Richard.

“Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Luke 18:17

The children in the attached photo attend the Lutheran school in Bois Marchand which is located on the Northwest edge of Gonaives.  It was about 11:15 when this photo was snapped and it must have been 100 degrees in this ‘airy’ building.  The children had put down their school books, washed their hands from a white plastic bucket, dried their hands, said their prayers and their food was brought to them by their teachers.

Visiting Trinity/HOPE feeding programs can sometimes almost make me weep when I consider what these children are going through every day; every day after day after day living in Haiti.  What do you suppose the little boy on the right side of the second desk is thinking about, he has a thoughtful stare on his face?  His name is Richard, pronounced ‘Ree-shard’ and he approached me before I left on this day and through an interpreter he thanked me for the feeding program as his school.  I gave him a big hug and my sunglasses prevented him from seeing moisture in my eyes.  Thank YOU, for the feeding program at his school and the other 161 schools in Haiti.  Richard places his trust in Jesus as every day this plate of food arrives at his desk in Bois Marchand; a plate of hope where there is little hope to go around.  Frances Havergal wrote the words to the hymn ‘I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus’ in 1874 and they provide comfort His children when this world tells us there is no hope.

”I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, trusting only Thee; trusting Thee for full salvation, great and free.  I am trusting Thee for pardon; at Thy feet I bow, for Thy grace and tender mercy trusting now.  I am trusting Thee for cleansing in the crimson flood; trusting Thee to make me holy by Thy blood.  I am trusting Thee to guide me; Thou alone shalt lead, ev'ry day and hour supplying all my need.  I am trusting Thee for power; Thine can never fail.  Words which Thou Thyself shalt give me must prevail.  I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus; never let me fall.  I am trusting Thee forever and for all.”

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay

Is there trouble?

“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life.  You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me” Psalm 138:7

As a child of God living in North America, there will always be some form of trouble in my life as the evil foe will have it no other way while he is still unleashed, roaming through every crook and cranny on this earth.

The child on the left in the attached photo is no doubt enduring more troubles in her life than the children next to her.  Her prayer time in Bois Marchand is reaching our Heavenly Father in the same amount of time that our prayers reach Him.  We think that her problems must not be like ours, but in truth they are as they were started by satan, in Haiti, in Nebraska, in Illinois, in Tennessee and all over this world; the evil foe brings trouble into the lives of those who call upon the Triune God; and also upon those who don’t.  Big difference here, we are saved, those still clinging to the lies of the vodou priest are not saved.  Horatius Bonar wrote the lyrics for the hymn ‘Thy works, not mine, O Christ’ in 1857 and they are such a wonderful reminder that our Savior is always near, always there when we call upon His name.

“Thy works, not mine, O Christ, speak gladness to this heart; they tell me all is done, they bid my fear depart.  To whom save Thee, who canst alone for sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?  Thy wounds, not mine, O Christ, can heal my bruised soul; Thy stripes, not mine, contain the balm that makes me whole.  To whom save Thee, who canst alone for sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?  Thy cross, not mine, O Christ, has borne the awe-full load of sins that none could bear but the incarnate God.  To whom save Thee, who canst alone for sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?  Thy death, not mine, O Christ, has paid the ransom due; ten thousand deaths like mine would have been all too few.  To whom save Thee, who canst alone for sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?  Thy righteousness, O Christ, alone can cover me; no righteousness avails save that which is of Thee.  To whom save Thee, who canst alone for sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?”

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay

Garbage in...and out.

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18

Joel Osteen recently gave a message that centered upon the ‘garbage in – garbage out’ philosophy.  If we are spending the majority of our time watching that big flat screen or our phones; we are spending less time in His Word.  If we are spending more time feeding our bodies at the all-you-can eat counter we are probably taking away precious hours from our life of serving our Heavenly Father.

The girl in the attached photo attends school in Gonaives and she has a cloth next to her face, not to wipe away tears of boredom as she listens to my devotion but to wipe away perspiration on this typically hot early afternoon in March.  Her idle time is not spent in front of a television at home but is spent studying her homework because that is what is most important to her.  Her meal comes because of somebody just like you who has spent a quarter on her life so she could eat a meal of beans and rice for lunch.  Please take time today to consider how our Heavenly Father is either using your life today or is nudging you to go in one of His directions instead of the ways of this world.  Helen Lemmel wrote the words to the tune ‘Turn your eyes upon Jesus’ in 1922 and seemed like an appropriate way to close the devotion today.

“O soul, are you weary and troubled?  No light in the darkness you see?  There’s light for a look at the Savior, and life more abundant and free!  Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.  Through death into life everlasting He passed, and we follow Him there; o’er us sin no more hath dominion for more than conqu’rors we are!  His Word shall not fail you He promised; believe Him, and all will be well: then go to a world that is dying, His perfect salvation to tell!  Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay

The shepherd's job.

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.” 1 Timothy 1:12

While listening to “Focus on the Family” recently, I heard Sheila Walsh say “It is the Shepherds job to get me home” and those words and that program really caught my attention.  Nothing that you or I can do that will get us to Heaven, it is only what Jesus has already done that will get us home.  The Good Shepherd watches over us, the Holy Spirit encourages us and we are truly blessed that He considers us worthy to help to use our ‘gifts’ to do His work.

When I was in high school and worked during the summer months in the alfalfa fields picking up 75-pound bales, I remember one farmer who happened to raise sheep instead of cattle as so many farmers in Eastern Nebraska did at that time.  I will never forget the awful smell of the sheep; a pungent odor that caused the eyes to squint and face to wrinkle as the words ‘pee-ewe’ left my mouth.  The attached photo is of a Lutheran goatherd in Saltedere, Haiti.  These Haitian goats smell like Nebraska sheep and seemed to be just as smart as well; they needed a shepherd.

We too are like sheep, our sinful lives reek of a pungent odor.  The children attending Christian schools in Haiti need the Bon Berger (Good Shepherd) and you and I too need that Good Shepherd to lead us along our journey.  The hymn ‘For all the Saints who from their labors rest’ was written by William How in 1864 and they are an excellent reminder of our journey to our Heavenly home.

“For all the saints who from their labors rest, who Thee by faith before the world confess, Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest, Alleluia! Alleluia!  Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress, and their Might; Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well-fought fight; Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.  Alleluia! Alleluia!  Oh, may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold, fight as the saints who nobly fought of old and win with them the victor's crown of gold.
Alleluia! Alleluia!  O blest communion, fellowship divine, we feebly struggle, they in glory shine; yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine.  Alleluia! Alleluia!  And when the fight is fierce, the warfare long, steals on the ear the distant triumph song, and hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.  Alleluia! Alleluia!  But, lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day; the saints triumphant rise in bright array; the King of Glory passes on His way.  Alleluia! Alleluia!  From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast, through gates of pearl streams in the countless host, singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Alleluia! Alleluia!  The golden evening brightens in the west; soon, soon, to faithful warriors cometh rest.  Sweet is the calm of Paradise the blest.  Alleluia! Alleluia!”

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay

Be a servant.

“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Mark 9:35

As a North American, the words of Christ to the twelve may be difficult to accept as our culture impresses upon us the need to be first and have everybody else in last place.  The dictionary defines the word ‘servant’ as follows; one that SERVES others; a public servant; especially one that performs duties about the person or home of a master or personal employer.  The word is ‘Middle English’ and its first known use was in the 13th century.

This word ‘servant’ has been in my thoughts over the years since the earthquake rocked Haiti on January 12, 2010 and again with the recent challenges, while watching and reading about service organizations and mission societies ‘rush’ to Haiti to provide assistance.  Too often it seems that their initial focus was to provide well-meaning aid with a true ‘servant’ attitude and after seeing what other groups were doing next to their ‘space’ they wanted the world to know that they were ‘first’ and the rest of this world needed to look at them and see what they had done.  The servant attitude had been replaced with a self-serving attitude.

The children in the attached photo attend the Lutheran school at Bas De Sceaut in the Artibonite District.  This a small class of the 98 children who are fed daily in this school.  These young servants are happy servants, going to school in this wooden structure with a dirt floor, no glass in the windows and a piece of canvas for a door.

They are learning the true meaning of Mark 9:35 and are receiving their only real meal of the day at this location.  Too often we get our priorities twisted around and fail to see what is really important in this lifetime.  Put down the wall that this world has placed around you, lower your guard and seek to follow the model of service that Christ has given you.  Martin Luther wrote the hymn ‘Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord’ a long time ago but his words are a wonderful way to close today’s message.

“Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord!  Be all Thy graces now out poured on each believer's mind and heart; Thy fervent love to them impart.  Lord, by the brightness of Thy light, Thou in the faith dost men unite of every land and every tongue; this to Thy praise, O Lord, our God, be sung.  Hallelujah! Hallelujah!  Thou holy Light, Guide Divine, oh, cause the Word of Life to shine!  Teach us to know our God aright and call Him Father with delight. from every error keep us free; let none but Christ our Master be that we in living faith abide, in Him, our Lord, with all our might confide.  Hallelujah! Hallelujah!  Thou holy Fire, Comfort true, grant us the will Thy work to do and in Thy service to abide; let trials turn us not aside.  Lord, by Thy power prepare each heart and to our weakness strength impart that bravely here we may contend, through life and death to Thee, our Lord, ascend.  Hallelujah! Hallelujah!”

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay

Solitude.

“I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.”  Psalm 119:15

While living in Haiti from March 2001 through December 2003, there were many times that I was alone, and if someone was near me, we didn’t share a common language or similar culture; there were many times when solitude was better than fellowship and when silence was wiser than speech.

I firmly believe that each of us would be stronger in our faith Christians, if we spent more time being alone, waiting on God, no matter how long that took and finding spiritual strength for service to Him by meditating on His Word.  We should first consider the things of God because only then will we get real nutrition from them.

Consider these children in Cap Haitian, preparing to eat their daily meal; simply taking food into their mouths does not nourish their bodies, for it is the full process of digestion that supplies nutrients to muscles, nerves and bones.  And it is through spiritual "digestion" that outward food is brought into our inner life.  Our souls are not nourished merely by listening for a while to this and that, and later to another portion of His Word.  Hearing, reading, examining, and learning all requires inward digestion to complete their usefulness, and that inner digesting of the truth takes place primarily by meditating on it; dwelling upon His Word.  We all need to be fed on His Word and His food daily.  Isaac Watts wrote the hymn ‘Oh, that the Lord would guide my ways’ in 1719 and it seems a fitting way to close this message.

“Oh, that the Lord would guide my ways to keep His statutes still!  Oh, that my God would grant me grace to know and do His will!  Order my footsteps by Thy Word and make my heart sincere; let sin have no dominion, Lord, but keep my conscience clear.  Assist my soul, too apt to stray, a stricter watch to keep; and should I e'er forget Thy way, restore Thy wandering sheep.  Make me to walk in Thy commands, 'Tis a delightful road, nor let my head or heart or hands offend against my God.”

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay

Being humble.

“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”   Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean.  And you are clean, though not every one of you.”  For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.Cross references:

A.John 13:7 : ver 12

B.John 13:10 : Jn 15:3

C.John 13:10 : ver 18

D.John 13:11 : S Mt 10:4

” John 13:9-11

How often have we been given an opportunity to be humble?  That is a tough lesson as this world tells us just the opposite; everything should be about me.  The letters ‘IAM’ in our time mean ‘It’s all about ME’ and you can see this same condition in the Pharisees that were confronted by Jesus throughout His ministry.

Being willing to receive, submit to others and serve others takes more grace on our part than giving to others.  Our reluctance to be on the receiving end exposes our pride in our being in charge of things; it is all about us and not about our Triune God.  Pride can be an ugly thing and if you have been insulated from it just open your ears to a concert of ‘look what we did’ or ‘look at what I am doing’ messages coming from various organizations and current political ads.  It should never be about us, but always about what He has done through us.  When we boast about how many Trinity/HOPE meals are being served we need to always begin with what our Triune God is accomplishing in Haiti through our time, treasures and talents.

When Christ went about washing the disciple’s feet, He removed His outer tunic and with a towel, pitcher, and pan in hand, He proceeded to teach another lesson to the twelve.  The response from Peter was “no, not my feet, but my head and hands too.”  Peter was capable of washing himself and didn’t need Jesus to do that for him.  God’s children in Haiti are being fed through people like you who are serving through their donations.  Learning that these children are praying for you and I daily is humbling and sometimes we may wonder why in the world would this child be praying for me.  They give thanks to God for you and your gift every day.

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay

Are you careful?

“When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”  On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’  For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:11-13

Are you careful who you eat with?  I imagine that you are these days, depending on the severity level of the pandemic in your town.  We are probably careful not to be seen in public sharing a meal with a person who happens to have their photograph on a wanted poster down at the Post Office.  There are some people that I try to avoid at mealtime because they chew with their mouths open and make irritating noises that attract attention from nearby diners; you know who you are.

Jesus is in the business of seeking the lost and bringing them the gift of life that can only be found in Him.  He would not hesitate to sit at a table across from a person who would chew their food with their mouths wide open, if they needed to hear the message of salvation.

Take a close look at some of the eighty-four children who attend the Good Samaritan Lutheran school in Les Cayes; would you consider sharing a meal with any of them?   Statistics in Haiti lead us to believe that more than half of these children come from homes where vodou is still being practiced.

All of the children in this school and all the 160 schools in Haiti where there are Trinity/HOPE feeding programs are being fed a meal and are given the news of a loving Savior, Jesus Christ, who has prepared a place for each of them in Heaven.  The hymn ‘The Savior calls; let every ear’ was written by Anne Steele in 1760 and its message will close this message.

“The Savior calls; let every ear attend the heavenly sound.  Ye doubting souls, dismiss your fear; hope smiles reviving round.  For every thirsty, Ionging heart here streams of bounty flow and life and health and bliss impart to banish mortal woe.  Here springs of sacred pleasures rise to ease your every pain; immortal fountain, full supplies!  Nor shall you thirst in vain.  Ye sinners, come, 'tis Mercy's voice; the gracious call obey; mercy invites to heavenly joys, and can you yet delay?  Dear Savior, draw reluctant hearts; to Thee let sinners fly and take the bliss Thy love imparts and drink and never die.”

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay

Being calm.

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.  And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:1-11

There were numerous times when my mother would provide me with calming words before I was about to begin one of this world’s many unescapable challenges; she prepared me with a fundamental foundation that I would ultimately find some positive value in having gone through this experience.  Her faith had brought her through the sudden death of her husband, raising two children and the grief we must have placed upon her plate during our teenage years.

Being calm when facing life’s hardships is of God as we are confident in His Word as we endure painful trials that will produce maturity which leads to reflect our love of our Heavenly Father.  While looking for a photo for this devotion the attached caught my eye.  I don’t recall where I took this but given the date, the desks, the color of the children’s uniforms and the fact that these children are praying for their daily meal it must be in the Artibonite District.

Perhaps not knowing where this was taken, makes it that much more special as when I write a check to Trinity/HOPE today as I generally don’t know which children will be receiving a meal because of my donation; it doesn’t matter because they are all His children.  They are all facing hardships and that plate of food on their desk is from Him and provides a sense of calmness in a country where there is so little hope.  In 1846 a hymn titled ‘I heard the voice of Jesus say’ was written by Horatius Bonar and the words provide a calming effect for the trials of this day.

“I heard the voice of Jesus say, "Come unto Me and rest; lay down, thou weary one, lay down, thy head upon My breast."  I came to Jesus as I was, weary and worn and sad; I found in Him a resting-place, and He has made me glad.  I heard the voice of Jesus say, "Behold, I freely give the living water; thirsty one, stoop down and drink and live."  I came to Jesus, and I drank of that life-giving stream.  My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, and now I live in Him.  I heard the voice of Jesus say, "I am this dark world's Light.  Look unto Me; thy morn shall rise and all thy day be bright."  I looked to Jesus, and I found in Him my Star, my Sun; and in that Light of Life I'll walk till traveling days are done.” 

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay

Knowing Jesus.

“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” Philippians 3:8

I read a quote from John Timmer recently that said, “You can learn about God with your mind or through your life’s experiences.  God prefers the latter.  He wants us to know Him experientially, to engage Him with our whole lives.”

I recall from a time that was back in the day from Lutheran Confirmation classes in the early 60’s, that we cannot know Jesus through another person's acquaintance with him; my faith in Jesus cannot save my children.  It must be their own personal faith.  Our faith in the 150 children who attend this Lutheran school at Lauture cannot save them; cannot save one of these lives.  They, like us must know him on our own account.

The Holy Spirit comes to us through the Word and reveals our Salvation found only through Jesus Christ.  God has called each of us here and in this school in Haiti to go and share this ‘knowledge’ of Salvation with the lost.  This knowledge of Christ Jesus will elevate us and them above all trials, and doubts, and sorrows; and it will prepare each of us for the immortality of being with our Savior enjoying His eternal joy.

Thank you for continuing to help prepare them for this journey in Haiti, with the gifts that you have sent to provide them with a feeding program while they too are prepared through Lutheran Pastors and teachers in Lauture.  In 1832 James Montgomery wrote the words for the hymn ‘Pour out Thy Spirit from on High’ and they will close this devotion.

“Pour out Thy Spirit from on high, Lord, Thine assembled servants bless; graces and gifts to each supply and clothe Thy priests with righteousness.  Before Thine altar when we stand to teach the truth as taught by Thee, Savior, like stars in Thy right hand the angels of Thy churches be.  Wisdom and zeal and faith impart, firmness with meekness, from above, to bear Thy people on our heart and love the souls whom Thou dost love.  To watch and pray and never faint by day and night strict guard to keep, to warn the sinner, cheer the saint, nourish Thy lambs, and feed Thy sheep.  Then, when our work is finished here, we may in hope our charge resign. when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, O God, may they and we be Thine!” 

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay