I repost this writing every Good Friday. For me, and I hope for you as well, it is a good reminder that because of what occurred on the cross, we have personal access to God.

These days, to get to the person we really want to talk to, it seems like we have to jump through hoops. If you have ever tried calling a company for service or warranty-related issues, you know what I mean. It is just one layer after another of computer-generated instruction. Press 1 for service followed by Press 1 for Internet problems or 2 for TV problems. On and on. Or stay on the line and the next technician will be with you shortly. And finally when we finally do talk to a live person, they are either the wrong person or there is a language problem. I have known business or community leaders who do not have open door policies. Instead, you need to go through their assistant to schedule a meeting. And even then, it was the assistant who actually delivered my message.

It is so often like the “great and powerful” Wizard of Oz – hidden behind the curtain, only heard, never seen. That is until Toto pulled back the curtain.       

Some 2,000 years ago, on what we today call Good Friday, Jesus cried out one last time, dying by crucifixion after being nailed to the Cross. Have you ever been by someone’s side when they died? Picture yourself on that hillside. What is running through your mind as you watch Jesus struggle and then breathe His last breath?

To read the gospel accounts of Jesus’s death – Matthew 27:45-56, Mark 15:33-41, Luke 23:44-49, John 19:28-37.

One passage in the death of Jesus narrative often gets overlooked, and in my opinion, this passage really does change everything. Let’s look at it.

First, here is the context. We read in Exodus chapters 26 and 27 that in the Tabernacle the Most Holy Place (sometimes called the Holy of Holies), the innermost chamber of the temple, was separated from the Holy Place by a curtain (veil). God resided in the Most Holy Place. Any Israelite could come to the temple to pray or to bring an offering, but only priests could sacrifice the animals or burn incense in the Holy Place. And only the high priest could enter The Most Holy Place one day a year (Yom Kippur) to offer blood for his sins and the sins of the world.

What that meant is that in Old Testament days, people did not have personal access to God. We see this is Hebrews 9:7, “But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.” (I encourage you to read this in context in Hebrews 9.)

Okay, now let’s look at the passage that I think so often is glossed over. When Christ died on the Cross, we read these words in Matthew 27:50-51, “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.”

The curtain (veil) referred to in that passage is the curtain that separated the people from the presence of God. What does that mean for us here and now? Because of Christ’s death on the Cross, through His blood, we now have personal access to God. Jesus is now our High Priest and through Him we can come into God’s presence.

So, take some time right now to reflect upon what it means for you to be able to come into the presence of God, to be able to walk right in. Close your eyes and picture God saying to you right now, “Come on in!” It really does change everything!

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Do you agree, each new day sure does seem like rough and tumble. That phrase can be defined in several ways. Disorderly action with disregard for rules. Put together without much thought; haphazard. A general state of chaotic activity. Unrestrained atmosphere. Any way we look at it, the waters we tread in these days are turbulent and ever-changing. And if we aren’t careful, we can be swept away without warning.  

Sometimes pop culture, either purposely or inadvertently, gets it right and the lyrics to songs speak volumes about faith. The song “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel might just be one of those songs. While this song is in no way a direct reference to Jesus, the lyrics really do describe the way in which Jesus gets us over or through the rough waters.

Here is a bit of trivia. This song is almost five minutes in length. In the 1960’s, Columbia Records had used the three-minute mark as the barrier for songs played on AM Radio. However, in 1965 Bob Dylan recorded “Like a Rolling Stone” which was longer than three minutes, so Columbia decided to release “Bridge Over Troubled Water” to pop radio, despite its length, and it topped the charts for six weeks and Billboard ranked it as the Number 1 song for 1970.

BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER – Composed by Paul Simon, released on January 26, 1970

When you’re weary, feeling small
When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all
I’m on your side. When times get rough
And friends just can’t be found
Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down

When you’re down and out
When you’re on the street
When evening falls so hard I will comfort you
I’ll take your part
When darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down

Sail on silvergirl, sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way
See how they shine
If you need a friend
I’m sailing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled water I will ease your mind
Like a bridge over troubled water I will ease your mind

So, if you find yourself struggling today, and the path ahead looks like turbulent waters, I encourage you to trust Jesus who carries your burdens (Psalm 68:19) and who gives you rest (Matthew 11:28-30). Jesus does not say that troubled waters will not come. In fact, just the opposite, He says that in life we will face troubled waters (John 16:33). But Jesus does promise that He will be “like a bridge over troubled water” and get us over or through those troubled waters. Do you believe that today?

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When you plant calla lily seedlings, what do you expect to grow? Tulips? Roses? Of course not. You expect to grow flowers with smooth almost sword-like foliage. These beautiful flowers are native to South Africa. The word “calla” comes from the Greek word for beauty, and despite its name, the calla lily is not actually a lily; instead, it belongs to the Araceae family of flowering plants, to which philodendrons and elephant ears (caladium) also belong.  If, when you plant calla lilies, you end up with tulips, well, you better request a refund from the garden store from which you purchased the seed pack. And when you grow tomato plants, what do you expect to pick off the vines? Peas? Beans?

Now I ask you this – if you sit around in the evenings regularly eating potato chips and bacon horseradish dip, what do you expect the results to be? You surely don’t anticipate losing weight. And if the only exercise you get is walking from the couch to the refrigerator, that is not really an effective fitness program. But on the contrary, if you eat healthily and exercise regularly, you can expect to gain strength and flexibility, improve your mental and physical health, and probably even control your weight.

In order to plants to grow, they need periods of sunlight and darkness, food, water, and proper care. And for us to be healthy, we need a proper balance of work and rest, physical activity and exercise, well-balanced diet, proper amount of sleep, and abstinence from unhealthy habits.

Common sense tells us that we reap what we sow; we understand that principle for growing plants and caring for our natural (physical) life, but we sometimes forget that principle when it comes to our spiritual life. We need to regularly engage (sow) in spiritual practices in order to experience (reap) spiritual growth.

Galatians 5 gives us a list of both acts of the flesh and fruit of the Spirit. (I encourage you to read Galatians 5:13-26.) Engaging in the acts of the flesh often produces a momentary burst of pleasure but ultimately leaves you dissatisfied and empty, while the fruit of the Spirit produces growth and fruitfulness. The former brings death while the latter brings life.

One chapter later, in Galatians 6:7-9, we read this warning, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”     

So, what are you expecting to grow in your soil (soul)? Today, ask God to help you cultivate the soil of your life, so what you hope to see is what you do see – beautiful flowers blooming on a regular basis, ones that bring a sweet fragrance to you and those around you (calla lilies do not have much scent, but you get the point), and ones that others want to plant and grow in their own gardens (soil)!

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When my wife and I lived in North Carolina, we experienced firsthand the effects of hurricanes. The winds, the rain, the flooding, all of those caused us great distress, wondering when the roof would blow off or when a flying object would come through our window or when one of our many trees would come crashing down.

During one storm we did have the top half of a 120-foot tall tree snap off in the wind. Our wooden deck and patio took a direct hit, but thankfully, our house only had minor damage. Our safe place that day – sitting in our living room, fearful, hearts racing, praying.

Two months later, the bottom half of the tree also came down, this time however, not by the wind, but safely, by tree removal experts.  

In advance of another hurricane, we were forced to evacuate. Our safe place during that very devastating storm was in a hotel 140 miles away.

Where is your safe place? Where do you run to when you feel threatened or in need of rest? We all like those places of safety. As a child, the first place you probably wanted to run to when you were afraid was into the arms of a parent. Those comforting arms wrapped around you, holding you tight, offered a safe haven in the face of danger and fear. As a young boy living in Columbus, Ohio, my friends and build hideouts out of plywood, dirt, and tree branches. Without the secret password nobody could enter our fort. We were safe from grownups and girls. Maybe you ran and hit under your bed when your abusive father came home from a night of excessive drinking. As adults, we sometimes “run” to alcohol or medication to “hide” from the pain of life.  

Every one of us has a place we go, or an activity we engage in, when the storms of life begin to toss us to and fro. We all desire an anchor to hold us fast when the waves grow dangerous.

The truth is, no matter how secure we think that safe place is, it is not permanent; it can only bring temporary, not lasting, safety and security. The living room we sat in was only “safe” because the tree didn’t come crashing through the roof, potentially injuring or even killing us. The hotel room we sat in only provided us with safe shelter for a few days, then we had to return to New Bern. Those comforting arms, they only hugged you for so long. That fort we built as kids usually collapsed within days, despite our architectural expertise. Your abusive dad found you hiding under the bed and you were safe no more. That bottle of wine you drank to soothe your pain, all it did was leave you with a nasty headache in the morning.

There are many names for God in the Bible. Just a few are: Elohim, which means the Creator God; El Shaddai, the Almighty God; Jehovah Jireh, the Lord Will Provide; Jehovah Rohi, the Lord My Shepherd; Jehovah El Elyon, the Lord God Most High; or how about, Emmanu-el, which is God With Us.

Today I want to look at another name, one found in Psalm 62:8; God Our Refuge – “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God (Elohim) is a refuge (Machase Lanu) for us.”

Psalm 62 is filled with other phrases, such as: God alone is my rock, my salvation, my fortress, my hope is from Him, and, in Him I will not be shaken. Do you believe that today?

We find this in Proverbs 18:10 – “The name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous runs into it and is safe.”

So, today, will you run to Elohim Machase Lanu, God Your Refuge? And will you thank Him for providing you shelter both in the storm and from the storm? God is your refuge, your protection, your unfailing and trustworthy strong tower.

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Our culture tells us the faster the better, and if fast is better, then faster must be even better. Well, unless you are a race car driver or a sprinter, fast is not always best. We all seem to sprint through life from one thing to another, oftentimes those things are good and noble, but amid that breakneck speed what we miss is the beauty of life. Faster and faster. Dizzying. Exhausting. Impossible to sustain. Round and round we go, like hamsters in a hamster wheel, but we don’t get anywhere. 

This quote by Eddie Cantor sums up what I am trying to say – Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast – you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.”

Who is Eddie Cantor you might ask? He was a singer, comedian, vaudeville star, actor, and radio and television personality. Eddie got his start in show biz with the Ziegfeld Follies in New York City in 1917. Maybe as important, if not more important, Eddie was involved with The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, founded in 1938 by President Franklin Roosevelt, and that foundation’s main fundraising event was setting up booths at Christmas asking people to donate a dime to fight polio and other birth defects. From that, Eddie coined the term, The March of Dimes, and in 1976 the organization adopted March of Dimes as its name.

If you are like most people, you run faster and faster in the hamster wheel, then collapse into bed at night, only to get up tomorrow and start all over. Round and round.

I am not saying all of life is intended to be spent sitting in a rocking chair on the porch or in a beach chair at the ocean. What I am saying is look over all the things you do and ask yourself; “what things are most important things to me, and what stuff can I dump over the side of the boat.” Yes, there are times in your life when the pace is fast and you do fly around at high speed, often while juggling many balls, but even then, take time to enjoy the scenery as it whizzes by.

Since my stroke in 2021, due to some neurological deficits, I have been forced to both slow down and as much as possible, avoid situations that create unneeded chaos in my brain. One of the things I have fallen in love with is JOMO – the joy of missing out, disconnecting as a form of self-care.

I love the words of Jeremiah 2:25, as translated in the Message – “Slow down. Take a deep breath. What’s the hurry? Why wear yourself out? Just what are you after anyway? But you say, ‘I can’t help it. I’m addicted to alien gods. I can’t quit.’”

Life shouldn’t be about doing more. Instead, about doing what matters most. The apostle Paul gives us a powerful reminder of the value of time. We are to use our time wisely, making thoughtful choices about how we spend the limited time on earth we have. Here is what we read – “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16).

So, today, look to God for meaning and purpose, and don’t buy into the world’s roadmap of “faster and faster.” That roadmap is nothing more than a hamster wheel that just goes round and round.

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Have you ever accomplished anything by sheer will? You achieved something through your own strong determination and willpower, without relying on external assistance or factors.

Or possibly you achieved something by your unwavering determination, despite significant obstacles. People like Rosa Parks or Nelson Mandela both overcame significant obstacles in their push for social justice or ending apartheid. Rosa Park’s refusal to give up her bus seat was the catalyst for the Montgomery Bus Boycott and Mandela’s refusal to let decades of imprisonment deter his push to end institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination are testaments to their determined sheer will.

Maybe you have overcome an addiction or debilitating illness, started a business, or achieved a goal with unwavering will power and determination. I could give several examples in my own life. I can think of one early example. I was a junior in high school. I ran track, running the sprints and relays. I had lost six straight 440 yard dashes to an athlete from a neighboring school. I was determined to not let that streak continue. He always ran a better race than me, out strategizing me every time.

It was the last track meet of the season before the league meet. We were running against that school. Leading up to the meet, I worked by butt off, training and working on “last 100 yards” strategies, the part of the race where he had excelled in our previous races. He was a much better quarter miler than I was, but that day, by sheer will, guts and determination, leaving everything I had on the track, I won the race by five or six steps. I did it! He beat me a few days later in the league meet, and while that was disappointing, I was satisfied that I beat him at least once. (He was a senior, so we never ran against each other after that.)

I think many Jesus-followers often try to live the life we are called to live by that same sheer will. We say, if I just try harder. It is not mind over matter. It is not with Superman’s sheer force of will. That approach usually, if not always, leads to frustration. While there is great truth in us playing a part in our own changed life, it is not simply about stopping old habits and instituting better religious ones. The Christian life doesn’t come through self-improvement, or through sheer will. Rather, we are transformed into the people God desires us to be by the saving power of Jesus Christ – ^“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

It is through grace that we were saved in the first place. And it is by that same grace that, if we truly trust in the words and works of Jesus, our lives become transformed lives. It is obedience that allows God to work in us and through us. We become an empowered person. Empowered to turn away from the old. Turn away from the old things and become new creatures – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

We play a part in helping the “old to pass away,” but permanent change only comes in God’s initiating grace, through Jesus who is our implementing change agent, and because of the Spirit’s energizing transforming power. Any other method is fruitless. It is not sheer will. Instead, it is grace. Embrace and live in that truth!

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