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This is an updated repost of one of my most popular blogs. 

On March 7, 2014, Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 disappeared from radar in flight and never was seen again. In 2018, the investigation of its disappearance ended with no one really knowing what happened to the plane with its passengers and crew. The families and friends of those missing are left to grieve and mourn the vanishing of their loved ones. 

The mysterious disappearance reminded me of the movie, “Left Behind.” That movie depicts the time when Jesus will return to collect all believing Christians from the earth and take them to heaven with Him. In the movie, the plane remained in flight with just some of its passengers missing—leaving behind clothing and jewelry and other earthly things. When that happens, will there be an intense investigation into what caused the people to vanish similar to what happened regarding the missing flight full of people? 

Jesus declared that he was definitely, positively, you-can-count-on-it-with-certainty coming back to earth to gather all of his followers across the planet—gather them to himself in the clouds. There’s no mistake about it. If Jesus said that was going to happen, it will! After all, he promised to his followers that he would be raised from the dead after being crucified. That happened! God keeps promises. 

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. — Hebrews 12:11

Every time God disciplines one of his children, he has a clear goal in mind. He wants us to bear fruit—to become more and more like our holy God so that we exhibit the characteristics that he so perfectly embodies.  

As Christian parents, we seek the same goal. Although we are broken, imperfect people, we seek to see God’s fruitfulness take root in our children’s lives.

It’s so easy to look down our 21st-century noses at the “primitive” peoples of biblical times, especially Israel’s problems with idolatry in the Old Testament. “WE don’t bow down before idols and false gods,” we think. “That was when people were less evolved intellectually and spiritually, but we modern people are so much better than that.”

I’m wondering if God agrees. I don’t think so.

My heart is stirred by the spiritual battle raging around us all the time.  Oh, that God would open the eyes of His children to see what He sees. I would that our ears might hear the clashing of swords and the clink of the armor that fills the spiritual realm.

Think about a time when you wholeheartedly loved someone and felt adored by them. As you think about that person––spouse, parent, boyfriend or girlfriend, sibling, child––how would you describe that love? What emotions or feelings come to mind?

I think of: expectation, joy, excitement, purpose, belonging, peace, contentment, hope.

Hagar, Genesis 16– An enslaved woman from Egypt serves Abraham and Sarah. When harsh treatment drives away, God sees and hears her. And she names him The God Who Sees.

Huldah, 2 Kings 22– When young King Josiah orders repairs of the LORD’s temple, the high priest finds a scroll. As the scribe reads it, the king mourns. Then he sends a delegation to the prophet Huldah to hear from God.   

Psalm 65 “Is Today Just an Everyday Day?”

Summertime for children seems to be the “same ole same ole” every day. They wake up, eat and go about their daily tasks and chores. We hear the sighs and then; is that all there is to do today; I’m bored. Sound familiar? Yes, summertime can be less exciting for children who don’t have that everyday school routine. Time to jumpstart that summer vacation by taking a journey into a day with God in Psalm 65.