When it’s good to be the thief

  

    I know we have moved past Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter and are now heading for the celebration of Jesus’s ascension. Alleluia! However, this morning I was reading in Deuteronomy 25 about the punishment of flogging and its maximum of 40 strikes (later limited to 39 in practice because it could cause a person’s death). A sentence was to follow a just decision regarding a person's innocence or guilt, as well as the extent of his wickedness. We believers know that Jesus was entirely innocent yet received OUR maximum sentence out of His incomprehensibly great love for us, ‘while we were yet sinners.”*

   What struck me this morning, however, (no pun intended) as I was visualizing all aspects of the horror Jesus endured for me, beginning even before his maximum flogging with metal attached to cords, was what was said to him by one of the two thieves hung next to him. I’ve known this dialogue since I was a young child and through the years have focused on Jesus’ words, “Today” you shall be with me in paradise.”** This morning, however, flashing before me were the words, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom,” I suddenly wondered, “How did the thief know Jesus was King of a kingdom not of this world?” NO one else truly seemed to. Even Peter, who had declared Him the Messiah, didn’t really get it. The disciples were hiding in grief and fear, not expecting Him to appear to them at any moment. Mary of Magdala and the other women were focused on caring for His precious body, which they assumed was still in the tomb or somewhere nearby. Who but the man known only as the thief truly believed Jesus would arise after His death as King over the Cosmos? Seeing Jesus in anguish and torment just as he was, this man still believed Yeshua was Lord of heaven and earth. Even if he perhaps did not grasp the full implication of that truth, he knew Jesus had the power, despite how things appeared, to save him after his body succumbed to death (something for which I’m sure he, in his own agony, then longed). 

   Everyone else at the scene (or hiding from it) seemed without hope, all their expectations dashed, with only images of a slow, agonizing death still before their eyes. Many who had waved palm branches before Him as Messiah, now thought, “I guess he wasn’t the one after all.” They were not visualizing a victorious kingdom much greater than any earthly one. They were seeing^ suffering, loss, disappointment, dejection, and devastating sorrow. Or in the case of those who wanted Jesus dead, a sense of satisfaction and success in the deed finally being accomplished. 

   Accomplished it was, but not as they thought. It was the King’s Gambit***, with ADONAI declaring to them (and, more importantly, to Satan):   “Checkmate, you lose!!”

  Maybe I am just very slow on the uptake, but I found the sudden realization astounding that only the thief appeared to truly get this. Ahhh….ADONAI, when You say that we become New Creations when we put our whole trust in Your grace and love, it is not just a metaphor of hope. It is a manifested reality for those who believe that You are the one and only Savior God of forgiveness and second chances. You Are the Resurrection and the Life for those of us who grasp our total dependence on Your Goodness and Mercy. When we repent and trust in You, we are no longer stuck in Groundhog Days of repeated sin and consequent sentences of flogging and Second Death. Nor are we sentenced to misery in this life. We are freed to live the abundant shalom-filled life You desire for us. We are no longer named The Thief. We have a new appellation, “Beloved,” as well as one uniquely given to us by The Father.****

   Although we have the advantage of hindsight, unlike the man who called out to Yeshua that day in faith, we believe though we haven’t seen Him, and we are blessed.*****

   We are The Thief. He has caught the hand we reached out to Him, drawn us into His outstretched arms, and declared, “Welcome Home, Beloved!” 

*******************

* But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.— Romans 5:8 

**Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”—-Luke 23:43

*** In effect a bold, long range trap which causes one’s opponent to have confidence he is winning, only to suddenly discover he has lost

**** “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.” Revelation 2:17

***** “Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”  —John 20:29

^”He will not judge by what his eyes see or decide by what his ears hear.” —Isaiah 11: 3

No greater love…no greater desire to express it

   

 Valentine’s Day 2025 

   As I was pondering the true story of St. Valentine’s martyrdom for his faith in God’s Greatest Gift, it filled me with a desire to express the true heart (pun intended) for this day. I wanted to pour out not only my love and thankfulness to the Father, to Yeshua, and to Holy Spirit, but also to the precious family and friends with whom He has blessed my life.

  I began thinking of little gifts of love to share, tiny mementos symbolizing something so much bigger than I could express in either words or packages of any size.🎁 Knowing each family member so personally, I was filled with joy in scouring my home for tiny finds that would delight them, from small presents I had been storing up for the right occasion to little treats discovered in our pantry. 

   The Lord then spoke to my heart: “You see now how my Nature in you is to pour out Love…to enjoy giving little gifts as well as big ones…to take delight in the choosing of even the smallest. If you carry a tiny fraction of that desire in your heart, think how much I carry…for you, for your family, for My whole family…and even for those outside of it. I long for them to come within My Family circle, ‘under the feathers of My wings’* where I can bless them with the large and the small.”

   Don’t think that the Lord can’t be bothered with ‘the smaller things’. He gets a kick out of delighting His children, just as we do. Take time to notice His little gifts, as well as the more obvious ones. They are not products of ‘luck’ or ‘coincidence’ or ‘fate’ or ‘the universe.’ Recognize them for what they are: personalized expressions of love from your Father’s heart, just for you. There is no one else on the planet, or even in Heaven, just like you. You are a unique treasure to Him, and He wants you to know it.

*********

*Matthew 23:37; Psalm 91:4

   

Kneeling in the sand

    I have once again been reading through the Acts of the Apostles, and, as always, have been struck by something new. This time Holy Spirit stopped me as I read about Peter, Paul, and others kneeling in prayer.. [See Acts 21:5; Acts 9:40; Acts 20:36; Luke 5:8; Luke 7:37] In Acts 21:5, for example, Paul kneels in the sand with all the members of a new church to pray together before he leaves them. I thought about how seldom most of us kneel to pray, individually or corporately, anymore. Why didn’t Paul and crew just stand in a circle praying?

This brought to mind the fact that, in worship, I can tell when Jesus is standing before me, because I find myself on my knees.

Have we lost this type of manifestation of reverence in the church?  I was raised as an Episcopalian.* Humor regarding this denomination (also referred to as ‘the frozen chosen’) often referenced the ‘up and down, up and down’ movements of our congregations. Yet there is meaning behind this practice: Stand to praise; sit to listen (attitude of being teachable); kneel to humbly, reverentially, pray and worship.  There are times at a beloved non-denominational church, where I find myself kneeling down at some point during opening worship. I sense the need to be as close to ‘on my face’ as I can get in my space between the chair in front of me and my seat. I know that I am not doing what everyone else is doing, but I know I must overcome the need to fit in and instead do what I sense Holy Spirit is prompting me to do. [As I get older, it is harder for me to actually kneel, but If I can’t kneel, I at least sit with my knees close to the floor and my head bowed.] 

If Jesus is before me, I don’t think about it at all. I just find myself on my knees.. 

There are a couple churches I’ve attended in which all kinds of people are worshiping all kinds of ways. People don’t seem to be as aware of each other, as much as they are aware of the God they have come to please. Flags, shofars, dance, kneeling, standing, sitting, prostrated on the floor, resting in Holy Spirit on their backs, hands up, hands down…. The freedom to worship ADONAI in sincerity, truth, enthusiasm, loud praise, quietness, or silence. The giving of one’s whole self in various forms at various times, I believe, is pleasing to our Heavenly Father. As is refraining from criticizing or judging others for how they are expressing their worship.

Let’ take a look at ‘the other side of the worship coin’ from what we’re used to in our own churches. Do we always praise loudly and never become quiet in worship? Are we always quiet in worship and never ‘shout with a voice of triumph’? Do we criticize in our hearts (or even forbid) praising with flags or dancing? Do we flag and dance but criticize those who quietly kneel? Are we open to everything God says in His Word is pleasing to Him, both the overt and the hidden? Do we make a place for and encompass it all? 

I personally find it difficult to find a church that intentionally does so. A place with both historicity, lively worship both ancient and modern, a place where you feel free to kneel or jump up and down, sit in reverence without moving, lie facedown on the carpet; dance and wave a flag, or sit cross-legged with head bowed. 

A wonderful trend I see emerging, however, is denominational blindness, with ‘my church’ talk being replaced by ‘Jesus’ Body’ talk. A unification (without compromise on the Word) of the Ekklesia, praying and standing together as one for God’s kingdom to come on earth as it is in Heaven.’ Alleluia! Let’s make our worship, in all its expressions, do the same. 

While we’re at it, let’s not lose the power of reverentially kneeling together before Him. 

***************

Take a moment to enjoy this song, “Find Me”, from Jonathan and Melissa Heiser): 

https://youtu.be/G_LFvzKsbfw?si=21eVCO5dfINB4gOp

Is this seat saved?

    

We used to joke around sometimes when someone asked if the seat next to us was saved. We would say,

“I’m not sure,” shake the chair, and ask, “Are you saved?” 

The humor was based in a time when people might well have asked you, or any stranger, if you had truly received salvation.

Last Sunday I had an empty seat next to me in a thankfully very full church, where late arrivals were searching for a spot. (I wish all our Bible-believing churches were that full for 4 services.) The one empty seat made me think of our old joke. It also prompted me to think who should have been in it. Who was God calling to take his or her place there? 

The pastor spoke of Lazarus and the fact that Jesus was not the one to actually roll away the stone or even unwrap his grave-cloths. He asked the others to do it. “Unbind him and set him free!” (Luke 11). The pastor’s message had to do with our role in ‘unbinding’ others and the power we have to do so, even though Jesus is the One Who brings the actual resurrection.

He spoke of people ‘being dead to one another.’ Of the binding cloths of unforgiveness and judgment. Of the lonely ones, the hurt ones, to whom we could be reaching out and drawing into our life circle. He spoke especially about the ones who have severely wounded us or continually taken wrong paths until we have finally given up on them. The ones of whom people say, “He’ll never change!” [Never speak a prophetic word that opposes God’s will!] Even those whose prickly personalities cause us to avoid contact with them whenever possible. The ones who often need ‘unbinding’ much more than those vulnerable-seeming, humble ones who are much easier to love.

Whom have we written off?

Whom have we ignored and left in the cold, while cozy in our own warm circles?

Whom do we intensely (or even moderately) dislike and avoid reaching out to, whose presence in our friendship groups could sabotage our comfort levels and pleasant interactions? (Martha: “but Lord, there’ll be an odor!” Luke 11:44)

Whose reserved seat may be empty because we ourselves have fallen short of doing the hard thing? 

Or perhaps we’re the stone-removing forgiver or renouncer of condemning prophecies. (Speak ‘crop failure’ to those spoken words!) Yet God then plans to call someone else to draw that person to his saved seat?  All we need to do is be obedient to our part. 

It seems unfair that we should be considered responsible, especially when we have been the recipient of someone’s unkind, disrespectful, neglectful, or even abusive treatment. It may be a jolt to our self-righteousness that we are even seen by our Lord as having the ‘job’ or the capability of helping to bring that change about. We’re ‘only human,’ right? 

We absolutely need to set boundaries in cases of potentially harmful relationships. However, that is not what I’m referring to above. It’s the large stones blocking the tomb, the boulders of refusal to forgive, the walls of a back turned against another, and even the pebbles of rejection due to our discomfort with those annoying personalities, that make it challenging to reach out to another, whether stranger, acquaintance, or even family member.. 

So many reasons for a seat sacrificially saved by our Savior to remain empty. Sometimes it’s self-loathing masquerading as arrogance. Sometimes it’s straight-forward intellectual arrogance. Sometimes it’s a spirit of rejection that whispers to a mind, “You’re unwanted, unsuccessful, unworthy, unknowledgeable, unloved, unforgiveable.” 

If you find yourself, like me, putting your hands over your ears and saying to the Lord, “I can’t hear You!”…you’re in good company. Hence, so many empty ‘saved’ seats. Let’s determine that the next time there is an empty seat next to us at church, we take our hands off our ears and ask Him for whom it’s reserved….and what He might want us to do to help fill it. We might be one of several on a team or in a series, whom our Father is asking. Yet if no one else answers His call to roll away the stone, let it not be we who refuse.

Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee

Remember, our praise not only glorifies God and lifts us up, it is also spiritual warfare against the enemy of our souls and our land.

 “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee,” (also known as the Ode to Joy). Lyrics written in 1907 by Henry J Van Dyke. Composer, Ludwig Von Beethoven, adapted in 1827 for the hymn version by Edward Hodges. I give you the classic choir version first, and then a variety of joyful options and adaptations. Praise away!

 https://youtu.be/NML640yBoKE?si=8BjhaPNkKe4dmOSd

Tommy Walker: https://youtu.be/OYKP2p6uEkM?si=nuKuADiBZlNqDGi9 

Reawaken Hymns:  https://youtu.be/2yZVweZ2Cvg?si=Hgn_-iLc55F5HLDr

Fun Variations:

• Michael W. Smith: https://youtu.be/NHm_p7xj5uQ?si=1tpdq6iMrzRjEn4U
• Casting Crowns: https://youtu.be/MsBtbCMSY-w?si=TbGloyw3b3IGIDaF
• IHOPU: https://youtu.be/xc8BRReglnc?si=jG8p0tm2l9M0kR4G

1. 
   
2. Take a few minutes to really absorb this amazing poem.
3. 
   
4. Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee,
   God of glory, Lord of love;
   Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee,
   Op’ning to the sun above.
   Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
   Drive the dark of doubt away;
   Giver of immortal gladness,
   Fill us with the light of day!
5. All Thy works with joy surround Thee,
   Earth and heav’n reflect Thy rays,
   Stars and angels sing around Thee,
   Center of unbroken praise.
   Field and forest, vale and mountain,
   Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea,
   Singing bird and flowing fountain
   Call us to rejoice in Thee.
6. Thou art giving and forgiving,
   Ever blessing, ever blest,
   Wellspring of the joy of living,
   Ocean depth of happy rest!
   Thou our Father, Christ our Brother,
   All who live in love are Thine;
   Teach us how to love each other,
   Lift us to the joy divine.
7. Mortals, join the happy chorus,
   Which the morning stars began;
   Father love is reigning o’er us,
   Brother love binds man to man.
   Ever singing, march we onward,
   Victors in the midst of strife,
   Joyful music leads us Sunward
   In the triumph song of life.

Divine Love

   

 Today’s highlighted hymn is “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” (Charles Wesley, 1747). There is more than one tune for this hymn, but my favorite is Rowland Hugh Pritchard’s Hyfrydol. This same tune is used for other great hymns, as well. Better known, however, by those not connected to the UK, is Beecher’s Zundel. (Evidently the earliest tune used for this hymn might have been one composed by Henry Purcell in 1691.)

   One of the beautiful things about great hymns is the poetry of their lyrics. It is difficult to truly ponder them while actually singing, so I sometimes like to speak them as praise or declarations of God’s character. (Lyrics below)

Enjoy!

Overall playlist: 

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-2DzbrW5IS3XolOORxDkajfiqqnT83OL&si=ehOefL5MknAClkMq

Hyfrydol: https://youtu.be/Ij7R_qgeBj0?si=FCBY42_lb4ejvsDo

Zundel (Beecher) https://youtu.be/J-6PMvgJHG0?si=A4iup7W49apkWNoe

20th Century: “We Fall Down” https://youtu.be/A9jhLNDfAKQ?si=Zl8Pow1RUv35nEPM

21st Century: His Name is Jesus (Jeremy Riddle)  

 https://youtu.be/MHhi1m-35r8?si=B3gLkiYdIFCOXC7j

******

1. Love divine, all loves excelling,
   Joy of Heav’n to earth come down;
   Fix in us thy humble dwelling;
   All thy faithful mercies crown!
   Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
   Pure unbounded love Thou art;
   Visit us with Thy salvation,
   Enter every trembling heart.
2. Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit
   Into every troubled breast!
   Let us all in Thee inherit;
   Let us find that second rest.
   Take away our bent to sinning;
   Alpha and Omega be;
   End of faith, as its beginning,
   Set our hearts at liberty.
3. Come, Almighty to deliver,
   Let us all Thy life receive;
   Suddenly return, and never,
   Nevermore Thy temples leave.
   Thee we would be always blessing,
   Serve Thee as Thy hosts above,
   Pray and praise Thee without ceasing,
   Glory in Thy perfect love.
4. Finish, then, Thy new creation;
   Pure and spotless let us be;
   Let us see Thy great salvation
   Perfectly restored in Thee;
   Changed from glory into glory,
   Till in Heav’n we take our place,
   Till we cast our crowns before Thee,
   Lost in wonder, love, and praise.

Praise to the Lord…King of Creation .

Here are today’s worship treasures, old and new:

“Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation” (Joachim Neander 1680, originally published in German). [“John Julian, in A Dictionary of Hymnolgy, calls the German original ‘a magnificent hymn of praise to God.”*]   

Overall playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-2DzbrW5IS3lzqkZqcuUo_tVNqPzBwp2&si=ORbQ1xJlMbXYbwEL

Join the Queen https://youtu.be/lXhxbEjfxxc?si=8smsrIe0467j3xai

Kristy Nockels, 21st century https://youtu.be/BNq0WtMSmIY?si=byU27f8j8KXmbRjX

Here’s a recent song called “Creator” by Phil Wickham to enjoy. You need to watch this one, not just listen. Below is also the version with lyrics,, but I really wanted to share the visual, too.

https://youtu.be/8_XyX44Yde4?si=v93ayWWUT8Uxdhsg

https://youtu.be/PV505lho1jA?si=X3SB7MINNoPahq0e  With lyrics (but watch the above, first)

“2Worship Yahweh with gladness. Sing your way into his presence with joy! 3And realize what this really means— we have the privilege of worshiping Yahweh our God. For he is our Creator and we belong to him. We are the people of his pleasure.a 4You can pass through his open gatesb with the password of praise. Come right into his presence with thanksgiving. Come bring your thank offering to him and affectionately bless his beautiful name! 5For Yahweh is always good and ready to receive you. He’s so loving that it will amaze you— so kind that it will astound you! And he is famous for his faithfulness toward all.” —Psalm 100: 2-5 TPT

In the King James’ Version:

Trisagion and more

     One of my favorite musical artists for quiet praise is Fernando Ortega. The peace of God descends on me whenever I listen to him. He sings treasures old and new. One of the ‘old’ is the Trisagion (linked below). The last line is ‘Have mercy, have mercy, Lord.’ 

   Whenever I hear these words, Father reminds me that because of Jesus, He always has mercy (towards those who believe and trust in Him.). We don’t have to beg Him for it. Yet the truth and beauty of these lyrics touch our souls with heartfelt thankfulness. He knows what we mean when we sing them.  

   This ancient song is short. It has always left me wanting more. So I added verses, under Holy Spirit’s inspiration. Listen to Fernando sing Trisagion, and then continue praising God with the lyrics below.

Original: 

Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy, have mercy on us

Trisagion sung by Fernando Ortega

VARIATIONS ON THE TRISAGION*

Holy God, 

Holy and Mighty 

Holy, Immortal One

We praise You, we praise You, Lord

Blessed Trinity,

Trinity of Righteousness,

Trinity of Justice and Mercy,

We sing to You, we sing to You, Lord

Lord of all Creation,

Creator most lovely

All of Your creatures rejoice in You

We dance for You, we dance with You, Lord

Shepherd of Your sheep,

Giver of blessings,

You alone deserve our praises

We follow You, we follow You, Lord

Lover of our souls,

Sanctifier glorious,

Rescuer of Your people,

We thank You, we thank You, Lord

+++++++++++

*The Greek phrase Trisagion translates as "Thrice Holy". In this hymn God is described as holy in three different qualities; Agios o Theos means "Holy God". (Wikipedi)

*

Musical transformations

As much as I love contemporary worship songs, I also still love many of the old hymns.  My only issue with them is that they were often written about God rather than to Him.  One of my favorites (I confess I have a lot of ‘favorites’) is Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven, based on Psalm 103, and written by Henry Francis Lyte in 1834. This morning I turned the lyrics into the first person, which immediately ramped up the level of intimacy. The lyrics in various hymnals sometimes vary slightly, but using the version I learned as a child, here’s my personalized adaptation.  Try it yourself, if you know the tune...or just speak the lyrics as a prayer.

I praise You, Lord, the King of Heaven
To Your feet my tribute bring
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven
Evermore Your Praise I Sing
Alleluia, Alelluia, I praise You, my everlasting King

I praise You for Your grace and favor
To Your people in distress
I praise You still the same as ever
Slow to chide and swift to bless
Alleluia, Alleluia, glorious in Your faithfulness 

Fatherlike, You tend and spare us
Well our feeble frame You know
In Your hands You gently bear us
Rescue us from all our foes
Alleluia, Alleluia, widely yet Your mercy flows



Angels help us to adore You
They behold You face to face
Sun and moon bow down before You
Dwellers all in time and space
Alleluia, Alleluia, we praise You, Lord, the God of grace

Sometimes I find myself singing or humming secular songs whose lyrics are untrue, misleading, or deceptive.  So through the years, I’ve made my own versions.  For example, we used to live near the port in Cape Canaveral, from which the cruise ships departed.  Multiple times per week I’d hear “When You Wish  Upon a Star” emanating from the Disney ships. The tune got stuck in my head, and I ended up hollering to myself, “Why are you singing that song?!!!”  So I created this one. Go ahead and sing along:

When you pray to God above
You will meet a heart of love
When you pray to God above He’ll answer you

If your heart is in your prayers
You will  never need despair
When you pray to God above He’ll answer you

God is kind; He brings to those who love [Him]
The fulfillment of their deepest longings 

When you prayer to God above
You will meet a heart of love

When you pray to God above He’ll answer you

I also sing secular love songs to the Lord. Sometimes they don’t even need much adaptation. Like
Unforgettable or The Very Thought of You or, I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You... . See how many you can find and share them in the comments section for this post.

Julie

"All Praise to Thee My God This Night"

I first created the post below in 2015,* after several younger friends said they would like to learn about worship music from the past. Instead of searching Youtube for the song, as I do now, I recorded my own little video with one of the sweet pictures I own. It’s obviously unprofessionally done, but it’s a little offering to the Lord. 

“All praise to Thee My God this night for all the blessings of the light.
Keep me, O keep me, King of kings, beneath Thine own almighty wings.

Forgive me, Lord, for Thy dear Son, the ill that I this day have done;
That with the world, myself, and Thee, I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.

O may my soul on Thee repose, and with sweet sleep mine eyelids close,
Sleep that shall me more vigorous make to serve my God when I awake.

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.   Amen.”

--Thomas Ken* 1709
[tune: Thomas Tallis, 1567 (the Tallis Canon)

*Thomas Ken , the writer of what we commonly refer to as The Doxology, wrote these lines in 1674, as the last verse for another hymn ("Awake, my soul, and with the sun") and later used them in this hymn, also.  Sung to the Tallis Canon (which can be sung in a round), it's not only lovely, but evokes the sweet peace of God. I have loved it since I was a child.

*To see posts from years past (2015 to the present), open my blog at TennyandI.blogspot.com [ Morning Manna ]on a computer or tablet, with a larger screen than your phone,, and you will see the listings by year on the right. As you choose a year, the names of the various posts will appear underneath.  In His Love, Julie