God's Megaphone

From "The Case For Faith" by Lee Strobel (in conversation with Peter Kreeft)

"One purpose of suffering in history has been that it leads to repentance," he (Kreeft) said. "Only after suffering, only after disaster, did Old Testament Israel, do nations, do individual people turn back to God. Again, let's face it: we learn the hard way. To quote C.S. Lewis: 'God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.' And, of course, repentance leads to something wonderful - to blessedness, since God is the source of all joy and all life. The outcome is good - in fact, better than good. (p. 44)

I've been reading "The Case For Faith" by Lee Strobel lately. The quote above made a lot of sense to me. I've been through a lot of emotional pain the last 5 years and during the worst times I didn't know if I'd make it. I definately doubted there was any good reason for it. Despite my disillusionment and rejection of God, He watched over me and sent His angels in many forms to help me survive.

This last year has dramatically changed the direction of my life. For the first time, I feel unconditionally loved, blessed and filled with an abiding hope. I've discovered in the last year that much of the emotional pain I felt was due to my resistance to God and my inability to surrender to his will. Some of that resistance is subtle and it's going to take a lifetime to ferret out. Some of my resistance was an openly rebellious battle resulting in disjointed shoulders and such. What amazes me is God wanted me back and continues to forgive me completely. I know I'm worthy of His love, worthy of receiving love and am enabled to give love and forgiveness, through Christ, to others. Most amazingly, He has made me whole and worthy to accept Christ's gift of peace. I am truly blessed. God help me to remember to rest in you.

Honor Your Father And Mother

Romans 12: 9 - 21

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

This verse resonated with me today as I was thinking about a conversation I had with our music school's custodian. He's a nice Christian guy in his late 30s, single, currently having a rough time socially and is very lonely and depressed. He watched my production of "Beauty and the Beast" Friday and the story must have "hit a nerve". He's always been pretty friendly with me but was uncharacteristically talkative when we were cleaning up afterwards and suddenly started sharing his life story. Sensing the direction the conversation might take, my first instinct was to politely excuse myself and hit the door at a run, but then I remembered I'm not 12 years old anymore and maybe a mature response would be a better choice. At that instant, I received a blessing and suddenly recognized this was an opportunity for me to have the courage to share God's love with this lonely man. We ended up having a positive discussion about how God can use us in any situation or job, however humble. I shared how God had used the menial jobs I'd done as a newspaper carrier, care giver and orchard worker to teach me to appreciate a simplier way of life...how there is great beauty in the world if we just look for it...how we cannot fully know the purpose God has for us on earth. We always think God has some grand plan for our lives, but God's greatest plan could be for us to make an impact on just one person. It came out that this fellow also works with disabled, elderly people...a population that is in desperate need of love and care. He left the theater smiling and more hopeful. I felt blessed by this conversation and by God's power and love.

Fast forward to yesterday.

Ephesians 6:1-4

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother" - which is the first commandment with a promise - "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." Fathers do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

I find it's easier to be considerate and loving to people who aren't related to me. Yesterday I made a rather rude comment to my mom about my having to do something I shouldn't have had to do. I was frustrated, but I realized afterwards (as is often the case) that no matter what, I should have the greatest consideration, honor and unconditional love for my family and those I live with. That includes speaking in a loving manner. Thinking about the challenges of compassionate behavior brought to mind the above verse and the prayer of St. Francis... a prayer I've always loved.

Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Love

I found this verse on a small card on my desk this morning. I now remember my mom gave it to me on my birthday last year. I also remember reading it and saying, "Oh, that's nice", and then setting it on my desk to gather dust. I happened to pick it up this morning, blew off the dust, and really "read it" and tried to apply it to my life. Wow! Considering this last week, I have much yet to learn about Godly Love. I always appreciate it when God whomps me over the head and says "wake up!". His love for us is amazing.

Love is patient; love is kind.
Love is not jealous or boastful;
it is not arrogant or rude.
Love does not insist on it's own way;
it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice at wrong
but rejoices in the right.
Love bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things.
Love never ends.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Youth

My gramp brought another gem out of his famous, bottomless, archival desk today. I don't know where he puts this stuff because it's a small desk. He saved this short essay taken from some writings by a gentleman in the early 1900's. It was published in a Reader's Digest 50 years ago. Gramp read it and has used it as his life philosophy ever since. The rest of the RD article tells the history of the essay and relates that several Japanese businessmen got a hold of it during WWII. It spread like wildfire throughout Japan and helped develop Japan's business philosophy in the 1950s.

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Youth

Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind; it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees; it is a matter of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life.

Youth means a tempermental predominance of courage over timidity of the appetite, for adventure over the love of ease. This often exists in a man of 60 more so than in a boy of 20. Nobody grows old merely by a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals.

Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Worry, fear, self-distrust bows the heart and turns the spirit back to dust.

Whether 60 or 16, there is in every human being's heart the lure of wonder, the unfailing childlike appetite of what's next and the joy of the game of living. In the center of your heart and my heart there is a wireless station: so long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer, courage and power from men and from the Infinite, so long are you young.

When the aerials are down, and your spirit is covered with snows of cynicism and the ice of pessimism, then you are grown old, even at 20, but as long as your aerials are up, to catch waves of optimism, there is hope you may be young at 80. (or older)

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"You can always find something good in any situation." - Gramp