Mark 11:1-11 Jesus' Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem

Over the last couple of weeks, I have read, processed, absorbed, and mulled over the scriptures of Holy Week... I have noticed small details of the events of Jesus' final week on earth... more so than I ever have.  I have struggled with journaling these scriptures artistically because there are so many details that drew my attention. Over the next few days, as I process these stories artistically, I'll be sharing them with you.  Today, I spent two hours on these eleven verses... and a beautiful, meaningful, and contemplative two hours they were!  

S. (Scripture): Matthew 11:1-11

O. (Observation): Key words and phrases: Hosannah! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

A. (Application): This is the story of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem... the journey that ushers in Holy Week... the celebration of Palm Sunday.  Jesus sent a few men into the village prior to his arrival to bring an unridden donkey, telling anyone who asks what they're doing or why they're taking the donkey that the Lord needs it and it'll be returned soon.  So they went... and they found the donkey, just as Jesus had said they would.  They brought it to him, covered its back with their cloaks and Jesus sat upon the donkey. People threw their robes into the path before Jesus and others put leafy palms on the ground... they gave him a red carpet entry!  As I read through this passage, it dawned on me that this is something that we recite in the Episcopal liturgy every week... 

            

            Holy, Holy, Holy Lord; God of power and might.

            Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

            Hosannah in the Highest.

            Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

            Hosannah in the Highest. 

Wow. This, for me, brings new meaning to the words I recite each week in church... it gives me visuals to tie to the repetitive nature of my faithful practices. It's a renewed reminder that HE IS... not only RISEN... but HE IS COMING BACK... and that entry will be triumphant!  

P. (Prayer): Lord, thank you for your Son... thank you for your presence in my life. Thank you for bringing these scriptures to life for me, helping me to apply them in my daily life.  Help me, Father, to understand these scriptures to the fullest extent so that your name may be glorified in all that I do. Help me to live out the example that you've given me through Jesus. Thank you for the details... all the details... and thank you for this life. Bless me in my journey to come to others in your name.

Renewed peace give I to you; not as the world gives, give I to you. Peace give I to you.

Until later,

Sara +

I know... too long since I've blogged... but get this....

I know, it's been WAAAAY too long since I've blogged... 11 days, actually... but rest assured that I have been in the scriptures... in the presence of God... and immersed into the remembrances of Jesus' ministry, the events relived throughout Holy Week and the last days of Christ on earth... it's been an amazing week and a half.  I wrapped up my Bible Journaling class with a final class last week, recapping all the concepts we've explored, all the supplies we've played with, all the techniques we've discovered, and the three most important things to remember in Bible Journaling.  I promise to post those things soon... as well as my Bible Journaling efforts and epiphanies that I've experienced throughout the season of Lent.  

But today... 
today, I had a lot of revelations... 
and I finally grasped a concept... 
a concept that I've wondered about my whole life...
a concept that I've wrestled with understanding for as long as I can remember...
a concept that is nearly beyond comprehension - in the human sense...
and for me... this is B.I.G.

So, here it is...

We are made in God's image.  That's scriptural... Genesis 1:27 says "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."

God devoted a whole day (one sixth of his time creating the world) to creating man and woman... the details of our bodies, our minds, and our spirits... the details.  He built us, molecule by molecule, cell by cell, organ by organ... intricately designing us...

Psalm 139:13 says "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb."

I'm sure I could find several scriptures to illustrate the point - that God made us in his image... intricately... carefully... patiently... and with the utmost attention to detail.

A few months ago, I was struggling with some chemical imbalances that affected my mood, my ability to make decisions, my memory, and many other things... I asked my priest how, if I am made in God's image, how does this work... I'm incomplete without medication... I cannot function normally without the help of chemicals added to my natural makeup.  I told her "I cannot be made in the image of God when I am this messed up."  Her response was balm to my soul... and much needed at that point in time... She told me that being made in God's image doesn't necessarily mean in His physical image.  That gave me great comfort in shifting my focus to spiritual matters... the spiritual likeness of my heart to God's.  

Today, I feel like God has given me such a gift in this revelation... I am made in his image - with a unified body, mind, and spirit.  In explaining the trinity to others, it is often difficult to put into words what it means that Jesus IS God and God IS the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit IS Jesus, etc. It's a hard concept to wrap our heads around.

But I can wrap my head around the fact that
1 - My spirit is ME
2 - My body is ME
3 - My mind is ME 
and, I am not the complete "ME" without all three of these components of my make-up.  Without my spirit, my body and mind might remain but they will not be the same... likewise without my body or my mind.

I am nearly 36 years old and I am JUST grasping this concept... sad, right?  NO WAY!   I'm probably only scratching the surface... which makes me excited for the journey ahead and all of the things God has in store.  

What are your thoughts? Do you have anything to add?  Questions? Leave a message in the comments section... Has this ever occurred to you?  How long have you had this realization? Is it something you've always kinda just... known?  I need feedback on this...

Awaiting your weigh-in...

In peace,
Sara 

So... it's been 5 days since I've blogged...

It's been a busy week... Sunday begins Holy Week and, as an employee of the church, I've had a lot to accomplish to make sure my responsibilities and ministries are ready for the week to come.  

This week, the fifth week of Lent, has been another week of carrying burdens... but after the burdens I recognized for the first three weeks of Lent, these were easier for me to give to God.  Two weeks ago, I attended a Lenten Quiet Day of Meditation, led by our assistant priest, Mother Nan.  It was a wonderful day, full of revelations for me... full of realizations, recognitions, and relinquishing control.  I came to many crossroads through the meditations I participated in that day... one of which was at the foot of the cross, raising my hands together towards Christ, offering my burdens for Him to take from me.

The realizations and revelations that I've discovered this week have been hard... but in many instances, I have found myself asking God what He wants me to be in each moment... to help me be what He needs me to be rather than being what I think I should be.  Through these moments, I have been learning that I am not called to carry every burden that I encounter.  That's a hard truth to realize... I am not the Messiah... nor do I want to be... but I do serve Him... through loving others... in the way that they need to be loved.

Today, I read Mark Chapter 10... many things caught my attention, but the one that I envisioned as I read through was Mark 10:25. "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."   As I thought and meditated, began drawing and then painting, I came to realize that the earthly riches that I have a tendency to collect, while they aren't tangible, are just that... earthly... pride and respect, honor and admiration, affection and acceptance, trust and dependence... they aren't treasures that will draw me nearer to God and they certainly won't gain me wealth in heaven... even permission to enter the gates.  I have been reminded this week that God placed me here for a time and a season... that the treasures I am collecting through the experiences of this life are the jewels of knowledge, wisdom, discernment, faithfulness, love, and peace... treasures that only God can give.  Without these treasures, this earthly "rich girl" will never make it to eternity... so here I am again... at the foot of the cross, laying down the burdens of my own selfish human desires and working for the jewels that really matter...

Until tomorrow, 
Peace give I to you, not as the WORLD gives, give I to you; Peace give I to you...
~Sara

Moses in the basket

Last week, I finished reading Genesis... Long story short, Joseph's brothers returned to Egypt with their families and their father (Jacob); Jacob and Joseph were reunited; Jacob named his twelve sons and foretold the twelve tribes of Israel; Jacob died... Joseph died... their families remained in Egypt... and now we're on to Exodus.

Side note: that was a VERY concise synopsis... if you have some extra time, spend it reading the book of Genesis... it really is an interesting read... it kept me captivated. 

So anyway, Exodus... along came Moses.  It was Pharaoh's decree to have all the male children born to the Hebrew women killed at birth by the midwives, leaving the female children to live.  From what I understand, the Egyptians felt threatened by the growing Hebrew population and in an effort to reduce their numbers, the Egyptians began mistreating them and forcing them into slavery.  This would ensure a stronger race of people, similar to the more modern ideals of Hitler and the blonde-haired, blue-eyed "superior" race.  The Hebrew people, however, were faithful and could not bring themselves to kill the innocent baby boys who were being born into the world.  One Hebrew mother gave birth to a baby boy and kept him hidden for three months, until she couldn't conceal him anymore... to hide him, she made a basket to keep him safe among the reeds in the Nile River.  When Pharaoh's daughter went down to the riverbank, she found the baby in the basket and sent her maidservant to find a Hebrew mother to nurse him.  The princess adopted the child as her own and named him Moses, which means "I lifted him out of the water."  

What a story, right!?!  It just keeps getting more and more interesting.  Long ago, I had heard about the baby, Moses, in the basket, in the river but it was vague in my memory... and now, after having spent some contemplative and meditative time going over the story of how Moses came into the world... Moses, who led the people out of Egypt... Moses, who heard God's voice in a burning bush... Moses, who parted the Red Sea... MOSES!!!... I understand it so much better... so much clearer... and it's solidified in  my mind and heart.

This is a hopeful story of how Moses was saved... God chose Moses and kept him safe.  He has a lifetime full of faithful obedience ahead of him.  His mother knew he was special and she kept him hidden until she couldn't anymore.

Have you ever known that you were in a special place at a precise moment because God was at work?  It feels good to be called according to His purpose... to know that He will save you from the perils of this life on earth to further His kingdom... so that others can know Him... through YOU.  You are special... you may have been hidden until the right time... God may have tucked you into the safety of the reeds... protecting you because He loves you... until it was time for your life to be revealed... to others and, eventually, to you.  

Rest peacefully tonight, my friends.

~Sara

Spiritual Gifts

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12 - Now, concerning Spiritual Gifts... continue reading here.  Go ahead... we'll wait. :) 
Observations: Key words: Gift, Variety but One Spirit - Paul points out that there are a variety of gifts but the Same Spirit... a variety of activities but the same Lord... a variety of activities but the same God.
Application: Spiritual gifts are given generously and specifically by God, to us, for His purposes. God asks us to be a conduit for the gifts of His spirit to flow through us.  The thing about a gift is that it isn't a gift until it's given away.  Think about a gift that you'd like to give to your child, or spouse, or best friend, or parent... you look for a special gift that they would really appreciate... something that screams "This is especially for you!"  If you spent months looking for this gift, and then another several months saving up to purchase that gift, finally buying it and then hiding it in the bottom of a closet, is it still a gift for them? No!  It's a thought... it doesn't become a gift until you give it away.
Prayer: Lord, help me to recognize the gifts that you've given me, the gifts that you've bestowed upon others, and the gift of your unconditional love and grace.  Help me, Father, to be willing to share my gifts so that those whom I share these gifts with will know that they come from you... so that your presence is evident in me and my life.  Help me remember that all these gifts are from you... they do not originate within me, but in you and it is merely my responsibility to be a conduit for your gifts.

Peace  to you, my friends,

~Sara

1 Corinthians 10:17 One Body

Lent.  We're 4 weeks in and have two to go. This Lenten journey has been one that God has used to change my heart and, hopefully, make an impact on the hearts of those around me.  In the midst of hardship, heartbreak, stress, anxiety, confusion, grief, and frustration, I have continually found an unexplainable peace in the most unexpected moments.  

This peace in the midst of the proverbial storm has given me confirmation after confirmation that I am, indeed, walking this journey hand-in-hand with my maker.  Each step of this journey, though difficult and sometimes seemingly impossible, has been blessed with unearned grace, newfound knowledge, developing wisdom and rapidly growing faith.  

In my Bible study tonight, I read 1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1... I was stopped, several times, at the 17th verse of Chapter 10.  I pondered this verse, over and over, mulling back and forth, knowing that God had something to share with me.

When I first started going to our church in February 2014, I met a woman who changed my life.  Every time she met adversity, she countered the attack with faith, love, and an unexplainable peace.  This woman always had the right words, eloquently spoken with grace and confidence. She encouraged me daily to pray and to seek God with my heart, following His guidance as he whispered to my soul.  She never hesitated to take my hands into hers to pray with me in the moments that I most needed tangible evidence of God's presence.  I jumped into involvement in our church with both feet... I felt God there and I wanted to share His presence with everyone - any way I could.  One of the scriptures she focused her ministry on was this one... "We who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread."  As we planned the ministry fair together, she continually reminded me that we each ministry in the church is a vital part of the greater body... that together, we embody the Spirit of God.  When we work together, reconciling and embracing our differences as we discover and live into the gifts that God has given us individually, we work together to build the kingdom of God.  Eventually, my friend had to move to another city, 3 hours away and I ended up stepping into the empty staff position that she left at the church. While I could never wear her shoes and walk the journey she did (nor was I called to do that), it has been with her encouragement that I have been able to grow as much as I have over the last two years.  Janice taught me so many things... and continues to do so today... but the first thing I learned from her is that we are all part of one body - the body of Christ - though we are many, because we all share one bread, one cup. 

Peace my friends... be part of the body... none of us can do it alone. 

May God be glorified in all that we do... and may we all recognize His presence in our lives.

~Sara

Bare with me

I haven't forgotten about you... I have just been really busy... work and school and kids and teaching and house hunting and rodeo and... I could go on.... and on... and on.
I have spent time in prayer, in study, and in journaling... but I just don't have time today to share those journal entries.  I promise to share soon.... please stay tuned... and let me know that you're here... Leave a comment... say a prayer... I'm only one person and I'm being pulled in so many directions.  Thank you, friends.
Peace,
Sara

Psalm 32:9 - Stubborn and controlled

Today was a beautiful day... a day full of thought, examination, prayer, rest, relationship building, and peace.  Today's Gospel reading, Luke 15:1-3,11b-32 told the parable of the prodigal son... a story of reconciliation, grace, contrition,  confession, forgiveness, misunderstanding, and envy.  So many facets to this story... and in the sermon this morning, our priest asked "which role do you identify with? Is it the father, the messenger, the prodigal son, the older angry yet faithful brother?"  At different points in our lives and in various circumstances, we have all played each of these roles... some more often than others. 

When playing these roles in your everyday life situations, are you willing to make the necessary changes to reflect the wishes of God or are you continually acting like a mule or horse - stubborn and needing to be controlled?  Psalm 32:9 says "Do not be like the horse or mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you."  It's hard.  It's really hard to refrain from being stubborn... especially when you KNOW, in your heart of hearts, that you are Right.  Am I right?!  (I kid, I kid.)  As a Christian, though, it is much more righteous to understand when others need a bit of grace because they aren't able to accept the truth that lies before them.  It's important that we remain willing to understand that God is at work... and God's work is much more important than anything that we think or do on our own - especially when we're only persisting to prove a point.

Today, I choose to let go.  I choose to be like the Father today... my heavenly father, willing to love unconditionally.

Until tomorrow... Peace give I to you; not as the world gives, give I to you... Peace give I to you.
~Sara

Mark 6 - A patchwork illustration of Jesus' nourishment

The scripture passage for this journal entry is Mark 6:30-46 - the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000.  Go ahead and click on the orange-hilighted link and read the passage.  Doing so will help you understand my ramblings that are about to follow.  Go ahead.  I'll wait....

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Oh great! You're back!  That's a great story, huh?  There's a lot of imagery in Mark's depiction of this miracle that Jesus performs.... and I'll talk about those images, but first, I want to point out a few things...

1. Jesus and the apostles were tired, hungry, and worn from their ministerial endeavors across the land. Jesus recognized the need to rest and he encouraged his apostles to sit a spell for some rejuvenation. 
2. On the way to their resting place, a few people saw that they were headed in the direction of the mountain - to which Jesus often retreated to pray.  Word spread like wildfire that they were going to be in that location and because they had heard about Jesus, people came in droves to hear him.  They were hungry for God.
3. When Jesus approached the crowd, his heart broke.  He saw many people, seemingly wandering in aimless directions and the picture before him reminded him of a flock of lost sheep with no shepherd.
4. Even though Jesus and the apostles were tired, weary, hungry, and flat-out exhausted, they knew that God was calling them to continue.  They didn't blink at the opportunity to spread the Gospel.... they just went back to work... without complaining.

Now... about those images.  While reading this passage, several images crossed my mind.  

1. The image of Jesus and the apostles... tired and on their way to rest.
2. The image of seeing all the people gathered on the grass waiting with baited breath to hear Jesus speak.
3. The image of the people rushing to get to the place that they had heard Jesus would be.
4. The image of the flock of sheep, wandering aimlessly in the field.
5. The obvious images of the five loaves of bread and the 2 fish.
6. In The Message translation, the image of a patchwork quilt of wildflowers spread out on green grass (vs. 39) is used to describe what Jesus saw when he saw the people gathered on the hill.
7. Jesus blessed the bread and broke it, lifted his face to heaven and then fed the people.
8. The disciples gathered 12 baskets full of leftovers after everyone had eaten.
9. There were 5,000 people present for this miracle.
10. Jesus sent the disciples out in the boat towards Bethsaida.
11. Jesus blessed the crowd and dismissed them.
12. Jesus climbed the mountain, alone, to pray.

That's a lot of imagery!  How do I choose which one to focus on?  Which one should I illustrate?  Decisions, Decisions!

The image that drew my attention first was the "patchwork quilt," so I decided to illustrate the story using the idea of a patchwork quilt. 

The center is a cross, representing Jesus.  I drew 12 sheep, representing the 12 disciples and the 12 baskets of leftover food... but also reminding me of the imagery of the sheep without a shepherd.  I drew 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish - reminding me that Jesus fed the 5,000 with little physical food but their hearts were full.  The people sat in groups of 50-100 people, which made me think of circles of friends (depicted by the circles).  The Shepherd's staff reminds me that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and he will tend his sheep - even when they are lost, he will go and find them and bring them back to the flock.  The green represents the grass and the blue represents the water.

In this story, Jesus satisfied the people and fed them spiritually first... then he satisfied their human need for physical nourishment and fed them with food. Priorities in line.  Jesus saw His flock wandering aimlessly... and he tended to them.  Jesus and the disciples may have been tired... but they did not give into fleshly desires.  They could've easily ignored the crowd and gone in another direction to continue on to rest... but they didn't... they did what God called them to do - to feed the flock - WHEN He called them to do it.  They recognized a need and they filled it. What a wonderful world this would be if we all approached challenges this way, huh?

I'm going to leave you with this tonight.  What character(s) in the story do you most identify with?  The hungry crowd?  The anticipating people?  The weary disciples? The compassionate Shepherd? The lost sheep? The onlooking Father?  

Today, I've felt like a lost sheep... but I know my Shepherd's voice and I am doing the best that I can to listen for it so I can find the path that He wants me on.

Goodnight friends,
~Sara 

Genesis 45 - Joseph's Joy

Yesterday (and a little on Wednesday), I continued reading the story of Joseph in Genesis.  Over the last few weeks, I've learned a thing or two about Joseph...
1.  Joseph was one of twelve sons, born of Jacob.
2. Joseph was a product of his father, Jacob's, second marriage to his true love, Rachel.
3. Rachel and Jacob had two sons... Benjamin and Joseph... both of which their father favored over the other ten brothers born of his first wife, Rachel's sister, Leah.
4. Joseph was sold into slavery at a young age.
5. Joseph became Pharoah's top advisor in Egypt - which resulted in his riches and powerful position - a position that allowed him to provide for his family during the 7-year famine.
6. Joseph feared and loved God... and was grateful to his brothers for selling him into slavery because God used that situation to bless him.

Genesis reads like a soap opera!  There are ups and downs, surprises, and drama.  I haven't come across any dull moments in this story and I have learned so much history just by reading this book of the Bible and studying commentaries on the stories within.

In Genesis 45, Joseph is reunited with all of his brothers and he was filled with joy.  After a tearful reunion with Benjamin and the other brothers, Joseph wanted to hear about their families and, most of all, their father.  Joseph insisted that his brothers load down his wagons full of grain and food and supplies, clothing and many other gifts of sustainability and make the trip back to the land of Canaan.  He wanted them to feed their families, take care of them, and his father... and then he wanted them to fill the wagons with all their family members and come back to live with Joseph.  As they prepared to part ways, Joseph gave each of his brothers a change of clean clothes for the journey.  For his youngest brother, Benjamin, though... he gave five pairs of clothing and 300 shekels of silver.  Just like his father, he showed favoritism towards Benjamin because they shared the same mother.

Can you imagine the joy the brothers experienced in being reunited with their long-gone brother - the one they sold into slavery.  Can you imagine the relief they felt when Joseph wasn't angry with them for the decision they made in doing so?  Can you imagine the excitement they felt when Joseph said he'd save them (and their entire families) from the last 5 years of the 7-year famine that they were enduring?

In reading this story, I felt joy.  I felt relief.  I felt favor. I felt excitement. I felt mercy and grace.  I felt hopeful. I felt content... on behalf of Joseph and his family.

My journal entry reflected the fun-natured joy that I felt.  Cartooning is not my typical style - to put this picture in my Bible, I found the illustration on Google Images and traced it into my Bible. The main reason for this fun picture is to help me remember this story.   I used Micron pens to trace over my penciled image and then I watercolored the picture.  I love it... and I enjoyed painting it.

Until later... 

Peace, my friends...

~Sara