The rock of a Living Hope.

God did not spare the difficult way the Christmas Story began. God trusted us with truth, with the rock of Hope!

God is offering the gift of hope this Advent as I’m waiting with several friends. Some desiring jobs in their fields of training; others would love to have a mate; several are fighting for their lives as they live with cancer.

The hope God gave with the birth of Jesus has many applications.

Hope would not be hope if if wasn’t for the waiting. The question becomes, in the in-between, in the often very long wait, how do we keep hope alive?

In Matthew 1:18-25, Joseph had his ability to hope tested. “When his (Jesus’s) mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit”. (Matthew 1:18) Pregnant and not yet married. Adultery in that society. Deserving death.

Joseph’s wait was a few months. His circumstances did not change. He re-postured his heart; he trusted; he hoped.

The rock of Hope does not rest on human understanding;
it rests solely on the character of God!

Four realities are re-posturing my heart toward the hope God offers.

1. God’s hope is a LIVING Hope

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
According to his great mercy,
he has caused us to be born again to a living hope …”
I Peter 1:3

resting with a living God,

“… because we have our hope set on a living God,”
I Timothy 4:10

communicated through his living Word.

“For the word of God is living and active …”
Hebrews 4:12

John Newton communicates this in his well-known hymn, Amazing Grace. The third stanza reads,

“The Lord has promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures”.

2. Our living hope is not based on circumstances.

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer”.
Romans 12:12

The rock of hope is well-defined in the familiar Christmas hymn, O Holy Night

“O Holy Night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear’d and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!”

The rock of hope is understood on a soul level.

3. Our living hope requires patience. The timing is in God’s court.

“… Now hope that is seen is not hope.
For who hopes for what he sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see,
we wait for it with patience.”
Romans 8:24, 25

This truth set in the context of Paul’s teaching about our eternal hope we know as believers, also applies to lesser, more immediate hopes. Will I trust, keep my hope on, the truth of Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

4. The outcome of our living hope is joy. It never leads to shame.

“Therefore …
we rejoice in hope of the glory of God …
we rejoice in our sufferings,
knowing that suffering produces endurance,
endurance produces character,
and character produces hope,
and hope does not put us to shame,
because
God’s love has been poured into our hearts …”
Romans 5:1-5

I am motivated to keep reviewing, pondering, and trusting God’s love. What does that look like today?

“The righteous flourish like the palm tree …
to declare that the LORD is upright;
he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.”
Psalm 92:12 & 15

The Christmas story is not the birth of hope. In the Christmas story God helps me to understand the outworking of the rock of a living hope.

Merry Christmas!!   May God’s gift to you be a hope-filled celebration!

Next week Echoes of Grace is on a Christmas break while I enjoy playing with our 6 GRANDS!

Echoes will return January 5, 2023. Do you have a word for the new year?

 

Copyright: Sue Tell, December 2022

 

“Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative
of the things that have been accomplished among us,
just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word
have delivered the to us, it seemed good to me also,
having followed all things closely for some time past,
to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
that you may have certainty   (know beyond the shadow of a doubt)
concerning the things you have been taught.”
Luke 1:1-4 (emphasis mine, italics from The MSG)

Certainty – a firm conviction; definitely true; confidence. (Oxford Languages Dictionary)

“Who on earth saw him first, knowing
truly who he was? Belly to belly, when
John, prophet in utero, distinguished
in the natal soup the fetal bones, the body
curled like a comma, eyes tight, skull
packed with universal wisdom,
this unborn cousin began to dance.”
Recognition, Luci Shaw, first stanza

“Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people”. Luke 1:25. Elizabeth had certainty and knew the source of her blessing, the Lord. Through the Spirit, she passed that certainty to her yet to be born son. “And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb”. Luke 1:41.

Mary had certainty when she heard Gabriel’s message. “And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to you word.” And the angel departed from her.” Luke 1:38. Mary’s trust, her confidence, her certainty made room for God’s amazing story to be accomplished.

In her humanity, she knew she was greatly loved (Luke 1:28), as are we. She was willing to receive the truth, to trust God’s message delivered by Gabriel.

“And when she, birth-giver —
her ordinary vision arrowed down between
her legs, through pain and straw, to her son’s dark,
slime-streaked hair, to his very skin, red with
the struggle of being born — she lifted him
to her breast, kissed the face of God,
and felt her own heart leap.”
Recognition, Luci Shaw, second stanza

“For nothing will be impossible with God”,
Luke 1:37

I want an Elizabeth heart, a Mary heart. I want to have certainty.

And I am so human.

It’s easier to identify with Zechariah, “How shall I know this? ” Luke 1:18. Too often I hear myself praying, I believe, help my unbelief like the father of the young son with an evil spirit. Mark 9:24.

Reality begs a choice. Trust or doubt. Anticipate or fear. Certainty or wavering.

Throughout the scriptures, God, who knows our reality, knows where our certainty rests and meets us.

David shares his certainty of God’s involvement in his life. “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me”;
Psalm 138:8.

Paul teaches, “and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge” (certainty),
Ephesians 3:19.

Peter encourages, “But grow in grace and knowledge (in certainty) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”.
II Peter 3:18.

God knows and is active in reality. There is certainty.

This certainty is faith-based, love-based, trust-based, expectant of God’s goodness-based.
And so I pray, God, what does it look like to trust you today?
Please, grow in me an Elizabeth heart, a Mary heart; a heart of the certainty of your goodness.

 

Copyright: Sue Tell, December 2022

The tears streamed down my face. I was anchored to the pew. Ashamed. Others walked casually, chatting with their friends as they left the meeting. I couldn’t move. My friend sat silently next to me. Waiting. Waiting. Eventually she whispered, awareness is huge! 

It was a God-moment. I had heard His voice, His love, His invitation through the speaker that evening. God was present in the midst of my hard realization; and I was undone.

Awareness is huge!

“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.
So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
John 3:8

The wind of the Spirit blew with hurricane force into my heart that evening . His presence met me and I’ve not been the same since.

The theme, the truth of God’s presence, is evident in every person Luke highlights in his “orderly account … that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.”
(Luke 1:3 and 4)

Zechariah – The wind of the Holy Spirit through the angel Gabriel confronted Zechariah in the sanctuary — a place one would expect to experience God’s presence. That day Zechariah’s expectation as he entered the temple of the Lord was that he would fulfill his responsibility as a priest and burn incense. He was not expecting a visit from Gabriel. But God was there. God was present in the temple. (Luke 1:8-12)

Elizabeth – “After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived … ‘Thus the Lord has done for me …” (Luke 1:24 and 25) The Message rendition says, “This is how God acts …” Elizabeth was aware of the source of her pregnancy, her blessing, her answer to prayer, her long desire. Elizabeth was aware of God’s presence in a highly unlikely situation. The wind of the Holy Spirit met her on her marriage bed.

Mary – Gabriel’s first words to Mary, a young teen, were “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28) Although these words worried her and caused her to wonder, Mary listened and received Gabriel’s words. She believed. With Mary, Gabriel first affirmed her identity – favored one, or greatly loved one. He then reminded her of God’s presence.

God shows up and makes his presence known in the unexpected.

“… The Lord is near.” Philippians 4:6
“… And surely I am with you always …” Matthew 28:20
“… Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you …: Deuteronomy 31:8
(All scriptures from the NIV.)

The rock of God’s presence is not dependent upon my believing in the midst of those seemingly impossible, very hard circumstances — God keeps the promise of His presence in His court. It is based on His character and His promises.

Ruth Chou Simons prays, “Your presence is not a feeling, but true companionship in Christ… we are held by the promise of Your Word: We are never alone.” (Emmanuel, page 47)

When I practice the rock of dormancy, God reminds me of the rock of His presence.

 

Copyright: Sue Tell, December 2022.

 

Next week – The Rock of Certainty.

 

 

 

Who or what experience has been highly influential in your life? This is the question we posed to our Sunday morning community of 20-somethings. Most responded with a who, but three responded with an event. The events were very similar — it was a season when they were alone with God for an extended period of time. One gal took a month long solo back-packing trip. For another it was a time at a summer camp without any electronics for 8 hours and then for 24 hours. They struggled with their questions; they listened for the voice of God. It was a time of growing spiritually. It was a rock in their Christian lives. It was a time of dormancy for them. It was highly influential.

Zachariah’s wife Elizabeth also practices of time of dormancy.

“And when his (Zechariah’s) time of performing priestly functions was ended,
he returned to his [own] house.
Now after this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant,
and for five months
she secluded herself entirely,
saying,
[I have hid myself]
Luke 1:23 and 24, Amplified version, (italics mine)

Luke 1:40 tells us that Elizabeth had not left her home. She found a quiet place to be with God in her home. She was alone but not alone. “I (God) am with you always …). Matthew 28:20. I picture her reviewing, remembering, listening, praying while experiencing the power of God in her life. I imagine there was great peace in her waiting and maturing in her friendship with God.

“For with God nothing is ever impossible,
and no word from God shall be without power
or impossible of fulfillment”.
Luke 1:37 Amplified version

And what were the results …

*** Elizabeth was able to humbly acknowledge and bless Mary.
*** Elizabeth gave birth to John in her old age, an answer to her prayers of many years.
*** All their neighbors were in awe as they realize God is working among them.
*** His father Zechariah, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied pointing to God.

Often I pray, God, please, grow my faith, grow my trust. I say amen and wonder, what would it look like to trust God today. As, once again, I’ve pondered this familiar story, I’ve realized trust is not something I conjure up, something I do; trust is acknowledging that it’s God’s word that is powerful and promises fulfillment.  Luke 1:37. Trust is humbling myself to receiving God’s powerful gift.

So this Advent, the bottom rock in my cairn is the one supporting all the rest, is the rock of dormancy, being still and listening.

Cairns are landmarks, trail markers serving navigational purposes. And I wonder, how is Advent leading me.

Four years ago, I posted about this in another form; in a poem I wrote.

https://suetell.com/a-winter-aspen/

The second rock on my cairn is the Rock of Presence. Come back next Thursday.

 

Copyright: Sue Tell, November 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first Sunday of Advent, 2022.

“for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name”.
Luke 1:49

In Mary’s song of praise when visiting with Elizabeth and sharing their miraculous pregnancies, Mary’s thoughts turn to how she has experienced God: He looks, and He is mighty.

“So that all the peoples of the earth
may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty,
that you may fear the LORD your God forever”.
Joshua 4:24

Many years before Mary was born, Joshua also ascribes mightiness to God.

The great things that Mary is referencing is allowing her to be the mother of Jesus — that which we remember every Christmas.

Because God is mighty, Joshua’s words give an admonition that we would fear the Lord forever. Fear the Lord — live appropriately in the presence of God.

Joshua had just set up a 12-stone memorial commemorating the Israelites crossing the Jordan River on dry ground. (Check our Joshua 4 for the whole story; page 399 in my Bible.) Joshua knew it was important to remember.

When my sister moved to heaven three years ago, another sent me a check to do something in her honor. One of her hobbies was painting rocks. I knew right away, I wanted a painted rock to help me remember the truth we often reminded each other of in her last months here, “I have loved you with an everlasting love”. Jeremiah 31:3. (Our grandchildren painted the two rocks picturing the nativity.) The Jeremiah rock sits in a prominent place in our living room all year.

I love Christmas, the whole Christmas season. And I need those memorials, the tangible reminders, the BIG ROCKS.

(If you missed this post from November 17, I encourage you to go back and read it.)

God is mighty. He has done great things for me, and you. I too want to live appropriately in His presence. These big rocks remind me — are a memorial for me.

Each Thursday this Advent, Echoes of Grace is creating a rock memorial highlighting a different gift relating to Advent, to the anticipation of the celebration of Jesus’ birth to help me (to help us) remember. This Thursday, December 1 is The Rock of Dormancy. See you then.

 

Copyright: Sue Tell, Nov 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the midst of an awful tragedy in Colorado Springs this weekend**, I soberly, carefully walk into Thanksgiving week remembering. My heart hurts; my prayers expanded; God’s truth the same. I need those big rocks more than ever.

Truth from the Psalms, in the midst, are still true.

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?”
Psalm 8:3 and 4

 

On our travels this fall, more than once we were awed by the full moon, that moon that God set in place. And the reminder in the rhetorical question of the Psalmist that God is mindful;  He cares.

Years ago our pastor recounted the story of a horrific school bus accident. One person said, God must have been asleep. The pastor countered, God wasn’t asleep, He was wide awake; He was aware; He cares.

I can’t wrap my head around God’s awareness, His wisdom, His care. This week surrendering to Thanksgiving looks like a very hard trust.

“And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.”
Psalm 9:10

And so my prayer this Thanksgiving week:

“The wail of the sirens is the anthem of our brokenness, reminding us that fear and tragedy, pain and crime yet plague a creation groaning for its redemption.

Therefore attend those now in crisis, O Lord, remaining ever merciful and mindful of their frailties. May their first cry be to you, and may such cries be met by your presence and your peace. Grant good judgment to those who minister aid and protection, and comfort all who endure trauma or loss.

Use even these parts of our stories which are accompanied by sirens, O Lord, to press us closer to your heart”. ***

Because I live here, the tragic story of last Saturday night is part of my story. And so I pray.

 

** There were tragedies in other places this week. I mention Colorado Springs, because it is my home. My prayers extend to all.
*** The Sound of Sirens, taken from Every Moment Holy, volume 1.

 

Copyright: Sue Tell, November 2022.

 

 

 

 

 

“There is none holy like the LORD;
there is none besides you:
there is no rock like our God.”
I Samuel 2:2

Are you familiar with the illustration of rocks in a bottle? Only so many rocks can fit in a bottle. But once the rocks are in, you can pour several pebbles around the rocks. And once no more pebbles  fit, sand will still find space in the bottle.

The bottle represents our lives. The big rocks are the importants that need to fill our lives. And once the importants are in place, there is still room for pebbles, the less importants; and after the pebbles sand can still sift into the small spaces remaining. Possibly the sand represents things that can be forgotten.

Earlier this week I was struggling. We had recently returned from our last and longest trip of the fall. I was tired. I was overwhelmed with my long do-list, the rocks, the pebbles, even the sand. My mind was swirling. I couldn’t even discern the rocks from the pebbles.

And then I remembered. The week before we had been visiting the Navigator ministry at the University of Connecticut (UConn). The late autumn days were chilly, the breezes were quiet, the sky was blue, the trees already dormant. I donned a heavy jacket (borrowed from our host), wrapped myself in a blanket, poured a cup of hot coffee, grabbed my journal and Bible and headed to their front porch. I sat. I stared at the beautiful New England countryside. Rock walls surround all the properties. In the middle of our travel those two mornings, the rocks reminded and were a gift from God.

Eventually God whispered, “but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night”.                      Psalm 1:2. Meditates — creates space for God.

The delight of the morning, the beauty, the place, the quiet created the space needed to fill my spiritual tank. This defined the big rock I needed before entering the rest of my people-filled, joy-filled day. “Be still, and know that I am God”. Psalm 46:10.

Like Hannah who prayed the words above from I Samuel, I experienced God as my rock.

Another scripture came to mind as I thought about my long do-list once home.

“Everyone then who hears (listens for God)
these words of mine and does (responds) them
will be like a wise (result) man who built his house on a rock”.
Matthew 7:24 (italics and parentheses mine)

Back home and pondering my reality, the next day was different. My mind was not swirling. It was good to sit and be with God, my BIGGEST rock, before moving to the pebbles, and thinking about which grains of sand I can let go.

“I love you, O LORD, my strength,
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold”.
Psalm 18: 1 & 2

 

Copyright: Sue Tell, November 2022

 

I greatly appreciate my friend Cheri and her heart for God. She too is a writer and we often share our words. When she wrote about Noah, I immediately connected. Our different stories offered us both lessons from Noah’s life.

The gospel of Matthew, when referencing Noah, teaches that there is a bigger lesson God is communicating than only Noah’s obedience to build an ark and move his family and two pairs of every living creature inside in light of a coming flood. Everyone else was unaware.

 

They were unaware not only of the flood, but of something more important, the coming of the Son of Man.

“For as were the days of Noah … For as in those days before the flood …
until the day when Noah entered the ark,
and they were unaware (and they knew nothing, NIV) …
so will be the coming of the Son of Man”.
Matthew24:37-39

God’s will has a bigger purpose than what is obvious.

Recently I received several invitations to be involved in a small group Bible study. I love the format and have been involved in many over the years; it was an opportunity to help others grow in their faith as well — something that is important to me.

But it was not to be. My desire was there but my plate was full. To obey God, I needed to let that desire go. My decision was not always understood. I clung to hidden obedience. I imagine many people watching Noah build the ark didn’t understand.

A safe person doesn’t allow the understandings of other to affect their obedience.

“Make … an ark of gopher wood.
Make rooms in the ark,
cover it inside and out with pitch.
… the length … 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits.
Make a roof … set the door in its side.
Make it with lower, second, and third decks.”
Genesis 6:14-16

Noah had no clue about how to build the ark. God gave very specific directions. What about me, do I have any clue about how to live out God’s plans?

In 1988, I boarded a plane to San Jose, CA. We were considering moving our family with two pre-teen boys away from all they ever knew. This seemed about as crazy as God’s plan for Noah.

As I flew across the country, I reviewed my journal. How had God been speaking? Could I see the fingerprints of his will? YES, but I needed to be reminded.

A safe person listens for the voice of God.

The ark didn’t just serve Noah and family, it had an eternal purpose. The ark, the flood, the rainbow all remind of God’s promised covenant with his people. “God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”” Genesis 9:17.

“By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen,
in reverent fear constructed an ark …
By this …  he became an heir of righteousness that comes by faith”.
Hebrews 11:7

God asks that we trust his steadfast love when we look into an unknown future. His plans are often not our plans. “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps”. Proverbs 16:9. Moving to California was as scary as it was exciting.

A safe person (mother) rests in God’s will, even when it is scary.

Friendship with God is the bottom line in living out being a safe friend. Noah’s friendship with God was the beginning of his ark adventure.

“But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation.
Noah walked with God”.
Genesis 6:8 and 9

 

Copyright: Sue Tell, Nov 2022

 

 

 

 

My words were not good as we drove home from church last Sunday.

My husband and I were reviewing the last hour — the Sunday school class (our community as our church calls it) that he teaches with about twenty 20-somethings. We sit in a large circle to make conversation easier. But last Sunday the group was unusually quiet. I had thoughts.

As an extrovert and an external processor, my thoughts turned to words within a few blocks of church.

And my words hurt. Tension.

Earlier this fall I listened to a podcast put out by the TrueFace ministry***, Divided We Stand; Three Ways to Love When You Disagree. I opened my journal when we got home where my notes were recorded. I needed help.

1. Review my primary identity.  My primary identity is that I am the beloved child of God. That identity is secure. My husband and I both claim this primary identity. All of us who are born of God have God’s seed abiding in them. I John 3:9. God’s seed, the Holy Spirit, came to abide in us both when we received the gift of eternal life. We both have the DNA of godliness.

We also have secondary identities. Our giftings differ. Our roles differ.  How we live them out
differ. These secondary identities are not less important, but in our humanity, they might be
threatened. That’s what I was experiencing on the way home. My words were hurting, not
helping.

2.  Remind myself of my biases. What has shaped my life? Where are my blind spots? I am an
external processor. Words flow easily for me; sometimes too easily. Instead of asking, of listening, of caring well, I was offering my thoughts with no regard of how they might be received. The tension was palatable. Now both of us were hurting.

3. Remember that we both are image bearers; we both have the same DNA. We can believe differently and both be deeply loved at the same time. “To not treat well another of God’s precious artworks dishonors the divine artist”.

There is a reason that one of the first pages in my journal lists truths about the importance of words. I returned to those truths. I needed them — a-GAIN!

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.”
Psalm 19:14

“Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
keep watch over the door of my lips!”
Psalm 131:3

“Let your speech always be gracious seasoned with salt …”
Colossians 4:6

When my words are not acceptable to another, it is a clue that possibly they are also not acceptable to God. I understood; I asked forgiveness; the tension is dissipating.

A safe person is a vulnerable person.

*** Click on https://www.Trueface.org and you can listen to the message, Divided We Stand, that so ministered to me.

Copyright: Sue Tell, November 2022

 

 

I spent last weekend in Branson with this group of FUN ladies; this group with hearts to connect with God. What a treat! We lived together; we ate together; we enjoyed God’s gift of autumn; we shopped together; we worshiped together; we struggled together as we listened to God. Oh, and did I say, we ate together?

The DNA of godliness resided in us all as well as the desire to fertilize our spiritual growth. What a great place to be.

I’ve heard my friend Paula say that sometimes spiritual growth feels like a jig saw puzzle you are trying to do without the picture on the box top. I get that. The pieces are all there, but how do they fit together?

An apt metaphor. Each of us arrived with the DNA of godliness. But often we don’t see the beautiful picture that God sees. The pieces are all there; how do they fit together? None of us wanted the status quo to describe us spiritually; we all wanted to keep maturing. But what was the next puzzle piece? Questions surfaced we didn’t know we were asking. We left with wonderings. A great place to be.

“And we all, with unveiled face,
beholding the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image
from one degree of glory to another.
For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
II Corinthians 3:18 (emphasis mine)

We talked about the masks we might have been wearing as we came to the retreat. We talked about how those masks hindered friendship. We talked about the needed courage of vulnerability. “I thought I was the only one. You too?” C.S. Lewis

“Therefore consider carefully how you listen …”
Luke 8:18

We talked about listening to the truth of God’s great love for us. We talked about replacing those lies, I am a no-longer, with the truth of the word of God.

“For we are his workmanship, (our created identity)
created in Christ Jesus for good works, (our purpose)
which God prepared beforehand, (our security)
that we should walk in them.” (our pace)
Ephesians 2:10 (parentheses mine)

We talked about how we can walk together in vulnerability as we live out our identity as beloved children of God. Then we are able to encourage each other to live out the DNA God planted in them.

Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children.
And walk in love …
Walk as children of light …
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise”
Ephesians 5:1, 2, 8, & 15 (emphasis mine)

Copyright: Sue Tell, October 2022