Kristin Saatzer

Purposeful Encouragement

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The Ones Who Stayed

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“It’s a weapon found only in the hands of one you love.

Your enemy has no such tool, for only a friend can betray.

Betrayal is mutiny.

It is a violation of trust. An inside job.”

Max Lucado, THE FINAL WEEK OF JESUS

The Ones Who Left

After Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, he suffered beatings, secret trials, crucifixion, and death after hanging on a cross for six hours; most of his disciples, vacant from the horrific scene.
After the betrayal and capture of their leader, the followers bolted. Peter (and another unnamed disciple) did follow Jesus, only to deny His Lord three times and run away.
Jesus, the crucified. Jesus the betrayed.
If we rewind the story, we read that The Messiah taught His disciples what was to come several times as His ministry on earth closed in. He predicted His death and resurrection (see Mark 9:32). We also read in Mark that the followers did not comprehend His meaning.

“But they did not understand the saying and were afraid to ask him.”

Mark 9:32 ESV

What a notion – the idea that Jesus would die and then come back to life! I relate to the disciples’ reaction or lack thereof. How does one grasp the idea of death and resurrection?

The hope of this Hebrew nation was that a Savior would come and rescue them from the evil clutch of Rome. These men believed Jesus Christ was The One. Instead, He dangled to His death, seeming to desert his beloved supporters.

They were left with fear for their safety, fear of their future, and swimming in grief. I imagine bitterness and anger surged inside their inconsolable hearts. I do not condemn them. I empathize with their plight. Continue Reading

Jesus, Women, and the Upside-down Kingdom

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As a child, I had a beef with some traditional, so-called “women’s work”. There was baking, sewing, and crocheting with my grandma. But cooking, no way! And doing dishes, oh brother. I believe my disdain stemmed from family holiday gatherings. I watched with arms crossed, as the men plopped themselves on the couch, football game humming on the TV, while the women cleaned up. This, after the females had laboriously cooked our meal. My little-girl brain felt it unfair.

Yet, this mini, sorta-feminist adored all these men: my grandpas, my dad, and dear family friends. These were not a lazy lot when it came to their professions. They were simply conforming to the norms of our family and of the larger, ages-old cultural system.

Society has systems and patterns of values passed through the generations. The Bible documents an extraordinary timeline and kingdom narrative. In the Old Testament, a moral code established a culture based on law. Religious and wealthy men were held in the highest regard; women, slaves, and the poor placed at the bottom of the rung.

“There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female.
For you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:28 NKJV

However, in the New Testament, we meet a subversive Savior who shakes up an age-old social structure on his three-year journey to the cross. There was upheaval when He entered the scene; He turned His culture upside-down. Jesus healed and fed. Jesus touched the rich and poor, the young and old, the marginalized.

And the women.

Continue Reading

Lent: Making Room For Rest

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The other day at school, a 7th grader proudly shared with me all the foods she is giving up for Lent: chocolate, potatoes, and bread. Another student leaned into our conversation, confused.  He had never heard of Lent. Student number one explained, “Lent is when you give up stuff you like before Easter.” Student number two quickly leaned out of our conversation. He wanted no part of that fun.

Dictionary.com defines Lent:

noun

1. (in the Christian religion) an annual season of fasting and penitence in preparation for Easter, beginning on Ash Wednesday and lasting 40 weekdays to Easter, observed by Roman Catholic, Anglican, and certain other churches.

This Easter season, I have chosen to look at Lent differently. Yes, I am “giving up stuff I like”. However, more than this, I am replacing that “stuff” with something else.

Cease Striving.

I am making room for rest. I have chosen to “give up” some things on my to-do list. I am allowing others in my home to pick up some of my slack. But most importantly, I am exchanging my busyness with much-needed quiet (to the best of my ability).
You see, I am weary. My  life is taking its toll on my already not-so-awesome health. Finally (sorta), I am accepting what my body is able to do, and what it can not. I am learning to build margins around my health. I don’t like it! Yet, invincible  I am not.
I relish the fact that Jesus implores us to come to Him for rest (Matthew 11:28). In fact, Jesus called Himself the Lord of the Sabbath (see Matthew 12:8, Mark 2:28, and Luke 6:5). Jesus left the crowds and allowed Himself rest time (Mark 6:30-32).

The following quote from Charles Swindoll, is highlighted in my journal. It is from the book Jesus: The Greatest Life Of All:

To enter our Sabbath rest, we must come to God in humble submission to His truth and in complete dependence on Him. In order to cease our striving, we must transfer our trust away from our own abilities, our own accomplishments, our own strength, and place it on His provisions.

Lean In.

In transferring trust from my strength to His, I lean into God’s rest. This is my season, a Lenten submission.

As I explore this year of Surrender, I lay my striving down at His feet. I make room for my Sabbath  Savior and only the rest He gives.

How about you my friend, have you “given up stuff you like” this Lenten season? What about rest? Do you need to cease striving and allow Jesus in? Where do you need to build in margins? Join me as we lay our striving down at His feet and focus, closer than ever, on His death and  resurrection, and make room for rest.

Hebrews 4:9-10 New International Version (NIV)

9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from His.

 

PC:  Photo by Olivia Snow on Unsplash

Through Her Eyes

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 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.  Luke 1:38 NIV

Maryatthecross
“No Greater Love” by Simon Dewey

I think of her every year on Christmas and Easter; sometimes in between.  I imagine Mary’s life as seen through her eyes. A young woman, chosen by God to birth  and mother the Savior (see Luke 1:35). A mother who watched her grown up son abused, beaten, and hung on a cross as a criminal.

There are many aspects to her story. We can delve into Mary as a mother, a wife, a disciple of Jesus and more. But what strikes me most this Easter season is Mary’s trust in God. When the angel visited this teenage virgin, Mary could have chosen to resist the will of God, instead, she chose to trust. She walked each day with eyes of trust- even as she followed her son on His walk to the Cross (see John 19:25).

TRUST: 

1a :  assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something 

b :  one in which confidence is placed

2a :  dependence on something future or contingent: hope

MerriamWebster.com

Mary’s trust in God resonates deeply with me these days. Not because I trust as she did, but because I don’t. Oftentimes, I do not view my life  through trust-filled eyes. I ruminate on the untrustworthiness of those I’ve loved. I worry about the future. I take things into my own hands before seeking the Lord.  It has been especially  challenging these weeks of Lent because I suspect God is leading me to a deeper place of dependence. He continues to knock down my trust-borders. I DO NOT LIKE IT.Continue Reading

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