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Trusting God Through the Storm

2/21/2017

4 Comments

 
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I have a dear friend that is going through a really difficult season in his life.  Yet in the midst of his trials, he is firmly keeping his eyes on the Lord, and trusting Jesus to deliver him from the fire.  As he and I have talked and as I have prayed for him, I have landed on several verses that should become life verses for both of us. 

I start with Romans 8:28; “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God and are the called according to His purpose.”  It helps to keep the perspective that every trial is part of the refining and sanctification we all need to go through. As long as we keep in mind that God is in control and nothing is happening that has not first gone through His loving hands, we have a foundation for trust. 

We then move on to Proverbs 3:5-6; “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.”  Knowing God is in control we can trust Him and open our eyes to what He has for us.  It brings a peace that we are in His will and under His protection, which brings us to a place of gratitude.

This brings us to I Thessalonians 5:18; “…in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”  I know it seems counter-intuitive to give thanks in the midst of trials, but that is what the Lord wants us to do.  To rest in Him, to trust His hand, and to give thanks for His love toward us. 

We need to be confident that He is with us, which brings us to Joshua 1:9; “Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you, wherever you go.”  He is right there, and when the darkness starts to close in all we have to do is call upon Him.  Our constant hope and promise is at hand, and we can have peace and see things in a broader context and with a long term view. 

In Psalm 23:6 David says;  “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”  This verse reminds us this is only a season.  Our lives on earth are a vapor, but we have an eternity that we will be with our Lord.  Our God, who loves us, will direct us and take care of us, and will provide all that we need. 

In Philippians 4:19 Paul reminds us that;  “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”  God will make sure we come through this trial and be better for the experience if we keep our eyes on Him. 

Lastly, I go to Psalm 30:5 “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”  My prayer for my friend is that the joy will come soon, and that is my prayer for all of you that are going through trials right now.  Seek the Lord in all you do, trust Him, give thanks, cry out when you are weak, and look at the totality of your life.  God will deliver you from your trial, and you will grow in your love and dependence on Him.  What a good place to be and what a witness to the world around us.

John O'Hanian
4 Comments

Wonderful News

2/7/2017

1 Comment

 
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I often wonder how much of the Gospel I miss when I turn my Scripture readings into a “To-Do” list, or a “To-Be” list. I can’t remember anybody actively teaching me to read the Bible in this way; in fact, I probably began doing this because of my own desire to feel as though I was pleasing God or to simply achieve “success” as a Christian.

Last week, I wrestled a bit with the Beatitudes:

        “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
         For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
         Blessed are those who mourn,
         For they shall be comforted.
         Blessed are the meek,
         For they shall inherit the earth.
         Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
         For they shall be filled.
         Blessed are the merciful,
         For they shall obtain mercy.
         Blessed are the pure in heart,
         For they shall see God.
         Blessed are the peacemakers,
         For they shall be called sons of God.
         Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
         For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”


I’ve always read this as: “The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are poor in spirit, so you should be poor in spirit. If you want to be filled, then hunger for righteousness,” and so on. Yet, in our world today, the meek are often trampled, those who mourn do not always find comfort, and those who thirst for righteousness and justice are often unfulfilled. As a checklist or a to-do list, what Jesus is teaching here does not make any sense!

In order to deepen my understanding of this passage, I listened to some podcasts and read some sermons and commentaries. I eventually came across a suggested translation by New Testament scholar NT Wright, who paraphrased the Beatitudes this way: “Wonderful news for the poor in spirit: the Kingdom of Heaven is for you! Wonderful news for you who mourn: you will find comfort!” ...and so forth.

In reading it as an announcement of “Wonderful News!”, I saw what Jesus was saying with fresh eyes. Instead of a to-do list, I saw an announcement and an invitation. He’s speaking to the people who typically are not blessed or who typically do not receive wonderful news: the poor in spirit, the mourners, the meek, those who long for justice, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted. Jesus is announcing wonderful news to all of us: God has come to us, and Jesus has begun a new work that will make all things right again.

Our world that creates injustice, rewards the selfish and the oppressors, and rarely offers comfort has been defeated by Jesus; and he has created a people where comfort, justice, mercy, and peace are offered to all now: his church!
Jesus’ extends an invitation to the poor in spirit, the pure in heart, the mourners, the merciful, the meek, and those who long for righteousness to join his work and find what they long for. He is also reminding the church that His body, His kingdom, is a place for these people as well. He is inviting us to a life where we offer comfort, mercy, and justice; where we lose our lives for the sake of others, and end up finding our lives after all.
Before we know it, in living our lives following after Christ and committing ourselves to the service of others, we’ll find ourselves to be poor in spirit, in need of comfort, hungering for justice, looking for mercy, and longing to see God. And the wonderful news for us all is this: God has come to us in Jesus and offers His life to all those who seek Him.
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