hope

18
Jan
2020

Jesus turns and looks at us

Originally published on the Electric Gospel on April 14, 2019.

Luke 22:54-62:

         He denied Jesus, saying, “Woman, I don’t know him.”         They seized him [Jesus], and led him away, and brought him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed from a distance. When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard, and had sat down together, Peter sat among them. A certain servant girl saw him as he sat in the light, and looking intently at him, said, “This man also was with him.”

         After a little while someone else saw him, and said, “You also are one of them!”

         But Peter answered, “Man, I am not!”

         After about one hour passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Truly this man also was with him, for he is a Galilean!”

         But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the Lord’s word, how he said to him, “Before the rooster crows you will deny me three times.” He went out, and wept bitterly. 

Jesus turns and looks at us

by David Sellnow

That look of Jesus when Peter denied him – what did that look look like?   Luke only tells us that Jesus looked at Peter, he doesn’t specify how he looked at him.  But from what has been revealed to us about Jesus, we can know something about that look.

It could not have been a look of shock or outrage.  Jesus had known exactly what Peter was going to do that night.  He had told Peter in advance about how he would deny his Lord three times.  Everything was playing out just as Jesus had said it would go.  So Jesus was not taken aback by what Peter was doing.  His look at Peter was a reminder.  His eyes said what he had already told Peter in words earlier that night:  “You will deny me three times.”  Jesus didn’t have to say anything further.  Peter knew Jesus had spoken the truth.  Peter was reminded that Jesus is the Truth.

It could not have been a look of spite or hatred.  Jesus was not doing what he was doing because he hated Peter or anyone involved in what was happening.  Jesus came into this world because God so loved the world.  Jesus “loved his own who were in the world; he loved them to the end” (John 13:1). And he demonstrated his love for us in that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). While Peter was sinning against him, denying him with curses, Jesus still loved Peter and was reaching out to him.  When Jesus looked at Peter, it could not have been a look of indignation.

It could not have been a look of rejection or condemnation.  “For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him” (John 3:17).  And specifically toward Peter, Jesus had shown his constant love and care.  Earlier that night, before telling Peter the prophecy about how he would fall into denial, Jesus had said to him:  “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has asked to have all of you, that he might sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you, that your faith wouldn’t fail. You, when you have turned again, establish your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32).  Jesus did not desire to condemn Peter. His overriding concern was to preserve Peter, to save him.  Even if we are faithless in our actions, Jesus “remains faithful; for he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:13).   So says the promise of Scripture.  And Jesus made good on that promise to Peter.  Satan sifted him like wheat, that’s for sure.  But Jesus held on to Peter.  With just one look, through the doorway, out into the dim light of the outer court, Jesus grabbed hold of Peter’s eyes and his heart.  And Peter ran out and wept bitterly.  He was ashamed.  He was acutely aware of his failure of faith.  But he had hope.  He had a Savior who had told him he was going to fail but that he would be brought back.  He had a Savior who led him to hear the rooster’s crow as a warning.  He had a Savior who in the darkest moment looked at his friend with a look that showed that he knew Peter, that he loved Peter, that he was seeking Peter’s soul.

Like Peter, we also have our failures, our cowardice, our weakness of faith.  But as with Peter, our Lord does not look at us with outrage or hatred or condemnation.  The look in Jesus’ eyes is the look of the eternal God who stooped down from heaven to stand trial in our place, the look of someone who was willing to suffer unimaginable pain and horror for our sake, the look of a Savior who was willing to give himself up completely in order to win us back to our Father in heaven.  We have been turned back to Jesus by his redeeming look at us, again and again.  So with renewed strength, we can strengthen our brothers and sisters.

All Bible quotations from the World English Bible (WEB).

Posted by David Sellnow
18
Jan
2020

Still Standing

Originally published on the Electric Gospel on March 31, 2019.

Still standing

by David Sellnow

***************

Don’t you know I’m still standing better than I ever did
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid
… I’m still standing – yeah yeah yeah

“I’m Still Standing” – Elton John / Bernie Taupin

Too Low for Zero (1983) – Rocket Record Company (UK) / Geffen Records (USA)

***************

It’s customary to begin a devotional thought with verses from the Bible.  So I suppose starting with a Bernie Taupin lyric from an Elton John song is rather unconventional.  But the chorus of that song has been running through my head a lot lately.  The theme started a couple weeks ago.  As I was exiting the post office, I held the door for an older gentleman, somewhat hobbled, who was on his way in. “Have a good day,” I said to him.

“I always have a good day – I’m still standing up!” he replied, with a big, broad smile.

Not many days later, a sermon I heard mentioned the same sentiment.  “I’m up and I’m moving – I’m okay!”  The pastor had heard that thought expressed by a person of faith during life’s hard times.  It is the way that faith looks at life, constantly trusting a God whose everlasting arms are underneath us, holding us up (cf. Deuteronomy 33:27).

To be honest, though, thoughts of faith like that are unnatural for us.  We tend to have in mind an ideal image of life, of what we want life to be.  More accurately, we concoct an idol of how we expect life should be.  We worship that idol; we yearn for that ideal.  But even a non-biblical thinker such as Plato, the Greek philosopher, recognized the flaw in such thinking.  There is no “ideal” in the earthly realm.  Life in this world is imperfect, mortal, characterized by struggle.  Plato envisioned that perfect things could exist only in a higher realm.  He wasn’t wrong.  Through the testimony of Scripture, we know that “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19).  But we also know “that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, that we know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20).  And the true God calls upon us to keep ourselves from idols (1 John 5:21) – idols such as imagining that life on this earth should always be full of easiness for us.

The truth is that “through many afflictions we must enter into God’s Kingdom” (Acts 14:22).

The truth is that if we’re so much as standing up, it is because the Lord has given us the strength to be on our feet.  It is he who brings us up out of the pit, out of the miry clay.  He sets our feet on a rock and gives us a firm place to stand (cf. Psalm 40:2).

So our confession of faith will always be this:  “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we trust the name of Yahweh our God.  They are bowed down and fallen, but we rise up, and stand upright” (Psalm 20:7-8).

If you’re still standing—or even if you’re flat on your back, but still partaking in life—rejoice and be glad in that day.  As Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of Ecclesiastes reminds us:  “Relish life … each and every day of your precarious life. Each day is God’s gift. It’s all you get in exchange for the hard work of staying alive” (Ecclesiastes 9:7-9, The Message).  Our God took away the sin of the world in a single day by giving his One and Only, Jesus Christ, into death for us. And then Christ stood up again after giving himself over to death.  Christ’s victorious standing up again (resurrection) gives us reason to stay standing even in life’s darkest days …  and gives us promise that even after we have been laid low, we will stand with our Lord again in eternity.

I’m still standing.  Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Bible quotations from World English Bible (WEB) except where indicated.

Posted by David Sellnow
18
Jan
2020

Prayers in place of resolutions

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on January 1, 2019.

Prayers in place of resolutions

by David Sellnow

Rather than making promises to myself that I likely can’t keep, this year I want to focus on things outside of me that are more enduring — things that remain constant and true whether I have stamina or not.  They are, in fact, the things that will give spiritual stamina — the  strength to keep going, one day at a time, in the new year.  “Faith, hope, and love remain — these three. The greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).I’ve never been a big believer in New Year’s resolutions.  Maybe it means I just don’t have enough resolve, that I’m weak on willpower.  But such is a symptom of the human condition in general, not just me.  Researchers consistently find most people fail at keeping New Year’s resolutions.  One frequently cited statistic says 80% of people’s resolutions fail within six weeks.  The most generous estimate I’ve seen says more than half of resolutions don’t last six months.

So these are the things for my focus in the new year — and invite you to share that focus with me. I offer these three prayers:

For faith:

Lord, help me trust in you and what you have promised. As a man like me once said, “I believe. Help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24).  Believing is hard when we’re faced with demons in our lives (as that man was).  Believing seems insane when we can’t see you, God, and haven’t a clue what you’re doing. But I pray for confidence, for contentment, for the ability to be thankful for what I do have … and to be assured that when my heart is seeking God, I “shall not lack any good thing” (Psalm 34:10).

For hope:

“The days of our years are … but labor and sorrow” (Psalm 90:10).  Your word warned me of that, Lord.  Jesus said so, too: “In this world you have trouble” (John 16:33).  The daily grind and obstacles in my path make hanging onto hope exhausting. God, I need reminders that hope in your goodness can’t demand that you prove your goodness in ways obvious to me.  “Hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees?” (Romans 8:24).  Help me, Lord, to hope for that which I don’t see, and to wait for blessings with patience.

For love:

Forgive me, Spirit of Christ, for valuing things that are of little value when the greatest of all things is love.  On this earth, institutions and corporations seem to matter so much.  Careers and accomplishments are seen to define who we are.  But that’s not true.  A wise old man called all such things meaningless — “a chasing after wind” (Ecclesiastes 2:11).  What really matters is being “rooted and grounded in love,” and comprehending “the width and length and height and depth” of that love (Ephesians 3:17,18).  Lord, enable me to “know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:19), and to extend that love to people around me, knowing love matters most of all.

All Bible quotes from World English Bible (WEB).

Posted by David Sellnow
17
Jan
2020

When winter seems unending

Originally published on the Electric Gospel on April 7, 2018.

Always winter … but always Christmas and always Easter

by David Sellnow

Where I live, it seems like winter will never end.  This week a record low temperature was set — in single digits.  Waking up yesterday morning, the wind chill felt several degrees below zero.  Tomorrow a snowstorm is predicted.  And it’s April.There’s a line in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis, that comes to mind:  “It is winter in Narnia,” said Mr. Tumnus, “and has been for ever so long … always winter, but never Christmas.”  Life in the real world can seem very much like that so much of the time. Another way of describing life’s long, cold, dreariness was expressed by Moses many centuries ago:  “Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow” (Psalm 90:10).

Yet that message of sadness and pain is not the only word we have from God about our lives in this world.  In reality, while our lives may feel like an endless winter, it is always Christmas for us, and always Easter.  The meaning of Christmas was that God came into this world to share our pain, to take all our troubles onto himself.  It was prophesied (Isaiah 7:14), “The Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” [which means, “God with us”].  Christ entered into our existence and “took up our pain and bore our suffering. … The punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4,5). Christ faced all the worst that this world has to offer and died for us.  But “it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him” (Acts 2:24).  Every Easter, we celebrate his resurrection from the grave and the life eternal we have through him.  And resurrection hope is not just something that prompts us to put on springtime clothing and go to church on Easter Sunday.  God’s mercy “has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3) — a hope that enables us to get up and face each day in the here and now, as well as having assurance of being with God in the hereafter.

It may indeed always be winter in the way our lives feel on this earth.  But in Christ, it is always Christmas, for he is beside us as our Brother, born into humanity with us.  And in Christ, it is always Easter, filled with hope and new life.  Because he lives, we also will live (John 14:19).

Posted by David Sellnow
11
Jan
2020

Forsaken … but not forsaken

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on April 27, 2018.

Forsaken … but not forsaken

by David Sellnow

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?  Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?” (Psalm 22:1).

David, who became king of Israel, wrote those words at some point in his life.  We don’t know when David wrote Psalm 22, only that he sent it to the chief musician in Israel when he was king.  We also know that there were plenty of times in David’s life when he might have said, “Trouble is near” and “there is no one to help” (Psalm 22:11).

Sometimes David’s troubles were through no fault of his own, such as when King Saul kept pursuing him, trying to kill him.  David had dared to challenge an enemy no one else in Israel would challenge–Goliath of Gath, a gigantic warrior of the Philistines.  Saul grew jealous of David and aimed to eliminate him. At one point, David wound up going into Philistine territory, to Gath itself, to get away from Saul.  While there, the only way David could keep from being imprisoned or killed by the king of Gath was to feign insanity.  David scribbled on the doors of the gate and let saliva drip down his beard.  The king, Achish, said to his servants, “You see the man is insane. Why then have you brought him to me?” (1 Samuel 21:13,14).

Sometimes David’s troubles were the result of his own arrogance and sin, such as when he seduced the wife of one of his military men while that man was away at battle. David then saw to it that the man was killed, so that David could take Bathsheba (the wife) from him and make her his own.  David’s soul was plagued and troubled until God’s prophet compelled him to confess his sin.  (Cf. 2 Samuel 11-12.)

Other times David’s troubles were a combination of his own failures and the sins of others against him.  His son Absalom mounted a conspiracy, trying to throw his father off the throne. David needed to wage a civil war against his own son.  In the end, Absalom ended up dead and David struggled to bear such a tragedy.  (Cf. 2 Samuel 15-19.)

In our lives too, there are times when we feel forsaken by God and alone in our despair and troubles. Sometimes it’s through no fault of our own; it’s just things that happen to us or acts by others done against us. Sometimes our aloneness and pain are caused by our own sins and shame, torturing our minds and hearts.  Other times the anguish we face is a combination of our own failures and things done by others that hurt us further. We wonder where God is in all this. Our souls cry out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?  Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning? My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don’t answer” (Psalm 22:1,2).  We keep crying out day and night, but find no rest.

We recognize, though, that the anguished cries of David’s psalm belongs to someone else even more than the thoughts belonged to David or than they belong to us.  “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  Those words were uttered by Jesus, the Christ, as he hung on the cross.  Jesus took on himself all our sins, all our troubles, all our agony, all our shame, and experienced the abandonment of God his own Father.  He did so to atone for all our woes and guilt and hurt.  Some elements of Psalm 22 point beyond anything David likely experienced, looking prophetically ahead to the sort of death Jesus died when he took our place under all the burdens of sin.  “They have pierced my hands and feet,” the psalmist said (v.16), anticipating the crucifixion that the Messiah would suffer.

No matter what our sufferings in life and no matter why they occur–by our own fault or the fault of other sinners or simply the result of living in a sin-stained world–we can know one thing for sure. Jesus suffered as much and more than anything we are suffering. And Jesus suffered as he did for us, to give us hope in the face of suffering. Our hope, ultimately, is in Jesus, whether or not the circumstances of our daily lives get any easier.  Though the Lord may bring us down “into the dust of death” (Psalm 22:15), he remains always our God from the time of our birth onward.  “All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him” (Psalm 22:29).  We can’t keep our own souls alive, but God will.  And we will continue to serve him and proclaim his righteousness (Psalm 22:29-31).

Posted by David Sellnow
10
Jan
2020

A letter to the depressed

Originally published on the Electric Gospel on August 26, 2017.

An open letter to those dear to me who are suffering with depression

by Hannah Carter

First of all, I just want to say that I love you immensely. As do all of us—your family, your best friends, and most importantly, God loves you more than anything.

I know how hard it is to describe how you’re feeling.  I know it makes it even harder that very few people seem to actually understand you. I, too, don’t understand why your emotions are the way they are. I know you often times don’t understand why either. Why God chose this to be your cross to bear. I know you feel weak, but I’m here to tell you how strong you are – rather, how strong God has made you.

You are strong, so unbelievably strong. You feel so many things that you can’t describe, and yet you still live each day, day-to-day, like anyone else. Not many people can even tell what you go through. You put on a brave face and a wonderful contagious smile. When you tell people about your depression, they are shocked. They would never have guessed.

I know you feel like you have to hold things in. You don’t want to burden others with your problems—which you feel are insignificant, but they aren’t. They are significant to me and, more importantly, they are significant to God. I am here for you as much as humanly possible, but God is there for you always. Every single second, you can always go to him in prayer and he hears you. You can trust him no matter what, and he promises to sustain you. He will never leave you.

I know you don’t feel like you are worthy of anything – unworthy of love, unworthy of happiness, and many other things – but you are! You are worthy. Through Jesus’ death on the cross for you, you are worthy of God’s love. And does he ever love you! He loves you more than I do and that’s saying a lot.

Please never think that you shouldn’t belong here. God placed you on this earth for a reason. He knew you at the creation of the world and he created you with a purpose in mind. You are such a blessing in my life and lives of all of those you touch. Never let depression be the only thing by which you define yourself. You are so much more than that. You are funny, caring, and kind. You are smart. Your soul is beautiful.  You are a child of God.

My prayer for you is that God continues to grant you the strength to carry on. That he continually shows his love to you and gives you many wonderful gospel lights in your life to motivate and remind you of his love and faithfulness.

Remember that I am always here for you, always praying for you, and sending love to you always.

Posted by David Sellnow
05
Jan
2020

Christ-esteem

Originally published on the Electric Gospel on June 26, 2017.

Esteemed by God in Christ

Author’s name withheld for privacy

I have never had a lot of self-esteem, and I still don’t have much. It may not seem like it on the outside, but it’s true. My lack of self-esteem has caused me to put up barrier after barrier, and I’m not quick to take them down.

Growing up, there were many things that contributed to this. I was bullied, I didn’t have a lot of friends, I was not skinny like I was supposed to be, I was a “nerd,” and so on.  Most of the kids in my grade school made me feel like I wasn’t worth anything until they needed my help for something.

High school was better, but I still wasn’t skinny, I still was a “nerd,” I was the teachers’ pet, etc. Things actually were better, but in my mind, they weren’t. It was during high school that I started to become involved in several activities. It was my way to feel important.  I made sure that I gave more than my best, even if it made me stressed, unhappy, and even depressed. I had turned into a perfectionist with little to no self-esteem.

I have now had two years of college under my belt, and I’m happy to say that in some ways, things have gotten better. However, I’m still a perfectionist.  I strive to give my best no matter what, but more often that not I find myself falling short. It is because of this that my self-esteem goes up and down.  I still lack confidence in my own abilities, and I set very high standards for myself that are oftentimes far beyond my reach. I still bury myself in activities that I love and enjoy, because I want to feel like I belong or that I can succeed. I struggle with the fact that I don’t like parts of myself–such as how I look or how I act.  Yet  I know that God made me unique in my own way, and that he loves me for who I am. I struggle with feeling like I don’t fit in or belong. I struggle with wanting to be something or someone I’m not.

While this seems like it’s all bad, it’s not. Being very involved gives me something to work hard at and enjoy. It’s good that I strive to give my best in everything I do.  Being the way I am gives me the opportunity to look at things differently and understand others going through the same thing. I find myself constantly encouraging others, because I know what the opposite feels like.
Things have been getting better, but I know I have quite a way to go yet. I know that I can never be perfect, and there are so many passages that I find comfort in–ones that show me that I’m important, that I’m worth something, that I am God’s child.  (A few such verses are shown at the bottom of this blog post.)
It truly is such a blessing to know that because of Christ’s death and resurrection, I don’t need to be perfect. I am saved no matter what; it doesn’t depend on what I look like or how I act. I am perfect in God’s eyes, and that’s what matters.

Comfort in the Scriptures:
  • So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced (Isaiah 41:10-11).
  • Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9).
  • God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:1,10).
  • Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30).
  • And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. … In all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:28, 37-39).
Posted by David Sellnow
04
Jan
2020

Precious Lord, Take My Hand

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on March 30, 2017, from a chapel message delivered on a college campus.

Precious Lord, Take My Hand

by David Sellnow

Thomas Dorsey’s father was a preacher and a sharecropper.  His mother was a church organist.   Already from the time he was a boy, Thomas wanted a career in music.  At age eleven, he left school to take a job in a local vaudeville theater in Atlanta, Georgia – where the family was living.  From ages twelve to fourteen he was earning a living playing piano in bars and brothels and for house parties.  By the time he was seventeen, he headed to Chicago to pursue his music further.  After working for a time in a steel mill in Gary, Indiana, Dorsey studied music at the Chicago School of Composing and Arranging.  He found success in the music business in Chicago as a composer and arranger and piano player.  He was known as “The Whispering Piano Player” from playing after-hours parties where the music had to be kept quiet enough so as not to attract the attention of the police.

Dorsey was so frantically engaged in his musical life that at age 21, he suffered a nervous breakdown.  He went back home to Atlanta to recuperate.  His mother wanted him to stop playing the blues; he should “serve the Lord,” she said.  He didn’t listen. He went back to Chicago.  Coming to be known as “Georgia Tom,” he amassed even greater musical success as a sought-after band leader or accompanist for blues performers such as Ma Rainey, Tampa Red Whittaker, Scrapper Blackwell, Big Bill Broonzy, Frankie Jaxson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Memphis Minnie, and Victoria Spivey.

In 1925, Dorsey married his sweetheart, Nettie Harper, who was Ma Rainey’s wardrobe manager.  But Dorsey continued to struggle with depression and mental stress and suffered a second major breakdown in 1926.  He was suicidal and unable to compose or perform music. Doctors didn’t seem to help.  Taking time off didn’t fix things.  His sister-in-law urged him to come to church, and he did.  He even visited a faith-healer, who told him, “Brother Dorsey, there is no reason for you to be looking so poorly and feeling so badly. The Lord has too much work for you to let you die.”  From then on, Dorsey began to do what his mother had always wanted – write and play music for the Lord.  He saw connections between the blues and gospel music.  He once said, “If a woman has lost a man, a man has lost a woman, his feeling reacts to the blues; he feels like expressing it.  The same thing acts for a gospel song. Now you’re not singing the blues; you’re singing gospel, good news song, singing about the Creator. But it’s the same feeling, a grasping of the heart.”

But most churches didn’t want his music. From 1928-1931, as Dorsey tried to sell his gospel music to churches, he was rebuffed. The churches didn’t like how he infused sacred music with blues and jazz. His music didn’t align with the conservative culture preachers were trying to promote. Dorsey had to return to composing and playing the blues in order to make a living.  But he kept working on his gospel-based music at the same time.

In August, 1932, Thomas Dorsey had gone to St. Louis where he was to be the featured soloist at a large church revival meeting.  His wife was in the last month of pregnancy with their first child.  While he was in St. Louis, he received a telegram.  Nettie had gone into labor and had died in childbirth … and the baby died too.  The man was overcome with grief.  It took many days before he could to pull himself together at all.  When he did, it was by playing piano.  And at the piano, about a month later, in the midst of all that grief, he wrote the most famous song of his musical career: “Precious Lord, Take My Hand.”  In the years to come, Dorsey continued writing songs for the church and influencing church music.  Writer of around 800 songs in his career, he became known as the father of gospel music in America.

The circumstances of our lives don’t always go in the direction we envision. We have hopes. We have dreams.  We have plans and ambitions.  And then things don’t go as we plan.  Life takes turns in directions we didn’t expect.  Sometimes everything comes crashing down around us. Our lives collapse in on top of us.  Problems pile up to where we can’t see past them.  We find ourselves shaken, confused, wondering what happened, wondering where was God.   We so often don’t see what God plans to do for us and with us as he shepherds us through the valley of the shadow of death or whatever turmoil he lets us go through.  What we do know is that God intends always what is good for us, that in all things he is working for our good – for our eternal good, in line with his eternal purposes (cf. Romans 8:28).  God never abandons those whom he has called as his children.  Our precious Lord is always working to bring us home to himself, bring us back to his promises, to anchor us in the love and hope that are never in doubt – in the Messiah, in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Thomas Dorsey wanted a career in popular music.  The Lord chastened him severely, and turned him toward a deepness of faith and toward writing songs that convey the comfort of the gospel – songs that have greatly benefited Christ’s church.

There’s a similar sort of story in the Bible – the story of Joseph.  When he was 17, in the fabulous dreamcoat that he’d received from his father, Joseph had fabulous dreams about his future.  People would be bowing down to him.  He was going to be somebody! It all sounded so amazing and exciting.  Little did Joseph know then what his future actually would hold.  His brothers abused and mistreated him.  They dumped him in a pit and then sold him off like they would a cow or a donkey.  He served as a slave.  He was accused of a crime he didn’t commit.  He languished away in prison.  Ultimately, he did end up in a position of power and authority – but only after the Lord had worked hard on his heart and soul through deeply painful experiences in his life.

In the end, when Joseph’s brothers found themselves in a desperate position—coming to Egypt for food because Egypt was the only place that had food—Joseph tested them to see that God had been working on their hearts and souls too.  They didn’t recognize him after all those years and in his Egyptian appearance.  When Joseph revealed to them who he was, he made it clear he held no grudges against them.  He saw how God had guided the path of all their lives up to that point, and trusted that God would be the hope of their people (and all people) for the future.

Today’s Bible reading is Genesis 50:15-21 – from the years in Egypt after Joseph had revealed himself to his brothers and the whole clan of Israel had moved down to Egypt.
When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.
His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said.
But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.  So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

  • Prayer:
    Heavenly Father, teach us to trust you through the whole course of our lives – not only when things are going well or in ways we hoped or planned, but also when life is a struggle, when things go horribly wrong, when tragedies strike us.  You hold us in your hand.  You guide us by your Spirit through your Word.  Keep us in your care, and help us to confess that whatever happens, you will be working in all things to bring about good for us as your children – with the ultimate good being that we join you in life eternal. In Jesus’ name.  Amen.
Posted by David Sellnow
30
Dec
2019

His healing grace

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on September 10, 2016.

His Healing Grace

by Molly Peavy

A country of abuse, neglect, and unhealed hurts.  It didn’t take long for this aspect of current Chinese culture to imprint itself in our minds. Dogs and cats being beaten outside of our apartment, women in the market with hand-shaped bruises around their necks, our screaming neighbors … these memories cannot be quickly forgotten. Where once pride and honor were of highest priority, men beat wives and children and sons assault their mothers while fathers look on with amused expressions.

These sad images are all symptoms of a sickness, the sickness of souls … a sickness which pervades cultures everywhere on earth. Without faith, we are all born enemies of God, sinners sinking deeper into our condition. How could we expect love and compassion to rule when our Savior rules in so few hearts? Where will people learn of grace? Where will generosity or compassion be experienced? Not in Shanghai’s streets, crowded with the ignored unfortunate, not on the subway where seats are stolen from weary elders with heavy groceries, not in the neighborhoods where confused animals are hurt for amusement.

We felt horror and revulsion, much like Jonah must have felt with the Ninevites.  But we then realized that this could easily be us were we without the knowledge of the Lord’s loving forgiveness. The urgent need for his word became obvious. Hope for the downtrodden, forgiveness for the oppressors, reprieve for the wounded of body and spirit—our Lord has infinite riches to offer morally bankrupt human cultures. We were able to bring Christ’s healing word to our students and staff, and reprieve to an abused kitten, but there is still so much work to be done through prayer, offerings, and gifts of time and self. Let us all approach our mission in this world—wherever we may be—with the message of God’s healing love and grace.

  • Molly wrote this piece while she and her husband Doug were serving in Shanghai, China.
Posted by David Sellnow
30
Dec
2019

Encouragement concerning depression

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on May 21, 2016.
Collin wrote this letter for a friend of his who was dealing with feelings of depression.  Her name is changed for privacy.

****************

Letter to a friend

by Collin Wenzel

 

My dear friend Olivia,

The Lord’s blessings to you—I pray you are doing well. I was glad to have heard from you earlier this year. However, when I learned of your recent struggles with feelings of depression, my heart went out to you. I would like to offer you spiritual guidance and encouragement from our heavenly Father.

I smile and laugh as I frequently look back on all of the memories we have stored up with our friends over the past three years. How much longer than three years it seems! I thank God that extra-curriculars brought us all together when we were in high school. Now, although we are in different states and only see each other a few times a year, I still care deeply for you. Concerning the hardships you wrote to me about, I often ask God in my prayers to help you through this difficult time.

Sin entered the world at the fall of the first man. Through sin came sorrow, pain, despair and feelings of hopelessness. I understand that what you are feeling seems unexplainable and unreasonable. Olivia, you know that at conception, we were enemies of God. We were born into this world as truly hopeless beings. But you also know that we have a Father who loves us so much that he gave his Son for us. Jesus lived the life for us that we never could live ourselves—perfect in every way.  Jesus bore for us the punishment that we merited. Because of Jesus’ work and through faith in him, we are justified before God.

I know that you know this. Why, then, did I write it? I want to remind you of the blessings we receive through this justification. To us belongs hope—hope of the greatest kind. We know that we must go through many trials on this earth. But we have hope to help us get through them. We have hope that God is on our side. We have hope that God is guiding us and holding our hand—that he will never leave us. Take joy in this! Our strength comes from the Lord. He empowers us in every situation. He will help you with your feelings of depression; in him alone can you trust. Call upon him! As David wrote,  “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall” (Psalm 55:16).

Your thoughts of depression may be telling you that you are losing purpose to press onward, and that you can’t do it. But God will never let the righteous fall. God will not let the burdens pressing you down become so heavy that you will be crushed. God will sustain you.

So rely on him! Find your joy in the fact that he fulfills his promises. Pray to him, saying, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (Psalm 51:12). Your salvation is sure. No earthly sorrow can hinder it. So remember God’s love and receive unending joy from it! I heard a spiritual song which included the following encouragement. Let us use some words from that song as we pray:

Dear God, please comfort my soul. You are at my side; no longer must I dread the fires of unexpected sorrow. Let me not be moved by lesser lights and fleeting shadows, nor let me forsake the truth I learned in the beginning. Guide me as I wait upon you and assure me that hope will rise. God, I will trust in you and not be shaken. To your name alone be the glory. Amen.

The words from this prayer were adapted from the song “Still, My Soul be Still”
by Keith and Kristyn Getty and Stuart Townend, from the album Awaken the Dawn
(Getty Music, 2009).

Posted by David Sellnow