How to Fish for People

“Come after me and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19

I am so used to hearing the phrase “fishers of men”, that I just take this verse for granted but in the New Living Translation, this verse sounds funny. “Come be my disciples, and I will show you how to fish for people!” I am sure it sounded even funnier to the two brothers, Simon and Andrew, that Jesus issued the invitation to. They were after all, real commercial fishermen, rough and ready, no-nonsense men. What did they think? One would have surmised they would scoff and say, “What in the world are you talking about?” But they immediately left their boat and their nets to follow Jesus. 

A little farther the three men caught up with two other brothers, James and John, who were mending their nets in a boat with their father Zebedee. Jesus called to them too and they immediately followed him, leaving their boat and their father behind. 

How about us? We may be a rough and ready no-nonsense person, or a “kikay” stylishly feminine woman, or an introvert who prefers his or her own company. Whatever we are, Jesus issues the same invitation. Do we step out of our boats, our comfort zone, and take one step at a time to follow Him? I believe that if we do, we will have the adventure of a lifetime! Jesus is that kind of a leader! If our hearts are open to receive His teaching we will never know where He will lead us. His plans for us are bigger and better than any we can concoct for ourselves! 

Wedding Feast

“Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” Revelation 19:9

Sometimes we have the idea that heaven is a nice, quiet peaceful place where harps are playing and angels are flitting delicately around. Reading the Book of Revelation destroys that idea completely. St. John the apostle writes in the 19th chapter that he heard a sound of a vast crowd in heaven SHOUTING, “Hallelujah! Salvation is from our God. Glory and power belong to Him alone.” Again and again their voices rang, “Hallelujah!”. The shout of the huge crowd sounded like the roar of mighty ocean waves. “Let us be glad and rejoice!” 

These sounds of victory from a huge crowd reminds me of what happened yesterday in Araneta Coliseum when the UP Fighting Maroons beat the valiant Adamson Soaring Falcons. Before the win, the fighting was intense, and no one could predict the winner of the back and forth battle with several heart-stopping ties. I can imagine the saints and angels in heaven looking down at what is happening on earth. The stakes are high and there are small and big wars every where on the earth. But the battle is for hearts and minds and souls. If you see the battle on social media, there’s huge amounts of money funding fake news, misinformation and deception on a global scale. That’s just a small part of the battle. 

But just like today, we know UP won, we also know the good side will win against evil. What we have to make sure is we are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb because that is how we get into heaven and the victorious side. To get invited to the Feast, we have to know the Bridegroom, Jesus, and we have to prepare our attire, the finest white linen, which represents the good deeds of God’s people (Rev. 19:8). 

Victory!!!

“On the sea of glass were standing those who had won the victory over the beast and its image and the number that signified its name.” 

Revelation 15:2

St. John the apostle saw many amazing visions that unveiled and hid at the same time God’s truth about the persecution of God’s people, the last judgement and heaven. The revelations, from the Greek “apokalypsis” are terrible but shows that the once-humiliated and despised lamb of God who was slain, will destroy evil once and for all, and bring eternal good to pass. It is our certain hope, that even as we see evil men reigning now and showing off their power, eventually we will see goodness, love and peace victorious over sin and death. 

It is good to meditate on this, that one day, if we persevere here on earth, we will join God’s faithful ones standing on the crystal sea. How do we persevere? By doing God’s will. By being generous, by praying and reading God’s Word every day, by serving God’s people, and walking the path of the pilgrim. Each of us has our own path to heaven, but we are never alone. God walks with us and He will do everything in His power to bring us home. 

St. Paul wrote the Philippians: “I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion.” And even Jesus said, “Those whom You have given Me, I have lost none of them, not one ." (John 18:9) What a wonderful promise from our Savior! 

Not One Stone

“As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” Luke 21:6

As we come to the end of the Liturgical Year, the Catholic daily readings are more and more about Jesus’ Second Coming. In this passage, people were admiring Herod’s Temple and remarking on the costly stones that adorned it. The historian Josephus wrote that Herod liked to perpetuate his name by his building projects. He constructed many buildings and temples to other gods but his crowning glory was the Temple in Jerusalem. The Temple he built for the Jews was magnificent and many wealthy people donated gold, silver and gems to decorate it. Even the gates were masterpieces covered in gold, silver or Corinthian bronze that shone brightly in the morning sun. 

Since the offerings continued during the 1 1/2 year construction of the main Temple, 1000 priests were employed for construction for none but priests could enter the Holy of Holies. Construction of the massive edifice continued for 80 years. So when Jesus said that one day, not one stone would be left of the impressive structure, Jesus’ followers were naturally aghast. “When will this happen?” they asked. 40 years after, in 70 AD, the Temple would be destroyed by fire in the siege of Jerusalem led by Titus. Josephus wrote that a city of great magnificence was a desert, “For the war had laid all signs of beauty quite waste.”

The poignant lesson we can take from all this is that the mightiest man who builds monuments for himself will become dust. The grandest schemes and the most brilliant plans are temporary and fleeting. A dictator can rant and rave, and put people in prison, but he too will have to face God one day and account for all his actions. 

We too will have to face God and every deed done in darkness will be revealed. “For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.” (Luke 8:17) “For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Ecc. 12:14) Advent is a good time to recollect, to prepare for Jesus’ coming into our hearts.

Saving Money in Heaven

“Jesus noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins.” Luke 21:2

Sometimes we do not give help, monetary or otherwise, because we are ashamed to give just a little. The poor widow that Jesus noticed one day in the temple shows us that it is not the amount we give, but what God sees in our hearts. He saw rich people giving out of their surplus wealth, but the poor woman gave out of her need. She gave her whole livelihood. 

God does not need our money, our time, our treasure. When our kids are small, and we give them something they really like, a chocolate bar, or a doughnut, and we ask for a little bit, sometimes they refuse. “This is mine,” they say. It’s funny because they would not have the treat if not for us. We are the source of all the chocolate bars and doughnuts and we can take it away. And if we really wanted, we could buy a whole car of candy for ourselves! We don’t need the candy, but sometimes we ask so our kids can learn to share and be generous and unselfish. 

Isn’t that exactly what happens with God who is the source of everything, every little thing we have? Our breath, our heartbeats, our intelligence, our money? In the Bible, He teaches us to be generous with our time, our money and resources, not because He needs it, but because it’s good for us. There are so many promises in the Bible that come with being generous. They are like blank checks to encash in the bank of heaven. Giving draws us closer to God for where our treasure is, that is where our heart is (Matthew 6:21). If we are faithful in whatever we have, even if it is a little, then God will reward us in heaven (Luke 16:11). Generosity brings God’s blessing, increases our happiness, expands our influence, and brings prosperity (Proverbs 22:9, Proverbs 11:24-25, 2 Corinthians 9:11a and so many more). 

We cannot take any of our money, our time, or any of our resources to heaven with us. If I buy clothes, shoes, a car for myself, I really lose all of it in the economy of heaven. BUT if I help someone in need, buy food for prisoners, give money to missionaries, tithe for God’s work, we do not lose any of that money. Instead we are sending it ahead for our eternity in heaven. Here are Jesus’ own words in Luke 16:9, “Here's the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your earthly possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.” 

St. Andrew Dūng-Lac

“Here are my two witnesses...then they heard a loud voice from heaven say to them, ‘Come up here’. So they went up to heaven.” 

Revelation 11:4-12

There are many strange happenings in the Book of Revelation. In the 4th chapter John writes about two witnesses who gives testimony, and are slain by the enemy. But they rise from the dead and are called up to heaven. Even today there are many brave martyrs of the faith in China, Africa, and even in the US, who get persecuted for standing up for the Gospel. 

Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Andrew Dūng-Lac and 116 other Vietnamese, Spaniards, and French men and women who were martyred for their Catholic faith from 1820 to 1862 in Vietnam. Thousands more were persecuted, their lands confiscated and their churches destroyed. Beginning in 1832, the Emperor Minh-Mang expelled all foreign missionaries and all the Vietnamese Christians were compelled to renounce their faith by stomping on the crucifix. 

St. Andrew was a Vietnamese Catholic priest. Although he was born to a poor, pagan family, he received a Christian education and was baptized. He was ordained a priest on March 1823. He was a passionate preacher and his congregation loved him. The first time he was imprisoned, his parishioners collected money to buy his freedom. He was arrested again and again, until in December 1839, he along with other Christians were beheaded after severe torture. 

About 130 thousand were martyred for their Catholic faith between 1625 and 1886. The persecution and tortures they experienced included cutting off limbs joint by joint, ripping their bodies apart with red hot tongs, beheading and even being burned alive. 

I can’t help thanking God that we are able to pray, worship Him in our Churches and homes, and even evangelize without fear of being jailed or tortured. But do we have that fervent, burning faith and hope in God? Or are we too complacent and take this gift of faith for granted? If we want God to call us, “Come up here!”, we should  do our part to be His witness and testify to the Gospel. 

The Joy of my Heart

“Your decrees are my inheritance forever; the joy of my heart they are.” Psalm 119:111

Psalm 119 is one of the most fascinating Psalms in the Bible. One can tell that whoever wrote it absolutely delighted in God’s Word and was overcome with how beautiful and precious it was. Unlike other Psalms, the writer did not include his name. He wrote all 176 verses to form an acrostic poem, dividing the verses into 22 stanzas, one for each of the characters in the Hebrew alphabet. The psalm is also known by its first verse beginning with the first character “Aleph”, "Ashrei temimei derech" ("Happy are those whose way is perfect"). 

How wonderful to be as entranced by God’s Word and His promises as the author of Psalm 119. When we read the verses aloud, we can put ourselves in his place. “In the way of Your decrees I rejoice, as much as in all riches! Yes, Your decrees are my delight; they are my counselors! The law of Your mouth is to me more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces. How sweet to my palate are Your promises, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” 

Like the author, we can set our heart steadfastly on God’s Words and promises. When we meditate on them, we can be sure that our eyes will be turned away from worthless things, and His Word will light our path. 

He Began to Cry

“...He began to cry.” Luke 19:41

When Jesus drew near to Jerusalem, He began to cry. Seeing a grown man cry, it is heartbreaking. Sometimes my father cries when he thinks of my mom who passed away in February 2014. I can’t bear to see my him cry. He never cried when I was young, but now that he is 92, he cries about the past. 

Jesus cried because of what he saw in Jerusalem’s future. He lamented, “If this day you only knew what makes for peace- but now it is too late, peace is hidden from your eyes...because you did not recognize the time of your visitation. You have rejected the opportunity God offered you.” 

How about us? Perhaps there are things we regret about our past. Maybe there are unresolved issues, people we have not forgiven or reconciled with. Let us not carry our burdens into the future. Let us take the opportunities God offers us today to be free, unencumbered, victorious. God shows us the way of peace, but we are sometimes too proud to see it. 

Lord, help me to choose Your way, the way of peace and love, compassion and understanding. May we have the grace to recognize and be grateful for all the opportunities You give us each day to be a blessing to others. Show us the way.

WOYWW: Give Love Away

I’m preparing for a workshop entitled “Learn how to make your Life Map”. It’s like a lesson on how to make a Vision Board but nothing on the Law of Attraction. It’s really about partnering with God to set down goals for 2019. 

“Invest this until I get back.” Luke 19:13

Some would say that the Parable of the Talents, where a rich man gives his servants money before going on a trip, is about love. When the rich man comes back, he asks for an accounting of how they invested the money and the servants who increased the amount of money were lauded, “Well done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful in this small matter, take charge of ten cities!” God wants us to share the love and the gifts He has surrounded us with, and when we do, it has a multiplying effect. 

One of the most poignant true stories about sacrificial love was born out of the horrors of the Vietnam war. Mortar rounds landed on an orphanage run by a missionary group in a small village and some orphans were killed, many were wounded. 

An American Navy doctor and nurse arrived in response to a call for help. They found one young girl who was the most critically injured. She would die if she did not receive a blood transfusion. A quick test showed that several of the orphans were a match in blood type. Using pidgin Vietnamese, high school French and sign language, the doctor and nurse tried to explain that they needed a blood donor or the girl would die. 

The orphans stared listening with wide-eyes and after a long time, one little hand came up slowly, dropped down, and went back up again. The little boy named Heng was quickly laid on a pallet, and a needle inserted in his vein. After some time, Heng sobbed and covered his face with a free hand. “Does it hurt?” Heng shook his head, but sobs kept escaping until he cried steadily. His eyes were screwed tightly shut and his fist was in his mouth in an effort to stifle his sobs. 

When a Vietnamese nurse arrived, she talked to him, and Heng stopped crying and a look of relief spread over his face. The nurse explained to the Americans, “He did not understand you. He thought you were going to take all his blood so the little girl could live.” The Navy nurse asked, “Why did he volunteer?”

When the Vietnamese nurse asked Heng the question, he answered simply, “She’s my friend.” 

“Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for a friend.” (John 15:13) God has given us much. Do we share what we have with others or are we too scared like the servant in the parable, that we keep the love hidden away? 

For my growing collection of prompts, 

inspirations, creative pursuits,

courageous artists and their art, join me here!

or on Facebook and Instagram

Joining the lovely Julia Dunnit for a 

peek at desks and projects!

I find a lot of inspiration

visiting my friends here:

Mondays @ Soul Survival, A Round Tuit
One More Time, Dream Together
Small Wonders, Testimony Tuesday,  Titus 2 Tuesdays, 
Count Your Blessings, Word Art Wednesday, 

 Unite,  Rubie Tuesday Link Up, Be Inspired

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The Weekly Creative, Three Word Wednesday
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Great Blog Train Bloghop, Cheerleaders of Faith
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Thoughtful Thursday,  Hearts4Home Thursdays, Thought Provoking Thursday
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Thriving Thursdays with Serving Joyfully

Thursday Favorites, Desire to Inspire Legacy Leaver Thursday
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Creative Things, Bloom! Soul Survival, Inspiration Gallery
Hearts for Home Thursday

Dance with Jesus Friday, Lyli Dunbar, Fresh Market Link up
Grace & Truth Link Up, Dance with Jesus
Glimpses of His Beauty

Blessings!

Patsy  

Zacchaeus, Come on Down!

 "Zaccheus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house," Luke 19:5

I've read this story about Zacchaeus, the tax collector, so many times and each time I picture in my head a short, funny man, a cartoon like character, with no dignity.

But the other side of Zaccheus, I never thought about. After all, he was a real person just like Jesus is real, not a cartoon character. Zacchaeus was probably a smart man, intelligent, to get to be one of the most influential tax collectors. And because he was shunned and despised, he was probably lonely. And perhaps he had dignity of another kind. He was very rich, extremely wealthy, and his clothes would have been of the finest cloth and tailoring. 

It must have taken a lot for him to climb a tree to see Jesus. He had to shed his pride. He became like a child again. In Matthew 18:3, Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will NEVER enter the Kingdom of Heaven." 

Jesus saw Zacchaeus' heart. The eagerness, the longing to be accepted by Jesus, the willingness to give up the life he had. And so Jesus, looking up said, "I'm going to stay at your house today!" And Zacchaeus was like a little kid, unmindful of what he must have looked like, scrambling down the tree, eagerly, joyfully.

Jesus always sees that part of us, no matter how small, that longs to please Him. That part of our heart that desires to be united with the One who loves us best. And when He sees that, He invites us, "Today I want to stay at your house!" It doesn't matter what we've done before. If we clamber down from our indifference, our pride, our selfishness, in humility and determination, eagerly, joyfully, Jesus will come to stay in our heart!

Reading Scripture Aloud

“Blessed is the one who reads aloud and blessed are those who listen to this prophetic message and heed what is written in it...” Revelation 1:3

I do not read the Book of Revelation very often, and when I do it seems as if I need a key to unlock it. But today, verse 1:3 jumped out at me. Blessed is he who reads these words of prophecy ALOUD and blessed is he who hears it and takes it to heart.

There are definitely benefits to reading aloud to children. Carl Sagan said that, “One of the greatest gifts adults can give – to their offspring and to their society – is to read to children.” Reading aloud builds their vocabulary, and increases their attention span. It gives enjoyment and the quality time spent together strengthens relationships between the child and the adult. But how about when we read to ourselves or when we listen to an audio version of the Bible or when we listen to the Word of God in Church? 

In the letter of Paul to the Romans, he writes that, “Faith comes from hearing the Word of God” (10:17). I usually do not read the Bible aloud, but when I do, I am definitely more immersed in the story or the lesson. I believe reading aloud makes us focus more on what we are reading, and therefore makes us understand more. When we read we may find deeper layers of meaning than if we read silently because sometimes we have a tendency to read fast and even skim over parts we are familiar with. I am definitely guilty of that! 

So if we want to be more intentional in growing our faith, this is one easy, guaranteed way to do it! 

Path to Life

“You will show me the path to life, fullness of joy in Your presence...” Psalm 16:11

The reason why I like waking up early is because every morning God meets me where I am and shows me more of His “path to life”. There is so much in Scriptures one cannot see at first reading. The Bible used to bore me and I could not spend even 5 minutes reading it. I suppose it was a case of “pearls before swine” (Matthew 7:6), and it took years for my eyes to open to see not only the strands of pearls, but the many treasures in the Old and New Testaments. 

In the Gospel reading for today, Mark 13:24-32, Jesus says, “Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When it’s branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you will know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that He is near at the gates.” Jesus was speaking of signs of His coming again. One of the signs is widespread apostasy, or abandoning faith in God. We see that today everywhere! 

In II Timothy 3:1-5, St. Paul writes, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.”

In I Thessalonians 5:2-3, we read, “For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,' destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.” 

Reading the Bible can be fascinating. It’s like a treasure hunt, but it’s a real live hunting down of clues to get real treasure at the end of our life on earth. The amazing things Indiana Jones found are nothing compared to the treasures in store for us who believe in Jesus and follow Him! 

The Sin of Indifference

“...pray always without becoming weary.” 

Luke 18:1

Prayer to me is putting on the armor God gives us and going out into the battlefield. We don’t see the enemy but they are legion and they are out to destroy us in any way they can. They look for chinks in our armor, in our mind, in situations. They strike with deception and a lot of fake news to discourage us and make us lose hope. They are still the crafty and subtle “serpents” that Eve encountered in the garden of Eden. “Did God really say...” they whisper in the battlefield of our minds. “Is God really listening to your prayers? How can you change anything with your prayers!”

We need to focus like the widow in today’s parable. She kept bothering the dishonest judge to render a just decision for her, even if the judge was ignoring her for a long time. Eventually, because of her persistence, the judge ruled in favor of her. Jesus said that God will do likewise for those who call out to Him day and night. 

I like the story of Father Robert Barron about FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students. He said that these young people are always so enthusiastic and energetic. Once when he found a group of these missionaries in the University of Arizona, he asked them what their current project was. They answered, “We want to convert the most popular person in campus this year.” “And who’s that?” “The quarterback of the football team. We meet every morning and pray for his conversion.” “How is it going so far?” 

“We haven’t converted him yet, but we’ve converted his girlfriend and his roommate.” Father Barron smiled at them, “You’ve got him surrounded. It’s only a matter of time.” Yes, it’s only a matter of time. If we put on our armor, focus, and pray, God will surprise us. We should not lose hope, but be animated by our faith, excited to be in the thick of the battle. There are so many things to pray for. It’s obvious that in our country, we should not be complacent. Our enemy is working overtime to destroy truth, to destroy even our basic freedoms. Tyranny is rearing it’s ugly head and we see so many people just going with the flow. 

St. Maximilian Kolbe said, “Indifference is the greatest sin of the 20th century”. It’s still the greatest sin today.  We have a powerful, magnificent weapon in our hands. Let us not be weary about using it! Inside each of us is a warrior! Let us go unafraid into battle! 

He is No Fool

"Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it." Luke 17:33

When I read this verse I am reminded of Jim Elliot who wrote this in one of his notebooks, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose". Jim was one of 5 missionaries who were speared to death in their attempt to evangelize the Auca Indians in the jungles of Ecuador. For weeks they had been circling the tribe from their plane, speaking through a megaphone and offering gifts by lowering a basket. Eventually the Indians started giving them gifts as well, a live parrot, a cooked monkey leg, a half eaten banana, which they would also put in the basket. 

Jim and his companions were well aware that the Auca tribe was violent and dangerous, "Auca" being the Quechua word for "savage". Their primary aim in Ecuador was to evangelize the Quechua Indians but when they heard about the unreached Auca, they wanted to try and evangelize them too. Jim believed that his work for Jesus was more important than his life or his family. He had a wife, Elisabeth and a daughter Valerie. After Jim's death, Elisabeth continued his work with the Quechua Indians and eventually was able to witness some of those who killed Jim and his 4 other companions come to Christ. 

We will all lose our life one day. What do we spend our days and weeks and years doing? Do we give our time for what has eternal value? 

Be Gracious

Painting a jar for my PowerPoint presentation. I’m doing a workshop toward the end of the month called “Life Map”. 

“...exercising graciousness toward everyone.” Titus 3:2

When I went through the readings for today, this verse jumped out at me. Yesterday I was anything but gracious to the Customer Service Representative of Globe Telecom. I shouted and told her their company was “patay gutom”, so greedy for money. Poor lady, it wasn’t her fault but she bore the brunt of what the first rep did not do, give full instructions about what to do to close an account. Anyway, CSRs are my pet peeve and I always fail the test. A really, really horrible example! I put it on my list of things to confess next time I go to confession. 

St. Paul’s letter to Titus, whom he left on the island of Crete to help strengthen the church there, included what to instruct believers in basic Christian teaching. Some of what Paul wrote includes, “They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good. They must not speak evil of anyone, be peaceable, considerate, exercising all graciousness toward everyone.” Of course we want to do all that, and to be seen by others as an excellent role model. But when we fall short, what do we do? We get up from the mud and try harder. 

The key to trying harder I think is to grow a heart full of gratitude. When we are thankful for everything, all people, all our circumstances, we will be kinder, and more understanding. We will not feel entitled to insult others, or quarrel them. We will be more generous and more forgiving. After all, we all need each other. 

The Parable of Freddie Mercury

“...reject Godless ways...live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age...” Titus 2:12

The underlying theme of St. Paul’s letter to Titus is the need for righteous Christian living in the midst of an evil world. If we think the world today is hostile to Christians and full of corruption and deception, it was the same in Paul’s time. 

I can’t help thinking the fascinating life of Freddie Mercury, the main character of the biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, could have been one of the parables Jesus told. “There once was a man, so gifted and talented, that he had the whole world at his feet. When he would sing and strut on the stage, tens of thousands would sing and dance with him. But when he was alone with his cats in his magnificent Georgian mansion in London’s upscale Kensington borough, he was tormented by demons and loneliness. He thought that crowding his house with music and drinking, and guests and raucous laughter, would fill the emptiness in his heart. He thought that tempestuous relationships would still the hunger inside him for more, but only betrayal and disaster greeted him.”

What do we fill our life with? What do we hunger for? Freddie Mercury’s life shows that even if we attain the highest peak in our career, and could have anything in the world money can buy, we still would not have the peace and joy we need to live a full, satisfying life. St. Augustine said it best, “Our hearts are restless until it finds its rest in Thee”

Clean Hands

“Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord? or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart...” Psalm 24:3-4

In 1847 the concept of germs bringing infection was unheard of. Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis observed that pregnant women avoided the student-run clinics and preferred to give birth in the streets because the mortality rate was so high in the clinics. It was almost inevitable that the women died of puerperal fever, an infection of the female reproductive organs. He concluded that the students brought something into the clinic from the mortuary where they performed autopsies. He ordered the students to wash their hands in a chlorinated lime solution before every examination. The death rate dropped from 18% to 1%! 

The amazing thing is Dr. Semmelweis was ostracized and ridiculed because doctors refused to believe their hands were dirty. The wrath of the medical community drove the wise doctor out of Vienna into an insane asylum where he died 14 days after at the age of 47 years old. 

In Psalm 24, we learn that it is only those whose hands are clean and whose heart is pure who can go up God’s mountain and keep company with Him. We cannot claim to have clean hands and a pure heart unless we wash our hands and heart. Just as Dr. Semmelweis advises, we have to do this all the time, because we always come from the mortuary of the world. Just as in the good doctor’s time, many people today ridicule God’s Words and bullheadedly do their own thing. 

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16) 

Let us go to Jesus all the time so He may wash us in His blood, and bathe us in His mercy.