God Our Breakwater

 This past summer I had the privilege of spending four days with just my daughter exploring the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  We had taken her boys for a week of camp at Lake Anne Camp, as my son, Nathaniel, was co-preaching with Ken Rudolph that week.   While they were at camp, my daughter and I took off without an agenda.  We did plan ahead for hotels, but then we basically asked the locals what we needed to see.  We enjoyed eating cherries (Moomer's cherry ice cream was the best – straight from the cow), sailing through the locks at St. Sioux Marie, climbing sand dunes, finding rocks on the beach (yes, rocks, not shells), seeing historical sights, and--my favorite--visiting lighthouses. 

 

The last lighthouse we visited was at the end of a breakwater or jetty.  As I was having my devotions shortly afterward, I was reminded of this particular breakwater.  It was a windy day and, on the left, as we walked towards the lighthouse, the waves were thrashing against the huge boulders of rock, splashing us as we were walking.  On the right side of the breakwater, the water was perfectly calm.  There was a marina, and the boats docked there were very calmly floating on the water.  I thought about this picture and could associate it with our daily life.  Difficult storms come and go in life.  Times may be rough, like the waves, or times could be calm and peaceful.  But who is in control of those times?  God is.  He is the breakwater of our lives. 

 

Now I can’t stop here.  As we were walking on the breakwater, we noticed something else. It must have been a normal thing to do, as we saw several kids doing the same thing. Teenagers had brought out mini-trampolines and were using them to dive into the water from the breakwater.  Now if it were me, I’d be jumping into the calm water. But no, these kids were diving into the rough water thrashing against the rocks. This brought to my mind the verse in Psalms 18:2 – The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 

 

If I could create a correlation here, I see the breakwater as God. The rough seas represent life, and the calm seas represent the grace of God. Those kids (no matter how crazy I thought they were) represent us. You see, I asked one of them if they didn’t fear diving headfirst into the rocks or been thrashed against the rocks.  His answer was, “No, we know how far to jump to be safe.” Now that is confidence! 

 

The question I have to ask, and we all should ask, is this:  Is my faith strong enough to have the confidence that God will carry me through?  The confidence these kids had in their safety is the kind of confidence we need that no matter our circumstances, God is there with us. What a beautiful reminder God has given to us through His creation. 

 

--Bonnie King 

God's Sovereignty and My Story

 

“The sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which the saint rests his head.” I have found this quote by C.H. Spurgeon to be true in my own life. When I tend to worry about the future, I remember God’s sovereignty, His control over all things, and that gives me peace. God doesn’t simply know the future; He controls it. He ordains the things that happen to me and to those I love.

“My frame was not hidden from You, when I was being made in secret, […] Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in Your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.” (Psalm 139: 15-16)

Recently I was in the middle of a fiction book that was occupying my thoughts even when I wasn’t reading it. In the midst of those thoughts, my mind returned to a real-life situation, and for a split second, I thought that in this real-life matter, like in a book, I could just look ahead or continue ‘reading’ to see how it played out. I immediately came back to my senses. This was life; it was not a book. The story of this situation was not yet written; I couldn’t know what would happen. Perhaps time would tell, but I would perhaps never know exactly how that situation played out or the why behind it.

Yet then God sweetly reminded me that this situation I was pondering, like a story, does have an Author, and that things don’t just happen haphazardly. Just as a writer of a well-written book carefully plots out his story and has a purpose for every scene in his book, so our Father uses every event in our lives to weave the story He is writing. This is what His sovereignty does for us.  I don’t know the future, and I can’t look ahead to see it. But God is sovereign; He is on the throne, and this truth challenges me not to live in worry and fear. Instead, I trust in the One who created this world and all living in it, who sustains everything by His power, and whose very word accomplishes His purposes.

“I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass. I have purposed, and I will do it.” (Isaiah 46:9-10)

I don’t know what lies ahead. But while I don’t know the details of the story that God is writing in my life, I do know the last page. If you’re like me, as long as I know a story ends well, I can keep reading the book despite hardships and tragedies the author may include. I just want to know everything comes out right in the end.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth […] And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’ And He who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’” (Revelation 21:1-5)

And this ending” is really only the beginning of a story in which, as C.S. Lewis describes it, every chapter is better than the one before.

-- Amy O’Rear

Promises to Pilgrims

 This week I was thinking about how the Bible is full of rich word pictures that illustrate truth so vividly and profoundly. From a candle wick to a sheep, here are a few that came to the forefront of my mind, especially as they relate to how God relates to us, and the promises He gives us. What a wonderful Lord He is!

- MaryBeth Hall

Promises to Pilgrims

"For all the promises of God in Him [Jesus] are Yes,

and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us." 2 Corinthians 1:20

To the dimly burning candle wick:

I will not extinguish you. (Is. 42:3)

I have made you the light of the world. (Matt. 5:14)

To the weary pilgrim:

I will renew your strength. (Is. 40:31)

I will bring you to dwell in My house forever. (Ps. 23:6)

To the weak:

My grace is sufficient for you. (2 Cor. 12:9)

I will help you. (Is. 41:10)

To the rejected:

I have made you to be accepted in My beloved Son. (Eph. 1:3-6)

I am with you always. (Mt. 28:20)

To the poor:

I, your Father, know your needs. (Matt. 6:31-32)

I never forsake the righteous. (Ps. 37:25)

To the discouraged:

I always cause you to triumph in Christ. (2 Cor. 2:14)

Through I Who love you, you are more than conqueror. (Rom. 8:37) 

To all:

My word is your very bread.(Mt. 4:4)

I do not change. (Mal. 3:6)

The hands that formed  Adam from dust

Reach out to those who in Him trust;

They touch the ones who at His feet

Find gratitude and mercy meet.

The wings of the Almighty hide

Closely those who seek His side;

The refuge of His strong embrace

Is ever their abiding place.

The face of Yahweh always is

Toward redeemed sinners who are His;

He shines as sunshine on their days,

Makes even nights a time to praise.

His Word – how can we say enough -

When life is easy or it's tough,

Leaning on His Book our staff,

We journey on the pilgrim path.

From morning time to evenfall,

Winter, spring, summer, fall:

God walks with us and hears each call

This Faithful One, then, love o'er all.

Honor Him by drinking deep;

 Living Water's blessings keep

Daily helping us His sheep,

His promises gemstones we reap.

   And when the pilgrim way is o'er

We'll see the glory of our Lord;

All He is we shall adore

Before His throne forevermore.

A Good Life

        Do you have six friends you could call with an emergency in the middle of the night and they would step up to the plate for you?

        According to Dr. Robert Waldinger, quoted by Ken Budd in a Saturday Evening Post article in the September/October 2024 issue, your answer to this question indicates whether you have a good life now and will predict if you will have a good and happy life as you age.  The article "What Makes a Good Life?" claims "Relationships are vital for us as humans. They are vital for good health, for happiness, for a long and fulfilling life."

        I won't go into the details here, but beginning in 1938 a study followed Harvard grads from affluent backgrounds and young men from some of the poorest and worst neighborhoods in Boston.The study followed these men and their wives and even children through questionnaires, interviews, medical records, and so on.  All of the information was to track their happiness and satisfaction with life.  The conclusion reached:  good relationships make us healthier and happier.  Our relationships--not our career achievements, not our possessions, not our bank accounts--provide satisfaction in life.  "The inner city guys were no less happy than the Harvard guys as they went through their lives," Waldinger says of the study.  In a study asking millennials what their life goals were, more than 80% 0f them wanted to be rich, while 50% wanted to be famous.  But of the 80 year olds in the Harvard study, not a one of them mentioned money.  Their greatest pride was about their relationships-they were a good dad, a good husband.  Their greatest regrets were that they had spent too much time working and not enough time with the people they loved.  

        If relationships are that important, how do we strengthen our friendships and even create new ones?   Ken Budd in this article suggests six friendship builders. 

1. Use the internet the right way, not in mindless scrolling, but in deliberately connecting with old and new friends.
2. Follow your passions.  Do something you care about.  You will find others who share your interests.
3. Reconnect with old friends through a text, an email, or a phone call.
4. Repair damaged relationships.  Remove that stress.
5. Connect with strangers.  Even a momentary connection will build satisfaction in our lives.
6. Cultivate relationships.  "How can we get together more?  How do we stay current with each other's lives?"

        I want to turn now to the greatest book of advice on friendship, the Bible.  When I looked up verses on friendship, I had far more suggested than I could use.  Many were from the book of Proverbs, 

• Proverbs 18:24,  "A man who has friends must himself be friendly."
• Proverbs 17:17, "A friend loves at all times."
• Hebrews 10:24, "Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works."
• Proverbs 12:26, "The righteous should choose his friends carefully."
• Romans 12:15, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep."
• Philippians, "Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others."

        Scripture is full of advice on how to build relationships (a good place to start a study), but let me end with this one.

        Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, "Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.  For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion.  But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.  Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?  And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him.  A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart."

        Let's work to build those relationships!

                                                                            ~~Faith Himes Lamb

                                                                        

A Gospel Welcome

 

I enjoy watching survival shows. I have young children - it feels relatable. When I was watching one of these shows recently, I was struck by such a meaningful gospel moment. I wanted to share it with you.

          In the show Outlast*, the season was coming to an end and there were two teams left surviving in the wilderness of Alaska. Think freezing cold temperatures, surviving on clams and mushrooms and occasional squirrels for weeks on end. Bear country, frost-bite, grueling work, creating your own shelter, etc.

           There was one man, Joey, who had jumped to different teams throughout the show, never remaining faithful to one group, and having this mindset of “I’m playing only for myself.” Even though in order to win, you must remain a part of the team. Because of his sneakiness and betrayal, he wasn’t one of my favorite characters.

           The team he was on during this special scene was called Delta. On Delta was another man, named Joseph (I know, similar names). From the beginning, Joseph introduced himself as a “man of God,” and throughout the show you see him standing out in many areas: clean language, peaceful behavior, praying in front of and with his teammates. He made a stand that he never wanted to destroy or manipulate another team in order to win.

           As the season winds down and the prize is in sight, Joey sneaks off to see if he can join the other team, Bravo. Bravo says no, so Joey tries to sneak back to his original team. This “sneaking” involves crossing a river in a boat and team Delta sees him making the return voyage back to them.

           As expected, many of his current teammates are upset, feeling betrayed, not wanting to let him back in. Joey answers some questions with lies and evades others. And this leads to a one-on-one conversation with Joseph.

           Joey is at a breaking point, feeling guilty, but not wanting to lose. He still doesn’t care about the people on his team. He just wants to get away with this betrayal. So Joseph goes to him and begins asking him some pointed questions. Joey says, “I just want to get to the finish line; I still don’t feel that I’ve betrayed.”

           Quiet, calm Joseph takes it all in - the obvious lies, the nervous behavior and says, “...whatever story he was telling, I kind of didn’t even want to hear it ‘cause I know it’s not the whole truth… And I just asked, God, give me a sign. Give me something. So I just listened and I was being still.”

           Now, let me jump in here and say that I as the audience member thought that was it for Joey. Wise Joseph knows he’s lying. They’re going to vote him out and rightly so! I was caught off guard by what happened next.

           Joseph continues aloud to Joey, “Man, you got your wife and your kids. You know how good of an opportunity you have right now?” In his interview he says, “I’m not gonna lie, I was sad and disappointed, but being a man of God, I was trying not to judge and just give him the benefit of the doubt. Even though I don’t want to, I believe in forgiveness.”

           A few minutes later he continues talking with Joey, “One thing I won’t do is give up. On you, or all the people back at camp… So, Joey, you’ve got it.” You see Joey standing in stunned silence with tears in his eyes as he receives a hug from Joseph. Joey says, “honestly I was expecting something completely different. Joseph comes down, he really kinda leans in and says exactly what I needed to hear, and just asks me to stay…”

           At that moment another teammate who had been listening to that whole conversation, who had been angry and ready to send Joey away, walks down and tells him he’s good, he’s staying, and also offers him a hug. The ripple effect of that grace is seen immediately.

           Joey states, “...There’s a bit of shame, of going over and pitching myself and getting denied. And they just welcomed me back with open arms.”

           What a picture. The gospel in action. It was such a notable moment because it was so counter-cultural. And that counter-cultural welcome is what you and I have received. While I was sitting there rooting for Joey to be sent home, truly I was sitting there with a deceitful, sneaky heart of my own. One that without Christ is unrescuable. But God doesn’t leave me there broken, lost and hopeless. No, He offers the forgiveness that is not earned and the open arms that are full of grace, welcoming me back with the gospel.

           Pastor Kelly O’Rear mentioned this quote from You’re Not Crazy in his message the other day, “The finished work of Christ on the cross is not God’s way of saying to us, ‘You’re free to go now’ but ‘you’re free to come now.’ He’s not sending us off, but inviting us in.” May we know that undeserved but so-freely-given welcome in our own hearts, so that we too can offer it to others without pride, or entitlement. May we look for the opportunity to share that gospel love with someone in our own lives even today.

 

-Sandy Gromacki

 

Faithful Through Every Change

 

On Friday morning, I caught a lull in the rain and wind and took my Bible and coffee to the front porch for a few minutes. There was still enough wind to coax a few yellow leaves off the trees, and I enjoyed watching them dance about in the air before finally touching down. If you’ve been a reader of this blog for a few years, the ideas you’re about to read are not new, but every year I feel compelled to again mention God’s faithfulness in bringing about each season in its time.

We’re all familiar with the passage in Ecclesiastes 3:

 

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

 A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;

 

All summer I’ve been enjoying “pluck[ing] what is planted,” and soon that season will be over. Right now there are still tomatoes in my back yard, and I have one more watermelon on the vine. On Friday afternoon, I pulled up some chives growing in the wrong place, cut them up, and dried them in the oven. In the coming months, they will flavor potatoes and eggs.

 

Leaves just starting to turn will provide a beautiful distraction in another month or so, and the goldenrod will continue to show off for a few more weeks. My hummingbirds have not yet headed south, but I believe they will any day now.

 

How do I know that what I’m predicting is true? Because God has built into this world a picture—indeed many pictures—of His faithfulness. Here are a few passages to ponder:

 

He appointed the moon for seasons;
The sun knows its going down. (Psalm 104:19)

He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.(Daniel 2:21)

 

As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” (Genesis 8:22)

 

I find great comfort in the regular, predictable changes from day to night and summer to fall. These regular changes are an expression of God’s constancy. He is the eternally faithful one.

 

I acknowledge the obvious changes in our climate patterns over the past few years, but even so, God is keeping the world on course and turning as He created it to do.

 

In the coming weeks, I will enjoy watching the falling leaves and the changing sky, and in a few months, God willing, I will say with Solomon, See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone (Song of Songs 2:11).

 

--Sherry Poff

The Great Storyteller: Happy Hobbit Day!

 

Today happens to be one of my favorite nerdy holidays, Hobbit Day. September 22 is the birthday of hobbits Bilbo and Frodo Baggins from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. This has become a day to celebrate Tolkien’s writings as well as the simple living of a hobbit from the Shire. It’s also an opportunity to partake in second breakfast. :) 

If you have known me for any significant length of time, you know that I am a huge Tolkien fan. I have clothes, jewelry, and home décor that nod to the stories, and I know a couple elvish greetings. But what I want to talk about today is why The Lord of the Rings captured my imagination as a child and why I still love the extensive mythology that Tolkien created. The simple answer is that Tolkien’s work is a dim reflection of the great story that God has written through history.

Tolkien did not originally set out to write a masterpiece of storytelling. He was first and foremost a philologist, a studier of language. He enjoyed studying the history and origins of the English language and began creating languages of his own. But he didn’t settle with merely creating languages, he wanted to explore the evolution of language over time as peoples move toward and away from others. This resulted in an extensive mythology detailed in the well-known The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, as well as works published posthumously such as The Silmarillion and The Histories of Middle-Earth.

Though one can enjoy The Lord of the Rings on its own, it becomes richer when one has also read Tolkien’s other works detailing the history leading up to those stories. There are countless moments throughout the trilogy that refer back to what happened in previous ages. Sam Gamgee makes an interesting observation as he and Frodo are discussing their journey: “Why, to think of it, we're in the same tale still! It's going on. Don't the great tales never end?' 'No, they never end as tales,' said Frodo. `But the people in them come, and go when their part's ended. Our part will end later – or sooner.'” Frodo and Sam and the rest of the Fellowship are a small part of the greater story.

 You and I are a small part of the greater story of the world. The stories of history weave together with the stories of today as a part of the Great Mythology. And this story is true! God is the Great Storyteller who is writing the greatest story of all, and any story written by man is a reflection of this. In his essay “On Fairy Stories,” Tolkien discusses the mythological quality of the history of the world: 

“The Gospels contain a fairy story, or a story of a larger kind which embraces all the essence of fairy-stories. They contain many marvels—peculiarly artistic, beautiful, and moving: ‘mythical’ in their perfect, self-contained significance; and among the marvels is the greatest and most complete conceivable eucatastrophe. But this story has entered History and the primary world; the desire and aspiration of sub-creation has been raised to the fulfillment of Creation. The Birth of Christ is the eucatastrophe of Man's history. The Resurrection is the eucatastrophe of the story of the Incarnation. This story begins and ends in joy. It has pre-eminently the ‘inner consistency of reality.’ There is no tale ever told that men would rather find was true, and none which so many sceptical [sic] men have accepted as true on its own merits.”

He goes on to write, “It is not difficult to imagine the peculiar excitement and joy that one would feel, if any specially beautiful fairy-story were found to be 'primarily' true, its narrative to be history, without thereby necessarily losing the mythical or allegorical significance that it had possessed.”

This is why stories such as The Lord of the Rings appeal so strongly to me. Smaller stories that weave together into greater stories give such a rich picture of how the world works. We all affect each other in seemingly small ways that ultimately tell a greater story. And not only is God the Great Storyteller, He entered into his own story as a character in order to redeem us. What story could be better than that?

 

--Concetta Swann