Expecting The Unexpected

On any given commercial airplane flight, one never knows when, first the flight attendant and then the captain announces over the intercom that the seatbelt signs have been turned on because they were “expecting unexpected turbulence.” There’s nothing like a good oxymoron to entertain excitable airplane passengers. It may not be a bad idea to every now and then contemplate the idea of expecting unexpected turbulence along our life’s journey. I’ve lived long enough to experience turbulence not only on a personal basis, but have had my life unexpectedly agitated a few times by worldly activities I never imagined coming my way. I’m reminded every year of November 22, 1963 and the assassination of President John F. Kenedy. I was thirteen and it was the last day of school before the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Our English teacher, an ex-Marine who still commanded attention, was absent from the room at the beginning of class. The room, full of excited adolescents in the last class of the day, buzzed with rumors of the shooting of a governor or prince or king of somewhere, but nobody really knew any details. Entered our teacher, and I’ll never forget the sadness on his face as he informed the class that our President was dead. Then he sat at his desk and cried. Nation-wide the Thanksgiving of 1963 was the most somber time I have ever experienced, including 9-11. That’s when I learned to “expect the unexpected” in life and depend on the pilot to get me through it.

[Psalm 46] “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though the waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. ...He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’ The Lord Almighty is with us...” The Christian life is a journey - a long journey, with quite a bit of turbulence. And the turbulence we experience often comes at unexpected times. And, while we might not be able to predict when tur­bulent times will come, we can and should expect them. In preparation for the turbulence in life, the Christian needs to buckle up. In other words, we need to utilize the safety mea­sures we have at our disposal, understanding that God is ever present in our lives providing a strong belt of peace of mind that comes from knowing for certain that we’re protected from any calamity that might come our way. Almost 2,000 years ago Jesus said we are wise if we build on a firm foundation, the solid rock. Matthew 7:24-27 states “...everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like the wise man who built his house upon the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house; yet it did not fall, because it had it’s foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, and it fell with a great crash.” My faith, my spiritual house, is built upon the rock foundation that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:15-18; 1 Corinthians 3:10-11). This journey that we’re on will be long, exhausting, and full of turbulence, but getting to our destination is worth the trip. “...We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God...” (Acts 14:22). Friend, lets follow and obey Jesus Christ for, “...the man who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:15-17). Don’t let worldly turbulence destroy your soul. Buckle-Up and Live!

Giving Thanks, Always

As life goes onward day by day, Let each one to his conscience say, That flesh is weak but God is strong, That right is right and wrong is wrong. That I have found my workday flies, But therein all my life’s hope lies. That on life’s upward path I’ll run, My face forever to the sun. That I shall do my best today, Not let one moment waste away; And as I travel on life’s road I’ll try to share a brother’s load. That force has power, but love has more; That peace is mightier than war; That real success is only won, By deeds of kindness one has done. (Author Unknown)

In this season of thanksgiving I thought I might introduce you to some unusual things to be thankful for. * Be thankful when you don’t know ...it gives you opportunities to learn. * Be thankful for difficult times ...it’s during those times you grow. * Be thankful for limitations ...they present you opportunities for improvement. * Be thankful for a new challenge ...it will build strength and character. * Be thankful for your mistakes ...they will teach you valuable lessons. * Be thankful when you’re weary ...it means you’ve made a difference. * Be thankful for the taxes you pay ...it means you are employed. * Be thankful for clothes that fit a little snug ...it means you have plenty to eat. * Be thankful for a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing ...it means you have a house. * Be thankful for the spot you find at the far end of the parking lot ...it means you are capable of walking. * Be thankful for all the complaining you hear about our government ...it means we still have freedom of speech.  * Be thankful for that huge heating bill ...it means you are warm. * Be thankful for the lady behind you in church service who sings off key ...it means that you can hear. * Be thankful for the piles of laundry and ironing ...it means your loved ones are nearby. * Be thankful for the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours ...it means that you are alive with somewhere to go and something to do. * Be thankful for weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day ... it means you’ve been productive. It’s easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the set-backs. “...always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20). I pray you have a blessed Thanksgiving Day.

[Romans 5:6-8] Thankfulness is an attitude of heart and mind that expresses itself in speech and action. Most of us have experienced ingratitude from another at some point in our life when we have done something for someone and receive little or no appreciation.  It makes it hard to want to do it again. I often wonder how God feels at His creation’s ingratitude. How many have felt God’s sunshine, breathed God’s air, been blessed with God’s rain and yet never stopped to think of, or thanked, the Creator for all these things. Many, I’m sure, never give a moments thought to God, though they are here living by God’s grace and alive by God’s favor. What ingrates we humans can be. Even more, think about the greatest gift God has conferred upon man – the gift of His Son, Jesus. When we were undeserving, when we were yet enemies of God, the Father, in infinite love, gave His Son to die on our behalf. God’s lovely and innocent Son paid the debt we owed, took upon himself the penalty we deserved, and accepted punishment for the transgressions of our disobedience toward God. Thank God for his saving grace through His loving Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. God so loved the world... (John 3:16). Blessed!

Known But To God

Just outside Washington, D.C., across the sparkling blue waters of the Potomac River, lies Arlington National Cemetery. Since 1864 some 45,000 plus courageous individuals have been laid to rest beneath the soil of the gently sloping hill of that impressive field. Among the honored dead is the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This tomb has become a national shrine and is Arlington’s outstanding memorial. Thousands stand quietly and reverently at its graveside annually. The inscription on the tomb reads: “Here, known but to God, lies an unknown soldier.” That particular tomb has come to represent all the men and women of our armed services who’ve bravely fought and dies defending our nation’s freedom. It’s not only a memorial for every major general, but for every grunt and unknown soldier who’ve sacrificed so much protecting life, liberty and happiness.

It Is The Soldier by Charles M. Province, U.S. Army, November 1, 2004. “It is the Soldier, not the minister; Who has given us freedom of religion. It is the Soldier, not the reporter; Who has given us freedom of the press. It is the Soldier, not the poet; Who has given us freedom of speech. It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer; Who has given us freedom to protest. It is the Soldier, not the lawyer; Who has given us the right to a fair trial. It is the Soldier, not the politician; Who has given us the right to vote. It is the Soldier who salutes the flag; Who serves beneath the flag; And whose coffin is draped by the flag; Who allows the protester to burn the flag.”

[Matthew 6:1-8; 16-18] The Bible has its unknown soldiers scattered throughout its sacred pages; that is, godly soldiers who teach us about sacrifice, courage, love and faith. Their identities are known only to God; however, the good that they accomplished will be forever etched in the annals of Sacred Script. For example, there were the seven thousand who did not bow to Baal (1 Kings 19:18). There was the maid-servant of Naaman who led her master to a cure (2 Kings 5:2-3). Who can forget the poor widow who gave her last two mites to God (Mark 12: 43-44)? In addition, there were those early Christians who, despite persecution, continued faithfully in their service to God (Acts 8:1-4). Just ordinary, every-day people who did what they could for the cause of Christ. Jesus taught in his famous sermon: “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But, when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then, your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. ...they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so it will not be obvious to men that your are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; ...and He will reward you.” Thus, we learn from Jesus that it is enough to serve simply as an unknown Christian soldier, known only to Him.

Forever Friends

A man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, “Lord, I would like to know what heaven and hell are like.” The Lord led the man to two doors. He opened one and the man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew which smelled delicious. The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms. Each found it possible to reach the pot of stew and take a spoonful, but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoon back into their mouth to eat. The man shuddered at their misery and suffering. The Lord said to the man, “Now you have seen hell.” They walked to the other door and opened it. Inside that room the man saw exactly the same thing as in the first room. There was a large table with a large pot of stew in the middle. All the people were equipped with the same long handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking among themselves. The man turned to the Lord and said, “I don’t understand.” The Lord smiled and said, “It is simple. It requires but one skill which they learned in life. You see, they have learned to feed one another, while the greedy people in the other room are still only thinking of themselves.

[John 15:9-17] An English publication once offered a prize for the best definition of a friend. Some received were: “One who multiplies joy and divides grief” and another, “One who understands our silence.” The winning definition was, “The one who comes in when the whole world has gone out.” Friends are with us, period. Trials and hardships not withstanding the friend endures with us. As this definition states, when the world leaves, the friend is entering. Others abandon us during hard times, but a friend is a friend all the time. Jesus, when he walked the earth, was derided by his opponents for those with whom he was a friend. “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and “sinners”’ (Matthew 11:19). Friendship in the world is all too often shallow. It rests more on superficial elements such as beauty, status, power or money than anything substantial. Jesus was friends with those who needed him. True friendship is sacrificial in nature. In our noted reading, Jesus said, “Greater love has no one but this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). The ultimate example of friendship is the sacrifice of Jesus for us. God is just such a friend to us. Think of those who have been God’s friends. God did not desert them during the difficult times but remained their friend, even when sometimes hurt was inflicted upon Himself. Paul teaches that while we were yet ungodly and sinners God loved us and acted on our behalf (Romans 5:6-8). In our deepest, darkest hour, God is the friend who stays and comforts and continues to love, all the while forgiving and forgetting. You see, that’s what friends do. In turn, we are taught that since God so loved us, we ought to then love one another (1 John 4:7-21).Christianity is also about friendship. Not friendship as the world practices. It is a friendship taught and practiced by God (John 15:14). Even if the world turns away from us God will not turn away, neither will the brethren (Proverbs 18:24). This is how friends act. Surely, this is what it means, in part, to be imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1-2). “A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for a time of adversity” (Proverbs 17:17). Believe God – you will be called God’s friend (James 2:23).