"The heritage of those who fear your name..."

I am awed at the words that David wrote in Psalm 61 some 3,000 years ago. They are words that echoed the cry of my soul also on some of my life's most difficult days. Word pictures that helped me to hold on to God.

Verses 1-3: Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.
From the ends of the earth I call to you,

(the beach is the end of the earth, right???)

I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher
than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the
foe."

Psalm 61:5 "For you have heard my vows, O God; you have
given me the heritage of those who fear your name."

And this cry from verse 5 was also on my lips--a prayer for my children from a broken home to come to God; to devote their lives to Christ; to give their all for the Kingdom of God.

Too many people today think of heritage as wealth or property passed from generation to generation. I know my parents wanted to "leave me something", and they did. They were people of faith and lived out their lives faithful to God till the end. I have the sure faith that they live eternally in heaven. That is the heritage I pass on to my children. I go back to that cry from scripture that my children will hold fast to God's hand when their difficult days come, when they need a strong tower. I believe that their faith can grow deeper and stronger than mine. That God will lead them to places I have not yet seen, and multiply their influence for the building of the kingdom of God. God is allowing me today to see that happening in their young adult lives. It is a gift; an answer to my cries from 10 years ago.

Your children may be young. But it is not to early to pass on to them your stories of faith and your prayers, that they will follow your heritage of honoring Christ whatever comes and that they will choose to invest their all for His Kingdom.

Easter reflection and invitation

Easter is always a holy day for me. Resurrection is a keystone of my faith. The message of easter is true year-round, but to celebrate Easter is to reflect on how my faith is a story of my relationship with someone who is alive. I don't follow a historical figure--I have a growing spiritual journey with a God who understands what it means to be human, and is alive to walk with me every day I live!!!

Every year at Easter that truth is magnified again for me. And I don't want the resurrection truth to just be a one day event, so I look forward to it --- for weeks! To think about Christ's sufferings for humankind, his betrayal, his love and forgiveness poured out for those who beat and humiliated him causes wonder in my heart. I have heard it every year, yet I hear it as new again.

Easter is about losing life to find life; offering forgiveness for the undeserving; going through death as the doorway to new life. Easter is faith, hope and love. What words do you use to describe what Easter means in your life?