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If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn’t think of such a thing! You are at least decent to your own children. So don’t you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better? Matthew 7:11 The Message

This coming weekend is the time we set aside to gather as families to honor our Fathers. Although, it seems as if we have been celebrating this special day as long as I can remember, it was actually only made official in 1972 when, then President Richard Nixon, signed a presidential resolution proclaiming the second Sunday in June as Father’s Day!

Father’s Day was actually inspired by a woman, Sonora Smart Dodd from Spokane, Washington after hearing a Mother’s Day sermon. She proposed the idea in 1909, wanting a special day to honor her Father, William Smart, a civil war veteran who raised his six children alone after the death of their mother. It’s amazing that it took almost 70 years to make it official.

The celebration of Father’s Day seems to take a back seat sometimes to Mother’s Day. A small boy once said, “Father’s Day is just like Mother’s Day only you don’t spend as much on the gift.” Someone once said that “Fathers spend the first part of their child’s life teaching them to walk and talk, and the rest of the child’s life telling them to sit down and be quiet.” The reality is, where would we be today without our Fathers?

The word father is defined as a man who begets offsprings; a male parent, but a true father is so much more. A true father cares for his family. He attempts to show his children the way they should go in this world. He sets a good example, works hard, and protects his children. He loves unconditionally just like his heavenly Father.

It seems that each of us have or have had different experiences with our Father figure in our lives. No matter whether it is good or bad, I always remember what the Father in the Prodigal son taught us about a Father’s love. No matter what we have done, how we have behaved, when we come home to God there is no condemnation, only love and acceptance. I equate that experience with those of a true earthly Father.

The following story of Fathers is by one of my favorite humorists and authors, Erma Bombeck, and I share it with apologies for some of the changes I made!

When the good Lord was making Fathers He started with a tall frame. A female angel nearby said, “What kind of Father is that? If you are going to make children so close to the ground, why put Fathers up so high?” God smiled and said, “Yes, but if I make him child sized, who would children look up to?”

When God made a Father’s hands, they were large and sinewy. The angel remarked, “Large hands are clumsy and can’t handle diaper pins, buttons, pony tails, or remove splinters.” God smiled. “Yes, but they are large enough to hold everything a child empties from their pockets, yet small enough to cup a child’s face.”

Then God molded long legs and broad shoulders. The angel was aghast! “Do you realize you just made a Father without a lap?” God smiled and said, “A mother needs a lap, but a Father needs strong shoulders to pull a sled, balance a child on a bike, or support a sleepy head after a long day.

When God began work on the huge feet of a Father, the angel could stand it no longer. She exclaimed, “Do you think those big feet will hit the floor when a baby cries or manuver through a child’s birthday party without stepping on the little ones gathered there?” God smiled. “They’ll work – you’ll see. They’ll support a small child who wants to ride horsey, scare off mice, and display shoes that will be a challenge to fill.”

God worked through the night giving the Father few words, but a firm authoritative voice, eyes that saw everything but remained calm and tolerant. Finally, almost as an afterthought, He added tears. Then He turned to the angel and said, “Now are you satiisfied that He can love as much as a Mother?” The angel shutteth up!

Happy Father’s Day to all Dads on this special day. Thank you for the significant impact you have on the lives of your children, grandchildren, and all those who come after. I especially want to thank the fathers in our family! We are so thankful for the love, support, and guidance in all areas of our lives! We love you!

Thank you, Patsy Burberry, for sharing your beautiful painting of a special Father and son!

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants. Psalm 116:15

This weekend, we as a nation pause to remember and honor our veterans. It is important for us to remember every veteran-past, present, and future for many reasons but especially because service in the military changes lives. These men and women give the best years of their lives in service to their country. Some give the ultimate sacrifice,but all military personnel sacrifice whether they are stationed during a time of peace or a time of war.

We, as a thankful nation, should never forget to remember those who have made the sacrifice for us and our freedom. Memorial Day is a day to remember those who died while serving our country, but many Americans will be too busy to stop and remember. We are eager to celebrate the holiday, but we forget why we are celebrating!

It reminds me of a story about a guy named John who had a serious memory problem. One day he ran into his friend Bill, who he hadn’t seen in a long time. “Bill,” he said,”do you remember what a bad memory I had?” “I certainly do,” said Bill. “Well,” said John, “I went to a seminar that taught us how to remember things! It was great and now I have a wonderful memory.”

Bill replied, “That’s great! What’s the name of the seminar?” “Well,” John said, “just a minute, my wife went with me. I’ll ask her.” He turned and saw his wife nearby by. Then he turned back to Bill and asked, “What’s the name of that flower with thorns, a long stem, and red blooms?” Bill guessed, “Do you mean a rose?” “Yes, that’s it! Thanks, Bill.” John said, “Hey Rose, what’s the name of that seminar we attended?”

Some people just forget. We get so busy or distracted that the sacrifices made on our behalf just get overlooked. I think the best way we can honor those who gave their life for our freedom is to live a life worthy of their sacrifice.

First, live a life that an American ought to live as a follower of Christ. If we don’t remember, let me remind you that we were founded on Christian principles – One Nation Under God. President George Washington said, “It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible.”

Next, we need to be aware of the price of freedom. Many times we take this freedom for granted and mistakenly assume that every country lives this way. We have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but that’s a rare thing in this world.

Finally, we need to remember that we have an obligation to teach our children and grand children what our freedom cost so many. Many of us have lived through some horrific wars, but most of those that are coming behind us have never been taught the price of our freedom.

Memorial Day is about remembering. It’s about remembering our heritage, our roots, and our heroes.

General George Patton said, It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we should thank God that such men lived.

Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility. Eleanor Roosevelt

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same. Ronald Reagan

It doesn’t take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle. Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf

Thank you to all the brave men and women who have fought unselfishly for the freedom of America. God bless you!

O beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife, Who more than self their country loved and mercy more than life. America, America, May God thy gold refine; Til all success be nobleness and every gain divine. America the Beautiful by Katerine Lee Bates

I know what I am doing. I have it all planned out. Plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. Jeremiah 29:11

It is so hard to believe, but the end of the school year is here! Seniors in high school as well as college are celebrating the end of not only the year, but also a milestone in their lives. At this point, many parents,grandparents, teachers, and friends are pondering the words of wisdom they should pass on to their seniors.

We are excited to have another graduate in our family. Our grandson, Cooper, is setting out on his life path this week, and we are among the group of proud grandparents who are looking for words of wisdom and encouragement to pass along to him.

In the midst of World War II, Oxford University asked then Prime Minister Winston Churchill to speak at its commencement exercises. Dressed in his finest suit, he arrived at the auditorium where the service was to be held with his usual props; a cigar, a cane, and a top hat. As Churchill approached the podium, the crowd rose in appreciative applause. Standing there looking very dignified, Churchill silenced the crowd and asked them to be seated.

Standing confidently before this crowd of great admirers, he removed his cigar and placed his top hat on the podium. Then Churchill gazed at his waiting audience which included some of the most noted scholars in the world. With an authoritative tone in his voice, he began with three words, Never give up! Several seconds passed without him saying another word. Finally, he repeated those same three words again, Never give up. There was a deafening silence as Churchill reached for his hat, steadied himself with his cane, and left the platform. His commencement address was finished!

Making it through twelve years of school and looking forward to college involves facing some very real challenges. We can all testify to the continuous challenges that we must meet, but the wonderful thing is that we can meet them with some victories already under our belt.

Just think, we have made it through birth, infancy, pre school years, kindergarten, pre adolescence, teen years, and now graduation and adult years are ahead. So, what advice or words of wisdom do we share with these special graduates?

First, face your fears. Fear of the unknown is always daunting, but the Bible is full of “Fear Nots” for He is with you. God doesn’t give us a spirit of fear but rather a spirit of power, love, and self control.

Next, forget your failures. There will be failures. None of us are perfect, and the only ones who never do anything wrong are the ones who never do anything! When we fail, we have to put those failures behind us, learn from them, and move forward. We should never allow failures to make us quit trying. Paul said, “Forget that which is past and reach out to that which is ahead.” Phillippians 3:12

Finally, follow your faith. It’s easy to become distracted and influenced that first year in college, but remember that there are “a great crowd of witnesses” who have gone before you that are rooting for you. Your greatest challenge will be to follow your faith and know that Jesus has your back! Remember whose you are!

The song The Impossible Dream from the musical Man of La Mancha which was inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’ novel, Don Quixote. The song is sung by Don Quixote to express his quest to achieve noble and unattainable goals. The lyrics reflect hope, perseverance, and the pursuit of one’s dreams even in the midst of overwhelming odds.

The following lyrics to the song can be seen as a metaphor for the faith of Christians who believe in the power of God to make the seemingly impossible possible. It is said to mirror the life of Jesus as He sought to do good despite great hardship, while he fought adversity, and while he strived for seemingly unattainable goals.

To dream the impossible dream, to fight the unbeatable foe; to bear with unbearable sorrow; to run where the brave dare not go. To right the unrightable wrong, to love pure and chaste from afar; to try when your arms are too weary; to reach the unreachable star. This is my quest, to follow that star, no matter how hopeless, no matter how far; to fight for the right without question or cause; to be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause. And I know if I’ll only be true to this glorious quest, that my heart will lie peaceful and calm when I’d laid to my rest. And the world will be better for this; that one man scorned and covered with scars, still strove with his last ounce of courage to reach the unreachable stars.

To all our graduates, follow your dream and never give up! Congratulations! We love you, Coop, and we can’t wait to see all that you will accomplish!

When Jesus got into the boat with the disciples, the next thing they knew, they were in a severe storm. Waves were crashing into the boat, and Jesus was sound asleep. they roused Him saying, Master, save us. We are going down.” Jesus reprimanced them saying, “Why are you such cowards..such faint hearts?” Matthew 8:23-25

We are all familiar with the above scripture, and the suddenness with which the storm came up while the disciples and Jesus were crossing to the other side after addressing the multitudes. Storms can come up without notice at any time. The sun is out and all is beautiful when suddenly, the clouds appear and the storm follows.

Sometimes we feel like our lives resemble the onset of a storm. Life is cruising along. Our work is good, our health seems good, friends are good, and all seems almost perfect. We feel good about life, no cares, no worries, then out of nowhere, it hits – the most absolutely perfect storm imaginable, and this time, it’s our storm.

We didn’t ask for it, we didn’t want it, but somehow, it found us. It didn’t ask our permission, it didn’t ask if this was a good time, it just came like a guided missile with our name on it, and Boom! We’ve all been there when we find ourselves crying out to the Lord, “Ok, God, this is getting ridiculous!! Why am I being hit with this storm?”

There is a cartoon where Charlie Brown works for hours to build the most beautifully perfect sandcastle ever! Finally, he stands back and looks at it. It is wonderful! Just as he is admiring it, a person walks by and steps on it destroying his masterpiece. Now, he’s standing where his masterpiece once stood wondering, “I know there’s a lesson in this, but I’m not sure what it is.”

Everyone of us has had our own “sandcastles” stepped on and destroyed at one time or another. Every once in a while, we have to back up and say, “Why am I being hit with this storm?” No one is immune to the storms in life, they fall on the good and bad, and the just as well as the unjust.

The good news is that Jesus is in the boat with us. When God is with us during the storm He teaches us a few things. First, sometimes we have to walk alone for a while in the storm. Jesus was with the disciples, but they had to experience the storm to test their faith.

Next, we have to rely on God ‘s help when the storms come. We must live with that sense of dependence on God. Finally, we have to realize that it’s God’s power, not ours that makes the difference in weathering the storms of life.

In 1945, Rodgers and Hmmerstein released produced the broadway play, “Carousel”. The play and subsequent movie portrayed a troubled young man named Billy, and a young girl, Julie, who was devoted to him despite his flaws. The plot follows the stormy love story of the two. In the end, Billy is killed, and Julie’s Aunt Nellie comforts her with these words from the song, You’ll Never Walk Alone by Oscar Hammerstein

When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high and don’t be afraid of thedark. At the end of the storm, there’s a golden sky, And the sweet silver song of a lark. Walk on through the wind, Walk on through the rain, Tho’ your dreams be tossed and blown, Walk on, Walk on, With hope in your heart, And you’ll never walk alone. You’ll Never Walk Alone.

There’s always a lesson in every storm. Just like the disciples in the boat, we are in training for greater things to come as well as things we will have to overcome. When we walk through a storm and question if God cares, we can unequivocably know that He cares about every detail. He is our shelter and strength, and we can fully trust Him during our storm.

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. Proverbs 31:28

It is that time of year where we offer our love, thanks, and appreciation to the Mothers in our lives. We all have a mother whether she be biological, adoptive, foster, or just a person who exhibits the qualities of a Mom to us. This year, our extended family is fortunate to be able to welcome a brand new Mom as we celebrate the birth of our niece and nephew’s first baby. Litte Daphne has made her entrance, and she has caused us all to celebrate the joy of new life and motherhood.

When God created male and female in His own image, He made them different and unique. That uniqueness doesn’t make one more important than the other, but it simply helps them to complement each other. And so, within the woman God created the ability to create children, and the deep desire to nurture. When a woman doesn’t have a family to nurture, she often uses that gift to nurture others.

This nurturing instinct explains why long before women were accepted as doctors, they were nurses. Before they were accepted as professors, they were teachers in school classrooms. When someone was needed to hold an office together, women were employed as secretaries. Only later when their full talents were recognized and honored did the world realize that women are both nurturers and intelligent business people.

Erma Bombeck is famous for many things, but she was very sensitive to Mothers. She wrote of mothers who for one reason or another don’t get to fulfill the traditional role, and she wrote of Mothers who have lost a child and the loneliness they feel on this day. She also wrote of the attributes of Mothers. One of the best tributes she wrote is entited When God Created Mothers, and I’d like to share it today.

When God created Mothers, He was in his sixth day of “overtime” when the angel appeared and said, “You are doing a lot of fiddling around on this one.”

And God said, “Have you read the specs on this order? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic. Have 180 moveable parts… all replaceable. Run on black coffee and leftovers. Have a lap that disappears when she stands up. A kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointing love affair. And six pairs of hands. “

The angel shook her head slowly and said, “Six pairs of hands – no way.” “It’s not the hands that are giving me problems,” remarked God, “It’s the three pair of eyes that Mother’s need to have.” “That’s on the standard model?” asked the angel. God nodded.

One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks, “What are you kids doing in there?” when she already knows. Another in the back of her head so that she sees what she shouldn’t, but what she has to know, and of course the ones here in front so she can look at a child when he or she goofs up and say, ‘I understand and I love you’ without so much as uttering a word.

“God,” the angel said, “get some rest, tomorrow…” “I can’t,” said God, “I’m so close to creating something so close to myself. Already I have one who heals herself when she’s sick…can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger…and can get a nine year old to stand under a shower.”

The angel circled the model of the mother very slowly and sighed, “She’s too soft.” “But tough,” said God excitedly. “You can’t imagine what this Mother can do or endure.”

“Can it think?” asked the angel. “Not only can it think, but also reason and compromise,” said the Creator.

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger over the cheek. “There’s a leak,” she pronounced. I told You that You were trying to put too much into this model.”

“It’s not a leak,” said the Lord. “It’s a tear.” The angel asked, “What’s it for?” “It’s for joy, sadness, disappointment, loneliness, and pride,” said the Lord. “You are a genius,” exclaimed the angel.

Somberly, the Lord said, “I didn’t put it there.”

Happy Mother’s Day to each and every Mother! It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it!! God has equipped us, and what a rewarding job we have been given!

And in Him, we were also chosen. We were destined to live to the glory of God, His purpose, by His will, so that we who were the first to set our hopes on Christ might live for the praise of His glory. Epheisians 1:11

This past week, the world resounded with shock as we woke up early Monday morning and learned of the death of Pope Francis! Just the day before we saw him ride through the crowds on the “Pope mobile”, touch the hands of many, and give an Easter address in Saint Peter’s Square at the Vatican. He seemingly ignored the advice of his doctors to avoid crowds and rest. Although he appeared visibly weak, his determinationto do God’s will and bless these people one last time was foremost on Easter Sunday. It is reported that his only regret was not being able to wash the feet of prisoners during his final visit.

We make all kinds of assumptioms as to the timing of his death. Many say it was a coincidence, maybe it was fate, or just luck that he died after he had taken, what I call, a “victory lap” on that Holy Day.

We tend to use words to try to explain things we don’t understand, however; there are three words that should never be in a Christian’s vocabulary: luck, coincidence, and fate. We should replace them instead with the word, Providence, which means to see in advance and to provide for. The word generally refers to divine guidance or care, and it usually describes prudence and fore sight. I think God’s providence was at work in his life and in his death.

The Westminister Confession of Faith written in the seventeenth century states: God, the great creator of all things, doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things from the greatest even to the least by His most wise and holy providence. Basically, God is in charge – not us!

Many of us can look back on our lives and see the hand of God’s providence in many situations. It could be a road taken, a decision that was made, or even an incident that had the profound hand of providence upon us. Peter Marshall was saved by tripping on a tree root when he was walking near a cliff on a foggy night, Randy changed his life’s path after a near death car accident, and a handful of people stepped out in faith to build a new church. These are situations where we see God’s providential hand.

God’s providence stands over and above our actions. Even Joseph was the recipient of God’s providence when he was betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery. His brothers tried to destroy him, but instead their efforts put him on the throne of Egypt and fulfilled God’s will. Later Joseph said, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result.” Genesis 50:20

Then there is the most heinous act of Judas’ betrayal of Christ which turned out to be about the best thing that ever happened – Christ’s atonement for our sins on the cross.

We, as human beings, have a limited perspective of the providence of God. Paul points out that we know “only in part” (1 Corinthians 13:9). When we get to heaven God may explain it all – or not. Until then we are left to just trust Him.

Often I have not known where I was going until I was already there. I have had my shares of desires and goals, but my life has come to me or I have gone to it mainly by ways of mistakes or surprises. Often I have received better than I deserved. Often my faintest hopes have rested on bad mistakes. I am an ignorant pilgrim crossing a dark valley. And yet, for a long time looking back, I have been unable to shake off the feeling that I have been led. Wendell Berry from his book, Jayber Crow

When we look back over our lives, I think the paths we have taken will be full of the providential hand of God. Rest in peace, Pope Francis, and thank you for being a man of faith and compassion.

He is not here. He has risen! Mark 16:6

Peter Marshall was a Scotish-American preacher who began his short, but remarkable career in a rural Presbyterian Church in Covington, Georgia. Although, he was quickly called to Westminister Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, then to New York Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC, and ended up as Chaplain of the U.S. Senate, I’ve always felt a kinship with he and his wife, Catherine. Our first appointment was in that same small rural community on the outskirts of Covington just a few miles from his first church, and I can identify with the bonds that are formed in these small communities as well as the trials.

It was this connection that prompted me to read some of the sermons preached by Dr. Marshall, and the book, A Man Called Peter, which was written by his wife, Catherine after his death at the young age of 46. The movie by the same name was released in 1955, and it was nominated for an oscar.

Dr. Marshall always ended each day by saying to Catherine, “See you in the morning!” rather than just the typical good night,sweet dreams, or sleep tight.   On the night on which he had his fatal heart attack, and the EMT’s were loading him into the ambulance, he held Catherine’s hand and said  his final words to  her which were, “See you darling!  See you in the morning.”

I love the fact that good-byes were never in his vocabulary because he knew there was no reason to bid another Christian a final good bye.  He was comfortable with the certainty of death, and he was confident that we will see each other in the presence of Jesus one sweet day.  

I also love the mental picture of seeing Jesus in the morning when the dew has fallen, the air is clean and sweet, and everything is quiet and still.  Could there be a more perfect example of heaven?

We have just experienced the glories of Easter, the hallelujahs, the hymns of resurrection, the flowers on the cross, and the large congregations gathered to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.  It has been such a celebration, but I wonder how many of us really think about the significance of the day.  Jesus fulfilled his promise, rose from the dead, and says to us, “See you in the morning.” Imagine thinkiing someone dear to you has died only to discover they are alive!

On February 27, 1991, Ruth Dillow was at her home in Kansas when she received the bad news from the pentagon that her son, Private First Class Clayton Carpenter had stepped on a land mine in the Persian Gulf and was dead.  Ruth was feeling a lot like the women who came to the tomb on that Easter morning with their hearts full of sorrow.  Three days later, Ruth got another call, and the voice on the other end of the line said, “Mom, I’m alive.”  Just like the women at the tomb who heard the words, “He is not here.  He has risen.  Jesus is alive!” Ruth witnessed a miracle!

We, as Christians, have just witnessed the miracle of Easter. Those that have left us already and arrived in heaven are witnessing a powerful display of His love. They are experiencing a sense of joy and peace, comfort and support, grace and forgiveness, and a sense of belonging which we can only imagine at this point.

The songwriter Charles Austin Miles wrote the beautiful hymn In The Garden in 1912. He was inspired by the Biblical account of Mary Magdalene’s visit to the empty tomb of Jesus and her encounter with the resurrected Christ “in the garden.”

The words give me a picture of what the words, see you in the morning might mean to us. I come to the garden alone; while the dew is still on the roses, and the voice I hear, falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses: And He walks with me, and He talks with me; And He tells me I am His own. And the joy we share as we tarry there, no other, has ever known.

This Easter promise is given to every Christian, and it says, see you in the morning.

It is true! The Lord has risen! He has risen indeed! Luke 24:34

This week we, as Christians, experience Holy Week. The week takes us from the Last Supper to the arrest of Jesus and subsequent mock trial,through the crucifixion, and finally to the resurrection.We experience a roller coaster ride of emotions as we walk through the week.

Many times, but especially during this time of year, I am extremely aware of things in this world that tangibly show the presence of Christ. Early Friday morning as I looked out the kitchen window, I saw the first hummingbird of the season. He drank from one feeder and then quickly buzzed by the others on his way to inform his friends of the find! These small creatures are poof of God’s presence in this world!

These “presences” remind me of the great sacrifices Jesus made on my behalf, and the crown He has for all of us in glory. Only one man who promised to rise from the dead kept his promise, and that man is Jesus. There are countless examples of others who made this claim, but Harry Houdini, the magician, is one who promised he would come back from the dead and talk to his friends. Some of his friends actually consulted mediums to see if there was any word from him from beyond the grave! There never was!

In order to keep His promise to us, Jesus suffered a horrendous death on the cross. The nails which pierced him represented all of our sins. He took on and felt the pain of our envy, anger, shame, discouragement, guilt, bitterness, and unforgiveness. Through all the suffering, not once did Christ use His powers for personal comfort. With just a word, He could have transformed the hard earth into a soft bed, hurled the spit of His accusers back in their faces, and paralyzed the hands of those who drove the nails into his flesh, but He didn’t. Instead, He cancelled the record of the charges against us and took it away by His suffering and death on the cross.

Satan set God up in order to bring him down, and for three days, it looked like Satan had won. Then, on the third day, Jesus rose from the dead and turned Satan’s plans upside down. He disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities and shamed them publicly by His victory over the cross. The resurrection is ultimate proof that He is Lord!

The greatest proof of the resurrection is found in the transformed lives of people all over the world. The story is told of the first world meeting between Bush and Putin where President Bush wanted to be sure they connected on a personal level. In order to do this, Bush brought up a story he had read about Putin. The story goes that Putin’s mother had given him a Christian cross, and Putin had it blessed while he was in Jerusalem. Bush had been touched by the story.

Putin told a story in response. He said that he had taken to wearing the cross, and one day he set it down in a house he had been visiting. Strangely, the house had burned down and all Putin could think about was that his cross was lost in the ruble. He visited the site after the fire, and he motioned for a worker to come to him so that he could ask him to look for the cross. The worker walked over to Putin, stretched out his hand, and showed him the already recovered cross.

Putin said to Bush, “It was as if “something” meant for me to have the cross,” inferring that he believed in a higher power. Bush replied, “President Putin, that’s what it’s all about, that’s the story of the cross.”

The story of the cross is that God intended it just for us.

The songwriter A.J. Ackley puts it like this: “You ask me how I know He lives, He lives within my heart.” Today Christ is working in this world. The thing Satan feared the most, the birth of the church with the power to change the world through the gospel has come to pass.

As we anticipate the celebration of Easter, I encourage you to look for the presence of God in the everyday things of this life.

Happy Easter!

The disciples brought a donkey and a colt, laid their clothes on them, and Jesus sat on them. A very large crowd spread their own cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the tress and spread them on the road. The crowd went ahead of him, and those that followed shouted “Hosannah to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosannah in the highest.” Matthew 21:7-9

There are many things I think about when I think about a parade. The parades in this day and time usually are led by a band. Loud music is played while onlookers cheer and clap. There are probably majorettes and flag twirlers who stop to do a small routine along the way, and the crowd goes wild!

Dignitaries and other important people ride by in convertibles or on floats and throw out candy to the crowd. The children in the crowd race to catch a glimpse of them and try to grab as much candy as possible. There is constant cheering and excitement!

The crowds for our parades these days are made up of many different people. There are parents, children, friends, school mates, grandparents, and many different onlookers who come for many different reasons.

Jesus’s entrance into Jerusalem makes me try to guess what it was like for Him. He rode on the back of a donkey, covered with cloaks of the disciples, and witnessed the crowd waving their branches and laying their own clothes down for the donkey to walk upon.

Although there were no bands, the Bible says there were “Hallelujahs”, “Hail the King,” and “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,” being shouted from the crowd. The whole town threw a party complete with a parade when Jesus came to Jerusalem on that day.

The people were much like the little boy who missed Palm Sunday at church because he was sick and had to stay home with his mother. When his Dad returned from church, he was carrying a palm branch. The little boy was curious and asked, “Dad what are you doing with that palm branch?” “You see,” said the dad, “when Jesus came into town, everyone waved palm branches to honor Him, so we got palm branches today.” “Oh man, ” the little boy said, “the one day I miss church, Jesus comes to town.”

In the above scripture, the people praised Jesus, but many of them praised Him for one of two basic reasons. First, they praised Him because of His miracles. He had healed the sick and raised the dead. These praised Him because He was serving them.

The second group of people praised Him because they saw in Jesus a way to be politically delivered from the Romans – to be set free as Israel had been set free from Egypt. They were all about the attitude, “What can you do for me, Jesus?”

The crowd on that day was made up of different people who had different agendas. Many gathered, threw down their coats, their palm branches, and shouted praises because it was the popular thing to do. It was trendy. Some were there with sincere motives, but on that Friday, there motives disappeared as they joined the mob shouting “Crucify Him.”

Jesus was the only one in that crowd on a mission, and that mission was to suffer and die on the cross for the sins of those he saw around him that day. The cloaks spread on the ground were only for the donkey – Jesus’ feet never touched any of them. I can imagine His agony as he thought how many times He had tried to get through to these people by sending prophets, working miracles, and preaching. He knew they were cheering because they needed him to tend to their agendas.

Jesus closed his day by visiting the temple there in Jerusalem. The scriptures say “He looked around and then left with his disciples to Bethany to the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus” to spend one of his last nights with close friends. He had fulfilled the scripture.

As we celebrate Palm Sunday this week, we should all be careful not to come to worship with any kind of personal agenda, but rather come with the mission of worshipping our Lord and leave with the mission of telling others about the sacrifice that He has made for us.

One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in His death so that everyone could also be included in His life. 2 Corinthians 5:14 The Message

This past week, I had a chance to chat with a nurse at one of my doctor’s offices while I was waiting. Surprisingly, she enjoyed talking as much as I do, and when we moved through the usual conversation, she let me know that her daughter plays basketball for Pitt State. She went on to say that her daughter is a substitute for the team, and that she would probably get no playing time in the Final Four game on that night. I ended up watching the game and found her daughter on the bench where she remained until the final four seconds when she got into the game. It made me think of all those who sit on the bench but still put in the same amount of work without the recognition. Being a substitute isn’t easy in this life.

After my thirty years of teaching, I began to fill the gaps of my time after retirement by occasionally being a substitute teacher. I admit that I knew that substitute teachers provide the perfect excuse for students to break all the regular teacher’s rules, but I never imagined how stressful a day could be for the substitutes. It’s like the students had a meeting to dream up plans for things they could do to upset the routine of the day. I know they plotted because in their minds, a substitute doesn’t know their names, they don’t know their parents, and most importantly, they won’t be back the next day. The substitute had no authority. We were considered a stand in for the regular teacher. We weren’t the real deal, rather we were just a substitute.

A substitute is defined as a person or thing acting or serving in place of another. In this case it is another trained indiviual who comes in the absence of the regular teacher and is to facilitate learning.

There are other instances of being a substitute. In 1863, two years after the beginning of the Civil War, Congress passed The Enrollment Act which required every male citizen between the ages of 26-45 to enroll in the Army as a way of providing fresh manpower. However, the Policy of Communication allowed a drafted citizen to pay $300 to opt out of service. Grover Cleveland and John D. Rockefeller were two famous Americans who used this act. The act generated a huge amount of resentment especially between the wealthy and the poor who couldn’t afford to opt out.

The Power of Substitution Act was even more devasting. This policy allowed a draft eligible man to NOT join the Army if a substitute, that was otherwise exempted, could be found. It ended up causing massive problems because the troops chosen by substitution ended up being too old, too young, or in poor health. The policy was later abolished because the perfect substitute didn’t exist.

The word substitute seems to have some bad connotations, but not in the Bible which clearly teaches that Jesus was born to be our substitute. The Message in II Corinthians 5:21 says it this way; “For our sake, he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

We know He substituted for us on the cross, but how can we explain this deep love? We want to ask, “What does His love look like?” Look at the cross. If you had been the only person who ever lived, Jesus would have died just for you. But “what does his love cost?” you might ask. The answer is, Nothing! It comes with no strings attached. You didn’t do anything to deserve it, and when you mess up, you don’t forfeit it. Nothing can come between us and God’s love. Romans 8:23

Jesus was the perfect substitute which God sent in to take away our sins, and this sacrifice offers to each of us a path to forgiveness and reconciliation. The right substitute can win eternal life for us all. The best news is this substitute does know your name, He does know your parents, and He will be back every day for all of eternity!