These last few
months I have been reading in the book of James and also with Paul in Philippians, one
teaches the blessings of works, the other teaches the blessings of grace. It was amazing to see, each week, the
similarities of the blessings one to the other, despite the controversies. Controversies that Beth Moore alludes to and
controversies Martin Luther spoke out about.
The differences found in the words of James, works; what good is faith
without it and the words of Paul, grace; for it is by grace we are saved.
Works and grace...different, yet the same. Most of you, who know me,
know that I love controversies too but mostly...I
love reminders.
I have
discovered more than ever, that in spite of the controversies God is
constant. He teaches us a lesson and then
He teaches it again and again and again. I love learning a lesson, but even more,I love learning it again; being reminded, this is confirmation of His constant
presence. I love that
too,confirmations that God is there, I believe it... I know it.
My newest
reminder has been about interruptions and blessings.
I had been
in Ontario for a week and came home to a few telephone messages. One of them was from John’s 93 year old
Aunt. I had come home from my holiday,
sick with a cold, it wouldn’t be fair to go to her with my sickness, but I
phoned her back to chat, to see how she was.
She was glad to hear my voice and began to tell me her story. She had been going every day to visit her
sister, arriving there at two in the afternoon and staying until seven in the
evening. A friend or the bus would bring
her and she would call a taxi to bring her home. For two weeks she sat vigil with her older sister,
a sister who was dying. My Aunt traveled everyday to sit beside her, to be there,
looking into her face when she woke, to hold her body down when she became
restless and to simply confirm her love for the only sister she ever knew. Over ninety years of holding on to one another. My Aunt soothed and settled and held her sister. The sweetest sister one could have to hold you.
But I... I told her that even though I really wanted to, I was sick and
couldn’t help out by picking her up at the evening’s end. She said “Judy, I have been through much, I am
not worried about a cold.” And I said “ I will pick you up at seven.” This I could do for the sweetest sister. My heart ached for her as I watched her leave her sisters room.
An
interruption? No, an intervention that
held a blessing...a divine blessing.
The very
next day when my Aunt arrived for her vigil, her sister passed from this world, her
earthly struggles over.
What a
blessing for me to have helped in such a small way for someone in a time of great
need.
Such a
humbling reminder, that the needs that come across our path are not interruptions;
they are divine interventions.
This is the
story of Easter too. We are reminded of the cross and a Life interrupted
to bring us salvation...truly, a Divine Intervention.
“His coming, His death
and His resurrection really do melt heaven and earth together,
make death into
sugar and turn all ills, of which there are many into delectable wine.”
Martin Luther
God Bless,
Happy Easter.
