Sabbath Rest 6

Matthew 27:50-51 “Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in town, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart.” NLT

Much of my life was spent feeling like an outsider. I was younger than the other kids in my neighborhood, and while I desperately tried to keep up, I was just smaller. As I grew older, I was always a little different. My artsy, introverted personality kept me from making many friends, and as I grew into adulthood, my classification as a woman clergy automatically labeled me as “different.” In mind though, I just thought I was on the outside because I was obese. The theme throughout all of those circumstances, though, was that I was an outsider. People were generally nice to me, and things weren’t all bad, but most of the time, I just wanted to blend into the wall. To this very day, I don’t enjoy calling attention to myself, which makes preaching pretty tricky. There are still times that I think to myself in the middle of a sermon, “These people are looking directly at me!”

The account of the death of Jesus as recorded in Matthew tells that at the moment Jesus releases His Spirit, the veil of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. In short, this veil that it speaks of served as the barrier between the Holy of Holies, the place where the Spirit of God dwelt, and the place where the Israelites worshipped. This curtain’s ripping from top to bottom was important because no one but God could’ve done that. And secondly, we realize that now we have access to worship Him, in His very presence. Now we can go into the Holy of Holies and make our own petitions known. When the Temple veil was ripped, we knew that Jesus is our High Priest, who has made the final and ultimate sacrifice for our sins. We gained the right to worship, and we are no longer outsiders. He accepts us, just as we are because we have been bought with the precious blood of Jesus.

As we face another week, let’s remember that because of Jesus, we don’t have to feel that we are outsiders, alone, or less-than-desirable. His sacrifice opened the door for us to be able to worship, in the presence of Almighty God. He accepts us, and He makes us worthy.

What characteristics have you used to label yourself in the past? Whether they’re good or bad, think more of what God thinks of you. Chosen, loved, saved, creation, child...all of these are what Jesus made us by dying on the cross and defeating the grave.

Encouragement for Today

Hebrews 13:15 “Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.” NLT

Ephesians 1:4-5 “Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.” ESV

Christmas in the Parsonage

This time of year brings a lot of nostalgia. The movie White Christmas and Alabama's Christmas CDs are my favorite. But there are also other thoughts that come to mind this time of year. Christmastime makes me think of handmade purses, LifeSaver books, Avon perfume, and brown paper bags filled with fruit and peppermint. You see, I think I was the most blessed preacher's kid on the planet. Every Christmas was made special because of church people that truly cared for my sister and me. They prayed for us, blessed us with gifts, invested in us, and believed in us. We didn't have a lot monetarily or materially throughout the year, but Christmas...Christmas was different. The cabinets couldn't hold the food that the church gave as they "pounded" the pastor. An extra week's pay was the normal, but church members would always give above and beyond the Church's gift.

Because of that church's love for us, the bar was set high for any church family that came into our lives as Heath and I started our own ministry. Each church we've pastored has been different, but at Christmas, they've always come through. Every one of those churches loved our children, and symbolically gave them something they knew my kids would enjoy at Christmas.

It wasn't about the gifts. It's never been about the gifts. Even when thinking about the earliest Christmas memory I have at church, I've always been in amazement that people would take the time and money to  give something to someone as "insignificant" as the preacher's kids.

But because of the churches I've been blessed to be a part of, I've always known that should the time ever come, I would give back.

I couldn't wait this year to get involved in a church so that I could give. We didn't have much time this year to get to know them, so I settled on giving the kids gift cards to their favorite stores. I was shocked and amazed when their mom told me that no church member had ever remembered their kids at Christmas.  What?!?!

If you haven't already, please remember your pastor's family this year at Christmas. They work hard all year long to take care of your family, most of the time, away from their own. They don't get to go spend time with their families at holidays like Easter and Christmas because they're ministering. It's not just the pastor that works in the ministry. The whole family is involved. The whole family gets to church early, stays late, cleans up during the week, plans events, sits in the car while dad visits at the hospital, and sacrifices financially.

They deserve all the joy in the world that we can offer. Let's show gratitude. Let me tell you....when you do...you'll receive joy in return.