Putting Ourselves in the Right Place

 

 

“On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river where we thought there would be a place of prayer. We sat and spoke with the women who had gathered there. One of them, a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth, from the city of Thyatira, a worshiper of God, listened, and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying.”

–Acts 16:13-14

 Paul and Silas kept their eyes, minds, and hearts open to where God wanted them to go, and this mindfulness had a ripple effect: First they searched for a peaceful place where they could pray. There, they met a group of women and shared with them the Good News of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Then the Lord opened Lydia’s heart to Paul’s message, and she proceeded to offer her home to be used as a kind of ‘home base’ where the disciples could gather and encourage each other in their ministry (see Acts 16:40). In a sense, Lydia’s home became the first church. All this happened because the disciples followed where the Lord was leading them.

We can follow Paul and Silas’ example and put ourselves where we believe God wants us. For example, we may notice when a coworker appears stressed, and look for an opportunity to offer a listening ear or a word of encouragement to her. We may walk away from conversations that are toxic. We may take steps during our lunch hour to open our hearts and minds to God by doing some spiritual reading; going outside or even gazing out a window and thanking God for His beautiful creation; or spending a few minutes in a quiet church.

Another way we put ourselves in a place for the Lord to work through us is when we stand up for what is right. This may be done in any of a number of ways, such as voting and supporting those who work for peace and justice.

Sometimes we encounter roadblocks, and we discover that He’s leading us in another direction. Sometimes the opposite happens: doors unexpectedly open for us and we’re given opportunities we never knew existed.

As long as we follow the Lord’s lead and go where we believe He wants us to go, we can be confident He’ll use us to accomplish His work.

“Guide our steps, Lord, to put ourselves where You want us to be.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! Feel free to share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

 p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

 

 

A True Story

 

 Sometimes God uses everyday objects to get our attention.  This was one of those times:

For weeks the dark clouds had followed me. You may know the feeling: You have much that you feel grateful for and you also feel yourself being dragged down, emotionally and spiritually. During this time, I seemed to spend a lot of energy trying to pick myself up. I repeatedly asked God to pull me out of this long-lasting slump, and then figured He wanted me to learn something about faith and perseverance. So, I kept praying, hoping He heard me.

Last Monday I was out for my usual walk around the neighborhood with thoughts and prayers swirling in my head. I thanked God for each member of our wonderful family and asked Him to continue to bless them. Then, as I crossed the street, I spotted a lone puzzle piece on the pavement – a single, plain white puzzle piece. “That’s odd,” I thought. “How did that get here? That’s so weird.” I didn’t pick it up because I thought maybe it had fallen out of its box, as strange as that seemed. I looked down at it and said to myself, “Someone’s looking for this missing piece.” Then Shel Silverstein’s book The Missing Piece came to mind and those words, the missing piece, looking for my missing piece, got stuck in my head like an earworm.

That night I woke up in the middle of the night. I eventually made myself stop tossing and turning. Then, in my mind, I handed over to God all the debris in there that was making me restless and contributing to those dark clouds. After a while my mind cleared, my body relaxed, and I slept soundly the rest of the night.

In the morning I tore off the page of my daily calendar, and this is what I saw:

 

“Thank You, Lord. Thank You for reassuring us that You’re with us, You hear us, and You love us. Thank You.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! Feel free to share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

 p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

 

He Wants YOU on His Team

 

 

“(Jesus said:) ‘It is not you who chose me, but I who chose you, and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name He may give you.’”

--John 15:16

 Christ wants us to be clear on this. It makes a difference:  When you choose something -- for example, to sign up for a class or support a particular cause – you may not know if you’ll fit in or if you’re needed. The person in charge might not know anything about you except your name, if that.

But Christ has chosen you. He wants you on His team. He knows everything about you. He loves you. You are valuable and necessary in His mission! Teresa of Avila explains why:

‘Christ has no body but yours,

No hands, no feet on earth but yours.

Yours are the eyes with which He looks compassion on this world.

Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good.

Yours are the hands with which He blesses all the world.

Yours are the hands.

Yours are the feet.

Yours are the eyes.

You are His body.

Christ has no body now on earth but yours.’

 God needs you to get His message out to the world! Think of the circumstances surrounding where you live, the work you do, and the people you interact with both professionally and socially. God has chosen you to show His love in those places, with those people, using the gifts and talents He’s given you. That’s why He created you with those particular skills!

When we accept Christ’s appointment and root our actions and intentions in Him, we’ll bring Him closer to the people around us. True, we’ll make mistakes. He knows this, and still He chooses us to be on His team. He helps us use these experiences to grow in our faith and trust in Him so that we may do the works that He does and even greater ones than these (see John 14:12).

God has chosen you for a reason: There’s no one else in the world like you to do the work He needs you to do!

“Thank You, Lord, for choosing me! Show me how and where I can bring You to the people around me.”

 

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! Feel free to share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

 p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

 

A Peace Meal

 

“Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish you just caught… Come, have breakfast.’”

–John 21:10, 12

 

The last time the apostles ate with Jesus was at The Last Supper, right before all of them (except John) ran away when Jesus was arrested and then crucified.  Now, they come ashore and see Him cooking breakfast on the beach (see John 21:9). He asks them to contribute some of what they have to the meal, and He invites them to join Him in it. What’s His message here?

Jesus wants to offer the apostles more than food; He wants to feed their souls as well as their bodies. When He holds out His hand to accept their fish, it’s a gesture of peace. They abandoned Him that Holy Thursday night, and now He comes into their presence and cooks breakfast for them. Through this humble act, He reassures them that He’s not holding a grudge. Also, by asking them to add what they have to what He already has prepared, He lets them see themselves as His partners. He invites them to leave behind the pain of the past and move forward: He has forgiven them. He still considers them His friends. He still loves them. He still has big plans for them.

Jesus does the same for you. He offers you His food for your soul: His friendship, His peace, His forgiveness, His love. Accept the peace He wants to give you. Thank Him for His blessings. Look for evidence of His love in the people and places all around you. He wants you to experience His love, and He invites you to share in His work of showing that love to the world. He’s present to you whenever you come to Him, no matter where you come from or what you’ve done in the past. Tell Him what’s been troubling you and let Him put His reassuring words in your head and heart. He wants you to see yourself as His partner and friend. He loves you; He has big plans for you.

Jesus will accept our contributions, our gifts, talents, and all we have to offer to partner with Him in His work. Let’s imitate His benevolent and peacemaking gestures. Kind of like a charcoal grill that transforms dead, smelly fish into something nourishing and delicious, so can Christ’s presence, friendship, love, and peace – made available to us through His cross and resurrection -- transform our humble acts of kindness and charity into grace-filled, love-filled actions that can change the world.

“Lord, thank You for calling me Your friend. I want to partner with You to bring Your love and peace to the world.”

 

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! Feel free to share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

 p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

 

His Purpose at Work

 

“Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples... He said to them, ‘Cast your net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.’” –John 21:1, 6

The apostles are good at what they do. They’re able to provide for their families with the fish they catch. This night, though, they’ve caught nothing. Their usual way of doing things isn’t working. He tells them to cast their nets over the right side. We usually interpret ‘right’ here as being the opposite of left, but if we read it as ‘correct’ the message changes a bit. They do it His way and haul in a boatful of fish.

What about you? Maybe you used to feel productive, but lately you haven’t. Maybe you feel stagnant. Picture yourself telling Jesus how empty life feels sometimes. Imagine Him saying something like this to you:

“You’re doing good things; now, change how you do them. Try My way. Change your attitude from that of ho-hum obligation to one of anticipation and expectation of what I may do through you in your work. Let Me reveal Myself to you and those around you. Drop the attitudes of ‘Is this all there is?’ and ‘There’s nothing to look forward to.’ You have ME to look forward to. Look up and out instead of downcast and you’ll see Me. ‘Cast your net over the right side of your boat and you’ll find something’ -- you’ll find Me.”

Our Lord’s not asking for an attitude adjustment; He’s asking for a purpose adjustment. Look beyond the work itself and see it as part of His mission. You play an important role in His work of loving the world! He needs you to reveal Himself to the people around you. You may see it as only a job, but consider: Your friendly smile may reassure a stressed coworker or customer. The father of a feverish child might offer a silent prayer of thanks when he sees you’ve stocked the store shelf with the medicine his little son needs. The products you sell may be treasured gifts that strengthen friendships. Your compassionate ear may help a young woman feel valuable, which motivates her to take better care of herself. The music you share lifts the spirits of your listeners. The small children you care for will learn from you how to show love and respect to others.

Your way was good; now our Lord may be asking you to let Him show you a more fulfilling way – with Him as your purpose. Let Him use you to reveal His love for the world through your work.

“Lord, I want to work for and with You. Show me the way.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! Feel free to share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

 

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

 

Look for Me

 

  “Then the disciples returned home. But Mary (of Magdala) stayed outside the tomb weeping.”

 --John 20:10-11 

Mary couldn’t leave; she stayed there alone, weeping with grief. Something, or Someone, was tugging at her heart. As she wept, she peered into the tomb, searching. She saw two angels sitting where the body of Jesus had been. Then the risen Lord greeted her, allowing her to be the first person to see Him after He rose from the dead (see John 20:11-18).

Our Lord wants us to search for Him, too. Sometimes, we look outside ourselves and find Him in the people and circumstances around us. Look for Him in the new employee humbly trying to learn the ropes. Look for His smile in puppies and kittens. Draw on His patience in slow traffic. Seek His wisdom to guide you in your work. Soak in His peace when the baby’s sleeping, and lean on His calming presence when she’s crying.

Other times, we stop and let Jesus come to us. How? Give Him ten minutes of your day. Find a quiet place – a room in your home, an empty church, your back yard, or even your parked car -- and silence your phone. Start by thanking Him for this time you’ll get to spend with Him. Then, pick a short passage in the Bible and read it slowly and attentively. (The Gospels are a good place to start.) You might want to read it more than once. Notice what strikes you as you read. Next, sit still and think about what you’ve just read; the ideas that come to mind may be Him trying to tell you something. You may want to jot down your ideas. Finally, thank Him again and ask Him to stay with you and guide you as you go about the rest of your day.

Imagine Him saying to you:

“Stay and look for Me, like Mary did. Don’t be in such a hurry to get back to your routine, like the apostles did. Stop for a few moments and you’ll be rewarded. Tell Me what’s on your mind. Then, be still and wait. Sometimes you’ll get answers, and sometimes you’ll get only quiet. The quiet is holy when you spend it with Me. I’m working in your heart even when you feel nothing or get no apparent answers. I want to spend time with you. I love seeing you wanting to spend time with Me. Go deeper. Let Me reach into your heart. I want you to experience My love for you. Look for Me, and you’ll find Me. Listen, and you’ll hear Me. Open your heart to Me and let Me fill it. Be at peace. I love you.”

“Lord, let me find You.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! Feel free to share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

 p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

 

Why Didn't Jesus Fight Back?

 

During this Holy Week, we recall how Christ was accused of blasphemy, mocked, beaten, and crucified, and then rose from the dead. We may wonder: Why didn’t He use His divine power to fight back against those who wanted to destroy Him? A modern-day movie may help us understand.

“Hacksaw Ridge” tells the true story of Desmond Doss, a Christian who enlists as an army medic during WWII. He wants to contribute to the war effort; at the same time, a traumatic experience when he was younger results in his refusal to handle a gun. His fellow soldiers mock him, beat him, and taunt him mercilessly, wanting him to fight back, but he takes their assaults without saying a word or raising his fists. The other men realize they’re powerless against him; they can’t make him give in or fight back, and so he wins those fights by not fighting. Later, at the horrific Battle of Okinawa, he tends to the wounded and still refuses to touch a weapon. He ends up risking his own life to save the lives of 75 men – the same soldiers who attacked him for being a ‘weakling.’ (Watch the movie to find out how!) If he had given in to save himself from their attacks, he wouldn’t have been in a position to save the others.

“He was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins…

He was silent and opened not his mouth…

Through his suffering, my servant shall justify many, and their guilt he shall bear.”

--Isaiah 53:5, 7, 11 

Christ didn’t fight back because He knew He could accomplish something greater by letting them kill Him. He loves us so much that He offered Himself to be punished for our sins; our sins were nailed to the cross with Him. He didn’t fight death because He knew He would conquer death. He knew He would rise from the dead, and He had to die first in order to rise.

Jesus’ resurrection proved that God’s love is more powerful than evil, more powerful than sin, and more powerful than even death itself. Satan could coerce the crowd to turn against Jesus and crucify Him, but Satan couldn’t keep Christ dead. Jesus was dead and buried, He rose from the dead, and He is still alive! His resurrection won eternal life for Himself and us.

“Thank You, Lord, for offering Yourself to be crucified for our sins so that we may join You in eternal life.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! Please share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

 p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/... 

Checks may be made payable to Cleveland Maidan Association and mailed to

Pokrova Ukrainian Church

6812 Broadview Rd.

Parma, OH 44134