Well here it is the last day of January. How are those New Year's resolutions holding for you? My husband's diet is still going well and is down several pounds. I didn't set any resolutions this year...well I do have that perpetual one about keeping my mouth shut...but that's an ongoing struggle. Someone once said -- "The Lord gave us one mouth and two ears to do twice as much listening." I just keep trying. I also always seem to be on a perpetual diet as well...so no sense in setting a new resolution that I'm bound to break.
January 1st is a lot of things to a lot of people. A time to make resolutions -- things like dieting, exercising, or reading your bible every day. It's a time to start over...put away the things of the year gone by and get a fresh start. But January 1st has an extra special meaning for me...it's my birthday. Every year on my birthday I heard the same stories from my mom and dad. Mom would say, "The doctor said I'd never carry you past Thanksgiving." And she told the hospital staff after delivery, "Don't let that baby roll off that table!" (I was a large, month old baby by the time I was born.) And dad would say, "If your mother had just taken that caster oil when I asked her...you would have been born earlier and been a tax deduction for the year before!" (Have you ever tasted caster oil? It's really nasty! I don't blame her for not taking it!) I can still hear their voices in my mind. Happy memories.
So this year when my sister called to wish me a happy birthday, she reminded me of a rather unforgettable milestone birthday...my 50th.
When she turned 50, I was so upset. I couldn't believe my sister was 50 years old...I was only 5 short years behind her. I called to wish her a happy birthday and almost sobbing I said, "I can't believe you're 50!" To which she replied, "What are YOU crying for?! It's MY birthday!" Then she said, "Just you wait..."
And after 5 years, she didn't forget her veiled promise.
Fast forward 5 years and she called to say, "What's the significance of November 12th?" And I answered, "um...I don't know...what?" She said, "You'll find out..." and hung up. Huh? I thought about it for a few minutes and then shrugged it off and forgot about it. On November 12th, I received a birthday card from my sister. On the next day, I received another card...and another on the day after that...and another and another! By the time my birthday finally arrived, she had sent 50 cards -- one every day for 50 days! Sometimes I would get two cards in the mail because of the weekends! I was never so glad for my birthday to arrive so I could get relief from the constant reminders that I was turning 50 years old!! BAH!!
Now, if I ever mention something about getting older, my sister asks, "Are you complaining?" And quickly I respond, "No no...I'm not complaining!" It was a funny, unforgettable time...but I don't want to go through that again!
Women seem to have a good memory...of good things and bad. I sure wish I could forget some of the bad things in life but I guess it's God's way of teaching us and trying to give us wisdom.
Three days after Jesus' crucifixion, a group of women were on their way to His tomb with spices they had prepared for his body. As they walked, they wondered how in the world they were going to move the stone away from the door. Upon arrival to the tomb to their surprise, the stone had been moved and the body of our Savior was gone! The Word tells us that two men dressed in clothing as bright as lightning met them there. They said, "Why are you looking for the living among the dead? Don't you remember that Jesus told you that he would be killed but he would rise on the third day?" AND THEY REMEMBERED! They were so excited that they ran back to the disciples and told them everything! Now during the first century, the testimony of women was not considered credible. Unbelievable right?! And so the disciples didn't believe them! They didn't remember that Jesus had told them on three different occasions that this would happen. In fact, the first time Jesus told them what was going to happen, Peter rebuked our Savior for suggesting such a thing! Poor Peter...he needed that "keep your mouth shut" resolution because Jesus shot right back and said, "Get behind me Satan..." No one dared ask Him about it when Jesus spoke of it again. I'm thinking that Peter must have wondered if the women were telling the truth because he and John (probably John) ran to see for themselves.
I think the disciples had a preconceived idea of Jesus' mission. They thought He would be an earthly king like David. They were fixated on the idea of sitting on His right or His left! "Me, a fisherman...or me, a tax collector...sitting in the King's court!" They just didn't get it. They didn't soak up every word that Jesus spoke. There were a lot of things they didn't get. The Holy Spirit made all the pieces fall into place for them. They finally understood our Savior and their mission...our mission.
So I've said all this to say, remember. Write things down to help you remember. Commit scripture to memory. Do twice as much listening...listening to others and listening to what the Lord is trying to teach. In this way, we can be a brighter light and more effective in our walk...glorifying our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Love till next time,
Lanna
For your consideration: Psalms 90:12, Luke 24:6-12,
1st prediction - Matt. 16:21-28, Mark 8:31-33, Luke 9:22-27
2nd prediction - Matt. 17:22-23, Mark 9:30-32, Luke 9:43-45
3rd prediction - Matt. 20:17-19, Mark 10:32-34, Luke 18:31-34
