Ready for the Road Ahead ~ Photography, Faith and the Art of Seeing 13
 
This year Ready for the Road Ahead is taking on a new direction.  It is one that follows the grand theme of sight in all aspects which runs throughout Scripture.  My weekly writings will be excerpts from a book of the same name which should be published (Lord willing) later this year.
 
            Jeff and I were attending a wedding where the reception was being held in a beautiful ballroom.  As is the custom after the meal the bride and groom took to the dance floor to share their first dance as husband and wife.  The guests were invited to form a circle around and on a whim I grabbed my camera and brought it to the dance floor.  I watched the wedding photographer find a low spot with a nice angle and snapped a quick picture of the scene.  It was easy to see all the love surrounding the couple on their special day.

            It could be argued that the Book of Ruth is one of the Bible’s grandest love stories.  Ruth’s love is shown in her willingness to follow Naomi back to Bethlehem.  It would have been acceptable for her to do as Orpah did and return to her family.  In spite of the fact that she will be considered an outsider in Bethlehem Ruth chooses to accompany Naomi.  This was a monumental sacrifice.  Staying with her family offered Ruth some security.  Naomi could guarantee none of that.  But in what are probably some of the most beautiful words of love in the Bible Ruth declares her intent to stay with Naomi (Ruth 1:16-17).  That sacrificial love leads her to gleaning in a field where she catches the attention of Boaz.  Ruth’s sacrificial devotion is rewarded with the same kind of love from Boaz who seeks to marry Ruth after settling a debt issue with the relative who has “first rights” to Elimelech’s land (Lev. 25: 25, 48-49).  In a sense Boaz sacrifices himself for Ruth in that a son from their union will carry on Elimelech’s name and not his own.

            I believe that Ruth, Boaz and Naomi were real people in a real place at a real time.  This story is not just some fairy tale like Cinderella or Snow White.  It really happened.  I also believe that the story of Ruth is a “type”, in essence a Biblical story that mirrors a spiritual truth and foreshadows something even greater.  In this way the real people symbolize a character or attribute of God Himself or humanity or both.  Ruth and Boaz both demonstrate the character and attributes of God in the way that they demonstrate self-sacrificing love.  Ruth pledges herself to Naomi and claims her people and her God to be the same as Naomi’s.  What better picture of Christ than this?  John 1:14 says The Word, that is Christ, became flesh and dwelled with us.  He became one of His people so that we could be His people (John 1:9-13).  Boaz also demonstrated the self-sacrificing love of Christ by giving himself and his resources to her in marriage.  Philippians 2: 5-11 tells us that Christ took on the form of humanity, forsaking His glory in order to be counted as one of us. He didn’t have to do that.  Jesus could have refused to go to the Cross but for the love of us, He gave up His life so that we might live (Jn. 10:11-15; 15:12-13; 1 Jn. 3:16). 

            But what about Naomi?  Who does she represent in this story?  I believe she is a picture of you and me.  We often base our general feelings about life on what we see just as Naomi did.  And we are no different in only seeing what we lack or seeking solutions from our own experience rather than trusting in God.  Like Naomi we are prone to not seeing God at work in our circumstances.  She never saw His guidance and protection which also used the conventions of the day to bring her and Ruth in contact with Boaz.  She didn’t see any of that until she held that grandchild in her arms.  Then she saw what the Lord had been doing all along.  How often do we do the same?  We are so focused on what we do have or what we don’t have that we fail to recognize the all-encompassing love of God (Jn. 3:16-17).  

            I have heard many stories over the years of couples who knew from the first glance that they had found “the one” they would marry.  That was not necessarily the case for Jeff and I but I do remember once during our friendship in high school thinking, “I wouldn’t mind spending the rest of my life with him”.  There was a lot of time that passed between that fleeting thought and the reality of our wedding day but it’s as close to “love at first sight” that I can get in my own love story.  The Bible tells me there is an even greater love story that has taken place between God and His creation and the central figure is Christ.  When Christ saw you and I it was love at first sight and He went to great lengths to make sure we’d be together forever (Eph. 5:1-2; 1 Thes. 4:16-17).

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

Ready for the Road Ahead- Photography, Faith and the Art of Seeing 12
 
This year Ready for the Road Ahead is taking on a new direction.  It is one that follows the grand theme of sight in all aspects which runs throughout Scripture.  My weekly writings will be excerpts from a book of the same name which should be published (Lord willing) later this year.
 
            Although it sounds strange there is a certain amount of seeing that goes on with one’s equipment even before the picture is taken.  You have to see that it’s well-maintained and properly cared for so that when your finger hits the shutter the camera takes the picture the way you want it to.  Camera manufacturers will tell you the best way to do this.  However if you decide not to follow their instructions the resulting effects are on your shoulders if the camera breaks down.  You can complain all you want, but no manufacturer will honor the warranty if you’re the one who caused the problem.  Thankfully God is much more gracious in these matters and the Book of Judges is a prime example of that.

            If there ever was a life that was filled with all the wrong choices it could be argued that Samson holds the title.  When he was born his mother dedicated him to the Lord but as a young adult Samson headed in the completely opposite direction.  He was compulsive, impetuous, quick-tempered and lustful.  The only thread of obedience to God’s law he continued to follow was the Nazarite requirement of not cutting his hair (Num. 6:1-8).  But all that changed when he became enamored with a woman named Delilah.  Delilah eventually discovered that the key to Samson’s amazing strength was his hair (although it was merely a symbol of the power God bestowed upon him).  Delilah figured out a way to cut Samson’s hair without him knowing it and rendered Samson powerless against his foes.  They gouged out Samson’s eyes and threw him in prison.  After all those years of following after whatever he saw Samson could no longer see anything.  Apparently his captors were quite smug about their victory and never bothered to keep that hair trimmed while they held him captive.  I believe two things happened while Samson was their prisoner.  The first and most natural event was that his hair grew back.  But the second and more important was most likely a great deal of personal reflection.  In that dank and disgusting prison of captivity God birthed a new passion in Samson.  Not the passions that drove Samson for the bulk of his life, but a passion to restore and bring honor to God’s Name through his life.  His final prayer before “bringing down the house” was that his sight be avenged.  It carries a double meaning of both physical and spiritual sight and God honors his request (Jud. 13-16).  The men who took away Samson’s sight lose theirs as well (as well as their lives) and in the final act of his life Samson causes his enemies to see that God is the ultimate Judge.

            Even though everything eventually breaks down according to the Law of Entropy and life seems to have some sort of natural planned obsolescence, nature also proves that life can spring forth out of decay.  I’m always fascinated with what ends up growing out of the wood which has been cut and stacked for our wood burning stove.  One would think that since it’s no longer attached to a living tree it would have no value other than to use as fuel.  But somehow little spores and sprouts manage to gain some nutrients from those logs and if I’m inspecting the wood for a photo opportunity I can often find little mushrooms or plants popping up in the softer spots.  To me they become a symbol of how God can cause growth in those times when I recognize my poor eyesight has put me in a spot of death and decay.  Just like the people in the Book of Judges I have done things in the way I think is right but it’s only brought me to a place of oppression (Jud. 16:5).  I cry out to the Lord for help.  The Great Deliverer answers me by pushing up a new sprout out of that soft spot.  Like the prolific psalmist David I could name countless times the Lord has done this.  He is compassionate beyond measure (Ps. 18; 28; 34; 40 and more!).

            When I look at those little plants pushing their way up through the decaying wood on my wood pile and think about the transformation in the life of Samson I’m encouraged.  My vision may be impaired from time to time as seen by my poor choices, but my God is also loving and forgiving.  I know that He can take those places of decay and death and bring them to life because I’ve seen Him do it numerous times before.  No matter how many times I’ve failed He never has.  His warranty of forgiveness and compassion is everlasting.  I’ll take that kind of warranty any time (Rom. 6:15-19; 17:21-25; 1 Cor. 15:50-57; 2 Cor. 14-16; Rev. 21:5-7)!
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.

https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

Ready for the Road Ahead ~ Photography, Faith and the Art of Seeing 11
 
This year Ready for the Road Ahead is taking on a new direction.  It is one that follows the grand theme of sight in all aspects which runs throughout Scripture.  My weekly writings will be excerpts from a book of the same name which should be published (Lord willing) later this year.
 
            I’ve been blessed to travel to Israel three times.  I traveled there to study the land of the Bible which truly was a gift from God.  On my first trip I earned the distinction of the student who took the most pictures- EVER!  I was still using my 35mm SLR camera then and brought home 36 rolls of pictures!  When the opportunity came up to return to Israel during my seminary studies I decided it was to my advantage to look into a simple digital camera.  I had heard that digital cameras could hold hundreds of pictures.  So I invested in an inexpensive Sony Cybershot and a memory card that I was told could hold up to 7,000 pictures.  But, as is typical of a lot of us, I never really bothered to read the manual that came with the camera.  All I wanted to know was which button to push to record the picture!  I had originally thought I’d just bring the Cybershot on my trip, but gut instinct had me packing my SLR camera and a few rolls of film “just in case”.  It’s a good thing I did.  After about 30 pictures, the Cybershot informed me the memory stick was “full”.  What?!  I remember sitting on the tour bus looking at the camera and thinking that this dilemma was a complete mystery.  Why I decided to leave the manual home is beyond me.  Because of that poor decision I had no way of figuring out what the issue was until I returned home and the review screen was so small I was afraid to erase any pictures I’d taken for fear of deleting something important.  But the camera refused to take any more pictures unless I deleted something.  It wasn’t until I returned home that I learned of my erroneous assumption.  Who knew that if I wanted thousands of digital pictures I needed to adjust the way the camera recorded them?  I had a lot to learn about digital photography and lesson #1 was always read the camera manual!
  
          The Book of Leviticus contains many of God’s “rules” but instead of being a master list of all the things we should and shouldn’t do, it is more like an instruction manual that aids us in getting the best out life.  God’s manual emphasizes 6 principles that illustrate our relationship with Him.  The first is that God is righteous and He requires restitution for wrong thus the sacrificial system was inaugurated to accomplish this (Lev. 1-10).  That system became obsolete with Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross (Heb. 7:27; 9:11-14).  The second principle is that a perfect and holy God cannot be recklessly approached by imperfect people without the sacrificial shedding of blood (Lev. 11-15).  Thanks to Christ, who acts as our Mediator, we can now approach God without fear through His blood which was shed on the cross (Heb. 10:19-22).  The third is that Israel’s covenant relationship with God had to be renewed on a yearly basis since the blood of animals was only a temporary solution to the eternal problem of sin.  The Day of Atonement was designated as that day (Lev. 16-17).  Christ offered a permanent solution to the eternal problem of sin to all who believe in the atoning work of His death on the cross (Rom. 3:21-25; Heb. 2:14-17; 9:23-28; 1 Jn. 2:1-2; 4:10).  Fourth, God is holy, therefore the way we live in covenant with Him must reflect that (Lev. 18-22; 27).  Jesus said our obedience to God’s instructions truly demonstrate how much we love Him and the Father (Jn. 14: 15, 21, 23) and James took note that if obedience was not evident in a person’s life their faith was most likely dead (Js. 2:18-26).  The fifth principle recognizes that God and only God is to be worshipped and recognized as the One who is active in human history (Lev. 23-25) a fact recounted in numerous psalms and many of the sermons in the Book of Acts (Ps. 68; 78; 105; 106; 111; 114; 135; 136; 149; Acts 2:14-36; 7:2-54; 13: 13-43).  And finally, obedience to God’s Law (i.e. rules) bring blessings to His covenant people (Lev. 26).   Blessing from a life of obedience is not a form of bribery that God uses to entice people to obey Him but a demonstration of God’s eagerness to bestow good things on those who love Him (Lev. 25: 18-19; Dt. 4: 30-31; 6:3; 11:26-28; 28:30).  Disobedience not only deprives God of this pleasure but inevitably causes pain and suffering on the part of the believer who strays off God’s path (Gal. 5: 16-25).  When I see those early pictures taken in Israel on the Cybershot they are vibrant and rich but I would have had so many more if I’d read the instructions.  They have become a great reminder that it’s even more important to read God’s manual too.

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

Ready for the Road Ahead ~ Photography, Faith and the Art of Seeing 10
 
This year Ready for the Road Ahead is taking on a new direction.  It is one that follows the grand theme of sight in all aspects which runs throughout Scripture.  My weekly writings will be excerpts from a book of the same name which should be published (Lord willing) later this year.
 
            I confess there are times when I take pictures that are bad.  Really!  They’re out of focus, the horizon is tilted, the composition is poor and it’s usually due to the fact that I took the picture too quickly without paying attention to the details.  Most of the time I delete them.  But every now and then I like to challenge myself to make something out of one of those horrible shots.  This involves lots of time playing in my photo processing program until the finished product looks nothing like what it started out as.  Sometimes I will share the results with other photographers and ask, “What do you think you’re looking at?”  Not too many are able to figure it out.  It never appears to look exactly like what it was but these fun adventures in photo processing have taught me that life can look that way too and the Bible is full of stories that prove it.
   
         The ancient city of Jericho had a long-standing history by the time the people of Israel began the conquest of the Promised Land.  Due to its strategic location, this walled city was destroyed and rebuilt several times before Joshua and his army set eyes on it.  By Joshua’s time the “wall” was actually a double wall.  You can still see the remains of this massive defense system when you visit Israel today.  It takes a little doing, but using your imagination one can see how formidable Jericho must have looked to the people of Israel.  They had spent the last 40 years wandering around the wilderness area on the other side of the Jordan River.  Word comes from the Lord on how to take the city but I’m sure a few eyebrows were raised when it was revealed that the plan involved only shofars and walking!  But archaeology proves what the Bible claims- the wall came down.  It really came down!  Interestingly, one section remained intact.  Now I wondered why that happened?!  (Jos. 6:1-27).

            A similar situation arose during the ministry of Jesus (Jn. 11:1-44).  Jesus had been on the road ministering to and healing the sick.  While he was away his friend and follower Lazarus of Bethany had taken ill and died.  A message for Jesus to come and heal Lazarus had not reached Jesus in time so that when the Lord arrived in Bethany the days of mourning were almost over.  Lazarus’ sisters greeted Jesus in their typically opposite fashion but both took note that if Jesus had arrived earlier Lazarus may not have died.  Neither sister knew Jesus’ understanding of his friend’s death.  But Jesus had already told his disciples the reason.  “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of Man may be glorified in it” (Jn. 11:4).  The scene moves to the graveside where all the mourners and family believe Jesus has come to express His sorrow but instead Jesus asks them, “What are you looking at?” (only in “my” verison!).  The tomb is not an ending; it is merely a testimony to the One who has power over life and death.

            Life is full of “Jerichos”; those double-walled times when whatever we face seems insurmountable.  I find myself standing and staring at them just as I did when I actually stood in Jericho looking at that famous wall.  They seem massive and well-built, and I am a little rag-tag army who has spent most of her life roaming in the wilderness.  But just as archaeology has supported the Biblical account of Jericho’s fall, past events in my life prove that God is more than able to see that those walls will come down.  It is inevitable that life will also bring you to a tomb.  It may appear that “the picture:” is bad or a dream is dead, but when Jesus puts it into the photo processing program, you’ll be amazed by what He turns out.  The Bible is filled with people who saw God do amazing things in the face of insurmountable obstacles.  Here are just a few:  Ex. 14:5-31; 2 Ki. 6:8-23; Mt. 14: 13-21; 17:24-27; Lk. 7:11-17.  There was no greater obstacle than the one Jesus faced in conquering sin and death.  But the Resurrection proves He was able to overcome what seemed to be impossible (Jn. 20:1-18).  There is no Jericho that God cannot break through.  There is no tomb that can stop Him.  If you are facing “a wall” in your life right now or “a tomb”, take heart!  Thanks to Jesus, that wall is going down and the tomb is an event in your life designed to glorify Jesus!  So, what are you looking at?

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

Ready for the Road Ahead ~ Photography, Faith and the Art of Seeing 9
 
This year Ready for the Road Ahead is taking on a new direction.  It is one that follows the grand theme of sight in all aspects which runs throughout Scripture.  My weekly writings will be excerpts from a book of the same name which should be published (Lord willing) later this year.
 
            When our boys were young we didn’t have a lot of money for family vacations so we became very creative in how we took them.  We called our vacations “mystery trips”.  While Jeff kept the boys occupied I would pack the car with the necessary items and then we would announce we were going for a drive.  Most of the time our trips were picnics at the park or going to the DQ for an ice cream.  The best ones though involved an overnight stay near the beach.  We’d get up, have breakfast and load them into the car as if we were going to the supermarket or some place local.  But when we passed by all the usual stomping grounds and headed on to the highway the excitement level would rise in the back seat and the inevitable question, “Where are we going Mom?” would be asked.  “It’s a mystery!” I’d reply and our sons would then proceed to look for clues as to our destination.
    
        The Bible is full of people who set out on journeys to unknown locations- at least unknown to most of them.  Perhaps the grandest journey of them all was the trip taken by the entire nation of Israel when they left Egypt and headed out to the Promised Land.   Ex. 2: 25 says that God “saw the sons of Israel and took notice of them” because the burden of their slavery was so great.   He selects a unique man to be His liaison.  Born a Hebrew, raised in the Egyptian courts and self-exiled to Midian during his young adulthood, Moses was about to lead a nation “home” although none of them had ever been there!  His genetic connection put him on par with the people.  His knowledge of Egyptian protocol helped to maneuver the request to leave before the ruling pharaoh.  And his experience in the wilderness would help to guide the nation through that vast area which separated them from the land of promise.  This was going to be the ultimate mystery trip!
 
           I love to take pictures when I go on a trip.  Those snapshots help to remind me of the special sights and sounds I experienced on that journey.  Although the Israelites did not have pictures in a scrapbook or photos saved in their iPhones many Scriptures provide snapshots of the Wilderness Mystery Trip for us to “see”.  Those pictures are not always flattering.  While the people did see the Lord work in amazing ways, the Lord also saw some pretty selfish and disobedient behavior on the part of the people.  They complained and grumbled about the food and water, the accommodations, leadership and more (Ex. 15:22-27; 16:1-3; 17:1-3; Num. 12:1-16; 16:3; 20:2-3).  As a result some of their snapshots include several plagues (Ex. 32:35; Num. 16:41), the ground opening up and swallowing the rebellious (Num. 16:31), fire (Num. 11:1-3; 16:35) and venomous snakes when they complained about life if the desert (Num. 21:4-8).  They even complained about the manna (Num. 11:4-6)!   And yet in spite of their pitiful behavior, God still led them through the wilderness and once that disbelieving generation had passed, He brought them to the border of Canaan with this admonition from Moses, “Remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these 40 years, that He might humble you, to know what is in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.” (Dt. 8:2).
 
           Our travels along this road we call life can certainly have its twists and turns.  It can appear to be an open highway stretching out forever only to be stopped by unexpected construction and lane closures.  It can have bumps and detours which jar the spine and make us wish our car had better suspension yet suddenly bring us to a scenic overlook with a spectacular view that makes the rough road worthwhile.  As much as we try to plan for it or map out a better route, there is really only one thing we can be sure of- no matter where the road goes, the Lord has taken us on this journey to see what’s in our heart.  The question is that when we look at the pictures of our journey and where it is taking us, will we complain about the food, the water, the desert surroundings or the people in our lives?  Or will we move forward confidently knowing that our “mystery trip” is no mystery to the Good Shepherd who knows exactly where we should go?

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre