We wait for light, and lo! there is darkness; and for brightness, but we walk in gloom. We grope like the blind along a wall, groping like those who have no eyes; we stumble at noon as in the twilight, among the vigorous as though we were dead. Isaiah 59:9-10.

“If I then, your LORD and teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.” John 13:14-15.

Now (God) uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. 2 Corinthians 2:14-16.

And continuing our 351 Old Testament prophecies, promises of God, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, we come to number 140: His character-Faithfulness. Psalm 89:36-37: His descendants shall endure forever and his throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established forever like the moon, and the witness in the sky is faithful. And, Revelation 1:5; 19:11: And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood – . And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.

This morning in our Friday Zoom retreat, I shared a chapter of introduction from Erica DeWaard’s book Luke the Greatest Love Story Ever Told, set as though a fairy tale, Once Upon A Time, that is anything but a fairy tale. A true story. And that Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit, wrote it for each one of us is so hard to truly believe because we know what we are and we know what humanity has done and is still doing bringing enmity one to another of us, leaving us walking in gloom, groping like the blind along a wall, groping like those who have no eyes, stumbling at noon as in the twilight, among the vigorous as though we were dead. But if we could truly believe the Father’s love just as the last Scripture verse in Revelation said, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth – to Him who loves us – and released us from our sins by His blood – called Faithful and True. And He washed their feet. He healed them of their diseases of the body and for those willing to hear, healed their minds of the darkness of the lies against God’s love for us.

One of our group shared from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young: June 11 – “Trust Me and don’t be afraid, for I am your Strength and Song. Do not let fear dissipate your energy. Instead, invest your energy in trusting Me and singing My Song. The battle for control of your mind is fierce, and years of worry have made you vulnerable to the enemy. Therefore, you need to be vigilant in guarding your thoughts. Do not despise this weakness in yourself, since I am using it to draw you closer to Me. Your constant need for Me creates an intimacy that is well worth all the effort. You are not alone in this struggle for your mind. My Spirit living within you is ever ready to help in this striving. Ask Him to control your mind; He will bless you with Life and Peace.”

I think that’s the biggest battle, believing God when He says He loves you. But once you do, everything opens up. We can begin to see and understand all the things that cause harm because they are in such stark contrast to all the good God longs to give and share. Do not despise this weakness in yourself, since I am using it to draw you closer to Me. The greatest Love story is still being lived. Satan is still whispering lies we listen to as we judge ourselves and others harshly without any compassion or forgiveness. That is his work trying to destroy us out of his hate for God and for us, his darkness and gloom. But Creator God is here. He has never left. The goodness He is and knows, we can scarcely imagine. He bent down and washed the feet of His disciples and told them to go and do likewise. And He opened up the way for all people to come to Him. He washed their feet. Such an intimate and close thing to do for each of them. He showed us the way that brings life that is good. If you have never considered that fully, now is a good time. The goodness and love of Creator God flowing from Him and pouring into us as we love Him and one another in a new way – the only way – with His help, brings understanding that draws us to the truth of His love. It is so personal and so needed by each one of us. I don’t believe the last sentence of the devotional below by Luther. God gives so generously and we can give to Him our love and thankfulness and willingness to let Him teach us. God and you delighting together! So worth everything!

***EMPTY VESSEL – Behold, LORD, an empty vessel that needs to be filled. My LORD, fill it. I am weak in faith; strengthen me. I am cold in love; warm me and make me fervent that my love may go out to my neighbor. I do not have a strong and firm faith; at times I doubt and am unable to trust You altogether. O LORD, help me. Strengthen my faith and trust in You. In You I have sealed the treasures of all I have. I am poor; You are rich and came to be merciful to the poor. I am a sinner; You are upright. With me there is an abundance of sin; in You is the fullness of righteousness. Therefore, I will remain with You of whom I can receive but to whom I may not give. Amen. Martin Luther (1483-1546).***