As the story goes, Jack’s spirit (or his heart) indeed went on; it “lived” within Rose’s heart, remaining with her for the rest of her days.  This is why, 84 years later, as a venerable women reflecting back on her experience on Titanic, she could say of Jack that: “He saved me in every way a person could be saved.”  Her encounter with Jack on Titanic changed her in that moment, but also altered the trajectory of her entire life.

What is true of a fictional movie hero is all the more true of the Son of God.   An encounter with Jesus in the flesh changes his followers (then and now) forever, but Jesus knows that we must ultimately let go of him in the flesh so we are prepared to fully embrace the Holy Spirit when it comes upon us.

God comes to us in the flesh in Jesus but his heart goes on through the Holy Spirit.

While Jesus was confined to the flesh, he was limited in his reach, and thus, his followers were limited too.  But once the second person of the Trinity returned to the place he temporarily advocated to come to dwell among us, that limitation was gone.  Jesus was no longer confined to a physical body; he was now free to resume the form he had from the beginning—spirit.   This freedom of movement means everything for the growth of the Church.

Through the coming of the third person of the Trinity—the Holy Spirit—God could now be with every believer anywhere—at any time.  Jesus could now truly fulfill his promise to be with us no matter where we are or what we do.

Can you see how this is necessary for the pages of Acts to come to pass? Jesus “gives birth” to the Church but it is the Spirit that accompanies and empowers its growth. The Spirit helps to transform a confused band of followers into some of the world’s most powerful evangelists—Acts 2:14-42 is an example of Peter’s transformation—who took the Gospel to the corners of the known world.

The Holy Spirit went ahead of them preparing the way, it accompanied them on their journey helping them overcome many obstacles along their path, and it stayed behind in the communities they established along the way. As it was then, so it continues today.  God’s heart still goes on… The Spirit empowers our own unique journeys of discovery to fulfill our God-given purpose—to become the fullest expression of the person we were created to be.  Holy Spirit come…

Alan Ward lives in Baltimore and tells the story of NASA Science for a living, but telling God’s story brings him fully alive. Much of his writing challenges us to look for the threads of glory in our daily lives—those moments when our stories connect with God’s story and those experiences that ”shape” the person we are becoming. His other callings are as husband to Laurie (a United Methodist pastor) and father to Becca and Brady. His writings can be found at Alan’s Corner: http://bigalscorner.blogspot.com.

When Jesus ascended into heaven (hence the name, Ascension) the disciples weren’t quite sure what to think. Jesus had been their teacher and friend for three years, so it must have been hard for them to let go.  I had to let my infant daughter go two days after she was born; I only really knew her for two days, but it was heart-wrenching to say goodbye.  Most of us know what it’s like to lose a good friend or family member to death. There is pain in the separation… in the letting go.

So, undoubtedly, it was hard for those early followers to let go.  Jesus had tried to prepare them for what he knew was going to happen but his followers were notoriously slow learners—though in fairness, would we have done better?  For example, he said that: Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies it can’t produce a harvest of wheat—John 12:24.  He also talked to them about the Spirit or Advocate that was going to come comfort, counsel, and guide them see John 14 & 16—but that the Spirit couldn’t come until he left them—John 14:26.

It seems clear the disciples weren’t really prepared for the events that followed the crucifixion, and that they didn’t fully grasp exactly what was happening when Jesus left them.  Even though Jesus promised not to leave them orphans—John 14:18—on the Day of Ascension, it may very well have felt like he was doing just that.  If I were them, I might well have felt abandoned too—having given three years my life to this cause only to be left alone to figure out where we go from here. He had come back from the dead, hadn’t he?  Why go through all that if he wasn’t going to stay?  What’s all this talk about spirit? Why was it so important to stay in Jerusalem, again?

Ten days later, they found out the answer to at least some of their questions.  The gathered community had what is best described as a powerful experience of God’s Presence in their midst.  Believers from all over were gathered for the Feast of Pentecost; they spoke a multitude of languages between them, but suddenly “something” happened, and after that, they could communicate with each other.  Luke portrays it as a reversal of the Curse of Babel—compare Genesis 11:1-9 and Acts 2:1-13.  This scene sets in motion the story, told in Acts, of the Church’s rapid expansion from Jerusalem, to all Judaea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth.

(Later on the Jesus Boat Blog: “God’s Heart Will Go On”)

Alan Ward lives in Baltimore and tells the story of NASA Science for a living, but telling God’s story brings him fully alive. Much of his writing challenges us to look for the threads of glory in our daily lives—those moments when our stories connect with God’s story and those experiences that ”shape” the person we are becoming. His other callings are as husband to Laurie (a United Methodist pastor) and father to Becca and Brady. His writings can be found at Alan’s Corner: http://bigalscorner.blogspot.com.

Jack: Winning that ticket, Rose, was the best thing that ever happened to me… it brought me to you. And I’m thankful for that, Rose. I’m thankful. You must do me this honor. Promise me you’ll survive. That you won’t give up, no matter what happens, no matter how hopeless. Promise me now, Rose, and never let go of that promise.
Rose: I promise.
Jack: Never let go.
Rose: I’ll never let go, Jack. I’ll never let go.

At first, Rose literally doesn’t let go.  She clings to Jack’s body even as she struggles to remain afloat and conscious, even as hope of rescue seems to be fading fast.  But then, she hears it!  First she thinks she is dreaming, but then she hears it again! A voice calls out in the darkness, and then there is a light.  Now Rose realizes that in order to fulfill her promise to survive she must let go of her lover’s physical body so she can embrace life the way Jack wanted.

So Rose lets go of Jack’s body, but she never lets go of his spirit—it lives within her empowering her to do what comes next and staying with her the rest of her life.

Summoning every ounce of her remaining strength, Rose manages to blow a whistle and paddle toward the light, catching the attention of the search party.  At what seems like the last possible moment, Rose is plucked from the water and becomes one of the survivors of the greatest maritime disaster of all time.  She would go on to marry and have children but she would never forget her encounter with Jack—it forever impacted her life—and she never let go of the promise she made to Jack that fateful night.  Jack’s insatiable spirit lived on and inspired and empowered Rose to live her life to the full!

(Next on the Jesus Boat Blog:  Jesus’ followers let go of him and receive the empowering and inspiring gift of the Holy Spirit.)

Alan Ward lives in Baltimore and tells the story of NASA Science for a living, but telling God’s story brings him fully alive. Much of his writing challenges us to look for the threads of glory in our daily lives—those moments when our stories connect with God’s story and those experiences that ”shape” the person we are becoming. His other callings are as husband to Laurie (a United Methodist pastor) and father to Becca and Brady. His writings can be found at Alan’s Corner: http://bigalscorner.blogspot.com.

I cannot begin to describe the release, affirmation, and strength I felt when the women started praying and asking God, on my behalf, to provide direction, reassurance and guidance in my life. One woman prayed the words of Isaiah 30:21 which says “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”  She asked God to hold me tight on the left and on the right so that I would only be able to move forward in His path.  Another woman asked that God clear my mind and allow me to focus not on what others think about my decisions, but instead focus on what God wants me to do.

It was amazing that even though I did not voice these specific fears, the women seemed to understand and know just what to pray for. What a humbling experience. My heart overflowed with thanks to the Father for loving me and blessing me through these women and for the reminder that I am never alone in this journey.

I Thessalonians 5:11 tells us to “encourage one another and build each other up” in prayer. Even as I write this, several people I need to pray for come to mind. How about you? Is God placing someone on your heart to pray for? Send that person a note and let them know you are praying for them! There’s no better way to encourage others than through prayer!

Amanda Johnson is a freelance writer and a ministry assistant with a non-profit organization that reaches women across the world. She also serves as assistant editor with Ruby for Women, an online magazine for women of all ages. Her blog Forever In Him can be found at http://www.foreverinhimministries.com

What is Scriptural meditation?
Meditating is different from studying or even memorizing Scripture.  It’s a practice of reflecting on Scripture that allows us to contemplate a verse or phrase while asking the Holy Spirit to instruct and fill our minds with the truth of God’s word.  Because of this, it’s the opposite of Eastern forms of meditation, which seek to empty the mind and offer no hope.  It’s not a method of escape from the world, it’s a way to seek God’s voice in order to faithfully engage our world.

How to Meditate on Scripture

• Select a scripture verse to contemplate.  I’ve provided some verses on “waiting” below.
• Find a quiet place and a quiet time.  Early morning, before the family gets up, is a good fit for my busy life
• Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help in quieting all outside thoughts and push the cares of the day away. (Repeat this as often as necessary.)
• Slowly read and reread your verse.  Stop and contemplate the words. Ask how they can speak to you right now.
• Quiet your heart and wait. Allow God to speak.
• End your time with praise and thanksgiving.
• Don’t expect results or answers every time.  Sometimes you’ll receive an insight.  Other times you’re just cultivating a stillness that draws you closer to God.
• Contemplate a different verse every day–or contemplate the same verse for a year.  All Scripture is God-breathed and useful… (2 Timothy 3:16)

Verses on Waiting
Are you experiencing a time of waiting when you aren’t sure what to do?  Experience this as a time of preparation–not a trial–and draw strength from meditating on these verses.

• O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress (Psalm 59:9 NIV)
• Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.  (Psalm 62:5 NIV)
• I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. (Micah 7:7 NIV)
• Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! (Psalm 27:14 NKJV)
• I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:10)

Karen Wilber serves as the Editor of the Jesus Boat Blog community.

The author of Hebrews in chapter eleven spoke about the saints’ [of old] overcoming faith. “Who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violent fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong”(33-34).

How does weakness make us strong?

The Apostle Paul was given a gift from God delivered by Satan: a thorn in his flesh. He pleaded with God three times to remove the suffering and pain. The Lord answered his requests by saying, “My strength is made perfect in weakness”. Afterward Paul declared, “therefore I take pleasures in needs, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:9-10).

The gospel is full of seeming contradictions; the first are last, to save your life lose it and strength comes from weakness. “For though Jesus was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God” (2 Cor 13:4).

God wants to purify our hearts. We need to embrace His wisdom and guidance like the Apostle Paul. As we empty ourselves and become totally dependent upon Him, our weaknesses become strength to glorify Him. “

“Build me a son, oh Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid. One that will be proud and unbending in defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.”
—-General Douglas MacArthur

Anna Darlene Free Edmondson and her husband make their home in Tifton, Ga USA. where they raised their children Annalee, Elijah, Luke and Gabriel.  Her joy is bird and deer watching.

But what about real waiting?  Waiting that takes days, months, or years?

In Ruth Graham’s book, In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart, she discusses a time when she couldn’t wait.  Having come through a difficult time, she was ready to move on to something new.  She knew she should wait for the Lord’s leading (for which she prayed), but she was in a hurry to get out of an uncomfortable time of transition.  She rushed into important, life-changing decisions (marriage, relocation) with consequences that deeply affected her family.

The Israelites weren’t good at waiting. (Exodus 32) The longer Moses took to come down from Mt. Sinai, the more impatient they became.  Instead of waiting for God’s direction, they created their own god in the likeness of a golden calf.  Had Moses not pleaded with the Lord, he might have destroyed them in his anger.

Saul wasn’t good at waiting.  (1 Samuel 13) Samuel was slow in coming to Gilgal and Saul’s troops were leaving him.  Instead of waiting for God’s direction, Saul sacrificed the burnt offerings himself.  In return for disobedience, God ended Saul’s line by choosing David to become king.

Waiting is uncomfortable.  It feels unproductive and stagnant.  However, to paraphrase Ecclesiastes 3, there is a time to move and a time to wait.  We can get into trouble when we try to move into action too quickly–just to be moving.

Waiting is a discipline.  It must be practiced.  Waiting requires us to cultivate stillness in our hearts so that we’re open to God’s leading, even if we have to wait a long time.

Waiting doesn’t mean just sitting around. There are disciplines that will help you wait and prepare your heart for God’s leading:

• Maintain a devotional time and share your frustrations with God; ask for patience
• Meditate on Scripture
• Eliminate tasks that only fill time; become less “busy” and cultivate stillness
• Schedule time to relax and reflect
• Seek wise counsel from those who know and love you

Have faith that God will move you when he is ready.  His timing is always perfect.

Karen Wilber serves as the Editor of the Jesus Boat Blog community.

It is God’s love that continues to surround us as we feel ourselves falling apart. It is God’s love that directs our feet back to the path He has for us. It is God’s love that provides the ultimate security and promise of eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ.

The enemy is very quick to fill our already unsteady thoughts with the idea that our Father doesn’t love us, but we must hold on to scripture that proves otherwise. God’s love is not based on our actions. In fact, there is nothing we can do to earn or lose His love. “God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Zephaniah 3:17 reassures us that “The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Imagine, the Creator of the Universe singing over us with joy! What an incredible truth and mental picture to hang on to. God loves us, rejoices over us with singing, and fights for us! It is my prayer, as it was Paul’s in Ephesians 3:17-19 that we “being rooted and established in love, may have the power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that [we] may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Amanda Johnson is a freelance writer and a ministry assistant with a non-profit organization that reaches women across the world. She also serves as assistant editor with Ruby for Women, an online magazine for women of all ages. Her blog Forever In Him can be found at http://www.foreverinhimministries.com

Some bummers are able to be grafted-in and accepted by a surrogate mother ewe. Ideally, the afterbirth from another newborn can be wrapped around the bummer, causing it to smell like the ewe’s own baby lamb.

When a yeanling becomes a bummer, the herder’s family takes it into their home for nourishment. The rejected lamb is held close to the heart and fed milk from a bottle. The family will care for the little bummer lamb until it is strong enough to live with other sheep.

I will always be a bummer lamb.

The Lord is my shepherd. He draws me close to His heart. He longs to nurture, feed and teach me the good path of life. When I need rest, He lays me down beside quiet waters that calm my weary soul. If I feel rejected, He cradles me in His bosom as His very own child. “I am the Good Shepherd; I know my own sheep. I sacrifice my life for the sheep” (John 10:14-15 NLT).

I am grieving this Mother’s Day because my precious Mom passed from this life to glory just a few days ago. She lives now for all eternity with that ‘Great Shepherd of the Sheep’ (Hebrews 13:20).

We are all bummer lambs. We must completely depend upon the only One who sustains and meets our every need.

“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, he leaves the ninety-nine and searches for the one that is lost until he finds it. When he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders” (Luke 15:4-5).

Anna Darlene Free Edmondson and her husband make their home in Tifton, Ga USA. where they raised their children Annalee, Elijah, Luke and Gabriel.  Her joy is bird and deer watching.

The irony of parenting
When patterns are reversed
As mother stops remembering
The child becomes immersed

In caregiving to comfort her
And tenderly console
With stories of the way they were
The child takes mother’s role

Come softly and with mercy, Lord
The child  of mother prays
May thy great grace abound toward
The rest of Mother’s days

And sings to her a lullaby
While mother falls asleep
To dream of Dad and days gone by
Her memories to keep

Bet Howard Amante is a Minister of the Gospel. In addition to being a poet, Bible teacher/ speaker, deacon of restoration, and member of the praise and worship team at LWC Eastgate Ministries, she also leads a prayer chain ministry, Glory Chain Prayer Ministries.