‘Ollie, Ollie, In Come Free’

 

 

Jann Mills, cbn.com

Growing up in southern Ohio, my summer days were filled with biking, swimming, chores, and reading. But evenings were reserved for Hide and Seek. The perfect end to long, lazy days, the cicadas coaxed us out to play as light lost its grip on the remains of the day. The game embraced a large slice of neighborhood where we took to our favorite hiding spots and waited. But hiding gets boring after a while. You begin to think. To itch. To cramp up.

We took cover behind bushes and trees, often choosing the same familiar spots time and again. Yet hiding isn’t reserved for children or Hide and Seek.

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” (Genesis 3:8-10 NKJV)

In my adult life I sometimes find myself searching for cover. It’s tempting to shrink from our talents, responsibilities, or opportunities, and retreat from the dreams God has given us. We may play Hide and Seek with the truth, ourselves, or God. Unconfessed sin and lingering shame may keep us hidden behind the landscape. Sometimes we disappear in roles or relationships we’ve outgrown, taking refuge in others. Or we may find our identity in problems and struggles, seeking cover behind them. We hide in a variety of ways. While not all hiding is sinful, it is limiting in nature and keeps us from fully becoming the individual God created us to be.

When evening play came to an end, the seeker called the game by shouting, “Ollie Ollie In Come Free.” The phrase signaled to us that we were free to approach home base safely without fear of penalty. Upon hearing those words, we abandoned our hideouts and ran toward home base with mixed feelings, as another evening’s play was coming to a close.

A maple or oak tree served as home base in those days. But a lifetime later, I’ve exchanged the sturdy maple for the safety of my heavenly Father’s outstretched arms. Because of God’s loving nature, I am free to come out from behind the shadows and into the open without fear of judgment. When I came out of hiding as a child, I feared I’d be tagged or caught. As an adult, my fear is that I’ll be seen; naked, vulnerable, exposed.

An illusion of safety invites us to blend in with our surroundings. God calls us out from behind our hiding spots of doubt, fear, or vulnerability. He calls us to a safe place where we can shed our protective behaviors. And just as we outgrew our clothes and playmates over the long, hot summer, we also outgrow our old familiar hiding places. We grow into the people God created us to be, leaving behind our childish ways of hiding and seeking.

We’ve all played Hide and Seek. For some of us it was just a childhood game we played at the end of the day, or perhaps it has become a way of life. God continues to coax us out from behind our hiding spots. He reminds us that we are loved. We are safe. We are His! “Come out, come out, wherever you are,” God calls to us. “It’s getting dark. It’s time to come home. Ollie, Ollie, in come free.”

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (Hebrews 4:16 NLT)

Confidence to Face the Future

 

 

Janet Perez Eckles, cbn.com 

At 13-years old, I sat in the ophthalmologist’s examining chair. With my face placed on the chin rest and my pupils dilated, the doctor shone a bright light into my eyes.

“Hmmm…” he said. Then he leaned back on his chair.

“She did inherit it,” he said. “You need to be prepared. There is no cure for this retinal disease.”

My father carried the Retinitis Pigmentosa gene causing a deterioration of the retina which, in most cases, results in blindness. Although my brother’s retinas seemed to be fine, I’d inherited the gene.

Fifteen years after my initial diagnosis, my father began to lose his eyesight and so did I. He was 55 years old, but I was only 30. In a matter of two years, we had both lost our sight completely.

I shook my fist at God, at the world and at the horror of facing the rest of my days in darkness. “Unless a miracle happens,” the doctor had said, “you’ll never regain your sight.”

My life crumbled. And a black curtain fell on the dreams my husband and I had for us and for our three little boys.

But when I turned to God for hope and strength, He responded by opening my spiritual eyes to a new revelation. My father had given me the RP gene. But he had given me something valuable also — the example of determination and tenacity.

My parents, my brother and I lived in Bolivia in 1964 when my father defied the family’s opposition to move to America. He and Mom worked tirelessly to comply with the requirements imposed by the U.S. Immigration Department to enter the country and establish residency.

The day finally came when he would travel alone to the U.S. Once in the states, he overcame humiliation, intense loneliness, helplessness, and uncertainty. He endured ridicule due to his lack of fluency in English. But he pressed on. And he managed to gather enough money for the basics — rent a small apartment, buy modest furniture from thrift stores and put a down payment on a car.

Nine months later, he sent airline tickets for my mom, my brother and me. And our family began our life in America.

Decades later, as an American citizen, I look back at what he’d shown me. He taught me the determination to move forward when facing adversity. He set an example proving that humility is crucial to success. He demonstrated the commitment to family and the importance of setting priorities.

His journey taught me valuable lessons for my own path in the darkness. As a baby takes his first steps holding tight to his father’s hand, my dad held onto God as he stepped from the comfort of our hometown in Bolivia to the unknown in a foreign land.

I did the same as I stepped into the unfamiliarity of a sightless world. Holding onto God’s hand, His word whispered to my soul:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB)

I didn’t stumble over fear, worry, or insecurity anymore. I walked confidently on the path He’d paved with His promises. He guided me to learn to cook, do the laundry, clean the house and to find transportation for each of my sons to their various activities. And most of all, as a loving Father, He brought back joy.

Although physically blind, He gave mamma 20/20 spiritual vision to see how that joy spills into my role as a wife, mom, Sunday school teacher, Spanish court interpreter, inspirational speaker, and writer.

What I inherited from my father helped me to see my life with more appreciation. But what I received from my heavenly Father made my life richer. He gave me the strength to face challenges, the path to follow, and walking in His light, He gave me the confidence to face tomorrow.

Sin Is a Prickly Pear

 

 

Joseph Chmiel ,cbn.com

While on my morning run the other day, I found myself taking a different route around the neighborhood than usual. As I rounded one corner, I came across the biggest prickly pear cactus I had ever seen.

It was partly hanging over a low chain link fence into the alley. The plant was taller than me and must have had 100 red, ripe fruit on it. I had never tried prickly pear before, so this seemed an opportune time. I halted my run to sidle between some of the big cactus pads. I was cautious not to brush against any of their needles as I reached to collect one of the bulbs. What I didn’t know (and couldn’t see) is that prickly pear fruit are covered in very fine needles. I didn’t feel them as I was picking, but boy, I did almost immediately after. I gingerly held my prize until I got home and set it on the kitchen counter. I put on reading glasses to inspect the damage, revealing fingertips that resembled overfilled pin cushions. The plucking session went on for a good while.

It isn’t hard to draw parallels between my misguided cactus encounter and the sin process: We see something we desire (temptation), we act on it (sin), and we pay the price (consequence). Scripture lays it out similarly in James 1:14-15,

“But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” (NKJV)*

The progression of temptation, sin and consequence is evident, but fortunately, the last two need not follow the first. The Bible assures us,

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Our loving God limits the severity of temptation and supplies an escape. We can do our part to diminish its frequency by avoiding situations, people or places that make us susceptible to sin. We can also follow Christ’s advice to,

“Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:40)

Most importantly, we can stay rooted in the Vine and in God’s Word.

Jesus said of himself in John 15:5,

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

Without Jesus sharing in our lives, we can do “nothing” — not live a fulfilling life, not build successful relationships, and not even resist the temptation to sin. When we partner with Jesus, we have a friend who watches out for us, prompts us in what we do, and gives us the strength to overcome the devil’s temptations. (John 15:11, Jude 24, Galatians 5:16-25, Hebrews 2:18)

When it comes to fighting temptation, staying connected to Jesus is directly linked to being grounded in the Word of God. Paul counsels in Ephesians 6:11,

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

Cloaking ourselves with God’s Word, which is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17), allows us to assert verses like:

• “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
• “Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things.” (Psalm 119:37)
• “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

Yes, the prickly pear fruit was tasty and sweet. No, it was not worth the price of damaging my fingers, just as sin is not worth earthly or heavenly consequences. When we do sin, it is comforting to know,

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,” (Romans 8:1),

and that our friend Jesus is right there to entreat us,

“Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” (John 8:11)

For this we proclaim,

“Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1 Corinthians 15:57)

The Family Table

 

Candy Arrington, cbn.com

Joining them at the table for supper, he took bread and blessed it and broke it, then gave it to them. All at once their eyes were opened and they realized it was Jesus! (Luke 24:30-31 TPT)

One of my favorite times is when our family gathers around our dining room table to share a meal together. Each person present is special and important to me. Each contributes to the joy of the gathering. Each brings different insights to conversations or injects humor. And the grandchildren provide an added element of happiness and celebration no matter what the occasion. Currently, the one-year-old expresses his satisfaction with his food by loud “ummming” as he chews, interspersed with squeals.

We sit at the table my parents “started housekeeping” with, dating back to the year of their marriage in 1947. For many years, after my mother bought a new table, my parents’ original table lived at my grandmother’s house. Countless family meals happened at this table, and when we moved the table to our house, the tradition continues.

The Bible provides numerous stories of times when people gathered for meals. Martha was busy preparing a meal when Jesus told her fellowship with him was more important. Jesus shared a last supper with his disciples around an upper room table before his arrest and crucifixion. After his resurrection, he prepared an outdoor breakfast for his fishermen disciples. During a meal at a family table, two disciples from Emmaus finally recognized their traveling companion was Jesus.

The family table is more important today than ever before. In a time when technology lures our attention and robs us of quality personal interaction and conversation, taking time to sit at the family table provides a chance for prayer, fellowship, instruction, and discussion. In addition to feeding our bodies, we also have the opportunity to feed our minds and model the life of faith. Like the two disciples from Emmaus, the family table is often a place where our eyes are opened to spiritual truths that impact our daily lives.

When our family gathers for a meal, we sing the blessing, and often, one of our three-year-old grandchildren leads the way. When we finish singing, we all applaud, an offering of praise and thanksgiving. The words we sing give thanks for our food, but also for friends and family. As we sing, we look at each other’s faces, and give silent thanks for the blessing of our family bond.

When our grandchildren are grown, they will recall these times around the family table. They will remember thanking God, the joy of family time together, and the bond of love we share. And it is my prayer that they will teach their children the importance of daily communion with God and living lives that glorify him.

Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together. Revelation 3:20 CEV

Are You Afraid of His Good Plan?

 

 

Jay Lowder, cbn.com

“But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.” (Jonah 1:3 NAS)

Jonah was called to go to Nineveh, and he didn’t want to go. There are different speculations as to why, but most theologians believe that the reason was because the people from Nineveh were kind of archenemies to the Jews. In this familiar story, he is thrown overboard off a ship during a terrible storm. The reason Jonah got in deep water was that he was afraid of following God’s call on his life. Fearful of what the Lord had in store, he fled in an attempt to escape His plan.

I remember, years ago, I knew God had called me to be an evangelist to reach people who didn’t know Christ. Like Jonah, there was a season when I ran from my call! I also went overboard when I ended up taking a job at a Fortune 500 delivery company instead. I still recall the day when I ran into a man who was a friend of my father’s. I was delivering packages to his house, and he said, “Jay, what are you doing?” I thought it was just a casual comment. So I replied, “I’m working; the family is well…” and he said, “No, what are you really doing?”

I didn’t know what to say because I didn’t know what he meant. He said, “Jay, you know you are not called to do this. You know God has called you to do something else. So why are you not doing it?”

I really didn’t know how to answer. The rest of the day and even weeks after that, I thought about what he had said and took inventory of why I wasn’t doing what I was called to do. The truth of it is, I was extremely miserable. Like most people, I found out that running from my mission didn’t give me any sense of satisfaction.

How about you?

Are you running from something God has asked you to do, from some call He has placed on your life because of fear? Perhaps you are worried that you won’t be good at what He’s asking you to do, that your efforts will fail or that you will embarrass yourself somehow.

Are you running from your mission and purpose – the very thing God created you to do? The truth of it is, no one can do it but you. So, why are you running? If God has truly called you to do something, then until you say “yes” and obey, you’re going to be on a path of misery. Jonah ran, and there were heavy consequences, and his life didn’t have fulfillment until he submitted to God’s plan. I encourage you today to say, “God, I want to let go of fear for what you have for me. Please, show me Your will, and I will do it.”

If you surrender your life and your plans to the Lord, you will not regret finding out what He has in store. It will likely test your limits, make you uncomfortable and call out the courage in you, but the end result is far better than anything we could ever plan for ourselves.

Count It All Joy

 

 

Joanne Ellison – Author, cbn.com

A Scripture I have been pondering lately is James 1:2:

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, …” NIV

We all face trials — sometimes daily. Sometimes at the end of the day when I am getting in bed, I feel I have been in a battle all day. I lie down in the dark and consider the day, the choices I made amidst the weariness of a difficult day. A book titled Things That Go Bump in the Night, originally published in 1923, tells of the shadows of the night that frighten us.

So as I lay there in the dark reviewing my day, I begin to worry about conversations I had that did not go the way I had hoped, or frustration I had with my work, or a problem I am facing that seems to have no solution. The quiet and darkness of the night tend to bring out the worst scenarios – all the “I wish I had said … or I wish I had done… ” thoughts. But on a good night, battle-weary, I am able to remember it is God’s Word that has the final say. It is what God says that matters. And if I quickly go to Him in prayer He reminds me:

• That I am His and He has this
• That His solutions are not of this world
• That trials are opportunities to dig deep within to find His supernatural, His joy

He whispers in the dark of the night…

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, …” James 1:2 NIV

He reminds me that His grace pours into my thirsty soul and expands its capacity to receive His joy amid the trials of life.

Friends, this is the key. Trials are opportunities to dig deeper wells in our soul; wells that have the capacity to take in more of Christ’s life – the life that modeled how to rise above the challenges and trials and find the place of obedience to God.

James is writing to the 12 dispersed tribes and encouraging them to keep the faith during their trials: that these trials produce steadfastness:

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4 ESV

We live in stressful times. The world is rapidly changing and as Christians, we recognize we are “no longer in Kansas.” In the movie The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy finds herself (in her dream) far away from home. She is frightened and stressed as she determines to find her way back to Kansas. Our changing world seems strange to us. I did not grow up worrying about terrorism, global warming, or loss of our moral compass. I want to find my way back to a safer place – a place without these trials.

But God is still on the throne. He is not asleep on the job when we experience trials that threaten to destroy us. No, He is there offering an exchange. Walk through the trials and He will be with us every step of the way; and in the process, supernatural joy will rise up and steadfastness will be the fruit. And then His promise – that we will be complete, lacking in nothing!

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2 NIV

The Top of the Waterfall

 

by Katherine Britton, crosswallk.com

“My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you.” – Isaiah 26:9

As I looked up the path – and up, and up – I couldn’t even see the head of the waterfall. The last cataract foamed in front of me, but the first was far up on the mountain, where the sunlight hit the summit. I wanted to see more.

The trail was relatively easy, but I was huffing and puffing before long thanks to the incline. The trail snaked back and forth across the mountain, taking us up fifty feet with each turn. The second, third, and fourth cataracts appeared, and we clambered onward after each one, still intent on seeing that first drop. In the words of C. S. Lewis, the lure of “further in and further up” kept us going, as beauty upon beauty made us eager to see even more.

The view didn’t disappoint us. The autumn panorama spread over the surrounding hills, contrasted in highlight and shadows from the afternoon sun. Everyone at the summit was smiling and taking pictures. Nobody sat with their back against the view. To our right, the head of the waterfall rushed on, flowing over the first drop. Nothing in the suburbs compares with what we saw.

What is it about a waterfall – or anything natural wonder – that makes us stop and stare? What is it about a rainbow that keeps us looking for the next one? Why is Niagara Falls so famous? Why does the human soul dream of places so far from what we normally experience? Why do we keep following the path until we see the greatest beauty of all?

I think such scenes are part of God’s mercy to the whole world, because they teach us what it means to hunger for more. They give us a glimpse of the time when we can drink so deeply that our thirst will be quenched. Like in the Narnia books, they shadow the real thing, when we will be in God’s eternal presence. Do we hunger for that?

Scripture is full of references to this kind of longing. In 1 Corinthians 13:12, Paul writes of “seeing dimly, as in a mirror,” as he waits to see the true nature of love revealed. Roman 8:18-27 empathizes with all of creation’s “groaning” as it waits to see the full glory of God revealed. After all, “who hopes for what he already has?”

As I remember that panorama – and how I want to go back – I consider those verses of longing after God. The more I know and see of God’s character, the more I should be amazed and want to see even more. Someday, every Christian will experience the joy of seeing the fullness of the Lord displayed, but until then, we see one beauty at a time as we keep going. Are you satisfied with the small glimpses, or does the summit beckon you?