Jane's Blog

Two days ago, as I returned home from running errands, I heard the sound of a shrill, demanding kind of alarm going off. When I unlocked my door I realized that the alarm was coming from a fire alarm on the second floor of my house and was going off for no apparent reason. Nothing had been disturbed. Nothing was on the verge of exploding in fire. Everything appeared to be in the same order in which I had left it. So, why the alarm? I decided it was just a fluke, or possibly the battery needed to be replaced.

He Is the Firm Foundation

Then a friend of mine brought my attention to an article recently published in Charisma magazine. The title was, “Do You Hear the Alarm?” The author was speaking about a storm coming. I am not an alarmist by nature. Yet, with the increased sound of hate speech and violence in the world, it is impossible to not realize we are living in times that are revealing greater darkness. The need for light, brilliant light is being sought out in an ever-increasing way. People are looking for hope, for encouragement, and for the firm foundation that truth brings.

We have just celebrated one of the greatest observances of our Christian faith.  For believers in Jesus Christ, Easter celebrates the specific events of Christ’s crucifixion for sin and His resurrection from the dead three days following. It is a time of serious but wonderful reflection on the truths that the Bible speaks of regarding the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf. Jesus died on the cross as the “substitute” for sinners so that all who believe in Him will be saved. The word “substitute” means “to take the place of another.”

The Cross

“The cross we preach to others should first crucify us. The word we preach should first burn itself deeply into our life so that our life is the living message. We must let the cross live out of us daily. Then what we preach will be more than a message, but a kind of life which we daily exhibit.” Watchman Nee, The Messenger of the Cross.

It was a beautifully set table, all decorated for Fall.

Last evening was one of those evenings that will live in my memory for many years.

It wasn’t a gala, or a gathering of many for a dinner party. It was just Tony and me, sitting with Bob and Lisa (my daughter and her husband) at a beautifully set table, all decorated for Fall. Of course, I must add that the food was out of this world. Some might call it comfort food. Chicken pot pie, made by her hands, and it was yummy. But the best part was just being together, talking, remembering past times and talking about current times. It was warm, beautiful, familiar and yet new. We have had wonderful times like this with Tiffany and Scott (my son and his wife) as well, with the same sense and peace in just being together. There is something God builds in those unhurried times together around a dinner table.  It seems that He builds the depth of relationship as nothing else can. It is a place of hearing one another’s hearts.