What sustains you in difficult times? What keeps you
going in a time of conflict, a time of loss, in times of illness or failure? Do you worry?
Does your heart rate speed up? Does your blood pressure increase? Some medical studies state that mental and
emotional stress lead to physical ailments.
I do know a lady who ended up with heart problems after a tragic
loss. She was diagnosed with “Broken
Heart Syndrome.” People can become ill
because of a broken heart, because of stress and worry! How do you deal with trials in your life?
God’s children have a source of strength in times of
trial. In Promise Keepers men’s bible
study on May 11, the men present read through Psalm 13. Four times in this psalm David asks the Lord how long will He wait to help David, to
bring him deliverance. For example, in
Psalm 13, verse 1, David asks, “How
long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?” Imagine talking like that to
God! David is basically asking his Lord
if He has forgotten David entirely. Yet,
perhaps surprisingly, David then ends Psalm 13 with these words of praise. “5 But
I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. 6 I will
sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.” (Psalm 13:5-6) David is facing conflict, and possible defeat
and ruin. Yet, David knows the
Lord. He trusts God’s salvation, His eternal
love. David acknowledges that, through
the trials of life, God has still been good to him. In a difficult time of life, David still has
hope because of God and His love!
Psalm 30 is one of my favorite Psalms, a Psalm in which David
sings God’s praise, acknowledging healing David received. However, in Psalm 30 this Old Testament man
of God admits his doubt and his questioning of the Lord. We read David’s complaint in verses 7-9. “7 O
LORD, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was
dismayed. 8 To you, O LORD, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: 9
"What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit? Will
the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness?" David questions God’s wisdom. “Lord, if you let me die, how can I praise
you then?” Finally, however, at the end
of the Psalm David praises God. “11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you
removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, 12 that my heart may sing to you
and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever." David continued to hope in the Lord as he
faced death. At the same time that David
is questioning God, that hope in God’s love and strength give David reason for
hope and for praise.
In Psalms 42 and 43 David repeats an emotional question. This question does not so much accuse God as
it admits to despair and depression which David himself is facing. Yet, David’s final answer again is hope in
God, trust in our Lord and our Savior.
Listen to this. “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so
disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior
and my God.” (Psalm 43:5) In David’s despair he still knows that we do
have real hope, even in times of trial, and even during our times of downcast
hearts. We have hope because of God and because
of His sure love.
Psalm 22 is one of the most amazing Psalms in regard to
hope in times of trial, hope in a time of injustice, torture, and evil. Jesus quoted Psalm 22 on the cross. You
probably know these words; “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
(Psalm 22:1) If you read all of Psalm 22
you will see the events of Jesus’ suffering and death prophesied in
detail. This prophecy seems to tell us
that God, that Jesus, knew the passion Jesus would face and which He did face
to pay for all the sin of this world’s people.
Nevertheless, while facing the injustice and pain of the cross, we read
the following words at the end of Psalm 22.
“22 I will declare your name to
my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you. 23 You who fear the LORD,
praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you
descendants of Israel! 24 For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of
the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his
cry for help.” (Psalm 22:22-24) There is more to read. But, imagine such praise from one facing unjust
torture and death! When we know God,
there is hope!
I asked the questions above for a reason. The last year has been a time of change and a
time of stress. And added to the
struggles of the last year, Alaska experienced an especially strong late winter
this year, which some say is lingering.
I have heard many voices yearning for green leaves, for green grass and
warmer temperatures. Counselor Dr. Ken
Fallon surprised me a number of years ago when he shared that May is a time
that many take their lives. His
explanation was that everyone seems to be tired and down during the dark winter
months. But, if the days turn light, and
winter gives way to spring, and if everyone else seems to be in high spirits, but
a person still finds themselves down and depressed, they sometimes give in to
this despair. Unfortunately, I have held
the hands of many who experienced such tragic losses. In fact, because of a recent tragedy I sent the following text to my 4 children. “I want
all my kids to know that if you’re ever feeling down, come talk to me! I love you.
I’ll help.” I could give them
that assurance because I have hope, we all have hope and assurance from God in
Jesus.
So, the message I heard in Promise Keepers on May 11, is
a message God wants us to hear at all times, no matter how bad things
seem. The message is that God loves us. Our Lord is with us. There is reason for hope,
even when we have trouble finding that reason.
Another Psalm, Psalm 23 says it this way. Perhaps you also know these words. “Even though I walk through the valley of
the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;” (Psalm
23:4)
The pain of life is real. We do face conflict. We do experience failure and loss. Sin and selfishness, unfortunately, are the reality
in our world. Jesus really did suffer
and die an unjust death on the cross, not for his crimes, but for our
sins. But, in Jesus death which paid for
our sin, and in His rising which defeats death, we have victory. As the Psalmists remind us, in the midst of
our seemingly hopeless situations, we have hope. We have salvation. God continues to bless us. He has given us this grace especially in the
death and resurrection of Jesus.
A Child of God, Finding
Hope in God When There Only Seems to be Reason
for Despair!
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. If you ever need assurance of the hope we have in Jesus, please call me or
get in touch with me. I will listen,
because God’s love in Jesus is real. My
phone number is 907-841-4066.
P.P.S. For those who
attend St. John Lutheran in
Palmer, and reading this message, I”ve been asked to let you know there is a congregational work day at church this
Saturday, May 15, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Please bring rakes, shovels, and gloves.
P.P.P.S. I did not go fishing so far this week. We have been getting settled by in to our home
and our life in Alaska. This week should
be garden prep week. Last year I was in
quarantine for 2 weeks after return.
This year Kathy and I have are both vaccinated, and I am helping at St.
John part time. So, I’ve been busy with
other opportunities.
*****
ABOUT
THIS DEVOTION - I retired at the end of August 2019 from serving as senior
pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer, AK. I was writing a weekly
devotion previously entitled, "Thoughts from the Pastor."
When I retired many asked me to continue writing these devotions. So I have continued writing. However, with life's changes I now call this
weekly devotion "Journeys Through Life as a Child of God."
Since
I am no longer senior pastor at St. John, I felt it right to only send
this message to those who asked to receive it. (Though I am now serving
again part-time at St. John as assistant to the pastor.) Perhaps you also know that I “killed” my
computer on November 7, 2020. In so
doing I lost, for a time at least, all my e-mail contacts. So, I was really goofed up. Many who were receiving this devotion each
week were no longer receiving it. I
tried to rebuild my distribution list, but I am not sure how accurate I have
been.
So, if you stopped receiving these
devotions and wondered why, now you understand.
And, if you are now receiving these devotions and do not wish to receive
them, please let me know, and I’ll gladly remove your name from my distribution
list. My e-mail address is
jonrock53@mtaonline.net.
My prayer is that these devotions
help each of you in your daily walk with our Lord, Jesus.
*******
Jonathan Rockey
Child of God
Husband, Father,
Son, Grandfather
Pastor Emeritus,
St. John Lutheran Church
E-Mail: jonrock53@mtaonline.net
No comments:
Post a Comment