The One Who Stands with Us

There is a great story in the Bible that I want to focus on for today’s thought.  Picture this scene.

Christ has arrived early to the Temple to teach a class.  A crowd of eager listeners gather and so the class begins.  Sooner than soon there is a disruption right in the middle of his lesson. 

A group of religious types –teachers and church leaders, burst in on the meeting dragging a woman into the middle of His lesson.  She is barely covered, more by using her hands in strategic places than by any snatches of cloth that is available to her, for she has been snatched straight from the bedchamber in her near naked state and is being forced to stand before the Christ.

The disruptive clan leader speaks.  “Teacher, we caught this woman in the middle of committing an adulterous act.  She was in bed with the man, and we dragged her here so you could see for yourself.  The Law of Moses clearly says to stone her.  What do you say?”

And here is what happened next.  He bent down.  He bent down and began writing on the floor. 

They were being ignored.  They said it louder.  “Teacher, what do you say?  The law says this.  What about your opinion?

They were setting a trap, you see.

He wrote a bit more, and then He stood up.  Christ stood up.  He looked at the woman.  She was trembling.  Her hair was a mess, shame was written all across her face, and she hung her head.  She expected the worst pronouncement of all from this man.

And Christ spoke.  He didn’t speak to her.  He spoke to the crowd.  His words echoed off the stone walls, and reverberated around the chapel chamber.

“Those without any sin my certainly cast the first stones.”

And then he bent down and wrote in the dirt.  He wrote more.

If you listen closely, you’ll hear a few well-placed thuds as the stones are falling to the ground, and you’ll hear some of them rolling around as they bounce off the hard ground. 

When He looked up, the woman still stood before Him.  She was still attempting to cover her body, and she still hung her head in shame and guilt. 

He asked her:  “Where are your accusers?  Is there no one now accusing you?

She looked around.  Shock and awe must have been in her expression, for she alone was standing in front of the man, the Christ.

She spoke in a faltering voice.  “They … they must have left.  No one is here accusing me any longer.”

And He spoke the words.  “Neither do I condemn you.  Go and sin no more.”

What a great story.  And it is not a parable – a make-believe illustration but a real life experience.

Christ stood with her when the accusers came to destroy her. 

And still today we experience the same.  Christ is on our side.  He offers redemption and restoration when others issue proclamations and decrees of condemnation.  When others judge our motives, our past and our weaknesses, Christ stands with us.

Max Lucado puts it this way.  “(Christ) is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us.”  (Romans 8:34)

When the accusations fly, his grace flows.  And it flows all the way down to where you and I stand, and covers our sins and missteps. 

He is our defense attorney.  He pleads our case for us. 

Are you placing your trust in this Christ?

He is THE one who stands with us when the stones fly, the words accuse and the court of public opinion turns south on us.

He is our ally.

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Searching for a Savior

When I meet someone for the first time I try and look into their eyes.  And what do I see? 

Fear

  Courage

    Boldness

      Anger

        Love

          Mercy

            Confidence

              Tenderness

                Trust

                  Evil intent

When I metaphorically look into the eyes of God my Savior, I see mercy.

MERCY!

I hope you do too.

I see a generously kind and grace-filled Savior looking for His wayward child.

Are you a lonely soul in need of a Savior?  Then perhaps this will cheer your heart.  I’m borrowing some lyrics from Sandi Patti’s great song There Is a Savior, written by Greg Nelson and Bob Farrell.

There is a Savior, what joys express

His eyes are mercy, His word is rest

For each tomorrow and yesterdays

There is a Savior who lights our way.

Those are reassuring words, wouldn't you say? 

I especially love the phrase “His eyes are mercy, His word is rest.”

The world begs for mercy.  Harshness abounds on every side.  Payment is demanded.

And sometimes we want to cry out in great despair … Is There No Mercy?

And if we look at the balance sheet on which our lives and deeds are represented, we might see great gaps, goofs, missteps and misspoken words, dastardly deeds, and some stupid acts. 

Where can we find mercy for this bundle of badness?

The invitation is offered. 

“Come unto me, all who labor 

and are heavy laden.  

I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28

And when we approach to accept the invitation, what do we find? 

Amazing relief

     Sins forgiven

          The past washed away

               A clean slate

Here is the verse to this great song. 

Are there burdens in your heart

Is your past a memory that binds you

Is there some pain that you've carried far too long

Then strengthen your heart with His good news

There is a Savior and He’s forgiving you

Now, treat yourself to this full blown version of the Talley’s singing this song.

A Prayer for All of Us

God:

I am a soul in need of a Savior.  Even at my best I often feel so inadequate. 

Help, God.

Is there really some relief from this burden of my own doing?  Is there a way out from under this weight that I bear?

If so, I’d really like some help.  I need a bucket load of help, if you don’t mind.

And so I ask … and so I expect to receive.

Your scared and very weary child,

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Impossible Is Possible

Don’t you hate impossible situations, closed doors, stubborn relationships, mountains that can’t be climbed, and a bank account that is empty?

If there is one encouraging thought to give you today, it would be this. 

“Impossible is one of God’s favorite words.”

~Max Lucado

In Luke 1:37 Mary had just been visited by Gabriel, the chief angel of God, and she heard some perplexing news. 

   It was preposterous. 

      It was beyond imagination. 

         It was impossible. 

Her question is this:  “How can this be?”

In other words …

No way Hosea.  Are you crazy? 

Did you misunderstand the plan? 

How can I get pregnant when I've had no relationship with a man?

And the great answer comes: 

“For with God nothing shall be impossible.”

And the answer still echoes across the ages, across the gap between heaven and earth and from my heart to yours.  It is perhaps the great promise from God to mankind. 

He is saying in effect:

     ~I've got this.

     ~I see you and I know what you need.

     ~I haven’t abandoned you.

     ~I am the steady hand on the wheel of your life.

     ~Let me fight your battles for you.

I've seen a few impossible things change to possibilities before my eyes.  

-I was once given a money gift of 

$3,000 when I was down to a 

few dollars in my bank account. 

-I've been given grace 

when I should have 

been given grief.

-I've seen people healed 

when the prognosis 

was typically certain death. 

-I've survived near misses 

and an auto accident 

that could have been the end.

What have you seen?  Have you had an impossible miracle?

Remember, with God nothing is impossible. 

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Trash into Trophies

What happens when you are able to take a trip to the trash heap and find something that is actually usable and useful?  Well, that becomes a red-letter day.  That is something to shout about, not to mention the stories one can now tell of the miraculous transformation.

Trash into Trophies – that has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?

There are and have been some stories of mankind that fit this descriptor. 

I immediately think of King David.  He was the apple of God’s eye.  He was a striking young man and he stood head and shoulders above all other young men of his day.

One fine day, he stumbled into the trash heap and had an affair with a married women.  Not only that, in an effort to cover his tracks he put her husband on the front line in battle the next day and then told the other squad members to pull back so that he was left alone to be killed by the enemy. 

And yet again, David found his way back into the good grace of God.  He was redeemed, restored, and reigned once again as God’s chosen man.  He was a trophy of God’s grace.

And remember Peter?  He was a man’s man.  He was strong of body and strong of will.  He was an expert fisherman, and showed some natural born leadership characteristics.  Yet he had a moment in time as a traitor. 

A TRAITOR! 

Who wants a traitor on their side?  I surely don’t. 

In a courtyard one cold night, Peter got recognized as one of the followers of the Christ.  He was even fingerprinted, so to speak.  Yet he vehemently denied the charge.  He said it loud and long and even repeated it three times. 

He said, “I do not know that man.”

He lied.  He turned to the dark side in that one moment and disassociated himself with Christ.  And thankfully that is not the end of the story. 

He repented. 

  He confessed. 

    He wept.

      And He came back to grace.

He left the trash heap of the traitor and became a marvelous trophy of the grace of God.

In these two examples we see enough of the dark side to know something of the depth of despair each man had sank.  And yet, the long arm of grace reached down and lifted them up, dusted them off, and set them on the road to living a redeemed life once again.

And God in His grace continues to do that today.

Are you living near the trash heap?  Are you visiting the dung heap more than the dining hall?

Is your life sinking deeper and deeper into the toilet? 

Come to the one who can redeem you and clean your clothes, clear your mind and revive your spirit.  Come to the redeeming hands of God.  He loves you too much to let you continue sinking into the misery you have been wallowing in.

Please watch this

Sinner Saved by Grace

God:

Can you reach one such as me?  Can you work your magic on the likes of me and where I've been and what I've done?

Then if you can, would you come down and give me a double dose of your grace?

Thank you God.

Amen.

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

God Revealed

Sometimes God seems to play hide-and-seek and sometimes He shows up in bold ways.  Do you ever wonder how to spot God at work in your life?

Let me start with this paraphrase of a famous poem – Footprints in the Sand.  (Follow this link to read the entire poem - Footprints in the Sand (Poem) 

The story goes like this – a man is looking back over his life and sees his earthly path as a set of footprints in the sand.  Often there are two sets of footprints, and the deduction is that God is walking with him during those moments. 

When he comes to a section of the trail where there is only one set of footprints he questions God.  Did you abandon me?  Did you leave me alone to fend for myself?

And God answers – “No, my child.  Those were the hard places in life and those were the times when I carried you to a safer place.”

I think that is a sample of God being revealed in our lives. 

We are reminded in Deuteronomy 31:8:  “The Lord goes before you; He will be with you, he will not fail you nor forsake you.”

Sometimes God reveals himself in the form of a word of hope and encouragement from some obscure source.

Sometimes He uses TV, radio, newsprint, or an internet connection to spread His work of encouragement. 

On other occasions He uses circumstances and life situations to reveal Himself and to draw our attention away from self and onto Him and His grace and guidance 

A personal story:  My brother Tom passed away this morning.  We are saddened, we are distraught and we have questions, however, I see God revealed in the middle of this misery.  Prayers are being prayed for all of us, we are able to continue to place the next foot in front of the last step and keep living, and we have family and friends who surround us with love, emotional support and the healing touch from one human to another. 

God is being revealed in all of these ways.  That is what He does. 

God comes down and abides with us and yes, even carries us when the path is hard, or steep, or crooked, even through the valley of the death of a loved one.

Do I believe God exists?  Yes I do, for I sense His abiding presence in the middle of my loss. 

God is with us, very present, very real, giving us a steady step.

That is all we need for now.

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Does God Want Me

I had an epiphany tonight as I was thinking about this blog.  My use of this term is this:  “A moment when you suddenly realize or understand something important.”

So here it is.

When searching through my blog ideas I shot up a prayer something like this:  “God, what do you want to say through me tonight?”

I stopped in my tracks and had an internal conversation much like this.

“Who do you think you are, Mr. Biggs, that God would dare want to use you?  Look at you.  Look at what meager accomplishments you have to show for yourselves. 

“Look at where your thoughts have traveled this week.  Remember that vindictive conversation you had with yourself over John? 

“And God knows this and that.  He knows your worst sins, and your weakest moments.  He knows what you are lousy at.  He knows how you fumble the ball often in some certain areas.  He knows your dumbest blunders and worst behaviors. 

“How dare you think God would want to use the likes of you?”

Does this sound like conversations you've had with yourself lately?  You wonder how God could ever love you, like you even, and especially, especially have any useful place in His kingdom for you to fulfill. 

We all do I suppose.  So is there any hope for the likes of us?  I think so. 

Start with these thoughts.

“I will never leave you or forsake you.”  Note that there are no qualifiers here.  He doesn't say ‘after you right all wrongs, after you clean up, wash your mouth out with lye soap, put on clean clothes, and a few thousand other actions.  No, He doesn't say any of that.  He just says “I’ll never leave you.” 

I think that means He is with us even in the middle of the bad times, bad attitudes, bad language, bad actions and worse reactions.

And in another place He says, “Come unto me, everyone who is weary, heavy hearted, and worn out.  I will give you rest.”  That is my paraphrase but the nugget of truth is there.  Again, there are no restrictions on who should not approach.  He says “all, everyone, every nationality, every color, every sexual label, and every degree of health or sickness.” 

“Come one and all” is the intent.

So, when we go back to my opening thought, I posed the idea of “why would

God want to use the likes of me and you?

Why?

Because He sees that spark of divinity inside each of us the He placed there at our conception.  He sees what we are capable of – all the good, the right, the acceptable, and the possibilities that He had in mind when we were conceived.  And He loves us as much now, in whatever state of upswing or downward trend we may be on, as He loved us on the day of our meager beginning.

Does God want to use you and me?

You bet He does.  He wants us so badly that He opened both arms in love and let some nails be driven through His hands and feet, and He died on a Roman cross just for us.  

Just for you and just for me.

God wants to use us to reach others of His children. 

It is the “being willing to be willing” part He is seeking. 

Are you willing?

Please watch this video 

of Crystal Lewis - 

Come just as You Are.

A Prayer for All of Us

God:

If you can use me I am willing to be willing.

So here I come, warts and all, the false parts, the foul parts, the hard places, and the distrust and lack of faith parts.  I bring it all to you.

Just as I am, just like the song says.

It’s just me God.  Just little ole’ me.

A scared child seeking a big miracle from an even bigger God.  I can’t even imagine how you might ever use me, but if you can use the likes of me, then take me as I am.

Amen.

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Walking Toward Restoration

Where does one start when seeking restoration? 

The logical answer is we start where we are.  In whatever state of aspiring or despairing we find ourselves, that is a good place to start.

That means if my clothes are dirty and torn, so be it.  I start my journey with dirty and torn clothes.

If my heart is broken, I start there and lay all of the pieces at the feet of God.

If I am confused, I bring my confusion to the One who can unconfused me.

If I am lonely, I bring my loneliest self to the God of comfort and grace.

If I need a bath, then I bring my dirty self to the one who can clean me both inside and out.

My understanding of God is this … He looks for us coming down the road, as in the story of the prodigal son, and when we come into view He runs to greet us.  He stretches out His arms in a welcoming embrace and before we can even get very far into our repentant speech He, the God of Heaven, is commanding the calf to be prepared, the good dishes set out, and the robe to be brought.  And not just any robe will do.  He asks for the best robe, and a new pair of shoes for our feet. 

He treats us like … like a treasured child. 

That is what we are.  We are treasured by the Father.

When we come to God seeking restoration we have to remember a couple of things.  We come with nothing to offer.  We come with no authority, no agenda except restoration, and we are not in charge of anything except the will to seek restoration.

We strip ourselves of pride, arrogance, manipulation, scheming, and posturing.  We find that raw self, and present him or her to the God who can do the amazing work of restoration and forgiveness.

The words we utter don’t matter.

Anne Lamont says:  “Help is a pretty great prayer.”  It’s simple and to the point.

And now, you have a significant compass to help guide you on the road toward restoration.

God the Father is waiting for you. 

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time