Christian devotionals

The David is A Lie

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Michaelangelo’s David. Photo by M. Laycock

“If you ever get to Italy, go to Florence. You must see Michaelangelo’s David.” My art history professor said it more than once while I attended his classes. So when my daughter invited us to accompany her on a trip to that country to celebrate her 40th birthday, the first thing I put on my list was “See the David.”

I was not disappointed. We entered the Accademia Gallery with a huge tour group (they estimate 6,000 people view the statue every day) and when I turned my head as we entered, I caught my breath and whispered, “there it is.” We were some distance away but even so, standing at 5.17-metres (17 ft) tall, the statue was impressive. The tour guide explained that the hands and feet are disproportionately large because it would be viewed from below.

Originally it was commissioned for the front of the cathedral in Florence but was instead placed in the public square in front of the Palazzo della Signoria, the seat of civic government in Florence, where it was unveiled on 8 September 1504. 

I can’t pretend to know what was in Michaelangelo’s mind when he created his masterpiece. I would hope his intention was to depict a young boy, the least of his brothers, who was not even counted worthy enough to be presented to the prophet when he came to anoint Israel’s new king. That depiction would have been true to scripture. (1Samuel 16:1-13).

But other forces held sway. We know what was in the minds of the men who commissioned the statue. They wanted a representation of a virile, heroic man, to symbolize the power and might of their city. It seems their intention had nothing at all to do with the Biblical character of one of God’s most beloved servants.

This certainly would not be the first nor last time that God’s intentions were usurped by the political desires of men of power. It is a familiar ploy of Satan, to take what God intended to be good, honourable and holy and twist it into something totally disconnected from those sentiments.

God’s most precious and powerful tool, the Bible itself, has been used in that way, used to justify despicable acts, used in the hands of dishonourable men as a symbol of their fake allegiance to the God of the Bible.

But …

“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:7,8).

The lies men perpetuate will come back to haunt them. They too will stand before God and be judged, as will we all. We all should heed the warning of Galatians 6.

God will never allow Himself to be mocked.

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Have You Made Plans?

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Photo by Steve Lieman on Unsplash

The men of Dawson City Gospel Chapel had just finished a prayer breakfast and were about to start work on the new church building. They were all anxious to get at it because the date of the dedication had been set and they were behind schedule. The pastor had prayed that morning for a couple more carpenters to help with the work.

They were about to begin when there was a knock on the door. The pastor answered and listened patiently to the man’s story. He and his son had been trying to leave town, heading for Alaska on their vacation. But every time they tried to drive up the long hill out of town their vehicle broke down. “I was told there’s someone here who is a good mechanic,” he said. “Could I get him to have a look?” The pastor invited him in and explained his situation to the other men. Then he turned to the man and asked his name. “Bud Carpenter,” the man responded. “And this is my son, Josh Carpenter.”

He was a little puzzled when the men started to laugh, until the pastor told him what he had just prayed a few moments before answering the knock on the door. Bud then laughed with them and explained that he was taking his son to Alaska as a graduation gift and they really had no firm time schedule. “I’m pretty good with a hammer. We’d be happy to help for a few days.” They stayed for a week. The mechanic looked at their vehicle and found nothing wrong with it. The work was finished on time and the pair continued on their way after the dedication celebration. Their car had no trouble climbing that hill.

I was thinking about that story the other day and thinking about how we are all like those Carpenters in a way. All of us are busily going on our way, with our own agendas and plans. But sometimes God throws a bit of a detour into the plan. We can react to it in two ways. We can fight it and keep on trying to climb that hill, or we can stop and listen for His voice to see if perhaps there is another plan in place.

For instance, a friend told me a story about going on a mission trip to India. The plans had been well made, the itinerary laid out and everything seemed in place. But when they arrived no-one met them. My friend said it was interesting to see how the group members handled it. Those from North America were stressed and some were angry. They wanted to call some one and get it all straightened out so they could get back on schedule. But there were two fellows from Africa who counselled a different way. They suggested the group wait and pray. So they slept in the train station that night and prayed.

The next day a young man arrived on a motorcycle. “I’ve been sent to get you,” he said. But he was not from the mission and had no idea why he was sent to get them. After some debate they decided to go with him and ended up having a tremendous time of ministry and growth in his village. Nothing was structured. Each day was a routine of waking up and praying to see what God wanted them to do. And each day they were blessed. They never did connect with the original group they were supposed to work with but they all knew they had done what God intended.

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21

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Bird On A Wire

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By Marcia Lee Laycock

Photo by Michaela Filipcikova on Unsplash

A friend of mine once revealed his hidden talents. He sent us a Christmas card with a picture of a painting he created some time ago. The card sat on our table for quite a while after the season was past, because I loved the image. It’s a winter scene of a tiny bird sitting on the curl of a barbed wire fence.

As I stared at it one day it made me think of how true a representation of life it is. There are so many contrasts in our lives – many things that are beautiful, soft and fragile like that tiny bird, and many things that are hard, hurtful and ugly, like that strand of barbed wire. Though the two seem to be so opposite, they both have purpose. That tiny bird is part of a huge eco-system that is finely tuned and elegantly balanced. Its song adds to the air of our existence and its beauty gives us pleasure. Tiny birds are examples of God’s goodness to us – that he would give us such things just to make us smile and turn our world toward harmony.

And that barbed wire – the cold, sharp and ugly wire – has a purpose too. Just ask any farmer who has stock to control. Without barbed wire, animals would wander, perhaps into dangerous places. Without the boundaries that wire represents there would be a lot of chaos in our world.

Several people we know have gone through some hard and ugly things lately. Some of those things are ongoing. It’s hard to see purpose in them, hard to see that there will be any good come of these things, yet we know some day there will be. Some day we may even see and understand. We know that, because we know our God. He is a God of order and balance and beauty who sees all things – the greater good, the bigger picture, the expanse of the eco-system He created – and He is in control of it all. We can know He is working all things out according to His purposes.

I was teaching a group of children about this recently. We were studying the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis – that young boy who was so loved by his father and so hated by his brothers. We talked about the hard and ugly things Joseph went through – betrayal by family, slavery, wrongful imprisonment. But finally we came to those famous words Joseph spoke to his terrified brothers –

 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20 NIV).

God was, is, always will be in control. He told his disciples as much, and He has told us –

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV).

As we launch into a new year – 2025! Can you believe it? – Knowing God is in control is a great comfort to all believers. If you have not yet received that gift, but want to, please contact me. vinemarc AT Telus dot Net

And have a wonderfully blessed New Year!

Christmas is for Kids

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Photo by Zara Walker on Unsplash

My mother always said, “Christmas is for kids.”

She’d make that statement several times every Christmas season. When we “kids” got older it seemed to be kind of a hint that we were too big for all the fanfare and fuss. But I always thought to myself, oh good, I get to act like a kid again! I suppose, in a way, my mother was right. It’s the kids who generate the excitement, the kids who take delight in all the presents and decorations. And sometimes it’s the kids who teach us what Christmas should be all about.

Now that I’m an adult, watching little ones in the shops and malls is a delight because they are so enthralled with everything they see. They seem to see all the tinsel and glitter as though it were silver and gold. They seem to have the ability to just believe in all the wonder and mystical possibilities of Christmas. 

We recently watched the classic Christmas movie, Elf. The story is about a man who was raised by Santa’s elves and goes in search of his real father when he finally learns he’s human. (A little suspension of disbelief is obviously needed by adult viewers). The story is about a man with a child’s heart. Everything delights him. Of course, he slams up against the cynicism of the real world, time and again, but he manages to keep his child-like innocence and eventually manages to affect change in the hearts of the cynical adults around him.     

Having a child’s heart isn’t only a prerequisite for enjoying Christmas, it’s also a prerequisite for belonging to the kingdom of God. Jesus said so Himself in the book of Luke, chapter 18, verse 16 – “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”  

What is it that children have that we must have, in order to gain this kingdom? Their innocence, certainly; their willingness to accept that there is someone bigger than them who knows better; their immediate outpouring of love in response to love bestowed on them; their unabashed willingness to tell others what they believe, even if those others scoff. 

And most of all, their wholehearted, unreserved faith. Children believe with their whole heart, their whole mind, their whole strength. It’s not something they have to force or work at, they just let it happen. They receive the love and forgiveness intended for them and then act accordingly. Oh, to be a child again! To open our hearts to God’s love and then let it pour out, that’s the message of Christmas we all need to receive. Yes, Christmas is for kids. And we all get to be kids again. Maybe, if we start today, it will last all year long.

May your Christmas be all that God intends.

Just a Little R & R, Please

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Photo by Sergey Zolkin on Unsplash

I get a little nervous whenever my husband starts hmmm-ing around my – uh, excuse me, our – computer. It usually means he wants to change something. It usually takes him several weeks to convince me it’s a good idea. He managed to do so a while ago and it entailed some major changes to our internet connections. I reluctantly gave up my chair and let him sit at my – um, our – keyboard.

He fiddled for quite a while and was on the phone to get help a few times, but finally it was all set to go. Then he clicked into a menu with two rather scary options listed. The first selection was “release all,” the second, “renew all.” I held my breath. Spence double clicked. Then he grinned at me. “See? he said, “That was easy.” Well, not quite. It took a few more persistent phone calls, but eventually the new system was complete. And I had to admit it was a lot better than the old one.

Release all. Renew all. Two phrases that have parallels in our spiritual lives. In the book of Ephesians, the apostle Paul talks about the process. “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires…” Perhaps if Paul were alive today he would say, ‘release all’ – release all the habits and ways of living that have taken us in the wrong direction. They are habits that have corrupted our connection to God.

Like a computer, a person cannot be renewed until he gives God the permission to begin the process in him that will get rid of the old ways. He then has to grow in an awareness of his new identity in Christ. And as he does so, he releases more and more of what used to be, the corrupted connections, the “old man” who is now a decaying corpse.

Paul goes on to say – “to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Renew all. Once the old is dead and discarded, the new can begin to grow and flourish. Our new identity in Christ, the identity we were originally intended to have, is a clear connection to our Father, one that cannot be corrupted.

Does that sound easy? I wish I could say it’s as easy as double clicking a selection on a computer’s menu, but it’s not. Real life is never easy, but the rewards of persevering in this pursuit cannot be underestimated. The rewards lead us straight to God, to His holiness, His righteousness, His love. As we strengthen our connection with Him, He pours all of these and more into us and through us.

Release all. Renew all.

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The Fear Factor

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Photo by Karl Paul Baldacchino on Unsplash

It was a beautiful summer day. My friend, Lynn, and I chatted as we strolled among groups of people heading for one of B.C.’s main tourist attractions. I had glanced at the brochure Lynn showed me the day before and had a moment of hesitation when I saw the picture. Since falling on the cliffs on the north shore of Lake Superior the year before, I had developed a fear of heights, but I listened as Lynn read the details in the brochure and was confident I would have no problem.

We rounded the bend in the path and there it was, The Capilano Suspension Bridge. I watched as a young boy ran out onto it and jumped up and down. The bridge bounced and swayed. I hesitated. Lynn stepped boldly out and was almost half way across before she realized I wasn’t behind her. She waved me on. I took a deep breath and stepped onto the creaking boards.

I made it about two meters. Then that same young boy ran onto the bridge from the opposite end and jumped up and down again. The bridge swayed and buckled. I froze. My hands seemed glued to the steel cable, my feet would not move and my eyes would not focus on anything but the roaring Capilano River, two hundred and fifty feet below. I had never had a panic attack before. I didn’t know what was happening to me, but I knew I could not move, neither forward nor back. I heard Lynn calling from the far side of the gorge, but I could not turn my head away from the river below.

Then I felt Lynn’s hand on mine. She urged me to look at her, and I finally pulled my eyes away from the gorge. I allowed her to remove one of my hands from the steel cable. Then I shuffled my feet as she led me back toward the closest side of the gorge.

Fear. It can destroy all sense of logic and reason. I knew the statistics about the bridge – that the cables were encased in thirteen tons of concrete at both ends. I knew that thousands of people had walked across it safely. But fear blocked all reason and left me paralyzed.

When we are in a place of extreme stress, fear can be a powerful factor. Like that day on that bridge, it can keep us from moving forward. At such times it’s good to have a friend like Lynn, one who will gently guide and lead us back to a place where we feel safe. Jesus is standing beside us, ready to be that friend. Through the prophet Isaiah, He says –

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

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True Faith Acknowledges True Love

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Photo by Chandan Chaurasia on Unsplash

Why is it we struggle to believe God loves us? The enemy of our souls keeps whispering, and sometimes screaming, that God does not even care that we exist. That’s how I felt when I was in high school, watching some of my teachers who seemed to have a strong connection to God. I tried to do all the things I was told would get me into his “good books” but none of it worked. I knew I was faking it and eventually became frustrated and angry, sure that God wanted nothing to do with me. So I walked away from the church and from God, telling myself He didn’t exist.

I think there is an underlying knowledge in our souls that we are part of the world that “lay in sin and error pining,” as that wonderful Christmas carol, Oh Holy Night, says. We are all too aware of our dark side, the side that is capable of horrific things. We cringe when we hear about those who commit them, because deep down inside we know we are no better.

There is a story about a Jewish man who was called to give testimony at the Nuremberg trials at the end of World War 2. The man had been a victim of the Holocaust, imprisoned in one of the camps where thousands were tortured to death. As he walked toward the witness box, he faced one of his torturers and collapsed. The judge assumed he was overwhelmed by the atrocities that had been committed by the Nazi on trial, but he said no, he was overwhelmed by the knowledge that he was capable of doing the same.

Yes, we know the depth of our darkness, if we are honest with ourselves. But that darkness has been overcome by the mercy and grace of God. To deny that truth is to deny what Christ’s death means – that we have been freed from the chains of our sin and made righteous. As the wonderful  O Holy Night, says, “He appeared, and the soul felt its worth.”

Henri Nouwen says it well – “When Jesus talks about faith he means first of all to trust unreservedly that you are loved, so that you can abandon every false way of obtaining it.” We can live in the light of that truth by staying close to God, reading His word, following His commands, listening to the Holy Spirit who lives within us.

When we listen to His voice, the enemy has no power over us. We belong to Jesus. He knows us, loves us deeply and “as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.” (Isaiah 62:5)

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If you’d like to read more about the struggle to believe God loves you, send me an email to let me know and I’ll add you to the list to be informed when my memoir, Pond’rings is available.

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A Day at the Beach and a Few Links of Interest

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Photo by Storiès on Unsplash

The day couldn’t have been more perfect. The sky was clear, the sun dancing off the water. The beach slowly filled with parents and children, out to enjoy a day at the beach. After an overnight camp‑out, my friend and I had brought a few girls from our church’s Kids’ Club to have a swim and a picnic. We stretched out on the sand and chatted as we watched the children play. Little ones were busy making sandcastles. An older pair tossed a frisbee above their heads.

A little red-haired girl caught my attention. She had wandered in front of us a few times, as she dashed from the edge of the lake to her mother, sitting in a lawn chair not far away. I watched as she stood still, her small head bent studiously over something in her hand. She turned and started toward us, stopped and peered at her hand once more, took a few more steps and stopped again. Her progress was slow as this pattern was repeated. As she approached, I could see a moth cupped in her palm. She tilted her hand each time it moved, stopped when it crawled dangerously close to the edge and moved slowly forward when it was secure again. Eventually the little girl reached her parent, holding her hand out for her to admire the precious treasure.

My delight in watching that little girl deepened as I realized God had just given me a picture of Himself. His care for each one of us is no less complete than the careful protection she provided for that small moth. Isaiah 46:4(b) says ‑ “I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” God holds us in His hand and takes great care to keep us there. In John 17:12, as Jesus prays to His Father on our behalf, He says ‑ “I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost …”

Like that child who was so obviously pleased to show her mom the treasure in her hand, Jesus delights in presenting us to His Father, the God of the Universe. We are His precious ones. As He prayed in John 17, Jesus presented us to His Father and asked Him to protect us, to set us apart from the evil in the world and draw us into a complete relationship with Himself. He makes some startling statements in that passage, statements which reveal the depth of the concern and love God has for us. He says ‑ “May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” How incredible to think God loves us as much as he does His own Son!

Are you aware of being cupped in God’s hand? Know his love and protection are sure. “None has been lost …”

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Don’t Wait for a Burning Bush

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A while ago I watched an old video called The Prince of Egypt. It’s the story of Moses and the exodus of the Hebrews out of Egypt. Although it is a cartoon version made in Hollywood, the creators kept it fairly close to the Biblical account. I have seen this movie several times, and there is one scene that never fails to move me — the point where Moses encounters God in the burning bush. When he asks that wonderful question, “Who are you?” God’s answer is at once mysterious and absolute. He says: “I am that I am.” (Exodus 3:14, KJV)

We know from the Biblical story told in Exodus that Moses responded to God’s call and obeyed His command to return to Egypt and confront Pharaoh. Though he was reluctant and believed himself to be inadequate for the job, he obeyed. I believe his obedience was in direct relation to his understanding of who this God was. He had been seeking God for some time, and when God called, drawing him to a place where he could hear, the overwhelming effect of that encounter impressed upon Moses that this was the God of the universe — one not to be trifled with. Moses did not have an opportunity to create God in his own image. His perception of God had come from the source.

Unfortunately, most of us do not have that same opportunity. Burning bushes aren’t a common occurrence, even for those who are deeply spiritual. Perhaps that is why we tend so easily to distort the image of God. We see the evil and pain in the world, and call God cruel and unjust. We don’t get what we want in life and believe God does not love us. We desperately want to live our lives on our own terms, so we create a God who will go along with our plan. We want to live in a world without pain or suffering, so we insist God must be a magician, there to perform miracles at our command. We want to live comfortably, so we espouse a prosperity theology that justifies the accumulation of wealth. We want to justify our actions, so we assign God to be on our side.

Without the miracle of a burning bush that is not destroyed, and the very voice of God in our ears, we will create all kinds of gods who are nothing like the real thing. These gods made in our own image may make us feel better for a time, but they are idols. Idols never fully satisfy our longing for truth. So how do we guard against this? How do we get to know the real God?

We do what Moses did. We take off our sandals and acknowledge the holy ground. In humility, we admit we don’t know Him very well. We ask Him who He really is, and when we hear His answer we fall on our faces. We study His word, the Bible, seeking His face in every verse. Then, when we hear Him command, like Moses, we obey. None of us may ever see a burning bush, but if we humble ourselves and truly seek Him, we will find the true God.

“I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving … When the humble see it they will be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive (Psalm 69:30 & 32, ESV).

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Healing in Laughter

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A gift from my daughter

My daughter made me laugh last night. Not just a chuckle or a short snort but an open-mouthed, body-shaking, tears-streaming guffaw. I needed it. Badly. I’ve been a bit under the cloud of cultural confusion and chaos that seems to be prevalent in our world right now, leaving me with a persistent frown in the face of wars and weather that erupts without warning, leaving death, destruction, and gut-wrenching sorrow behind. It all tends to take the joy away.

Meg’s laughter stunned me because she and her new husband have had nothing but a relentless breaking down lately. Appliances, vehicles, basement foundations, among others. They’ve met it all with humour that I’ve heard ringing in her voice as she talked with her dad. She’s always been a ‘daddy’s girl.’ They say caesarean babies bond best with their fathers. It makes sense since his were the first arms that cradled her, the first voice that welcomed her, while I lay under the lingering anaesthetic and then a haze of morphine. So I’ve always been on the sidelines, watching, not sad but a little wistful. But last night she drew me in and that has driven the gloom away. At least, most of it.

I’d been thinking about Wendy lately. One of my ‘wild women of the Yukon’ friends who has been gone for a while now. The hole she left is still here. She was my neighbour years ago, my mothering mentor. She’d had four when I had my first and found myself treading water in an ocean of rather big waves. She floated around me, showing me how to keep my head above water. It was Wendy I called when I found myself in labour 500 kilometres from home, alone in the Whitehorse hospital. It was her voice that steadied me, assured me the prayers wouldn’t fail, that Spence would get there in time. He did.

She was also the only other believer in that clutch of Yukon friends, the one who would make eye contact in a way the others never could. That made the hole she left deeper and harder to fathom in all the reunions since.

I got the call that she was gone from one of the other WWoY women, just after I’d hauled my suitcase up from the basement. I think I had already put a few things in it, anticipating our annual reunion which was supposed to happen that weekend in Wendy’s big warm welcoming farmhouse. The shock kept me from weeping for some time. She was ten years younger than me. She died alone, in her kitchen, which was her happy place. That has been a small comfort.

The first anniversary of her death came with a shock too – how had a whole year gone by without her? To ease the grief I wrote this –

On the Death of a Friend

When sorrow overwhelms

the heart, the soul, the mind,

slow their pacing

to take in the pain

let it seep slowly in

let it flow with the heart’s blood,

rest in the crucible of the soul

spark the synapses of the brain

with its own rhythm

until the one lost

to our reaching hands,

beyond our seeking eyes,

our yearning ears,

becomes one

instilled

inside

the heart the soul the mind

until our being

is gladdened at last

in the remembering.

I’d forgotten to be gladdened in the remembering, allowed the sadness to become a burden again, one that could only be banished by open-mouthed, body-shaking, tears-streaming laughter.

Thanks Meg. I so needed that.

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