Constant Communication

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4: 4 – 9 NIV)

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The Power of the Resurrection

“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, `They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!’” (John 20: 1 – 2 NIV)

From the accounts from the four gospels the tomb was first visited by Mary and other women who found that the stone had been removed. Mark reports that the women fled and told no one. This was true except that Mary told Peter and John who ran to the tomb and discovered the burial clothes at the site but lying in place as the body of Jesus had left them.

I have always been deeply moved by the interaction between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. It would appear that Mary understood what was to happen to Jesus better than the Twelve. When she wept over His feet, dried His feet with her hair, and anointed His head and feet with costly perfume Jesus recognized that she had done it to prepare for His burial:

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The Blessing

“The Lord had said to Abram, `Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you;

I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you,

And whoever curses you I will curse;

And all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’”

(Genesis 12: 1 – 3 NIV)

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Low in the Grave He Lay

Always, on this day the words of the old hymn float continually through my mind, “Low in the Grave He Lay.” In the Christian community we commemorate the events leading up to the resurrection during the time of Lent and Holy Week. For me, it is a time of constant meditation and consideration as my memory goes over and over these events in the life of Jesus while, at the same time, observing the events in the present world around me.

I was born in 1942 so the nation of Israel that was reformed after World War 2 in 1948 has always been a part of my conscious life. The world is celebrating right now a negotiated deal with Iran that would prevent them from developing a nuclear weapon during the next 10 to 20 years. What will happen after that? What will continue to happen secretly? What is the advantage of a 10 to 20 year moratorium on the development of a nuclear weapon by a country that has vowed to wipe Israel off the face of the earth with the purpose of bringing about the end of the world? Isn’t it obvious that a people who live by a belief system that is eternal will not see 10 or 20 years as even a bump in the time continuum?

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