JOY IN THE MORNING

Even though we left in the morning. It was pitch black as we drove to the airport. The storm was fierce, the roads were icy, and we held our breath most of the journey

That Sunday morning, the church service was all about joy. Kimmy danced and sang with Kids Outpour onstage while Jake got his first chance at playing bass guitar with the music team. Wes upped the volume from the controls in the sound booth.  Everybody was feeling pretty happy when Pastor Mike began enthusiastically talking about what real joy meant. There was a lot of excitement in the car as the family drove over for Sunday dinner at Grandma and Grandpa’s home. To top off the meal, dessert was to feature pieces of Almond Joy bars in hot fudge syrup over homemade ice cream.

At the end of the meal, as the table was being cleared, Grandpa Myers began to talk about his favorite joy story. He cleared his throat and began, “It was a dark and stormy morning, December 2, 1992, when Great Grandma Myers, Grandma, your Aunt Karen, and I piled into a limousine headed to LaGuardia Airport where we would catch the long flight to Texas for your dad’s college graduation. A week before, your aunt Karen had flown in from Korea where she had been helping a pastor. My dad, your great grandpa, was sick in a nursing home in upper New York State, so he couldn’t make the trip.

“Even though we left in the morning. It was pitch black as we drove to the airport. The storm was fierce, the roads were icy, and we held our breath most of the journey. The winds were so strong that the airport had put masking tape on the windows to keep them from shattering with the wind gusts.”

“That must have been scary,” said Wes.

“Yes, it was, but we finally got to the airport safely, where we met your great grandmother. Many of the flights were delayed. We waited for hours and hours until they finally canceled our flight till the next day, Sunday. There was no chance we would ever make the graduation in time, since we’d still be in the air while your dad graduated. So, tearfully, with heavy hearts, we called your dad and sobbed we wouldn’t be there for his big event. We sadly returned to Great Grandmother’s place in New York City and went to bed. The next morning, Great Grandmother suggested we walk a few blocks to Queens Lutheran Church.” 

“Weren’t the horses and cart available?” asked Jake.

“No, silly, that was long before this story,” said Wes.

Grandpa continued, “Great Grandmother thought Aunt Karen might enjoy going to that church since it had both English and Korean services. After the English service, the pastor got into a conversation with Aunt Karen who mentioned her recent missions trip to Korea. She told him she was looking for a teaching job. Pastor said, ‘You should apply to our school.’

“After lunch, we left for the Korean language service. The Korean pastor made sure Aunt Karen left with a teacher’s application.  

“In the early hours the next morning, the phone woke me. A voice asked, ‘Is Edith there?’ That was my mom, your great grandma’s first name. The nursing home said her husband, Great Grandpa Myers, had died. My mom trusted God and responded ‘The Lord gives, the Lord takes, blessed is the name of the Lord.’ Another sadness to our weekend of disappointments. This was not turning out at all to be the joyful graduation weekend we had looked forward to.”

“You must have felt really bad,” said Kimmy.

“Yes, we did, but see what happened next, because God’s kindness was at work. Since we had missed the trip to Texas, I was there to help my heartbroken mom drive up to northern New York where the nursing home was. God again was at work when later, Queens Lutheran School called Aunt Karen, asking her to come in for a job interview. At the meeting they asked if she could begin teaching the following month. She agreed.  Then, one of Great Grandmother’s renters, moved away. That made an apartment two blocks away available for Aunt Karen’s new home! God provided both a job and a place for Aunt Karen to live. None of that would have happened if we had been able to make the trip to Texas.”

Grandma added, “A lot of that weekend was both scary and sad. There were lots of tears both at missing the trip for your dad’s graduation and also the passing of your great grandpa. But God had your grandpa exactly at the right place to help out your great grandma. We would have never imagined that weekend would also lead to the beginning of Aunt Karen’s greatest joy of her life, her teaching career.  I’m reminded of the verse that says, ‘Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning.’ (Psalm 30:5b). In other words, life can be really sad and things might not go at all the way we had planned, but in the end, God has at heart what is best for us: real joy that lasts for eternity.”

Dad said, “Why don’t I pray? Lord, I was so disappointed that weekend when my family couldn’t be at my college graduation.  But thank You, that You never forgot us.  My dad was there to help out Great Grandma when Great Grandpa went home to heaven and You provided the introduction so that my sister could begin her wonderful teaching career at the Korean School.  You even provided an apartment Karen could afford.  Thank You that even when we feel disappointed and all the joy is sucked out of our lives, there’s always more joy waiting for us.  Amen.”

Kimmy asked, “I’m pretty joyful. Any more of that dessert still available?”

And all the family said, “Amen!”

Questions:

  • What are some things that make you sad?
  • What are some things that bring you joy that lasts a long time?
  • What were some of the things that were sad in this story?
  • How did God bring about good while those things were sad?
  • What kind of joy does God offer us?

Prayer: each family member tell about something they are thankful for.  Someone in the family pray and thank God for each of these things and for Who God is.

GOD IS IN THE HOUSE!

This new inhabitant would send shock waves across the world that would exist for centuries.

At the end of our block is a sign which says, “Apartment for Rent”, advertising the unit below us.  The tenant moved away Thanksgiving weekend. In the entire year she lived under us, we never heard a peep.  She moved in a complete stranger and stayed a stranger.  One day I asked her name but she only told me her first name.  Our lives were not rocked by her entrance or exit.

What if instead she had been a co-tenant with us? Lived in our apartment, shared our furniture, our utilities, our conversations, our life.  Her arrival and departure would have affected our lives.  We may have either wept or rejoiced, but our lives would have shifted. 

THE NEW NEIGHBOR

John 1:1-14 describes someone whose entrance into the world rocked the existence of mankind. This new neighbor is referred to as The Word. If The Word had to fill out an application to live with us, John would write “The Word’s previous address was the universe, from eternity.” As for previous housemates, John would write, “The Word was with God.” He might also have written in parenthesis: (by the way, The Word was God).  This new neighbor, announced by John, was not going to be someone unseen, who would silently go about his business. This new inhabitant would send shock waves across the world that would exist for centuries. In other words, The Word is Immanuel, “God with us”.

HE’S NOT A LONG WAY OFF

The Old Testament tells us about another situation where God lived in the midst of people. The Tabernacle and Solomon’s temple both contained the “Holy of Holies” – the Glory of God. This was called by Jewish rabbis the “Shekhinah Glory”; “the visible presence of God among men”. God decided to room among a people who rarely loved Him or fully devoted themselves to Him.  In the Book of John, God is announced as again pitching His tent, but this time the Tent was in human form, “Immanuel”; God with us. Spurgeon warns us about our attitude about the new neighbor, Immanuel, “Do not let us live as if God were a long way off.” 

LIVED WITH US IN ORDER TO DIE

Immanuel did not come as judge and executioner. All of us already were guilty before Him and were doomed to everlasting punishment. John Piper writes: “The Word, the Son, who is God, became flesh to reveal a divine glory that is “full of grace and truth.” The Word of God became flesh to be gracious to us.” “Grace” is “God’s favor toward the unworthy”. In His grace, God is willing to forgive us and bless us abundantly, in spite of the fact that we don’t deserve to be treated so well or dealt with so generously. Piper continues, “The Word became flesh so that this graciousness to us would come in accord with God’s truthfulness. This is a righteous, God-exalting, costly grace. It led straight to Jesus’ death on the cross. In fact, this is why he became flesh. He had to have flesh in order to die.”

HE WILL LIVE WITH YOU

God has come close to you in Jesus Christ. He is Immanuel. You don’t have to struggle to make a connection with this new Neighbor, just invite Him in. He will come to you. God is in the House! This Neighbor has rocked my world.  I will never be the same.  He lives in my apartment, my heart, my soul.  He has promised to never leave me or forsake me.  I don’t have to go searching for someone else. That sign announcing room for rent has gone down, because God has made His Home with me for eternity.   

In case you want to read further about this New Neighbor, click Revelation 19:11-16

THE MIRACLE IN THE MUNDANE

We do know one thing: their lives were changed forever. Showing up made a difference. God was there.

Have you ever worked a job that drains you mentally, physically, and emotionally? It seems the others actually have checked out mentally the minute they arrive. You see them checking their phones, updating their stats on Football Fantasy, or searching the internet for favorite cat videos.

And yet you still come to work every day. You believe that God, not human management, is actually your Boss. Your Heavenly Boss wants to be proud of you. He exists even in the mundane.

REIMAGINE THE SHEPHERDS

Try reimagining the shepherd portion of the Christmas story (Luke 2:8-20) through contemporary eyes.  Shepherd’s wages are lousy. The work is hard. Shepherding is not considered a rung on the ladder of success.  What if half the work crew didn’t show up the night mentioned in Luke 2? Maybe they stayed home because the Eagles were competing in the playoffs. Did those who showed up want to be there? 

SHOWING UP MADE A DIFFERENCE

The Bible does not tell us the number of shepherds that came to work that night.  We do know one thing: their lives were changed forever. Showing up made a difference. God was there.

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LATE SHIFT

In the dead of night, suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. To the group of terrified farmworkers, the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid! I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.  The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” The shepherds were serenaded by God’s #1 singing group. Joined by a vast host of others (the armies of heaven), they praised God and sang: “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

There was no lengthy employee meeting over what the shepherds should do next.  They ran as fast as they could to Bethlehem to witness the event, the arrival of the Promised Messiah. Their mundane jobs were no longer mundane.

LIVES NEVER THE SAME AGAIN

We do know from the account that they told everyone they could about what they had witnessed.  These uneducated, rough men from the “wrong side of the tracks” were God’s first messengers. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. They had seen the Hand of God.

THEY MISSED THE BLESSING

What about those who didn’t show up for work that night? They missed seeing Heaven come down and God’s grand opening show.  They missed the blessing because they were tired of the mundane.

BARELY SHOWING UP FOR LIFE

Who am I writing this piece for? Those of us who are barely showing up for life.  Our bodies are present, but our hearts, minds and spirits are elsewhere.  We assume that God can’t be in the everyday, the mundane. Chuck Swindoll wrote: “God specializes in turning the mundane into the meaningful. God not only moves in unusual ways; He also moves on uneventful days. He is just as involved in the mundane as He is in the miraculous.”

GOD IS INVOLVED IN THE MUNDANE

Are you glad the shepherds showed up that night? Maybe your life seems dry, boring or just downright difficult. God asks us daily to show up and be ready for Him to be present. “He is just as involved in the mundane as He is in the miraculous.” Will you invite Him to inhabit you life, even when it seems mundane?

CORE OF THE MATTER

We were having the best time. Then all of a sudden, just as I was about to take the last bite, I saw this huge ugly worm right where I was about to bite.

Sunday dinner at Grandpa and Grandma Myers was always a noisy, joyous time with five adults and three kids.  Everyone was excited to be together; sharing stories of the previous week. As they all dug into Grandma’s meatloaf, mashed potatoes and Jell-O salad, brother Jake couldn’t wait to share his story of the HUGE fish that unfortunately got away!

“It was the biggest one I’ve ever seen.” he announced. “Even bigger than the one that Tony caught last summer! I almost had it in, when the line broke.”

“Seems like that happens to you a lot,” Wes added. “I can’t remember when you actually brought a fish in!”

All through Jake’s fish tale, Kimmy was bouncing up and down in her chair waiting for her turn to talk about her adventure.  “It looks like you’re pretty anxious to tell us what you’ve been up to, Kimmy,” Mom said. “What’s been going on”?

“Oh, she probably just dressed up like a princess again.” Jake wisecracked.

“Nope!” Kimmy answered. “It’s about me and Sally.”

“Sally and I,” Mom corrected.

“Yeah, Sally and I had the best time. We were going to ride our bikes to the pool, but it was such a hot day we decided not to pedal that far.  And then Sally remembered that big old apple tree by the side of the road with branches just right for climbing.”

“Isn’t that tree behind a fence?” Dad asked.

“Yeah,” Kimmy answered, “But the fence is so old and rusty any kid can climb right through it. So that’s what we decided to do. We almost changed our minds, though, when a whole bunch of boys came.  They were loud and punching each other, but then they just kept moving.”

“Weren’t you scared of the boys?” Nana Ahlseen asked.  

“Nah, they’re from our school. They’re always noisy.  But me and Sally could’ve beat ‘em up easy!”

Jake added, “Yeah, that Sally’s tough. She knocked out Billy Green’s tooth last year.”

“That tooth was just a baby tooth and ready to fall out anyway,” Wes laughed.

“We’re getting a little off track here,” Dad said. “Let’s let Kimmy finish her story but maybe with a little less violence.”

“Anyway,” said Kimmy, “We got there, climbed through the fence, and got up the tree into the top branches.  It was nice and cool up there after being hot and tired.  So, we just sat there eating apples and talking about all kinds of stuff and planning what to wear on the first day back to school. The apples were bright red and juicy. We were having the best time. Then all of a sudden, just as I was about to take the last bite, I saw this huge ugly worm right where I was about to bite. Sally screamed and I threw the apple on the ground! That was so disgusting!”

“It could have been worse,” Grandpa observed.  “You could have found half a worm!”

Everybody burst out laughing, except Kimmy.  “I don’t get it,” she said.  “Why would half a worm be worse?”

“Don’t you see, Sweetheart?” Grandma asked. “That would mean you had swallowed the other half!”

“EEEWWWW gross!” Kimmy screamed.  “I’m never ever going to climb that apple tree again and I’m never ever going to eat another apple!”

Mom set a warm apple pie on the table and said, “You might want to think again about eating apples.  I’ve looked carefully and I’m pretty sure there are no worms in this pie.”

Nana Ahlseen smiled.  “You never really know what’s inside, do you? That reminds me of a verse I read this morning.  It says that God can see inside the hearts and minds of people.  I know we can have some pretty awful thoughts.  The Bible says: ‘For whatever God says to us is full of living power: it is sharper than the sharpest dagger, cutting swift and deep into our innermost thoughts and desires with all their parts, exposing us for what we really are.’ (Hebrews 4:12) In other words, there are no worms, no bad things that God can’t see, even those things hidden deep inside our hearts.”

Dad said, “Why don’t we pray about that?  Dear Lord, thanks so much that You can see deep inside of us, even the things we try to hide from you.  Please, may the verses we learn in the Bible show us the truth, even the truths that aren’t very pleasant, so that we can daily get right with You.”

Mom placed a big slice of pie covered with vanilla ice cream at Kimmy’s place.

“Mmmmmmm, there are no worms in this apple pie and there aren’t any worms in the ice cream either,” said Kimmy as apple and ice cream dribbled down her chin.

And all the family said, “Amen!”

QUESTIONS:

  • What was inside the apple?
  • What can God see inside of our minds and hearts?
  • What are some things that people try to keep hidden?
  • How can we have forgiven the bad things we try to hide?

Challenge: spend some quiet time with God, asking forgiveness for those things we have tried to hide from Him.

WHEN GOD MAKES NO SENSE

Did you ever have a big question for God?

Did you ever have a big question for God? How many stars are in the sky? How can each snowflake be unique? I’ve looked at my sons and wondered how they can both be over six feet and their parents are barely 5 ½ ft tall. Of course, then there are more painful questions like, “Why do good people suffer?”

MARY’S ZINGER QUESTION

Whatever your questions, Mary had a zinger of a question. As a farm girl in an agrarian society, she knew the facts of life and had no clue how a virgin could conceive and still be a virgin.  It did not make sense. The account in Luke 1: 26-38 is well beyond our understanding. The angel told her: Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you. Of all of the thousands of Jewish girls, how did she become the one that the angel visited? Furthermore, as a virgin, how could she remain a virgin yet become pregnant?

UPENDING THE NATURAL ORDER OF THINGS

The angel presented an additional conundrum. Elizabeth, an elderly relative of Mary’s, was six months pregnant.  This was not medically possible.  God was upending the natural order of things. His plan was to pay the price for a world racing toward an eternity without God. For with God nothing [is or ever] shall be impossible. The regular course of mankind was being overturned turned by a God Who has no respect for our neat order of things. 

THE QUESTION: “WHY?”

In all these enigmas, God also didn’t think it necessary to fill in all the blanks. He didn’t answer the questions; God was and is Sovereign. Recently, two individuals asked me identical questions regarding their loved ones who were suffering: “Why is God permitting this?” The answer is not a popular one: “Because God is Sovereign.” His character is true and good, regardless of how the moment appears.  We cannot see how things fit into eternity, but we do have clues to His character.

WHO GOD IS

Clear as day Scripture records: God is love (I John 4:8); He is light and in Him is no darkness at all (I John 1:5); He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40:11); For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. (Psalm 30:5); God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. (Numbers 23:19)

For those who wonder about God’s future plans for His own: And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” (Revelation 21:1-27) This is God in all His glory.

GOD KNOWS

God knows how many stars are in the sky and how to create each individual snowflake. He can even create giant sons from short parents.  God knew how to visit an awkward farm girl and create the birth that would change the course of mankind.  He brought vast comfort for a young teenage girl by creating an additional miraculous pregnancy. This one was experienced by a woman old enough to be a grandmother (a couple of times over). God knew then and He knows now what is best. These are the characteristics of God to meditate on during the long dark hours of the night when we wrestle with the mysteries of God.  For with God nothing [is or ever] shall be impossible.  

Additional reading regarding God’s purpose, read the story of Daniel Ritchie, the man who was born without arms.  

WHO ARE YOU SURROUNDED BY?

Choose how you will fight your battles!

“This is how I fight my battles! This is how I fight my battles! It might look like I’m surrounded, but I’m surrounded by You.”  (From “Surrounded” by Michael W. Smith)

DON’T BE AFRAID!

Did you know the inspiration of this song came from the Word of God?  In II Kings 6:15-17, Elisha’s servant is terrified because a death squad has been sent out to kill his boss, Elisha.  When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha.  “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!”  Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. (NLT)

LOOK UP

You can usually tell when someone is having a rough time. If you pay attention to body language, a person who usually walks around with their head hung low is probably having a hard time. This is how they avoid contact with others and it’s a defense mechanism. Elisha’s final words to the servant were “look up.” The servant literally lifted his eyes to the heavens and away from the armies. You can choose to look away from the armies you face and lift your eyes to the heavens in prayers, praise, and worship, in thanksgiving and adoration. 

ARE YOU AFRAID?

Have you been “surrounded” by your enemies? Overwhelmed by bad reports? Tired of seeing sickness overtaking you and your loved ones? Surrounded in debt or in lack? Are you surrounded by accusers, persecution, slanderers? Like that servant, are you fearful of the “invading armies of the enemies”? 

THE LORD WATCHES OVER YOU

Psalm 121:1-8  I look up to the mountains, does my help come from there?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!   He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.  Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.  The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.   The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night.   The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life.   The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.

LIFE UP YOUR EYES ONCE AGAIN

It’s time to lift up your eyes once again! It’s time to remember. Remember who your God is. Remember His faithfulness to you in every situation. It’s time to worship again. I say again because fear will steal your worship, it will rob you of praise, and hinder your praying. Praise the chains off! Be thankful again, and again, every day. Pray again.

If you don’t know where to start, just begin by simply looking up. Become aware of the Lord God omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient. The creator of heaven and earth has not forgotten you. He thinks of you. He knows what you’ve been going through.

For further thoughts on this, look up Gloria Robles.

WES’ MIRACLE

‘l gave you away so that you could have a better life.’

Everyone had heard bits and pieces of what had happened, but Wes wanted to tell the story while they ate.  That Sunday, Nana Ahlseen decided to bring dinner, choosing a recipe in honor of the country where Wes was born. Kimmy took a bite and asked, “What are we eating? I can see beef, onions, tomatoes and boy is it spicy!  The best part of this dish is that it is mixed up with French fries!”

“It’s Lomo Saltado, one of the best-known dishes from Peru,” Nana said.

“It’s almost as good as when I got to eat it during our trip,” commented Wes. “l always loved it when we would go out to eat at El Serrano in Lancaster. I never thought eating the food in Peru would be even better. Who knew that a trip I was so nervous about, could turn out so great! Mom and Dad, you always told me I was adopted when I was 18 months old, but I don’t remember anything from when I was a baby in Peru.”

Mom asked, “Wes, what did I always tell you about your mother in Peru?”

“She loved me so much she wanted me to have a better life. Mom, what kind of love did you call it?”

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

“Unconditional love, just like Jesus loves us.” Mom smiled broadly. “Who imagined that we would get the chance to go back to Peru and meet Wes’ relatives? God moved so many people to make it all possible.  Manuel, the owner of El Serrano, was making improvements to the restaurant and brought in a carpenter from Peru. Manuel wanted him to meet Wes, so we took Wes and his birth certificate over to the restaurant. Come to find out that the carpenter had been in Wes’ hometown of Limabamba and knew his birth family. The carpenter was returning to Peru so I sent a letter and pictures with him for Wes’ birth mother. We then found out that his birth mother wanted to see Wes. That’s why we decided we would go to Peru.

“Wes, do you remember the most important part of this story? When we told Manuel about our travel plans. Manuel asked, ‘How did we get to this point? You had no contact with Wes’ birth family and now you are planning a trip to Peru?’ Wes, how did I answer him?”

SOMEBODY WAS PRAYING

“Mom, you said that you thought somebody was praying and somebody had questions.”

“That’s right.  And everyone thought that was a crazy idea, didn’t they?” Mom smiled.  “So, Wes, you tell the rest of the story.”

MEETING THE FAMILY

“So, we took a long airplane ride from New Jersey to Lima, Peru. It was so hot! Hey guys, did you know that Lima is a desert? We got there and then went to the hostel, that’s like a hotel here in America. We were eating breakfast the next morning when we heard, ‘Would George or Deb come down to the desk? Manuel is here.’ We didn’t know anyone in Peru. Mom went down and there was Manuel from El Serrano. He decided he just needed to see the end of our story. He was so excited. We all left for the park where we were to meet my birth family.

“We waited a little bit. I think we were afraid that nobody was going to show up. Finally, here came my uncle, aunt, cousins and my birth mother. I was a little afraid, everybody was crying.  What if they wanted me to stay here? My birth mother’s name is Teofina. She was talking Spanish and Manuel was telling us she said, ‘l gave you away so that you could have a better life.’ That was weird. That’s what you always told me Mom.

“Then we all went back to where we were staying, and my Peru mom wanted me to sit with her on the same chair. I called her “mom” ‘cause I didn’t know what else to call her. Mom, you asked me about that, remember? And I said, ‘Teofina is my birth mom, but you are my favorite mom.

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

“That night we went to my uncle’s house for supper. He asked, ‘How did this happen? How did we all get together?’ Mom told him exactly what she said back in the restaurant: ‘Somebody was praying and somebody wanted answers.’ Mom, you tell them what my uncle said.”

“With tears streaming down his face, he said, ‘l have prayed for 13 years that this boy would come back to us. We wanted to make sure that he was a son and not a servant.’

SOMEBODY WAS PRAYING

“Mom said loud really loud, ‘l knew somebody was praying!’”

All the kids looked at each other. Kimmy said, “How come everybody’s crying? It was a really cool adventure!”

Dad spoke up.  “Matthew 21:22 says, ‘If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask in prayer.’ But I think, kids, the one mistake we make is when we decide how and when our prayers should be answered. Wes’ uncle prayed for 13 years, and he got an amazing answer. He got to see Wes with his own eyes! That was probably more than he even prayed for.

“Let’s pray. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us the opportunity to visit Wes’ family, and Lord, it was so exciting to be a part of a plan to answer his uncle’s prayer. From getting to know Manuel, to the carpenter coming from Peru, to the carpenter carrying a letter back to Wes’ mom and then the meeting in the park. It was not only an adventure, but what an example of answered prayer. Thank you, Lord.”

 “Pass me the box of tissues, please.” Mom sobbed as she then passed around the precious photo of Wes and his birth mom.

 “Mom, are you okay?”

“Just happy tears, Wes.”

Grandma Alseen went to the kitchen and brought out her latest cooking experiment. “Hope everyone has room for dessert. We are having Picarones. They’re sweet, sticky dripping doughnuts topped with honey, cinnamon, and orange.”

Jake said, “Wow, with food like this, maybe we should all go back to Peru.”

And all the family said, “Amen!”

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:

  • What prayers were answered in this story?
  • How many years had Wes’ uncle prayed for Wes?
  • What is “unconditional love”?
  • Who has shown you that type of love?

Suggestion for Prayer: someone thank God for 10 different things or people

REMEMBER YOUR ROOTS

The previous day had been difficult.  Then that night I had gotten too little sleep, the weather turned cold and rainy.  How comfortable my bed covers felt and how cold the apartment was.  Not a “zippity-do-dah” day!  I wasn’t prepared for what happened at work that morning when I ended up with two phone calls from what I will politely call “screamers”.  Definition: customers who assume if they don’t like the explanation that they should keep ratcheting up the volume hoping to beat the other person into submission. I was rattled.

A BELIEVER IN A VIRULENT SOCIETY

After a few other things that went wrong, I finally arrived home and nestled into the couch.  Within ten minutes, the phone rang and it was just what Doctor God ordered.  My friend at the other end is also a believer who also finds the work world, especially in the existing culture, challenging. We had a lively discussion regarding what it means to be a believer in a hostile and increasingly virulent society.  If you still exist in a sunny bubble where life is not challenging, either the tide will soon turn on you or else Satan doesn’t feel he has much to fight over in your life, especially with the decisions you have been making.

CHURCH LIFE CAN BE MESSY

What does God say in light of this? “Remember your roots.” It’s not an hourlong sermon. A common theme to the letters to the 7 churches in the beginning of the Book of the Revelation is that church life can be really messy.  False teachers and heresies were coming out of the woodwork, people were getting caught up in following their culture, and a great deal of believers were drifting along with sin.  Many were floating along with the current without making waves over what was right and wrong.

ALMOST DEAD

In Revelation chapter 3:1-3 is the note for the church at Sardis: I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead.  Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God.  Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.

NO ONE PLANS ON LIVING SPIRITUALLY DEAD

“Dead” is not exactly a stellar description. Goggle defines the word as: “deceased, extinct, lifeless, referring to something that does not have or appear to have life. Dead is usually applied to something that had life but from which life is now gone.” I don’t think anyone in Sardis ever got up in the morning and planned that day to live as if they were spiritually dead, however they had slowly adopted a new persona. God was fed up.  He was saying, “Run back to the basics! Remember what it felt like to be spiritually new in Christ?  Recall what you earlier would have staked your life on? Turn around back to Me.  If you don’t, things will definitely not go well.” (My paraphrase).

SPACE IN BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL

I recently read a well-researched novel about the persecution of the Jews in WWII. The plot’s location is Poland, where at least 3,000,000 Jewish people lost their lives.  This quote stayed with me: “There is evil and there is good and there is the space between.  We are given free will to choose where we stand. Evil thrives when good men choose the space between.” Barratt, Amanda. Within These Walls of Sorrow: A Novel of World War II Poland)

THERE IS HOPE

To those of us who have been merely floating along with the current, there is hope. In Revelation 3:19-21, Christ says: I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.”

RUN BACK TO YOUR FIRST LOVE

Yes, as a believer, maybe you are having a rough time right now.  I believe that life will grow increasingly difficult.  However, don’t just walk, but run back to your First Love, Jesus Christ.  Let Him give you the backbone you need and the wisdom for these times.  There will be lots of days ahead that will rattle the bones of all believers.  Remember your roots!

OUT OF THE MOUTH OF A 5TH GRADER

“We don’t know.” What we do know is this: We need to trust God no matter what.

It was the Sunday before Thanksgiving and everything was going well with my class of 4th and 5th graders. They were beginning to understand the importance of the resurrection and how vital it was to the Gospel. A man (the God-Man) died on the cross and within three days He was walking around, talking to everyone, even to the skeptics (sorry Thomas!)

“I AM THANKFUL I NO LONGER HAVE CANCER”

It was at that point that I decided to give everyone a chance to say what they were thankful for., To avoid repetition and to get the class thinking a little deeper, I instituted a rule: Nobody could repeat what someone else said! Uh oh! They were a little nervous, but it worked. We went around the room, and everyone said something.  (Some variations on the family theme were still repeated, but that’s okay!) About halfway through we came to a young girl and what she was thankful for caught me completely off guard. She quietly spoke words that I wasn’t ready to hear: “I am thankful that I no longer have cancer.”

SOMETIMES OUR DREAMS TAKE US FAR, FAR WAY!

Every child who shared what they were thankful for was sincere in what they said, but to hear those words out of the mouth of a 5th grader made me think of Isaiah 55:8: For my thoughts, are not your thoughts, neither are your ways, my ways, declares the Lord. No kidding! We dream, we think, and we pray. However, in the end, if we truly want to obey Jesus Christ, we will follow His lead. Sometimes it takes us just where we want to go. Other times, it takes us far, far, away!

BUT GOD THOUGHT DIFFERENTLY

For example, I didn’t always want to be a preacher. During my High School year, I had a love for drawing. I was always sketching something, whether I was supposed to or not. (We’ll save that for another ReCharge!) My plan was to become a graphic artist and I would attend Moore College of Art in Philadelphia. A lot had transpired that senior year. I was leading a local boys club, I was teaching Bible Studies, and I got to speak at my church. It was there that a gentleman, who I had a great deal of respect for, came up to me and said “Bill, you’re going to become a preacher.”  I thought to myself, “No I’m not, I am going to become a graphic artist.” But God thought differently. And so, I began to pursue the pastorate.

Why does God allow some things to happen to us that are so good and encouraging to our souls and at other times it seems like He leaves us seemingly alone; unable to defend ourselves?  To answer that question, I would need a few more ReCharges or you could go Pastor Addison’s Thanksgiving sermon, where he did a great job in explaining this whole dilemma. The answer to the question is very simple: “We don’t know.” What we do know is this: We need to trust God no matter what. We need to trust Him when we see the answer and when we don’t. We need to trust him when we survive cancer, as well as when we have just been diagnosed with it. Romans 8:28 is used often but rarely believed. And we know that all things work for the good to those who love God.   Remember, you can trust what the Bible says, you can trust what the Spirit says, and finally, you can trust the God who loved you so much, He was willing to die for you! It took a 5th-grader’s simple thanks to remind me of that.

EARFUL FROM A BULLY

Kimmy hung her head and softly said, “He called me ‘Dumbo’ cause my ears stick out so far.”

It was Kimmy’s favorite dessert for Sunday dinner. Grandma Myers made it special, just for her. But Kimmy didn’t touch it.  Mom asked, “Kimmy, something wrong with the pie? I thought banana cream was your favorite.”

“Mom, I’m not hungry.”

“Kimmy, you aren’t still upset by what bigmouth Sam said to you on the bus, are you?”  Jake declared, “He’s just stupid!”

Tears began dripping down Kimmy’s cheeks.

“What did Sam say?” Dad asked.

HE CALLED ME “DUMBO”

Kimmy hung her head and softly said, “He called me ‘Dumbo’ cause my ears stick out so far.”

SOON THE WHOLE BUS GOT INVOLVED

With tears in her eyes, Mom turned and said, “Kimmy, let me tell you what happened to me.  I was in 6th grade and went to school on a bus, just like you. The problem was that my ears stuck out bigtime! My hair was long and my ears stuck out so much that my hair parted around them.  It didn’t look good.  When I got on the bus there were shouts of, ‘Elephant ears!’ which of course led to being called Dumbo, just like Sam called you, Kimmy.  The nastiest boy had started it and soon got the whole bus involved.  

I came home crying and told my mom what happened. So, my mother, your grandmother who died long before you were born, decided to take me to a doctor and get my ears fixed.  Pretty easy operation, but my hair was gross because I couldn’t wash it for 2 weeks.”

“Ewww! That’s yucky!” said Kimmy. “I didn’t know your ears stuck out too! I just want to punch Sam the next time I see him.”

THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE BULLIES

“Oh, honey,” said Mom, “the best way to handle bullies is to ignore them. They just want you to get upset like the boy who yelled things at me. You know Ephesians 4:32 says, ‘Be useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (understanding and loving-hearted), forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.’ You might not change the way Sam treats you, but you sure could surprise him by deciding to be kind to him rather than punching him.”

CREATED BEAUTIFULLY

Nana Ahlseen said, “Why don’t we pray for Kimmy? Dear Lord, please help us when people say awful things. Help us to be kind, when they are not. Lord, we ask You to protect Kimmy and we thank You that You created her beautifully, just as she is. And last of all, we ask You to speak to Sam’s heart and let him know that being a bully is an awful way to live.”

Kimmy said, “I think I have room for two pieces of pie today.”

And all the family said, “Double Amen!”

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

  • What makes a bully a bully?
  • Name a couple of good ways to handle a bully?
  • What does the Book of Ephesians teach us on how to handle unlovable people?
  • What did Nana include in her prayer for Kimmy?

CHALLENGE

Pray for someone who has been a bully in your life