Sweet Words from Maine

Of Kings and Aunts and Country Singers…

Old and weathered, Maine houses hide their stories but are reminders of ours. When young, optimistic, enthusiastic and busy, we take little notice of the imperceptibly slow but progressive changes occurring in our bodies. Regardless of physical conditioning, body habitus, or huge amounts of denial, they creep up and surprise us. We wrinkle, sag, shuffle, hobble and become gray and lose our hair. Our grandchildren look at old photos and ask, Who is that?” Fair enough! We don’t recognize ourselves in the mirror! At some point, we realize that we don’t have too many more runs around the sun, and the run seems shorter every year!

Tennessee Ernie Ford, a mid-century popular country singer and probably best known for singing “16 Tons,” sang Stuart Hamblen’s “This Old House,” a song which lamented the relational and physical losses of advancing age-how life wears away and becomes diminished as time runs out. “This ole house once knew his children/This ole house once knew his wife/ This ole house was home and comfort/As they fought the storms of life .” But laughter and joy and family are replaced by weakness and fretfulness and the reality that death can’t be avoided and is imminent.. “Ain’t a-gonna need this house no longer/Ain’t a-gonna need this house no more/ Ain’t got time to fix the shingles/Ain’t got time to fix the floor/ Ain’t got time to oil the hinges/Nor to mend the window pane/Ain’t a-gonna need this house no longer/He’s a-gettin’ ready to meet the saints.”

Although bemoaned in music and literature and pondered and expounded upon in medical journals, health magazines, and promotional ads promising the fountain of youth, the surprises, disabilities, and eventualities of aging can not to be avoided among the living. So, old people learn to laugh at their complaints as they brave physical and mental frailties and visit their geriatricians. They “get it! It is part of the process. ”Slightly misquoting Bette Davis, my wife’s Aunt, who died a few days short of being 101 years old, frequently said, “Aging ain’t for sissies.”

Israel’s King Solomon, who had an amazing life, would have agreed. An intellectual with a wide range of interests and pursuits, he shared a fascinating account of his very long, adventuresome, and priviledged life of wealth and power. In his closing thoughts in Ecclesiastes, his vivid prose painted a picture of advancing age and its disabilities and declared that all the pursuits of life are meaningless. They are but “vanity.” “Everything is meaningless,…completely meaningless,” he said. But that statement was just a segue to a very wise, hope filled, and somewhat unsuspected conclusion about the meaning and purpose of human existence. He proceeded to exhort youth to always keep the end of life in mind because in those surprising but unavoidable, confining years of decline, all of one’s life will come into focus, “Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.” However, he finished with a positive message, the encouraging thought that life is not limited to the material, it is spiritual. It is connected with God, in whom lies ultimate and lasting meaning. “Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty…” (Ecclesiastes 12:1-14)

Both Tennessee Ernie Ford’s singing lyrics and King Solomon’s poetry and prose point us not only to eventualities and finalities but also to a living hope. The time will come when “This old house” will return to the earth, but “the spirit returns to God, who gave it.” (Ecclesiastes 12:7) More importantly, Jesus also taught the urgency of “seeking first” the eternal values of God’s Kingdom. (Matt 6:33) There are many worthy, worldly pursuits, but the most valuable life long priority is seeking a relationship with God, who is not far from us. He gives us all the treasures of His Kingdom through faith in His redemptive work on our behalf. For that purpose Christ appeared on the human scene: ” to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

These cautionary words from Tennessee Ernie, King Solomon and Jesus remind us how limited our material world is and that our deepest needs are spiritual, that our spirits are reality, and that we were created for God, who lavishes his love on us through Christ. The Westminster Catechism sums it succinctly and well : “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.”

“Missed Things” That Shift the Narrative…

While reveling in the beauty of this tiny, mist surrounded island and its reflection in the bay, the distant, tiny image of an eagle scanning the water for its lunch had been missed. However, that significant detail changed the photo’s narrative into something rawer and less ethereal.

Somewhat similarly, our stressed and harried routines are so filled with demands and the needs of the moment that we frequently don’t contemplate life’s finer details, the missed opportunities, the significance of people who could change the complexion of our stories, or even of who we really are.

Three of the Gospels record Jesus’ interaction with a very rich, prestigious, young, religious, ruler who claimed to have kept the Mosaic Law since childhood. He appeared to have every possible human advantage for entering God’s Kingdom, but he still lacked assurance and wanted to know how to leverage his way into heaven. He had a question for Jesus, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to “inherit eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16-24) ( Mark 10:17-23) (Luke 18:16-27) With laser accuracy in one startling statement, Jesus addressed his false perceptions about God and the incorrect idea that eternal life is merited by rule keeping, moral integrity, and good works: “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me,” he said.

Jesus’ answer was shocking. Seemingly radical and harsh, his ideas were neither. He simply pointed out that the young man’s view of God was incomplete, lopsided. God’s grace is startling, surprising, unexpected! Even though it exposes our need for redemption and identifies previously unrecognized sins of pride and idolatry, calls out our depravity, and clarifies personal inadequacy to save oneself, God’s grace is actually about hope. It mercifully buoys us up, redeems us, and clothes us in the dignity and righteousness of Christ! We can do nothing to make God love us more than he already does! Attaining eternal life is a matter of faith. It is not about what one can do or must not do to attain it.

Receiving God’s grace through faith had always been God’s redemptive plan. The young man had missed that concept in his religious training. But among others, it had been true for Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, King David, and Nicodemus and would be for the Apostle Paul, the Philippian jailor, and all who would “call upon the Name of the Lord.” Paul would write Titus: “It is not by works of righteousness that we have done but by God’s mercy that He saves us.” (Titus 3:5) (Genesis 15:6) , (Ps 119:9), (Psalm 118:19:23), (John3), (Acts 2:21; 16:30-31)(Hebrews 11)

Jesus’s solution wasn’t that the redistribution of wealth or a vow of poverty would grant this fellow eternal life. Belief and repentance were the answers. This young man was not who he believed himself to be. Confused about his Law keeping, he was in violation of the two most important commandments. He neither loved God or his neighbor as he should and had raised his wealth, status, and reliance on religious creeds and personal morality to an idolatrous level. Although there was no eternal benefit in what he treasured, he valued and trusted them more than God. Turning from his materialism, casting aside pride, and trusting and following humble Jesus to the cross of self-denial were essential ingredients to a successful treasure hunt. To change the narrative, contrition, not a good deed, was required. Laying claim to an eternal inheritance meant identifying as a child of God, not as a self made man.

The answer to questions about eternal life has been sought and explored throughout the centuries but has been easily overlooked like the eagle in the photo because we live and ponder and seek in a context of muddled thoughts, theories, conjectures and deductions. As pointed out by Christ, the reality is that eternal life is attained by God’s grace through faith. It is available to any and all who seek it.

If one heeds Christ’s specific invitation to follow him, we will not miss that most important treasure. Believe and live!

Blowing in the Wind…

In a series of frustrated, rhetorical queries, Bob Dylan’s 1960’s “protest “song, “Blowing in the Wind,” identifies both personal and national moral conundrums. He poses stirring questions about how many roads or years we must take or live before we comprehend our common humanity. He laments our inability to listen to and to show compassion for each other. He bewails humanity’s inhumanity.

His lyrics are poetic and touching and worth listening to as he drills down to our core problem, our selfish, broken natures which consciously ignore the suffering and pain of others. They ask questions. Why is there no peace, no love? Why is freedom scarce? Why does oppression, discrimination, racism, or war exist? Why do we insist on destroying each other? How long can we continue on without eroding away our foundations? Wherein lies the reason for our moral failures? Are we overwhelmed with the enormity of our problems and feel helpless? Is it ignorance or passivity?

Dylan’s concerns predate him by centuries. They have plagued mankind since our beginnings! Although his song identifies our flaws, arouses emotions and perturbs us, he doesn’t identify solutions. There is no apparent healing. “The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind.”

Whether or not he knew it, Dylan desired what God has always desired for humanity. The prophet Micah reminded Judah that God had told them, “O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:6-8)

Our oppositional arrogance is the problem. We don’t walk with God. All our preceding generations have traveled many pothole strewn roads in an attempt to change the narrative: education, philosophy, psychology, religion, criminal justice, and governmental oversight of society. Yet, we remain puzzled and frustrated with our lack of transformation. Regardless of the strategy, whether diversity training, preaching tolerance, revising history, promoting exchange programs, attempting eugenics, giving generously, talking about love, or outright opposing injustices, we don’t change because our hearts don’t change. To have happiness and stability, we must live within societal and moral guidelines without which we fall into the morass of ungrace! The wonky thinking that we are free moral agents and can do what we wish without consequences has been proven wrong time and again.

In His moral Law, God has laid out specifically how to live and to have optimum results of happiness and fulfillment. People of faith will always battle personal flaws, but justice and love will thrive when and where they humbly recognize God’s authority. The Scriptures and the teachings and sacrifice of Christ light the way.

It seems “the answer” isn’t somewhere blowing in the wind. It lies deep within our souls where raw and untamed desires rise up and need transformation. Through the humility of repentance and faith and obedience, God changes human spirits into lives with meaning and purpose and hope. Christ promises that transformation through his renewing and redeeming power in believing hearts who will follow the path he walked for us–one of love, sacrifice, mercy and grace.

Are Raindrops Falling on Your Head?

Gerber Daisies and Rain Falling on the Window Pane

There is an old saying that “when it rains, it pours.” That has happened to us in Maine this fall. We all enjoy a warm, gentle, refreshing rain shower but not those torrential downpours which relentlessly toss about their windy havoc, flood our cellars, and leave us powerless. Sometimes, life is like that. Behind one bad situation lurks another. We become caught in a vortex of troubles and spiral into anxiety or anger and depression, or a sense of helplessness and hopelessness, and the thought that God has abandoned us.

Bert Bacharach’s Oscar winning theme song for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head.” It expresses a somewhat cavalier, whimsical approach to life as depicted by the those two loveable, happy-go-lucky bank robbers! Despite the mishaps that kept occurring, their attitudes inspired the lines, “But there’s one thing I know…It won’t be long ‘til happiness steps up to meet me.”

That kind of optimism isn’t always our attitude. In Psalms 42 and 43, the Psalmist expressed those negative feelings while facing adversaries and injustices. He vented and lamented his distress but not to his friends. He gave his concerns to God. As he contemplated his relationship with God, his attitude changed. He and God had a history. Despite his pain, he remembered God’s powerful blessings of the past. God was his Rock. He knew that God is good and trustworthy and would redeem his suffering. He refocused his emotional responses to his suffering by centering his thought on God’s goodness and love and steadfast faithfulness. He repeatedly asked himself, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Then he turned his thoughts outward and upward: “Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation.”(42:5,11; 43:5)

The Psalmist shows us the road to Biblical optimism by providing a great model to follow when we are distressed. He “thirsts” for God “as a deer pants for flowing streams.”₍₁₎ He looks for God in his situations and learns to be patient ₍₂₎and is encouraged as he remembers prior blessings in his life. ₍₃₎ He knows that God loves him, ₍₄₎and he prays to God₍₅₎ while searching and relying upon the light of God’s word to lead him.₍₆₎ He trusts and submits to God ₍₇₎and places his hope in God,₍₈₎ in whom he finds safety, comfort and healing.₍₉₎

We may have severe trials to lament, but turning our thoughts to God and His merciful nature and remembering the extent of His redemptive love and grace shown us in the sufferings of Christ help us rise above our self-centeredness to spiritual renewal and confidence that God’s timing and resolution are perfect. In the midst of terrible spiritual agony, Christ prayed, “Not my will, but Thine be done.”

When our self-talk speaks from a place of faith, self-pity will not overwhelm us. Storms may pour down their rain, but confidence in God’s goodness will sustain us.

_{1 (42:1-2)}_{; 2 (42:2-5)}_{; 3 (42:4,6,8);}_{4 (42:8); 5 (these Psalms are prayers); 6(43:3)}_{; 7 (43:4); 8 (42:5,11; 43:5); 9 (42:10)}

The Potter

Kneading and shaping and reshaping the clay on his potter’s wheel, the potter transforms earth into something distinct and unique, useful, beautiful, and desirable. In a small way, His creative acts mirror God’s. The prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah make that analogy. God, who not only gave beauty to creation and made us from the dust of the earth, works to bring beauty into our spirits.

But now, O Lord, You are our Father/We are the clay, and You our potter/And all of us are the work of Your hand. (Isaiah 64:8)

Becoming beautiful under God’s hand isn’t always easy because it takes time and requires character shaping, an acceptance of His Sovereignty and authority, and a trusting faith that He is working good in all our situations, whether happy or desperate.

In the context of the Judeo-Christian faith, trials serve as refining fires. Many centuries prior to the Apostle Peter, Job had confessed that “… (God) knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.” (Job 23:10) Peter, who withstood much persecution for his faith, reaffirmed that: “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world”. (1 Peter 1:7 (NLT2)

How we choose to respond to struggles will determine outcomes. Sometimes trials drive us to God, sometimes away from God because we feel that we deserve better than pain and suffering and don’t understand how a loving God allows injustices to happen. Difficulties may strengthen and mature us or weaken and defeat us. Thankfully, God is not a condemning God. He is good. Everything that is good originates from Him. (James 1:17) He is for us. He is all about redeeming, restoring, giving peace and purpose to life, leading our souls to green pastures and still waters, and gifting us the heavenly blessings of forgiveness, wholeness, and His presence. Even in the brokenness of this world and in the dark night of suffering, an enduring confidence in God’s love creates beautiful, desirable vessels with characters that mirror His.

He knows the fragileness of our lives and wants to journey with us on that road of human pain and suffering which he has walked and understands. He knows our need for comfort and power to endure. There is an old Gospel song that puts this into the Christian perspective: “But in every situation God gave blessed consolation/That my trials come to only make me strong/Through it all, through it all/I’ve learned to trust in Jesus/I’ve learned to trust in God/Through it all, through it all/I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.” (written by Andrae Crouch)

“Through it all,” God is faithfully developing strong, trusting, courageous, understanding hearts of mercy and grace, compassion and love, peace and joy, and kindness.

The Potter

But now, O Lord, You are our Father/We are the clay, and You our potter/And all of us are the work of Your hand. (Isaiah 64:8)

“Through it all,” God is faithfully developing strong, trusting, courageous, understanding hearts of mercy and grace, compassion and love, peace and joy, and kindness.

Some Thoughts and A Question…

“The proposal and the Rejection”
Moose at Sandy Stream Pond, Baxter State Park, Maine

We enjoy observing and analyzing the animal “kingdom.” Their world intrigues us. We are both amused by critter antics and appalled by the brute “law of the jungle”. Yet, we have an intuitive sense that we fit somewhere in this picture. Some would say that humans are part of a created order; others say we are the result of an evolutionary process. Some theories attempt to combine the two ideas into a single creative, evolutionary process.

Scripture considers man to have been blessed with the image of God, to be God’s supreme creative act, and to be creation’s caretaker. Science classifies humans as part of the animal family which is divided into categories and subcategories by similar and different characteristics. Humans rise to top tier of this classification system for several reasons including their cognitive abilities, their higher levels of intelligence and logical decision making, and the ability to contemplate and to question the what and why of existence. That ability and those questions about origins lead to one of two antithical ways of viewing reality. One includes God, the other does not. Which view we espouse is important for our sense of purpose, our ethics, and thus our behaviors and out attitudes. Scripture also teaches that mankind is morally broken and needs redemption. If Creator God and His moral authority do not exist we are the products of our DNA, our environment, and good or bad luck, and there is no absolute standard of right or wrong. If that is true, we are free to determine our own morality and act on self interest regardless of what might be perceived as “common good”. We become subject to the most powerful among us, to those who hold control, to those who might choose to do good or evil to us. (the jungle law) If we can condemn them, there must be some standard to make that judgment, some standard that exceeds social acceptability or civil law.

Deep within our spirits, we know when we have breached the boundary defined by something more than civility, social acceptability, rules, or civil law because regret and self disappointment, guilt, shame and self loathing step in. When the darkness of the heart (e.g. envy, jealousy, malice, pride, lust) creeps in and produces its fruit, we realize we need redemption by Someone who can restore us to wholeness and make us righteous.

The exclusivity of these two contrasting world views challenges each of us to investigate and follow all the facts, not just the ones with which we are familiar or have been taught. Truth isn’t always comfortable. We may turn to multiple sources for valuable information but are most inclined to sources that support our beliefs.

Whatever our beliefs might be, Christ claimed that the purpose of his incarnate life was to show us “truth” (John 16:36-38) and actually stated that he was “the Truth”. (John 14:6) If and when one does seek truth, the story of Christ’s powerful life as a moral leader, his remarkable teachings and claims, and his astonishing death and resurrection must be considered. Is he or is he not who he said he was? Is he God’s Truth?

A New Day…

As the rising sun drives darkness to the other side of the earth, a breathtaking, sky beautifully announces another day to continue our story and to possibly change its narrative.

Imagine how spectacular the dawning of creation must have been! God was impressed enough to begin His story with humanity …God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light/ And God saw that the light was good/ Then he separated the light from the darkness/ God called the light “day” and the darkness “night”/ And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day. (Genesis 1:3-5 (NLT2)

Some consider the Genesis account as simply poetic literature and an imaginative attempt to explain human origin; others believe that God’s speaking light into existence was one of His first, literal, creative acts related to life on this earth. Whatever we are on the spectrum of beliefs, we need light to live both physically and spiritually. Those who experience Seasonal Affective Light Disorder know that.

Surprisingly, we tend to live in spiritual shadows, but when God steps onto the scene, there is light because “God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.”(1 John 1:5) When we begin to understand who God is, who we are, who we are meant to be, and how to become that person, He dispels the darkness of our insecurities and doubts and of our feelings of being minimized and unloved. Also, God doesn’t let us drift into self delusion and self concealment where we deny or justify our flaws and avoid responsibility for consequences of our inappropriate behaviors and attitudes, where we are unabashedly self righteous, biased, judgmental, unforgiving, unrepentant, and detached from the injustices and misery around us, and even where we can lack integrity, be dishonest, treacherous, greedy, malicious, proud, immoral and selfish and not assume guilt. It is obvious we need transcendent light in order to become emotionally and spiritually healthy.

We find that illumination through Scripture, which is a “lamp” and a “light” for our journeys, (Psalm 119:11, 105) and in Christ, who is the “Light of the World. ” (John 8:12) God does not expose us to condemn us; He informs or enlightens us in order to heal us. As we understand our darkness and need for redemption in view of God’s holiness, we begin to comprehend the depth of God’s great love and compassion for us. He rescues us “from the kingdom of darkness and transfer us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14)

As he stood awaiting condemnation before Pilate, Christ stated that the purpose of his incarnation was “to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate’s subsequent question may have been cynical, but it is a universal and sincere one: “What is truth?” (John 18:37-38) Truth is the light we all seek, and Christ said he was that light, that he was Truth. (John 14:6) What are we to do with those statements?

We are to be wise and to “redeem the time.” (Ephesians 5:15-16) and to “walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8-15) (Matthew 5:16) In other words, we should face every sunrise in the context of who we are meant to be as spiritual people because of God’s beautiful mercy and grace that put us into His Kingdom. We find hope and wholeness in faith.

The point: our narrative is best written with God’s help. Those who revere God and “esteem His Name,” (Malachi 3:16) have been promised that ^”…, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.” ( Malachi 4:2) That dawn will fill the heavens with great beauty and joy. God’s steadfast love and faithfulness will push the darkness away and reveal a glorious righteousness which will bring healing for all humanity’s injustices.

The Way Ahead…

Imperfection: A View of Cadillac Mountain, Maine

Looking across this room through the imperfections of an old, outside window pane to the magnificent Frenchman’s Bay and Cadillac Mountain, we are given a visual parable of how difficult it is to see the road ahead when viewed through the tears and confusion of a tough journey. Beyond the pane lie the beautiful skies and mountains of Acadia which can be viewed more comprehensibly only by advancing beyond the obstructing window.

The strain of tribulations, the pain of unfathomable human tragedies, the negative impact of present sadness, disappointment, or moral failure taint our perception of where the future leads or how bright it may become. Can one regain sure footing, readjust to adversity or regain losses? Will the tears stop flowing and the pain lessen? Are the broken circumstances redeemable? Will the pastures turn green and the waters become still again? Will we ever regain equilibrium and have peace and joy as our world spins out of control? Is it all bleakness and no hope?

We tend to associate meaning and joy with good times, happy moments, positive happenings, and special people in whom we find pleasure. But what happens with loss, difficult times and offensive, oppressive people? We often find ourselves in the world of “what has been” or “what might have been” or “what might be.” We all seek a world free from the baggage and consequences of our misdeeds and bad behaviors. Re-gardless of our worldview, we desire redemption! We generally want to be a better person with a rewarding future. We need and want forgiveness and opportunity for renewal. All around this earth, people seek those things as they offer prayers, as they confess and plead and lament and sacrifice to all kinds of gods for their intervention and help.

All Scripture presents God as our Creator, who is also our sovereign, personal, benevolent Father, who is present and endures with us and whose holiness and justice bring us righteousness. Moses repeatedly reminded the Israelites that God was “concerned” or knew or understood them and their situations and that He was their “rescuer” and would keep His covenant with them.(Exodus 2, 3, 6) Their role was to revere God, walk in his ways, to love and “serve” him with all their being, and to observe the Lord’s guidelines for their lives for their “own good.” (Deuteronomy 10:12) The promise was that things would go well with them if they did what was “good and right in the eyes of the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 12:28) God is always concerned for the well being of His children even in a fallen, broken world where evil happens. The reality of Jesus’ life is the greatest evidence of God’s loving concern and helps us understand how desperate but how meaningful life can be.

Christ was born into poverty and controversy. He was misunderstood by all who knew him, including his family. He was minimized and victimized by gossip and innuendo, disbelief, oppression, prejudice and hatred. His life was difficult and lonely and exhausting. He experienced sorrow and sadness, grief and loss, the death of friends. He wept and was sad for the vulnerability and folly of mankind but was always grateful, seeing life through opportunity and purpose.He was humiliated, rejected, abandoned, betrayed, treated unjustly, violently brutalitized and died in the shame of a wrongful, cruel death. He was strong in spirit but never rebellious, always submitting to the will of His Father even in the worst adversity and personal danger. A person of integrity, he spoke and lived truth. He courageously and compassionately faced and forgave his detractors and tormentors. He had unwavering faith in the love and care of his heavenly Abbe, for whom he joyfully lived and fulfilled the purposes set before him. He lived as he taught us how to live—seeking the Kingdom of God always in the present circumstances, not anxiously looking for what happens next, and trusting God’s provision and strength for the day.

Christian doctrine perceives in Jesus, a Rescuer, a Savior, a Redeemer who was tested and lived without sin. He who knew no sin became sin for us and gave us his righteousness that we might live with God (11 Corinthians 5:21) Israel knew the Law as God’s wisdom. The Christian focus is on Christ. He is the one who has walked earthly and spiritual journeys like ours and has finished his course with joy. (Hebrews 12:2) The New Testament shows us that Christ is God’s wisdom to us. He is what the Law could not do because we can not keep it. He is our righteousness, redemption, and hope. He is our confidence for the presence and future.

There is an old African-American spiritual which succinctly summarizes these thoughts. The multiple verses of “He’s got the whole world in His hands “ capture truths from several Psalms including Psalm 47 about God’s reign over the cosmos including His care of His people.

“He’s got you and me, brother, in His hands… He’s got the whole world in His hands” “He’s got you and me, sister, in His hands… He’s got the whole world in His hands…”

Those hands came to us in human form and were pierced for our redemption, peace and hope. They sustain, protect, and lift us up in the winds and rains and tempests of life. Even when we fear our faith will fail, or when temptation is great or when hope seems gone and love is cold “He will hold me fast/He will hold me fast/For my Savior loves me so/He will hold me fast.” ( from the hymn by Ada Habershon 1861-1918)

The way ahead is more clearly understood in the context of faith. God deals powerfully with our past, is present with us now, and opens the future to the best possible, ultimate results.

Brave hearts…

Gull challenging the surf at Schoodic Point, Acadia National Park

This gull isn’t perturbed about the mostrous wave threatening to overwhelm it. Its confident stance is a reminder of what the prophet Isaiah realized and expressed to Israel:“…listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” (Isaiah 43:1-3 (NLT2)

Life is undeniably filled with pitfalls, dangers, and disasters which threaten to overwhelm our person, families and nation. We have no reasonable expectation or promise of protection from pain, suffering, disappointment, illness, or loss. Despite that, one of the more common Biblical commands is “Do not be afraid.” Frequently coupled with that command is the command against discouragement. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and be courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)(1 Chronicles 28:20)“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” (2 Chronicles 20:15)

Anxiety and discouragement occur when we lose confidence in God. If we perceive He is unseeing, distant, uncaring, unable, and uninvolved, if we sense there is little or no possibility of resolving our situation, if we feel we are alone, our faith waivers. Where or on whom we focus in life will define our fear-self or God? On one occasion when the disciples were caught on the sea in a great storm and were desparate and frightened, Christ “rebuked” the wind and quieted the storm and then asked them, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith? (Mark 4:49-40) The power of God’s presence makes brave those hearts which are challenged by adversity. Holding genuine belief in God’s Sovereign power and remembering His loving care lead to courageous faith in devastastion and loss.

Moses repeatedly exhorted the Israelites to never forget what wonders God had done for them. (Deuterononmy 6) Christ knew how desperate life could be and taught his followers not to borrow trouble but to always keep the end goal in mind, to live as Kingdom dwellers always trusting the Sovereign King, who always did good for them. (Matthew 6:25-34) Deliberately remembering what God in Christ has done for us reorients us away from negative thinking to gratitude. The Apostle Paul, who experienced all manner of suffering, reminded the Roman Church: “We can rejoice, too, … For we know how dearly God loves us…… When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.”

He also said that we can rejoice “when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment.“Pain and disappointments can bring a clarity about our humanity, about our strengths and weaknesses, about what is meaningful, about motivations and goals, and about mortality and God. Trials refine and confirm faith in the “One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy and who dwells “with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.(Isaiah 57:15)

There will be “deep waters,” “rivers of difficulty” and “fires of oppression.” There will be times when we are “utterly helpless” and our spirits need reviving. However, God walks with those who have “contrite hearts,” hearts of faith which rest in His ability to ransom souls and situatons and walk with Him in the dark moments. Gospel singer Linda Randle expresses it this way in her song ” God on the Mountain”.

We talk of faith way up on the mountain/Talk comes so easy when life’s at its best/
Now down in the valleys, of trials and temptations/That’s where your faith, is really put to the test/For the God on the mountain is still God in the valley/When things go wrong, he’ll make it right/And the God of the good times/Is still God in the bad times/The God of the day, is still God in the night