Heading Home

In ancient times, when a Persian king wanted to bestow a special honor on one of his citizens, he granted that person the status of being a companion in his garden, which gave the person the privilege of walking in the garden as a special friend of the king.

In the beginning, God granted man the privilege of being His companion and walking with Him in His indescribably, beautiful paradise garden, which He created for man’s first home. It contained no thorny bushes, no stones of obstruction, no offensive weeds, and no broken stumps. All was perfect for man’s delight...to walk in the garden with his Maker.

When sin entered the garden and broke this companionship, it was necessary to bring man back into fellowship with his Maker. Through the salvation Jesus offered on the cross, man was brought back into perfect union with the Lord.

This is now heaven’s delight. How sweet is that companionship that we can enjoy, walking in an atmosphere of fellowship with our Beloved that can be compared to a garden?

Solomon wrote so intimately about his loving relationship with the Shulamite in the Song of Solomon, which not only represents a husband and wife but also represents the church as the bride and the Lord as our Bridegroom.

The Lord says of us as Solomon said of his precious bride, “You are like a private garden, my treasure, my bride! You are like a spring that no one else can drink from, a fountain of my own.” (SOS 4:12 NLT)

The Shulamite said, “I am my beloved’s (garden) and my beloved is mine!” (SOS 6:3a Amp) She told her beloved, “You are a fountain (springing up) in a garden, a well of living waters, and flowing streams...(You have called me a garden, she said)...blow upon my garden, that its spices may flow out (in abundance for you in whom my soul delights). Let my beloved come into his garden and eat its chicest fruits.” (SOS 4:15-16 Amp)

Songs of the garden have always been in man’s heart. Charles Austin Miles penned a song in 1913 when he wrote the words and music to the beautiful hymn In the Garden. His inspiration for the hymn came after reading the biblical account of Mary Magdalene and the others visiting the tomb of Jesus. He wrote these tender words...

“I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear, falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses

And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known.”

I wonder...am I that resplendent garden that my Beloved loves to visit? Am I a lovely, fragrant field, full of sweet-scented blossoms, or am I a patch full of stink-weed?

When I visit my Beloved for companionship in His garden of Easter gladness, my soul thrills in His presence. He walks with me. And He talks with me. And He tells me I am His own. “And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other has ever known.”

May you walk in precious companionship with your Beloved Lord in a special way this Easter season.

Have you ever thought about what people would say about you at your funeral?

Today, I went to a funeral. A very precious friend’s husband died.

As I sat and listened to the trembling voices, soaked in tears, and the preacher’s words of tribute, I heard the same reiteration of accolades and honor. My friend’s husband was a special man who had suffered a massive stroke over ten years ago.

After many struggles to adjust to barely being able to take care of himself and to make himself understood, he finally made peace with his bodily condition and praised the Lord the rest of his days. From his wheelchair, he touched many people with his worship and with his deep love and care for his family and others. He was a true encouragement to all who knew him.

With his dying breath, he praised the Lord…with his hand raised to heaven. He will be sorely missed. He was a balcony person.

Balcony people are upstanding people, encouragers who…

*are kind, caring, and giving
*draw others up to greater heights
*compliment and complement others
*build others to attempt notable tasks
*instill others with belief in themselves
*cheer and clap for others when they are down.

They are tank refillers. They fill our hearts’ empty reservoirs with words that offer comfort, peace, love, and care.

We have a whole bevy of balcony people, those leaning over the brink of heaven to cheer us on. “Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on?” (Heb. 12:1a Msg)

*David and Jonathan were balcony people for each other.
*Barnabas was a balcony person. He introduced Paul to the other apostles.
*Paul was a balcony person for innumerable people. He wrote to the Thessalonian church that he had sent Timothy, “our brother and fellow worker, God’s minister, to visit you to strengthen your faith and encourage you and to keep you from becoming fainthearted in all the troubles you were going through.” (1 Thess. 3:2a TLB)

Everyone needs a balcony person at one time or another, one who will come alongside of us to lend an ear for listening, a shoulder for crying, a boost when down, or a clap when lacking courage.

Do you have a balcony person in your life? One who cheers you on, who lifts you up when you are down?

Will others at your funeral say you were a balcony person to them?

Last time, we saw that sheep…

* are not very intelligent and are not trainable,
* need constant supervision,
* have a strong instinct to follow a leader,
* have no sense of direction and will wander off, getting into trouble,
* and will follow the one in front of him even if it goes over a cliff.

Let’s see what other characteristics they have.

Sheep…

…are non-aggressive…

Their non-aggressive temperament exhibits itself as being gregarious, calm, and easy to manage creatures. Because they love to be a part of the gang, a sheep will become agitated if it is separated from the group.

…are loving and love affection…

The sense of touch seems to be important to sheep because they seek bodily contact with a daily touch from their shepherd. They love their shepherd and can often be found lingering at his feet, awaiting a pat on the head. They will even rub against his leg and wag their tails.

They learn to recognize the voice of their shepherd as He regularly speaks gently to them and calls them each by name. They follow him because they know he will take care of them.

…are defenseless…

Because they are defenseless, they make easy prey for their enemies and are very vulnerable to fear. With no means of self-defense, their natural instinct causes them to run.

A lone sheep is doomed. Needing protection from predators, they use their herding instinct to stick close to each other for safety and depend on their shepherd as their defense against their enemies, as he uses his staff to keep the sheep in line and within safe boundaries and his rod to ward off the predators.

…are fearful…

As we read last time, where one sheep goes, the rest are sure to follow. So, because they are fearful, if one becomes skittish, the whole flock will stampede easily.

Because of their “sheepishness,” they are even frightened by running water.

…have little discernment as to choosing the best food and drink…

Sheep are stubborn and will insist on their own way, even eating poisonous plants or drinking dirty water. They need constant fresh pasture and fresh water.

Not always aware that they need to drink, they can even be found grazing beside water while in the early stages of dehydration. Because of this, they must be constantly led to clean, still water.

People…

* Are you friendly? Do you become agitated if separated from the group and interaction with others?
* Do you stay close to the flock for comfort, support, and safety?
* Is the Shepherd’s daily touch important to you?
* Can you be found lingering at the Shepherd’s feet?
* Do you recognize the voice of your Shepherd when He calls your name?
* Do you follow the Shepherd knowing He will take care of you?
* Because you are prey for the enemy, do you become fearful or do you trust in and depend on the Shepherd to protect you and fight off the predators for you?
* Do you become skittish, your circumstances frightening you as though they were rampaging waters?
* Are you stubborn, insisting on your own way? Do you lack discernment in choosing where and what you feed your soul and spirit?
* Do you feed on poisonous matter or drink from dirty waters? Do you realize you are suffering a dehydrated spirit, ignoring the fresh waters of the Lord before you?

“Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Heb 13:20-21 NKJV)

~~Blessings, Lynn~~

“You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son,” so says Psalm 50:20 (NKJV). The Message Remix version states it this way, “You stab your own brother in the back.”

If you and I were created in God’s image and likeness, and our families, friends, and neighbors were all created in God’s image and likeness, then how do we justify speaking against God’s creations?

Do we not see the face of Christ in others? How can we love God and hate Him in others at the same time? Would you like it if someone said something against your child? Our heavenly Father doesn’t like it either.

Malachi asked, “Don’t we all come from one Father? Aren’t we all created by the same God?” (Malachi 2:10a The Message Remix) Unfortunately, we use our tongue “to give thanks to our Lord and Father and also to curse our fellow-man, who is created in the likeness of God,” (James 3:9 GNB).

If we say God reigns supreme in our lives and we are part of His body, why are we so unloving to His other body parts? Do our eyes hate our polished fingernails for being prettier? Do our teeth covet the gold in our ears? Are our hands jealous because our feet sport new shoes?

You may say that sounds silly, but if we are all parts of Christ’s Body, why does one part behave so unbecomingly, so unlovingly, towards another part? I just don’t get it!

The Lord once said to me, “Do not wound My Heart by saying unkind things about those I love, things you could not say to their faces.” Our love for Christ must prevent us from grieving Him with our criticism and judgment of those He loves.

Let’s bring this closer to home. Let’s say you are in a restaurant and see someone you know, perhaps, your preacher or someone well known eating with his or her spouse. They are having a lively conversation, waving their hands in the air, with determined looks on their faces.

The next day you tell a friend what you saw, but what do you say? “Oh, I saw so-and-so last night, fighting with her (his) spouse in a restaurant. They were waving their hands all around, arguing. It looked terrible. I’ll bet they’re on the verge of breaking up.”

Now, what have you done? You have gossiped and spread rumors of that which you had no knowledge. Matthew Henry said, “Men are most apt to speak evil of those persons and things that they know least of.” They were probably not arguing at all, just having an impassioned conversation on a subject close to their hearts, such as, how do you suppose rumors get started?!

Jesus warned, “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults - unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging,” (Matthew 7:1-2 The Message Remix).

We are neither to listen to gossip nor to spread it. Remember, those who gossip to you will turn around and gossip about you! Have you ever felt the hot breath of another’s Judas-kiss upon your neck? Has another felt yours?

Lord, keep my tongue from bringing shame on Your name. Let my words to others be always wrapped in love and lavishly filled with encouragement. Amen.

~~Blessings, Lynn~~