The Death of a Toe

Earlier this week I was away from home when I received a phone call from my husband. In response to my hello I heard, “She’s going to be OK, but I’m taking Sarah to the emergency room.” 

Mental pictures of unconsciousness, lack of breathing, and other what-ifs filled my mind. The reality was her toe had been smashed under the end of a tilt-trailer; the mutilated tip was now hanging by a sliver of skin.

After waiting for about two hours in the emergency room, the doctor determined it was worth trying to save the tip. He cleaned it up and sewed it to the toe. As it heals, we are waiting to see if that tip will reattach itself. If it was detached from the toe for too long and won’t reattach, the tip will die off and decay.

I don’t tell you this story to make your stomach queasy or make your toes curl. (I thought about posting a picture but decided your mental images were probably sufficient.) 

I am working on my next study, “Everything We Need: God's Path to Know Him Better” and saw an interesting verse. I'm writing a lesson on knowing that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised Messiah, or the Christ, based on Acts 2:36. However, verse 31 caught my attention, especially in light of the approaching Easter season.

“Seeing what was ahead, he [David] spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay” (Acts 2:31).

The tip of Sarah’s toe is quite likely dead and will decay. Whereas her injury was perhaps merely a centimeter across, Jesus body was beaten until He was no longer recognizable.

“Just as there were many who were appalled at him – his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness” (Isaiah 52:14).

Despite the extensiveness of His injuries and despite His literal death, Jesus’ body did not decay. Sarah’s toe started turning dark the very next day after her injury.

Why do I care that the body of a Man who lived 2,000 years ago was not allowed to decay? I live in 2011; why do I care that His body resurrected back to life? 

I care, and honestly rejoice in it because it promises my own resurrection someday and the resurrection of all those who accept Him as their Savior. 

Sarah’s toe may decay now. 

Our bodies will all decay when we experience death.

But, ...

Into the Light: Satan doesn't give up easily

My husband, an avid hunter, received a motion sensor camera for Christmas. Now that I think about it, the famous bird feeder was also a Christmas gift, but that's beside the point. The camera is designed to be hung on a tree in the woods; when wildlife wander by, it snaps a picture. We put that new camera straight to work. With no trees on our deck, we attached the camera to a tripod and aimed it directly at the bird feeder.

"For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light...and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them...everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible" (Ephesians 5:8,10-11,13-14).

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:13-14).

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy" (1 Peter 2:9-10).

Click on the following to read the other stories about the bird feeder...

Part 1: This is for the Birds
Part 2: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Part 3: I Don't Want to Eat like a Bird
Part 4: Looking for Someone to Devour
Part 5: Satan Didn't Win; The Bird Feeder Restored

Restoration: Satan doesn't win

Last Saturday, my husband stuck his head in from the garage and yelled, “I’m getting ready to fix the bird feeder if you want to come take pictures.”

I believe he is also starting to see this ongoing saga of the bird feeder as a tool through which God can teach us.

As I watched him skillfully put the feeder back together, many thoughts wandered through my head. No wonder Jesus used parables to teach His followers; we can learn so much from the world around us!

When the raccoon attacked the bird feeder it fell apart. When Satan attacks our church – or any other aspect of our lives – we fall apart. But God’s got it under control. Consider these outcomes with me…

God knows what to do

It may seem simple to some, but I wouldn’t know the best way to put the feeder back together. My husband, on the other hand, didn’t think twice. Knowing what to do, he just did it. Likewise, God “understands how weak we are; He knows we are only dust” (Psalm 103:14 NLT).

God can bring out the power tools

If I tried to fix the bird feeder myself, I would have painstakingly tried to nail the pieces back together with a hammer and small nails. I would have smashed my thumb a few times. I probably would’ve split the wood when I did get the nail in. My husband didn’t even mess with a hammer. He pulled out the power tools and got the job done. “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8).

God can rebuild stronger that before

Some factory poorly constructed the bird feeder; they fastened it together with short, weak pins that easily bend and don’t have a head to hold them in. When my husband reconstructed the birdhouse, he used longer, thicker, and stronger nails that will hold it together much better. “My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word” (Psalm 119:28).

God restores what was lost through the hard times

Do you remember the pictures of the shattered bird feeder in the last article? You might have noticed that no food was scattered among the crash. When I first noticed the lack of food in the mess, I thought, “The bird feeder must have been empty when the raccoon got it.” Then, I realized that was kind of an, uh, not so bright thought. There was no birdseed in the mess because the raccoon had eaten it.

Satan doesn’t go after an empty church. He only attacks churches filled with seeds of life! “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him” (Romans 15:13). “Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again” (Psalm 71:20).

God’s timing is perfect in putting our mess back together

My husband rebuilt the bird feeder on a sunny, warm day. My daughter took this picture this morning – only two days after my husband hung the feeder. Everything may be going great but we never know when the next storm is going to come. God prepares us to be ready at exactly the right time. “He has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

Click here to read the first parts of the bird feeder saga:

This is for the Birds(Part 1)

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner(Part 2)

I Don't Want to Eat Like a Bird(Part 3)

Looking for Someone to Devour(Part 4)

God & Chocolate: Crave the real thing for each

I wanted something sweet after dinner last night - something in the chocolate category. My available option was limited to chocolate chips but they didn’t sound right for the choco-attack I was having. For some reason, chocolate pudding sounded soooo good. Usually, I find pudding ok, but it’s not one of my favorites. Plus, our family avoids artificial flavors and colors so I don’t buy the powder in a box that you mix with milk. Too fake.

I pulled out Betty’s recipe book, knowing that Mrs. Crocker could tell me how to make chocolate pudding.

I lined up the listed ingredients on my kitchen island. I mixed, stirred, and boiled. I poured it into a pan to cool in the refrigerator.

Later, my husband and I each snuck a bowl full after the kids went to bed. I just finished my second serving after lunch today.

This pudding is so good. Cocoa, sugar, milk – ok, I admit I might have used half and half; all real ingredients. No bitter aftertaste from artificial flavors. No fear of funky chemicals messing with our brains.

As I sat at my desk, enraptured by each bite, I thought about how good it is to have the real thing. Yes, it takes a little time and effort but the real thing is so much better than the quick, easy product for which we often settle.

I want the real thing in my spiritual life as well. I don’t want to settle for a religion that comes in a quick and easy box. I don’t want the bitter aftertaste of a religion that adds a bunch of stuff to make it look like the real thing. I want the relationship God intended; not some artificial religion created by man that was never designed for human consumption. I want to put forth some time and effort, build a relationship with my Creator and Savior, and become more enraptured with Him every time I sit down to open His Word.

Fingerprints of Satan: Looking for someone to devour

I once heard that bad things don’t happen to speakers and authors. What most people call bad things, authors and speakers call stories in the making. I looked out on the deck this morning and saw the bird feeder crashed into pieces. I immediately thought, “I’ve got to find the camera. There has to be a story in this.” Before I even turned away from the door to find the camera, I already knew the moral of this story.

As evidenced by the paw prints left in the frost on the deck, a raccoon had climbed up on the rail, pulled the bird feeder down, and ate all of the seed that scattered out from its broken frame. We knew a raccoon had been getting into the bird feeder at night. At the end of the day, the arm it hung on would be sticking out, away from the railing. By morning it often had been pulled so the feeder was directly over the rail and easier for little paws to get into. This last time though the raccoon pulled too hard and the bird feeder came crashing to the ground.

Sadly, this is the case of many churches in the world. Like the ravenous raccoon, Satan waits until no one is watching and sneaks in. At first he just twists a little truth here and spins a little lie there, much like the raccoon did each night. Eventually his voracious appetite to destroy the Word of God becomes too strong. His twists and spins become so powerful that the church comes crashing down.

Be self-controlled and alert.
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
(1 Peter 5:8, NIV)

As the raccoon devoured the seed from between the shattered pieces, he left paw prints in the frost all over the deck. We may not see the truth-twists and lies that Satan is spinning in our churches or lives. However, after everything comes crashing down we can often look back and see his prints all over the place. We know the animal on our deck was a raccoon by the shape and style of the paw prints. Similarly, we can recognize the prints of Satan.

The print of Temptation – 1 Thessalonians 3:5

For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.

The print of Deception – Revelation 12:9

The great dragon was hurled down - that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray.

The print of Lies – John 8:44

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

But the raccoon will not be allowed the final victory here, and neither will Satan in the end. This story isn’t over yet…

Click on the following to read the other stories about the bird feeder...

Part 1: This is for the Birds
Part 2: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Part 3: I Don't Want to Eat Like a Bird

Part 5: Satan Didn't Win; The Bird Feeder Restored
Part 6: He's not Giving Up that Easily

Socks are Too Big: Determining when it's time to grow up

I went on a shopping trip to restock my girls’ winter clothes for the remainder of this season and for next winter. I like going this late in the season because all of the clothes are on clearance as the stores make room for the spring fashions.

Each of my daughters wore a new dress to church this past Sunday. As we were getting ready to leave, I watched my five year old dance around the bathroom in her new outfit. The sleeves were a little long and the skirt sagged a little around the waist as she didn’t quite fill it out. Even the socks were too big – I noticed the pink heel of the brown sock was up on her leg instead of wrapped snuggly around her little heel.

As I watched her spin towards the sink so she could brush her hair, I thought, “It won’t be long before those sleeves won’t even reach her wrist and that heel will be stretching just to make it to its correct spot.” Years of parenting has taught me that clothes which are too big today will fit tomorrow and be outgrown by the next day.

My next thought was “Isn’t that what God wants from each of His children?”

My daughters’ childhoods are passing by quickly but I would never wish for them to stay newborn, five years old, or teenagers forever. Since I learned of my first pregnancy, my prayer for each of them has been to grow into women who love and serve God. Likewise, God doesn’t want us to stay spiritual newborns forever. He wants us to grow!

Regardless of their biological age, people are spiritual newborns when they first choose to follow Jesus. Just like a baby, they need to be fed so they can grow. Watching a new Christian learn the truths of God’s Word is encouraging, comforting, and refreshing to the older Christian, just like watching a new baby suck contentedly on a bottle of milk.

“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2:2-3).

However, we wouldn’t have the same reaction to a five year old or teenager that still sucked contentedly on a bottle of milk. We desire to see the five year old devour mac & cheese while the teenager takes a huge bite of cheeseburger. They need real food for their growing bodies. God wants the same spiritual growth in each of us.

“We have much to say about this [referring to the eternal priesthood of Christ], but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!

Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Therefore, let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity…” (Hebrews 5:11-6:1).