Healing Rays of Righteousness

The last week in the life of Jesus as a human being on this earth was the most emotionally and physically painful days of his life. If you read the story slowly you soon begin to wonder if Jesus would be able to endure the pains of mockery, flogging, slapping, and the bloody nailing of hands and feet to a wooden cross. Death by crucifixion was one of the worst forms of dying and reserved only for Rome’s enemies.

Yes, Jesus knew beforehand just how bloody painful the two long days would be and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me: yet not my will, but yours be done. An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”(Luke 22:42-44).

The grand “good news” is that Jesus did remain steadfastly faithful to his Father’s mission of redeeming humankind back to himself. And as he was nakedly hanging from that torturous cross, with his life-blood bleeding out from head, hands, and feet, he prays “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34).

I am often eager to let my heart and thoughts jump quickly from the story of Jesus triumphant entry into Jerusalem to his glorious resurrection on Easter morning. But I have discovered that the more I slowly walk with Jesus through this difficult and painfilled week, intentionally sharing in his feelings and thoughts, the more grateful I am for his gift of forgiveness, and the more enthusiastic I am in celebrating his resurrection on Easter morning.

Many writers have told us that gratitude reveals a loving heart. And I know that the more I love someone, the more grateful I am for their friendship. And yet, the epidemic of ingratitude is so prevalent today. We are prone to be like the little boy who was given an orange by a man. The boy’s mother said to the boy, “What do you say to the nice man?”  The boy thought for a moment and handed the orange back to the man and said, “Peel it.”

In his book, The Robe of God, Myron Augsburger shares the story of Abraham Lincoln, as a lawyer in Springfield, Illinois, taking a trip down the Mississippi River to visit New Orleans. While there, he went to a slave market and watched as people of color were brought out and auctioned off to the highest bidder. When they brought a young woman out, with clothing awry, hair disheveled, and eyes flashing anger as men examined her to decide on their level of bidding, Lincoln suddenly became so incensed that he began to bid.

     Lincoln kept bidding as one bidder after another dropped out, and he bought her. He walked down to the platform, took the rope that bound her wrists, and led her to the edge of the crowd. There he stopped and untied the rope. The young woman rubbed her wrists to relieve the pain and promote the circulation. Lincoln looked at her and said, “You are free to go.”

      She looked at him in amazement “What’s that, Massa?”

     “You are free to go.”

     “You mean I can go where I want to?”

     “Yes,” he said, “you are free to go.”

     “Do you mean that I can say what I want to?”

     “Yes,” he replied, “you are free.”

     “I can think the way I want to?”

     “Yes, you are free to go.”

The tears began to run down her cheeks. She fell to her knees, clutched his ankles, and declared, “Then, Massa, I want to go with you.”

Myron then writes that “This is the moral response of the thankful person who recognizes God’s wonderful grace in releasing us. To be forgiven is to be set free. To be forgiven calls us in turn to walk in this freedom; that means walking with the One who forgives us.” (p.109-110).

While preparing for a communion service in 1707, Isaac Watts wrote his personal expression of gratitude for the amazing love that Jesus’ crucifixion death revealed to him in “When I Survey The Wondrous Cross.” The third verse calls us to “See, from His head, His hands, His feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down; did e’er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown? And verse four is his overwhelming grateful response. “Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.” 

This hymn resonates with my thoughtful pondering of this week’s events in Jesus’ life and challenges my sometimes-lackadaisical response of love and gratitude to Jesus for his very cruel and costly sacrifice in my behalf. These few days are so critically important to my being forgiven and given an eternal future. The last verse of above hymn echoes my present thoughts. Will you join me in such a response?

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Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 4/1/26

Pontius Pilate wanted a simple, quick “yes or no” answer from Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus stood there, ragged, bruised, bleeding, and exhausted after a long night of questioning and abuse. He certainly did not look like a king. There was nothing royal about him. At least nothing that Pilate’s eyes could see.

And after Jesus briefly describes his kingdom, he answered Pilate, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (John 18:33-37).

When you think of yourself as being a child of the king, do you think of it more often as a costly duty or as a treasured gift? Does being a child of the king seem to you to feel more like dutiful enslavement or privileged royalty? These are good questions to ponder during these weeks of Lenten meditations.

Today we live in a culture that is hostile to the idea of kingship. Kingship is directly opposite the thought of being my own boss, doing what I want to do in disregard to the rights and desires of others. But even though the idea of kingship may be countercultural to our society, the biblical scriptures assure us that it is a gift to those who claim to be Christian, that is, Jesus followers. Those scriptures repeatedly remind us of who Jesus Christ is as the King of Kings, and furthermore, it is because of God’s love and mercy that we are invited to be in relationship with Jesus as a child of the King.

Listen to the apostle Paul telling us that “All who are led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons and daughters. You didn’t receive a spirit of slavery to lead you back again into fear, but you received a Spirit that shows you are adopted as his children. With this Spirit, we cry ‘Abba, Father.’  The same Spirit agrees with our spirit, that we are God’s children. But if we are children, we are also heirs. We are God’s heirs and fellow heirs with Christ, if we really suffer with him so that we can also be glorified with him.” (Romans 8:14-17, ACB).

As children of God, and together with Jesus, we are co-heirs of God’s glorious eternal kingdom, and we would enrich ourselves by thoughtfully meditating on all the heavenly treasures that are presently ours to enjoy, as well as what awaits us throughout eternity. And as children of God, should we not be daily enjoying the rich blessings that belong to us as heirs of God’s riches? I think “Yes!”

Harriett Buell wrote a hymn while walking home from her Methodist church service that encourages us to think more intentionally about our relationship with God. The hymn is titled “A CHILD OF THE KING.”

My Father is rich in houses and lands; He holdeth the wealth of the world in His hands!

Of rubies and diamonds, of silver and gold, His coffers are full – He has riches untold.

Chorus:   I’m a child of the King, A child of the King!

With Jesus, my Savior, I’m a child of the King!

My Father’s own Son, the Savior of men, once wandered o’er earth as the poorest of them;

But now He is reigning forever on high, and will give me a home in heav’n by and by.

I once was an outcast stranger on earth, a sinner by choice and an alien by birth; but

I’ve been adopted; my name’s written down – an heir to a mansion, a robe, and a crown.

A tent or a cottage, why should I care? They’re building a palace for me over there!

Tho exiled from home, yet still I may sing: All glory to God, I’m a child of the King.

Amen, and Amen! THANK YOU, JESUS!

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Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 3/19/26

The six weeks of Lent are for remembering and meditating on the goodness of God as we make our annual worship journey with Jesus toward the bloody cross and empty tomb. This journey is meant to annually remind us of the incredibly significant, costly, and awesome act of God’s love in rescuing us from the dark pit of sin and reclaiming us as his beloved children.

I confess to sometimes viewing my Christian privilege lightly, unintentionally forgetting the immense debt of sin that enslaved me and the unimaginable immense love of God in rescuing and setting me free. I truly need these annual weeks of Lent to keep reminding me of how easy it is to forget from where I have come in my journey of trusting dependence on God, how dramatic my many rescues have been, and the many great reasons I have for heartfelt gratitude and singing. I recently was reminded that the good news of Jesus Christ and singing are inseparable. Jesus’ birth was announced with angelic singing.

For that reason, I like to read Psalm 40 as appropriate for my Lenten meditation. In this psalm David lists the many reasons he has for singing. I am encouraged by David’s sharing of his time of crying out to God and God’s hearing response, which caused him to sing, “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.” (Psa. 40:2-3). I invite you to read the entire psalm, inserting yourself as the writer.

In this psalm, David is seeing the world from a different perspective, that is, of trusting God and being lifted up and out of the slimy pit of fear and doubt. David does not reveal the nature of his horrible pit, but he does say that when he cried out to God, the Lord heard him and delivered him from his pit of despair, giving him a new song of praise to sing.

I remember God hearing my cry and lifting me out of sinking sand to solid rock, from shades of night to plains of light, from terrible bondage to marvelous freedom. And with each deliverance, the Lord also put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. One of those songs was written by Charles Gabriel, who died a few years before I was born, but his song always fills my heart with worshipful praise.

                                             HE LIFTED ME

In loving kindness Jesus came my soul in mercy to reclaim,

and from the depths of sin and shame thru grace He lifted me.

               He called me long before I heard, before my sinful heart was stirred,

               but when I took him at His word, forgiv’n He lifted me.

His brow was pierced with many a thorn; His hands by cruel nails were torn

when from my guilt and grief, forlorn, in love He lifted me.

               Now on a higher plain I dwell, and with my soul I know ‘tis well;

               yet how or why, I cannot tell, He should have lifted me!

                                             Chorus:               

From sinking sand He lifted me; with tender hand He lifted me;

From shades of night to plains of light, O praise His name, He lifted me!

David’s song was a song of confidence in God for provision, protection, and deliverance. With his feet firmly placed on God’s solid foundational rock, he can sing with joyful confidence, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psa. 23:4).

I can assure you that the joy of the Lord produces music in the soul and a need to sing it. What new song has the Lord given your soul that needs to be sung?

“Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.” (Psalm 98:1). <><><><><> 

Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 3/4/26

To nurture and deepen our confidence in God is to experience its fruit of contentment and joy.

We memorize Psalm 23 and love to quote its beautiful and comforting words in times of serious illness, loss, and grief. This is good, but I cherish these verses as a declaration of my Christian faith and confidence in God.

Psalm 23, along with the whole book of Psalms, recount all sorts of human troubles, despair, and fears, but like a compass needle that keeps swinging back to the north, they keep coming back to the confidence we gain in knowing that God is always with us and for us.

The psalmist begins by declaring, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” And concludes with this declaration of faith, trust, and confidence, “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”  The first word, surely, is a strong word of confidence in God’s faithful love, power, and presence.

Many years later, King David wrote another song of confidence, declaring God’s presence, power, provision in his life. “I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Psalm 18:1-3).

In every event of life, confidence in God makes the difference between hope and despair, between victory and defeat. That is why the Hebrew writer, after giving us reason to persevere in faith, urges us with this strong admonition, “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.” (Hebrews 10:35).

As Jesus followers, we are repeatedly encouraged to grow in gaining a greater confidence in God. But we must begin by first acknowledging that our confidence is not based on who we are, but on who Christ is within us. Then, we soon learn that this confidence in God grows best within an intimate, trusting, loving relationship with God through Jesus Christ. And in doing so, we discover a new and stronger confidence that blesses us with contentment, joy, and peace.

Some years ago, I had a desk calendar with these words on it: “In the presence of trouble, some people grow wings; others buy crutches.”  Those words remind me of God’s promise through the prophet Isaiah in 40:31, “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.”

This promise is to all who choose to use the many and varied experiences of daily living to nourish and strengthen their confidence in God’s presence, power, and love always and in every situation. And so, I pray for myself and you, eagle WINGS of confidence and contentment.

Please join me in the following declaration.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.”  He makes me … He leads me … He refreshes me …  He guides me … He is with me … He comforts me … He anoints me … My cup overflows.  “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”  THANKS BE TO GOD!

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Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 2/12/26

In her book, Bring Us Together, Marjorie Holmes writes this yearning prayer for community. “Oh, God, we go through life so lonely, needing what other people can give us, yet ashamed to show that need. And other people go through life so lonely, hungering for what it would be such a joy for us to give. Dear God, please bring us together, the people who need each other, who can help each other, and would so enjoy each other.”

If you are old enough to remember the TV series, THE WALTONS, you may remember one of the programs in which a small black boy, named Josh, is in conversation with Jim-Bob and says, “You were born belonging. That must be a great feeling – to belong.”

God created every human being with the need to belong, to be accepted, included, loved, and cared for in communities with other human beings. More importantly, God commanded us to live together in communities of loving, within which all these human needs are provided.

When Jesus was asked “which is the greatest commandment in the Law he answered by saying, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” And then he added this, “And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39).

Most sadly, our present society’s emphasis on individualism has diminished any sense of need for community. Instead, much of our society’s advertisements and appeals are primarily focused on satisfying me and my desires. But why do we would-be Jesus followers so easily slip into this comfort zone when we know that such ungodly focus on individualism leads us away from God and his intention for every human being to live in communities of loving others.

Jesus clearly teaches that we must use the biblical language of “community” rather than the cultural language of “individualism.” And to experience the abundant life he promised us, we must use the language of “mutuality,” of caring for one another, providing for one another, and being accountable to one another. Jesus daily modeled this truth during his ministry on earth.

As part of their Pentecost baptism, the first Christian community caught this vision and became a fellowship of sacrificial love, sharing life at all levels of spiritual, social, and economic relationships. This included the sharing of shelter, clothing, food, and wealth. They “walked their talk,” publicly displaying their sincere and generous “I care for you” love for one another.

And their New Testament stories give evidence that they “lived and walked their gospel talk” with a public display of sincere and generous “I care for you” love. This display of loving others is what biblical scholars have named “the ministry of shared pilgrimage.” This priestly role fits well into Anabaptist theology and its belief in the priesthood of all believers.

Myron Augsburger, a highly regarded Mennonite theologian and pastor, who is deeply rooted in the Anabaptist tradition, defines this biblical understanding of “love in community” in his book, “The Robe of God.” In chapter 11, page 227, he writes, “In summary I highlight three things:

• First, love personalizes relationships rather than institutionalizing them. We are to look at people as ends in themselves and never as a means to some other end.
• Second, love energizes relationships rather than legalizing them. Jesus moves us beyond codes to compassion. As we care for people, we regard the law only as a means of treating others with justice and mercy.
• Third, love immortalizes relationships rather than temporalizing them. We have been called to always look beyond the need of the immediate, to share the quality and the extension of the eternal. We are not to make our decisions solely on the basis of the needs of the moment. With eternity in view, we share to invest in a life.”

Myron Augsburger’s definitions of love, help us to “walk our talk,” that is, to act out our Christian beliefs regarding community in the way we care and provide for others. It is about transforming our work and worship into the Christian ministry of offering “belonging” to all others in my family, work, and church relationships.

“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:8-9).

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Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – http://www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 01/28/26

I love singing the many joyful, glorious hymns of Christmas. And “Joy to the world” is one of my favorite carols. It is also one of the most sung hymns during the Christmas season. Why? Possibly because its message and melody echo the angelic joy that Jesus’ birth brought into the world.

Isaac Watts put the angel’s message in poetry and George Frederick Handel set those words to music: 

Joy to the world! the Lord is come; Let earth receive her King.

Let every heart prepare Him room, And heav’n and nature sing.

He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove,

The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love.

Yet today we live in difficult times of joyless darkness and despair, and many are longing to see the transforming presence of God in our world, church, and families. Many others feel threatened by the evils of wars, violence, and injustices. And many more feel powerless against corrupted authorities and selfish leadership, politically touting their lies and conspiracies theories.

And sadly, many of us are deeply troubled by witnessing the Christian church being deceived and swayed by political lies and religious conspiracies, causing disputes, divisions, and a blatant disregard for God and neighbors. And many are quietly and publicly crying out for God to come down and rescue us from this devilish darkness. Nevertheless, the angels song continues to ring out the good news. “The Lord is come; Let earth receive her King.  …He rules the world with truth and grace.”

I love the story of the grandpa who found his grandson jumping up and down in his playpen, crying at the top of his voice. When Johnny saw Grandpa, he reached out his chubby little hands and said, “Out, Grandpa, out.”

Filled with love, Grandpa reached down to lift his grandson out of his predicament, but as he did, Johnny’s mom came into the room and said, “No, Johnny, you are being punished; you have to stay in your playpen.”

With undeterred love Grandpa’s heart and mind searched for a way to satisfy the child’s cry. His grandson’s tears reached deep into his heart. But mom’s firmness could not be taken lightly. It was then that love found a way. Grandpa could not take his grandson out of the playpen, so instead, he climbed into the playpen with the little boy.

That story vividly illustrates the grand love message of the Christmas story. From His eternal glorious heavens God looked down upon us and heard our crying for help and hope. And because God so greatly loved us, He left the glories of heaven and came down to earth, climbing into our world with us. Taking on human flesh, becoming fully one with us, God in Jesus, was born into our world to live in our midst. Oh, the wonders of his love!

The eternal significance of this love gift was so amazing that God rolled back the heavens to make space for the angelic choir to burst forth in song announcing the birth of Jesus, our Savior, Messiah, and Lord with singing “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14).

And in unwrapping God’s glorious gift of love, we discover God’s other gifts of joy, peace, and hope. The world-wide Christian church of Jesus followers still trembles in awe and wonder at the miracle of that glorious birth. God came down and, through the infant Jesus says to each one of us, “I dearly love you!”  

May God’s gift of Christmas love be daily enjoyed in your life and mine!

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Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 12/24/25

“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’

(which means “God with us”). (Mt. 1:23)

Beyond the lights and decorations there is a TRUTH that looms large during Christmas. And beyond the carols and festivities there is a FACT at the heart of our joy and delight. I pray that we all will first experience and then let it be known that the preeminent glorious TRUTH and FACT that we Christians celebrate during Advent/Christmas is the advent of the promised coming of “Immanuel” (God with us) into our world.

With so much focus on the birth of an adorable baby laying in a stable manger, we become blinded to the deeper, more glorious FACT that this baby child is God himself entering our darkened, hopeless world, clothed in human flesh. God chose to lay aside his glory, majesty, and power, to come down from heaven and experience for himself all the feelings and trauma of human birth, life, and death.  

But why would God go to this extreme emptying of himself to come into our fear-filled world of darkness and experience human life from birth to death? The Scriptures tell us that it is because he loves the world so greatly and longs for it to be filled with his gifts of light, love, joy, and peace. Yes, we joyfully sing the Christmas carols, but do we ever pause to hear and ponder their messages? To do so promises us a much better understanding and a deeper appreciation for the TRUTH and FACT that the “Christmas carols” musically proclaim.

I remember as a young teenager walking home from the neighbor’s house after darkness had settled across the field, railroad tracks, small stream, and meadow that separated our two houses. I remember how much less fearful I became after I was able to see the porch light of our house, and how relieved I was to have the darkness of the night give way to the bright lights of home.

I often think of this experience as an excellent description of the TRUTH and FACT of Advent and Christmas. God enters the darkness of our world and wherever his presence is believed and accepted, the “I am the light of the world” replaces the darkness and fear with his light and peace.

On one dark night a mother said to her fearful child as she put her into bed, “There is nothing to fear in the dark. And besides, the angels are near you.” And the child whimpered, “But, mommy, I don’t want angels. I want a skin face to be with me.”

In the opening verses of his gospel, John declares that in Jesus, God came to fearful humans with a skin face. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. …. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. …. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. (Jn. 1:1-4, 14).

Christmas is God’s answer to the darkness of our failures and fears. And so, when you hear or sing the joyous music of Christmas, listen carefully to the messages of God’s love for you, and open your heart to feel his “Immanuel” presence with you. “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.”

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Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 12/17/25

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,

so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

(Romans 15:13, NIV).

Advent celebrates God’s gift of HOPE being born into our world of dark hopelessness and giving us LIGHT. Advent also celebrates God’s coming into our world of deadly evil and giving us LIFE. “The Lord Almighty” is the God of hope. And a life without God is a life without hope!

Hope is a magnet that draws and empowers us forward to new ways of thinking and seeing. In times of despair and trouble, hope is vision of possibilities for our future and destiny. Hope is energy which gets out of bed in the morning and shapes our activities for the day. And hope is that which keeps love alive. When hope diminishes, love dies!

Advent is the yearly proclamation of this hope to all people living in darkness and despair. And Christmas is the joyous proclamation that this God of hope is in our world right now, at this very moment in time.

Hope is the reason for the season of Advent. And we, the people of hope are to be the messengers of this hope, proclaiming the good news that “To Us A Child of Hope Is Born.”

The prophet, Isaiah, dreamed of a day when God would come down and turn his people away from the darkness of evil and hopelessness. Isaiah waited with eager anticipation for God’s advent into the world to redeem, save, set free, and lift his people out of the pit of despair.

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned. … For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”  (Isa. 9:2, 6-7).

And with those words, hope is reignited. “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” (Isa. 60:1,2).

The good news is that Isaiah’s “Immanuel” hope is now reality. The King of Glory has come. We celebrate his advent as glorious, hope-filled light into our dark and dangerous world. Truly, “The Word become flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14).

That is what Christmas celebrates! It is more than just a remembrance of an event that happened more than two thousand years ago. Christmas is the celebration that God, the glorious “I AM” is now in our world, establishing his kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Amen!

“Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her king;

let every heart prepare him room, and heav’n and nature sing.”

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Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 12/04/25

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