Alone Yet Not Alone (Song) Performed by Joni Eareckson Tada

Enough to Share

I was awaken by the warm comforting smell of fresh baked bread. When I came into the kitchen there was my grandmother surrounded by twelve loaves. If I close my eyes I can still see her standing there surrounded by her bread, my mind can remember the aroma that filled the kitchen. Bread was my grandmother's gift, a gift to be enjoyed and a gift to be shared.

On the day Grandmother baked bread I became her emissary taking her gifts throughout the "patch." Grandmother lived in a small immigrant coal mining community in Pennsylvania. At each home I was greeted with smiles and hands ready to receive the warm loaf. My grandmother was known for her generosity. Grandmother let me share in her joy of giving by allowing me to be her hands and feet as I delivered her gifts.

I often think about this experience when I pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." Jesus illustrated this request for bread by asking the question,"Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.'"(Luke 11:5) The request for daily bread is not only for my needs but so that I will have enough to share.

When I was a child my grandmother invited me not only to share the pleasure of eating her delicious home made bread but she also invited me to share in the pleasure of her generosity. Even though I had nothing to do with the making and baking of the bread still I got to distribute the it. When I say the Lord's Prayer and I ask for my daily bread I think of this. I ask for daily communion by taking the living bread and I marvel that I get to be an emissary of my Heavenly Father. He not only satisfies my deepest hunger but invites me to bring to others the warm comfort of the bread of Heaven.

A Hunger for Shalom

She woke with a hunger and a longing deep in her soul. Her dreams had taken her back to a time when she had felt whole and complete before death had entered her world. She ached to return to the time when light wasn't tinged with darkness when truth wasn't confused and tangled with thorny lies. She was hungry for shalom.

There was silence as the story was told. They leaned forward with a craving in their heart to hear what had once been their present and now was their past, their history. It was a time of peace and prosperity when the queen of Sheba had come to see the wisdom of Solomon. She responded to what she saw by saying, "The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and your wisdom, but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold the half was not told me." (1 Kings 10:6,7) But that was a time before the darkness had eclipsed the light and the truth had been lost in the lie. They listened now and felt a yearning and a hunger for shalom.

There had been a promise given so very long ago, given on the same day the darkness fell when death and sorrow were introduced into the garden. It was the promise of shalom a promise that one day the curse would be broken, that light would overwhelm the darkness that truth would triumph over lies. And the world waited for the promise to be kept and there was a hunger for shalom.

His coming was announced by, "a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased." Here it was at last the promise of shalom. He came as the prince of peace telling all who would listen about His kingdom. He came to His own but they did not receive Him. Jesus wept and said, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace!" (Luke 19:42) The King has come the promise has been given. He is coming again to establish His kingdom but for now I have a hunger for shalom.

Lord Jesus, when you taught Your disciples to pray You taught them to say,"Your kingdom come Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." This is my prayer as I live in a world where the light is tinged with darkness and the truth is often confused by lies. You are my king. Reign supreme in my heart You who are the prince of peace.

Thirty Years Ago

This morning I climbed the stairs and went to my bookshelves and looked until I found the photo album and the "The Happy Birthday Keepsake." Today is my son's thirtieth birthday. I looked at the picture of the first time I held him and let the memories wash over me.

Before Andrew was born I was given a book called, "The Happy Birthday Keepsake." I filled in the pages for the first twelve years of his life. As I read through the "Highlights of the year" I relived what it was like to watch this little boy become a man.

One of the gifts I gave Andrew for his birthday this year has been a collection of "Ebeneezer Stones" or "Stones of Remembrance." The Bible speaks of these stones as a monument that the children of Israel were to make so that they could look at them and remember what God had already done for them and then gain strength to face their new challenges.

As a thirty year old man my son faces many challenges. The twelfth "Stone of Remembrance" I sent him said; "God opened doors, He shut doors. He is sovereign. He hasn't changed. He is still opening and shutting doors to direct your path. Do not be afraid. Trust Him with your whole heart, rest in Him. Do what He has given you to do, He is worthy of your trust. He already knows what He has planned for you even if it is hidden from your view. Think back at how He has been directing your path. There is a work for you to accomplish in your generation. It is His work. A holy assignment He planned for you before the foundation of the world."

Father, be with my son today. As he looks into the unknown with the new challenges that his tomorrows bring let him find rest in the truth that You who have brought him to this place of testing and will lead him through to the destination You have chosen for him. Give him courage for the future and remind him, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." May my son say with the writer of Lamentations, "The Lord is my portion therefore I will hope in Him."

Quieted

The sounds of panic were deafening. My hands hung limp and bloody from having the reins that I had wrapped around my hands ripped from them. I could almost taste the fear that came from knowing that no matter how hard I tried the truth was I wasn't the one in control.

Pray, I need to pray. How do I start my prayer when I feel so overwhelmed? I reached into the bag that I carry my Bible in and found a crumpled piece of paper. On it I read, "Do not fear, O Zion; do not let you hands hang limp. The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."(Zeph. 3: 16,17)

I have been trying to learn this lesson for a long time, there is power in praise. When I begin to feel overwhelmed by my inadequacy that is when I need to remind myself that the Lord my God is with me and He is mighty to save. I do this by praising Him. When I lift my heart, my eyes, my voice to God in praise I find that I am delighting in Him.

As I choose to delight in Him I realize to my amazement that He takes great delight in me! Suddenly, I am blanketed by peace and the deafening sirens of panic are silenced. Overshadowed by his love a deep since of quiet enters my soul. From my heart that has been silenced by love I begin to hear music. While I was singing songs of praise to Him He responded by rejoicing over me with singing.

Father, I lift my hands to You in praise. They are no longer hanging limp because of fear. Thank You for teaching me that when I lift my voice to You in praise I find that You are mighty to save. Thank You for allowing me to hear Your songs of love in the quiet that Your peace brings.