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Esther Griggs

Bible reflectionThe Father

Jesus and His Father

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

From the time Jesus was a boy about his Father’s business, to His present position at the Father’s right hand, He holds a unique relationship with His father. The scriptures give us insight. We learn from the apostles in The Letter to the Philippians, the Colossians, and the book of Hebrews.

The Philippians

Firstly, in the Letter to the Philippians, Paul writes, Jesus was in the form of God and did not consider it robbery to be equal to God. Still, he took on servanthood in human flesh and was obedient to God’s plan even when it meant an excruciating death. As a result, God exalted His Beloved Son, giving Him the name above every name.

Colossians

Secondly, in Colossians, Paul wrote God is God and Father to Jesus. Jesus is the image of the invisible God. His Son bears His image and is the firstborn over all creation. It pleased the Father for Jesus to have His fullness, all the fullness of the Godhead. Christ is sitting at the Father’s right hand. It is through Jesus He reconciles all things. It is God who has translated us to the Kingdom of His Son.

Hebrews

Finally in Hebrews, we discover God communicated to us through His Son. God appointed Him heir of all things and made the world through Him. Jesus is the brightness of His glory, the express image of His person, Again, it is stated that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Majesty. He is God’s Son begotten of the Father.

While God is the position of authority, Jesus desires to do His will. God is the source of all plans and purpose. Jesus took on humility to support the Father’s plan. God exalted Him. The Son teaches us about the Father. The Father qualifies us to participate in the Kingdom of His Son. It is a relationship of love and trust, of authority and submission, and of unity in purpose.

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Stories Jesus Told

Jesus and the Lost

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

The love of God sent Jesus to seek and to save the lost. It meant time spent with tax collectors and sinners. As a result, the religious of His day murmured. To illustrate, Jesus told three stories: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son.

The Lost Sheep

His rural audience understood sheep. So, Jesus began by telling of a lost one. If there are one hundred sheep, Jesus said, and one is lost, the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to find the one. He searches through scratchy bushes, in wind and rain, and under dark skies until it is recovered. Then he places it, damp and heavy, on his shoulders to bring it home. Singing and dancing erupt when they return to the fold. Jesus said there was more rejoicing in heaven over the one who repents than the just souls that didn’t.

The Lost Coin

Next, Jesus told the story of the woman who having silver coins lost one. Beneath the dim flicker of her lantern, in desperation she searches until it was found. Ecstatic with relief, she tells her neighbours, so they can rejoice with her.

The Lost Son

Next, he told His classic story of the man with two sons. One is lost for a time. It involved taking his inheritance early and living irresponsibly, but the return home — a waiting father, a feast and rejoicing. The elder son misunderstands. But in heaven, there is an outbreak of rejoicing.

Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. It may look like a wandering sheep, a lost coin or a delinquent son but it involves great joy.

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Bible reflectionUncategorized

What Love Is Not

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

After witnessing the king of love in action, we turn our attention to what love is not. The strongest illustrations come from the treatment delivered to God’s beloved Son. We consider the religious leaders, one of His followers, and his kin.

Religious Leaders

To the religious leaders, Jesus spoke truth. It disrupted those who had shaped their traditions and rituals, which provided a structure of life to give them a sense of security and comfort. They responded by wanting to bring him down. They shot twisted questions and statements of pride, trying to make him appear a fool and to showcase their own knowledge. Jesus, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, outshone them every time.

One of His Followers

Then there was one of His followers. Jesus chose twelve men to be his disciples. He lived life with them, teaching and modelling the abundant life of His kingdom. They were not servants. Instead, he called them friends and washed their feet. Yet one, for the coins which purchased his burial place, gave him up with a kiss.

His Kinfolk

In addition, there were his kinfolk. In his hometown, his healing power was reduced because they lacked faith in him. They knew the family. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary?” John writes how he came to his own, but they received him not. This was not the one they expected to come and release them from their Roman oppressors. And in the end, moved by the source of all darkness they cried, “Release Barrabas”, and “Crucify him”.

The love of God met what is not love. Jesus came, lived, died, and came back to life as the king of love.

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Jesus Encounters

What Love Looks Like

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

Jesus, under relentless scrutiny by religious leaders, walked among the people as love. The gospels, replete with stories of His interactions with humankind, illustrate His love for all. Three examples are Zacchaeus in Luke 19, the woman in Luke 8, and the recluse in Mark 5. Jesus drew them from the shadows, connected with them, and transformed their lives.

Zacchaeus

First, we consider Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector, who was literally up a tree. Being short didn’t keep his desire to see Jesus tethered. Jesus said. “Zacchaeus come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” The people muttered while Jesus had come for the lost. “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus found him in the hidden place, had a meaningful encounter and left him different.

A Woman

Next, we reflect on a woman identified by her illness, hidden in a crowd. Jesus, on his way to keep a young girl from dying, felt power leave Him. “Who touched Me?” He asked.

 An unclean woman dared to reach out and touch the rabbi and was healed. She wanted to hide. Jesus, despite everyone denying it and Peter making light of it, called her out. Trembling, she fell at His feet and told Him the entire story. “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” He could have left her in her hiddenness, but the Light of the world knew she needed an encounter with Him for lasting change.

 The Recluse

Finally, we read of a man among the tombs, unrestrained by chains, who screamed and cut himself. Then Jesus climbed out of the boat. “Come out of this man you unclean spirit.” As the demons called for mercy, Jesus dealt with the spirits named Legion. Then the man is clothed and in his right mind. He asked to go with Jesus but was sent out to tell his story, which amazed all who heard.

Three lost souls encountered Jesus and were forever changed. That is what love looks like!

What is your story? Have you met Jesus? What did Love do for you?

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love of God

Face the future: With love

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

As I write, I recollect the lyrics of a hymn, “King of love, my shepherd is.” Buried within spiritual songs and scripture lay treasures which honour and highlight Jesus our shepherd, the King of love. It is in His presence, the God who is love, we best know love. Jesus is ‘God with us’. Song of Solomon records, “He is altogether lovely.” The Shulamite said, “For your love is better than wine. Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, your name is ointment poured forth.” The Lord Jesus, a balm in Gilead, Saviour of the world, is God’s love shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost.

A Balm in Gilead

The prophet Jeremiah mourned for his people. “Is there no balm in Gilead?” he asked. “Is there no physician there? Why then is there no recovery for the health of the daughter of my people?” He mourns their distance from God and their retreat to deception and evil. But Malachi writes, “But to you who fear my name the Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings.” In Jesus we see and experience compassion; to the crowd who might faint on the way, food; to the weary and lost he admonishes his disciples to pray for harvesters; to those he encountered, the demonized, the diseased, the distressed, He, moved to compassion, brought healing.

Saviour of the World

The Saviour of the world, Jesus. It was His love for the Father and for humankind that brought Him to our world, to take on our weakness and endure suffering and the cross. He did not come as a philanthropist, lawyer or politician. He came as the beloved Son of God, a servant, laying aside His glory to take on our festering wounds, to bring to us ointment for our depravity. Until we see Him in His home environment, we will never understand.

Shed Abroad

His love is to be shed abroad. “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,” is the demonstration of His love. The Holy Spirit has shed the love of God abroad in our hearts. This love distinguishes us as God’s people. Jesus told his disciples it was a new commandment. “Love one another; as I have loved you, … you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples if you love one another.”

 The Lord Jesus, a balm in Gilead, Saviour of the world, is the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. Let your light shine!

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Hope

Face the Future: With Hope

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

Last week we considered how the God of our faith makes our lives abundant. This week we reflect on facing the future with hope, but not as a weak sentiment. Our hope in God enables us to rejoice, enjoy our salvation, and provides an anchor for our souls.

Our Countenance

We learn that hope helps our countenance. The melancholy psalmist (Psalm 42) longs for the living God.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul?” he cries. “Why are you disquieted within me?” Then he admonishes himself, “Hope thou in God: I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance.” His experience has taught him to hope.

“We rejoice in hope of the glory of God,” Paul writes. “Hope doesn’t disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts.”

We Are Saved

Paul also writes of hope in Romans 8. “It is in this hope we are saved,” he says. What hope? He states further, “We who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope, we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. If we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” We are saved and yet hope for its completion.

Anchor For the Soul

Hope also holds us steady when the rough seas of circumstance or adversity threaten to drown us. The writer of Hebrews states, “We have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever.”

Our hope in God enables us to rejoice, enjoy our salvation, and provides an anchor for our souls.

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Abundant Life

Face the Future: With Faith

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

Weak sentiment proclaims, “Have faith.” You can almost hear the church bells ring. Faith, however, apart from the Living God, is like a cell phone without charge, or a Christmas tree without lights. Abundant life exists when we face the future with faith in God the Creator, God our Redeemer, and God our merciful Father.

God the Creator

Faith gives us God’s vision to know God as the creator. In Hebrews we read, “It is by faith we understand the worlds were framed by God’s word, the things we see were not made out of things we see.”

“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are become new,” writes the apostle Paul.

 “Behold I make all things new,” declares He who sits on the throne. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; Behold all things are become new,” writes the apostle Paul.

God the Redeemer

Faith shows us our Redeemer. Job said, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth. In my flesh I will see God.”

Paul wrote, “In Him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.”

The prophet Isaiah wrote, “For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of Hosts is His name, and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth He is called.

God Our Merciful Father

In conclusion, faith gives us our merciful Father. The Psalmist writes, “The Lord is merciful.” In Lamentations, we read that God’s mercy never ends. It is new every morning. We read in Ephesians, God is rich in mercy. And Peter writes of His great mercy, which has caused us to be born again.

Yes, we must face the future with faith, but abundant life exists only when faith is rooted in the truths of God the Creator, God our Redeemer and God our merciful Father.

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Uncategorized

Face the Future: With Courage

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

Ominous clouds of war, unrest, financial insecurity, and health challenges hang overhead as we face an unknown future. In Luke 21, Jesus talks of these times when men’s hearts fail because of fear. “Don’t let these things terrify you,” He said. “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh.” As Christ followers, we face the future with courage, standing on God’s promises, secure in Him.

With Courage

In changing times, God speaks to His people. “Do not be afraid. Be strong and of good courage. Let not your heart be troubled. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” “Strengthen the hands that hang down and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated but rather be healed.”

Standing on the Promises

Not just platitudes, these rock-solid truths speak of His abiding presence, His protective care, and the promise of eternal life. They anchor our souls in difficult circumstances.

Secure in Him

As we dwell in the vine of the Living Christ, we are secure in Him. Jesus told the story of the house built upon the rock. Despite the storms, it held fast. In the scripture we read of scary times, but we also read of His people who know their God and do great exploits. We read of Abraham, Joseph, Joshua, Rahab, Gideon, Deborah, Peter, Paul, John and countless others.

As His children, we face the future with courage, stand on His promises and rest secure in Almighty God.

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Christ's Return

I am Coming

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

As this new year dawns, let us reflect on Christ’s promised return. Promises kept, build trust and security. “God is not a man that He should lie.” Time and again, God kept His word and as promised, sent His Son Jesus to be the sacrifice for our sin. These foundational truths enable His children to rest in the promise, “I am coming!” He is coming unexpectedly. He is coming quickly. Stay alert!

Unexpectedly

First, His return will come unexpectedly. Jesus used the illustration of a thief who enters while others sleep. He also compared it to the days of Noah, when the people lived daily, oblivious even as they watched Noah toil on the ark.

Quickly

Second, His coming will come hastily. Jesus said that as the lightning strikes across the skies, so will His coming be. He also said that two would be at work in the fields and one would be taken. Paul says, “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.”

Stay Alert

Finally, stay alert! Peter says, “What manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God?” Keep the lanterns burning, by living in the presence of the Living God so that day will not find you unaware. This promise, like a glowing piece of coal straight from the Father’s heart is alive and burning. Keep it so in your soul.

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Christmas meditation

Tell Me the Old, Old Story: The Wisemen

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

While Abraham left everything to Issac, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them to the land of the east. Were the Wisemen descendants of Abraham? Isaiah wrote, “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” Were these magi the fulfilment of Isaiah’s words? How about the words of Moses in Numbers 24:17: “I see Him but not now, I behold Him but not near; A star shall come out of Jacob., a sceptre shall rise out of Israel.” These scriptures indeed point to an historical event recorded by the disciple Matthew; a story of Wisemen from the east, who met with royalty, encountered the Christ child, and adhered to the highest call.

Met With Royalty

These foreigners met with royalty. While not everyone gets an audience with a king, these visitors from the east warranted an interview with King Herod. Though Herod was evil, his scribes found answers to the questions they sought. Soon the Magi journeyed to Bethlehem.

Encountered the Christ Child

In Bethlehem they encountered the Christ Child. The star stopped over the house where Jesus was. Imagine the relief that elicited such joy from these weary travellers. They recognized His kingship and gave Him gifts worthy of royalty.

Adhered to the Highest Call

These esteemed men of the East, seekers of the new King, recognized the Voice which is above all thrones and dominions, all powers and positions, and heeded His warning to return home another way.

These scriptures indeed point to an historical event recorded by the disciple Matthew; a story of wisemen from the east, who met with royalty, encountered the Christ child, and adhered to the highest call.

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