Holy Week Invitation

Holy Week is here. I admit, I often walk through Holy Week thinking way more about my Easter dinner and coloring Easter eggs than Christ's dreadful walk to the cross. Somehow, the busy time gets away from me.  Maybe you too?

But I’m not going to do that this year. I want to understand more what Jesus must have felt, seen, heard and experienced on the road to the cross. That’s what Holy Week is about!

I want to invite you to find time to have a “date” with God this week. Yes, a date. Just like you set aside time on your calendar for a date with your spouse or an appointment at work, set aside time with God. I know you may find that weird or strange. But it’s really not and I know that you will experience his presence somehow, someway. Maybe go to the park. Take your hammock to a quiet spot in your back yard. But park yourself alone with God.

Use your phone or bible to look up one of the Scriptures selections below. It will take some time to read through it, so allow yourself some time.

Matthew 21-28
Mark 11-16
Luke 19-24
John 12-21

Here are some questions to reflect upon:

* What kind of feelings did Jesus express as he walked toward the cross

* How did other people treat Jesus?

* How did Jesus treat people?

* How do you think Jesus felt when betrayed? When Peter denied him?

* How do you think the disciples felt when Jesus washed their feet?

* What is God teaching you during this special time with Him?

* How did you feel when Jesus was crucified?

* How did this time of reading help you appreciate the joy of Easter?

Jesus’ walk to the cross shows the enormous extent of his love for me and for you. He loved us “to the uttermost” in going to the cross and suffering on our behalf. It is during Holy Week, we see God’s profound love for us. May God bless you and give you a most special time this week. Happy Easter!

“It was just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.”  (John 13:1)

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Where is God When?

There have been times in my life when I’ve questioned ‘Where is God when this or that happened?' Life didn't go the way I thought it would. The pain I felt caused me to question God. And I did. 

What about you? You fill in the blank. When you have no clue what to do. When the diagnosis comes. When you fear the future. When disappointments mount. When the pain won’t stop. When the cries of your heart are agonizing. When life throws a curve ball. Where is God when these things happen?

Who hasn’t asked a few of these questions this past year? There was no smooth cookie-cutter set of directions for how to get through 2020. We’ve all been challenged in some form or fashion. I think the greater question now is this: How will we respond to God when we don’t know where He is?

When considering pain, I’m often reminded of C.S. Lewis’ thoughtful words “Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures…but shouts to us in our pain. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Could it be that God could use the events of 2020 somehow, someway, in your heart and mine? Could it be that some of the greatest spiritual growth comes in the midst of our deepest suffering? Could it be that God is shouting to you in your pain?

John 16:33 comes to mind: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” I find such comfort in this verse. Jesus is speaking and telling us that it is in Him that we can have peace. Secondly, He says that in the world there will be tribulation. Thirdly, He tells us to take heart and remember that He has overcome the world. It is a relationship with Christ that guides us through the ups and downs of life. It is in a relationship with Christ that we realize that this world is not our home. Our suffering can draw us deeper into Christ and the profound hope He gives us in his word. Suffering is a time to recommit our focus to what’s important…our God, our family and friends, our work, living out our calling, and loving, serving and caring for all people.

You and I aren’t the only ones who have questioned and asked where God is. Scott Sauls writes “Job lost children, his wife’s affection, his livelihood, and his reputation in a single day. Moses stuttered. Jacob limped. Sarah was infertile. Tamar and Bathsheba were assaulted. David was betrayed by his son. Hosea’s wife fell into prostitution, as did Rahab. Ruth was widowed in her youth. Mordecai was oppressed and belittled. Jeremiah battled depression, as did Elijah. Gideon Doubted God, as did Thomas. Mary and Joseph sought asylum from a reign of terror. Mary and Martha buried their brother. John Mark was rejected by Paul. Peter hated himself.” (Scott Sauls, When Faith Feels Like Defeat)

God’s word is chock full of examples of people just like you and I. People who’ve had bad things happened. People who wondered “Where is God?” when these things happened. Yet, they modeled dependence and trust in a sovereign God. They believed God would keep His promises. Where is God when _____? He’s right beside You loving You and longing to walk with You through the mess.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

St Patrick's Prayer

One of my favorite memories working with active older adults in the Y was planning for our annual St. Patrick’s Potluck. Now this wasn’t any old potluck. This was a potluck consisting of only green food. You had to be a bit creative to think outside the green salad box. It was pretty hilarious the food that would come in for the festivities. Of course, COVID has forced potlucks to be a thing of the past, for now.

I must say, I love St. Patrick’s day! It’s such a festive day and I’m Irish as well! But step aside from all the green-dyed festivities of the day, there is something to appreciate about the spiritual legacy of the real Saint Patrick, a 5th-century missionary and primary patron saint of Ireland.

The most popular prayer attributed to St Patrick’s was St. Patrick’s Breastplate or often known as “Morning Prayer.” Here is a portion of it:

I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s hosts to save me
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a multitude.

Christ shield me today
Against wounding
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ within me, Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down…”

St Patrick, who was originally kept as a slave, eventually rose to freedom and inspired many. God blessed St Patrick greatly as he went around Ireland and ministered to people. I imagine that God brought Him close to him in the midst of his challenges. St. Patrick’s life was not about wearing green, enjoying green food, 4 leaf clovers or even green beer! It was about enjoying a relationship with God through Christ His Savior. Can you sense how close Christ was to St. Patrick in this prayer? Oh, may that be true for us as well!

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio. 

Two Women

Today, we celebrate International Women’s Day. So, I thought it fitting and proper to highlight two special women from the Bible. Their names? Mary and Martha.

So here, the just of the story. Martha was the busy one, doing all the preparations to serve up Jesus a good, hot meal. Martha was also supremely ticked that Mary was just hanging out, sitting at Jesus’ feet. In fact, Martha was so irate that she complained to Jesus that Mary wasn’t pulling her fair weight in the afternoon preparations! Martha was not happy when Jesus said to her “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many other things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42)

Martha gets such a bad rap in this passage of scripture. To be sure, so many of us women are focused, driven and busy women. That’s actually how God wired many of us. But I love the confidence Martha had in going to Jesus and just sharing her frustration directly! She told Jesus exactly what she thought and she knew Jesus would hear her out.

Are you and I free to share our complaints with Jesus? Or do we just hold Jesus at bay, concluding He’s not for us?

Jesus responded to Martha. He didn’t shame her or make her feel guilty or put her down. He told her only one thing is needed right that moment. Focus on what’s most important now. Mary was focusing on Jesus and that was good.

The summary question from this passage is not: Which one are you, Mary or Martha? The question to be asked instead is: Will you seek Jesus throughout your day and throughout your life? I can be super busy in a task and still be devoted to Jesus. You can too! It’s a choice! So, whether we’re busy or not busy, our goal is to seek Jesus. Invite Him to partner with you throughout the day. Be in relationship with Him in the busyness and the calm times. When we do, He will take care of the rest.

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33

 Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Right Under the Nose

We don’t normally make a practice of giving our pooch people food. But, during SNOVID, rules are meant to be broken. And so began my doggie experiment…… I placed a nice size chunk of leftover steak in front of my dog’s nose, who was in deep REM sleep. Nothing happened. Maybe a slight twitch of the nose. That’s it.

All at once, Chara popped up to a sitting position. Left over steak still sitting there. I literally had to say “Chara, look!” and she finally noticed the steak. A one-second gobble and it was gone.

How could Chara not smell the yummy steak? Was she so out of it after a busy day in the snow, that she missed the most important food snack EVER? Why did it take her so long to notice this amazing, scrumptious snack?

Ephesians 5:14 would be fitting for Chara, but way more significant for us humans. It says “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” What is Paul talking about in this passage? Paul is literally telling us to “WAKE-UP!” We are to arise and walk as directed by the Lord. We are to take our relationship with Christ seriously and walk in union with Him.

We are prone to be just like Chara…. sound asleep while a great piece of steak lay there waiting to be enjoyed. We can be so afraid of progressing in our faith with Jesus Christ that we just resist Him. We know He’s right under our nose and basically all around us. However, we lay in wait, hoping we can just go about our life, running it our way.

Waking up involves taking a stark look at your life and how it’s going. Waking up involves asking the hard question “Why am I resisting Christ?” Waking up involves no longer using the same excuse “Christians behave badly” and instead, engaging in your own personal faith journey. Waking up involves not being afraid to participate in healthy spiritual conversations with other people….in a safe, caring and loving environment where it’s ok to question.

May I add one more verse? The very next verse says this in Ephesians 5:15 “Be very careful, then, how you live- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Stop. Pause. Take this in! Be careful. How do you live? Are you quick to judge others? Tear others down rather than build up? Quick to get angry? Quick to gossip? Attack others on social media? Hold unforgiveness? Now, more than ever, God is calling us to a new way to live. Awake! Rise Up! Shine!

If you want to dialogue about this Start Up or receive prayer, please email me: Nancya@ymcasatx.org. I welcome it!

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio. 

Dealing With Trials

As I watch the snow continue to fall, I have to admit, it doesn’t feel like I’m living in San Antonio, Texas. It was just a few weeks ago, it was 80 degrees! I would never have believed we’d experience a major snow week that would affect almost everyone in the state.

And who said that 2021 would be better? I was so very happy to say goodbye to 2020, and then 2021 began. To be honest, I haven’t felt particularly encouraged by the events of 2021. I am sobered by the stories I’ve read about what Texans have gone through this week. How do we deal with ongoing trials in our life?

I’ve been thinking a lot about the Apostle Paul this week. He had a unique perspective on suffering as he had suffered so much! Take a look at his perspective below:

”But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned, struck down, but not destroyed…… Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly, we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unsee. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:7-9, 16-18)

Paul was a wanted man because of what he was for Christ. People wanted to murder him for his faith. He lived with stress every single day. Paul was a man who suffered more than you or I will ever suffer. Yet he didn’t let the stress and ongoing challenges crush him. That’s where I think we struggle…we allow the ongoing stress and anxiety crush us. We tend to cave in to our circumstances. Here are some of my thoughts on this scripture:

1.Triumph of Christ in Paul’s life- Paul was hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned, struck down, but not destroyed. Did you see what Paul is NOT experiencing? Look at the triumph in Paul’s life. He got it! He was in so many difficult circumstances that he realized that it was only the power and victory of Jesus that could meet his need.

2. We don’t lose heart- Paul probably knew what we’d want to ask him: “How can you NOT lose heart, Paul?” It’s easy to lose heart and want to quit when trials mount up. Don’t let pain, fatigue or even criticism of others stop you from persevering with Christ! Will you trust God in the midst of your crushing circumstance? Please, do not lose heart. 

3. Fix your eyes on what is NOT seen- We humans tend to live in the here and now. But Paul saw that this life is not all there is! Because of Jesus in his life, he lived with eternity in his heart. He knew that this life was temporary and he lived with that in mind. It helped him get through a bunch of trials! 

We don’t know what 2021 will bring. But, please, do not lose heart. And if you are, please feel free to email me: Nancya@ymcasatx.org. I'd love to encourage and pray for you.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Famous For

Most people watch the Super Bowl for the commercials. I’ll pay close attention to the game when the Dallas Cowboys make it. Sigh.

I already had my pick for the best commercial even before the Super Bowl- Lawn and Garden Giveaway! Like most Super Bowl commercials, I could care less about the advertisement, it’s what happens in the commercial that's cool.

I relate to John Travolta. I’m pretty slow with techy things too. But, I’m also a Travolta fan from way back. In college, I worked at a place called Dixie Electric Company, the best disco around at that time. Saturday Night Fever and Grease were some of the songs we danced to again and again and let me add, one more again.

Years later, when biking up the coast of California, my girl friends and I actually met Mr. Travolta in a restaurant in Carmel. The waitress whispered “Don’t look now, but John Travolta is sitting over there.” Of course, I couldn’t help but to “look now.”

We all love a touch of fame. But, I wanna tell you, we sometimes miss that our God is way more famous than any human being on the face of this earth. In the Bible, we see countless stories of God doing God-like things. He brings hope when we’re hopeless. He gives strength when we’re weak. He works miracles when we see no other way. He answers prayer after prayer after prayer. He is God and always has been and will always be. He’s worth getting to know… personally.

I’ll probably never know John Travolta and all the other famous people out there, but I can know God personally. I can tell you countless times he’s made a way for me when their seemed to be no way. I can speak of many times where He was the God of abundance and did more than I could ever ask or imagine. Yes, He is famous. He is worthy of our worship. He is God. He is like no other. Let’s celebrate that on this Monday after the Super Bowl.

Famous For (song by Jenn Johnson and Tauren Wells, 2020)

“There is no fear, ‘cause I believe
There is no doubt, ‘cause I have seen
Your faithfulness, my fortress, over and over

I have a hope found in Your name
I have a strength found in Your grace
Your faithfulness, my fortress, over and over

Make way through the waters
Walk me through the fire
Do what You are famous for
What You are famous for.

Shut the mouth of lions
Bring dry bones to life and
Do what You are famous for
What You are famous for.

I believe in You. God, I believe in You....."

https://youtu.be/hLCYTUaoqDM

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.