A Broken Heart?

This morning I was reading and came across this little piece of advice from the pen of one of America's leading writers....

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"Perhaps the wound is old. A parent abused you. A teacher slighted you. A mate betrayed you . . .  And you are angry.

Or perhaps the wound is fresh. The friend that owes you money just drove by in a new car. The boss who hired you with promises of promotions has forgotten how to pronounce your name. . . . And you are hurt.

Part of you us broken, and the other part is bitter. Part of you wants to cry, and part of you wants to fight . . . There is a fire burning in your heart. It's the fire of anger. . . . 

And you are left with a decision. "Do I put the fire out or heat it up? Do I get over it or get even? Do I release it or resent it? Do I let my hurts heal, or do I let them turn into hate?" . . . . 

Unfaithfulness is wrong. Revenge is bad. But the worst part of all that is, without forgiveness, bitterness is all that is left."  ~Max Lucado, The Applause of Heaven
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Hmmmm....  Difficult words to hear.  Even more difficult to heed. But. . . . Freedom isn't free.

Till our next visit...

Flowers and reality....

One of the most difficult things to talk to anyone about is consequences that result from choices we make.  This morning I sat and read like I normally do most mornings.  

Let me share some thoughts from that little visit to the pages of a book by Max Lucado...

"Sin does to a life what shears do to a flower. A cut at the stem separates the flower from the source of life. Initially the flower is attractive, still colorful and strong.  But watch that flower over a period of time, and the leaves will wilt and the petals will drop. No matter what you do, the flower will never live again. Surround it with water. Stick the stem in soil. Baptize it with fertilizer. Glue the flower back on the stem. Do what you wish. The flower is dead...

A dead soul has no life.

Cut off from God, the soul withers and dies. The consequences of sin is not a

bad day or a bad mood but a dead soul. The sign of a dead soul is clear: poisoned lips and cursing mouths, feet that lead to violence and eyes that don't see God...

The finished work of sin is to kill the soul." (From the book In The Grip of Grace)

Grace has transformed my life over the years. The gifts of grace have brought me life that I never even had a clue existed. That may seem like an exageration, but it's actually it's an understatement. In my earlier years I was like many, maybe even most, of those who came through the era of Christianity where sin was the topic of every conversation about faith. It was the core of most sermons and Sunday school lessons. NO MATTER the passage, most if not all of the visits with scripture lead to the same conclusion, sin is bad and you probably sinned, therefore, you're bad.

I didn't have a chance, "you're bad" was the message. It was true, I was bad. Sinful. But I grew to learn that the "bad" no longer determined how God looked at me. That is where grace changed the landscape. 

The older I get and the more grace I am aware of, the more I realize just what the gift of grace is. It is a reminder that although you "reap what you sow", grace says, no you don't.

Don't read any more into that statement than I mean. I do mean that there are times when, if you make a bad choice, the consequences visit your world. Grace says, "I won't take back the gift of life I gave you just because you made a wrong decision." Grace says "but I also understand the value of having your choices come to rest in your life."

We, ME, need to change. It is called maturing. We don't allow a baby to wear diapers forever. Why then do we treat our "consequences" as anything but a

reminder that we're not made to continue making bad choices. Maturity is what you were built for. Anything less is to truly miss the wonder of the creator for your years here on this globe.

Grace is the gift of a total "memory dump" before God. 

Grace is the gift of "the struggle" to grow through the good and bad choices we make.

Grace is what covers "sin".

Since we all stand at the gate of opportunity, we all are able to choose bad, against good. Why is it that we make the bad choice and it crosses up with God's perfect design for us, we are afraid to call it sin? 

Sin is the realm in which grace does it's work.

I guess that begs this question, without sin, what the heck we gonna do with Grace?

McDonalds, Arby's and other spiritual thoughts...

You may be unaware, but I have found that the world is full of experts.  I am privy to them at breakfast each day.  Men who have sat for hours contemplating the ins and outs of foreign policy and determining the morals that all others should be aware of.

Now, as you read that last paragraph I hope you realize that it is tongue and cheek.

That these men are mere mortals and their lives are actually enhanced by the time they spend together "sharing".  Although I believe their conversation could be more productive on many occasions, I am sure they would think I should spend my time in more product activities besides sitting and typing a silly article about their social behavior.

All the commentary on life set aside, I want to share a few thoughts.  Thoughts that come to mind when I am sitting in a McDonald's or Arby's or any other place where food and conversation coexist.

Here are some spiritual thoughts I have from time to time as I go about my morning routine...

These may not be original, or maybe they are, I will let you be the judge...

~Everyone should  have to work behind the counter of a food business.  To do so would help us understand the effects of our condescending attitudes about the value of the person behind the counter.

~If we would wait in line at McDonald's the way we wait in line for lottery tickets, we'd have a much nicer place to live.  We'd also begin to get a reality check, people are more important than any pursuit or schedule.

~Paying for the person's meal behind you drive-thru might make you feel good, but if it leads to pride, it's still a wasted act.  That includes doing it so you can use it as an illustration of being a good "(you fill it in)" at some devotion, presentation or sermon.  Value diminished, if not lost.

~When the person behind the counter "gives" you a penny so you won't get a handful of change yourself, it may not hurt to act like they've done you a million dollar favor.  It may also be the only time that day they get any true appreciation.  After all, if you are like me, I hate having a pocket full of change because the total had an .01 in it.  0.99 cents in my pocket doesn't make me feel like I'm rich, it makes me feel like I am a wind chime.

~IF and I mean IF, you are thinking about having a real deep theological conversation, you may want to reevaluate that thought.  The people next to you are probably not going to appreciate you spending 2 hours discussing the fine points of justification, propitiation, abominations or end times. (Although, I am sure, you have figured out the "code" and know that Obama is the ushering in of something).

~I am sure the waiter/waitress you had this morning/afternoon/evening could use some kindness and grace from you instead of your grumpy Christian attitude.  I know you think that the whole world should know about your eschatology (go ahead and look it up, I had to), but.... It's not true

~For a finale, how about this.  Standing in line at any fast food restaurant is an exercise in patience, so learn don't burn (anger for those who are wondering about the meaning).  Having your order brought to you late or wrong by the waiter/waitress is an exercise in kindness... Let's pass it on the next time we have the opportunity.  You may even want to study for the test (my study place is prayer, I even hope that doesn't come off as pious, I have enough trouble as it is.)

So, what about you?  Want to join me in a little discipline for the soul?

Get up and get ready for the your next restaurant adventure and then sing this little ditty...

"this little light of mine...."

If you need the rest of the words, Google it!

Till next time...

Even if...

I wonder if we would lose the wonder if we ever got it all figured out...

If you are human, which I assume you are, you have been guilty of a having salesman's heart. It surfaces in our lives nearly everyday. Even though it has it's place in our world of serving others, sometimes, sometimes more often, we use it for our own good.

Let me use an example from my life and quite possibly from yours.

Have you ever been more interested in getting answers from someone, in order to get a "sale"? Have you ever thought through all the questions you want to ask to elicit an answer that would make your life easier? Easier by getting the "date", easier by getting a "marriage", easier by "selling the car", easier by getting a "paycheck" or maybe just a "bite to eat". These questions were not focused on meeting the needs of the other person, which is a true salesmen's heart, but instead are focused only on our needs. At this point I am not drawing a shotgun to blow you away for wanting your needs met, I'm probing my heart and yours to expose a common flaw. One which I believe we will wrestle with our entire life. But I do not lose hope because of its existence, I instead continue to see its bony fingers slowly pried off my life as I apply the marvelous salve of grace.

You see as science gets closer to how storms are created, as we map more of the solar system, find more of the depths on the human gene and transplant more organs to extend life, we have studied and learned how things work but we have lost the wonder of who makes them work.

I once more come up for a breath of air. I realize that words can heal and words can cut. I am not sure which my heart needs this morning, so I can't begin to know which your heart needs. I only know that sometimes I want the answers to the probing questions instead of the one who is the answer to all my questions. The marvelous thing about him is, that as I seek the one who is the answer, he not only answers some questions, but he sets aside the ones that I will never need answers for anyway.

Isn't it strange that the more we know the less we believe. For some, the loss of mystery has led to the loss of wonder. Knowledge of how things work should not steal our wonder. The ironic thing for me is that often times the more I know the less I worship. How about you?

I search the depths of the words inspired by his Spirit, the comments of men who are filled with that same Spirit, seek to mine out the nuggets that this Helper has left along the path of my life and yet fail to see that this Spirit is actually the presence of the One who orchestrated all that I seek to find knowledge of.

In other words I am more impressed with the light switch than the one who invented electricity. If I'm

not careful I will fall into worshiping the creation rather than the Creator.

This is not intentional nor is it outright disobedience, it is truly the struggle of living in the human form. A form which is flawed by sin. And the longer I live the more aware I become of its flaws.

I invite you to join me, if nothing more than just for a moment, to move back away from the light switch, push back away from the astrological charts, set aside all of the mathematical equations, not because they are of no help, but because now that you've seen the answers step back and see the wonder it creates, which points to the One Who IS all of those answers.

I believe if we do this we will be blown away even more than any epiphany we could stumble on during our search.

We just might see this glorious and beautiful tapestry coming over the ridge shining on all that was created...

"While we were still sinners...", written by a man who called himself the chief of them. (1)

"You are the Christ....:, spoken by the man who would later speak words of fear and denial. (2)

"...a slave of...the Lord Jesus Christ....", claimed by a man who thought his brother was not the person he claimed. (3)

"All things were made through him...", the words of his beloved friend who later died in exile because of his wonder of this man.  (4)

"For God so loved...", "I am the way...truth...life...", from the lips of the Godman, the originator. (5) 

Take a moment, see...

Then worship...

Quietly or aloud, don't fret it, just worship...

Till next time...

Rambling on....



(1)  Romans 5:8
(2)  Matthew 16:16
(3)  James 1:1
(4)  John 1:3
(5)  John 14:6

Words... Power...

I love reading Max Lucado, he has words many wish they had, including me...

God has blessed him with what I call "common" words which make each heart that reads them rich.  It especially makes the hearts of those who are thirsty for hope and encouragement leap...

Read this little tidbit from his pen:

Great acts of faith are seldom born out of calculation. 

It wasn’t logic that caused Moses to raise his staff on the bank of the Red Sea.

It wasn’t medical research that convinced Naaman to dip seven times in the river.

It wasn’t common sense that caused Paul to abandon the law and embrace grace.

And it wasn’t a confident committee that prayed in a small room in Jerusalem for Peter’s release from prison. 

It was a fearful, desperate, and of backed into a corner believers. It was a church with no options. 

A congregation of have-nots pleading for help.

And never were they stronger.

At the beginning of every act of faith, there is often a seed of fear.

See, I told you!

A Centurion's view....

Here is one of my favorites from Max Lucado....

"If it is true the picture paints 1000 words, and there was a Roman centurion who got a dictionary full. All he did was see Jesus suffer. He never heard him preach or saw him heal or followed him through the crowds. He never witnessed him still the wind; he only witnessed the way he died. But that was all it took to cause this weather – worn soldier to take a giant step in faith. Surely this was a righteous man.

That says a lot, doesn’t it? It says the rubber of faith meets the road of reality under hardship. It says that the trueness of one’s belief is revealed in pain. Genuineness and character are unveiled in misfortune. Faith is at its best, not in three-piece suits on Sunday mornings or at VBS on summer days, but at hospital bedsides, cancer wards, and cemeteries."

From my devotional book "Grace for the Moment : Morning and Evening Readings"

God's favorite word...

It is a regular habit of mine to read things written by Max Lucado. Every so often I come across a few paragraphs I think are worth repeating here on this site.

This is a great illustration of one of those times...

"God is an inviting God. He invited Mary to the birth of his son, the disciples to fish for men, adulterous woman to start over, and Thomas to touch his wounds. God is the King prepares the palace, sets the table, and invites his subjects to come in.

In fact, it seems his favorite word is come.

"Come, let us talk about these things. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow."

"All you who are thirsty, come and drink."

"Come to me all, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest."

"God is a God who invites. God is a God who calls."

Taken from the book by Max Lucado, "And the Angels were Silent."

Bill & Gloria Gaither - The Promise [Live] ft. The Martins

This is a fantastic song, every time I hear it, it's like a breath of fresh air to my soul!

Just Words?

Take a few minutes and enjoy the classic, "It's Friday...."

It’s Friday. Jesus is praying. Peter’s a sleeping. Judas is betraying.

But Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday. Pilate’s struggling. The council is conspiring. The crowd is vilifying. 

They don’t even know that Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday. The disciples are running like sheep without a shepherd.
Mary’s crying. Peter is denying. 

But they don’t know that Sunday’s a comin’.

It’s Friday. The Romans beat my Jesus. They robe Him in scarlet. They crown Him with thorns. 

But they don’t know that Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday. See Jesus walking to Calvary. His blood dripping. His body stumbling. And his spirit’s burdened. But you see, it’s only Friday.

Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday. The world’s winning. People are sinning. And evil’s grinning.

It’s Friday. The soldiers nail my Savior’s hands to the cross. They nail my Savior’s feet to the cross. And then they raise him up next to criminals.

It’s Friday. But let me tell you something: 

Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday. The disciples are questioning. What has happened to their King. And the Pharisees are celebrating that their scheming has been achieved. But they don’t know: It’s only Friday. 

Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday. He’s hanging on the cross feeling forsaken by His Father.
Left alone and dying. Can nobody save Him? Oooh, it’s Friday. 

But Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday. The earth trembles. The sky grows dark. My King yields his spirit.

It’s Friday. Hope is lost. Death has won. Sin has conquered. And Satan’s just a laughing.

It’s Friday. Jesus is buried. A soldier stands guard. And a rock is rolled into place.

But it’s Friday. It is only Friday.

Sunday is a comin’

A Dog Walks Into A Bar....

Here is a funny story I heard from one of my favorite authors, Max Lucado....

A dog walks into a bar and walks up to the bartender and asks the bartender, "do you have any grapes?"

The bartender replies, "I don't have any grapes, get out of my bar."

The next day the dog walks into the bar, walks up to the bartender and asks, "do you have any grapes?"

The bartender replies, "I told you yesterday I didn't have any grapes I don't have any grapes today so get out of my bar."

The third day the dog walks into the bar walks up to the bartender and asks, "do you have any grapes?"

The bartender replies, "I've told you for two days in a row that I don't have any grapes. If you come back in here and asked for grapes again I'm going to nail your feet to the floor."

The next day the dog walks into the bar walks up to the bartender and asks, "do you have any nails?"

The bartender replies, "no I don't have any nails!"

Then the dog asks the the bartender, "do you have any grapes?"

Until next time...

"Jesus was moved with compassion...." ~Matthew, tax collector and follower of Jesus

Ok....

I have a rhetorical question, I sure hope it is clear and I don't misstate it....

What does this say?

"I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I did not mean with the sexually immoral of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would have to go out of this world.  But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.  For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges... Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person." ~Paul to the Church at Corinth

Bold & italics are mine.

IT says, stay up to snuff with believers who are living immoral and leave the non-believers to God for judgment.

PLEASE READ THIS.... I AM AS "CONSERVATIVE" AS MOST IF NOT ALL OF YOU....

We read so much on FB and other social media about "damning" and "condemning" those who do not share our views as Christians and yet, NONE OF THE ROMAN CULTURE SHARED JESUS' MORALITY. 

And I am waiting for the first person to quote for me Jesus damning the Roman culture. 

Yes wrong is wrong, I AGREE AMERICA IS A MESS AND HAS LEFT IT'S MORAL PILLARS THAT WERE ADHERED TO "BACK IN THE DAY", but the first century believers had no political power, no money, no church buildings and for crying out loud they had no organized plan other than the words they were given. 

85-95% of them were illiterate and could not read a bible, and a NT bible didn't EVEN exist...It would be in print much later (nearly 200 years) than the impact made by these courageous believers who did not fear death itself and cared for those with the plague, even the pagans dying of the plague were taken into the homes of first century believers to be nursed back to health or cared for until death. 

And why did they have to take these pagans in? 

Because their own pagan family members and priests set them outside the city to save their own lives!

Have you ever wondered with all of these disadvantages how those believers happened to carry out the Great Commission. Literally 1,000's of people (3,000 in one setting in the Acts account) came to faith in Christ as these misfits became the salt and light of Jesus....

I think I can suggest something you can watch if you wish to know...
http://northpoint.org/me…/the-separation-of-church-and-hate/

Do your Savior a favor, sit still for 40 minutes and watch the video.  If after you disagree totally, then go back to posting hate posts for others to feed their anger on. 

Go back to calling those who don't believe in Christ are "fleas", "pests" and "an onslaught of mosquitoes coming here to to try to spoil our picnic" Words taken from a very prominent evangelist.

Thanks for reading this far if you have... I hope you've watched the video....

Comment if you wish...

My oh my what a wonderful day....

Well, we all have one of these, it normally doesn't seem to happen on Friday but this time....

Well....

Here we go....

At 8 am I met with my morning appointment at breakfast with Bert...

Breakfast went well, things were discussed and progress was made....  Then...

I said goodbye to Bert and started my way out of the restaurant.  Lo and behold a couple of friends were sitting having breakfast (I later found out it was his birthday).  I began a conversation and it continued for minutes.  On my way out the door I purchased their breakfast, they are such great friends and I wanted to be a blessing to them.

You should know, by this time, Bert had already left.

At the end of my conversation I proceeded towards my parked car. Arriving near the back of my car I noticed, my tail lights looked like they were on.  My tail lights WERE on.  I had forgot to turn them off when I arrived at the eatery.  The temperature was only a few degrees out, so you can guess what the next line will be.

My battery was dead.  I looked in the trunk and behold, my jumper cables.  BUT...  my care was parked in on both sides and the hood was facing away from the parking lot so that getting a car to the other side would not be possible.

I called my assistant at the office.  "Do you have time to come get me or help me jump my car before your 10 am appointment?"  "Yes" came the answer. (she was going to be out anyway and I didn't want to bother the couple inside for fear they would realize I payed for their breakfast, vain aren't I.

About that time, the group of police officers, who were having a meeting in the back of the IHOP all of them in plain clothes due to my choices in life, I knew most of them including the chaplain meeting with them.  As I stood awaiting my assistants arrival, the "COPS" let out and the 15 or so came strolling by.  "Are you waiting on a ride? Can we take you somewhere?"  "No, I have someone on the way, my battery is dead."

My assistant arrived, I jump started my car and headed to the bank.  When I got there I decided that I should leave the car running so the batter would charge and I wouldn't have to have another jump start.  Bank mission completed.

Just 2 blocks from the bank, the post office.  I stopped there and once again, I left the car running.  Trekked up the stairs, across the stone floor to box 134.  Key inserted, turned and mail extracted.  Back across the stone floor, down the step at the front of this stately building, grab the door handle and....  door would not open.  Peering though the glass of my drivers side doors, locked!  That's what I said LOCKED!  I dialed my cell phone.... Hello Teresa (my assistant), you won't believe....

Not only did she believe, she laughed...  and so did I.  So I waited for her to go to my office, get my extra set of keys from my briefcase (leather bag style) and arrive at the Post Office.  (I carry an extra set of keys because I have locked my keys in my car more often that I can even communicate, 50% of the time or more, it is running.)

When I arrived at the office the volunteers there said "you should have gone home."

I didn't share their opinion, but it did tempt me!

The last time I had such a marvelous day, it was the day I rushed my granddaughter to get dressed in a hurry to get her to school on time, only to forget that Milwaukee, WI was an hour behind us.  So with the temperature below zero, my granddaughter telling me the moon isn't out when she goes to school, I pushed until we got there and .... want to read that one click here

There is a moral to my less than fun and maybe not even humorous story, Monday isn't the only day that goes bad!

Oh my, what a day.

Hope your Friday went great, despite all the bumps in the road, I actually enjoyed mine!

Till next time....

Lions and Tigers and sighs, oh my...

I sit here today, I am so broken hearted,

Unlike I was when this past year had started.

 

Back then I had hope as the wins began to appear,

The boys on the field caused each of us to cheer.

Anticipation and enthusiasm filled my life in the beginning,

Each time they played ball every quarter and inning.

Unable due to location to see them on TV or at the park,

I did my fan duty and checked box scores at each days start.

Even when it seems they may fall or falter and fade,

They’d stand back up dust off and a charge they made.

As the season filled with anticipation became final,

Sure enough the boys from Motown were in the mix, no denial.

They pushed and shoved and fought with all their might,

But at the end of the game the score was not right.

For you see to be a winner the homeruns and TD’s there must be,

More than the other team who also has dreams of being the bees knees.

When the last second ticked and the last out came,

Our BIG CATS surely, despite our heart, ended up lame.

Don’t get me wrong I am proud though eyes full of tears,

Because just like every other Motown fan says, there is always next year!

P.S. My heart now goes out to my loved ones whose season was just cracked,

For the Colt just got trampled and the Pack just got whacked!

   

Dear family, join me in this little phrase,

being a fan of my favorite team will eventually pay.

How LONG....

How Long?

If you are like me you have heard this phrase in many settings…

How long until we get to Grandmas?

How long will it take to find a bathroom?

How long is that movie?

How long will I have to stay there?

How long?  What an interesting question. 

Unless…

You are one of the disciples and it is Jesus asking the question.  

Let’s drop in on the conversation.  Three disciples had just visited the mountain with Jesus.  Now they return and here is the scene, “When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them…” Why the crowd?  While the three were on the mountain seeing things that moved their heart, the other 9 had been in the heat of the battle with a man and his son who had been possessed by a demon.  Things had not gone so well.

Jesus hears about what has happened, the question arises...

“You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you?”  (emphasis mine) 

Wow.  These guys had been walking with Jesus and they had seen some great things.  They had done some great things.  Yet, “how long”?  Is this the thanks they get for their wrestling match with their faith and a demon?

Visit a dozen presentations of this passage and you may find a dozen different perspectives on why Jesus chose to say this to his closest followers.  I will not add to the plethora of thoughts at this time.  What caught my eye in this passage was the interaction after this little rebuke from the rabbi’s hand.

“Bring me the boy” Jesus says. And then, then those pesky words raise their head again, “How long has this been happening?”  Don’t you think that Jesus could have gotten this answer without asking?  He often had knowledge of things pertaining to the people in need around him. 

I know he was human, but the Spirit had clued him in a number of times when those around him had thoughts about something he was or wasn’t doing.

 

So, why ask?  I think he asked both groups “how long” for their own good.  

Hang in with me here.

The first group, the disciples, HAD seen and done some amazing things while following Jesus.  But there was more ground for them to cover before he would leave them.

 

The second group, the boys papa had a similar need.  He asks Jesus “how long” and the father responds “Since he was a little boy... Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” 

Wait a minute. 

One group thought they could but in reality wasn't to and found the sharp end of Jesus’ inquiry.  The father was tired and wondered if Jesus “could” and finds a similar pointed response. 

Why?

Jesus knew both of them needed to take the next step so they could find the faith they were seeking.

It is the same for us.  There are times when we ask “how long”.  And in response we find biting answers.  No relief from cancer.  No money to end the financial strain.  No love to encourage the hurt heart.  Just “how long”.

Then, it seems once you get a glimpse of the one who says he has the answer, you find another question.  Maybe more than one.  And your heart sinks.

Hang in there.

The “how long” followed by “how long” from the savior is for my good.  It's also for your good.  

He knows us.  He loves us.  He is the answer that is better than the answer we seek.

And for all of those present that day their eyes saw what their hearts questioned.  “When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit…I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!... Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.”

Before I close, I have to admit, I purposefully left out one phrase I think is the glue of this passage for me.  I take this phrase to heart every time I have a “how long” moment.  

It stands out between the accounts of  the two groups.  I believe it’s the lesson my heart needed when I visited this story years ago.  Your heart may need the same breath of fresh air. 

Jesus says,  “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”  Once again, we hear the tough words of a tender man. 

The father’s response is telling of his struggle.  Mine also.  "The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”  That is me!  With all my years of attending church, studying the bible and sharing truth over a desk or diet coke, I am often where the father of this boy is.  “help my unbelief.”

And Jesus does. 

I believe it was honesty that moved the heart of Jesus.

I think it still does today.

I believe it was their need for honesty that prompted him to ask "how long."

I believe he still probes today.

Join me.  Be honest.  Admit that all your questions are not answered. 

Jesus may have been upset with these men, maybe not.  I can’t say for sure.  I can only read what is written and there is no emotion police to tell me what he was thinking and feeling.  

But the words that are captured there seized this heart of feeble faith. 

When push came to shove, everyone had the chance to have their “unbelief” transformed into confidence.  

Jesus answers the cry of “help my unbelief” with the power needed to pave the road for their next step of faith.   

I don't believe anything can stop his quest for mining out your skepticism and replacing it with stone with a gem of faith.

He loves you.  He always has.  He always will.

Admit it, sometimes you don’t believe it.

He is able to walk those steps with you…

He has more at stake in this battle than you do.  He died for you to have victory.

Until next time.