Wind,Rain,Winding Roads & Sunshine, The By-Ways of Life

In the Garden

It was his daily routine. Just like any other day. Getting up, having tea, checking the schedule, passing out the changes. Always the same, it never changed. Sending his servants shopping at the market, inquiring after their families, taking care of his soldiers, he always had something to do. No, life was certainly not boring for him. Even the Jewish community considered him to be somewhat strange, there was something about him that was different from the other captains of the Roman Guards, although they still considered him to be a heathen in their eyes.

A man of prayer, he prayed daily. He had learned to  cultivate this habit of prayer through a deep desire to know this GOD who was honored by the Jewish people. He, himself was born a Roman citizen. Nothing else was considered a higher honor by the people of Rome. However, he had now come  to believe that there was something more precious than being Roman. Thus, his quiet time in his  garden with the unseen GOD of whom he could only imagine that HE was merciful, drove him daily to seek HIM.

His men, his servants were in awe of his character. He respected them. Trustworthiness, fairness and faithfulness were high on their description lists when they thought about him. In fact, some of the soldiers had committed themselves to doing as he did and sought after the Unknown GOD.  Not knowing why, they felt that something in what he did was the way to real life. They all could testify that how he lived among others was very much in agreement with what he said  and that he  esteemed others, regardless of their walk in life.

Being a captain in the Roman Army had given him many privileges that others did not have and he knew it. And yet, there was this small yearning within him that made him sure that there was something else or someone else who was much greater than the sum of it all.  Thus, in his quiet time, he sought, talked and listened for this Unknown GOD who was very quiet and with whom he knew very little  about.

Then one day, it happened.  Unexpectedy, at that same old habitual daily time, it happened. He did not receive a message or a sign. He was not really expecting anything unusual. It was just a plain old ordinary day and he was doing what he had always done at that time.  Blinking his eyes, he could hardly believe it. There standing before him was an angel of GOD! He was so caught off guard that he was afraid to move. His mouth was dry and his hands shook.  

"Cornelius", he said "Your prayers and neighborly acts have brought you to GOD's attention. Here's what you are to do. Send men to Joppa to get Simon, the one everyone calls Peter. He is staying with Simon the Tanner, whose house is down by the sea". (Acts 10:4-6,THE MESSAGE) And then he disappeared. The angel just disappeared into thin air!

Excitement trembled in his voice as he called out loudly for two of his servants and a devout soldier from his guard. Reporting to them all that he had seen and heard, he entrusted them with the greatest mission of their lives. They were to bring back the man Simon whom everyone called Peter.  He had no doubt that Peter would come. Even though he knew that  he was a Roman citizen and that it was forbidden for the Jewish people to enter into the homes of the Romans. But he also knew that this Unknown GOD had already taken care of the details for Peter to come. Thinking loudly to himself he said " I must only obey what I heard. This GOD has taken care of the rest".  He knew that his life was about to change forever.

As they went on their way, his excitement continued to rise. He could not keep still.  Something within him drove him out of his house.  Needing to talk to someone, he went about visiting relatives and friends, telling everyone who would listen and inviting them to join him in his wait.  After all, he was sure that something great was about to happen and he wanted as many people as possible to be in on it.

Thus, when Peter entered into Cornelius' home, accompanied by a few Jewish witnesses, he found a house full of people gathered together to hear whatever he had to say.  Peter, having already been shown by the HOLY SPIRIT that he was to accompany the people who came seeking him without question, was very surprised.  After a short rebuke to Cornelius, for bringing him into disgrace among his own Jewish people with the entering of a non-Jewish Home, Peter bravely began to talk about JESUS and the things that JESUS had proclaimed while he was on earth.

Cornelius and all the people in his house listened intensely and suddenly they were overwhelmed with joy, their mouths opened and they gave utterance in words that no one could understand.  The Jewish companions who had accompanied Peter were astonished!  Peter was shocked!  Amazed, they looked on helplessly as the HOLY SPIRIT baptized each of the persons into the family of GOD!

The diligent seeking of GOD by one man started a revolution in Caesarea.  Not only did 'Cornelius get saved but the Unknown God, who was now Known had revealed Himself to him as the one and only GOD, the Creator that does not show favoritism but accepts men and women from every nation who fear him and do what is right". (Acts 10:34-35, THE MESSAGE)

Wow, what a colossal statement!  What about you?  Have you developed an habitual time to pray? Is it a habit that is so strongly anchored into your routine that when you do not  do it, you just do not feel right the complete day? Or is it possible that JESUS has stopped coming by because HE ends up waiting for you and you never come or you were in such a hurry that you did not have the time to sit down  and chat with him? If prayer time was a garden, how does your garden look?

Cornelius set the stage for us. Through his habitual visits to his garden of prayer and his neighborly acts, he received a visitation that sealed his faith forever and led not only him but all who were gathered at his house through the doors to eternal life.

"Because anyone who comes to him must believe that HE exists and that HE rewards those who earnestly seek him". (Hebrews 11:6, THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

Have you been cultivating your garden lately?

May the LORD who is near to all who call on Him, keep you in His everlasting arms.

Shalom,

Pat Garcia Schaack

Book Recommendation: The Art of Winning by Jeffrey Rachmat

Holding on to Your Faith

I often get ticked off with people who tell me to "just have faith".  They throw Hebrews 11: 1 "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen"  at me and repeat "just have faith". If you were to ask them, however, how does one have faith, they are lost. They are pretty good at telling you to have it but not very good at telling you how to receive it. This baffled me as I started walking with the LORD. The first months of my journey were, for me and  probably were or are  for many of you, like being at your  favourite movie. Everything you do turns out right. GOD is there. HE is near and you feel loved and so blessed. One is filled with joy, everyday seems like a holiday and one  thinks, this will last forever. But it does not. Without being asked, you wake up one morning in the school of faith and trust.  Shocked, scared, and confused  one wonders what happened?  The battle has begun. Yes, I said battle. It is in this battle, which forces one to choose whether or not one will believe what one feels, or trust in the Word of GOD, that one receives the faith  needed when one is battling through hard times, difficulties, and the sea of sickness and lost.

Immediately and instinctively,  you begin to realize that faith is developed in the fire. It is the hebrew boys refusing to worship Nebuchadnezzar's statue, willing to be thrown into the oven; it is Ruth willing to leave her own home and country to follow Naomi, not knowing what her future would hold; it is Daniel making a decision to not eat at the king's table out of respect and love for his GOD and the GOD of his fathers. It is that prickling unknowingness that causes your knees to tremble and your hands to shake but you move on, heart in hand toward the unknown, seeking relief, conquering the fear, trying to hold steady until the storm has passed. You keep on keeping on, not knowing how, but knowing from within, that one day this too shall pass. As the Psalmist David said in Psalm 27:13 "One thing I am sure of, that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living".

Imagine how  David felt  when he was confronted with a crazed man who sought his life 3 years long. David had not asked to be chosen as the second king of Israel. But God sought a man after his own heart and HE chose David. This same David, who had defeated the lion and the bear, who had killed the giant Goliath, and who had slained 10,000 in battle beside Saul, would later have to learn how to trust GOD in the midst of the battles for his own life. Can you not see him as he crouches behind a wall seeking GOD's counsel on whether he should attack or not, or  as he and his men voluntarily  watched over Nabal's sheep, not even stealing one, even though they were hungry.  He was under extreme emotional distress, but he decided to step in to the realm of faith. by choosing instead to hold on to the Word of GOD and his faith grew and he was strengthened.

So is it as we pass through the dark corridors of our lives. Our emotions swell within us and cause us intense pain, our minds are bombarded with accusations  and feelings of inadequacy and inferiority come at us like a  snow avalanche off of  Mount Everest. We feel alone, insecure and very much afraid. But God did not give us a spirit of fear but the spirit of love, power and a sound mind. Thus our faith springs up like a river in the intense emotional distresses of our lives. It begins as a tiny drop that becomes a fountain of living water as we begin to seek GOD through His Word.

The Word of GOD  manifests itself in us through our  battles. It strengthens and  builds up our faith. It causes us to hold on. This is the faith that accompanies the unsure future of the college graduate who does not know which path to take after graduation; the pregnant mother who has another mouth to feed and wonders how; the widowed woman whose husband has been killed in the Mid East and then is left  to be  a mother and father to her fatherless children; the self employed  business man or woman with a very small contact base in an economic depression but who keeps on working, expecting an increase; the woman whose body is  riddled with sickness and pain, but who goes to the doctor, waiting expectantly for God to heal her in whatever way HE chooses. All of these people's  lives are spread very thin, their emotions are raging and their corridors are rather dark but their trust and  their confidence in the Unseen God, who calls things out of nothing and brings them  into existence as though they already were,  gives them courage to hold on.

So how do you have faith? Through  seeking, searching and ingraving the word of God on your heart, you step out and dare to trust it. You learn to hear His voice and listen to what HE has to say.  It is a process and it takes takes a lifetime. One does not graduate from the school of faith here on this earth journey. We  keep climbing until we see the Most Perfect One, JESUS. Then, and only then, will we know that we have arrived.

I have, however, discovered so far  that faith is that inner confidence that makes you reach out to help others even though you are hurting; it is the smile on your face when you would like to cry; it is the small voice that reassures you when you feel  alone; it is baking cookies for the family member  who has done you wrong; it is saying I'm sorry when you were in the right; it is the hope that never dies when your back is up against the wall; it is the shaking knees, the unseen tears and the tight ironed grip that says God does not lie. His word is true. We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. So hold on, cry your tears, fight the fear, conquer it by going towards it and keep moving until you find your rest in Him. Weeping endures for a night but joy comes in the morning. Standing  boldy before the throne of Grace, take heart in  the fact that  HE does not change. HE is the same, yesterday, today and forever.

May the LORD who is near to all who call on Him keep you in His everlasting arms.

Shalom,

Pat Garcia Schaack

Book Recommendation : Victory in the Wilderness by John Bevere

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