There's a Frog on the Table

Kolleen Lucariello is one of the people in my life that I wish lived nearer, because I'd love to spend time with her—to laugh and learn. In this Spiritual Life UPGRADE, she shares a humorous story with a profound application. "Mimi, why is there a frog on the table?"

Not wanting to disappoint my grandson’s prank, I replied, "A frog on the table, huh? I don’t know, Mason. Why is there a frog on the table?" 

I (Dawn) think this is such a cute story—and leave it to Kolleen to create a powerful application.

Kolleen continues . . .

"No, really, Mimi! There’s a frog on your table," Mason said.

I chuckled and made my way to the table. "Okay, let’s see this 'frog.'" 

"Oh! There IS a frog on the table." 

'See Mimi! I told you!" Mason exclaimed. "How did he get there?"

With a bit of confusion, I replied, "I’m really not sure." 

After Mason assured me that he did not bring the frog in and put him on the table, I began to consider all possibilities of how he did get there.

Glancing around the room it hit me—the hibiscus tree.

I'd taken my small tree outside to enjoy the warm sun and brought it back inside with the cooler temperatures predicted that night. It never occurred to me that a sneaky little frog would become attached to it; much less find its way to the kitchen table—but there it was.

In a place it did not belong.  

I can't say I blame the poor little critter. The tree was pretty, and the night was going to be chilly. However, the house was not where the frog belonged, so back outside he went.

We placed him by another pretty tree, said our goodbyes, and hoped he'd live a spectacular life free from any harm.

"A frog on the table"—I laughed for days over that.  

Every now and then I think about that little frog that found himself on our kitchen table, because he attached himself to a tree. 

I can relate. I've found myself attached to a few 'trees' of my own. I've hidden myself within devotions to friends and opinions; dreams and expectations—even a few attitudes and beliefs.  Yet, each one, at times, has left me clinging to a place I didn't really belong.

I'm sure we’ve all experienced bonds that have taken us away from where God intended for us to be.   

Mary Magdalene seems like someone who understood attachments. I envision her as a woman just barely holding on when she encountered Jesus.

What a defining moment that must have been for the woman whose life had been interrupted by tormenting demons—seven of them to be exact (Luke 8:2).

The Bible mentions some symptoms of demon possession: 

• speechlessness (Luke 11:14),
• blindness (Matthew 12:22), and
  
• convulsions and foaming at the mouth (Mark 9:17-27).

We don’t know the full extent of Mary's suffering; it certainly isn't difficult to imagine her life was unstable and hellacious.  

Mary was out of her natural element; that place God intended. Until one day she encountered Jesus, and He put her back in the place where life was enjoyable again.

Can you imagine it?  

One day she was attached to a tree of torment; and then, thanks to Jesus, she wasn't.  

What an upgrade Mary experienced when she attached herself to Jesus for the remainder of His days. She traveled with Him, financially supported Him, and she was watching as He suffered on the Cross.

She was the first to see the resurrected King and announce the news to the disciples.

Just as the frog had enough guts to let go of the tree he’d attached himself to and check out his new surroundings, Mary's relationship with Christ brought her the courage to let go of the life she'd been tormented by.

Her gratitude to Jesus is evident by her devotion to Him.  

Often, when we find ourselves attached to something outside of God's will, He sends help to lead us back to the place He intends for us to be.

For the frog, we were the help.

For Mary, it was Jesus.

When she connected with Jesus, she found the courage to jump right into a new identity. He will do the same for us.  

Mary Magdalene’s story instills hope within my own.

She helps me upgrade my thinking by showing me:  

• One encounter with Jesus has the possibility to change everything.  
• He brings power and authority to our relationship. If we allow Him, He will reveal and confront any unhealthy attachments. 
  
• When Jesus delivered her, Mary never looked back. Regardless of circumstance, she walked closely by His side.  

Mary was one of the many women who "went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God" (Luke 8:1, NKJV).

Perhaps she related well to David’s words,

"No wonder my heart is glad, and my tongue shouts his praises! My body rests in hope" (Acts 2:26, NLT).

I imagine the women were held captive by her testimony as she shared her story.

Where are your attachments?

If you haven’t fully attached yourself to Jesus, I encourage you to stop hiding where you don't belong. Your heart will be glad; your tongue will shout His praise, and your body will rest in hope! It’s time.

How have "attachments" where God doesn't want you hurt your walk with Him? What can you do to "detach" from those hindrances today?

Kolleen Lucariello, #TheABCGirl, is the author of the devotional book The ABC’s of Who God Says I Am. Kolleen and her high school sweetheart, Pat, reside in Central New York. She’s a mother of three married children and Mimi to four incredible grandkids. She desires to help others find their identity in Christ, one letter at a time. Visit Koleen's website at www.speakkolleen.com.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Pexels at Pixabay.

God Chose You, Sins and All!

Janet Thompson is an accomplished author of many books on many topics that point us to the goodness and faithfulness of God. In this Easter-is-coming UPLIFT post, Janet reminds us of the reason for the cross, and the joy of being chosen by the Lord for redemption from our past.

"Imagine an opportunity," Janet says, "to write your past sins on a slip of paper and nail it to a wooden cross. A symbolic visual that the purpose of the brutal crucifixion and glorious resurrection was to afford you and m, the opportunity for repentance and forgiveness!

"Yet still, we can’t imagine that anyone, even Jesus, could forgive our past."

I (Dawn) once attended a women's conference where the women did exactly that. On a file card, we each wrote some sins the Lord was speaking to us about, and then we nailed them to a tall, rough, wooden cross.

I was a spiritual mess at that point, and I remember thinking, "How many cards can I have?"

Janet continues . . .

Mary Magdalene was a woman with a tortured past. People, especially in her own town of Magdala, knew this Mary as the woman possessed by seven demonic spirits.

We don’t know what kind of life she led before we meet her in Scripture or how she became demon possessed.

Was she part of the occult or witchcraft?

Was she addicted to mind-altering drugs like opium or alcohol?

Somehow, some way, evil spirits overtook her mind, body, and soul. Evil oppressed and possessed her.

And then . . . Jesus came to town.

He saw her wretched life and took pity and compassion on her as He called her to Him, surprising everyone trying their best to avoid her. But He wanted to do something miraculous for them to see.

At the sound of His voice, all seven demons that had made their home in her body vanished. What a transformation! How could anyone deny He was who He said he was with such a dramatic example of His healing and restoring powers!

Set free from spiritual bondage and oppression, her eyes sparkled and a joyous smile lit up her face as she felt the surge of good replace evil in her spirit.

How could she ever repay this teacher and healer who cared enough about her to give her a renewed life?

She would devote herself to serving and following Jesus wherever He went, sharing her story with others living a miserable life, as hers was before Jesus. They too could overcome their past and become a new person with the help of Jesus Christ.

As she stood in the crowds that surrounded Jesus while He was teaching, she frequently told her story to whoever would listen. There’s no more compelling testimony than that of someone attesting to the bondage of living a sinful, burdened, afflicted, hellish life before meeting Jesus and then joyfully celebrating the peaceful person they’ve become.

“Look at me now!”

Mary Magdalene never wavered in her trust and belief in Jesus during his ministry, and so it was that she woefully suffered and grieved, watching her cherished teacher and healer tortured and crucified.

How could this happen to the man who gave her life back to her, who healed and helped so many?

Sunday morning after the crucifixion, Mary Magdalene knew she must go with the other women followers to the tomb where they buried Jesus to see him one more time and anoint His body with perfumes and oils after He was so brutally tortured and murdered.

But wait? He isn’t there? The stone is rolled back and the tomb is empty? Where did they take Him?

The other women ran back to tell the disciples.

Mary Magdalene, all alone and sinking to her knees outside the tomb, crying bitter tears, hears a man—probably a gardener—ask her, “Why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”

Thinking the gardener had taken him somewhere, she asks where he took Jesus so she can go get Him.

Then the “gardener” said to her, “Mary.” He called her only by her first name.

This once outcast-of-society, demon-possessed woman, who overcame her past afflictions and never wavered in her commitment to Jesus Christ, was the first person to see and hear Jesus’s resurrected body.

Then she realizes, “I have seen the Lord!”

He chose her.

Like Mary Magdalene, do you remember how it was when you first asked Jesus into your heart?

• When Jesus freed you from your past sins and spiritual bondage?
• How happy and grateful you were?

Your life radically changed. The old life exchanged for a new life in Christ.

If you suffered from effects of addictions or trappings of the past, people now saw joy on your face and a kick in your step. Your countenance was radiant and confident. You were a new creation and excited to tell everyone what knowing Jesus Christ did for you.

You’re still that new creation, so never lose your joy in Christ or tire of telling others about him.

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14).

He chose you!

How does knowing God chose you and redeemed you encourage you today? Does His great love and mercy inspire you to tell others about Him?

Janet Thompson is a speaker and author of 20 books. Janet’s new release is Everyday Brave: Living Courageously As a Woman of Faith. She’s also the author of Mentoring for All Seasons: Sharing Life Experiences and God’s Faithfulness; Forsaken God? Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten; Dear God, Why Can’t I Have a Baby?; Dear God They Say It’s Cancer; Dear God, He’s Home!; Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter; Face-to-Face Bible study Series; and Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry Resources. Sign up for her weekly blog and online newsletter at womantowomanmentoring.com. 

*Article includes excerpts from Everyday Brave.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of CongerDesign at Pixabay.