31 Days of Promise and Hope…..Day 12: Unforgetabble!
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband [...]
31 Days of Promise and Hope…..Day 11: Worship Should be Our Response to Grace
46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49for he who is mighty has done [...]
31 Days of Promise and Hope…..Day 10: What an Example
36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the [...]
31 Days of Promise and Hope…..Day 9: Undeserved Favor
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And [...]
31 Days of Promise and Hope…..Day 8: You Can Believe It!
18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and [...]
31 Days of Promise and Hope…..Day 7: Griddles and Tongs!
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before [...]
31 Days of Promise and Hope…..Day 6: Christmas Means Having a Prince of Peace
There was never any peace in our family growing up. If you have kids, you know what I mean. I am 4 years older than my sister and I can tell you that we didn’t have much in common. I [...]
31 Days of Promise and Hope…..Day 5: Christmas Means Having an Everlasting Father
I love my dad, but we didn’t always see eye to eye. What a shock! When I was in elementary school, my dad spent more time disciplining me than most anything else. Here’s the way it worked. If I got [...]
31 Days of Promise and Hope…..Day 4: Christmas Means Having a Mighty God
International travel is always just a little difficult. After traveling through 4 airports and 36 hours, a handful of people found themselves 4,300 miles away from their homes. They were now in Cachoeira, Brazil and were hoping God would use [...]
4 Reasons You Should Experience Joy
I don’t get it. Who is this Joy anyway? Some people live with Joy all their lives. Oh, wait. Those people are also married to someone named Joy….duh! The rest of us just work hard to find it. The [...]
It’s Time to Love the Unlovable!
Sweat is dripping off the end of my nose. My shirt is saturated and sticking to my body. Never used muscles ache from overuse. My back hurts from bending over and over. My eyes itch because of small yellow [...]
I Have a Genetic Disease
I know you may find this surprising, but I have a severe genetic disease. It’s called, “REALLY?” syndrome. This may come as a shock, but the results and side effects of this disease are very difficult to manage and [...]
Insensitive or Encouraging?
I find it terribly interesting and worrisome that we now live in a society where every decision made and statement given is criticized and examined because of its potential intolerance. Regardless of pure motives, people are generally grouped into [...]
Passion Week: Saturday
Jesus died yesterday. They placed his body in the borrowed tomb. The sadness experienced by those who knew Jesus best turned to despair as His death penetrated their hearts. Peter continued to ponder his denial of Christ in his [...]
One of Those Days
When you look back on your life, you will undoubtedly remember that some days were more difficult than others. Maybe the day you heard about a terminal illness, a miscarriage, the death of someone close to you, the loss [...]
Passion Week: Wednesday
To the ordinary person, another day is just another day to do ordinary things until it’s another day. To Jesus, Wednesday meant transition. Things were changing, and the palm branches that once waved to greet a Savior were now [...]
Passion Week: Tuesday
Ever had more to do than your day allowed? No time for lunch, additional appointments, phone calls, or outside activities. The clock moves extra quickly and the tasks move especially slowly. There is a battle between time and task. Inevitably, [...]
Passion Week: Monday
I’m sitting here today reflecting on exactly what this week means and has meant for the past 2000 or so years. Many years ago, Jesus spent His last week before His death purposefully engaging in important activities. Interestingly, Jesus [...]
It seemed appropriate for our children to study about Noah’s ark and the flood in our Sunday School this past Sunday. Our parking lot had become a flowing river and people all over the city began to experience the results of 10-17 inches of rain over the past couple of days. For the safety of those who might have braved the weather, I cancelled all of our services for the day. I waited at the church for an hour or so in the event someone showed up unexpectedly. This never happened. So, I used the time to pray for our city and state.
I can’t even begin to understand the devastating loss. Our state, like many others, is connected through so many different relationships. This web of relationships extends not only through the state, but also through other states as well. We hurt for those who became victims of the uncertain flooding. Thousands and thousands of people are struggling to figure out their next steps as they spend time in shelters and hotels around the state. Many are cut off from surrounding communities because the rising water washed away access from all roads. Many of the hardest hit cities are without running water, and those who do have water in those areas have been encouraged to boil their water before drinking. I’m sure that you’ve seen pictures of the widespread destruction. It is bad. I ask that you pray for South Carolina.
Officials in Columbia, S.C. stated that all deaths were from an identical cause: people stranded in cars that filled with water. He was sure the death toll would increase as the waters begin to recede.
You may ask, “What is the purpose of such tragedy,” or “What now?” I want to explore a couple of thoughts with you.
God’s Ways are Higher than Ours
For some, this may be an excuse without support. However, as I reflect on the difficult times we face in life, I am always reminded that God’s purpose prevails (Proverbs 19:21). God takes the tragedy and destruction in this world and uses it for His good. We may never know how many people God will change as a result of what has happened in South Carolina this week. I am not minimizing the heartbreak, but I am highlighting the one who mends the broken hearted.
God’s Economy Helps us to Understand the Brevity of Stuff
We live in a self-sufficient world that seemingly does not need God. We have everything we need. We have cars, fancy houses, granite top counters, stainless steel appliances, computers, antique furniture, family pictures, and things that mean so much to us. However, God’s economy says that those things are just things that will eventually be gone (Matthew 6:19). While our stuff may not last, our relationship with God will.
God’s Desire is to Have a Relationship with us
Above all, God desires to have a relationship with us. He created us to worship Him and Him alone. This relationship begins with our salvation (Romans 3:23; 6:23; 10:9; 8:9-10) and continues as we walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26). This relationship is more important than anything else in your life. It is more important than your spouse, children, job, or career path.
So now what?
If you are in the middle of the flood crisis, seek God for His favor and grace in your life. God will provide so much love and care for you in the middle of what seems like total devastation. Pray and seek God’s strength. Pray and seek God’s peace (Philippians 4:6-7). Understanding Philippians 4:6-7 is easy when things are going well in our lives. But, lose your house, car, family pet, years of photographs, and other significant items and it becomes more difficult.
If you are reading this from the outside, please pray for the people of South Carolina. I really believe God is going to do things with the hearts of people throughout this state and country. Your generous donations have helped to provide water, shelter, and clothing to so many.
Pray that God would allow you to develop a heart of compassion towards those who are less fortunate. As we develop a right understanding of our place in the universe, we quickly acknowledge that we are really just a small part of something incredibly large. Pray that God would allow you to significantly touch someone today and make a difference. You never know the difficulty someone may be facing.