A Tight Rope Of Faith
A Tight Rope of Faith
Just as the many former generations throughout the ages have awakened to a new day with hope and aspirations of good things before them, we also do the same day upon day. Truth is we never know what the day might bring?
We open our eyes; enter the day with our own personal rituals. Stretch, yawn, stretch some more, sit on the side of the bed till we find our feet. Shove them into a pair of slippers or not and head down the hall to the bathroom.
Relieving oneself, and depending on your gender, stand or sit, maybe scratch, yawn some more or get a bit vocal as you shake off the sleepiness. We may shower, shave, moisturize, replace, replenish, restore, pluck, pick, slather, or add an essence of spice, scent, or aroma.
We all have our particular and possibly peculiar morning exposition.
From here we may indulge in a coffee, tea, juice, smoothie, cereal, fruit, yogurt, power bar, toast, bagel, muffin, bite into a hot pepper, down some vitamins, enjoy a full coarse meal or simply nothing at all.
We think we are invincible, untouchable, protected by a force of some kind, that nothing bad could come our way. We are good people; we deserve to have good things come our way. It’s our karma, our kismet; we give off positive vibes so the positive should come our way, right back at us. It’s an expectation, our cup, lot in life to receive, because angels have our backs… right!
We have paid our dues, praised God, given thanks, love our neighbor, our enemies, do unto others, read our daily devotional, prayed, and check marked our spiritual checklist.
No matter what faith, religious affiliation or not, we all, around the globe have a hope in the next number of hours becoming a great day.
Every single sane and healthy human has the exact same thoughts and expectation.
We are each and all wanting for peace, health, joy, enjoyment in our work and play, the pleasure and sufficiency of food, friendships and family life. We want love, poetry, song and dance and music for our souls. The balance and circle of life should not become unbalanced or broken, as long as we have anything to do or say about it.
But…!
Without exclusion bad things can happen to good, wonderful, loving, kind, beautiful, awesome, fantastic, people.
We can experience any one of numerous maladies, natural disasters, acts of war, sudden floods, fires, death to family or friends by any multitude of ways.
We have a long list of tragedy throughout the ages; volumes upon volumes of cataclysmic events that have happened to all of mankind, in every nation across the entire earth; without exception.
Your home insurance company may call it an act of God… even though they probably don’t believe in God; it’s their escape clause, so they won’t have to pay for the damage of a natural disaster.
Your life insurance company won’t cover you for acts of war or civil unrest should it happen in your neighborhood or in the event you are travelling and succumb to an uprising at the airport in the sunny destination where you just landed.
Since the time after the great flood when God put his mark of covenant with man by using a rainbow in the sky, we have always been encouraged to look up and to put our trust in him no matter what may come our way.
Job said, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. May the name of the Lord be praised.” Job 1.20 How many of us can say that we will do the same?
During my short life I have not had to endure the sufferings of war, famine, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, a sudden fire or uncommon maladies. I live in a country of peace.
But I know many others have.
Many have come to this country seeking sanctuary and found it.
I have not had to awaken to the overwhelming sickness of cancer suddenly infecting my body and given an ultimatum. But I know many who have and I have prayed and interceded on their behalf without seeing healing. I have sat with them and looked into their eyes and knowing that I will not see them again on this earth.
One of my good friends a Pastor at our church, his brother, who is also a pastor in his late 40’s, will die of a brain tumor very shortly unless God intervenes. He will leave a family behind.
I have seen the horror of a family experiencing the suicide of their teenage son. In another case an unsaved son dies in a truck accident and is burnt to death.
Another son of one of our pastors who was only 18 dies in a boating accident last summer and his body is not recovered. A passionate godly young man.
As a young father I had held a tiny baby in my arms. One of a living twin, and would only get to hold him that one time.
We never know what a day may bring. Loss of work, due to an injury, as is my present case. A week ago my wife suffered a heart attack, but is recovering beautifully.
We are taught to pray with regard to each day…
“Give us this day our daily bread, our portion, sustenance, help, hope, allotment, and lead us not into temptation, away from sinful attitudes, desires, conditions, but deliver us, protect, keep, guard our lives from the evil one…”
A year ago my step son and wife lost a baby due to complications within her body that prevent her from having a normal pregnancy. She had to deliver a dead baby.
Today, Jan 19; 1 year and 17 days later, she has had to do this again. The baby died in the womb of complications with the placenta, sometime over the past 48 hours.
Do we understand the circumstances and the burden that they will have to go through again? No!
Will we stand with them, mourn and cry with them. Absolutely!
This is the hope that we place in our heavenly Father, that He is a GOOD God!
Will people come by and say unhealthy things, untruthful things, like, “Maybe God doesn’t want you to have children.” Unfortunately yes.
How stupid and insensitive a statement to say to someone who has carried a little life within her body and suddenly that life is snatched away.
If you cannot bring words of love and grace, please shut up and please don’t speak for God. Remember you will have to answer for “every careless word that comes out of your mouth.”
Jesus also said in Mathew 6, (about worry), “Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
I think that he knew there would be days of troubles, where everything and anything could happen to or around us.
Many people stood on a soap box with regard to 9/11 and spouted all kinds of things, both in the name of God and not. They did the same at the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, the tsunami in South Asia and on and on and I’m sure will vent over the devastation of Haiti.
Jesus spoke and it is recorded in three different places, Matt.24.6-8, Mark 13.7-9, “These things are the beginning of birth pangs. Luke 21.10-12, Luke records that there will be GREAT earthquakes, fearful events and great signs from heaven.”
What will be the Spiritual birthing procedure for the earth before the end?
What is it going to look like, feel like?
He has used an analogy to birthing, so should we expect some groaning, moaning, shouting and screaming?
Only God knows, but there should begin an excitement among His people.
This is a time for praying for the nations.
Praying for our Nation, State/Province/City/Town/Community/Family/Friends, but especially for our Pastors and leaders.
Every father in a pregnancy has a responsibility to the woman and to the event.
God takes his responsibility to us very seriously. The enemy would like to see an abortion, a still birth, an early death to the process because he knows his time is coming to an end.
We are on the very edge of NEW LIFE and EXPERIENCE. HALELUJAH!!