June Caedmon's Blog

Here’s a snapshot of one of the devotionals included in my Journey to the Cross Devotional.

Psa 122:1-9  A Song of Ascents. Of David. I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the LORD.”  (2)  Our feet have been standing Within your gates, O Jerusalem!  (3)  Jerusalem is built As a city that is compact together,  (4)  Where the tribes go up, The tribes of the LORD, To the Testimony of Israel, To give thanks to the name of the LORD.  (5)  For thrones are set there for judgment, The thrones of the house of David.  (6)  Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.  (7)  Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces.”  (8)  For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, “Peace be within you.”  (9)  Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good.

“As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs after you; you alone are my heart’s desire, and I long to worship you.”

~ Hymn As the Deer Pants for the Water by Marty Nystrom

Our souls long for relationship with God, and our hearts long to worship Him. Worshipping God is an integral part of our pilgrimage. Many of us have experienced those worship services where the message and the music have swept us along and suddenly we feel the Holy Spirit moving. We’re overcome with emotion, lost in praise to Jesus. Those are awesome times.

But if we reduce worship to a feeling, we’ve missed the mark. If we only went to church when we felt like it, we would rarely ever go. Worship, like any other Christian discipline, is something we must develop, like a habit. A pattern that we regularly follow.

“Worship is an act that develops feelings for God, not a feeling for God that is expressed in an act of worship.”

~ Eugene Peterson, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction

Beyond the praise music that centers our emotions on Christ, worship reminds us of God’s judgments and God’s promises. Hearing God’s word from the pulpit allows us to receive His truth, unencumbered by our ignorance or unrealized prejudices.

What I love about David’s psalm is how he links worship with peace. The doors of our worship halls welcome people of different backgrounds, economic levels, languages, intellect, and affiliations. Inside, all the “differences” the world focuses on are stripped away.

We are united in Christ.

This unity brings peace. The concept of shâlôm is not simply an absence of strife. Rather, it points to a completeness and wholeness as a result of God’s will being completed in us.

This unity brings prosperity. Not a 1st world prosperity rooted in financial abundance. But shalvâh, the sense of safety we have in knowing God is with us and for us.

During Jesus’ last week, He was often found in the Temple, teaching the people. The Pharisees and the Sadducees tested Him with many questions. Their final question was this: What is the greatest commandment?

Jesus answered:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  (38)  This is the great and first commandment.  (39)  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Matt 22:37-39)

Worship teaches us to love God, and a natural extension of loving God is loving people. David’s psalm reminds us to pray, not only for ourselves, but for others. For our church and for the Church (big C). For the new Jerusalem, and the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

As we continue this journey to the cross, may we pause habitually in the act of worship.

We’re not finished yet! If you’d like to join us for the last 3 weeks, you may sign up below.

click here to sign up

“A man can’t always be defending the truth. There must be a time to feed on it.” ~ C.S. Lewis

Lent is the perfect time to do just that: feed on the Truth. Whether you were raised in the liturgical tradition or not, (I wasn’t) I encourage you to celebrate Lent this year.

It’s not about giving something up or only eating fish on Fridays. Not really. It is about making room for Jesus. Sometimes we have to stop doing something else to really make time for Him. Sometimes it is just a matter of rearranging our priorities.

We don’t observe Lent out of obligation or mindless ritual. Rather, as K.C. Ireton says, “We give something up for the sake of something better. We turn away from some things (and sometimes they are good things) in order to turn to Christ.”

Lent means “lengthening.” And these forty days, beginning February 22nd and ending April 8th, are perfectly positioned as the earth (in the northern hemisphere) begins to come alive with the promise of spring.

For that is our promise and our hope in Jesus. As we make room for Him and begin to spend more of our days consciously in His presence, we will experience the same rebirth and awakening.

You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Shalom.

PS If you’re looking for resources for Lent and Easter, I recommend:

Devotionals:

A Lenten Journal and Writing Guide, available through https://www.everymomentholy.com/

My Devotional – Journey to the Cross – https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/e1z3i3

Books:

Word in the Wilderness: A Poem A Day for Lent and Easter by Malcolm Guite

The Circle of Seasons: Meeting God in the Church Year by Kimberlee Conway Ireton

Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter

Please share your own recommendations in the comments!

Are you listening to yourself or talking to yourself?

This question, posed in a recent sermon, got me thinking. There really is a fundamental difference between the two. The voices in our heads can often be unkind, chaotic, and deceitful.

Listening to these negative thoughts can quickly derail our attempts to live according to God’s purposes for us.

This is why Paul encourages us in Romans to not allow our bodies (minds) to, “be conformed to this world” Rather, he exhorts us to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Rom 12:2)

If God’s purpose for us is discovered and worked into the fabric of our lives, one thought at a time, then we need to learn to “[bring] every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” (2 Cor 10:5)

John Gill describes this process as illustrating or framing each thought with divine light. Processing our thoughts through the divine lens of Christ reveals that He alone is Savior and King. We look to Him, His commands and ordinances, as Truth.

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.

With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!

I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

(Psa 119:9-11)

Here is the key to the matter! How do we guard our thoughts and keep our way pure so that we do not sin? By reading the word, memorizing the word, and speaking the word.

Read His word, so that you know the Truth. Then, when unkind and deceitful thoughts begin, you can talk to yourself! Speaking Truth rather than allowing your thoughts to culminate in confusion or fear.

You are not alone in this. The Holy Spirit is present and waiting for you to acknowledge Him.

Ask Him, “Holy Spirit, are there any recurring thoughts in my mind that are keeping me from being renewed and living my purpose?”

Ask Him, “Holy Spirit, shed Your divine light on these thoughts so that I may see clearly and take them captive to the obedience of Christ.”

Take note of what the Holy Spirit has revealed to you today.

Shalom.

Whether you’re saying “farewell” or “good riddance” we have one more day to make memories in 2022.

Like many of you, I’ve spent some time this week looking back over the last year. This Charles Dickens quote seems more apt than cliche:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

This is often the great tension of the Christian life. The juxtaposition of joy and grief. Trials and blessings.

Learning to hold these things side by side is part of this life’s journey.

I have learned to believe something very great this year. It is very personal. But I want to share it here in case it resonates with anyone who may ever read this.

God is for me.

This truth is so much bigger than God loves me. It is that. But it is so much more. It is about Him delighting in me. Championing me. Working things for my good and His glory.

The enemy will try hard to convince you otherwise. Don’t believe his lies!

That bad things happen doesn’t change this truth about how God feels about you. They are not mutually exclusive. God’s love can and does exist amidst the bad things of this world.

Here is a quote from James Bryan Smith I wrote in my journal earlier this year:

“I’m one in whom Christ dwells and delights.

I live in the strong and unshakable kingdom of God.

The kingdom is not in trouble and neither am I.”

The enemy will try hard to convince you otherwise. Don’t believe his lies!

One thing that helps me see the “best of things” in the “worst of times” is keeping a gratitude list. I write down (at least) one thing each day that I’m thankful for. Here are a few from 2022:

The way the morning sun catches the crest of the cardinal and makes it glow.Keeping everyone and everything safe from the fire.Joy that overrides our grief.Eden & Vine – spiritual refreshmentThe marvel of a lunar eclipse.Sunlight in the forest.High Tea with old and new friends.Friends that pray for and check in on me.An encouraging card from a dear friend.Hugs from my grandson.Raindrops glittering in the morning sun.A text from my brother.

Each one of these and the many, many more that I did not share, are like cairns. Stacks of stones, my Ebenezers (stones of help), that keep me on track and remind me of the goodness of God.

We must continue chasing Beauty, Beloved. We must not allow the things of this world to entrap us in Doubting Castle with the Giant of Despair.

No matter what the new year brings, my prayer for you amid your everyday life is beauty for ashes, gladness for mourning, and praise for despair.

Shalom.

Written in 1863, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, the poem by Henry Wordsworth Longfellow is one of my favorite Christmas carols.

It brings to mind other poems. Ancient poems. Poems composed by a shepherd boy and warrior king. A man who spent much of his life  – running for his life. A man who knew very little peace.

King David cries out to God in his psalms. Many of which God chose to include in the Book of Psalms. David is honest about his anger and his suffering.

Longfellow wrote his poem during a time of great despair. The Civil War was raging. He had lost his wife in a house fire and his son was badly wounded in battle.

Longfellow’s poem, like David’s psalms, states the truth about our world: “For hate is strong, and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Like many of David’s psalms, Longfellow’s poem ends with transformative Truth.

When men repent and turn from sin

The Prince of Peace then enters in,

And grace imparts within their hearts

His peace on earth, good will to men.

It reminds us that true peace comes only from Jesus, our Prince of Peace. This is how it works, Beloved. God became like us so that we could become like Him.

If we want a world of peace and good will, and we do, then we must first try to be peaceful and good ourselves.

So my prayer for you, and for myself this Christmas is every day, from this day forth, to become more like Jesus.

Blessings on your Christmas!

June

Four weeks before the beginning of Advent, I decided I wanted to write a devotional to share with my readers.

Since Advent is all about the anticipation of and waiting for the arrival of Jesus, I focused my writing on the names of Jesus.

Each day since November 28th, we have opened our email and opened the scriptures to see Jesus in the context of one of His names.

This study has been such a blessing to write! The feedback from my readers has inspired and encouraged me.

With only two days left in the study, I wanted to share one devotion, from Day 8, with all of you.

Day 8 – Introducing . . . Jesus: An Advent Celebration

“BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD, AND BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which is translated, “God with us.” (Matt 1:23)

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. (Isa 7:14)

Find a comfortable position. Breathe deeply and ask the Holy Spirit to join you for this time of meditation.

Immanuel, a familiar name of Jesus during this season of Advent. Meaning “God with us.” It speaks to the union of the two natures of Christ: being fully man and fully God.

As Matthew Henry says, “a mysterious name, but very precious.”

Matthew makes it clear that Mary’s baby is a direct fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. (Matt 1:23)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, (John 1:14)

This very act of Jesus, incarnate (embodied in flesh) dwelling among us, is an act of peace. An act of reconciliation. And a fulfillment of the covenant of grace.

‘You shall be My people, And I will be your God.’ “ (Jer 30:22)

Immanuel, God with us, echoes the timelessness of God. Back to the name given to the gospel church of Ezekiel’s vision (Eze 48:45), Jehovah Shammah – The Lord is there; the Lord of hosts is with us and forward into the not yet of Rev 21:3:

And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

See Jesus: It’s difficult to juggle the truth of Jesus being fully God and fully man. The glory of it renders us a little foolish, like when Peter saw the transfiguration of Jesus in Matthew 17:2. Peter wanted to set up tents for Jesus, Elijah, and Moses to live in. The Truth is, Jesus lives inside each of us. We are His tabernacle.

See yourself: 1 Cor 3:16 says, Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? Do you see yourself this way? What does it mean for you to live out this Truth?

Celebrate: Make it a point to schedule time for self-care this week. Whether it’s an hour, a day, or better yet, some time each day. Honor God by taking care of your body. (Rom 12:1)

~~~~

If you missed the Advent devotional and want to be the first to hear about upcoming releases and free resources, you may sign up for my newsletter here:

Sign me up!

“The sons of Shelah the son of Judah were Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of the linen workers of the house of Ashbea; also Jokim, the men of Chozeba, and Joash; Saraph, who ruled in Moab, and Jashubi-Lehem.

Now the records are ancient.

These were the potters and those who dwell at Netaim and Gederah; there they dwelt with the king for his work.” (1Ch 4:21-23)

Unless you do some sort of daily bible reading that takes you through the entire bible, it’s unlikely you’ve read 1 & 2 Chronicles recently, if ever. And if you are reading them, you might be tempted, as I am, to skim through the endless genealogies. After all, much of 1 & 2 Chronicles is repeated elsewhere in the bible. And what does it have to do with me, anyway?

Honestly, it depends on your perspective. If you’re looking for a practical application for daily life, the broken dishwasher, flat tire, or strained relationships, they probably aren’t worth your time. However, if you are interested in building a foundation of faith, there is a gem or two to be mined here.

Chronicles, or in the Hebrew, dibrey’ hay-yamim’ means “words (or acts) of the days.” The information was collected, by divine direction, from journals, annals, public and authentic records, after the captivity. When the Jews returned from Babylon.

They are books of Paraleipomenon – of things left, or overlooked.

Unlike the “endless genealogies” Paul mentions in 1 Timothy 1, what is written here points us to Christ. And that is where we find the value for us. For what points us to Christ is always worth our time.

1 Chronicles gives us more details about David’s preparations for the temple. How he organized the Levites and the Priests. The gatekeepers and musicians. All these things were a shadow, a pattern, of what we have in Heaven with Christ as our High Priest.

2 Chronicles gives us a more detailed account of the long and happy, impious and infamous reigns of the kings. We experience through these accounts the consequences of a broken covenant with God. (Ex 24; Deut 28)

But we also see hope in God’s promises to David, which echoes His promises to Abraham. Pointing back to God’s unconditional covenant of Genesis 12:1-3 and ahead to the fulfillment of that promise in Luke 1:26.

“Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Luke 1:30-33

“And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Matthew 1:21

Read from the perspective of the cross, these acts of the days reveal God’s hand working in the lives of His people. Even at the height of Israel’s rebellion, God never stopped loving them.

Through the acts of our days, He never stops loving us.

Shalom.

Today is the first Sunday of Advent.

Advent simply means arrival. And these four weeks before Christmas are a time to reflect and prepare for the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

But there is tension here. Because, although Messiah has come. He is also coming back.

The candle of Hope we light today, reminds us we are awaiting His arrival, just as the prophet Isaiah did 400 hundred years before His birth.

This is the Prophet’s candle. The candle of hope.

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Isaiah 9:6-7

Shalom.

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name, would smell as sweet.”

Romeo and Juliet

Juliet may not have cared what Romeo’s last name was, but neither of them would escape the tragedy of it.

So what’s in a name? Quite a lot, actually.

All words mean something and we can trace many words back to their origin; words that describe a characteristic or attribute of the thing.

For example, the word horse can be traced back to an ancient Latin root, currere meaning “to run.”

Yes, I’m a word nerd! I enjoy looking into the etymology (beginnings) of words. I believe understanding what words mean can give us deeper insight into so many things.

In fact, the word etymology itself comes from a Latin word meaning “speaking the truth” or “conveying the truth.”

This brings me to my point!

There are over a hundred names referring to God or Jesus in the Bible. And each one gives us a unique insight into His character.

As the Advent season approaches, I’m preparing a special gift just for you!

A unique Advent devotional entitled: Introducing. . . Jesus: An Advent Celebration.

I designed Introducing… Jesus: An Advent Celebration to give us a glimpse into the great HIStory of Jesus. Revealing a new facet of His character with the unveiling of each name.

Each day, beginning November 28th, you’ll receive an Advent devotional featuring:

a scripture reading revealing the name of Jesushistorical background or reflectionspiritual and personal applicationcelebration prompt

My prayer is that these daily devotions will be an island of calm in an often hectic season and a safe place for you to draw near to JESUS.

Sign up by clicking here.

“Words are tricky,” is a favorite saying of a friend of mine. She chooses her words carefully when speaking to others.

Especially when writing texts and emails where the words lack the tone, hand gestures, and facial expressions that we all use in face-to-face conversations.

My friend is the exception, I think.  Most of us are more careless with our words. Even Christians, who are held to a higher standard. Do our conversations with each other sound any different from those of non-believers? Should they? How do we talk to our husbands, children, and closest friends?

Solomon said, “A nagging spouse is like the drip, drip, drip of a leaky faucet;” (Prov 27:15) Having over seven hundred wives, he would certainly know. But we should remember, his wives weren’t Hebrew women. They didn’t follow the One True God and their idolatry led to his downfall. (1 Kings 11)

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

(Colossians 3:16 NKJV)

I’ve always loved this passage from Colossians. What peace and harmony might we enjoy if we all spoke to each other in this way!

At first glance, psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs may seem repetitive. But a closer look at the Greek reveals subtle differences.

A song, of course, is any word sung. The term spiritual songs sets a broad umbrella, while hymns are metrical compositions (poetry), and psalms, which are often hymns, are specifically Hebrew cantillations (chanting scripture passages).

The scripture tells us we are to use this speech when teaching and admonishing each other. It’s interesting how many of us know the words to hundreds of songs, yet we can’t memorize the simplest passage of scripture. #PreachingToMyself

Clearly, teaching scripture and scriptural concepts through song and chanting is most effective.

Since the root word for admonish also means advise, I’m going to take some literary license and suggest that using this speech to *encourage* each other is also inferred by this passage. I think Paul’s other letters support this thought. (see Eph 5:19)

Knowing what to say to people who are grieving and suffering is never easy. And sometimes, just our presence is needed most. But when we do speak, platitudes (even spiritual ones) are often not helpful. Rather, speaking (or writing) the word of God over someone brings life, light, and hope into whatever darkness they are experiencing. In those moments, the words become more than human speech, but the language of God spoken in prayer.

One of my favorite passages is in Ephesians 3, and I want to pray it over you today:

May He grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (my paraphrase of Eph 3:16-19)

Let us all take a lesson from Paul and be mindful before we speak. Our words not only influence the one who hears, but they reflect what is in the heart of the one who speaks.