testing

Before the Dawn

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them. Mark 6:46-48 NIV

Have you ever wondered why Jesus let’s us get ourselves in a fix to begin with? Why do we find ourselves over and over in the middle of a sea of circumstances which we did not choose and wish we had never encountered? I know from the Bible that it is for my own good, but when I rowing hard in the middle of a pitch black night, I’m not liking a lot what He says is good for me!

But what I am learning is that in the middle of things that are deeper than I can understand and more powerful than I can control, Jesus is watching and Jesus is praying, and even better yet – Jesus is coming to meet us – just before dawn! When Jesus comes and gets in the boat, I am at rest – even if I still do not understand -and suddenly it becomes true in my complicated real life – that He comes just before the dawn!!

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

Here is a song written by Bella Thompson, one of the residents at a nursing home where I visited last year before the virus hit. I pray that it will bless you as it has blessed me.

Taking the Right Test!

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments

O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?  How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day?…….But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me.  I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me. Psalm 13:1-2a; 5-6 NLT

One night back in the 80’s when I was still going to college; I found myself racing against the clock to make it in time for mid-terms in my American Literature class. Between the rush hour traffic and an unexpected freight train that closed off Main street for an extra 5-6 minutes I ended up being the last one to enter the room. The tests were stacked on Mrs. Sullivan’s desk and she smiled as I snatched one off the top and hurried to my seat. As soon as I put my name on the top of the page and started the first answer I realized that I was in trouble. The question was about a poem that I had never read and the name of the author only seemed vaguely familiar. So I skipped to the second question, but things only got worse. I had no idea what school of poets this guy was from and the material on the next question was even more obscure. Then in glancing further down I recognized the name of one of the better known English poets and I relaxed. I hurried back to the front grinning from ear to ear.

Mrs. Sullivan!” I whispered excitedly. “This is the wrong exam!” She looked at the paper in my hand and then laughed, “Oh- so sorry Pete. That’s for my next class!” After finding my seat again I breathed a sigh of relief and plunged in finding that I really did know most of these answers – now that I had the right test!

Photo by Armin Rimoldi on Pexels.com

In one of my low moments recently I came to Psalm 13, and it hit me that my current discouragement was a lot like my old test and what David went through in the first verses . The problem was that we were both taking the wrong test. We had picked up the exam sheet that only God had the answers for and what we needed to do was to make our way to the front and exchange tests with our Teacher. We each have a part to play and ours begins with trust – not understanding. Then, when we begin to trust; we will discover that God begins to miraculously reveal His unfailing love.

The second stop on our spiritual exam tour is rejoicing: In fact, Jesus commanded us to rejoice in all kinds of strange circumstances, like when we are being persecuted and slandered. Hmmm so then I don’ t need to find an escape; I just need to celebrate. That’s when God comes to our rescue and sometimes that looks like what He did for Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. We still go into the furnace but the fire only burns off what is tying us down.

Last of all, David shows us that singing; not griping about what is wrong is the answer we need right now. Remember how Paul and Silas started singing in the jail cell? Then God showed up and He will show up again today in ways that turn our worst tests into something better than we could ever imagine.

David found the answers that he needed when He stopped trying to take God’s test and exchanged it for his own. Maybe if tonight we learn a little better how to trust, how to rejoice and how to sing praise, we will find joy as God shows us His unfailing loving, His way of rescue and His transforming of our failure into all things for our good!

What is Your “All Things?”

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 NKJV

My dad was a quiet, yet amazing guy. I learned lessons from my him about finances, faithfulness and keeping a humorous humility about ourselves in the face of difficult circumstances. But what I remember most of all the things he taught me was how to trust in the strength of the Lord.

Dad with our firstborn

In the last week of his life as he lay in the ICU unit, dad didn’t complain much. Instead he seemed most concerned that I understand how to handle the affairs of his home and if I was getting enough rest at night. During that time he often asked to hear the New Testament or Psalms read aloud, and most of all he loved quoting the verse, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” He did not repeat those words with desperation through gritted teeth but with a calm confidence that his Good Shepherd had come to lead him on the last mile of his pathway on earth.

In fact, this verse is a favorite of many of us as we face challenges. Maybe we are starting a new job, wondering where the money will come from to pay the bills or are about to take a final exam. Interestingly, the Apostle Paul gives us these words, not as a skill he was good at, but as a lesson he had learned after experiencing a laundry list of crazy circumstances. He looked back and remembered his successes as well as failures. He talked about his hunger pains from when the cupboard was bare, as well as the wonderful home cooked meals at the homes of friends. But more than any one kind of challenge Paul faced, he shows us that trusting in Christ is something he learned to do and that we can too.

The key is remembering that overcoming whatever we face is in Christ. Got temptations? Then we need to remember that we are crucified with Christ. It’s not about us anymore. It’s about Him. Are we in the middle of confusion, and the pressure of unrelenting demands? Then we must bring to mind that we are buried with him in baptism. Nobody bothered Christ once the stone was rolled over the face of the tomb. He rested in perfect peace – though not for long! Are we crossing a storm tossed sea that is about to sink our boat? Then we can joyfully recall that just as we are crucified and buried with Jesus, so we are also raised with Him. Going forward is no longer just about our power – it’s about His. What are the “All things” that you face today? God’s got this! He’s not just in control on the outside of our situations, He is at work on the inside of us as well and will help us finish the job He gave us to do. Then we will be able to say with my dad,” It really is true! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!”