faithfulness Love

Seeing Over the Crowd

/ pastorpete51 / 6 Comments

When in 2023 I submitted an article to The Upper Room titled “This I Call to Mind”, I had no idea of what lay in store for our family in the following year. At the time our daughter-in-law, Melinda had just finished seven rounds of chemotherapy. After regaining enough strength to travel, she and our son came for their vacation to visit us. We joked with each other that week, because here in supposedly sunny Florida, it rained the whole time they were here. Though the weather put Melinda’s longing to spend time at the beach on hold, it gave us all the opportunity to spend more time together. Sitting inside while afternoon thunderstorms and morning showers dampened our enthusiasm, we did not realize how precious those few days were, until the following summer, when the disease which Melinda had battled so bravely took her earthly life.

And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. Luke 19:3 ESV

In my seventy-three years here on earth I have discovered that it is far too easy to take days, weeks, months and even years for granted. In the words of one old song, “We thought they’d never end,” and yet no matter how much we wish that they wouldn’t, they always do. Sometimes I have wondered how a loving God, who sees the beginning from the end, allows suffering like Melinda and so many others have experienced. If you are asking that this morning, you are not alone. We like Zaccheus, are so short that even when we stand on tiptoe, all we can see is the back of other people’s shoulders. We need to climb up on something higher, to see over the crowd and into the eyes of Jesus. It is only when we come face to face with Him, that He shows us that every heartbeat, each breath, and even every cup of coffee we share together is priceless. For us as a family, we are learning to climb up a little higher and put our hope in Him. In different ways and at different times every one of us passes through sorrow. Though we wish there were some easier way, it is always in our weakness that God gives His strength and in our darkness that we cling to the light of His mercy and know more than ever how steadfast and faithful is His love!


But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentation 3:21-23 ESV
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Swimming Lessons

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

None of you should think only of his own affairs but should learn to see things from other people’s point of view. Let Christ himself be your example as to what your attitude should be. Philippians 2:4-5 J. B. Phillips NT

 “He’s touching me dad! Our six-year-old suddenly yelled. Trying not to take my eyes off the road, I shouted back, “What’s going on?”  “He was looking at me!” came the squealing retort from his younger brother, who was smirking, and my wife would roll her eyes, trying not to laugh. Just like that precious memory, most of us have discovered that being a part of a family means more than just giving flowers for Valentine’s Day or taking mom out to her favorite restaurant on Mother’s Day. Being a family includes, putting up with dad’s smelly feet, listening to big brother snore and having to tell someone we are sorry because said something we shouldn’t have (again!) Some days it feels like we are drowning in conflicts, and we decide it is easier to avoid going more than ankle deep into the water. Now today’s verse doesn’t offer us an escape from the ocean of relationships, but it does offers us three swimming lessons!

Photo by Helena Jankoviu010dovu00e1 Kovu00e1u010dovu00e1 on Pexels.com

Lesson one: stop thinking only about our own affairs. Stop telling God, “My brother (or sister) is touching me!” Start realizing that maybe that pesky sibling feels lonely and simply needs someone to pay attention. Maybe that older neighbor who is complaining about all the noise our kids are making, could use a plate of homemade cookies and someone to sit and have coffee with them. Maybe that store clerk with nineteen tattoos and a nose ring, could use a smile, a friendly word, or a moment of eye contact to tell them they have value to someone.

Lesson two: “Learn to see things from other people’s point of view.” Yes, that even includes, Republicans, Democrats, Communists, Muslims, and (you fill in the blank). Seeing things from their point of view doesn’t mean agreeing with their world view, it just means looking out through their living room window. Maybe while we a taking glance from where they sit, we will see ourselves, hear the words we have spoken and walk a little differently down their sidewalk tomorrow. Maybe we will stop shouting, “He was looking at me!” and start really looking at them the way God intended.

Lesson three: Let Christ’s attitude be our example. While Jesus was being whipped in front of Pilate, He didn’t shout, “Father, they are touching me!” While He was being stripped naked and nailed to the cross, He never once complained, “They are looking at me!” And as He died, Jesus didn’t smirk thinking, “They are really going to get in trouble now!” Instead, He cried out, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Jesus didn’t come to earth to get even with us, He came to make us family, and He gave His life to do so. For us to be members of His family we all need swimming lessons, and God in His grace is offering them to us for free!

Daniel Still Prayed

/ pastorpete51 / 7 Comments

When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. Daniel 6:10 ESV

Unless you have been living in a cave for the last two years, you know that there is an important election tomorrow. Whatever the outcome, there will be a lot of unhappy people on Wednesday morning. As I thought over the various outcomes for both the presidency as well as both houses of Congress I was drawn to this verse from Daniel and have been encouraged by his example. When Daniel woke up the morning after the election, he found out that his party was the loser. His prayer life had been declared illegal, and there were deadly consequences for him if he continued to pray. But none of these facts seemed to bother Daniel. When he learned the news, he didn’t kick the cat, throw the coffee pot or run over to his neighbors to complain. Instead, the Bible tells us that Daniel woke up, had his morning coffee, opened his window, just as he always did and got down on his knees to pray! No that’s an example worth following!

When I get so drawn into the political and social storms that are raging all around, I need to remind myself that not every day will be sunny, and the roses cannot always be in bloom. Being faithful to Christ will rarely be applauded by the world we live in, and that only when we follow Jesus, can we discover that his grace and strength can carry us through whatever lies ahead. So, this morning I pray that each one of us can keep Daniel’s perspective. Pray for our nation, we certainly need it! Trust that whatever the outcome, God remains the ruler of the universe: His term will never expire, and He loved us enough to send His one and only Son, to suffer and die for our sins. Now that is good news worth living for, and it is also good news worth dying for!