October 1, 2018

Share Good and Bad

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. – Romans 12:15

What are you celebrating on your own today? What are you handling alone? What are you keeping from others?

These are all questions that the sermon yesterday ignited in all of us. Pastor Ryan Martin noted that James tells us to share our joys and our sorrows with each other. That goes against what our society dictates today. We keep it all to ourselves, accustomed to going through things alone.

What do you think? We do tend to keep things “private,” don’t we? We don’t ask questions. We don’t get involved. We are so busy minding our own business that we miss a very real truth of our faith. We are meant to do life together, sharing the good and the bad. But we don’t.

I get it. I do. I’m there too. So, the next question is why? Why are we so afraid to share ourselves with others? Maybe the answer is fear. It might be shame. It might be an unwillingness to be held up in praise for fear of what others will say.

Here’s an example. A sweet friend has lost 50 lbs. recently. She’s challenged herself to a exercise regimen and has changed her eating habits. I’m so proud of her determination. Others aren’t. She’s been publicly criticized for how she’s accomplishing her goals. I am appalled at what she’s faced.

As her friends, we should be her biggest cheerleaders. How dare someone question her methods?! It’s not an easy journey but it works for her. It’s medically sound. She’s happy. Why would anyone not congratulate her?

Ah, yes. There’s that little thing called jealousy. There’s always someone around to rain discouragement on our celebration. There’s always someone who can’t feel good about themselves without bashing someone else.

Do you think that’s why so many people don’t share the joys in their lives? Do you think they’re afraid of the criticism? It’s certainly understandable.

And, then, there’s the other side. We tend to handle our sorrows alone too. Maybe it’s shame that we somehow lost a great job, even if it was due to downsizing and nothing that we did or didn’t do. Maybe we don’t want to hear the ugly comments about why our spouse had an affair, or our child ended up a drug addict, or any other horrible thing.

Have you ever heard someone lash out at a person just diagnosed with lung cancer? I have. It’s an unnecessary ugliness. The last thing anyone needs to hear is they gave themselves cancer. Compassion goes a long way when people are hurting.

Our reactions to the news from others – be it good or bad news – causes people to turn inward to isolation or turn outward to loving arms. Which do you think Jesus would do? That’s right. He drew the hurting toward Himself. And He rejoiced with those who were rejoicing.

We weren’t meant to live our lives alone. We were meant to join together in prayer and celebration, in good times and in hard times. We were meant to get into each other’s business, to help, to share, to care.

There’s nothing quite like someone who joins you in celebration. And there are few things as comforting as someone who shows up when you’re hurting, when you’re alone, when you need a hug. Be that person.

September 6, 2018

You Are Never Alone

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Deuteronomy 31:6

There comes the time when everyone goes home. People go back to work. Friends get on with their lives. And there you are. Silence echoes within the walls of a once bustling home. You are alone.

I heard it in his voice when he called. “I just need to talk to somebody,” he said. “You seemed like a good person to do that with,” he added.

Because I’ve been there. It’s a different set of circumstances but the grief, well, it’s just the same. There’s that moment when panic begins to set in and you realize that this new normal wasn’t what you had planned at all.

We invited him out to eat. He spoke again and again of how good it was to talk to somebody. He’d only been alone just over day. We encouraged him to get involved in church, to have lunch with friends, to make an effort to get out. He knows the truth of all that. The reality? Well, it’s easier to say what you need to do than it is to actually make yourself do it.

Some people bound back from grief, or any kind of devastation, with an amazing strength. I don’t know them. That was not my journey. It isn’t my journey. Because deep grief stays with you. It changes you. It makes you know that life is full of uncertainty – with one exception.

God never leaves us alone with our pain. God never, ever turns away from our tears. God fills us up with hope and endurance when we don’t know how we’ll ever make it through the day.

God is there. Always and forever. I’ve held on to that promise so many nights, when the darkness threatened to overwhelm the resolves of the day. It’s easy to panic when you’re alone. It’s common to overreact when you’ve no one to speak truth to your pain. It’s normal to think that tomorrow could never be better than today.

He will find rest in God. He will find comfort in God alone. He will find strength to carry on through God. It’s only when we turn toward our Creator that we draw what we need to sustain life. It’s a new life. It’s a different journey. He is there.

No one can truly fix this. I sometimes think that’s why so many people turn away from grief. We want to make it better and that’s something we just can’t do. Death separates us from those we love. Through Christ’s blood, we will reunite in heaven one day. But, oh, those days between the here and the then can tear you up inside.

I watched him walk alone into the home he’d shared with her. They’d raised a family there. It was filled with memories. It was consumed with silence. Will he be okay? I don’t know. All I can do is walk beside him and remind him that he is loved by so many. All I can do is point him toward God and the promises of His Word.

When we are too weary, too lost, too alone, God carries us. It’s a truth I’ve learned along the way.

May 16, 2016

Listen For Jesus’ Voice

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. -- John 10:27-28

Goosie was distraught. I heard her as soon as I opened the back door. Her friend, her buddy, her companion, was gone. Probably a coyote had struck during the night.

I began talking to her and she calmed down. She knows my voice. She knows that I feed her twice a day. She knows that she is safe with me.

That’s how it is with Jesus. As believers, we know His voice. He will calm us, His children, if we will let Him. We are safe with Him.

Have you ever been afraid? The other day our pastor asked for folks to tell what excites them and what frightens them. Some of the answers were what you would expect. Grandchildren and adventures were high on the excitement list. Flying and disappointing God or those we love topped the list of what frightens us.

Our pastor admitted that he’s afraid of being at his house alone. He and his wife have four children. There is always somebody around. And when there isn’t, well, that’s unsettling.

But for us there is somebody always around. His name is Jesus and He never, ever leaves us alone. When your mind won’t quiet itself in the night, He is there. When you’re driving a lonely stretch of road, He is there. When you’re afraid of people trying to hurt you, He is there. Always. He is there.

What are you afraid of? Losing someone suddenly. I’ve been there. So was Jesus. Losing your job? I’ve been there. So was Jesus. Getting sick? I’ve been there. So was Jesus.

There is no place we can go, nothing we can experience, where He won’t be by our side.

That includes the good stuff too. We sometimes forget about Jesus when things are going well, don’t we? We don’t notice His Presence. We don’t include Him in our celebration, our joy.

Why is that? Maybe because we don’t think we need Him. We do. I do. I need Jesus to be there celebrating with me, enjoying the sunset with me, laughing at the antics of the dogs or geese with me.

We got nine new geese to join Goosie on the pond. I don’t want her to be alone. I’ve already started talking to them. They are learning to listen for my voice. Just as I have learned to listen for Jesus’ voice. What about you? Jesus is calling you. Do you hear Him?

Monday, February 27, 2012

God Is With Us Always

This is what the LORD says:

“At just the right time, I will respond to you.
On the day of salvation I will help you.
I will protect you and give you to the people
as my covenant with them.
Through you I will reestablish the land of Israel
and assign it to its own people again.” --Isaiah 49:8

One of the most difficult things we face as Christians is the seemingly inconsistency in our walk with Jesus. At times we feel the blood of Jesus washing over us like a spring rain, cleansing us and drawing us so near to Him that we feel His very breath on us. Other times we find ourselves in a vast wasteland of barren dreams and deep insecurities, wondering where He went and how we can possibly bring Him back to light the darkened path our lives have become.

It seems that our faith has failed or, worse, that despite God’s promises He really has left us here alone. Our minds drift to what we might have done to drive God away. Guilt eats at our souls. We feel so lost and alone. We long to feel His Presence once again.

Of course, God never leaves us. He promised He wouldn’t and God isn’t capable of lying. He loves us and cares for. He hasn’t moved at all. He’s right there.

So why do we feel so alone? The answers are as varied as life itself. Maybe we’re stressed by something we haven’t given to Him. Maybe we aren’t trusting Him. Maybe we’ve gotten too busy to spend a lot of time with God. Or maybe we’re heading in a direction we really shouldn’t be going. The list could go on and on.

So how do we get Him back? How do we recapture those feelings of salvation joy and delight in His Presence? We keep going forward. We make time for God, not just talking but listening. We reflect on His Word. We spend time with other believers. And we keep focused on the light.

The darkness never lasts for believers. As scary as it is, as permanent as it seems, really it isn’t. God is waiting and He’ll reveal Himself to us again at just the right moment. He will help us and protect us.

During the course of our lives we’ll have times of spring rains that wash us with the cooling balm of love. And we’ll wander through barren lands that seem never ending. God is with us during the journey, good and bad, light and dark. Hold onto that and know, whether you see Him or not, He is with us always, until the end of time.