JURY DUTY

My husband is s-o-o-o-o-o-o-o excited. He received a notice that he has been selected to be on a jury. He is to call Monday to see if he has to show up on Tuesday, but he sure hopes he gets picked. Yes, he is excited.

Okay. He is not! He does not want to be on the jury. And isn’t that the reaction of most of us?

We don’t want to do that. We don’t want to listen to lawyers. We don’t want to listen to facts. Honestly, most of the time our minds are made up as soon as we see the defendant and hear the charges.

Funny how we don’t want to be on a jury because we don’t want to have to “judge” another person, but we do it daily. We are not sitting on a jury. We just judge others.

The “WE” here means all of us! Even if we try, we judge people we meet.

We judge by their clothing, the way they talk, how they eat and how their children behave. We judge by the number of tattoos and the length of hair. We judge by what church they attend, what political party they belong to and what team they root for. We judge by how they keep their yard mowed and how loud they play their music. We judge ---

Darn. God just gave me a whack on the head with that 2 X 4 he keeps handy. It has my name engraved on it and the imprint of my forehead from being used so many times.

God asked, “So this is how you judge my children? By what they wear and what team they want to win the Super Bowl? Goodness, girl. What are you thinking? Go back and look at that list. And you know it is only the tip of the iceberg. You judge people on way more than you put down here.”

God continued, “Did you look at that list? Now - name one thing on there that is so important that you should judge someone on it. How they talk? I will give you that one if they are using my name in vain, but if you are just considering bad grammar or a strange accent - not important! Length of their hair? I assume you are talking about my male children. Mary, have you any idea how long Jesus’ hair was? Do you think I cared?”

Knowing He was not done, I prepared for the next whack and I received one. Getting my attention, God said, “MARY, YOU ARE NOT TO JUDGE!”

Then God softly said, “Judging - my Son and I have that under control. You are to love.”

SCRIPTURES

Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns. The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved: he will judge the peoples with equity. Psalm 96:10

This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares. Romans 2:16

There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you -- who are you to judge your neighbor? James 4:12

AND NOW

We all judge. The bottom line is that we shouldn’t.  We judge on the wrong things.  God judges fairly and uses a much better measuring stick!

LET US PRAY (Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.)

Dear Lord, Take away my judgmental attitude. Amen

THE PIT AND THE LIGHT

SCRIPTURES

He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit, and I will live to enjoy the light. God does all these things to a man - twice, even three times - to turn back his soul from the pit, that the light of life may shine on him. Job 33:28-30

Many are asking, “Who can show us any good?” Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord. You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:6-8

I read these scriptures and the contract of pit and light created such images in my mind.

THE PIT

Pit: Deep. Dark. Narrow. Alone. Scared. No ladder to get out. Noisy because every fear would be running through the mind.

Those words sent chills down my spine. What would that be like? To be at the bottom of a deep, dark pit. Alone and scared because you knew there was no way out. And terrifying thoughts going around and around and around, until a scream comes from the very center of your soul.

Is that what a deep depression feels like? Or times when fear takes over? Or when helplessness invades every cell? Or when the realization comes there is no way out?

THE LIGHT

Light: Bright. Warm. Yellow. Safe. A part of. Able to see.

These words made we feel good. Where there is light I wouldn’t feel shut off from others and I would feel safe because I could see what was going on around me. And I would not need a ladder.

Anyone can fall into a pit. That pit may have the name of depression. Or fear. Or helplessness. Or no-where-to-turn. And, when at the bottom of the pit, there may seem no way out.

THE PIT: A WAY OUT

~ O Lord,

~ He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit

~ to turn back his soul from the pit

~ Who can show us any good?

It is said that if you are deep enough down a well you can see the stars. Even if it is daylight. From the bottom of the well, you can see the stars.

But the secret is that you have to look up. You have to seek the light.

THE LIGHT: THE WAY OUT

~ O Lord,

~ I will live to enjoy the light

~ the light of life may shine on him

~ Let the light of your face shine upon us

But there is a way out if we seek it. Just like the person at the bottom of a well, we have to lift our eyes and look up. God wants to help us climb out and His light will guide us.

AND NOW

Seek God’s light and follow. And yes, God’s light might guide you to counseling. Or medication. Or to a minister. God’s light will, for sure, guide in the right direction and lead you to exactly what you need to overcome the pits in your life.

LET US PRAY (Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.)

O Lord, show me your light. A light so bright it will show me the ladder - the way - to climb out of the darkness into light so I may enjoy life. Thank you for a light that leads me to dwell in your safety so I may have joy and then rest and sleep in peace. Amen

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PS. For those among us who are fact checkers: I Googled “seeing stars from a well” and the answer is: No you cannot. I have still sited this very old idea, because, if it were true, you would still have to look up to see them.

WAITING

Don’t ya love to wait?

• Go to the grocery store and wait to be checked out.
• Go to the doctor’s office and wait. And wait. And wait.
• Wait in a traffic jam and at the stop lights.

Wait. Wait. Wait.

• Place a call, push the buttons and wait until a real person answers.
• Get to a meeting on time and wait for all the people that did not allow extra time in case of a traffic jam.
• Go to a play and wait until all the late-comers are seated.
• Go to a movie and wait through, at least, three turn-off-your-cell-phones, two ads for popcorn and previews for movies you do not want to see.

Wait. Wait. Wait.

Yup - don’t ya love to wait? Bet your answer is no!

Some places I can understand. A doctor’s schedule can quickly get behind and I am glad they tell people to turn off their cell phones, but why hold the start of a meeting or a play just because people cannot be on time?

I understand an occasional “Sorry I am late. I got railroaded.” But I have no patience waiting for people who are always late. People who are so inconsiderate ----

Can you tell I do not like to wait?

Ever notice how just a small change can make all the difference in the world? What happens if we take the word “wait” and change it to “wait on”?

WAIT -- to remain inactive or in a state of repose, as until something expected happens (often followed by for, till, or until)

WAIT ON -- to perform the duties of an attendant or servant or to supply the wants of a person/looking after a person/doing everything possible for them

SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 25:37-40

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in; or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

AND NOW

What happens if you take the word “wait” and change it to “wait on”?

What difference would it make in your life if you went FROM waiting for something to happen TO waiting on the ‘least of these brothers of mine’?

HEARING AND JOY

Do you ever wonder if your spouse really listens to you? I have proof that mine does.

We were in the hardware store and I commented on a couple of things I saw. “Isn’t that angel adorable?” Looking down another aisle, “Oh, look at that girl. Doesn’t she just make you smile?”

We bought what we came for and went home. What I didn’t know is that my hubby had heard me. He went back and bought the angel and the girl.

SCRIPTURES

God heard their groaning -- Exodus 2:24 first part

“Oh, that I had someone to hear me!” -- Job 31:35

Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. -- Psalm 139:4

HEARING

I do not think Bill realizes how special it made me feel to know that he heard me. He not only listened, he heard! We all need to know that someone hears us.

So often we ask to hear God, but just as often we need to know God hears us. Because, when we know God hears us, we feel special. We know God cares enough to do more than just listen. God hears.

NOW ADMIT IT - SHE MADE YOU SMILE?

I HAVE NAMED HER JOY!

SCRIPTURES

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. -- Psalm 28:7

Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God. -- Psalm 43:4

JOY

Every time I look at the girl, I smile. My heart leaps for joy. My heart feels the love with which this gift was given.

And just now, as often happens this blog is going to take a turn I had not planned. (God has a way of doing that to me.) Hearing and Joy. That is all I had planned. I was ready to stop.

But, as I typed the words “the love with which this gift was given”, my mind went to another gift. The gift of a Son. A gift given with love. A gift that brings eternal joy.

Now doesn’t that just make you smile? Doesn’t that just fill you with joy? Doesn’t that make you realize God hears and, with love, gives you just what you need?

AND NOW

Talk to God because He really does hear you. Be filled with joy for the gift of His Son and the love with which the gift was given.