Certain Conclusion

One of the great privileges & sacred trusts of being a pastor is being close to the brokenhearted.  Yes, a privilege, because Scripture says, "God is close to the brokenhearted."  Brokenhearted hurts.  That's one ugly compound word.  But your broken heart - in the hands of God - is good.

In the past two days I have heard two stories of God's amazing goodness to the brokenhearted in the face of enormous trials.  Two children given a new life through adoption.  One child growing where doctors thought no hope.

Three precious children.  One certain conclusion.  God can.

We will not always know why.  Or why not.  We will not always know when.  We will not always know how.

But we can know.  That as God chooses.  By His grace.  In His providence.  Through His power.  God can.

Press play below.  Rejoice in & be reminded of the certain conclusion.  God can.

Fish Story

A great group of guys, assisted by some wonderful women, put on our Kid's Fishing Derby recently.  Chilly Saturday morning.  Layers & coats.  Cold fingers & nippy noses.  Yet fun to be out no matter the temperature.

My pal Woody kept all the lines straight.  Pulled all the catches off.  Even took pix.  He made our lakeside point the place to be.  Woody did all the work before & after each cast.  Fun for the kids, and me, thanks to Woody.

My own JM caught plenty.  Reeling them in.  Feeling their scales.  Releasing them to disappear.  Playing with the worms.  Sitting on the rocks.  Then.  He gave into the siren call of the nearby playground.

A new, young buddy came along just then.  Grandson of sweet church member.  Son of a super Mama.  Hadn't caught any yet.

"I wanna catch a fish," my buddy said.

He tried to cast.  Needed a little coaching.  When to push the button.

Buddy caught on quick.  Got the casting down.

Then it was patience.  He'd reel in too quick & jerky.

Again coaching.  Slow it down.  Little at a time.  We've been catching them right out there all morning.

Another cast.  Slower.  He was listening.

Another cast.  No fish.  Buddy was getting antsy.  Impatient.  I could tell.

He was doing it.  Right technique.  Right spot.

"Woody, we gotta get this boy a fish," I said.  Then I remembered a story I'd heard a famous preacher tell.  How he'd been fishing.  Catching none.  And felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit to pray for fish.  He'd argued, "Something so simple, Lord?  Surely I shouldn't waist prayers on this."  Then he was reminded of the Disciples.  Four of them fisherman.  And how Jesus miraculously blessed them.  So our preacher friend prayed.  And God gave him a whopper.  It really was a whopper of a fish because he's a good preacher fella & would never tell a whopper of a fish story.

So. I prayed.

"God, you are THE God of everything.  Even the fish in this lake.  You know this boy wants a fish.  He's been working so hard God.  He's listening to instruction.  He keeps trying.  Give my Buddy a fish."  And then with weak, limited boldness I added, "And, please give it to him on the next cast."

I'll admit I didn't tell Woody my prayer.  My faith about fish was weak.  Maybe my faith was weak, period.

Buddy cast.  Reeled it in a bit.  Easy like he'd learned.

My heart was pounding.  Watching that bobber. 

And it hit.  A fish.  A fish!

Buddy reeled it in fast.

Little bluegill.  All Buddy needed.  He was so proud.

Little bluegill.  All I needed.  I was so humbled.

Buddy needed a fish.

I needed faith.

Thank God for that fish.  A fish to strengthen my faith.

What do you need, my Friend?

Have you asked in Jesus' name?

According to his will?

To glorify God?

May God give you faith to ask.  Faith to persevere.  Faith.

May God answer your prayer.

Stories

I tell stories.  Always.  It's one reason I write.  Who I am.

I tell stories not to one-up someone.  But to connect.  

Stories help me connect with people, connect ideas, & connect the thoughts in my mind.  My StrengthsFinder themes confirm it.  And, if you know me, then you confirm it too.

Let me tell two quick ones.

In a Tanzania gift shop I picked up a wonderful children's picture book, Hot Hippo.  I read the author's name aloud, Mwenye Hadithi, to which our missionary friend replied, "That's not his name."

"How do you know,?" I queried.

"Mwenye Hadithi means, 'the one who has stories,' in kiSwahili," she replied.

At that mention I had a new name.  My mission team mates proudly bestowed Mwenye Hadithi as my name for the remainder of the trip.  You see I'd told a few - or maybe a few dozen, but less than a few hundred, I think - stories about other Africa experiences to prepare & compare all along the way.  It's just me, Mwenye Haiditi, the story guy.

Sometime later during a Sunday evening sermon I extemporaneously exclaimed, "I've got a story for anything.  You give me a topic.  I'll tell you a story."

After the sermon a unique young lady approached me eyes alight & blurted out, "quantum physics."

"What?," I asked struggling to make a connection with anything I'd just preached sermon.  She was unique & made some, uh, interesting, yes that's a good word for it connections of thoughts at time. 

"Quantum physics," she repeated to my befuddledness.

"You've got a story about everything, how 'bout a story about quantum physics?" she offered with confidence.  

Searching my mind quickly I surrendered.

"You've got me.  I had no quantum physics story... until now.  You've given me a story about having no stories & a story about quantum physics.  Thank you." I redeemed the exchange.

Stories.  We've all got them.  We all love to hear a good one.  Some of us even cry.  Others hide it.

Your story has power.

Your story has a purpose.

I was reminded of this in a recent pastoral visit in which I was overwhelmed by the depth & tragedy of the story I was hearing.

Whether a follower of Jesus or not you can know that the God of this broad universe loves you more deeply than you can ever know.

He has a purpose for you.

He knows your story.

He does not love you in spite of it.

He loves you because of it.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one & only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 

We'd love to hear your story.  Post a comment below.

How Firm

If you know me, you know that I talk about faith.  Preach about faith.  Want to live faith.

Yet.  I am human too.  Full of sin & self-interest.  I need faith.  I need to live out faith.

And. My faith must be challenged.  Like a muscle.  It must be exercised progressively in order to grow.  It must be used regularly to prevent atrophy.

I've had a faith challenge of late.  And God, in His exceeding grace, answered today.  He will provide.  He will carry.  Why would I doubt?  He always does.  As J. Hudson Taylor said, "God's work done in God's way will never lack for God's provision."

Reveling in the exceeding goodness of God, the wonderful, old hymn How Firm a Foundation fell upon my heart.

Published in 1787 within John Rippon's Selection of Hymns, the first verse lays God's Word as the foundation.  Faith strengthening Scriptures fill the verses that follow.  Verse two is Isaiah 41:10.  Three is Isaiah 43:2.  2 Corinthians 12:9 is within verse four.  The fifth verse leans on Hebrews 13:5.

Be encouraged.  Be strengthened.  Be challenged.  As you read or sing.

How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He has said,
To you, who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed,
For I am your God and will still give you aid;
I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call you to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with you, your troubles to bless,
And sanctify to you your deepest distress.

When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be your supply;
The flame shall not hurt you; I only design
Your dross to consume, and your gold to refine.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.

Do you have a faith story you'd like to share?

Maybe a favorite Scripture or quote about faith?

Post a comment to encourage others.

Living Well

Forbid it, O Father, that the difficulty of living well should ever tempt me to fall into any kind of heedlessness or despair.  John Baillie, A Diary of Private Prayer, 29th Evening.

Wait.  Don't go too fast.  We are used to having it our way as credit maxed, marginless Americans.  Baillie is Scottish.  Oldschool.  King's English.  Slow reading.  Soul searching.  Read it again.  And maybe a third time.  For good measure.

Have you ever considered "the difficulty of living well"?

"Considered it?  I'm living it," you may think.  I've got too much house, too much car, & too much waistline, but not enough time & certainly not enough money.  Too personalized.  Too indebted.  Too overworked.  Too tired.  Too stressed.

We've had it our way & it is killing us.  We are gluttons in the first degree.  Suffering from the sin of too little & not enough.

Have the blessings of God in your life - your talents, your abilities, your earnings, your family, your friends, your home, your possessions, your hobbies, your leisure - tempted you to heedlessness or despair?

Are you too busy to hear God?

Are you too worried to hear God?

By whose standard are you living well?

The world's?  

Passing away.

Or God's?

Eternal.