At Home With the Lord

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 (NIV) ⁶  Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷  We live by faith, not by sight. ⁸  We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

            I have been blessed on several occasions to be with persons as they neared their death. The blessing came from their understanding of and anticipation of “going home” to be with the Lord, even though “getting there” was hard. They saw death as the doorway to the presence of Christ and what He was preparing for them. I love Paul’s phrasing in 2 Corinthians 5:8 – “at home with the Lord”.

            “Home” is a word filled with so much meaning and depth. We all know a “house is not a home” and most of us associate home with persons as much as – if not more – than a physical location or building. Recently Joanne and I had an “adventure in traveling”… you know… the kind where you experience unplanned problems like a broken down vehicle or getting sick while away from home or being stuck someplace you don’t want to be. For us it was this last one. We flew from Tampa to Washington D.C. on the first leg of a trip to Portland. The first leg’s step went very well, but the second leg couldn’t get anywhere. Thunder and lightning kept us from leaving Dulles Airport. After waiting (too long) for a flight attendant, boarding and deplaning, we were told our flight to Portland had been cancelled. We weren’t going anywhere. We were directed to go to customer service. As we made our way we wondered what further adventures were awaiting us. The customer service area had just two persons working it. And then I noticed the line more carefully. As we walked along it down the terminal hall the line seemed just to go on and on. The longer it went the lower my optimism went with it. The entire airport was grounded and hundreds of people needed help to make arrangements to get home. To say the place was crazy might be an understatement. We kept going and going and going to finally reach the end of the line, which was a slow to move. I decided to try calling the airline while in line to see if I could get seats on a flight to Maine the next day. After a long wait I did get through to a company representative, but was told there were no seats on any planes to Maine the next day. I knew I did not want to wait two days to fly home. I had no idea where I would stay while waiting and I did not feel like paying for a hotel for what would amount to three hours of sleep. Anyway, I asked about a flight to Boston. Not exactly home, but closer to home. I could rent a car or we could take a bus to Portland from there and pick up my vehicle. That’s what I did and our adventure finally worked out. But part of the adventure was not much fun - sitting in the terminal overnight… dirty, not able to sleep or get comfortable. Joanne slept (a little) on the terminal floor. It was a pretty tough night. But by God’s grace, we are all able to do hard things.

All this is not to complain. God helped us to have good attitudes about the whole thing. And the next day – after the overnight in the terminal and a long day of making connections, we finally got home – a little over 24 hours later than we expected… tired, a little sore, and wanting some “real” food. But we were safe and secure. And – you know the feeling – it just felt so good to be home. From Dorothy Gale anxiously repeating “There’s no place like home” as she desperately hoped to get out of Oz and back to the farm with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, to soldiers returning from war, to the sentimental words of Kim Gannon’s I’ll Be Home for Christmas, to the life experience of everyday people everywhere, “home” – wherever and whatever it is – has a special place in our hearts. It is where we long to be.

When Paul writes about being “at home with the Lord”, I believe it is this kind of idea, though much deeper than human sentiment. Think about it: we who are in Christ have a home with the Lord. We can look forward to being there someday in the Lord’s timing. We are certainly in the midst of some “adventures” as we walk with Christ on our way to eternity, and we desperately need His help because some of those – even many – are hard and cause weariness and pain of many kinds. Nevertheless, we know we have a home with the Lord awaiting us. And that keeps us going. That keeps us from losing hope and giving up. One of my favorite songs is called Finally Home by the group Mercy Me. It speaks of the hope we have of being with the Lord and all that awaits us “at home” with Him. I thought of that song in the terminal at Dulles.

May the thought of being home with the Lord be an encouragement to us in times of loneliness, loss, struggle and pain. May it be a true and solid hope that we carry with us every day as life gives us reminders that this world is not our home. May our eyes be set on heaven and not on the things of this world that we are tempted to think are so great, but in the end are mere vapors. May our confidence be in the Lord to bring us home when, where, and how He deems best. And may we be secure in Him. Amen.

John 14:2 (NIV)  In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.

2 Corinthians 5:1-5 (NIV) ¹  Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. ²  Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, ³  because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. ⁴  For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵  Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Hebrews 11:10, 13-16 (NIV)  For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God… ¹³  All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. ¹⁴  People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. ¹⁵  If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶  Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Colossians 3:1-4 (NIV) ¹  Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ²  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ³  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

PRAYER:  Father, through all things and in all of life I am always coming home. Keep me from all the distractions and keep my eyes fixed on living today with my home with You ever in mind. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

How'm I Doin'?

Ephesians 4:15 (NIV)  Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

            From time to time I forget. If, during the time in worship services that we share the Lord’s Supper together, I turn to face the front of the auditorium, my microphone doesn’t like it. It’s because it is pointed directly at the main speaker. Speakers, and microphones pointed at them, are not a good combination, because feedback is produced. This feedback can be shrill… even painful to the ears. So… I get annoyed with myself when I forget this, and I feel bad for those who have to endure it, even if just briefly. The sound of feedback doesn’t exactly go along with the quieter, worshipful moments of sharing the bread and the cup together that we seek. I will try to do better at remembering. “Feedback” happens in an electronic system when a microphone or the pickup of an electric guitar picks up sound from a speaker connected to an amplifier and regenerates it back through the amplifier. Many rock guitarists love it and have used it in their performances ever since the electric guitar was invented. But generally it is an undesirable, unwanted noise. Even a very small amount of feedback can be quite distracting and annoying. Though I don’t understand all the science of it, I know I don’t like it. That’s sort of like when someone says, “I don’t know much about art, but I know what I like.” I don’t know much about electronics, but I know I don’t like feedback.

            But not all feedback is a bad thing. There are other ways that we use this word in our world today. One of those ways is to describe a means of requesting or gathering helpful information or criticism in order to improve a performance, product, relationship, or process. Typically those who want to get better at something are wise to get feedback from those they trust. A trusted source will give honest feedback. This honest feedback may, at first, sound to us like speaker “squawk” and make us uncomfortable. It may even hurt. But if the person giving it genuinely loves us and cares for us we can trust that they truly want to help us and want what is best for us. Proverbs 27:6 says, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”

            If you treat the caring feedback of a friend – though possibly uncomfortable – like the unwelcome feedback of a sound system, you may miss some of God’s most valuable blessings. Our hearts can be very tender and easily wounded. It is not easy to receive a word that we perceive as critical. We want to become defensive and justify ourselves before others. But the greater spiritual maturity we possess, the more able we are to initially receive some kinds of feedback and actually grow… and even be blessed because of it. From 1978-89 Ed Koch was mayor of New York City. He would ride the subways and stand at street corners greeting people with the slogan, “How’m I doin’?”  I’m sure he received many replies that weren’t easy to hear, and no doubt some that I wouldn’t want to repeat in your company. Yet that question is a request for feedback. And if you ask for it sincerely, you will get it. Some of it will sound terrible to your ears. But what comes to you in love will be a blessing to your soul if you can receive it. It may end up being what you need more than anything else.  Jesus will help you if you trust Him. That is one of the blessings of grace. So… may He give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to receive. Amen!

Galatians 6:1-2 (NIV) ¹  Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. ²  Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)  Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

1 Corinthians 16:14 (NASB)  Let all that you do be done in love.

Proverbs 15:31 (NLT)  If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise.

PRAYER:  Father, help me not to shut down my heart when you want to use someone in my life to help me. Thank you that this is a means you use to extend your grace to me. Let me see what you see. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

Where Is Your Confidence?

1 Corinthians 10:11-12 (NIV) ¹¹  These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. ¹²  So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!

            This verse has always struck me as Paul’s way of reminding us not to take anything for granted. Overconfidence in ourselves (not in the Lord) is a dangerous thing in our lives, and to our spiritual life. Recently a video went viral of a Mount Washington Observatory worker being knocked off his feet by an intense gust of wind on the summit of the 6,288-foot high mountain, which is notorious for bad weather. Though winter has been over for two months conditions on this tallest peak in the northeast can be very unpredictable. The wind speed on the day the video was shot was 109 MPH. That pales in comparison with the U.S. record of 231 MPH that was set there in 1934, but the video still displays the amazing power of the wind.

            The video can be found at: https://www.yahoo.com/news/video-shows-109-mph-wind-tossing-man-mount-172613813.html?nhp=1

            It is fun to watch. But while it is amusing, it is a humbling reminder of the smallness of humanity, even in relation to routine weather. Many things – some great and some small – can knock us off our feet spiritually and emotionally. A personal, community, national, or international tragedy can do it. A sinful urge can come out of nowhere and catch us off guard. A rush of anger or lust can alter the course of a day. A broken relationship can throw us off a faithful walk behind Jesus.

            In 1 Corinthians 10 Paul is telling believers in Corinth that the Jews who had come out of bondage in Egypt had everything going for them. They had seen God work first-hand. They had enjoyed the blessing of His provision. Yet most of them never made it to Canaan, the land of promise. Why was that? They faced things – difficulties – that made them grumble and complain and even turn against the Lord. Paul wanted the Corinthian believers to know that similar things could face them, and they should not be arrogant enough to think that they could never fail like the children of Israel did on so many occasions. It would be foolish and naïve for them to be so confident as to think they were above being “blown away” by some temptation or trouble. Like them, our confidence needs to be in the Lord and His strength, not in ourselves and our ability or our own wisdom.

            All of these thoughts are helpful as a prelude to Paul’s words in verse 13: “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”

            May our confidence be always in the Lord, always exceeding our confidence in ourselves and in other people.

2 Corinthians 4:7-12 (NIV) ⁷  But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ⁸  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹  persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹  For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. ¹²  So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

PRAYER:  Father, when life presses in, please keep me from assuming that I can easily “handle it” on my own. I am truly desperate for you – very needy in body, mind, and spirit. Let my confidence rest on you. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

Open Our Eyes Lord

John 9:25 (NIV)  He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"

            On May 3, a deer with its head caught in the globe from a lighting fixture was found in the woods in Centereach, N.Y. It was a deer caught not in the headlights, but in the... light globe. Centereach is a Long Island community about 45 miles east of New York City. Officials think the deer had been struggling with the opaque globe – which completely covered its head – for a day or two. The globe did not or would not break. I’m not sure if it was made out of a kind of unbreakable glass or perhaps plastic. The news story does not say. In either case, the deer’s head was trapped inside, leaving it unable to see anything but the inside of the globe. A first attempt by Officer Jeff Hull to help the animal failed. When it slipped out of his hands, the deer ran off. On his second approach Officer Hull tossed his coat over the light globe. When it pulled backwards in fear it must have moved at just the right angle and the globe came free. And, as they say, they all lived happily ever after.

Here is a link to the images from the New York State Department of Conservation: https://www.yahoo.com/news/officer-rescues-deer-had-head-caught-light-globe-201333591.html?nhp=1

            The blind man Jesus heals in John chapter 9 had never seen. His life had been lived without light and highly dependent upon others. The prevailing attitude was that his sin (or someone’s sin) was the cause of his problem. Jesus said that it was there in his life so that God’s work could be displayed. Jesus healed him in love and changed his life. He delivered him from the darkness physically while also delivering him from spiritual darkness. Later in the chapter Jesus calls the formerly blind man to believe on Him. His spiritual eyes need to be opened, for he asks Jesus who the Son of Man was. Jesus responds by saying, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you." Then John tells us that the man believed and worshipped Jesus.

God knows our need. He knows our predicament of being caught in unbelief and sin. He knows we are not capable of getting ourselves out of our own predicament. Sin has a blinding effect on people. He knows our sight is limited in the small globe of the world around us. The more rooted we are in seeing the world through unbelief and sin, the less hope we have of extricating ourselves from it. We think we can handle it because we actually believe we are seeing so well. Yet we are not much better off than a deer with its head caught in a globe. Our condition is desperate and we need a Savior to uncover and open our eyes. We need His help to take away our spiritual blindness so that we may see Him as He is. Jesus is more than able to do this. When we cry out to Him and trust Him His power and grace goes to work. This is true both as we are helped to come to know Him initially and He rescues us from our sin and self… as well as on a day to day basis. His grace is given to us daily that we might see and walk in His path for us. Our enemy will seek to cover our eyes and make us stumble. But the grace of Christ will not let him. Jesus is both our Savior and our Protector. May He open our eyes to all that is true so that we will see ourselves and the world aright, and then follow Him faithfully.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (NIV)  The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Romans 5:8 (NIV)  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Isaiah 35:3-10 (NIV) ³  Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; ⁴  say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you." ⁵  Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. ⁶  Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. ⁷  The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. ⁸  And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. ⁹  No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, ¹⁰  and the ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

PRAYER:  Father, open the eyes of my heart I pray. Whatever might be shielding me from seeing my sin or your grace… take away. Give me eyes to see you, myself, and others as you would have me to do. I want for your work to be displayed in me. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

Which Way to Go?

Psalm 23:3 (NIV)  he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

            A few years ago Joanne and I ended up on what amounted to a logging road in the middle of nowhere because I thought the GPS on my phone seemed reliable. I thought of that horrible experience when reading this story in the news…

“Depending on a GPS is a daily occurrence for most drivers. Whether it is by phone, in dash, or a portable unit we all use them. But it goes even further than ‘use,’ we trust these units to take us where we ask. And when it starts taking us into bad places we assume that the GPS knows what it is doing and wouldn't take us to a bad place. Sometimes even the worst case scenario can happen though. The park rangers at Death Valley National Park in California call it ‘death by GPS.’ It describes what happens when your GPS fails you, not by being wrong, exactly, but often by being too right. It does such a good job of computing the most direct route from Point A to Point B that it takes you down roads which barely exist, or were used at one time and abandoned, or are not suitable for your car, or which require all kinds of local knowledge that would make you aware that making that turn is bad news. Most of these incidents don't end in death, but rather in bafflement. A woman in Bellevue, Washington drove her car into a lake because her GPS said it was a road. A man in Yorkshire, England almost drove his car off a cliff. The answers in these circumstances?  - ‘The GPS told us we could drive there.’”

You wonder how many people in our world today are putting their faith and trust in some things that will end up taking them where they don’t want to go. When the results are serious trouble or difficulty they scratch their heads and can’t quite figure out what happened. But whatever they were trusting in told them it would get them there. In the meantime, though, they face danger or even loss of life.

The Lord will never give us a wrong turn or take us down a wrong road. We will never go astray if we follow Him and use His Word as our guide for life. This doesn’t mean we will have no hardships, but it does encourage us to know that we can never be lost and that His abiding presence and guidance is always with us. There are no wrong turns for the person who follows Jesus faithfully.

Psalm 119:9-11 (NIV) ⁹  How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. ¹⁰  I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. ¹¹  I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Psalm 119:105 (NIV)  Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

Hebrews 13:5-6 (NIV) ⁵  Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." ⁶  So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

PRAYER:  Father, I confess how often I think I know what I am doing and where I am going, but I’m really listening to myself or something other than you. Keep me focused on your Word, and let my heart desire and love to follow it more than anything else. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

A Dumpster-Diving Savior

Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

            Have you ever found yourself desperately searching through a pile or a can of garbage because you have lost something important and you think you possibly put it in the trash? Depending upon its value, you may be prepared to go to great lengths – disgusting, smelly, dirty lengths – to recover what is lost.

            The Quincy Patriot Ledger last month reported a story of a Massachusetts woman who had had a roller coaster-like day when she both lost and then found a full set of diamond jewelry. The woman had been cleaning off her 3.1-carat engagement ring, a 1.75-carat diamond pendant and her grandmother's diamond ring in preparation for a wedding anniversary dinner. She was in her kitchen, drying and then rolling each of the pieces up in paper towels when she was finished. She then left them on a countertop. A few moments later, when she heard the garbage truck coming, she swept a number of things into the garbage in a hurry – including her jewelry. She was heartbroken when she discovered her mistake. Upon notifying the waste removal company's authorities of the accident, a transportation supervisor at a transfer station made arrangements for the truck to drop the trash off at the Braintree station. The 51-year-old woman, her husband and a loader operator searched and dug through the garbage until they found the jewelry that was so precious to her.

This real-life event made me think of two parables Jesus told. The first is a very short one in Matthew 13. Jesus speaks of a merchant looking for fine pearls. He finds one of great value and sells everything he has in order to buy it. Though it is not precisely replicated in the true-life Massachusetts story, there is a principle in the parable that relates. Someone values something so much that he will do anything to make it his own. He will spare no expense. While that may be primarily a financial depiction, it also suggests a man who will do whatever it takes to get the object of his desire. The second parable is found in Luke 15 where a woman loses a coin and goes to great lengths to find it, because she values it. She celebrates and rejoices when she finds it.

I believe both parables are about Jesus, and the lengths He was willing to go to redeem us. You could say that Jesus was the ultimate “dumpster-diver”. One dictionary defines dumpster-diving as “the practice of foraging in garbage that has been put out on the street in dumpsters, garbage cans, etc., for discarded items that may still be valuable, useful, or fixable”. Isn’t that a good way of comprehending what Jesus has done for us? Because of sin, we have cast ourselves off from God. Satan has had his way with us and treats us like trash. Other people have “cast us off” in various ways as well. We are “in the trash” and have little or no worth. But when Jesus comes looking for us… when Jesus is willing to get deep into the slime and stink of the world’s sinful trash bin, He reaches out and puts His hand upon us and says to us, “You are precious to me. I’ve come and I’ve found you in order to take you out of here to be with me. I love you.”

In spiritual terms, that’s pretty close to what Jesus has actually done for us. When we could not deliver ourselves from the trash truck of sin that was heading toward the dump of hell, Jesus reached in and plucked us out and cleaned us up. And as nasty as that got for Him – because the cross was the only way He could do this – He endured it all. What does all this say about Him? It makes us want to exclaim, “Wow! What a Savior! What a friend! What love is this? Praise God for His dumpster-diving Son!

Luke 15:8-10 (NIV) ⁸  "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹  And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' ¹⁰  In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Matthew 13:45-46 (NIV) ⁴⁵  "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. ⁴⁶  When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

Romans 5:8 (NIV)  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

PRAYER:  Lord Jesus, thank you for the lengths you went to – I will never comprehend the depths of such love – for me. May all that you have done for me bring glory to the Father. In Your precious name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

Trusting Prayer

Psalm 143:1 (NIV) - O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.

            Being helpless is not fun. To love someone deeply and know they are hurting… and then to know you are not in a position to do anything about it is frustrating, to say the least. More likely it leans toward being emotionally painful. Many people confess to a built in “fix-it” mentality and disposition. When something is wrong they just want to step up or step in and make it all better. They often are “take-charge” people who know how to get things done in an efficient and effective manner. But when you are 600 miles away from the hurting person and cannot get to them… when they are in trouble or in some kind of bad situation… you know you cannot fix it for them. Then you feel helpless.

            When you feel helpless like this you are typically in a situation over which you have no control. What can you do when you have no control? You could panic or have a meltdown. You could take out your frustration on those nearest to you. You could have a pity party. You could self-medicate. You could resort some habit that gets you through.

            A better response to helplessness, in my view, is to trust God and to trust to prayer. It is not actually true that we are helpless. Perhaps we ourselves are not in a position to solve a loved one’s problem or help them escape a troubling situation. But we are not ultimately helpless. Is not the Lord aware of that situation? Is not the Lord there in that situation with the one we love? Is the Lord not strong? So often I catch myself thinking or saying, “All I can do is pray.”… as if it was nothing much to offer. How very opposite the truth that is. Words like that and the attitudes that go with them reflect a poor, limited view of God that basically thinks of Him as nothing, or nothing very important.

            No, feeling helpless is not fun. But to feel helpless without turning to God is like living next to a lake when your house is threatened with fire and thinking you have no resources to draw from. You really just need to know how to access the water. How might we say God and His unfailing and unlimited resources are “accessed”? By serious, deep, heartfelt, sincere, trusting prayer.

            For the last 12 hours I have felt helpless for my daughter stranded overnight in a New York City airport with a 9-month-old sleep-deprived child, running out of diapers and baby food, uncertain about when a flight home will be possible, sick to her stomach, having had no sleep herself. I know she is strong and capable. I know she will get through it. It’s a difficult situation, but others have endured far worse. Yet I still feel for her and feel so limited in what I can do. Nevertheless I am not helpless. Nor is she. The God who created all there is knows her and loves her and is with her. He will sustain and strengthen her. He will do for her all that she needs as His will in her life is worked out. Therefore I will trust Him and lift her up to Him.

            If you know and trust to the value of prayer, are you involved in your church’s prayer ministry? Does your church need you to start one? Are you committed to praying much for others, as we are directed in 1 Timothy 2? Are you willing to go to God on behalf of other people in need? In our church this is fairly easy… just ask and you will be placed on our prayer team email list. Then pray when asked. Though it is quite “easy”, it is serious business, and matters in deep and eternal ways. It’s a joy and a privilege to pray for others. And it certainly is not helpless.

Hebrews 4:14-16 (NIV) ¹⁴  Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. ¹⁵  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. ¹⁶  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Psalm 38:21-22 (NIV) ²¹  O LORD, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God. ²²  Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior.

Psalm 145:17-18 (NIV) ¹⁷  The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. ¹⁸  The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV) ⁴  Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

PRAYER:  Father, when I have no control, let me see that you do. Let me rest in you and trust you fully. Let me see your glory made known in all of that which can trouble my soul. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott