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Searching for Peace

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11.19.22

Jesus says in John 16:33  I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

Do you ever feel like life is just one big storm, beating you down over and over again. You overcome one obstacle and have some peace only to be confronted with another obstacle a few days, weeks, or months later. Does life leave you exasperated, breathless, exhausted?

The past few years of my life have felt overwhelming. Unexpected sicknesses with family, dealing with difficult legal matters and the court system, conflict between people I love.

It isn’t just the big things like injustice and persecution though. I struggle to keep up with the regular routine chores that we all have to do: working, cleaning, caring for pets, being a good friend, planning for the future, being a good son or daughter. 

I also look around and see my friends struggling. Injustice is plentiful. The innocent are constantly being persecuted and hurt. The guilty continue to rise to the top of the success hierarchy. So much seems unjust and unfair. And sometimes it leaves me breathless.

Does life ever feel like an endless cycle of responsibilities and struggle? Do you ever feel like you are just constantly searching for peace, waiting for everything to calm down? 

And if life does settle down, it all starts back over again after a while. 

I was pondering my struggle with this when I read this social media prayer from a Christian organization:

The beginning of the message said, “A prayer for the girl feeling empty and exhausted at the end of her days.” I thought, yes, I need to read that prayer!

Here is the prayer:

“God, I’m so exhausted from all of the responsibilities, tasks, and obligations I have to keep up with everyday. It’s a constant juggling act and I’m so very tired from trying to keep up with it all on my own. I confess that in the midst of my busy schedule, I often forget to invite you in. I try to do it all on my own and fail to ask you for help. Before I take on a new day tomorrow, would you give me peace and rest in your presence tonight? Fill me up and give me the strength and wisdom to know when to stop and ask for your help. I need you tonight, tomorrow, and every day after that. Lord, Amen.”

God used this prayer to remind me that I am not alone in my daily struggle to deal with the pressures of life.

The first two verses of Psalm 91 speak to this:

Psalm 91

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 

2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Throughout scripture, storms, both literal and figurative rage around the people of God. In the beginning of the Bible, Adam and Eve are tempted by the serpent. I am sure that in the middle of the consequences of their sin, they thought, “If only temptation had never come! If only we could still be sitting in the presence of God we could have perfect peace.” I am sure they yearned for the peace they previously had–for the rest of their lives.

Noah, one man who trusted God out of the whole world, was probably not excited to spend his years building an ark for a storm that no one else believed would ever come and that he had no real evidence could come. He was criticized and he toiled with his hands for years – and even when the storm came and he and his family were saved from the worldwide flood, he had to start over, just like Adam, rebuilding society. He got very little rest from life’s challenges in his lifetime.

The Israelits spent hundreds of years in slavery and were expected to pursue relationship with God through it all. Even when they were finally rescued from Egypt by God through Moses, they weren’t immediately given rest. They walked through the desert for decades and faced lessons and consequences for repeated sins. Their life was hard. They got very little rest from daily difficulty in their lifetime.

Esther, the Jewish girl God used to rescue the Jewish people from complete destruction was kidnapped from her home, imprisoned by a wicked king, made one of many women to be used for his selfish pleasure as a concubine. She must have been terrified. God allowed her to be there for a specific purpose – the king’s heart was influenced to accept her as his wife, so she became queen. As queen she had influence over the King’s mind and choices, and the entire Jewish people were saved from being murdered. However, while we love to read about Queen Esther, she had to lose her ordinary life, her innocence, and her dignity. She did not live a life of peace and rest, but she maintained her faith. Her life had purpose–but she did not have rest from conflict and stress.

Paul–once he accepted Jesus and began living his life to glorify God was beaten, put in prison, beaten again, put in prison again, shipwrecked on an island, beaten again, put in prison again – and yet, He continued to pursue Jesus and had joy in his heart. Through his consistent reliance on the Holy Spirit to meet his needs (physical and spiritual) he wrote the words in the Bible that feed our souls and lead us to the truth that gives us eternal life to this very day.

Jesus, who was at rest with God the Father, left His place of perfect peace, where conflict does not rule and money is not needed to buy food and shelter to come to this difficult earth. He toiled. He built things. He was a carpenter. He lived an ordinary life for a long time, and through it he sought His peace from God the Father. Jesus, an innocent man, our perfect God who came into the world in the flesh– came to rescue us from eternal destruction. He showed us how to live and how to find true peace – by placing our trust in the one true God through Jesus. And in it all, He was beaten. Abandoned. Imprisoned. Beaten. Spat on. Betrayed. And killed on a cross. Jesus, who did not deserve any punishment, was punished and through it all, He remained steady and focused on His eternal purpose – which was to die, be raised from the grave three days later, and then ascend to Heaven to show us what would happen to us if we follow Him– we will be raised from the grave and ascend to heaven one day if we put our trust in Jesus.

So what does all of this show us? The men and women of the Bible did not live lives that were easy. They had to work daily to eat, have shelter, and help their neighbors – just like us. They faced difficulty and hardship. They had people fighting all around them, sometimes physically fighting and attacking them. 

I yearn for peace. I yearn for rest. But so did they. God does not promise us a life of ease. He never said that we will have long stretches of time where there is no conflict. What He does is promise to be our peace through the difficulty.

Jesus left his disciples with these words in John 16:31. Jesus asked, “Do you finally believe? 32 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. 33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

Jesus says we will have troubles and sorrows in this world. This should be expected. But He already overcame the world and when we live in Him, we will overcome it as well in the end. What He promises us is peace knowing that we are eternally secure in Jesus.

When the troubles come, let’s fix our minds on Jesus.

In Philippians 4:8-9 Paul urges us: Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Let’s close with the words of Jesus from John 14:27: “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

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Everyone is Okay

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11.5.22

Genre: Creative Nonfiction/Short Story based on actual events

By Brittany Lyons

The walls are an orangy pink. But I can’t see them, not very well because the room is dark. They brought me back here and told me to wait. My daughter will be out of surgery soon, and I need to just wait. I don’t understand why the doctor hasn’t returned to update me. No one else is here. Is she alright? I’ll grab that doctor by his carotid and squeeze the life out of him when I see him.

If they just let me out of this damn room. 

I call my grandaughter. The one who takes care of me. No answer. Why doesn’t anyone answer their damn phone anymore? 

I call my other granddaughter. It’s her mother anyway. She should be here. She can tell me where I am. 

Why won’t she answer. I push dial again. Again. Again. 

I open my eyes. It’s so dark. Why am I in this room? The pasty white walls are barely visible. My palms are sweaty. My fingertips are so cold, they ache.

The phone rings. “Oh my dear sweet granddaughter.”

“Grandma, are you okay? It’s 3:00 in the morning there and I have missed calls from you.”

“They brought me to this hospital room and told me to wait.”

“Hospital? Why? Who are you with?”

“Your mom is having surgery and they brought me back to this room and told me to wait. Where am I? Why is it so dark?”

Her voice is sweet. Tender. 

“Let me call you back…” The phone goes silent. Why won’t the doctor come? Where is my daughter? I want an update!

The phone rings.

“Hi grandma, this is a video call. Can you hold the phone up so I can see you? …No, I’m looking at your ear. It’s a video call. Hold the phone out in front of your face.”

What a strange kind of call. Hold the phone out? I obey.

“Where am I?”

“Turn the phone around so I can see the room.”

“Grandma, you are okay. Look around, you are in your apartment.”

“What!” How can she tell me I am in my apartment? Everybody is always telling me where I am and what I’m doing. This is shit. Heat pushes itself through my cheeks; my stomach feels like coals are sitting in it. 

“It’s okay grandma. Tell me what you see. Look closely.” Her voice is so sweet. My sweet granddaughter.

I look around, blink a few times. It feels familiar. Vaguely familiar. That looks just like my TV. And my fire place. How did they get my fire place here? Photos of familiar but strange faces are hanging on the wall across from me. My family, I reassure myself. I look down. They even replicated my green chair.

“Oh this does look like my apartment. How did they make a room look exactly like my apartment? But your mother!”

“My mom is fine. She’s just fine. I just talked to her on the phone. She’s doing great. Just wait there. Everything will be okay.”

Everything will be okay. She’s okay. That’s wonderful. That’s all I want is to know that she will be okay. That everyone will be okay. 

“Are you sure she is okay?”

“She is okay. You are okay. I am okay. Everyone is okay.”

Bible, Christianity, Daily Faith, Faith, Jesus

Listen Twice, Speak Once: Part 1

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This is a written adaptation of a sermon given virtually to Trinity Christian Fellowship in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on October 08, 2022. Khmer Translation provided on site.

Listen to this message here.

This week, we had a fire drill at work. It was a practice fire drill with only the teachers so that when we have one with the students the teachers will know how to help them. Our boss gave us each a map of where to stand, and based on my understanding of the map, I started helping to arrange teachers. Then, my boss came along and moved people. I began to playfully, but seriously argue with him about where we should stand based on what the map says. Then he showed me part of the map that I had not noticed, proving that I was wrong. Of course I was wrong. He made the map!

It was a friendly conversation, and he suggested that maybe I should listen more. And he’s right.

I am often quick to voice my understanding of an issue and later find out that I only have some of the information. I need to listen better. And I think that most of us need to listen better.

In fact, scripture speaks of listening much more than we speak over and over again. Scripture even gives warnings, suggesting that we talk too much when we have not listened enough–and when we don’t listen enough we make judgements that are often wrong. And when we make judgements that are often wrong, we become angry very quickly. And when we are quick to anger, we are often quick to sin. So listening at least twice as much as we speak helps prevent us from falling into sin. As many have said, “We have two ears and one mouth for a reason!”

Let’s examine what the scriptures say about this:

James 1:19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

 So why is it so important to be quick to listen? Not listening is the beginning of a path that leads to sin, and that is dangerous. Not listening is the opposite of humility–it’s related to pride.

Matthew 7:21 says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

It is God’s will that we do the will of the Father. That is how his true disciples will be identified from false disciples. And we have to listen to Him to find out what His will is.

So what is the will of God? James 1:27 says, Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

Caring for orphans and widows, not letting the world corrupt us. Those are clear directions and it sounds a lot like the greatest commandment Jesus gave us in Matthew. 

Matthew 22:36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

How is this all connected? 

We are called to do the will of the Lord. We are called to pursue justice and be merciful. That is love. That is the will of God. We are called to do as He does. And we learn that by listening first with our two ears.

Do you know what else God does that we are supposed to also do? He Listens. 

Even God listens. God spends so much time listening to us, people who are so far beneath Him, who know so much less than Him, who are so much less intelligent and loving and capable than Him. But God is humble and gentle enough to listen to you and I day after day. 

Psalm 116:1-2 I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

 Psalm 34:15 ESV The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.

Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Here, Jesus is telling us to speak to Him–so He can listen. He wants to listen. We should want to listen too!

God is not asking us to do anything He does not practice Himself with listening. He is our greatest model. He listens to His people. And He listens, not just so He can tell us how we are wrong. He listens with compassion.

If God, creator of the universe listens to our cries and responds, how much more must we listen to others and respond. And how much more must we listen to God? How much more grace and mercy do we owe one another?

We do not have all the answers. We do not know what other people are feeling or how they are experiencing or feeling about events even if we were part of the event. We must remember that we have two ears and one mouth for a reason.

There is a proverb, a rule for carpenters when building a house: Measure twice, cut once. If you measure once, or worse, if you don’t measure at all and then cut a piece of wood, it will be the wrong size. You will waste materials and time and money. But if you measure it multiple times and make sure you really understand, then you will be accurate as you cut the wood.

It is the same as listening. When we speak before we understand a situation fully, we will make mistakes. Our decisions will be based on incomplete information. We must listen, ask questions, all to try to truly understand before speaking. 

James 1:19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 

And may we all grow in Godly communication, and through that love one another better.

Next week, I hope to explore the rest of the list: speaking and anger.

Christianity, Daily Faith, eternity, Faith, Jesus

Whosoever: A Call to Wake Up

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This is a written adaptation of a sermon given virtually to Trinity Christian Fellowship in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on August 20, 2022. Khmer Translation provided on site.

Scripture Passage (Ephesians 5:5-20)

Lord, what are you showing me today. 

Last night, I could not sleep. I tossed and I turned. When I finally fell asleep, I had nightmares. It felt like I was having them all night. 

My dream was filled with a combination of people from different parts of my life and possibly TV characters. In my dream, I went to bed, and when I woke up “the next morning,” it was a year later. I didn’t know what had happened. I was terrified. I had been in some kind of unconscious state for one year. It happened over and over again, like a nightmare. And each time I woke up in my dream, another year had passed, and all the people in my life from my past felt more and more distant from and resigned to me.

My life was being wasted because I kept going unconscious. I couldn’t control it. There were moments in my dream where I was in danger. I had no control over who was in charge of taking care of me while I was asleep for a year, and it seemed like different people from my life took turns. The first time I woke up, my teaching colleague from ten years ago was my caretaker. Another time, some friends from college. And usually, it wasn’t even the people in my life I was closest to.

It was a very unsettling dream.

It makes me think though: how much of my life am I letting slip away because of intentional or unintentional laziness, lack of effort, or just not realizing how important each moment is. How far from my life’s purpose am I at any given moment?

How much of your life do you let slip away? 

Are we walking through life like I was in my dream, as a dreamer, unaware of the situations around us – unaware of how we could be doing good and serving the Lord? Or are we awake and alert to what God is doing and what God is asking each of do? 

There are so many moments in the Bible where we are told to wake up. And not just to be awake, but to be alert. To be ready.

Ephesians 5:5-20 explores this more fully, but here is a snapshot:

Ephesians 5:10-14 (NLT) Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. 11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. 12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. 13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, 14 for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,

“Awake, O sleeper,

rise up from the dead,

 and Christ will give you light.”

We are instructed to be awake. To rise from the dead as Christ will give us light. Well we know we are not physically dead. Paul, who wrote this passage, is talking to believers who are very much alive. A few chapters earlier, he says this to the same audience:

Ephesians 2:2-7 (NLT)

2 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

This is the death we are reminded over and over again in the Bible to awake from. The death of sin. If we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and follow Him, sin should be dead to us. We should be obedient to Christ instead of obedient to Satan. We have the power to say no to those desires that come up in us that are evil. 

The passage also says,

4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.

Because of Jesus, we are free to wake up from the darkness and walk with Christ, in holiness. And He wants us to. He calls His people to wake up and look to Him over and over again.

Thousands of years before the book of Ephesians was written, Isaiah 52:1 says:

Awake, awake,
put on your strength, O Zion;
Put put on your beautiful garments,
O Jerusalem, the holy city;
for the uncircumcised and the unclean will not come into you anymore.

And Isaiah 60:1-3 says:

1 “Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see.
    For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you.
2 Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth,
    but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you.
3 All nations will come to your light;
    mighty kings will come to see your radiance.

Malachi 4:1-2 says:

1 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says, “The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed—roots, branches, and all. 2“But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings.[b] And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. 3

Romans 13:11 tells us to wake up”

11 This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

The Lord wants His people to be awake. To be alert. To live life on purpose. To make intentional choices and not just follow the crowd. We have a calling. The rest of the Ephesians 5 passage tells us why we are to do these things:

Paul says, 

7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

This is our job as Christians right now. Each and every one of us. To live as examples for all future generations – and of course for our current generation. 

Remember the love you have found in Christ: His provision, His defense, His protection. Being sons and daughters of the creator of the universe –- these things are gifts from God for you–-but they are not just for you. God wants this for all people. 

John 3:16 (KJV) For God so loved the world. (Not just certain people in the world, but the whole world)
That he gave His only begotten son.
That whosoever believes in Him
Shall not perish but have everlasting life.

WHOSOEVER. 

God does not discriminate. He accepts WHOSOEVER believes in Him.

He wants the young and innocent children.
He wants the greedy businessmen and politicians.
He wants the violent criminals.

Yes, our God is God of grace and mercy. He wants every person to leave behind their life of sin and follow Him. He is ready to accept WHOSOEVER believes in Him.

That includes you. Your best friend. Your worst enemy.

We need to awaken and live in the light so that all of our current generation of people can see what God is doing in our lives, so that they can understand that God can do the same thing in their lives. That is how we change the world. That is how we build the Kingdom of Heaven. That is how we live out the Kingdom of Heaven while still on earth.

Call on the name of Jesus. Cling to Him. Wake up.

New Living Translation Bible. (2022). Bible Gateway Online. https://biblegateway.com

King James Version Bible. (2022). Bible Gateway Online. https://biblegateway.com

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The Lies, But God

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For an audio recording of this poem, click here.

The lies
But God

YOU opened up my eyes
To dig deep within
YOU showed me the truth embedded in
My experiences
My programming

The lies
The enemy lied to me when I was but a young little girl–
My hopes and dreams were dashed because the enemy stole the truth and replaced it with a lie
And the web of lies continued and multiplied 
And took so many years–

BUT GOD
YOU are the healer and my story
Is yours
I’m yours.
The liar tried to steal my peace. My innocence. My light. My love. My joy. My hope.
Through lies.
But YOU my God, my healer
Are destroying the disguise
The demise of the tempter
Is coming soon
Forever

But I don’t have to wait for hope
For now YOU break the curse
The lies

YOU--Holy Spirit
Dwelling deep inside
Are revealing every secret and
Exposing every lie
And teaching me the truth that 
I could never quite understand
That I’m free

I’m not trapped.

I have a voice
To rejoice
Not to be be silent
Not to be private
Not to repeat the tempter’s lies.
I am protected
I am accepted
I am loved
And nothing done on this earth
Can destroy the works of God.
The work You started 
You will complete
This – You guarantee.

So all with ears to hear please hear
Open up your eyes
The tempter once deceived you
And set your life of pain in motion
But the answers to your questions
Can only now be found in Christ.

You are chosen 
You are adopted
You are accepted
You have new life
You are redeemed
You are esteemed
You are forgiven
Will you choose Christ?

--------------------------
By BD Lyons, May 29, 2022
International Travel, Singleness, Travel

TODAY, I PUT ON PANTS.

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It may not seem newsworthy, but do you remember the excitement of field trip day? The disappointment when you find out where you’re going. BUT the anticipation the night before REGARDLESS of where you’re going. It doesn’t really matter in the end because you still get out of class. You can’t sleep. You can’t eat. Or you can’t stop eating. You know your crush will be there. You get up early even though you’re sleep deprived. You shower. Put on makeup. Or gel your hair. Whatever your version of vanity is. Your cutest, but casual-est outfit. “This old thing!” Your lipstick. 

You know your destination itself won’t be much. A play like you’ve gone to every year since 6th grade. A museum. Another museum. The zoo. You are way too excited for the monotony of this field trip. And yet, you don’t care. You are just giddy to get out. To get out to DIFFERENT. Something new. Anything new is stimulating when compared to the wrong shade of blue lockers you face every day as you walk from the bus lot to first period.You take a selfie. You take five. 

You walk too fast or too slow, all for a purpose. I walked slow. I saw my friend Egypt in the hallway. She left five minutes before me. She turned left in the hallway to find a stairwell leading outside. I was told to be there five minutes after her, so I waved goodbye and good luck and took a picture of HER happy dance as she trotted down the hallway. She was excited for field trip day too.

Egypt tasting freedom for the first time in nearly two weeks! Me, realizing it was too early to actually leave my apartment.

I paced back and forth in my apartment, waiting until it was my time to leave. My friend, Jen, who was scheduled to leave at the same time as me texted me a few minutes early. “You leaving yet?” I checked my eye liner in the mirror. Smiled. Pulled my government issued mask over my nose and texted back, “Now.”

Masks: The new lipstick!

As I entered the hallway, I had a choice to make. Left or right. When I arrived here 12 days ago, it was nearly midnight and I took the elevator. This time, we weren’t allowed to take the elevator. We were told to walk to a stairwell and only use the stairwell. I didn’t know for sure where the stairwells were exactly or which stairwell was closest, and I definitely wanted the one that the furthest away. 

You see, this IS the field trip. Getting dressed up. Looking out the window. Seeing your quarantine partners doing their happy dance, 12 feet apart, as they each take their turn. 

View out my sun closet window. The anticipation is almost too much!

Now it was my turn. I exited my room and watched as my door shut for the first time. Ever. I heard the electronic click. Can I get back in? I should try. I entered the code as shown, and it unlocked. I smiled and let it close again.

I turned right. 

It appeared to be the furthest away from our destination. I walked slowly but quickly. Quickly enough to feel the freedom. Slowly enough to make it last.

I met Jen at the door. We stayed six feet apart but chatted as we approached the field just outside our building. A Korean man with a mask waved at us. His eyes smiled. He asked our names and then directed us to sit, very far apart, not facing one another, under the covered seats. “How is your quarantine going!?” he asked. Jen responded that she liked quarantine. She “thrived” in it. It’s her third quarantine. Then, I spoke.

“I’m grateful I get to do this in my own apartment!” A pause. Silence. A thumbs up from the Korean man in a mask.

I continued. “And I’m excited to be out here! I’m wearing pants for the first time in two weeks.”

There was laughter. (I do wear pants, just mostly pajama shorts but it’s all about the story, right!?)

Then Egypt approached with a giant smile on her face. Her field trip was more than halfway over. She did another happy dance. Slowly. But with glee. With freedom in her eyes. She’s on day 13. “How was it?” “Great,” she probably said.

Aren’t her smiling eyes the best!?

Jen was supposed to go next, but I was closer and they did not want our paths to cross due to possible infection, so they let me go first.

This time there was a chair. Probably wise.

As they shoved the stick down my throat, I gagged. I think the staff in full PPE laughed and jumped backwards. Then they put a stick up my nostrils. I made noises to help. It wasn’t painful. It was… pleasant. Pleasant like the end of women’s exam. The experience itself is miserable, but when it’s over, you’re so glad it’s over, and you know it means that you don’t have to do this again for a long time. That is the kind of pleasantness I felt during this COVID TEST field trip. 

Jen getting her Covid test!

Freedom is coming soon.

My happy dance! Look, I’m wearing pants! (And a cute shirt my aunt Victoria gave me!)

I hope it’s negative!

Curious how I spent quarantine? Stay tuned. It’s coming.

I hope.

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Quarantined in korea: days 1-3, Flies and Friends

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Click for the audio version of this post: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1231427

In the last episode of my adventures, you briefly met Jennifer, Rhonda, and Christian and you were briefly introduced to my new tiny home. It’s now been three days since I first stepped foot into this apartment. Three days since I was outside of this apartment. I haven’t been far enough out of the apartment to let go of the door, and then only to drag the bags and boxes of delivered goods through the door (and good thing too because I don’t remember how to get back in past the automatic lock). Many of you have asked what my apartment is like and how I have filled my days. Here it goes:

Well the apartment is small and it’s actually called a room, not an apartment, but I digress. It’s somehow bigger than it was three days ago. My world is smaller and my apartment is bigger. And my world is bigger. Funny how that happens. When I arrived, the groceries I had requested before departing the US were neatly sitting out. Olive oil, Balsamic Vinegar, salt, and pepper were on the counter. In the freezer were the packs of chicken, and the fridge was filled with veggies and almond milk. There were some “Oat-Rageous Chocolate Chip Cookies” sitting on my dining room table with a welcome note tucked underneath of them from a family in the building. “We are excited you are here. If there is anything we can help you with, ring our intercom at room 104. -The Osborns”  How sweet! And wait, we have an intercom system!?  

I looked around for something resembling an intercom system. There were six possibilities along the wall. Two regular light switches. One motion detection light switch. One working thermostat. One temperature controller — powered off. One unknown. But definitely probably not an intercom. Oh well. I ate a cookie.

The next thing I did was adjust the AC to bring the temperature down a few degrees. Then I ate another cookie. Then I began to unpack, mostly to see what I had actually brought after the unloading of random items to drop my luggage weight down to the 50 pound weight limit. It was less than I remembered packing. It was more than I remembered packing. I called family. Chatted. I was hungry but couldn’t figure out how to work the stove or the microwave, as they were all in Korean and the knobs didn’t seem to make the gas stove flame up, so I ate the remaining cookies. And a fistful of gummy bears. Then showered. And around 4:00 AM, went to sleep. Day Zero.

I woke up at 10 AM. This time when I tried the stove, it worked. I cooked some chicken and pasta at some point. I chatted with Rhonda and Jennifer on Kakou (the Korean WeChat/Facebook). I don’t remember the rest of the day. I fell asleep at 5 PM. I woke up at 9 PM. I slept again around 3 AM. Probably. Day One.

I woke up at 6:50 AM. Made coffee. Cooked fried eggs and potatoes. Spent hours writing my first blog entry on my journey. Then I looked around the living room and almost jumped out the window.

Okay, maybe I didn’t almost jump out the window, but I did run to the window, open it as far as it could go, which is only half way, stuck my head out like a dog hanging its head out of the car door while riding down the highway, and took several deep breaths. Why don’t these buildings have balconies!? The reality that I could not leave this room for 13 more days hit me in the chest in a wave of panic. I felt my heart speed up and could almost imagine the walls closing in. The hospital bench sofa didn’t help. I can’t do this. I need to get out. 

I needed to see out, so I broke the rules (yes, there are rules… to be shared in a separate blog entry on a day when I can’t tell a story different from the day before… don’t worry, it won’t be long) and opened my front door. No one was there. I stuck my head out. Good. It’s not locked from the outside. Not that I thought it was. I can leave if I need to. (But not really, only if the building is on fire because to leave is to be harshly censured and/or carted off by the Korean government, and being carted off by any government is never really a good thing) but I could leave if I wanted, and that was enough to calm me down. 

I needed to do something, anything, so I scrubbed my bathroom then took a shower. Then mopped the house. Then rearranged the furniture. I set up a comfortable TV area in the living room (not that I have a TV, just a laptop, but that’s enough) and decided to sit on the hospital bench with my comforter wrapped around me to watch some Korean Drama. It was a good one. I made it through one and a half episodes around 6:00 PM when I went from an upright seated position to a slumped over, paralyzed pile of sleep suddenly comforted by the soft horizontal nature of that old hospital bench. My hospital bench. My cozy hospital bench. I could hear the plot of the K-drama unfolding. The two characters who started out as strangers, one stabbed in the hand by the other, were now lovers entangled in madness and intrigue. Probably. That’s what the music suggested over the next two hours as I drifted in and out of jet lag sleep. It’s the best sleep. But it doesn’t last.

By 9 PM, I was wide awake and stayed that way until at least 2 AM. Day 2.

I woke up around 7 or 8 or 9 and decided to do something. This day must include something.

I rearranged the living room.

Inspired by the warmth of being wrapped in my comforter the night before, I used it as a couch cover for Hospital Bench. That’s it! By day the comforter will cover my couch. By night, my bed. Problem solved. I moved the dining room table into the living room in front of Hospital Bench as  a work station.

While sipping my coffee and reading my Bible (1 Peter) I wrote out my thoughts and His revelations. I hadn’t been able to focus on anything, even a TV show, since I started my travels, but this morning, I was ready. The time resulted in some really sweet time with Jesus. He showed me many truths and renewed my spirit and my mind. He has a plan, and I wrote, “Please change me over the next two weeks.” I started feeling a bit more like me.

It was kind of like sitting on a balcony. Without the balcony.

But, much like me, it wasn’t all so spiritual. I also had some hanging plants delivered today. At least I think it was today. It could have been yesterday… but then this story wouldn’t make sense, so it had to be today. Going with that. When they were delivered, I had to figure out where to hang them since there were no hooks anywhere, but there was a space in the window I could hook them on — as long as the windows were open. I really wished there were screens on the windows. I opened three windows to hang the plants on and went about my day. Unfortunately, a fly got in, and I spent a great deal of energy trying to end his life. Or free him. Either one. Eventually, I became committed to saving his life. But he still must go. I trapped Fly in the sun closet with an open window. Any fly in his right mind would escape now. Do flies have minds? Hours later I went back into the sun closet to check on Fly.  I sure hoped he had escaped. He appeared to be gone. Good! 

Something landed on my knee. 

I quickly shut the door to the sun closet, trapping us both in there together. Me and Fly. I kept shoeing him towards the window, but he just kept landing on me like I was his mother. I realized it is very likely that when I smacked at him hours earlier, I really did hit him, and now, he was short a few IQ points. Do flies have IQs? Should I kill him? A mercy kill. Should I free him? I was torn. And I was the fly whisperer. Fly wanted to sit on my shoulder like a bird on its pirate. I couldn’t kill him. Fly was a good guy (Go ahead. Insert 90s The Offspring lyrics here.) and just needed to jump out the window. I finally got Fly to land on a shoe and after several failed attempts, he successfully flew out the window. Or dropped to his death. 

It was a love-hate relationship between me and Fly. I decided to pull down the blinds for the first time. As I pulled down the string, a screen appeared. Apparently all the windows have screens. 

To keep out the flies.

Around noon, I remembered that I had a zoom call with my principal and the other new teachers at the high school at 1:00, so I showered, got mostly dressed, and put on some make up. Time to SOCIALIZE!

We socialized for three hours.

We were all in quarantine, even my principal, and literally had nowhere to be, and those of us quarantining alone (aka: singles) were quite desperate for human interaction. At one point I asked them what their room numbers were and discovered that one of the other single teachers was my next door neighbor. The moment we discovered this, we squealed like pigs and ran to the wall and started knocking on it to say hello. I ran back to the computer to tell everyone else at the meeting, “Sorry, we’re done with y’all! Egypt (that’s her name), go to the window!!!!!” I ran to the window and stuck my head out as far as it would go. She did the same. She was looking to her left and I had to yell, “Over here! Over here!” several times before she looked my way. I really wish these widows opened all the way. It was the best day ever: we took selfies.

Egypt from Texas.

Then we went back to the zoom meeting. 

THEN Man Yee told me her room number. Repeat the pig squealing joy. Photos.

Man Yee from Hong Kong, one floor down, two rooms over

I managed to stay awake until 8:00 PM without a nap. Day 3.

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En route to Korea: Day zero

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Well it happened. It finally happened. After four years in Virginia (See blog post from June 2016), The Lord released me back into the air, and here I am, sitting on my Queen-ish size bed overlooking a sun closet, overlooking my new campus in Jeju, South Korea, where I am quarantined for the next 13 days.

Peculiar design. Or genius?

I arrived at Seoul International Airport around 6:00 pm and had to get to Gimpo Airport in time for my 9:00 pm flight to Jeju. Flights are rare and expensive from Seoul to Jeju, so it takes a road trip to get to the other airport. It is a 40 minute ride. The process was just what you would expect as an international arrival during a pandemic. Lines. Paperwork. Lines. Paperwork. Masks. Sweat. No social distancing. None. Did I mention the paperwork? I filled out so many forms that I almost memorized my Korean address. Almost. 

I showed person after person my documents, one of which was on my phone because I forgot to print it, to help them understand that I really am permitted to self-quarantine in the residence I really do have on Korean soil. You see, short term visitors are required to complete their 14 day quarantine in a government facility. Most blonds don’t have a residence in Korea and aren’t long-term residents. They seemed to get it when I showed them my visa for special professionals with a stay of two years… the second or third time I showed it to them. They were confused though because I couldn’t present a residency card. Residency cards are issued after 30 days of residency.

It started at Dulles International Airport, where I had to promise the check-in staff that I really was supposed to self-quarantine and that I really did have a residence there. They made me sign a notice that I would be required to quarantine at a government facility anyway at my own cost ($100.00 per day) for 14 days but assured me that it would be ripped up once I got to Korea and presented my documents there. It was the first of many Korean documents I signed along the way that I couldn’t read.

Once I checked my luggage and it started moving up the conveyor belt, I noticed what looked like my mom’s black e-cigarette stuck to one of my bags (There were lots of straps and tape on that bag). The lady checked it and said it was part of the bag. I had just borrowed the bag from my nephew. I seem to remember this wilderness backpack having a drinking device, so I figured that was the straw end. Problem solved. On it went.

I had my first experience with TSA precheck. I didn’t even see a non TSA line. Or a line. I guess not many people are flying these days. I wonder why. 

Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels

I kept my shoes on. I didn’t remove my electronics or liquids, and the TSA staff made small talk with me along the way rather than grilling me about why I was traveling abroad — as is customary. They simply asked if I worked for the state department. Next time, I’ll give them a better answer other than “No, I’m an international teacher.” I’ll wink at them and say, “I just can’t tell you… it’s safer that way.” Why don’t I think of these things sooner?

Now to find my gate. It helped that the entire airline staff for my plane was in front of me the whole time.

My Korean Air crew. Probably. I dipped into the store before they got to the gate.

I stopped at the Hudson shop to purchase a few bottles of water for the journey ahead… then I saw the candy and the lady said it was buy two get one free. Who needs three 26 ounce bags of candy? No, thank you. Then I remembered my fate. 14.5 hour flight. Followed by 14 days in self isolation. Naturally, I got four bags of candy and two large bottles of water. Gummy Bears and every kind of M&M.

While boarding, I noticed how wonderfully spread out everyone was. There was one person for every three seats, so EVERYONE got to lay out at will and sleep during the flight unless they were unfortunate enough to book a block of seats for a family. If you’ve ever flown international economy class, you know this is the dream situation! I never used to get swollen ankles when I flew, that is except for the few times I sat in my seat without getting up for the entire 15 or so hour flight to China (I was young and stupid!). Now, I can’t drive more than an hour without getting swollen ankles. 35 is very different 26, which is the difference between my first flight to China and my first flight to Korea. My ankles did swell a bit, but I was able to stretch out so much that I don’t remember my ankles being swollen when I got off the plane. I had a severe pain in my outer thigh though and worried about a blood clot the whole time since I have done a lot of driving lately, but when I looked in the mirror later, I saw a giant bruise. What a relief. Just another visible sign of my clumsiness. Or my Vitamin D deficiency. Or my Fibromyalgia. (Yes, I get some visible bruising. No, it’s not textbook. Yes, it’s been checked. Yes, they ARE clueless.)

Flight #1 ready
Super cozy paper thin slippers made the flight much more comfortable. No joke. It’s easier than putting my shoes back on every time I get up.
My first Korean meal. Not bad for airplane food. I’m in love with the spicy red paste.
It seems we veered a little to the right to avoid flying over North Korea. Probably wise. We flew over Russia and China though. I guess it seemed like a good idea to someone. I don’t remember this flight path on any of my other trips to Asia.

Onward. 

Reread paragraph 2 for the lines. The sweat. The paperwork. The masks. The lack of social distancing. The lines. I never did see anyone rip up the original paperwork, but I did get self-quarantine letters (yes, plural) with an official looking red stamp on them.

Once I got through passport control, baggage claim, and customs, I exited the restricted part of the airport and entered the lobby where I stood dumbfounded, waiting for someone with a badge to shuffle me off somewhere. There is a sense of security for me in being obviously foreign. I showed them my paperwork. Again they were confused by my not having a residency card, but after I showed them my residency certification letter and stamped self-quarantine documents from the previous five lines, they directed me to a waiting area for a government van to drive me to Gimpo Airport. Along the way, a man asked me where my lanyard was. I remember reading a blog about international arrivals in Korea being given color-coded lanyards to quickly identify those who were to be led to a government facility. I told him I was a resident and going to Jeju via Gimpo Airport. He hesitantly backed off. I’d worked very hard to sound confident. 

I entered the semi-quarantined area and waited for the government quarantine van to take me to the next airport. The police officer let me out of quarantine to change money on the other side of the lobby. My luggage stayed, and this did not make me nervous or uncomfortable in any way. I ended up riding with another teacher from my school who had just returned from her summer in the states. We finally pulled out of the airport at 7:53 PM. My next flight was scheduled for 9:00 PM. I wasn’t sure if I would make it, and I since I didn’t have time to get a Korean SIM card because of my close connection, I used the WIFI signal as long as I could to keep my HR person informed. She said it would be a very difficult situation if I missed my flight and asked me if I had a lot of luggage to check. I couldn’t reply though because I lost my WIFI signal after the van pulled off. About ten minutes later, the driver pulled into another terminal and talked to us for about 10 minutes in Korean. A nice older Korean woman told us he wanted us to stop talking so we wouldn’t spread the virus. The rest of the 40 minute trip was mostly silent. 

From Seoul International Airport to Gimpo International Airport. See the windmills? I wonder too.

When we got to the airport at 8:30 PM, it was the easiest check in EVER. Almost. I had to recheck my luggage and let them know I already paid for my extra bag at Dulles. I stood there for several minutes and was then asked to go through a set of restricted doors. That’s an odd way to the gate, I thought. I walked into a bleak room with a long conveyor belt and they asked to inspect my luggage. Nope. This was not the way to the gate. They asked if I had an e-cigarette. “No… I don’t smoke.” The lady pointed to the very item that I thought was an e-cigarette nearly 20 hours prior at Dulles. And so it was. My mom’s e-cigarette really had been stuck to my bag and made it through an international flight and two airports before being found. I was worried because there is quite a list of restricted items in Korea. Could I go to prison for this, I wondered. Yes, I actually wondered. She quickly answered my unspoken question by handing it to me and telling me I needed to carry it. “Oh. I don’t want it. Wait, I can just carry it? Okay. Thank you.” And off I went to the real gate. Explains why TSA searched my luggage in DC… but apparently couldn’t find the culprit!

Security was easy. I arrived at my gate in the middle of boarding and was moved to the back of the plane with all of the other international arrivals. (It’s safer if those of us infected with Corona walk through crowds of people and sit together in the back of the plane.) It worked out though because I met two other new international teachers and we quickly became friends.

This time through the airport, I had companions. We were the last to leave the plane and we were all shuffled to another station where we filled out more paperwork with the exact same information as the other paperwork we had filled out along the way. Then we got our luggage and carted it ten minutes across the airport, across the street, and into a parking lot where the Corona test site was set up under tents. Station one was paperwork. Again. Station two. The test. A person in full PPE gear was behind a glass wall with two arm openings. Long plastic gloves were placed through the holes for the person doing the testing and another staff member in full PPE was standing there to hold each person still during the test. Is that really necessary, I wondered. When it was my turn, I was told to open my mouth wide and go “Ahhhh.” But I didn’t know that because my eyes were closed and I don’t speak Korean. I figured it out and did it. No problem. They swabbed my throat. Unpleasant but quick. Then the nose. A device. A swab. A something was inserted into my nose (Again, I don’t know what because my eyes were closed.) and I immediately understood why someone was there to hold my head in place. Such a thing is not natural, and gravity or self-preservation pulled my head back to get away. The staff member was there to keep that from happening. It caused a sting and when it was over, it still felt like something was crawling around up in my nose and nasal cavity for several minutes. But it didn’t hurt and I didn’t get a headache. Off to the air conditioned bus that took all of to our new on campus housing.

We had to sit at least three seats back so we didn’t infect the driver.

The two other new teachers, Rhonda (and her son, Christian) and Jennifer, are quarantining in my building together with me, apart. If Jennifer and I both stick our heads out of our windows at the same time, we can talk. I’m thinking of developing a pulley system to send her notes. Just because. Rhonda lives on another floor and her windows face the opposite direction. I’m thinking a paper airplane would be more effective.

When I entered my apartment, I noticed it was the tiniest little space! Very much like a glorified college dorm room. The couch looks like a hospital bench, and I have sunroom which I now affectionately call the suncloset.

It felt very claustrophobic to me at first, but it’s growing on me. Just wait for the after pictures (AFTER quarantine when I can go shopping!)
All in one. Works for me since I always get the entire bathroom wet whether it’s designed for it or not!
My view: The student dorm (Awkward? Kids aren’t here yet so not sure) and the track

It was around 11:00 PM when I arrived and around 4:00 AM when I finally got to sleep. Before the residency staff left, they showed me how to punch in the code to get into my apartment and asked me not to wear shoes in the house. I don’t remember how to enter my apartment. I guess I’ll figure it out in two weeks when I’m allowed to leave for the first time. I’m reminded of my first attempt to return to my apartment in China nine years ago the day after I arrived. I went from building to building waving my key card at the entrance until one of the doors opened. Then I called the school to ask what floor I lived on. The good life. 🙂

And that’s day zero (Day zero crosses several time zones and possibly involves time travel).

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A Modified “Add to” Poem Because I Have Swirls in My Mind and I Can’t Turn Them Into Long-winded Words (Yes, I guess that’s the title and a bit ironic).

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A Modified “Add to” Poem of Psalm 91 (NIV) Because I Have Swirls in My Mind and I Can’t Turn Them Into Long-winded Words (Yes, I guess that’s the title and a bit ironic).

By: Brittany Lyons 

March 23, 2020

Today, I feel small.
The economy is crumbling.
But God!?

I feel small.
School is cancelled for the remainder of the year. I really miss my kids. I may NEVER see them again.
But God!?

I feel small.
I quit my secure job for an exciting and possibly less secure one on the other side of the planet.
Surprise! I haven’t told my grandma yet! [Details will be forthcoming when I’m ready to share.]
And the US is on a level 4 travel advisory to everywhere.
Do not travel.
Period.
BUT GOD!?

I feel small.
Coffee shops are closed. My place of refuge and peace.
But God!?

I feel small.
BUT GOD

“He who dwells in the shelter of the most high will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.”
A disease rages from continent to continent. Threatening to overtake.

I feel small.
BUT GOD

“Surely He will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.”
And I feel small.
BUT GOD

“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”

And I feel small and–

“You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.”

And I feel small and helped and–

“A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling– even the LORD, who is my refuge–then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.”

And I feel small and helped and seen and–

“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”

And I feel small and helped and seen and remembered and–

“You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.”

And I feel small and helped and seen and remembered and LOVED.

“Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

And I feel small and helped and seen and remembered and LOVED and hope.

Because GOD.
I’m glad I’m small.

 

Daily Faith, independence day, Uncategorized

A Declaration of Independence: Be Free

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I have been studying the beginning of my faith these past few days, not the beginning of my personal walk, but the beginning of God’s recorded faithfulness: Genesis and Exodus. It’s quite timely that this morning, on our great nation’s Independence Day, I walked, so to speak, with the Israelites through their own independence from bondage in Egypt and into their first years as a baby nation. I got to see the formation process of their first set of laws, their first official leaders, and their first ruler: God Himself. 

I wanted to breathe in the knowledge of truth and just sit and soak in the verses surrounding the Exodus from Egypt and learn more about these roots from the Spirit of God. In some ways, it parallels the exodus of many of the people groups in the Americas from their motherland for the purpose of religious independence. Though the details are far from identical, the craving for autonomy and freedom transcends time and culture.

So what stands out to me most from my reading of the foundation of the nation of Israel? Well first, they were an oppressed people and they cried out to God. Additionally, their women were faithful even when their lives were in grave danger. The midwives were instructed by Pharaoh to kill all the boys upon birth, but the women “feared God,” didn’t follow this order, and were blessed with their own families as a result. When the rulers of the day wanted to annihilate Israel, their faithfulness led to their expansion (Exodus 1:20-21).

Something else that stands out to me occurs while Moses was on the run: God saw Israel, and He was “concerned” about them (Exodus 2:25). Now this word, “concern” seems to be a bit downplayed in this translation. Not to get too theological, but… well just bear with me as I get a bit theological!  The Hebrew word here for “concern” is Yada, which means to know, to be known, to deeply respected (Strong). It is the same word used to describe a sexual union between a man and a woman in the covenant of marriage (side note: the word for sexual relations when not referring to a man and a woman in a marital covenant is usually a totally different word with entirely different implications… totally worth looking into–something, by the way, I learned at Dannah and Bob Gresh’s Sexual Theology and Healing Training Master Class last week and highly recommend attending in the future! Visit purefreedom.org to find out more!). It is the same word used to describe the relationship between God and His people throughout the whole Bible. It is the highest form of relationship. In their agony, they were seen. They were known. They were understood. And they were rescued!

Finally, I am keen to mention the relentlessness of God’s heart. After rescuing Israel, God is relentlessly concerned with their well being. Something I didn’t realize before was that He reminded them of what He had done for them and offered to make them His “own treasure (Exodus 19:5).” They agreed to it! God did not force Himself on Israel! They cried out to Him. He heard them. He delivered them. Then, He OFFERED Himself as their King. They responded. “Everything that Adonai has spoken, we will do (Exodus 19:8).” And friend, He will not force Himself on you. (And neither should we try to force Him onto others.) But He will relentlessly pursue you when you’ve EARNESTLY said yes to His invitation.

He repeatedly instructs Moses to remind the people not to touch the mountain where He was located because it would kill them. Over and over again, he reminds Moses to remind the people. He had ongoing compassion and care for them. 

Then, He gave them a series of ordinances that were quite liberating! Remember that they had been in bondage, with no will of their own for hundreds of years. This was their constitution. It freed them to live in a society that was not lawless and oppressive towards even the least of them. 

And in this constitution, He gave them a day of rest! After hundreds of years of slavery, do you think they struggled to take a day off? I imagine they were quite addicted to productivity. I know how I get when all I do is work, work, work! It can be hard to force myself to turn my brain off and rest. And this new ruler required rest for everyone! Even the slaves and cattle! He even justifies the sabbath rest in Exodus 23:12, “You are to do your work for six days, but on the seventh day you will rest, so that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and also the son of your handmaid and the outsider may be refreshed.” Everybody wants Saturday off, and God started that! He made Saturday a required day off. (So why do we go to church on Sunday? Oh dear… that’s another, for some reason, controversial topic for another day, but please do look into it!)

He freed them from bondage, slavery, oppression, and violence and gave them a united identity, a set of laws to keep order and to protect all life and innocence. He ascribed value to the individual, including women and children! He took them from a nation with a bounty on their male infants and made it an offense punishable by death for anyone who hurt a pregnant woman, ending either of their lives (or causing severe harm) (Exodus 21:22). 

God declared their independence from the ways of an oppressive world, and in return they pledged allegiance to Him alone. 

Now that is a God to whom I want to pledge my allegiance! And I get to! We non-Israelites were invited into the family of God and declared spiritually and eternally independent from wickedness under the blood of Jesus. Through the blood of Jesus, like the Israelites through the blood of the passover lamb, we too have been emancipated. 

So today I ask you to look deeply into your relationship with God (and I invite you to ask Jesus to come into your heart and lead you in all your ways if you do not yet have this relationship) and ask yourself–Have I yet been declared independent? And if so, am I living in the freedom for which I was set free (Galatians 5:1)? 

Be free. Set others free.

Happy Independence Day! We have much to celebrate.

References:

The Bible. Tree of Life Version, Baker Books, 2015.

Strong, James. Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2009.

For He is gracefully persistent in His pursuit of us.