James 1:2 – “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” The last several months have allowed me to work (more than I have in some time) on that command. I guess that may be the case for most of us. It is not one of my top 3 skills that I want to practice. While I have become accustomed to change – at work, in our family and even in our country – a situation that takes over a major portion of my thinking activity outside of work is rare for me. And right now that situation involves my aging parents and the need to decide on the best living arrangement for them. It is here that the perspectives of my parents and me are vastly different.

My prayers have led to surprises…not necessarily happy ones. Instead, I have been faced with confrontation, with feeling unappreciated, and have even been seen as the enemy. So, my patience and trust in God has been tested when my prayers haven’t been answered, or, haven’t been answered in a way that I thought would be best. Have I had some frustrating words with God? Absolutely! Am I learning joy in trials? Not quite yet! Is patience being produced through the testing of my faith? Well, there are some small buds. Can I trust God in all this? Because of my history of life under His wing – yes, I can.

I know God loves my parents as much as I do….and so much more. It has been said that life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. We are all on our own journey of learning to trust God with our difficult circumstances and truly understanding that He knows best.

I look to this season, before we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, and am reminded of His willingness to suffer, taking on my sins and shortcomings onto Himself on the cross. I can live as Paul shares in Roman 8:18 “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” And Jesus said in John 8 “I am the Light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the Light of Life.” It is He who lights our path, in His time, not ours. I am praying that I will remember that as I trust, wait and walk through each day in His light, love and presence.

Growing up in a conservative Baptist church, I can remember a particular elder in my church who always wore a smile on his face and had positive, encouraging words to share. I knew to be prepared if our paths crossed, as he would come right up to me and ask, “What have you learned about Jesus, and what can you share?”

I have to admit, that was challenging for me as a young person. But as the years roll by, as I learn more of God and I see Him in action, I am more aware to thank Him and make it known to others. We are called to testify of the goodness of our Lord.

This has been a reoccurring theme to me lately. Worshiping God in church, we have sang the song “Chain Breaker” (by Zach Williams). The words in the chorus say:

“If you believe it,

If you receive it,

If you can feel it

Somebody testify!”

God is writing a story for each one of our lives. We all have so much to thank Him for and share with others. Psalm 66:16 says, “Come and hear all you who fear God, and I will tell you what He has done for my soul.”

Recently at church, we had young people give testimonies as they were baptized. Jeanette Kessler also shared her heartfelt thanks to God, testifying to the opportunity He gave her to observe and work with the family in the DR.

When we hear these testimonies from others, it has an effect on us. It encourages us. It helps our faith to grow stronger. It spreads the Good News of Jesus. It helps people relate to the gospel. It brings glory to God!

I can remember a few years back, Rocky Leib brought a stone to our Sunday School class for an object lesson. The stone just sat there. We read the story of Jesus riding the colt into Jerusalem prior to his crucifixion. The crowds were joyfuly praising God, but the Pharisees were offended and told Jesus to rebuke his disciples. Jesus responded by saying, “I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

Matthew 5:1-12 (NIV)

Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,  and he began to teach them.

Close to Easter I always make sure I read the four gospels. I remember the first time I did this. After reading these gospels, I sat back in my chair and relived those stories in my mind.

We all think how wonderful God was to give His only son to die for our sins so we can be saved. But have we really thought about what happened at the time before this.

Jesus was temped by Satan. He started preaching, baptizing and healing. People loved listening to him. He had thousands of followers. He chose twelve disciples. He did so much good.

Then I start thinking about his days before his death. Things completely changed. He was betrayed by his disciple Judas for 30 pieces of silver. He was arrested by the priests and teachers of the law. My thoughts change from happiness to sadness.

I placed my thoughts to what he went through for our sins to be forgiven and saved. So many times he was punched, hit, slapped, spit on, made fun of, stripped of his clothing and a crown of thorns shoved on his head. The he was whipped raw to most of his body.

Jesus then stands in front of the priests and people. Pilate asks who will be set free – Jesus, or Barabbas who was a murderer? The people chose Barabbas. Then they wanted Jesus to be crucified.

From all the beating he even had to carry his own cross and they whipped him as he carried it until he collapsed. Even after he was placed on the cross, they mocked him until his death.

I felt the pain of the whipping, the nails being hammered into his hands and feet. Then, as I thought about it, I wondered to myself, “Were any of my ancestors laughing or crying at Jesus those couple of days?” I will never know. I can’t even imagine how God was feeling while this was happening. I know that day that ten thousand angels cried. I’m sue they looked at God hoping He would stop this injustice. He could have stopped it and just wiped everyone out, but He didn’t.

But then I thought and I knew that what had happened, had to happen. God loves us so much that He let His only son go through a horrific death. A death that not one of us could have endure; not even half of his beating could we endure.

I am sorry for what he had to go through, and I know one of those lashes of the whip was for me. But because of all Jesus went through, we are forgiven of our sins, and are saved.

Knowing all this, God is number one in my life always. So as Jesus’s death approaches and we sing praises to him, let us also remember what he went through for us to sing those praises to him.