What the world gives vs. what Jesus gives

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27*

Jesus does not give to us “as the world gives.” So, how does He give in contrast to the world?

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The world gives temporary happy—

Jesus gives lasting joy.

The world gives an unsettled discontent—

Jesus gives unexplainable peace.

The world offers riches that vanish quickly—

Jesus gives treasure that lasts forever.

The world’s gods are pretty but fake—

Jesus is real through and through.

The world serves food that leaves one hungry—

Jesus gives bread that satisfies the soul.

The world claps loudly in the moment—

Jesus gives never-ending, unconditional love.

The world gives up and moves on when we fail—

Jesus remembers that we are dust.

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photo and poem by Patty Perkins

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*The One Year Bible, NIV, May 25, copyright 1986, Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, IL.

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Off the shelf

“…It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.” John 12:7*

Did Mary have any clue that the perfume she owned was intended to anoint the Lord? What motivated her to pour it on His feet? Her gesture was nothing short of beautiful.

I can only hope that I would be so ready and willing to let go of my valuable possessions if the Lord needed them for His purposes.

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When it’s time to let go

of expensive perfumes—

valuable treasures

collecting dust on the shelf.

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Find my heart willing

to pour them all out

at the feet of Jesus—

for purposes beyond self.

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photo and poem by Patty Perkins

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*The One Year Bible, NIV, May 21, copyright 1986, Tyndale House Pubishers, Wheaton, IL.

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He restores

“…If any of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” *John 8:8

One by one the accusers of the lady caught in adultery left the scene. Jesus was the only one with the right to pass judgment on her because He was the only one without sin.

But He didn’t condemn her. Instead, He sent her on her way. He didn’t condone what she had been doing, but told her to leave her “life of sin.”

The only one with the right to accuse, doesn’t. He restores.

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He offers forgiveness—

grace without end.

He becomes redeemer,

defender and friend.

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Compassion, mercy and love

He pours out.

Condemnation is not

what He’s about.

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Jesus, restorer

of downcast soul,

does not accuse, but gently

makes whole.

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photo and poem by Patty Perkins

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*The One Year Bible, May 14, NIV, copyright 1986, Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois.

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This needy one

“For He stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save his life from those who condemn him.” *Psalm 109:31

We lived with our dirty driveway for years, not realizing it needed a power washing. We’d grown accustomed to the yuck, not knowing its true identity hidden underneath.

Condemnation is kind of like my dirty driveway. Words said, real or imagined, can add layer upon layer of lies. We believe the lies and our lives start looking like something they were never intended to be—our true identity remains hidden.

And…a lifetime of listening to condemning voices can rob you of life as it was intended.

He does not condemn. He battles for me. He stands ready to defend against words or thoughts that would weigh me down. He wants to keep the driveway of this needy one cleansed.

*The One Year Bible, May 13, NIV, copyright 1986, Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois.

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Creator

“When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth…He who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke.” *Psalm 104:30-32

All praise to God who reigns on high

Glory to Him who bends below.

All creation stirs at his breath

His presence—magnificently known.

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With but a look the earth, it trembles

With but a touch the mountains, they smoke.

He who created the earth and skies

Brought forth life—when He but spoke.

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poem and photo by Patty Perkins

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*The One Year Bible, NIV, May 4, copyright 1986, Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois.

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Kingdom irony

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” John 3:17*

The story of God’s Son reads like an ancient legend…

A flame of destruction was set in place and the kingdom stood condemned. Already, smoke was rising from the horizon. An unsuspecting people went about their business, oblivious to pending doom. However and whoever put the flame in place was irrelevant at this point. The reality? Their world was condemned.

So their Father, filled with compassion, sent His Son to save the world. His one life would ransom the kingdom. But they rejected Him. They denied His divinity.

Not everyone rejected Him and those who believed were rescued. Those who rejected Him didn’t understand; they were blind. They saw Him as a condemning figure when in reality they were condemned already. He came that they might be saved through Him.

He is not the condemner. He is the rescuer. He is the hero.

Oh, the irony of it all.

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*The One Year Bible, NIV, May 3, copyright 1986, Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois.

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Fly again

“Who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalm 103:5*

Could it be He knows

where I’ll be most blessed,

Trusting in His care—

Settled in His rest?

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Could it be that He has good

Waiting in His hand,

Good that will renew—

‘Cause me to fly again?

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poem and photo by Patty Perkins

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*The One Year Bible, NIV, May 2, copyright 1986, Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois.

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Then he remembered…

“…Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him.” Luke 22:61*

After the rooster crowed, Peter remembered that Jesus had said he would deny Him three times. And he had done just that.

And how like me. I read and am moved by The Word. I can feel so strong. And then life happens. I fall back into old routines and habits. I forget. I disconnect from the truth I felt so strongly in the morning hours.

How good of the Lord to show us the disciples’ shortcomings. Those who loved Him, failed Him at times.

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Before the rooster crowed

Peter denied he knew the Lord.

And Thomas had to see the scars

Before he’d come on board.

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The disciples tried to keep

little children from him Jesus’ lap.

And just when he needed His friends to pray,

He found them asleep—enjoying a nap!

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How good to know I’m not alone

In my efforts to stay true.

Those who saw him face to face

Struggled—just like I do.

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poem and photo by Patty Perkins

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*The One Year Bible, NIV, April 26, copyright 1986, Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois.

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One who serves

“…For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.” Luke 22:26-27*

Sundays after church our large family would pile into the brown Chevy and head to our grandparents’ house for “dinner,” as the Sunday noon-hour meal was commonly called.

Flat-land midwesterners have no concept of how car sick one can get in a 15 minute drive on curvy roads that dip, rise and swerve. I was usually woosie by the time we arrived. And mind you, this was pre-seatbelt days—kids squished into cars like sardines. My younger sister laid on the upper ledge behind the back seat. Someone usually claimed a floorboard behind the front seats. (And everyone learned that pecking order mattered!)

The smells that welcomed us into that small country kitchen were big enough to fill a mansion. Every garden vegetable imaginable, a few meats, bread and a plethora of desserts—that was my grandparents’ house on Sunday.

My grandmother, Ma, prepared the meal. We helped once we got there, but she basically did it all. Then, she didn’t eat with us. Instead, she walked around the table refilling glasses. She checked to see who didn’t get what and asked if they wanted whatever she discovered missing from their plate. (Might as well take a little of everything or you’d be interrogated by the gentle plate nazi!)

Then, after everyone ate, Ma would sit and eat from the left overs. I’m not saying this is how we should do it. But in God’s kingdom, Ma was batting 1,000. She made herself servant to all without even realizing it. She did what she’d spent her life doing—what needed to be done.

We were family. She wanted us to come to her house. Wanted to serve us. Wanted us to taste everything. Heaven forbid someone go home hungry—that would be the shame of her era!

From my grown-up hindsight vision, I’d like to tell her to sit down. Let me take her place, or at least, let us take turns taking her place! I’d like to enlighten her that men are fully capable of serving as well. I’d like to put my 21st century glasses on her 1940’s mindset.

But it wouldn’t do any good. She was among us as one who serves. Like Jesus, it was her nature.

And now I see just how great she was.

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*The One Year Bible, NIV, April 24, copyright 1986, Tyndale House Publishing, Wheaton, Illinois.

photo by Patty Perkins

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