For Juneteenth I celebrate physical and spiritual freedom
What is Juneteenth? Why is it important? My Journey To Worship takes me now to a town in Texas 150 years ago. January 1, 1863 President Lincoln gave the emancipation proclamation. But in the beginning of June two years later in Texas the slaves were still slaves. The war continued and so did their slavery even though the president had made his proclamation. It wasn’t until June 19, 1865 that Union soldiers under the leadership of Major Gen. Gordon Granger landed in Galveston, Texas letting them know that they were free. They were free before, but because the war raged on they didn’t know about their freedom.
If any man be in Christ he is a new creature! Jesus came and died and purchased our freedom. But the war continues. There is still hatred. There is still discrimination. There is still poverty. There is still sickness. The good news is that Jesus is soon to return. He will finish the war and establish His kingdom of peace and freedom in Him.
So today, I celebrate the Juneteenthmemorial of freedom for African Americans in the south. But I also celebrate the freedom I have in Jesus. I am no longer a slave to sin or to the grave. I have a home up in His kingdom, ain’t that good news!!
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Having a classroom of middle school students who all want to do their own thing can quickly teach you about the value of rules. The experts in classroom management agree that your students must clearly know your expectations and the consequences of keeping or not keeping them. Once a few students test the boundaries, if the teacher is firm and consistent then students accept the reality of the boundary of your rules and only seldomly ramp up to full rebellion knowing that the consequences surely will come.
Being in the classroom has taught me more about how God deals with us. I’d like to call my observations the push and pull of God’s love. The rules and consequences are the push, but the pull is His amazing love!
God desires for man to be in relationship with Him. The bible says in I John 4:19, “We love Him because He first loved us.” God created us. He gave us existence! We can feel, think, believe or doubt. We can love or hate. We can have joy, peace or pain. God loved us so much that he brought us into existence! His love pulls us towards Him. How great is His love!
But God loved man enough to give him a purpose and boundaries.
“15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”” Genesis 2:15-16
God said that man was to work the garden and take care of it. God made us and then created opportunities for us to work, to use the gifts he created in us to take care of our world. But he also set some limits with consequences. Adam was free to eat from any tree in the garden but one. If he ate from that restricted tree he was promised that he would certainly die.
When we share the gospel and we don’t explain both the push and pull of God we don’t provide the balance people need to live a victorious Christian life. God is love. But love has rules as well as hugs. The blood of Jesus cleans us from all sin, but does not give us a license to sin all the more. Just as a parent has to discipline their child, we must welcome the discipline of Our Heavenly Father. His correction and encouragement will transform us more and more into His image.
So today, welcome both the push and pull of God’s love. Know that he loves us enough to create us, sustain us, bless us, redeem us, and so much more. At the same time God expects us to obey Him. Jesus said, “ If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15 We show our love to God by obeying Him.
I love to sing songs to praise and worship my Heavenly Father. But I know that he expects more than just my melodies in the morning. He desires a relationship where I learn from Him and trust Him enough to obey Him.
“My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:
For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”
Proverbs 3:11-12
So today I will trust both the push and the pull of God’s love.
Have you ever had an unexpected break and realized how much you may have missed because you are constantly on the go? I invite you to pause. Today is a good day to pause and reflect.
This morning my eyes filled with tears when I realized how much kindness I receive. People do things for me they don’t have to do. But because my life has been filled with so much favor I don’t always pause and reflect on God’s goodness to me through them. Thank you! Thank you for hugs. Thank you for opening doors. Thank you for letting me go first. Thank you for water. Thank you for your prayers.
Perhaps one of the greatest damages of our societal conditioning to have more and do more to feel valuable is that we are distracted from all we already have. Do we really need a new phone every 6 months? Do we have to become a millionaire to feel successful? How about giving God glory everyday as the benchmark of success. Rich or poor can do it. We can be kind. We can give of ourselves. We can serve.
If we don’t pause and reflect on what’s good then what’s bad may overtake us. There will always be someone with more money, power, fame, talent, etc then us. Stop chasing a dream that isn’t really yours anyway. Advertisers have spent millions of dollars to try to convince us what we need. What we need to do is pause and be grateful for what we already have.
There is darkness in our world. Everyday in the news we are reminded of hatred, racism and disease seemingly running rampant through our world. Take some time away from the ugly and heal in the presence of what is good. Worship and bask in God’s goodness. Pause with Him so you can be restored.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.
John 15:10
Day 70: Rules
I want to share something I feel is very important.During the last 3 years I have gained a deeper understanding of the importance of rules.I have been teaching middle school music and chorus for the past 3 years and it has clarified my view of the Gospel.
As I began this journey I was coming from having been largely in the adult world of music for many years.I had been minister of music for 9 years at a congregation that was aging and in my assignment before that I had also been spending much of my time working primarily with an adult choir.
With an adult choir as with doing a workshop chorus you are much more focused on being engaging as opposed to being a police of behavior.In the middle school arena I had to change my focus.I know primarily had to create an environment of order so that learning could take place.My adult choir members desired to make music and already had learned to control themselves.My middle school choir members didn’t alll join for the love of singing.Some came because they thought it would be easier than their alternative class option.
When asking for advice I was told that it was very important for me to establish rules.After the rules were established than it was most important for me to establish consistency and fairness.My students needed to know that I would do what I said and that I wouldn’t play favorites.
In current times people have moved away from valuing God’s rules.Instead a flood light of attention has been given to His love and His grace.Today I want to warn you.God’s love isn’t lawless!!!If God wanted to do away with rules or law he could have done so before making the sacrifice of sending His son Jesus.
Rules protect my students.When they know I am consistent they start to feel safe.We live in a lawless world and unfortunately, the church has become that way as well.Wouldn’t it be amazing if people started to believe God for power to live right?This wouldn’t give them salvation…for all have sinned and are in need of the Savior.But it would make us more like our Father.It would make our families stable.It would make our communities and houses of worshipsafer.
What would happen if we prayed for God to make us more like Him and grant us more of His presence instead of asking for more stuff?Would the church than become as powerful as it was in the early days described in Acts?
I believe we have been tricked into thinking rules don’t matter—especially in the church.Yes, we are saved by Grace through Faith.But the classroom of life is a lot safer when we follow God’s instructions.
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2: 42-47 NIV
Day 69: Building Community
When I go to the store I appreciate finding a great deal. But even more than that I appreciate going to a vendor who recognizes me. Perhaps they ask about my children. The fact that we know about each other’s lives gives me a good feeling. I believe that they care about me not just my money.
Living in an environment where you feel a genuine concern from the people around you is priceless. In the early days of the church described in the book of Acts we read about how the people viewed that all their possessions were to help one another. It wasn’t a utopia. They did have to work through issues of some parts of the community feeling neglected. But they worked through it. In the end they demonstrated God’s kingdom here on earth.
In the picture above you see a local Chinese take out place called Kenny’s. I remember my son saying that the lady at the register was so nice. While they have things that we can enjoy eating it’s because of how they made us feel that we go there so often.
Today I will seek to build community in the places God has placed me.
Thank you for joining me on this journey to worship and wellness. I’ve been suffering with headaches for the last few months and so I took a break but I’m back in the saddle. If you enjoy the posts please subscribe and share with a friend. Have a happy, healthy and blessed day!
I’m vocalizing and doing some scales to stir up my gifts.
6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
2 Tim 1:6-7
Day 67: Stir It Up!
When I was a young lad my son’s age (15) I would spend the majority of my free time sitting at my piano creating songs. I would practice small pieces of the song over and over again and then assemble it all together. I would close my eyes and visualize myself performing. I would share my songs as a performance to my Heavenly Father.
I believe that this time determined much of the success that I’ve had so far in this life. Dreams are important. But not much happens without effort. I saw a quote this morning from one of my Facebook friends about faith. In essence it said “Faith makes things possible, not easy.” There is work to do! Many of us who have embarked upon a relationship with The Creator know the importance of prayer. We know that we daily need to read God’s word and talk with Him. But even with a close relationship it doesn’t mean life will be easy.
Joseph was an amazing icon in the bible. But he spent years before seeing his dreams realized. He had faith but there was time to wait and work to do during that time. One might even conclude that who he became while he was waiting was part of God’s plan in his circumstances and God’s timing.
What are you doing while you wait for God’s answer to your prayer? Stir up your gifts! Get busy using what you have to give God glory and watch your life transform!
Today I will spend time developing what God has given me.
My daughter and I take a picture with my stepfather shortly before his passing
Day 66: Remembering
32 “You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.
Leviticus 19:32
On today as people across the world reflect on the birth of Jesus I remember those who sought to teach me about Him by their example. Having a stepfather at an older stage of life is a bit different than growing up with one. But I fondly recall how my stepfather would constantly remind me to stop stressing and remember that God has everything under control. He would tell me stories about how things worked out in answer to prayer.
My daughter and I in this picture just finished playing with grandpa. He may not have had much energy but he was able to tickle even in his final weeks-he loved bringing joy to others. We will miss him.
So today, I remember what he tried to teach me most, to trust in God.
Merry Christmas! Although scholars have taught us that Jesus wasn’t born at this time of the year I still want to take a moment to acknowledge that I trust in the God who sent His only Son to die for my sins.
Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
Proverbs 22:28
As I begin a week of rejuvenation following a bout with what appears to have been the flu and as I enjoy the 8 days of vacation away from the middle schoolers that are my daily life I happen to smell something beautiful. My mother has made some of her legendary Sorrel and now my heart is glad and my mouth satisfied.
Although you may read on the internet of the medicinal value of Sorrel the healing properties I speak of are it’s familiarity and deliciousness. It reminds me that my parents come from the Carribean. My father was born in Cuba. My mother was born in Jamaica. These two cultures have been the backdrop of my life story blended in the experience of growing up in the USA, where many cultures co-exist and mutual admiration thrives.
There’s something restoring about eating homemade food or drinking a special homemade drink that you recall looking forward to on special holidays of your childhood. Visit the landmarks. They will remind you of what’s important.
Today I will build upon the wisdom of my ancestors. I will enjoy the taste’s that they have treasured, like Sorrel, and the paths that they found firm.
Thank you for joining me on this 100 Days Journey To Healing. If you find something of value, please share it with a friend. And don’t forget to subscribe to support this ministry.
5 when I call to remembrance the [b]genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. 6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:5-7
I get excited when I see someone using their gifts. There is nothing like watching a preacher who rightly divides the Word, or hearing a skillful singer sing a song. I love watching those who can paint fill up a blank canvas with strokes that lead to a masterpiece. I admire those who understand how to take money and make it grow. I enjoy watching in the kitchen when delicious food is being made by those who make it best.
And when I am watching someone do something that I have a passion for it pokes me. It taps me and asks the question, “David, what are you doing with your gifts?” I remember going to Georgetown University many years ago to a concert. The opening artist was someone I had never heard of. It was just him and his guitar…but he captured the attention of the room. He made us laugh and tear up. He was amazing. He didn’t have the best voice I’ve ever heard, but the songs he wrote, played and sang and the way he shared them drew us into his orbit, making us all become his fans.
While I was sitting there I felt persuaded that I had to use my gifts that were similar. I had a similar experience last weekend. I want you to have the same experience as well. So promise me you will not only read God’s word and pray, but that you will use the gifts He has given you. Stir them up. When you use them as God intended when He gave them to you you will make the world a better place and bring glory to your Creator.
Today, I will watch, read, and listen to that which inspires me to use my gifts!
Day 64: Stir Them Up
