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When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Psalm 56:3
I was only about six years old. We were living at a cabin for the summer and I enjoyed having the lake and summer friends to play with. I particularly enjoyed the boat trips across the lake to my grandfathers’ cabin. Much as I loved that summer, there was one incident that stays solid in my mind. I loved the boat rides and I loved playing in the water as long as I could touch bottom. If I couldn’t touch bottom I was terrified because I couldn’t swim.
One day a friend of mine and I were playing in the water and around an old row boat on shore. We pulled the boat out far enough to float on it and play around it. In the course of our play I somehow ended up in the boat and out farther than I wanted to be. My friend lost his grip on the boat and I was suddenly ‘free floating’ with no oars, no life-jacket and no adult within sight. I panicked! I was sure I was going to drown and screamed for help. In the midst of my fear my older brother came running and walked out into the water to rescue me. Turns out that even though I thought I was over my head, I wasn’t. I just couldn’t see the bottom.
Fear plays strange games with us and we live in a society that mocks fear and praises the ‘heroes of our lives’ that baulk at fear and act courageously in dangerous situations. Even religion glorifies bravery and ridicules fear. Ever heard a positive sermon on the terrified disciples in the storm? Most likely, not. We focus on Jesus’ rebuke of the wind and storm.
Fear can have a positive effect on our lives. We should never discount fear as an improper emotion in the life of a Christ-follower. The truth of that fact is illustrated in the book of Psalms and elsewhere. David says ‘When I’m afraid’ not ‘IF I’m afraid.’ Although he prayed and trusted God, you can’t tell me there wasn’t some fear in the heart of Daniel when he was lowered into the Lion’s Den; or in Moses as he walked into Pharaoh’s palace; or in Isaac as he lay on the altar while his father approached him with the butcher knife from the kitchen. Fear is real!
Fear isn’t the issue though; it’s what we do with the fear in our lives that counts. Fear can force us to rely closer on God or drive us to our own resources. The question isn’t if it’s okay to be afraid, the question is who (or what) do I turn to when I’m afraid.
Fear can cause us to move forward cautiously. Fear of broken relationships with God or others can keep us from sin. Fear can help us grow wiser as we carefully look at the possible consequences and outcomes of each situation.
Don’t let the fear in your life keep you defeated. Use it to grow closer to God, stronger in faith and more powerful in the Spirit!
PRAYER: Father God, I thank you that you understand my fears. I pray that you would enable me to use the fears I have to grow closer to you, to walk wisely and to live victoriously. Thank you that during the biggest times of fear in my life I can trust you to see me through. Amen.
The king will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.” Matthew 25:40 (CEV)
It was the week before Easter when our small community choir visited a homeless shelter in a nearby city. Our small town, rural environment didn’t prepare us for what we experienced. Some of us had seen them in passing, the younger ones hadn’t. They were ‘bums, or hobos’ when I was growing up. Now the more ‘politically correct’ title was ‘the homeless’.
Our stereotypes were greatly wounded by the experience. After our concert we sat with men and women who missed their families dearly. Mom’s who admitted that their choices sent their children away. Dad’s who longed to know how their little boy was, but because of the mistakes he’s made, wasn’t allowed to. The tears of remorse flowed. The stories came out.
The experience taught me to look a little differently at the man on the street corner holding up a ‘Will Work For Food’ sign. These were men named ‘John’ and women named ‘Sandy’. Moms and Dads, sons and daughters, who were faced with the same decisions you and I were faced with. They took an easier way, a way that looked better at the time but ended up being a path with stiff and harsh consequences.
There was one other thing we noticed about many of those who stayed for the meal afterwards. They had a deep love for Jesus. How can someone who uses drugs, sleeps under bridges and occasionally steals claim to love Jesus? Better yet, how can I claim to love Jesus and not have compassion (at the least) for those less fortunate, the social outcasts, he’s put in my way to love and when possible give a helping hand.
What a privilege the Father has given us to be able to show the love of Jesus to those less fortunate than ourselves! There was no money handed out that night, but all of us left richer than when we came. Our new friends were reminded of Jesus love for them and the forgiveness only he can offer. We were reminded that not only did Jesus die for all of us. He allows us to minister to one another.
It’s a hard, but true fact that our Father expects us to reach out to those who we least want to reach out to. The dirty, the failures, the ones that we’d rather turn away from. “But,” you may say, “They will just use us. They’ll just take advantage of us. They can’t be trusted.”
The Father turns to us and says, “Yes, they may. I took a chance on you. Will you take a chance on them?”
PRAYER: Father, I’d far rather turn my attention and focus towards the beautiful and lovely. I’d far rather show your love to those who will build me up for my efforts. But I realize your desire is for those who are unlovely by the world’s standards to be shown your love. Empower me to show your love in a tangible way to the unlovely people around me. Amen.
How great is God’s love for all who worship him? Greater than the distance between heaven and earth! Psalm 103:11 CEV
“I love you.”
“You don’t even know me, and if you did, you wouldn’t love me.”
“I do know you, and I love you.”
“No one could love me if they really knew me. I’m not the person you think you see.”
“I can see to your very soul. I know you better than you think. I know you better than you know yourself! I know about your feelings of lust last week.”
“You can’t! No one knows that but me. I buried it deep inside…what else do you know?”
“The feelings of suicide last week?”
“NO! STOP IT! Who are you…never mind that…you knew that and you still love me?”
“I do. I have for a long time, I love you now and nothing will ever keep me from loving you in the future.”
Sound like some sort of weird plot from a low-budget movie? A weird sort of love story? It’s not. It’s what the Heavenly Father says to you every day. Still, the extent of God’s love isn’t as amazing as the fact that he loves us at all.
The need to be loved is the driving force in all of us. It’s part of our humanity, part of our genetic make-up. It’s why we seek out relationships. But God doesn’t ‘need’ to love us. He ‘wants’ to love us. This may come as a bit of shock but there is nothing really of any value in us for God to love. His love isn’t based on who we are or what we do, it’s based on who he is and what he does.
How much does he love you? Step outside on a star-filled night and look up. See that faintest of all stars? How far do you suppose that star is? A couple thousand light-years perhaps? Were we to be able to measure God’s love for you, it would surpass that little glimmer of light you can barely see.
Big enough to rule the universe, powerful enough to control nature, wise enough to create life itself, intimate enough that even though he knows your deepest struggles, your darkest secrets and your biggest failures, he loves you.
You can avoid him, but he’ll continue to seek you out. You can rebel against him, but he’ll continue to watch for your return. You can tell him to leave, but he’ll stand in the shadows to watch over you. You can deny his love, but he’ll never deny you.
PRAYER: Lord, I’m so unworthy of your love for me. I’m stubborn, rebellious and selfish. I demand my own way and push you aside when it benefits me. Still, you keep on loving me. I’m amazed. I’m humbled. Forgive me for my waywardness. Empower me to live with your love for me in view when the voices of despair tempt me to think otherwise. Amen.
“When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me.” Matthew 25:35 (CEV)
During the Great Depression the United States Government instituted a plan which was designed to help those in desperate straights get back on their feet. Depending on your political views, it was a defining moment in our history as it gave jobs to the jobless, food to the hungry, homes to the homeless and hope (physically anyway) to the hopeless.
But there is something that welfare, or any government help program will never be able to do. Government, no matter how compassionate will never be able to meet the need of the soul. It may provide health care, but it will never heal the wound of the heart. It may provide food, but will never fill the hunger of the heart.
Even within the body of Christ there are many fine, worthy, shining examples of people reaching out to meet the needs of the world through a variety of outreach endeavors abroad and at home. Many have not only had their physical needs met through these programs, their spiritual and emotional needs have been met as well. These endeavors are blessed by God and a blessing to the Father as well.
You may look at some of the great things being accomplished and wonder, “What can I do? I’m struggling right now to make it myself. Your home may be in foreclosure or your finances a mess. You may be battling relational difficulties of your own or struggling with addiction. A common lie the enemy will use in cases like that is to say something like, “You’re into your own issues too deep to help much.”
It’s not the mighty things that will change your world, but the little things, the simple gestures that make a difference. Those small gestures, given in Jesus name will accomplish far more than any program will. Our personal gestures of good will can go deeper to meet not only the physical, but the spiritual and emotional needs of those around us. God doesn’t expect great things from us, he takes the little things we do and make them great!
Offer a kind word and smile to someone today. It may just be the ‘cup of cool water’ they need at that moment. Go out of your way to help someone with a small task. That may be just the meal their soul seeks. Be a friend to someone in prison, a senior citizen in a nursing home, or the person at the office no one will sit with.
Is God honored by the big missions and outreach programs? I think he is. But he is equally blessed by the simple things we do on a daily basis to reach the hearts of those in need around us. That’s the welfare Jesus seeks.
PRAYER: Lord help me see someone today who needs your simple, loving and graceful touch. Help me share the simple things others need for healing today. Amen.
Sing to him; sing praises to him. Tell about all his miracles. Psalm 105:2 (NCV)
Everyone loves a love song. Even us guys like love songs although we don’t always admit it. Proof of that comes from the fact that many of the great song writers in history as well as our era have written songs to the one they love.
So, what love song have you sung to Jesus lately? You might think that an odd question to ask. Me? Sing a love song to God? How could I come up with the words to sing to him? How can I sing him a song of my love when I do such a bad job of showing that love? I mean, look at what I did last week! Look at the words I used when I got upset with my [co-worker, child, spouse, boss]! How would God accept my words of love for him when I can’t use words of love to others?
Or perhaps you are gifted in the area of music and words and you say, “I wrote a love song to him once. Want to hear it?” You may even be able to pop a CD in the CD player and let your music fill the room in praise.
You may be one who struggles with words. You may be one that is gifted in words and notes. Whatever your situation let me suggest a love song each of us can sing. A love song that will bring tears of joy to the eyes of the Father. A tune that will make the angels pause to listen. A message that will waft through eternity, long after the final stanza.
At the risk of offending anyone, I don’t think the Father is all the concerned about what type of music is played on Sunday mornings. I’m not so sure he’s impressed with guitars and synthesizers and drums. I’m not convinced he misses the piano and organs that may grace your sanctuary.
The love song the Father longs to hear from us comes from the heart, and songs from the heart are best sung with the hands. The music he longs to hear is the music of your patience with those around you. The music that thrills his soul is the tip you left on the table for the person that just gave you the worst service of your entire life. The music that touches his heart are the words of encouragement you speak to the one who has failed you…again.
Sing for Jesus! Sing his praises from the mountain top by showing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The acting out of those words in our world are the words of the love song he longs to hear.
The motivation for our love song isn’t what others have done for us, but what Jesus Christ has done for us!
PRAYER: Lord, there are times in my life when the words of my love song to you are watered down by the circumstances I find myself in. When that happens I tend to give you lip service and don’t show my song to others. Empower me with your spirit to show the words of my love song to others regardless of how I’m treated. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 