How do you remember?

I grew up in the suburbs outside Washington, D.C. and spent my childhood touring the museums, monuments, and memorials scattered around the city. It's where my classmates and I went for field trips every year. 

When I bring my children back to visit, I teach them about our nation's history as we walk from one monument to the next. When we pass an important federal building, I prompt their memories asking, "What happens in that building?" On a trip there this past summer, I brought them to the Arlington Cemetery where we visited President Kennedy's grave and watched the eternal flame dance in the afternoon heat. We talked about what the flame signifies and remarked on the placement of it, with a view of the Washington monument and the Capitol off in the distance. 

Everywhere you go in DC, there is something of historical significance. Most buildings are etched with words and images rich with meaning. Every monument, statue, and memorial stands as a reminder of who we are, where we've been, and where we desire to go. They remind us of our past, of important people and events that shaped our nation. Such reminders fuel our purpose and drive us forward. As the walls on the National Archives declare, "What's past is prologue."

Such memorials and monuments are not found only in a country's capital. We all create memorials in our lives, markers that remind us of our past. It might be family photos hanging on the living room wall. Many of us have a wedding ring encircling our finger. Some may have special ornaments they hang on the Christmas tree each year. We all make efforts to remember the past. Even our social media feed pops up images from a few years ago to remind us what happened in our life that day and we pause and smile at the memory. But we don't just remember the past simply for the joy of it; we remember because the past is part of us and it shapes our future.  

Such remembrances and memorials were important in Scripture. Joshua had representatives from each of the twelve tribes set up twelve stones to remember how God brought them through the Jordan River to other side (Joshua 4). God established regular feasts and festivals for his people to reflect and remember all he had done for them. Jesus established the communion meal as a time of remembrance where we dwell on his sacrifice on the cross for our sins. 

As limited and finite people, we need remembrances because we are prone to forgetfulness. We go about our days living as though we determine our plans and steps. We live as though we are the gods and goddesses of our kingdoms. We get wrapped up in the problems and trials of our lives and think we're the ones to rescue and save ourselves. We splash and flail in the rising waters as the storms of life toss us about and we forget the One who rules over the wind and waves. We forget who we once were before Christ and how we got to where we are today.

We need to remember.  

How do we remember who God is and what he has done? We remember when we read his Word each day. We remember when we gather with God's people and sing to one another of God's faithfulness and hear his word preached and feast on the bread and the wine. We remember when we give thanks for our daily bread and God's provision of grace in Christ. We remember when we testify to someone else of who we once were apart from Christ and who we are now because of what he did for us in his life, death, and resurrection. We remember when we preach the gospel to ourselves in the midst of our worries, fears, heartaches, and griefs. We remember when we unplug and take time to explore the wonders of God's marvelous works in creation. We remember when we engage in community face to face with other believers and rejoice together at the goodness of God in our lives, when we weep with and support one another through trials and suffering, and when we share with one another out of the provisions with which God has blessed us.

As we remember God's past grace toward us in Christ, it gives us hope and confidence in his future grace.

Numerous studies have shown that most Americans know little of their US history. Few know the meaning and stories behind the statues and monuments that dot the landscape of our nation's capital. A tragedy indeed. But it’s a greater tragedy when we as Christians forget who we are in Christ. When we forget the history of redemption. When we forget God’s amazing grace in sending his Son to save us from our sins. For the believer, it's not simply a matter of forgetting a few historical facts. It's not simply about walking down the streets of our nation's capital and missing out on the significance of what each building and monument represents. For the Christian, when we forget who God is and what he has done, we wander off the narrow path of life. We live like orphans rather than children of God. We start to seek life and hope in the creation rather than the Creator. Such forgetfulness is harmful to our life of faith.

Remembering who God is and what he has done is important. It's a spiritual act, a holy habit. Today, let’s take time to remember our rich history and heritage in Christ. 

Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

1 Peter 4:8-9: Love for One Another

If you had one word to describe the church today, what would it be?

A quick scroll through social media and the word “divisive” might spring to mind. The world might use the word “insignificant” or “shrinking” or even “hypocritical.” Perhaps as you consider your own church setting, you might think “safe haven” or maybe “family.”

But what about the word “love”?

The Apostle Peter’s letter to the Christians in Asia Minor encouraged believers to endure suffering, just as Jesus suffered for them on the cross. In Peter’s day, the Christians scattered abroad experienced persecution. They struggled to live out their faith in places where they were not welcome. What would it look like for these early Christians to serve Christ in an increasingly hostile world?

Much of 1 Peter anchors his reader’s hope in what Christ did at the cross and in their eternal inheritance to come. In chapter four, he called them to respond to their suffering in ways that glorified and obeyed Christ. He wanted them to live not as the Gentiles did, but as those who have been set free from sin.

One of the ways they were to live out their faith in a pagan society was by showing love for one another.

“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.” (1 Peter 4:8-9)...to read the rest of this post, visit Servants of Grace.

Depression and the Need for Community

I don't often remember the details of conversations with people. It would be nice if I did. Then I'd not be so surprised when my husband leaves for ten days of business. ("Don't you remember? I told you I'd be gone on an extended trip.") Actually, no, I don't remember, because I can't even remember what I did yesterday...

But there is one conversation I do remember. It's one that still haunts me. And I remember it in great detail.

I went to see my midwife for my visit following the birth of my first child. I had numerous health problems after the delivery, and hoped she would help me resolve them. I can still picture the room, where I sat, and my son asleep in his carrier on the floor.

She looked at me with concern and said, "I wonder if you might be suffering from postpartum depression."

In my mind, I thought: This is not depression. I know depression. I've diagnosed it and treated people for it. This is fatigue and stress.

I shook my head and said, "I'm just exhausted. And stressed. I need to get my health problems under control. That's all it is."

Almost ten months later, I watched a show on television where a woman described her experience with postpartum depression and with tears streaming down my face, I whispered aloud, "That's me."

I called my doctor the next day.

Depression is insidious like that. It hides itself behind circumstances and experiences. It can mask itself as anger or stress or grief. It remains in the shadows until it's become such a part of us, we don't remember when we didn't feel that way. Like the proverbial frog slipped into slowly warming water that eventually comes to a boil, depression creeps up on us, until we can't remember the last time we felt joy.

With my second pregnancy, I told my doctor right away of my history and we prepared for its return after the birth. And it did return, with a vengeance. But the second time around, I told people about my struggle. I reached out for community. I knew I was in the thick of it and that I needed people to walk with me in it. And they did. Sweet sisters in Christ, the pastor of my church, and my family all ministered to me in various and important ways. (I share more about my struggles in A Heart Set Free).

For those who struggle with depression, we need other people. We need those who know us well enough to spot the water boiling, who recognize that something isn't right. We need the church to love, support, and serve us. We need the body of believers to carry us through the darkness until the sun shines again.

How can the church community help those with depression?

• They can help by knowing one another. When we know each other beyond the simple, "Hi. How are you? How was your week?" then we'll know when someone is struggling. We'll notice when they've missed church. We'll see the fatigue and sadness etched across their face. When we take the time to know one another well in the church, we'll know when one part of the body is suffering, because we'll feel it too. 
• They can help by serving in practical ways. When someone is depressed, there are many practical details of life that are hard to do. Fellow brothers and sisters in Christ can volunteer to babysit. They can prepare meals. They can drive their friend to the doctor or counselor. They can take over ministry duties for a while. In these ways and more, the church can serve the hurting.
• They can be present. The church ought not shy away from or abandon the hurting, nor should the church fear the depressed person's emotions. They don't have to know what to say or how to make the depression go away. But they can be there for their depressed brother or sister. They can listen. They shouldn't say pithy statements about how they'll feel better if they pray or read the Bible more. People who are hurting don't need advice. They don't need a spiritual to-do list. They don't even need theology lesson. Rather, they need to know they are loved and cared for. 
• They can encourage and help their friend get the care they need. The church can encourage the hurting to get help from a wise counselor and seek a medical evaluation. They can offer to drive and/or accompany them to their appointments. And they can remind them that even the giants of faith in church history have struggled with depression (such as C.H. Spurgeon). 
• They can remind them of the Man of Sorrows. This is something my pastor did for me. He helped me lift my eyes to see Christ, the One who knows what life is like in this sin-stained world. Jesus took on our frail human flesh and lived a life of poverty, sorrow, and pain. He knew temptation, grief, abandonment, fear, and rejection. He cared about the suffering of my life so much so that he entered into it, living the perfect life I could not live, dying the death I deserved, and rising from the dead so that I would have life eternal. Jesus Christ, the Man of Sorrows, is my hope both now and in the future. For me, this truth brought light to dark places.
• They can be patient. Some people struggle with depression for long seasons. Some battle with it their entire lives. It's important that the church sticks with them. It's not like getting over a cold. As the church, we need to patiently walk beside the hurting as long as it takes.

Depression is lonely. It's isolating. It's also deceptive. Those who suffer with depression need the body of Christ to walk alongside them, lifting them up when they can't do so for themselves. May we be believers who know when someone in the church is hurting and care enough to journey with them in the darkness. After all, it's what Jesus did for us. How can we do no less?

The Comforting Church

C. S. Lewis once said friendship is born at the moment when one says to another, “What! You too? I thought that no one but myself . . . .” We’ve all had that “You too?” moment with another person when we discovered a common interest. We instantly felt encouraged, connected, and less alone.

While friendships based on similar likes and interests are wonderful, there is a deeper level of friendship. When we have friendships in the church, we receive comfort and encouragement we can’t get anywhere else.

The Comforting Gospel

In 2 Corinthians, Paul points the suffering believers to their union with Christ in his sufferings, and he describes God as the “God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3).

Paul had experienced his own suffering while in Asia, even to the point that he “despaired of life itself” (2 Cor. 1:8), but God delivered him and his co-laborers. As he wrote to the Corinthians, then, he was thankful for the God “who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Cor. 1:4)

Having received comfort from God, Paul was positioned to extend comfort to others...to read the rest of this post, visit The Gospel Coalition.

We Need Each Other

We went to Alaska a few years ago to visit relatives. Our cousins asked what we wanted to do during our visit.

I immediately piped up, “Hiking!”

They talked about a few nearby trails, casually mentioning a recent bear attack.

“A bear attack?” I asked in a raised high-pitched voice. “Never mind, we don’t need to go hiking...”

One of the cousins responded, “We’ll be fine. The person who was attacked was out by herself. We’ll be safe because we are together.”

Created for Community

Do you ever think that life would be easier if we could do it on our own? Relationships are messy, complicated, hurtful, and more often than not, frustrating. The more complicated the relationship, the more appealing is leading a solitary life. But as the poet John Donne once wrote, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.”

In fact, it’s not by accident that we are “part of the main” rather than individual islands bobbing our way through life. God created us to be in community...to read the rest of this post, visit Servants of Grace.