It's been five months since I've posted on this blog, due to an unexpected season of illness. Never in my life have I faced one health problem after another, but now that I'm better, I'm starting to realize that God has blessed me with many learned lessons through my trials.
The first lesson learned is that praying the prayer of "wanting to draw closer to God and to know more of the sufferings that Christ endured" will inevitably bring hardship into your life. While I'm sure like me, many have wished that drawing closer to "The Almighty" could be done on a beach in Hawaii, the reality is that if we let Him, God will use our trials to strengthen our faith, our minds and strangely, even our bodies.
1 Peter 4:12-13 (NKJ) says: "Beloved do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you, but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed you may also be glad with exceeding joy."
Ultimately, the only way to truly learn more about Christ's suffering is to partake in it in some small way. Never would I be arrogant enough to think that my trials have even come close to those that Jesus endured, but for four months my body has been wracked with every illness imaginable and on a human scale it has been life altering for me. When I think of how I've complained, and cried in my personal misery it fills me with wonder that Jesus went to the cross with His head held high. To experience suffering of any kind is so difficult, but to experience it knowing that Christ went through so much more on our behalf, does offer encouragement and ultimately the joy that Peter was talking about.
I've also learned that trials of any kind will only go away when God is ready for them to go away. I do not ascribe to the theory that if, as a Christian you are poor, or sick or somehow in need, that you are in that place simply because your faith is weak. Obviously prayer and faith are the mechanisms that God has given us to cry out to Him, and to help us cling to His hope, but like any father, there are times that God will say no,or not yet to the prayers that we send.
In 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 Paul said "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."
Paul's thorn was not removed but his ministry and love for God grew, and the Lord was glorified. While I'm not suggesting that this will be my fate, if I can use one ounce of my testimony to bring glory to our Father, then I praise Him for my trials.
The third lesson learned is one of hope and encouragement, and I cling to the promise that all times of trouble will come to an end.
In Ecclesiastes 3:1 Solomon reminds us that "To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven...."
I take great comfort in knowing that at some point this season of my life will end, as will the hard seasons others find themselves in. Whenever God decides that time will be, I hope others who have suffered, will join me in standing firm on God's principles. My prayer is that all will recognize that God has been with us all along, and that after our trials have ended, we will go forward stronger, and more prepared to fight the battles He has chosen for us to fight.
Showing posts with label the Bible. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the Bible. Show all posts
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Monday, December 14, 2009
It's Too Close to Call
The debate is on about whether the death of Michael Jackson or the fall of Tiger Woods should be the top AP news story of 2009. Michael had it in the bag until November 27 when news broke that Woods had crashed his SUV into a tree and was found lying on the ground bleeding and passed out in front of his home. The accident was the tip of the iceberg for squeaky clean Tiger, as skeltons started jumping from the closet with reports about extra marital affairs, one longer term extra marital relationship, sexy text messages with his girlfriend, his backing out of his own golf tournament, and now his taking a leave of absence from golf, with the loss of some of his major sponsors.
For celebrity obsessed Americans, the literal and figurative deaths of two icons in one year is almost overwhelming. With Michael Jackson, the overdose of the surgical anesthetic Propofol gave overindulgent partygoers a moment of pause, as the search for the "big buzz" cost the King of Pop his life. The subsequent media coverage surrounding his funeral, the paternity of his children, the charges of murder against his doctor who injected him with the drug, and the settlement of his estate have created a frenzy that will have the sharks circling in the water for years to come.
Now, a new A&E reality series featuring the other four members of the Jackson 5 (brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon) is a shining example of how even your own family will turn against you if money is the God they worship. Debuting last night, the show basically proved to all, that Jermaine is an egomaniac, Tito should be named Joe Jackson Junior, and Marlon, who seems to have it the most together, is the one who cracks jokes, seemingly to save his sanity. It's sad that a group who once was the shining star of Motown has allowed themselves to fall to such a low point. Maybe Neil Young was right when he said that it's better to burn out than fade away.
So, who should be the top story? Poor drug addicted Michael Jackson, or poor promiscuous Tiger Woods? Some have said that both stories are an example of how those involved were simply human, and we should forgive them and move on. Others have reminded us that no athlete or musician should be held up as an idol of worship. That position belongs only to God. While both points of view have merit, the main thing that ties the Michael Jackson death scandal to the Tiger Woods scandal is that both men handed their lives over to excess.
For one it was drugs and death,for the other is was women and career suicide, but sadly the ultimate outcome was the same. King Solomon spoke about excess in the Book of Ecclesiastes, summing up a life filled with indulgence as meaningless, if it doesn't include God. When one turns their life over to the insatiable desires of their humanity, too much is never enough, and Michael Jackson and Tiger Woods are both examples of that profound truth. Too many drugs, women, friends, too much money, or anything that our culture urges us to use as a substitute for God leads to destruction which will ultimately lead to a physical or spiritual death. While it's too late for Michael Jackson, hopefully Tiger Woods will learn a lesson from his sin, and will spend his time off getting his life back on track. He's been given a second chance whether he realizes it or not, and hopefully he will be smart enough to take advantage of it.
So top story, best story, worst story, who knows? Is it Michael or Tiger? I suppose we won't know until the dawn of 2010, but one thing is perfectly clear. The stories of Michael Jackson and Tiger Woods are essentially the same, and they tie for the most tragic of 2009.
For celebrity obsessed Americans, the literal and figurative deaths of two icons in one year is almost overwhelming. With Michael Jackson, the overdose of the surgical anesthetic Propofol gave overindulgent partygoers a moment of pause, as the search for the "big buzz" cost the King of Pop his life. The subsequent media coverage surrounding his funeral, the paternity of his children, the charges of murder against his doctor who injected him with the drug, and the settlement of his estate have created a frenzy that will have the sharks circling in the water for years to come.
Now, a new A&E reality series featuring the other four members of the Jackson 5 (brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon) is a shining example of how even your own family will turn against you if money is the God they worship. Debuting last night, the show basically proved to all, that Jermaine is an egomaniac, Tito should be named Joe Jackson Junior, and Marlon, who seems to have it the most together, is the one who cracks jokes, seemingly to save his sanity. It's sad that a group who once was the shining star of Motown has allowed themselves to fall to such a low point. Maybe Neil Young was right when he said that it's better to burn out than fade away.
So, who should be the top story? Poor drug addicted Michael Jackson, or poor promiscuous Tiger Woods? Some have said that both stories are an example of how those involved were simply human, and we should forgive them and move on. Others have reminded us that no athlete or musician should be held up as an idol of worship. That position belongs only to God. While both points of view have merit, the main thing that ties the Michael Jackson death scandal to the Tiger Woods scandal is that both men handed their lives over to excess.
For one it was drugs and death,for the other is was women and career suicide, but sadly the ultimate outcome was the same. King Solomon spoke about excess in the Book of Ecclesiastes, summing up a life filled with indulgence as meaningless, if it doesn't include God. When one turns their life over to the insatiable desires of their humanity, too much is never enough, and Michael Jackson and Tiger Woods are both examples of that profound truth. Too many drugs, women, friends, too much money, or anything that our culture urges us to use as a substitute for God leads to destruction which will ultimately lead to a physical or spiritual death. While it's too late for Michael Jackson, hopefully Tiger Woods will learn a lesson from his sin, and will spend his time off getting his life back on track. He's been given a second chance whether he realizes it or not, and hopefully he will be smart enough to take advantage of it.
So top story, best story, worst story, who knows? Is it Michael or Tiger? I suppose we won't know until the dawn of 2010, but one thing is perfectly clear. The stories of Michael Jackson and Tiger Woods are essentially the same, and they tie for the most tragic of 2009.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Send Lawyers, Guns and Money
There's a new hero in Harlem, one that I think makes a great role model for those of us who defend our right to bear arms.
A 72-year old restaurant supply house owner was in his shop last week when four thugs came in to rob him. He told them he didn't have any money at the time and asked them to leave, even telling them he would not call the police if they did.
Instead, one put a gun in his face, demanding the cash he didn't have, while the others pistol whipped his employee at the end of the counter. When the employee tried to fight back, the thug who held the gun on the owner went over to help bludgeon the employee to death and that's when Gus Gusterson grabbed his shot gun that was behind the counter.
After once more telling the hoodlums to leave and they wouldn't, Gus decided in a split second to defend himself and his friend. He fired three shots off the wall, so he wouldn't hit his employee, instead killing one of the robbers, and scaring the other three off. One of the three who escaped later died.
I can see why Gus is a hero in Harlem. He won't be charged according to the local police chief because he was within his rights and the law, to defend himself. This is exactly why in my opinion, it is so important for the citizens of this country to have the right to have guns.
While the anti-gun lobby makes a compelling case about guns killing innocents, and uses the tragic cases of children who die in gun accidents as an example of why we shouldn't be allowed to keep them, I maintain that a lot of "innocent" lives (like Gus) have been saved because he was willing to defend himself, and because he had a gun nearby.
The Bible teaches us the concept of "an eye for an eye" and though he obviously didn't want to, Gus Gusterson gave what he would have gotten, had his gun not been on hand. While I "love my neighbor" as much as anyone,and I believe all people who are irresponsible with guns should be prosecuted, I'll defend my family to the death if they are threatened, and think most Americans would do the same. I champion the rights of all the Gusses out there who were simply going about their day when they were forced to defend themselves or die. I too, see Gus as a hero.
Maybe the next time some Harlem hoodlums want to pistol whip and rob someone, they'll just keep walking when they get to Gus's place. I hope his actions send the following message to those across the country who want to rob and kill: "Think twice hoodlum, or the next one to die just might be you." What do you think?
Teri
A 72-year old restaurant supply house owner was in his shop last week when four thugs came in to rob him. He told them he didn't have any money at the time and asked them to leave, even telling them he would not call the police if they did.
Instead, one put a gun in his face, demanding the cash he didn't have, while the others pistol whipped his employee at the end of the counter. When the employee tried to fight back, the thug who held the gun on the owner went over to help bludgeon the employee to death and that's when Gus Gusterson grabbed his shot gun that was behind the counter.
After once more telling the hoodlums to leave and they wouldn't, Gus decided in a split second to defend himself and his friend. He fired three shots off the wall, so he wouldn't hit his employee, instead killing one of the robbers, and scaring the other three off. One of the three who escaped later died.
I can see why Gus is a hero in Harlem. He won't be charged according to the local police chief because he was within his rights and the law, to defend himself. This is exactly why in my opinion, it is so important for the citizens of this country to have the right to have guns.
While the anti-gun lobby makes a compelling case about guns killing innocents, and uses the tragic cases of children who die in gun accidents as an example of why we shouldn't be allowed to keep them, I maintain that a lot of "innocent" lives (like Gus) have been saved because he was willing to defend himself, and because he had a gun nearby.
The Bible teaches us the concept of "an eye for an eye" and though he obviously didn't want to, Gus Gusterson gave what he would have gotten, had his gun not been on hand. While I "love my neighbor" as much as anyone,and I believe all people who are irresponsible with guns should be prosecuted, I'll defend my family to the death if they are threatened, and think most Americans would do the same. I champion the rights of all the Gusses out there who were simply going about their day when they were forced to defend themselves or die. I too, see Gus as a hero.
Maybe the next time some Harlem hoodlums want to pistol whip and rob someone, they'll just keep walking when they get to Gus's place. I hope his actions send the following message to those across the country who want to rob and kill: "Think twice hoodlum, or the next one to die just might be you." What do you think?
Teri
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