modeled this. She presented the need to Christ. “They have no more wine.” No fanfare. No drama. She knew the problem. She knew the Provider. She connected the first with the second.  

So I ask, Have you asked? Have you turned your deficit into a prayer? Jesus will tailor a response to your precise need.

He is not a fast-food cook. He is an accomplished chef who prepares unique blessings for unique situations. When crowds of people came to Christ for healing,  

One by one He placed His hands on them and healed them. 
— Luke 4:40 MSG, emphasis mine 

Had Jesus chosen to do so, He could have proclaimed a cloud of healing blessings to fall on the crowd. But He is not a one-size-fits-all Savior. He placed His hands on each one, individually, personally. Perceiving unique needs, He issued unique blessings.  

A precise prayer gives Christ the opportunity to remove all doubt about His love and interest. Your problem becomes His pathway. The challenge you face becomes a canvas on which Christ can demonstrate His finest work.

So offer a simple prayer and entrust the problem to Christ.  

We all know what it’s like to offer that prayer only to receive silence in return. It’s important to note in this miracle, Jesus hesitated at first:  

Dear woman, that’s not our problem... My time has not yet come. — John 2:4 NLT 

You’ve heard the same. In your personal version of verse three, you explained your shortage: no more wine, time, vigor, or vision. Your needle was on empty; the tank had run dry; the bank account was showing a negative balance. You pleaded your case in verse three. And then came verse four. Silence. Quiet as a library at midnight. The reply did not come. No deficit-erasing deposit was made. When no answer comes, how does your verse five read?  

His mother told the servants, ‘Do whatever He tells you’. — John 2:5 NLT 

Translation? “Jesus is in charge. I’m not.” “He runs the world. I don’t.” “He sees the future. I can’t.” “I trust Jesus. Whatever He tells you to do, do it.”  

Something in the explicit faith of Mary caused Jesus to change His agenda.  

Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.”

When the jars had been filled, He said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed His instructions. (John 2:6–8 NLT)  

Six water jars would create enough wine for — hang on to your hat — 756 bottles of wine!1 Napa never knew such a harvest.  

When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over.

“A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” (John 2:9–10 NLT) 

The miracle of Christ resulted in not just an abundance of wine but the abundance of good wine. Cooking wine would have sufficed. Convenience-store vintage would have met the expectations of the guests. A modest sip-with-pizza-on-a-Tuesday-night quaff would have been enough for Mary. But it was not enough for Jesus. Something powerful happens when we present our needs to Him and trust Him to do what is right: He is  

able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. — Ephesians 3:20 

It simply falls to us to believe — to believe that Jesus is King of each and every situation. So make your specific request and trust Him to do not what you want but what is best. Before you know it, you’ll be raising a toast in honor of the One who hears your requests.  

Allow these passages from God’s Word to remind you that God will help you in your everyday life.  

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” 
— Matthew 6:31–34 

God knows what you need for each day, and He will provide it.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. 
— Proverbs 3:5–6 NIV 

In how many ways are we to submit to God? All. The small, the big, and everything in between.  

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet He did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. 
— Hebrews 4:15–16 NIV 

Because of Jesus, we can approach God’s throne with any request and know we will receive mercy and understanding.

1. Six water jars of 25 gallons each equals 150 gallons. There are 128 ounces in a gallon, so 150 gallons would equal 19,200 ounces. A wine bottle typically holds 25.4 ounces, so 19,200 ounces would fill 756 bottles. 

Excerpted from God Will Help You by Max Lucado, copyright Max Lucado. 

Pray! God will help you. He is listening and He cares about every detail of your life.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith April 4, 2021

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” 
— John 20:29 

When God entered time and became a man, He who was boundless became bound.  

Imprisoned in flesh. Restricted by weary-prone muscles and eyelids. For more than three decades, His once-limitless reach would be limited to the stretch of an arm, His speed checked to the pace of human feet.  

Was He ever tempted to reclaim His boundlessness? In the middle of a long trip, did He ever consider transporting Himself to the next city? When the heat parched His lips, did He give thought to popping over to the Caribbean for some refreshment?  

If ever He entertained such thoughts, He never gave in to them. Not once did Christ use His supernatural powers for personal comfort. With a wave of His hand, He could’ve boomeranged the spit of His accusers back into their faces.

With an arch of His brow, He could’ve paralyzed the hand of the soldier as He braided the crown of thorns. But He didn’t.  

Want to know the coolest thing about the coming?  

Not that the One who played marbles with the stars gave it up to play marbles with marbles. Or that the One who hung the galaxies gave it up to hang doorjambs to the displeasure of a cranky client who wanted everything yesterday but couldn’t pay for anything until tomorrow.  

Not that He, in an instant, went from needing nothing to needing air, food, a tub of hot water and salts for His tired feet, and, more than anything, needing somebody — anybody — who was more concerned about where he would spend eternity than where he would spend Friday’s paycheck.  

Or that He resisted the urge to fry the two-bit, self-appointed hall monitors of holiness who dared suggest that He was doing the work of the devil.  

Not that He kept his cool while the dozen best friends He ever had felt the heat and got out of the kitchen. Or that He gave no command to the angels who begged, “Just give the nod, Lord. One word and these demons will be deviled eggs.”  

Not that He refused to defend Himself when blamed for every sin since Adam. Or that He stood silent as a million guilty verdicts echoed in the tribunal of Heaven and the giver of light was left in the chill of a sinner’s night.  

Not even that after three days in a dark hole He stepped into the Easter sunrise with a smile and a swagger and a question for lowly Lucifer — “Is that your best punch?”  

That was cool, incredibly cool.  

But the coolest thing about the One who gave up the crown of Heaven for a crown of thorns:  

He did it for you. Just for you.  

Heavenly Father, I’m glad that I don’t have to understand all that Jesus did in order to believe because I really don’t understand this magnificent love. But I am so glad to believe in him, so glad he wore the crown of thorns for me. I want to live for you alone today. In Jesus’ name, amen.  

Excerpted from On Calvary’s Hill by Max Lucado, copyright Max Lucado. 

HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED! Happy Resurrection Sunday!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith April 3, 2021

Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. — Proverbs 16:24

I am such a Bible nerd. Not only do I love to learn the meaning behind the Hebrew or Greek words in Scripture, but I like to study certain English words that pop up at me, pogo-stick style, to find out why a particular word or phrase is used. And so I grew curious one day. Why does God use a honeycomb to describe gracious, sweet, and healing speech? I didn’t have to look far for my answer.

Jake is a teenage boy who lives in our neighborhood. He’s an outstanding football player and a wrestler. He’s also a bee-keeper who sells his amber jars of honey at local festivals and fairs. I decided to interview this high school entrepreneur one afternoon to discover all I could about the honey-making biz.

Jake told me the flavor and intensity of honey depends on what kind of nectar the bees drink in. Clover nectar produces honey that is light and heavenly sweet. Another flower’s nectar might create a dark, bitter product, with a lingering, unpleasant aftertaste. Smart beekeepers ensure that a beehive is strategically placed near a large patch of clover if they want to sell the sweetest, most delectable honey.

Jake also told me how crucial it is that the beehive be placed where the sun will hit it first thing in the morning, warming up the bees and causing them to get to work churning out the greatest quantity of sweet syrup possible.

“So,” I questioned my young friend, “is it safe to say the sweetness or bitterness of honey is determined by what the bee drinks in and the amount of time it spends in the sun —  especially early in the morning?”

“Exactly!” he replied.

DING! DING! DING! We have a winner. I think I found my answer.

Perhaps it is also true that the sweetness or bitterness of our words will be determined by what we drink in and the amount of time we spend early with the Son.

But choosing grace will sometimes cost us. Spats and squabbles are oh-so-easy to fall into. We will have to resist the urge to lash out in anger. We might even have to bite down on our tongues.

But better a bleeding tongue than a family member’s wounded heart.

We might have to choose to let go of the need to prove our point, choosing instead to do the right thing: to impart grace and deal with the other person in love and with utmost patience.

We can choose to speak honestly with words that are direct, but that are also strategically tucked inside an envelope of grace.

When we choose to do this — even though it can be extremely difficult — we model to those closest to us a picture of Christ loving his church. Fights are abandoned.

Tempers cool off. Stress simmers down. Our gracious words wash over the other person with love and compassion. We find ourselves faithful to God.

When we lace our speech with grace, healing happens.

So when a family member’s behavior threatens to knock the nice right out of us, we can pause before we pounce. (Or better yet, pause, pray, and then don’t pounce at all!) Take the advice I sometimes have to give myself: don’t say something permanently painful just because you are temporarily ticked off.

All the humans you encounter throughout the course of the day are “on purpose” people. God plopped them into your life for a reason. These souls — whether they are of the easy-to-love variety or the scratchy sandpaper kind — can be used by God to mold, reshape, and sometimes stretch our souls as he perpetually crafts us into creations becoming more and more like his Son.

Make it sweet. How would you rate your speech on the sweetness scale? Does it more closely resemble pure maple syrup or bitter grapefruit juice? If it were a candy, would it be strawberry taffy or a sour, green apple hard candy? Vow today to make your speech sweet like the honeycomb, without a hint of bitter or sour.

• Help it heal. Do the words you say and type have restorative qualities? Do they bind wounds and offer a balm of healing? Do you seek to make amends when others have been wronged by what you have said? Make it your goal today to make your interactions with others both health-giving and life-giving.

Father, thank You for the lessons from the honeycomb. Help me to intentionally carve out time alone each day to meet with You. I want my speech to be sweet and soothing, drawing others to Your life-giving gospel. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Excerpted from Keep It Shut by Karen Ehman, copyright Karen Ehman.

In my early youth I remember that my grandfather kept bees on the farm.  I did not understand why nor did I want to be near them.  He would bring in beautiful looking and tasting jars of honey from their boxes.  I did not understand much about bees in those days and maybe still know little but what I do know is that God uses such creatures to teach us about Himself.  May I/we continue to learn of God, to become more like Him each day.  Meet with Him each morning to restore your soul and help others with the strength God begins your day!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith April 2, 2021

The Part that Matters

“I just want to know what counts.” Deep Irish brogue. Dark, deep eyes. The statement was sincere. “Don’t talk to me of religion, I’ve been down that road. And please, stay off theology. I have a degree in that. Get to the heart of it, okay? I want to know what counts.” His name was Ian. He was a student at a Canadian university where I was visiting. Through a series of events he found out I was a Christian and I found out he wanted to be but was disenchanted.

“I grew up in the church,” he explained. “I wanted to go into the ministry. I took all the courses, the theology, the languages, the exegesis. But I quit. Something just didn’t click.”

“It’s in there somewhere,” he spoke with earnestness. “At least I think it is.”

I looked up from my coffee as he began to stir his. Then he summarized his frustration with one question.

“What really matters? What counts? Tell me. Skip the periphery. Go to the essence. Tell me the part that matters.”

The part that matters.

I looked at Ian for a long time. The question hung in the air. What should I have said? What could I have said? I could have told him about church. I could’ve given him a doctrinal answer or read him something classic like the Twenty-third Psalm, “The LORD is my shepherd... ” But that all seemed too small. Maybe some thoughts on sexuality or prayer or the Golden Rule. No, Ian wanted the treasure—he wanted the meat.

Stop and empathize for a second. Can you hear his question? Can you taste his frustration? “Don’t give me religion,” he was saying. “Give me what matters.”

What does matter?

In your Bible of over a thousand pages, what matters? Among all the do’s and don’ts and shoulds and shouldn’ts, what is essential? What is indispensable? The Old Testament? The New? Grace? Baptism?

What would you have said to Ian? Would you have spoken on the evil of the world or maybe the eminence of heaven? Would you have quoted John 3:16 or Acts 2:38 or maybe read 1 Corinthians 13?

What really matters?

You’ve probably wrestled with this question. Maybe you’ve gone through the acts of religion and faith and yet found yourself more often than not at a dry well. Prayers seem empty. Goals seem unthinkable. Christianity becomes a warped record full of highs and lows and off-key notes.

Is this all there is? Sunday attendance. Pretty songs. Faithful tithings. Golden crosses. Three-piece suits. Big choirs. Leather Bibles. It is nice and all, but... where is the heart of it?

I stirred my coffee. Ian stirred his. I had no answer. All my verses so obediently memorized seemed inappropriate. All my canned responses seemed timid.

Yet now, years later, I know what I would share with him. Think about these words from Paul in 1 Corinthians, chapter 15.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures.

“First importance” he says.

Read on:

That he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.1

There it is. Almost too simple. Jesus was killed, buried, and resurrected. Surprised? The part that matters is the cross. No more and no less.

The cross.

It rests on the timeline of history like a compelling diamond. Its tragedy summons all sufferers. Its absurdity attracts all cynics. Its hope lures all searchers.

And according to Paul, the cross is what counts.

My, what a piece of wood! History has idolized it and despised it, gold-plated it and burned it, worn and trashed it. History has done everything to it but ignore it.

That’s the one option that the cross does not offer.

No one can ignore it! You can’t ignore a piece of lumber that suspends the greatest claim in history. A crucified carpenter claiming that he is God on earth? Divine? Eternal? The death-slayer?

No wonder Paul called it “the core of the gospel.” Its bottom line is sobering: if the account is true, it is history’s hinge. Period. If not, it is history’s hoax.

That’s why the cross is what matters. That’s why if I had that cup of coffee to drink with Ian again I would tell him about it. I’d tell of the drama on that windy April day, the day when the kingdom of death was repossessed and hope took up the payments. I’d tell of Peter’s tumble, Pilate’s hesitancy, and John’s loyalty. We’d read about the foggy garden of decision and the incandescent room of the resurrection. We’d discuss the final words uttered so deliberately by this self-sacrificing Messiah.

And finally, we’d look at the Messiah himself. A blue-collar Jew whose claim altered a world and whose promise has never been equaled.

No wonder they call him the Savior.

I’m wondering if I might not be addressing some readers who have the same question that Ian had. Oh, the cross is nothing new to you. You have seen it. You have worn it. You have thought about it. You have read about it. Maybe you have even prayed to it. But do you know it?

Any serious study of the Christian claim is, at its essence, a study of the cross. To accept or reject Christ without a careful examination of Calvary is like deciding on a car without looking at the engine. Being religious without knowing the cross is like owning a Mercedes with no motor. Pretty package, but where is your power?

Will you do me a favor? Get yourself some coffee, get comfortable, and give me an hour of your time. Take a good look at the cross with me. Let’s examine this hour in history. Let’s look at the witnesses. Let’s listen to the voices. Let’s watch the faces. And most of all, let’s observe the one they call the Savior. And let’s see if we can find the part that matters.

Excerpted from “No Wonder They Call Him the Savior” by Max Lucado

I have almost all of Max’s writings.  His written truth, expressions and emotions draw me close to Jesus.  I give thanks to God for the many authors who have blessed me but especially the Holy Spirit for guiding my heart and mind through the Scriptures.  It is my Bible that has brought truth for what has been, what is, and what is to come, that offers me salvation in Jesus and Him alone.  Come, join me on our journey of faith in this life, as we wait to see our Savior face to face!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith April 1, 2021

The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus… got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing,… and began to wash His disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him. 

— John 13:2-5 NIV

It has been a long day. Jerusalem is packed with Passover guests, most of whom clamor for a glimpse of the Teacher.

The spring sun is warm. The streets are dry. And the disciples are a long way from home. A splash of cool water would be refreshing.

The disciples enter the room, one by one, and take their places around the table. On the wall hangs a towel, and on the floor sit a pitcher and a basin. Any one of the disciples could volunteer for the job, but not one does.

After a few moments Jesus stands and removes His outer garment. He wraps a servant’s girdle around His waist, takes up the basin, and kneels before one of the disciples.

He unlaces a sandal and gently lifts the foot, places it in the basin, covers it with water, and begins to bathe it.

One grimy foot after another, Jesus works His way down the row. In Jesus’ day the washing of feet was a task reserved not just for servants but for the lowest of servants.

In this case the One with the towel and basin is the King of the universe.

Hands that shaped the stars now wash away filth. Fingers that formed mountains now massage toes. And the One before whom all nations will one day kneel now kneels before His disciples. Hours before His own death, Jesus’ concern is singular.

He wants His disciples to know how much He loves them.

You can be sure Jesus knows the future of these feet He is washing. These feet will dash for cover at the flash of a Roman sword. Only one pair of feet won’t abandon Him in the Garden… Judas will abandon Jesus that very night at the table.

What a passionate moment when Jesus silently lifts the feet of His betrayer and washes them in the basin.

Jesus knows what these men are about to do. By morning they will bury their heads in shame and look down at their feet in disgust. And when they do, He wants them to remember how His knees knelt before them and He washed their feet…

He forgave their sin before they even committed it. He offered mercy before they even sought it.

~ Just Like Jesus

King of the universe, I’d like to think I would have washed Your feet and done better than the other disciples, but I know that’s not true. Thank You for loving me and washing my feet and offering me mercy when I deserve none.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Excerpted from On Calvary’s Hill by Max Lucado, copyright Max Lucado.

We would have run, too. We would have betrayed, too. Yet, still, the King of the universe kneels to wash our feel, too. Lord, thank You for offering mercy before our hearts had even begun to soften and think to ask.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith March 31, 2021

Yesterday, we looked at the first part of the Passover Seder all the way to the family meal. As I mentioned, God being a God of order (Deuteronomy 7:9; Proverbs 7:9), we can fully appreciate that aspect of Him as we navigate through the different steps of the Passover Seder – much of which has remained untouched throughout the ages and around the world. Now, we continue with the celebration, all the way to the final “La Shana Haba B’Yerusalaim! “Next year in Jerusalem.”

The many steps of the Passover Seder take us through the story of redemption from slavery in Egypt, provision and protection through the wilderness wanderings and blessings in the abundant Promised Land. It also shows believers that Passover transcends ages, generations and people. For us, modern-day disciples of Yeshua, Passover takes on a much deeper meaning of redemption from slavery to sin and real freedom in Messiah.

Something took place during the second part of the Passover that, to this day, would remain a tradition for believers around the world. In the last liturgical part of the Passover, everything we were exposed to up to now falls into place and forms a beautiful message of hope. So, let us look at the last part of the Seder and particularly what happened in the Upper Room 2,000 years ago between Yeshua and His disciples after they had enjoyed the Shulchan Orech, or “set table”.

Tzaphun (Eating of the Afikomen): According to Jewish tradition, this is the first thing that takes place immediately after the dinner is finished. The children are sent around the room to hunt for the afikomen. One child will find it and proudly bring it back to the leader who unwraps it, breaks it into small pieces and gives one to each of the guests. To fully understand the rich meaning of this part of the Seder, we must go back to the beginning.

A bag called the maztotash (matzah bag) or commonly known as the unity bag, was filled with several full squares of matzah, three to be exact. Every matzotash in use comprises three distinct compartments within on large bag or pouch. Each of the compartments is filled with a sheet of matzah from which we will partake at various times throughout the Seder.

It is always from the middle compartment that we pull one full sheet and break it in half during the part known as the yachutz. One half is placed back into the matzotash, and the other half is wrapped into a white linen napkin of some sort and hidden in the room while the children cover their eyes.
The half that is wrapped becomes known as the afikomen. The meaning of the word varies depending on who you ask. Many people believe that it means “the last piece” or “dessert”, as it is the last piece of edible food that is taken by all. Yet, others including myself, believe that the root of the word means “I have come” (Psalm 40:6-8), a meaning that is in line with the ministry of the Messiah, especially within the context of His redemptive career.

When asked about the meaning of the three separate compartments inside the unity bag, Jewish people have various answers. Many don’t even have an explanation for this strange tri-compartment bag.

Some say that the three compartments represent the Jewish patriarchs:  Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. While this sounds beautiful, nobody can dogmatically affirm it, and why would we break Isaac into two halves? Others see the three compartments representing the three kinds of Jewish people of ancient times:  the High Priest, the Levites and the Israelites. This also sounds great but why would we break the Levites in two? Nobody really knows!

There is one explanation that fits the picture better than all the others, and that is the one that sees the three parts of the unity bag as the three persons of the triune Godhead:  The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. While I also cannot be dogmatic about that version, I am convinced that it is the best-fitting one for the matzotash. The bread is unleavened, and we know from the Bible, leaven is a symbol of sin. The bread is also pierced and striped (Isaiah 53:5).

It is always the middle matzah that is broken in half, representing the broken, sacrificed body of the Son, Yeshua who died for the sins of the world. Then, according to Jewish tradition, we wrap the afikomen in a white linen napkin. This continues to fit what happened to Yeshua as he was wrapped inside linen burial cloth by Joseph of Arimathea upon being taken off the cross (Matthew 27:59).
Amazingly, Jewish customs ask us to bury the afikomen in the room and forget about it for the time being. When we hide the afikomen it corresponds to the burial of Yeshua in the tomb (Matthew 27:60).  Now, we are on the other side of dinner, and as we eventually recover the “hidden matzah”, it is a symbol of the resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah after three days.

None of the steps followed in the traditional Jewish Passover Seder were invented by Christians. They were established by Jewish people over the centuries and continue to be celebrated in the same order at the same time during the Seder. Simply put, the Jewish tradition of the afikomen is best explained by the Triunity of God which can also be found in the Tanach if one seeks it with an open mind and a desiring heart (Isaiah 48:12-16; 63:7-14).

It is at that very moment in the Upper Room that Yeshua decided to institute something new for His disciples. Something that continues to this day, known as the Lord’s Table, the Lord’s Supper, or Communion. He told the disciples that the broken matzah represented His body when we read in Luke 22:19, “And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
Yet, this was only half of the story, as He immediately took the cup to finish His powerful new explanation.

Ha-Geulah (The Third Cup: The Cup of Redemption): As I previously mentioned, Passover includes four cups based on the passage in Exodus 6:6-7. They always have the same name; they always appear in the same order and same placement in the Seder. The first two, the Cup of Blessing and the Cup of Plagues are always consumed prior to the dinner, and the next two, after dinner. In Luke 22:20, we read, “And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.” This is a clear indication that Yeshua would have taken the first cup after dinner or the third one, also known as the Cup of Redemption. The celebration of redemption out of slavery in Egypt into the Promised Land of Israel is still very meaningful to us Jews around the world, but to me, as a Jewish follower of Yeshua the Messiah, it has a greater significance. It means that now I can also celebrate my redemption from the bondage of sin because of His atonement on my behalf, which included His resurrection and ascension until He returns one day in the future to establish the messianic kingdom.

Eliyahu HaNavi (The Prophet Elijah’s Place): From the start of the Seder, a place setting is kept at the family table for Elijah. At the end of the evening, we send a child to open the front door and see if Elijah is on his way. The child returns and confirms that Elijah is not coming. The reason why we invite Elijah has to do with his role in ushering in the Messiah (Malachi 3:1). The majority of Jewish people are still waiting for Messiah to come.  If Elijah would show up, it would mean that Messiah is not far behind him. So, it is on a sad note that the Seder almost comes to an end since Elijah hasn’t come yet. As a modern-day disciple of Yeshua, I have more hope because I believe that someone did come in the spirit and power of Elijah and ushered in Messiah Yeshua 2,000 years ago (Luke 1:16-17). The cup of Elijah was fulfilled by Yochanan the Immerser who immersed and introduced Yeshua at the onset of His public ministry.

The Hallel (The Fourth Cup: The Cup of Praise). This is the final cup that everybody drinks, and it is known as the cup of praise. Incidentally, Yeshua might not have partaken of this last cup during the Last Supper as He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” (Luke 22:17-18).

La Shana Haba B’Yerushalaim (Next Year in Jerusalem). Finally, when all has been said, shared and consumed, the family joins in unison for the final joyous greeting La Shana Haba B’Yerushalaim. It is the tradition to wish one another that next year we will celebrate Pesach or Passover in Jerusalem. This had even a greater meaning before the birth of Israel as a modern nation in 1948.

Many people have been to Jerusalem or will visit in their lifetime, and many others never will, but one thing is guaranteed from the Word of God – those who have placed their trust in the death and resurrection of the Yeshua the Lamb of God, will one day be with Him in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21).

There is nothing better than celebrating Passover and recognizing that it speaks of the redemption of the children of Israel out of Egypt, but also of Yeshua’s followers’ redemption from under the bondage of sin. I have applied the blood of the Lamb of God to the doorpost of my heart and as a result, I fear not the upcoming judgment because I am certain that God will pass over me.

Passover is a beautiful Jewish tradition that also has a powerful prophetic fulfillment. Please make sure God will pass over you so we can celebrate in His kingdom together. - Olivier Melnick

Looking forward to sharing in the marriage supper of the Lamb with all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation!  May Jesus come quickly to collect His bride from the earth and continue to fulfill the faithful word of God!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith March 30, 2021

Passover 2021 is just around the corner, and very soon, Jewish people all over the world will gather around the family dining table– the best they can in the age of Covid restrictions–to celebrate the traditional Passover Seder. This ancient Jewish tradition is found in the Bible (Exodus 12, Leviticus 23) as it pertains to the departure of the children of Israel from Egyptian captivity and the journey to the Promise Land through the wilderness wanderings.

From one family to the next, one country to the next, and across the spectrum of Jewish religious practice, Passover is celebrated religiously, traditionally and creatively, and yet some things never change.

I remember the first few Passovers I attended in France over 50 years ago. Much was happening in front of my eyes as I sat bewildered and overwhelmed by the various elements we touched, smelled and ate. Much of what was happening, punctuated by prayers, storytelling and songs, was very foreign to me. All the ancient traditions of our forefathers were being reenacted around the table with many parts of them remaining obscurely unknown – even to the leader of the Seder. It was beautiful and sad at the same time.

Could the Passover Seder have a deeper meaning than what is taught on the surface in a Jewish home? I am not speaking of a mystical meaning that only the most enlightened spiritual people could grasp, but could there be a prophetic meaning within the Feast of Passover for people through the ages and especially today? I believe there is, and I also believe that it isn’t until we unpack the prophetic meaning of Passover that we can truly appreciate the full, rich message of provision and redemption God is trying to share with us throughout the entire Bible.

Our God is a God of order (Deuteronomy 7:9; Proverbs 7:9), and we can really appreciate that aspect of Him as we navigate through the different steps of the Seder; much of them having remained untouched throughout the ages and around the world. All Jewish people used a booklet that contains the order of the service (seder means “order” in Hebrew), and helps us to move forward with the celebration, all the way to the final “La Shana Haba B’Yerusalaim! “Next year in Jerusalem.” The booklet is known as a Haggadah, meaning the “story” or the “telling”.

At first glance, the many steps of the Passover Seder take us through the story of redemption from slavery in Egypt, provision and protection through the wilderness wanderings and blessings in the abundant Promise Land. The original requirements, as found in Exodus 12, were pretty basic. Our ancestors were to acquire a lamb, apply its blood on the doorposts of their homes, stay inside as the destroyer passed through their villages. The lamb was roasted and consumed, with bitter herbs, unleavened bread and four cups of the fruit of the vine were drunk throughout the evening.

Much was added by way of traditions over the years, and the Haggadah was born to guide Jewish families through the rich celebration of redemption. What if the Passover was a type of something or someone greater than the sacrificial lamb and various elements? Let us go through the main parts of the Seder and discover how they are connected and how they all point to a specific part in the redemptive career of Yeshua the Messiah.

Bedikath Chametz (Search for the Leaven): Before Passover can take place, a Jewish home must undergo a thorough search for anything containing leaven, and it must be cleansed of it all (Exodus 12:19-20). Interestingly enough, when used symbolically, leaven in the Bible represents sin (1 Corinthians 5:6-8, 11:28).

Brechat Haner (Blessing over the Candles): The official starting point of the Seder is the lighting of the Passover candles to separate the mundane from the holy, much like what takes place every Friday night for Shabbat. It is the role of the woman to light the candles, say a prayer and invite the presence of God into the room.

The Kiddush (Cup of Blessing): The first cup of Passover, or kiddush or “Cup of Sanctification” is filed to the point of overflowing (a symbol of joy in Judaism). It is one of four cups based on Exodus 9:6-7. We recite a prayer and drink the cup leaning to the left, sitting on pillows for comfort to symbolize that we are no longer slaves. Incidentally, no one really knows why we lean to the left.

The Urchatz (First Handwashing): One of two hand washings now takes place, where young children go around the table with a pitcher, basin and towel to ceremonially wash the hands of all guests, starting with the leader of the Seder. This symbolic handwashing takes us back to the cleansing of the priest and Levites at the Temple. This is the time that Yeshua chose to wash the feet of all the disciples (including Judas Iscariot) as He knelt down in a powerful display of humility and servanthood (John 13:1-11).

The Karpas (The Parsley): Now comes the time to grab a sprig of parsley, dip it in very salty water and eat it after a prayer is recited. The parsley is known as a symbol of the green of springtime (Passover season) and the saltwater symbolizes the tears shed in Egypt and possibly the water of the Red Sea. Looking at Exodus 12:21-22, the parsley more powerfully symbolizes the hyssop used to dip in the basin filled with the blood of the lamb and to apply on the doorpost for protection. Believers in Yeshua–The Lamb of God– have symbolically applied His shed blood on the doorpost of their own heart so that when the time comes for judgment of all mankind, we will be passed over.

The Yachutz (Breaking of the Middle Matzah): At the onset of the Seder, three sheets of Matzah are carefully placed in a pouch (matzotash) divided into three compartments. Now comes the time to take the middle matzah, break it in half, place one half back in the matzotash and wrap the other half carefully in a white linen napkin. We then proceed to hide it in the room and forget about it until a later time when we send children hunting for it. More on the middle matzo later.

The Maggid (The Retelling of the Story of the Exodus): Guests around the table take turns in retelling the story of the Jewish exodus by reading various passages in the Bible. Exodus 12:1-13 being the main passage. Some of Psalms are also read throughout the evening (Psalm 113-118, the Great Hallel) as they were in the days of Yeshua and before.

Ma-Nishtanah (The Four Questions): The youngest child able to do so, rises and asks four traditional questions about why we eat matza, why we eat bitter herbs, why we dip our food and why we lean as we drink the cups. The leader explains why. The four questions are traditionally done in a song reminding us of the reasons why this night is so different from all the other nights. It is usually followed by the story of the four different sons to whom Jewish fathers retold the Passover story, symbolizing four different kinds of people (wise, wicked, innocent and simple-minded.)

The Makkot (The Second Cup or Cup of Plagues): Remembering that a full cup is a cup of joy and since we shouldn’t rejoice over the fate of our enemies (Deuteronomy 32:35; Matthew 5:43-48), a tradition was developed where we fill the cup and then take a drop out with a spoon for each of the ten plagues, thus symbolically reducing the cup and making it one we won’t rejoice over. This second cup is then placed back on the table to be consumed later, slightly before the dinner is served.

Dayenu (It would have been Enough): Time to be creative and sing the Dayenu. This is a joyous song describing all the things that God did for His chosen people and how a couple of miracles would have been enough, but He kept adding many more.

The Rachatz (Second Hand Washing): Once again, the guests are invited to do another symbolic handwashing.

The Maror (The Bitter Herbs): As we remember how bitter our lives were made during the slavery in Egypt, we all dip a piece of matzah in the bitter herbs (usually grated horseradish) and that makes us cringe and even shed a tear from the strong taste. It also reminds us, believers, of the time we were slaves to sin before Messiah Yeshua redeemed us

The Korekh (Bitter Herbs with Sweet Mixture): We all then break two small pieces of matzah from the matzotash and put bitter herbs on one side, charoset or “sweet mixture” on the other and close it in a small sandwich. The sweet mixture is overly sweet to overpower the bitterness of the maror and remind us of the sweetness of redemption and dwelling in the Promise land. It also reminds us believers of the sweetness of redemption from our sins by the sacrificial death and resurrection of Yeshua the Lamb of God (John 1:29).

The Shulchan Orech (The Set Table): Finally, comes the time for a festive dinner for the whole family. Everyone sets their haggadot aside and rejoices in the fellowship and sharing of a copious dinner (made without yeast).

After dinner is finished, the second liturgical part of the Passover celebration takes place. It is definitely the time when all the parts of the Seder come together, and this is also the time when Yeshua chose to institute a very important ritual that continues to take place to this day. As we will see, Passover is both a Jewish tradition and an event filled with prophetic significance.

Olivier Melnick will be with us this Friday to share in our own Passover Seder.

I am sharing from his files for those of you who cannot be with us but would like to learn about Jesus in the Jewish Passover.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith March 29, 2021

A few short devotionals for today . . . It’s All About Jesus!

Jesus didn’t live an easy life or die an easy death. The glory of Easter was preceded by the sorrow of absolute rejection.

Our Redeemer knows what it feels like to be stripped of all comfort and ease. He experienced the betrayal of best friends. He sobbed alone, without a single person offering support. Yet, instead of trying to drown His sorrows with a margarita or spilling His guts to a sympathetic stranger on a plane, He endured.

He shouldered the greatest possible anguish, being completely abandoned by everyone, including God, so we would never have to carry that burden ourselves.

I didn’t used to believe Jesus was enough for me… It wasn’t until I hit the bottom that I found the love of Christ really is enough to sustain me, no matter what. Buckling under the weight of my own life is what helped me fall into the arms of God. I didn’t just stumble into His grace; I collapsed there in a messy heap! And you know what? It’s by far the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

~ Lisa Harper, Stumbling into Grace

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Countercultural Jesus

Women were the first to be present at Jesus’ birth, the last present at Jesus’ crucifixion, and the first to be given the incredible privilege of sharing the great and good news of the Resurrection. Throughout His life Jesus treated women with great respect and dignity…

In a day and time when the Orthodox Jew would include in his morning prayers, “I thank Thee, God, I am not a slave, I am not a Gentile, I am not a woman,” Jesus made firm friends and followers of slaves, Gentiles, and women!.. Women from all levels of society were involved in Christ’s life and ministry. They ranked among His closest earthly friends (Mary and Martha) and assisted and traveled with Him on His tours of ministry, helping to support Him out of their own means (Luke 8:1-3).

Women who were sinners found forgiveness, women who were sick found health, and women who were dead found life!

~ Jill Briscoe, Heartstrings

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I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 
— Galatians 2:20

 {God] chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. — Ephesians 1:4-6

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 
— John 3:16

We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. — 1 Corinthians 2:7-8

Excerpted with permission from Joy for the Journey Devotional copyright Thomas Nelson.

Jesus changed everything! No wonder people flocked to him — young and old, rich and poor, popular and outcast, male and female, Jew and gentile. He valued those who had no value in His culture.  If our eyes of faith stay on Jesus, He will always be enough!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith March 28, 2021

I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; 
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised. — Psalm 18:1-3 

How dependent are you on the Lord? Do you turn to Him for wisdom? Do you seek His guidance? Do you trust Him with every aspect of your life and sur- render all aspects of it to His care? What about when difficult, hard-to-manage situations arise? Then do you depend more on your own abilities and less on His complete knowledge of the circumstances and His total ability to handle anything you face?  

An implicit invitation to choose dependent trust in the Lord, Psalm 18 describes the Lord as our Strength, our Rock, our Fortress, and our Deliverer. Why do we ever hesitate to put our trust in Him who alone is worthy of our praise!  

This passage is filled with phrases that encourage us to trust in the Lord with all our hearts. So let’s wisely fill our minds with the truth about who God is. The images in this psalm can help us hang on to those truths: God is, for instance, our Shield and our Stronghold.  

God is our everything.  

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Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, Praise the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name of the Lord From this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its going down The Lord’s name is to be praised. — Psalm 113:1-3 

What If... ?  

All that God commands or calls us to do is for our own good. Case in point, “praise the Lord” is sprinkled throughout the psalms (Psalm 7:17; Psalm 22:6; Psalm 33:2; Psalm 102:18; Psalm 104:35; and so on). 

What good might result from our praising God regularly and sincerely? For starters, praising Him will keep our eyes on Him. When we’re focused on God, we will find everything we need.  

Now, what if praising the Lord were a built-in part of our everyday life? If we praised God as naturally as we breathe, what effect might that praise have on our attitude about life, on our perspective on the events in our private world and in the world at large, and on the strength of the hope with which we live?  

Let’s work on teaching ourselves to praise God not only when things are going well but also when things are going badly. Let’s discover the blessings God undoubtedly has for us when we choose to praise Him in all of life’s circumstances.  

Excerpted from God's Blessings Just for You by Jack Countryman, copyright Jack Countryman. 

I took some liberty and changed some of the words to the song below. Pastor Dale

I will praise You in the morning, praise You in the night
I will praise You when the sun is shining bright
I will praise You with my whole life, my heart, my soul, my strength
Let all that is within me Praise the Lord!

For Your Word, it stands eternal, Your love it never fails
Upon this solid rock I’ll always stand
My mind is set upon You, set on the things above
Set on the coming King, Lord Jesus, come

I will praise You in the morning, praise You in the night
I will praise You when the sun is shining bright
I will praise You with my whole life, my heart, my soul, my strength
Let all that is within me Praise the Lord!

Psalm 150

Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens!
2 Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his excellent greatness!
3 Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
4 Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
5 Praise him with sounding cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
ESV

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith March 27, 2021

Faith’s Good Fight – John Piper

In 1992 during the summer Olympics, I preached a sermon called “Olympic Spirituality,” and I tried to connect biblical passages about fighting the good fight, running the race, and mastering the body with the Olympics. And I challenged our people to treat the Christian life with as much seriousness as athletes treat their relatively insignificant competition.

Now, one of the grand old saints in our church, who had been part of the staff for 62 years — Elsie Viren was her name — was in the hospital with a broken hip and near the end of her race. And I realized that my sermon “Olympic Spirituality” might sound utterly unrealistic for a dying woman in a hospital bed with a failing memory. What on earth could Piper mean by “Olympic Spirituality” for someone who can’t even get out of bed?

So, I wrote an article for our church newsletter to try to show that Olympic spirituality is just as valid for a dying saint in bed as it is for a healthy twentysomething taking risks for Jesus on the mission field. In 1 Timothy 6:12, Paul said to Timothy, “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called.” So, the fight, the spiritual Olympic boxing match, is, Paul said, a fight of faith. It’s not a fight to get out of bed; it’s a fight to rest in God, to be satisfied in God. It’s not a fight that depends on mature, muscular legs, but on childlike trust. It’s not a fight to keep the powers of youth, but to trust in the power of God.

The race that terminally ill people are running — in bed they’re running — is not a race against wind or hills or heat or burning muscles; it’s a race against temptations that would make them doubt God’s goodness, God’s love. It’s a fight to stay restful and content in God through broken hips and cancer and lost sight and failed memory. It’s not an easy race. They may not be moving their legs or even their arms, but oh, the difficulty of this race! It’s harder than the Olympics, and it may have to be run flat on your back. For most of us at the end, it will be run that way. And Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race.” And then he defines it: “I have kept the faith.”

That’s the goal for those who minister to the terminally ill: helping them finish the race and fight the fight. And Paul makes explicit what kind of fight it is. It’s the fight of keeping faith. “I kept faith. I didn’t stop believing. I didn’t throw in the towel of faith at the end of my life through all my troubles.” We win if we keep believing. It’s a race against unbelief, not against time.

Content No Matter What

Sometimes we use the language of battling cancer. You hear that a lot. What we ought to mean by that mainly is the battle to keep cancer from destroying our faith. That’s what we ought to mean. Whether cancer kills us or not is not the main issue. That’s not the main battle. It’s not wrong — don’t hear me wrong here — it’s not wrong to want to be well and to fight to stay alive. That’s not wrong. But that’s not the main warfare. The main fight, the main race is this: Will we keep trusting? Will we keep resting? Will we remain content in Jesus no matter what? That’s the main fight and battle.

Paul says in Colossians 1:22–23 that Christ will “present you holy and blameless . . . before [God], if indeed you continue in the faith . . . not shifting from the hope of the gospel.” Finishing the race at the end of our lives means “not shifting from the hope of the gospel.” It’s a race, a fight, against hopelessness.

So, the great challenge for ministering to the terminally ill is to keep Christ before their eyes, to help them and help others keep Christ before their eyes with all of his blood-bought gospel promises that remind us, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). The banner flying over every hospice bed should be Hebrews 10:35: “Do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.” Weakening saints need the constant reminder that the finishing line is crossed not by a burst of human energy but by collapsing into the arms of Jesus.

Final Push with Gospel Promises

And of course, we must realize that as people come near the end, they are often not mentally or physically able to feed themselves with the promise-sustaining word of God, so we need to do it for them. I hope my family, I hope the Piper family remembers that when I’m in my final weakness. The last caregivers should be speaking, maybe even singing, gospel-sweet promises into the life of the dying person, whom they may think no longer can hear us. You don’t know that. I sat beside my dying father counting his breaths, wondering when the gaps would stop. I was there at midnight when they stopped, and I never stopped speaking God’s word into his ear. I have no idea whether in the five seconds before he was in heaven he was hearing the word of God. Maybe he was. I hope he was.

And since their next stop is heaven, we’re not going to promise them a prosperous life on earth. We’re not stupid. We have to reach for the ultimate promises, the most glorious promises, and one of them is 2 Corinthians 4:16–17:

We do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away [oh my, is it ever!], our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us [working for us, producing for us] an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

The reason this promise is so precious is because it gives meaning to final suffering. It doesn’t say that the suffering is going to produce a new, sanctified walk with God on the earth. That’s what suffering is for, for those who have more life to live. These people don’t have any more life to live on earth. Instead, here’s what the verse says: this affliction is preparing for you — this final affliction, one hour before you die, or one week before you die, or one month before you die — an eternal weight of glory. In other words, every hour that you hand over your suffering to Jesus and bear it in the strength that he supplies and for the glory of his name, your reward is increasing in heaven. There is meaning to what looks to the world like absolutely meaningless final suffering.

So, my answer is this: Spare the dying as much pain as you can. Use the prayer-soaked word of God to keep Christ before the dying, to help them fight the fight of faith, to keep believing that even this final, painful push will be rewarded by God’s grace.

I have had the opportunity to share in the grief and blessing of more than a few last moments on earth.  With family members and friends, we have shared the promises of God.  We sang songs that we remembered and hummed when words were forgotten.  We touched, loved, kissed and prayed for the one we loved.  I do not know that we can understand all that they are going through, but if it is true that they are not likely to be healed and live a healthy life, we should help them to prepare through faith in hope for the one to come.  Absent from the body – present with the Lord.  Amen!

Pastor Dale