The Afikomen

The Afikomen As the generations passed from the first exodus Passover, the Jews continued to celebrate as they had been told. However, some traditions were added and changed a bit. Of particular beauty to us, as believers is the Afikomen. Author and scholar Marv Rosenthal has a very interesting personal history, but it's important to note his Jewish heritage and lifelong study. He was raised in a very traditional Jewish home, but converted to Christianity as an adult. He then spent many years studying and writing about the New Testament in context of Jewish beliefs and traditions. In his discussion of the Afikomen, we are introduced in a small unassuming paragraph which simply states that during the preparation for the Passover meal, 3 matzahs are placed in a specially embroidered bag with 3 pockets called the matzah tash. As a reminder, the matzah is unleavened bread. When it is prepared, no yeast is added because it represents sin, and consequently stays flat. In order for it not to bubble in the baking process, it is PIERCED! To restate that, there are 3 unleavened matzahs in a special bag on the table at the beginning of the seder. Early in the meal, something amazing happens. Listen carefully to the description Mr. Rosenthal provides: “Next, the leader removes the middle matzah from the linen bag to break it in half. Half is replaced, and half is carefully wrapped in a linen napkin and hidden away in the house while the children cover their eyes. It reappears later in the service to illustrate a very important truth.” (page 56) “After the meal, the children are sent out to find the broken half-matzah that was wrapped and hidden away. It is known as the Afikomen. The children search high and low with great excitement for they know that the one who finds it will receive a reward. From a remote corner of the house, shouts of delight announce that the desired treasure has been discovered. Rabbinic law requires that a small piece of the Afikomen be broken off and eaten by everyone present at the service as a reminder of the Passover Lamb.” The afikomen, the pierced, unleavened bread is broken (death), wrapped in linen and hidden away (burial), and brought back (resurrection). Ok, now hold on to your socks. We are reminded of the Lord’s words that night, “He broke the bread, gave it to His disciples and said, ‘Take and eat, this is my body.’” (Mat 26:26) He also said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” (John 6:53). In 70 AD, the Roman armies destroyed the temple in Jerusalem, thereby ending the sacrificial system. According to Mr. Rosenthal, “Rabbinic tradition holds that the afikomen now represents the lamb, and therefore everyone must eat of it.”!!! No really, there’s MORE! When the children find the afikomen, they all proclaim the word “Afikomen!” However, it is the only non-Hebrew word in the Seder. It is Greek. It means – “I CAME.” Is that not the most amazing thing EVER?! It’s right there in the Passover, “I came!” How much plainer can He make it? He IS the afikomen! GLORY to God!

The Way Out

Paul tells us in Romans we are without excuse for not believing because God gives us a consciousness of Himself which is reflected in the glory of His creation. In other words, He has given us proof throughout creation and has quickened our spirit to recognize Him in it (Romans 1:19-20).

It is important to note verse 20 ends with a comma: “…So men are without excuse,” (v 20) Verse 21 begins with the word BECAUSE. It is a complete thought when read through, as shown here:

For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE,
BECAUSE that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened.”

They KNEW GOD! He is referring to believers. They KNEW God, but they did not glorify Him AS God and they were not thankful.

Sweet sister in Christ, may I in all humility ask you to consider: You know God, but do you glorify Him as God? And, do you give Him thanks?

I ask not to condemn, but rather, because it was a hard question for me, as I did not like the answer.

The remainder of verse 21 and the verses which follow give a very clear yet frightening description of the results if we fail to do these two things. For this scripture, let’s use the NIV, as it uses modern vernacular to plainly show these consequences, rather than being hidden by the pretty and somewhat unrecognizable words used in the King James Version. These consequences are not pretty and should be laid bare.

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools
23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 Therefore, God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.
25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator - who is forever praised. Amen.
26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.
27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.
One may read the above and think, “Well, I have never done those horrible things, so I’m good.” Read on dear sister.
29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips,
30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;
31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy.
32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Wow. And, ouch. I invite you to go to the Lord in prayer, asking Him to reveal through the power of the Holy Spirit at work in you which of these you are guilty of committing. Ask Him to quicken your heart as you read through the list again, one item at a time. If we ask with a fervent and sincere heart ready to admit, confess, and repent, He is faithful; He will show us the truth of our sinfulness in order that we may repent and have forgiveness and cleansing from all unrighteousness.

As believers we tend to think we are not guilty of big sins, just the occasional small one. But, let’s be honest with ourselves before the God Who already knows.

• Envy
• Murder
• Strife
• Deceit
• Malice
• Gossip
• Slander
• God-hater
• Insolent
• Arrogant
• Boastful
• Invent ways of doing evil
• Disobey parents
• No understanding
• No fidelity
• No love
• No mercy
• Approve of those who do these things



We would shy away from anyone who is a God-hater, but what about gossip? Am I a gossip? Do I approve when others gossip with me? Am I merciful? Do I sow strife with my complaining or slander?

Paul tells us clearly; these sins are a direct result of failure to glorify God as God and failure to give Him thanks.

Many years ago, I was told the word glorify means “to give an accurate estimation of.” When God commands us to give Him glory, we are to give an accurate estimation of Him. In doing so, we cannot possibly over-state His attributes. The harder we attempt to put His glory into words, the more we see how impossible it is to fully glorify Him. He is beyond our comprehension. In our attempts to glorify Him as God (Rom 1:21), we will always fall short and sin (see Rom 3:23).

We should not miss that it states we must glorify Him AS God. Do we live out our lives giving Him the accuracy AS GOD of our life? Or rather, do we live most of the week making less of Him than is accurately due Him, and then try to make up for it with a little praise and worship on Sunday?

Again, the presence of these specific sins in our lives are given by inspiration to be the direct result of our failure to glorify God as God. However, He promises the same sinfulness and depravity when we fail to give Him the thanks due to Him. Count your blessings! Name them. One by one.

We are to give Him glory, thanks and praise.

As a young Christian, I did not understand why God would require us to praise Him and glorify Him. To illustrate the effect of praise, someone near and dear to me replied, “Ok, tell me all the things you admire about me.” And so, I began to list off qualities of them I love and appreciate. As I did, a change happened in both of us. For me, having my attention drawn to these things made me appreciate them more.

When we focus on glorifying God and giving an accurate estimation of Him, we by comparison become small. As it should be. “He must increase, I must decrease.”

He is AWEsome! He is amazing! He is Beautiful! He is Powerful! And SO much more. I am none of these things. The best I can manage is as filthy rags in contrast.

Only when we fully understand we are nothing and He is everything, can we possibly give Him the glory and honor due Him. Only then can we see clearly all the thanks we owe Him. The consequences for failure to do so is sin and depravity. But, praise God, He has shown us the way out.

Good Bye to 2015

As 2015 Comes to a close, I look back over a year that has been spiritual drought for me, a year of wandering in a desert. Perhaps it has been a time that the Lord has been testing me, or preparing me? Perhaps both.

I have found that during such times He is working on me in ways I am not aware. I may never know until I meet Him face to face. Until then, I will walk in faith knowing He has great plans for me and that He loves me deeply. I will rest in the knowledge His plan and His will for my life is greater than anything I can possibly think or imagine.

In this last month of 2015, He has begun to stir up new understanding and new learning in my life. I am excited to walk with Him into this new phase to see what He is going to reveal of Himself.

There have been a few events in the past few weeks which are drawing me to study the scriptures again in a new light, and it is so thrilling. During one of the events shaping this new change, someone pointed me to this verse:

Isaiah 45:3 says I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places,
so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.

What an awesome promise from God! I LOVE to be in the Word and listen as He reveals Himself in the hidden treasures of His Word. What a humbling and thrilling thing it is to be summoned by name by the God of all creation! How awesome it is that the God who breathed the stars into place by the power of the Logos, would deign to lavish priceless wealth upon us, His secret wisdom!

I go into 2016 with great anticipation of yet again being enthralled by my King. I hope and pray that when 2016 comes to close that this blog will be full of new insight.

In the past, as I have watched the numbers of readers decline to extremely small numbers, I have considered giving up on it all together. But then I was challenged by the Lord. "Would you still write even if I were the only One listening?" "Yes, Lord, I would." So, if you are reading this, know that I am truly honored that you would take the time to read this. But, yes Lord, I am writing to an audience of One.

Thank you Father, and praise you for the gift of Your Word! Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit, by whom we are given understanding and insight into the secret treasures and hidden things. Thank You that You have not left us orphans in this world, but have provided us the Way of Life and Truth, through Your Son. Thank You for revealing Yourself to us. During this coming year, I pray Your presence and revelation to all who seek you. Please give us a deep thirst and yearning for You, and please satisfy us through a filling of the Holy Spirit and quench us through Your Word. Draw is in and dazzle us! We Delight in Your Word, and fall down in worship! By the resurrection power of Jesus Christ, AMEN!

Note: One of the amazing things I learned this week is that the original Hebrew word rendered "delight" in the Old Testament carries the connotation of bowing or bending down. When we are delighted in His Word, as He reveals Himself to us there, it should cause us to bow down. As we understand more of Him, it should cause us to see how very low we are. He must increase, and I must decrease.

Sunrise Through My Window

As I stood by the window in the gray before sunrise, I waited with anticipation to hear what the Lord would say. He had wakened me with gentle nudging, "Come, be with me. I want to show you something." After a short lull back into the warmth of blankets and sleep, I heard it again, "Come! Be with me!" And so, I left the covers behind and went. I did not want to miss the gift of the company of my Lord.

Still groggy, we went to the kitchen to warm some day-old coffee. As I stood in the cold kitchen drawing warmth from the cup, I leaned against the sink and watched the world light up with the coming of the sun. Slowly the grays shifts to blues and fiery pinks.

From the vantage of this window, I can see mostly trees which, without my glasses, appear only large black masses. If I lean to the right, bits of sky peek through the branches and around the edges.

Slowly the hues brightened, revealing their beauty in splashes of brilliance shining through the darkness. At once, I saw what He was revealing of Himself.

How like that scene is the life we live. From my vantage, the world seemed small and dark. We see only glimpses of His magnificence, small patches of His beauty and light sparkling through the darkness.

Through the window frame of this mortality we see only that which He allows us to see. The framework He uses to structure our lives becomes the context of our individual perspective. Yet, just beyond the frame of the window that is my life and the shadows of the trees which seem to fill it, is the beautiful reality of endless sky.

We see only a glimpse here and there of His Light, obscured by the darkness of what seems to us to be all of reality. Nevertheless, if we just shift ever-so-slightly to the right, we see there is so much more than we can even comprehend of His magnificence.

His glory is infinite! It is not bound by the limits of our perspective. The darkness of the trees is only a shadow of this world.
Just on the other side is endless blue sky and splendid ceaseless sunlight!

Thank You and Praise You, Father for waking me this morning to see You show me the Truth of Yourself once again. I knew when You said, "Come, be with Me." that there was beauty to behold. Oh how I love when You reveal bits of Yourself to me! I treasure our time as You tarry unrushed with me! Thank You, Lord!

Just now as I prayed that, the sun broke through the trees and shone brightly through my window!

Oh how marvelous,
Oh how wonderful,
is the Father's love for me!

My Mother's Legacy of Service

Over the years I spent with my mother, I never knew a time when she was not volunteering at something. Her health made it a struggle, but she always found a way to serve. Often, my sister and I had the privilege of helping.

Before I was 10 years old, I knew how to find a store manager and request permission to post a sign for important events such as the Red Cross Blood Drive or our church's Shut-In Mass. I had stuffed envelopes and waved at passers-by dressed as a clock for a political campaign. And, the list goes on.

Even when we were not able to participate, we understood that serving should be constant. We learned this as she shared her experiences with us.

I recall her return home one Sunday afternoon, after she had been volunteering as a chaplain at the local hospital. She seemed lost in thought, but proceeded to explain. She recounted a series of events which she attributed to the work of the Holy Spirit to put her exactly where she needed to be, when she needed to be there. She was on the elevator, where she met a man with a boy and a girl around 8 and 10 years old, both of whom were sobbing. The man explained to mom that they were on their way to say goodbye to their mother. She accompanied them and stayed with them until they were ready to leave.

I cried as I listened and then asked her, "How did you do it?!" She said simply, "Just hold their hand and let the Lord lead."

During another season, she was a teacher of English as a foreign language at our town's library. She didn't just teach English, however, she got involved in their lives and taught them our culture.

Three of her students were a man and his two sisters from Czechoslovakia. He spoke some English, but the women did not. Shortly after mom began working with them, the man died unexpectedly, leaving his sisters behind alone in a foreign country whose language they didn't speak. My mother stepped up. Imagine trying to translate to and for people you couldn't understand yourself. But, she did it - with God's help, she insisted. They became life-long friends.

There are many more examples, not only of things she did, but lives she changed.

In her later years, she read books to a blind man until she could no longer speak. Before she reached that point however, she read the entire Bible onto tape for him. At that time there was no such thing as audio books. When she could not read anymore, she took up her knitting needles.

She spent hour after hour knitting bandages for a leper colony in the Philippines. They were needed because they were lint-free and reusable. She suffered from Carpel Tunnel and would knit until her arms cramped. She'd stop only long enough to rub the circulation back into them and then continue with her labor of love. In all, she knitted hundreds of yards of the bandages before passing away at only 62 years old.

I learned a lesson from my mother which has become a passion and a way of life. She taught me that if you can breathe, you can find something to do for someone. She may have been weak in body, but the Lord made her strong in spirit to do every work He set before her.

I still treasure her knitting needles. In death, she left them behind, along with her legacy of service. She and they will never be forgotten. I love you, Mom.

Praise you, Lord, for a godly example of living to serve. May I remain eager to serve You. Show me the way, Lord. What work do you have for me? Help me to remain faithful and to train up these children You have entrusted to me as servants for Your Kingdom, and may we together continue her beautiful legacy for future generations. AMEN.

Though My Fields Be Empty

So many times I wonder why God does things. We all do. When Life gets hard, we often ask the Lord, "Why me?" as though it should have been someone else. When situations arise that shake us to our core, it's easy to think God must have been mistaken. This is not how life is supposed to be.

It's easy to see this tendency in the circumstances that threaten to overtake our lives as we know them. But, what about during the more mundane happenings that pass each day? We often miss the Hand of God and His fingerprints in life's minor inconveniences.

This year, as in years past, I planted a garden or, more accurately, a crop. It was not your average "throw some seeds in the ground and see how they do" affair. Not in the least.

It began with reading and planning and dirt testing. Then days filled with hand tilling and soil enhancement. By the time planting days deemed appropriate by the Farmer's Almanac arrived, I was exhausted both mentally and physically. My hands had more blisters than a sunburned albino and every muscle in my body protested even the slightest movement.

And, I prayed through every step in the process. I prayed harder as the work got harder. With more pain came more prayer. In the end, I cried to the Lord. Tears rolled with sweat down my face as I begged for His strength just to finish, and I praised Him when I did.

The weeks passed as I watered. My garden looked lovely. It was exciting to see the sprouts spring up and still more exhilarating to watch them bloom and grow. Praise the Lord for His goodness!

"Wait...is that...gasp!...mold?! Ok. Don't panic, just water every other day instead. Great, now they look dry and burnt."
It went from bad to worse. First the cucumber vines succumbed, then the potatoes. "Not the corn, Lord! Really?"

In the end, we lost it all. Frustration set in and then anger. "Lord, did I not pray? Did I not ask for your blessing and favor? Did I not promise to tithe the first fruits?" I reasoned. I don't often get angry with God, but I could see no fault of my own for this failure.

Often I sit on the front porch of our country home for my quiet time with Him. Since the devastation that was my garden sits close to the porch, I had avoided seeing it and opted instead for the comfort of the kitchen table for devotions, until the morning He nudged me back outside.

As I sat contemplating the mess with hurt in my heart, He led me straight to a verse which I don't know if I could find again if I tried. It said, in essence, "Yea, though my fields be empty, Lord, yet will I praise thee."

I no longer see failure in the brown cornstalks poking up out of the ground, I see the gentleness of a Father who loves me. I see His sovereignty. I see a lesson. And, I see that, although I do the tilling and the plating and the watering, it is He alone who gives the harvest.

Father, please forgive my presumptuousness and the ensuing temper tantrum. I am humbled before you, my King. Thank you for the opportunity to serve in Your fields. It is an honor and a privilege. Thank you for granting the strength to complete the tasks you set before me. And, "Though my fields be empty, Lord, yet will I praise thee." AMEN!

Without You Lord, I am Nothing

So much time has passed, I scarcely know where to begin. However, this is not about me. It is about a life affected by the Lord.

The last years have been trying to say the least. What I have found most difficult to bear is the time of spiritual dryness. I have endured a protracted time of barrenness in my relationship with the Lord, and it has been agonizing.

To my shame, I had harbored thoughts in my heart so deeply, I didn't even know they were there. I had the audacity to believe in some way all I had learned and studied about God's Word was a result of work I had done. I supposed the knowledge was my own. In my pride, the Lord "slapped me off my donkey." His discipline to such an attitude was swift and justifiably harsh, and I am glad.

It taught me a lesson I will not soon forget. I came to the immediate understanding that without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I do not even have the capacity to comprehend the words in the Book, let alone to soak into their rich and deep context. The great beauty I have experienced in the pages of His Word has absolutely nothing to do with me nor any intrinsic ability on my part. I have enjoyed profound revelation of His glory in the pages of His Word only through the gift of His grace and generosity. He has delighted my soul.

When the realization of my arrogance arose in my mind, I was immediately cut off from understanding. Throughout the months and years to follow, I would occasionally have a moment of clarity in which He would show me in my desperation that He was still with me and had not abandoned me altogether. Those times, however, were few and far between and mere fleeting glimpses of closeness I yearned to experience everlasting.

As well, during this time, I had asked a professional writer friend of mine if there was any potential in my writing. The response cut me to the quick. I was informed that my writing is "not interesting." I have wrestled with this declaration for quite some time now. At first, I felt hurt mixed with no small amount of embarrassment. I decided never to write again. But I waver as I am reminded of His question to me, "If I were the only one listening, would you write anyway?" Yes, Lord, I would.

Well, this season of desolate isolation appears to be nearing its conclusion. I find myself in a place of refreshment and renewal, and my soul rejoices!

Since I have received many more messages indicating the writing the Lord has put on my heart touches the souls of others, I have decided to fulfill my promise to my Father. Yes Lord, I will write as though You are the only one listening. I will extol You. I will allow my soul to sing of the good things You show me. I will never again take them for granted nor will I allow myself to harbor vanity in my heart.

Without You Lord, I am nothing.