The Curtain Was Torn

And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.

And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.

And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

                                                                            (Luke23:44-50 KJV)

Rip! The sound of the temple curtain being torn in two. Do you recall how St. Mark described what happened after Jesus' baptism? "And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him" (Mark 1:9-12) 

I was taught, as a young person, that the tearing of the curtain temple at Jesus' death meant that we now all have direct access to God. We are free to directly communicate and relate with and to God. The High Priests are no longer needed to stand between us and God. As Jesus died on the cross for us, he freed us from our sins so that we are now worthy to come before God. That is good news!

But, there is more... When a door is open it opens both way. We are indeed free to enter through that door even as that he who was on the other side of the once closed door comes to be with us. 

Behind the temple curtain was the Holy of Holies; God's earthy dwelling place. The tearing of the temple curtain signifies that with Christ's death, God's dwelling place on earth is no longer understood to be contained to a specific place. His dwelling place; his Kingdom, rushed out into the world as Jesus breathed his last breath and as the temple curtain was torn in two.

Jesus's message and the message he instructed his disciples to share was to repent "for the kingdom of God is at hand." (Matt 4:17; Matt 10:6-8)

The Kingdom of God is truly at hand. Live in it!

God's Peace - Pr. J

No Evil Shall Befall Thee

Psalm 91 KJV

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Then There Were Five

How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.

O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.

Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.

Psalm 36:7-11 KJV

Two weeks ago, the mama duck in the photo was swimming around with six ducklings. They were sleeping on the bank about one hundred yards from the house. Last week, I woke up and mama and her brood of now five ducklings were next to my back porch. The babies were sleeping. Mama was standing on the bank of the river standing guard, watching over the water. For what she watching, I am not sure. Maybe, she was watching for predators. Maybe, she was looking for her sixth baby. Maybe, she was doing both. I thought that sixth baby must have become some predator's lunch. However, later that day while mama and what was left of her brood were swimming in front of the house, I could see a lone duckling hiding in the weeds downstream. It struck me that this lone duck may have decided to be independent and left the brood like many young people who are not prepared to strike out on their own. I have not seen this little duckling since that day. Mama duck is still on vigilant alert chasing after the rest of the brood when they get too far from her; watching out over the water for predators and 8most probably her lost baby.

Children do tend to think that they can handle anything adults can handle. A few rare teen-agers may be able to. But, most do not have the life experience to face the world alone without ending up in a major crisis or danger. This world has predators just waiting for the wandering child. Most parents try to protect their children as much as they can. But, there are some children who will reject that protective eye and leave too early, anyway.

God, our Father, wants to protect us as well. He wants to protect us from ourselves and our willful ways. Sadly, we often wander and lose ourselves. Some, to deadly ends.

Do not let the foot of pride come against you, and let not the hand of the wicked remove you from the presence of our Father. Put your trust in the Lord. In His lovingkindness, He desires to shelter you under His wings. Stay there and do not stray. Stay where the light shines and darkness will not overtake you. 

God's Peace - Pr. J