May

18

Pure Joy?

By Julie B Cosgrove | 2 Comments


“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance,”  James 1:2-3

I am in a trial. A big one. One of the biggest of my life. It doesn’t seem very joyful.  In fact it hurts right down to my core. The situation is not going to go away because I made a vow to honor, love and cherish until death parts us. I made that vow to God as well as him. Because he has chosen to break that vow does not give me the right to do so.  It just does not make it easy to keep the vow alive in my heart. 

But God is alive in my heart. He is my comfort and strength. What am I called to do? I am called to not judge ( judgment is a final act). I am called to turn the other cheek and forgive seventy times seven. That does not mean I am called to forget or to write it off as if it does not matter.  I am called to give it to God. To lay it at the Cross, every day, every hour that the hurt and anger and feelings of betrayal creep back into my heart.  That is my protective boundary- the shadow of the Cross. There is the joy – because there is my hope.

When people hurt us, offend us, betray us and no longer love us, we can turn to Jesus who knows what heartache and suffering is and chose to love anyway. And He chose to forgive. He still does.. Until I turn it over to Jesus I cannot forgive and thus God will not forgive my sins.  “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”  Until I forgive, I keep the focus on me and wallow in my hurt. There is the joy- because there is my healing.

 It is not easy, far from it. I struggle with it each day. But my heart is growing stronger, and my faith is alive. My relationship with the One who will always love me is closer. And when this trial is over, how ever it turns out, He will still be there and I will still be in His protective hands. There is the joy – because there is my peace.

Whatever trial you are facing, look to God to guide you into forgiveness. To forgive means to turn it over to God to handle. It does not erase the offense, it covers it with prayer. Only then can our Lord begin the healing, no matter if the offender repents or not. It’s no longer in your hands- it is between them and God.  The test? Who do you trust above all else? He wants to pass you with flying colors, He’ll even give you the answers. When you know that in the depths of your heart, you can persevere. Then there will be your joy – because there will be victory.

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”  James 1:12

May

7

Hold It Together

By Julie B Cosgrove | Comments Off


“…all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things and in him all things hold together.” Col 1:16-17

If I just keep it together, I’ll be fine. Every woman has said that in times of stress and trouble. It seems that is our lot in life. We juggle so many balls in the air that when one threatens to bounce of our hand and roll out of our reach, we hasten to grasp it and pull it back into sync with the others. Keep everything running smoothly. All ducks in a row.

If only that would happen all the time. But life gets in the way. Someone comes down with a fever or stomach virus, the car breaks down, the washer spews all over the floor, the computer crashes, losing half a day’s worth of work that happens to be due in two hours. And those are just the little nagging things.

Then the biggies come along. Death. Divorce. Disability. The “3-D’s” that give life dimensions in ways we never fathomed. Then there are debilitating illnesses, loss of job and income, a betrayal by someone we love, a child that seems destined to head down the wrong path no matter how hard we try to stop them. How do we hold that together? We don’t.

Once on a retreat, we were told to put God f-i-r-s-t – in finances, interests, relationships, schedule and troubles. In the little and the big, it is comforting to know the Creator of the Universe is holding it all together, so we do not have to try.. He is before all things, so when they happen, He is right there to guide, comfort and love us through it. The little stuff and the big stuff. Put it in His hands. It’s Okay- they are big enough to hold all your problems and still hold onto you.

Holy Father, help us to cast our cares onto you knowing you can keep our lives together and see us through whatever comes our way. For we are not without hope, but fully trust in You. Then hold us tight and comfort us through it until we can fully see your Glory on the other side. For You purpose all things for the good just as you purposed your Son’s suffering and death on the cross. It is through Him that we come to Your Throne and crawl into your strong arms of love. Amen.

Apr

30

Turn Evil to Live and Live to Love

By Julie B Cosgrove | Comments Off


“I want them to turn from their evil ways and live…: Ez 18:23

The English language can be amazing. Take for example the words  EVIL and LIVE and VILE. They all have the same letters, yet such different  meanings. What if each letter stood for another word, is there a message in that?

E – everyone
V- vessel
I- instinct
L- living

Evil is selfish, it turns inward and only thinks of, well the self. It has no regard for others. Everyone becomes a vessel to be used, instinctively so you can live. This breeds greed, envy, jealousy, lust, anger and pride.

Being vile is to be a vessel to instinctively live in spite of everyone else. Vile is corruption of the vessel. It corrupts our lives. The vessel becomes a holder for evil, it is tainted and distorted.

Live puts life over instinct so you become a vessel for everyone. You put others  wellbeing first over your own needs. Mothers bring life to their children from their own bodies. They have given a part of themselves biologically and will emotionally as long as that child lives. Mothers almost instinctually put their children’s needs over their own. You see that in nature all the time. You can take it further and say mothers become a VEIL- they cover their kids in protection by being a vessel for each so they can instinctively live.

Now replace the Instinct with Offering and you have LOVE.   As humans it is instinctual that we  do what we can to survive. Christ, instead became an Offering and gave his life for us.  He asks us to do the same.. Living as an Offering Vessel for Everyone is the command for every follower of Christ.  The irony? In doing so, we get life back- eternal life where evil and vile things have no place.

“Greater love has no one  than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 

Lord, Renew in me daily the desire to be an offering to You so I can be used to help others. Fill me with your eternal love so I can fight off my human nature, my instincts to be selfish, angry, envious, or prideful. Let me be Your Vessel – fill me with love for everyone you put in my path. I pray this through Your Son who is my example, my Saviour and my life.  Amen.

Apr

22

Iron and Clay- which will your child be?

By Julie B Cosgrove | 1 Comment


Iron and Clay

“So this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some strength of iron in it…partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle…so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united any nor than iron mixes with clay.”   Daniel 2:41-43

Daniel was interpreting the King’s dream of a statue that was gold at the top, then silver, bronze and finally iron and clay. One well placed rock broke it and it crumbled. He was prophesizing about Babylon, but it seems the description fits our country, doesn’t it? We were founded one nation under God, but  no longer are to many. It was once a golden nation. A nation founded on the God given rights of all  created equal in the sight of the Creator, each personof value and worth.  Of course, that was the ideal- slavery, indentured servitude, the east coast work houses, the mistreatment of the native Indians, the lawlessness of the wild west was the reality. Still our country remained a beacon. Churches were the center of town life. Freedom rang.

Now that for several genrerations our legislature has made God unpopular and banned Him from our schools and His principles are no longer taught, we are a nation divided.  We are partly strong, yet our morals, our economy and our  ethics are crumbling like clay. God’s remnant is the iron. We hold these truths to be self evident – in God we will continue to trust. Our God will provide and protect His people, if we pray and return to Him. If we continue in our homes to teach our children of His power and promises, of His grace and our sinfulness.  If we continue to treat people with love and dignity and reach out to be His hands and feet and teach our kids to do so also. If we teach them that honesty is the best policy and confession is good for the soul. Only if they receive Christ as their Saviour.

Jesus said He was not interceding for the world, only those the Father had given to His care. (John 17:9) As believers, we are the children of the King destined for the streets of gold.

Mothers, as the old song form Crosby Stills and Nash says,” teach your children well. ..” May God bless us and our nation.

Apr

21

At the Gate of Beautiful

By Julie B Cosgrove | Comments Off


In the 3rd Chapter of Acts, it says that Peter and John were in Jerusalem and walked by a gate leading into the Temple. There was a crippled beggar there . They instantly healed him and brought him walking and dancing into the Temple.

Of course the Hebrew worshipers were astonished because they had passed by this man day in and day out on the way to worship. Maybe they had contributed a small coin to his livelihood now and then, when they had spare change they did not need to buy an offering. You see where this is going. My Church is in an older part of town. Many are. It sits half way in between a poorer section of town and a grand old section with manicured lawns and stately mansions of the past. I think it is appropriate that it is where it is- sort of between heaven and hell, like the Church of believers should be.

As Christians, we are called to look around us and see who is hanging out just outside the gate called Beautiful- just outside our blessed lives. Peter and John say to the people “by faith in the name of Jesus this man whom you see and know was made strong.” (vs 16) By my faith I am supposed to demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit, to bring people into His Temple of Mercy to be healed, in spirit and maybe body. I am supposed to take them by the hand and help them enter the gate called Beautiful and into His presence.

As women, we can do that in some way, each day, no matter how busy we are. Father, show me who to lead through the Gate called Beautiful today, Maybe with a smile to a harried grocery store clerk, or letting that person in traffic, or hugging a loved one. Just show me who needs a glimpse into your Kingdom. “I can not do everything, but I can do something. Lord what will you have me do?” is part of the motto of the Daughters of the King, a women’s prayer group to which I belong. The answer- every day pray, then obey, don’t walk away.

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