paravanes:meditations

(c) Deborah Evans A meditation for  the next week on what Jesus Christ will do for you: When you see the One who is Truth and follow Him, the false and fearful beliefs begin to fade, and finally die. Amen.

This self examination requires thinking, writing, and imaging. One of the greatest teachings of Christianity is that we are to fear no one. Practice this exercise: Write the names of three people you fear. This could be a known enemy, a co-worker or boss, a family member or neighbor, or anyone. Next to each name, write every reason for your fear. This list may include what this person has done to you in the past, what they have done to others, what they have threatened, or what you believe they are capable of. In spoken prayer, take your list to God.  Speak aloud every fear. Ask God for wisdom in dealing with this person. Ask God to show you how to move beyond your fear. Do what God says. Write the answers God gives you. Put those answers into practice. Keep your writing and review it a month from now and review your writing again in three months. What has happened? Naming your fears and handing them over to God is the beginning of  fearing no one. Place your fe...

Don't let this be your story or your legacy. Within the last week, a local TV meteorologist died by suicide after experiencing problems while recovering from lasik eye surgery . This meteorologist was relatively young, and left behind a husband and two very young children. This story saddened me and touched me deeply. Several years ago, I considered having this surgery and decided to continue on using contact lenses and glasses. The doctors I spoke with said this was a routine procedure, with excellent results and very few risks. Perhaps I was a bit of a coward, but being nearsighted, I didn't want to take any further risks with my eyes. Risks involving lasers and manipulation of my cornea seemed too scary. As I read comments on social media about this death, I was stunned by how many people wrote extremely angry and judgmental comments about the woman who died. Many of these comments had a religious tone, threatening her soul with Hell, hellfire, and eternal damnation. ...

The answer is yes! In John 10:10, Jesus explains part of his mission by making this statement: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,  and have it to the full." This is one of the most important verses in the Bible. In this verse, Jesus draws a contrast between what has happened in much of human history (and in our lives) and what he (Jesus) comes to do about it. Part of what Jesus did as he journeyed with his disciples from the resurrection to the ascension was to heal their broken hearts. Have no doubt: the disciples had broken hearts as they witnessed the arrest, trial, and execution of Jesus. The leader they'd seen perform miracles, debate his divinity with the religious authorities, and explain a plan for a new way of living had been unjustly arrested, tortured, and killed. They were unable to prevent this series of events and it seemed Jesus himself was unable to prevent the events that led to his death. ...

When dreams die, will I still listen for the voice of God?

Why do we find (throughout the Scriptures) the command and the guidance to "fear not"? If you have listened to motivational speakers, you may know this phrase:  Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real. That is an amusing, catchy phrase. Unfortunately,  it is not true. Many of the things we fear are quite real and are very capable of harming or permanently damaging our bodies, minds, and spirits. Fear can be a gift if we allow ourselves to be properly informed by that emotion. When God speaks to us in Scripture and tells us to "fear not", that command is always followed by words of encouragement and the assurance of God's presence in and with those who are obedient followers. God does not want us to hold or express the energy of fear. There are real things and situations to fear. God never denies this truth as He guides His loved ones. He doesn't want us to live in a constant state of fear. The mindset of fear neglects and rejects new opportunities,  ins...

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.  For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, e  just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith." - Romans 1:16 and 17 Do you and I feel as free as we should to share our faith? Do we anticipate "sharing our faith" means arguing, straining to convince the uninterested of what may seem  (to them) to be irrelevant or unimportant?  Witnessing isn't about debating or convincing; it's about a natural sharing of life experience. If witnessing begins to feel like anything else, it's no longer witnessing. Tell what you know and what you have experienced. Leave the results to God. This is what stress-free witnessing feels like. It can become a way of life.  It should be one of our highest joys. Begin and end your day with the verses f...

"Jesus wept". It is the shortest verse in the Bible (John 11:35). Jesus was acquainted with grief. He didn't live in grief, but he knew and understood it. That should be our formula as well. If we live honestly and see what's around us, we will be acquainted with grief. Then, we will move on. We will not bury or deny our grief. In fact, if we have been deeply wounded, some part of us will be changed--perhaps forever. When we reach that place, we can choose to welcome and engage Jesus the Resurrector. He restores life. There are no guarantees he will restore the life we had, or the life we'd hoped to have. He may restore us to something wildly different from what we'd imagined. It will be good. His call to follow comes with a single promise: come with me and allow the life of God to live in you. See and experience fear, then deny and crush it. Come to the end of yourself in sadness and pain and learn a new way to live. Allow Jesus to resurrect you into th...

Jesus always encourages us to face our fears. Then, he says "fear not." He's telling us not to be consumed by fear, not to hold the energy of fear within us, and not to accommodate our lives to the things we fear. When we go with Jesus, there is always some stress involved because we are constantly uncovering and defeating our fears. We don't do this alone.  He goes with us because we chose to go with him. It's a journey of love: a loving God teaches his beloved creature to live beyond fear. Beyond fear, there is only love.

Does faith ask questions? Does faith get answers? Are you "declaring" something (out of your own, limited understanding) in order to express your faith, or are you asking questions in order to have the "mind of Christ"? Do you fear the Devil will steal or twist the answers to your prayers that God sends? Who is in charge of you and your mind and your hearing and your understanding? Are you sure? Fear is to faith as a slow leak is to a tire. Are you riding on leaky tires? Are you sure?

'An ancient homily for Holy Saturday" Read this work, attributed to Melito. fourth century bishop of Sardis, and you will have a glimpse of how it is possible for beauty and terror to mingle into an expression of God's perfect will. You will have a sense of the horrific spiritual roller coaster ride endured by  Jesus' disciples during that first Holy Week. Thrilled by the political triumph of Palm Sunday, the apostles' dreams of a changed world visibly crashed and burned in less than one week. Betrayal, denial, a sham trial, torture, and execution seemed to overtake their fearless and beloved leader--all within 48 hours. Afraid to be seen in public, the apostles spent the day we call Holy Saturday in hiding, probably expecting Jesus' fate to overtake them unless they remained secreted away. It appeared everything they invested themselves in for three years had been wiped away, with no fall back position. Terror ruled. Even though Jesus told them in advanc...

"Once upon a time, a visitor came to the monastery looking for the purpose and meaning of life. The Teacher said to the visitor, 'If what you seek is Truth, there is one thing you must have above all else.' 'I know', said the visitor. 'To find Truth, I must have an overwhelming passion for it.' 'No", said the Teacher. 'In order to find Truth, you must have an unremitting readiness to admit you may be wrong.' "----from Wisdom Distilled From the Daily , by Joan Chittister photo from Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement Why was it so difficult for the southern, white church to acknowledge segregation was wrong? For some, this question may pose another question: why was it so difficult for southern white culture to acknowledge segregation was wrong? My original question is based upon the assumption that the church does not accept without question or challenge the values and mores of the larger society. In this case, the churc...