It’s Okay to Call Out for Help

I was inquisitive enough to read “The Pilgrim’s Progress” over the last couple of days. Allegories aren’t my forte, but I did understand “Christian” was looking for the Celestial City throughout. I’m so visual that I needed technicolor and visual characters to help me grasp it. So, I rented the 2019 animated version on Amazon Prime. Aha! The lights in my brain flickered and brightened as I watched it. I was blessed.

I had heard others refer to the book by John Bunyan time and again. It was his greatest work and now, it has been a source of spiritual inspiration and help to countless readers. Translated into over 200 languages, it has never been out of print since the day it was first published in 1678. John Bunyan was arrested for preaching the gospel. His wife died leaving him with four children, one who was blind. Yet he refused to give up telling people the good news about Jesus. Certainly, out of his greatest tragedies, and while in prison, came a victory that still captures the hearts of millions – and better yet, many have come to see the Celestial City themselves – particularly by the way they live this life on this side of the Celestial City.

“The Pilgrim’s Progress” tells the story of a person called ‘Christian’ on a journey from his hometown to the Celestial City. On the way, he faces many strangers – some good for him and his faith and others that do their best to steal his faith and his life. He encounters incredible difficulties, challenges and obstacles, yet he perseveres faithfully to the end.

Honestly, as I read this book and saw the movie come to life, I was taken by the parallels of the times we are in today. We don’t need a book or movie to reveal that a Christian life is not always a piece-of-cake. I say a big "Amen!" to that! I’m so thankful that I was tight with Jesus and He guided and held me through some major tumultuous times. My life has been exciting AND perplexing enough that a book and movie could be written right alongside “The Pilgrim’s Progress”.

Truth is we all face many difficulties along life’s way. But, they don’t have to derail us. As I saw in this book/movie, if we go through difficult times while staying close to Jesus, we will emerge stronger, wiser, and even more Christ-like because of the trials, temptations, the tough times…..that don’t last, but tough people do. In fact they outlast all others, because if there’s one thing we know for sure – we live not just this life on earth….but those of us who follow the “Good Shepherd” and His paths, we’ll live forever and ever with Him. It’s a guarantee.

Throughout the Bible and in particular, the Psalm, we hear how David and others cried out to God for help. Have you ever poured out your complaints? I have. And, you know what? It’s okay. God has big shoulders. The truth is the sweet relationship we have with God isn’t always sweet. Sometimes we cry out for help and sometimes comfort just doesn’t come right away. I’ve been there and had some sleepless nights. “Christian” felt like God had rejected him and that he would never experience God’s favor again. So, it was with the psalmist. So, it was with John Bunyan. So, it was with Donna.

Here’s what I know. God is always there for us, telling us “Lay your burdens down at the feet of your King. Not one of the hairs on your head go unnoticed.” (That’s a line from the book, as well as scriptures in the Bible.) These photos show the heavy burden Christian carried until the closer he came to the cross – the more he was set free from his burden. Here is our consolation and assurance -- no matter how we feel and no matter what we say, when we are crying for help – we can be assured that God wants us to be real with Him. He doesn't want us to pretend that all is well. An earthly dad would want our truth. For sure, God wants to hear the cries of our heart. That draws us close to Him even in times of great distress.

Thank you, Lord, that you hear our cries for help. Thank you for not rejecting us, but holding us, taking our burdens from us and leading us closer to the cross where we are set free.

"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me." (Psalm 23:4)

Take Up Arms and Be Hope Bearers

I’m wide awake at 2:00 am. I determine it’s a gentle call from my Father. He is wanting my undivided attention. It’s the perfect time for us to collaborate. He speaks to my heart through His Word and as I prepare my blog to post in a few hours, I see my dear friend’s post which includes her beloved mother’s words about this day – 9/11. How could this day have slipped my mind when it was such a pivotal day in America’s history? This is the day to never be forgotten because of the lives that were lost and the heroes who did what no one thought possible. We remember sacrifice. We remember courage. We remember greatness. And, following in our Master’s footsteps, we choose to love our neighbor, to love our enemies, and to forgive. C.S. Lewis put it beautifully. “To be a Christian,” he wrote, “is to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven it in us.” We hold forgiveness in our hearts, as we remember that love is greater than hate; that hope is stronger than despair; that vengeance is no match for forgiveness.

Rather than posting the blog that I prepared yesterday, I am encouraged to re-post these compelling words written by my dear friend’s (Sheila Michie) mom, Kathryn Grant. She wrote this on 9/11/2003 – two years after the horrific event. Sheila was led to share it with us today. Kathryn's still relevant words are a “call to arms and I am led to share them, too, because the call remains to ‘take up arms’ and to be hope bearers in this world.

"The heart of our nation has not fully healed since the tragedy of 9/11. The grief of the victims' families has not been assuaged, nor has the magnitude of their loss been minimized by the passage of time. Indeed, the intervening months have brought more violence and death around the globe, in spite of enormous outlays of money and arms at the disposal of those who seek peace and do not find it.

Meanwhile, there is an opportunity that begs the attention of we older citizens to 'take up arms'-, our own -, that is, to put our arms around the children and young people of this nation. We have lived through a succession of wars and civil upheavals; we have seen the fall of Communism and Fascism; we have seen an earlier culture turned upside down by radical changes of every kind. We have lost loved ones, family and peers. By virtue of age and experience, we are singularly qualified to be hope bearers. Like the canaries sent down into the mine shafts to test for any toxicity, we bring good news that all is well. Not even the monstrous blow of 9/11 can bring us to our knees, except in prayer.

So, my, dear brothers and sisters of faith, we are called to a challenging "war effort." Our weapons are our collective voices of reassurance to our children, grandchildren, all who have lost hope for the future of our beloved country which we have historically called 'invincible.' One of us repeating Jesus' words, 'Be not afraid' is good, but when we collaborate, the collective power of our voices can turn the tide of events as they unfold. We are people of prayer. How else does one survive what we have been through in our long lives? And prayer will be our greatest weapon in bringing hope to the hopeless. The dues in our organization will be steep requiring millions of prayers for the balance of our lives for our loved ones, and others all over the world who yearn for peace and security. We will be one voice for one people!"

Thank you, Lord, for waking me up this morning to be fine-tuned to your voice through Sheila's and Kathryn’s voices. May we be people of faith and prayer – one voice for one people! We will heed the call to take up arms and be hope bearers!

The Darker the Night, the More Crucial our Light

At church on Sunday, during our public prayer petitions, we heard: “For the victims in the El Paso and Dayton, Ohio shootings, and for their families, we pray to the Lord”. I had not heard the news. I think: “Dear Lord, have mercy. More tragedy? More crazies with guns?”

I didn't watch the news, but I know gun laws are being debated again. No doubt, mental health is being analyzed again. And statements of remorse and promises of prayer are being offered. Coming up with solutions to keep us and our families safe is being considered. But where would that be? Especially since the El Paso shooting was at a Walmart and the Dayton shooting was at an outdoor food festival?

Most importantly, families are grieving the deaths of loved ones and those who were at the locations of the shootings will be wondering “What if I or my family were the victims?” Their lives have all been changed. And, what about us – where do we go where there isn’t a possibility that it could be us the next time?

But more important than analyzing, debating and trying to figure out the killers’ mental and spiritual health, gun control and keeping us safe in the future, what would Jesus do now? When Jesus encountered those who were suffering, his first reaction was not always to try and fix their problems. He typically started by listening to them, taking their hand, or simply weeping with them. He would get to the healing and bigger issues eventually but usually not before he’d taken the time to empathize with them and understand their pain. That’s who we should be for our friends, loved ones and even casual acquaintances. The darker the night, the more crucial our light.

I enjoy following the daily blogs of Dr. Jim Denison who brings spiritual insight and perspective to current events. He said this: “While society should obviously take all effective measures to protect itself, here’s my biblical point: Jesus can change any life He touches. He can heal any trauma. He can redeem any crisis. The God who turned a murdering Pharisee (Paul) into a missionary of grace can transform anyone.

The more secularized our culture becomes, the more evangelistic our churches must become. The more that people ridicule our prayers, the more they need our prayers. The more traumatized and victimized our society, the more vital our compassion. The greater the threat of violence, the more urgent our message. That’s why we must do all we can to reach the next shooters before they strike. We must use our influence to permeate our broken culture with biblical truth and grace. We must share God’s Word and love with everyone we can in every way we can.

One lesson of El Paso and Dayton is that every community is a mission field. As a result, every Christian is a missionary. Jesus is weeping beside twenty-nine graves today. He is calling us to join him with heartbroken compassion for the victims and their families and a renewed commitment to our gospel mandate. We are still the only “light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). The darker the night, the more crucial our light.

This morning, I hear our Lord asking, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” (Isaiah 6:8). What is our answer to Him?”

What Do You Do When Bad News Breaks Your Heart?

When Your Heart is Breaking -- Then What?
I sincerely ask God to give me the words I should provide in my daily posts, and today, I was compelled to share these words. Just maybe, your heart is breaking because of a recent tragedy in your life and you don’t know if you’ll survive the pain and heartbreak.

I heard a speaker share about the time when his dad was so ill, and in so much pain, that he really thought his dad would take his own life. He called his friend, a Christian psychologist, for advice. His friend said, "We pray that he won’t, but you may be right. He just might. And, it would be heart wrenching and painful for you. But, you will be okay, because you will still trust in God's sovereignty, you will bounce back because you will hold to your faith in God and you will live on with hope and determination. I know you, and I know the storms you’ve come through, and you will survive.” To that, I say "WOW"! Wow -- because it is so true for those of us who have met with a personal crisis, have experienced the loss of a loved one, who know the tragedy of financial loss, who know the pain caused from a divorce or broken relationship.....and we carried on. We made it through those times or, we are making it through those times now. The speaker went on to say that his dad lived beyond that time and, in fact, his last days were of sweet times with his family and friends and trusting in God.

Yesterday, I received a request for prayer for a family in my Tulsa home church. The wife/mother passed away just after delivering her newborn daughter. As heart-breaking as that story is, without a doubt, I know there will be loved ones and friends who will step up to give them support and comfort in these very tough times. There will be a healing process and they’ll be desperately looking for answers. But, with God’s abiding faith and love, they will make it. I know it, because I know so many tragic events and I know how those families not only survived, but they are thriving today.

I think that psychologist’s words, though straight-forward, were the words this speaker needed to hear. And those words ring true for all of us. When tragedy comes, we have an Anchor, and if we hold onto that Anchor, we will not go under. Yes, it hurts. But we will be okay, because we still trust in our loving Father’s plans and purposes for our lives. We will bounce back because we will hold on to our faith in God and live on with hope and great determination. Yes, we will carry on -- that is, those of us who know that this life is just a breath, compared to eternity. We will live another day and rejoice in our ability to stand strong in the face of overwhelming circumstances -- not in our own strength, but in His strength. "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

We know that this isn’t the end of our story. It’s a chapter in our story, and there are other chapters to write after this one. Our Savior isn’t a cold-hearted cosmic judge disconnected from our pain. He’s a loving Father and Friend who is walking with us and even carrying us through life’s most difficult times. Jesus said, “Never will I leave you or forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

One of the most beautiful promises in the Bible is that God “causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him…” (Romans 8:28). On this side of eternity, we don’t always see how He takes the broken pieces and creates something beautiful with them, but we can have peace in knowing that He will redeem the tragedy somehow in His perfect timing. Perhaps some of the good He will bring in our tragedy is to use the pain to bring us closer to Him or bring us into a relationship with Him for the very first time. And the end of each day, we will still proclaim: "God is good. All the time. And, all the time, God is good!"