When a great crowd gathered and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable: “A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. Some fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold.” As he said this, he called out, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!” Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to others I speak in parables, so that ‘looking they may not perceive, and listening they may not understand.’ ‘Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away. As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.” ~ Luke 8:4 - 15 I grew up in a farming community. I can tell you a lot about the importance of rotating crops, the concern about erosion and at what grade you can work the side of a hill so it doesn't wash away, and the importance of making sure the ground is ready to receive the seed so that there is a greater chance of a fruitful harvest. So when Jesus begins to share the parable about a seed, it tends to capture my attention. Have you ever thought of yourself as a seed? And if so, where in this parable do you see yourself? That's the thing about parables, they are about us. It's not a story about pointing fingers, Jesus is sharing that there are different kinds of ways to live a faithful life. It is meant to make you think, not of others, but of yourself. Even today, as I read over words that Luke shares, I find myself thinking about times when I have been a seed, and I have to admit, I have allowed myself to fall into various situations. My time on the pathway, and times that I have fallen among thorns, serve as times that I realize that is not where I want to be. Unlike the seed that gets planted in the field in specific rows and placement within those rows, we possess the ability to change where it is that we find ourselves. It is up to us each day to seek a place where our lives can grow in a healthy place and produce the harvest that God seeks. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, each day help me to grow in a way that You would want me to grow. May I find Your presence in every breath, and in all that I do. Amen.
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“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” ~ John 16:33 Years ago a sun dial in a neighbors yard had the following inscribed on the top, "Only count the sunny days." One of the things that we don't talk about much is grief. For me, I actually began taking photos and writing about them because I was depressed and grieving some major losses in my life. After trying several types of medications, my therapist said to me, "Take a picture of something that brings you joy, bring it in next week, and let's talk about it." Over the weekend I spent time on campus at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary where I was a student over twenty years ago. As I listened to several of the people graduating, I began to think back and remember my own experience, and what I was thinking when I graduated. While it was full of uncertainties, it was also a time where I probably understood my calling better, and what my vocation was going to be. Of course, I still sense the call of God nearly every day. Is it that same feeling? No. But it remains. There are moments when I still grieve some of the losses I have experienced. While I understood who and what I felt God calling me to do, today, as an older person, that understanding is now filled with moments of grace and definitely more wisdom! However, as I shared my thoughts this morning with a friend, it is as if I see the shadows of my life much better on the days that I find the sun to be shining the brightest. Our shadows of the past sometime are more distinct on brighter days. Grieving something for most of us is a life-long process. Whether it is a family member, a specific dream you may have had, or for a period of time in your life. The hope is that as we get older, the shadows can be seen as boundaries and will help us decide where we walk. I'm entirely grateful for days that are both sunny and cloudy, but mostly, that in the shadows there now is some peace. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, help me to know that while I look forward to sunny days, that even the shadows of my surroundings serve a purpose. Help me to live fully in the light and in the shadows. Amen. "Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it." ~ Mark 14:23 Today has been filled with many wonderful moments. i was invited to take part in the commencement ceremony at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary where I serve as the President of the Alum Board. Besides seeing several cherished professors that mentored me over 20 years ago when I was a student, my life was enriched with meeting new friends. The whole trip has served as a reminder just how amazing our vocations are, and that no matter what our age or circumstance, God has a plan. I hope you have had a great day. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, thank you for days that are simply filled with gratitude. Amen. It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. ~ Psalm 92:1 - 4 Growing up in a musical family, you learn a lot about music, what sounds good, and what sounds like a joyful noise. My father has four brothers, and the group was encouraged (I would use the word "forced" but I'm going to be talking about my grandparents and church!) to sing at church where my grandfather was the pastor. My grandmother worked to create arrangements and the boys as they grew older, created harmonies that only brothers could. The boys not only sang in church, but also entertained crowds at the Indiana State Fair and many other places. My dad became passionate about his music. He got his masters in music and became a band director at a high school. He also played in a rock group entitled, "The Astronauts." Later in his life he joined the Banks of the Wabash Men's Barbershop Chorus, becoming the director for many years, and was a part of several quartets. My stepmother would often tell me that he was at his "religion" when I would call and if he weren't home, that was her response for him being at the hall singing barbershop music. When my stepmother died, the chorus came and sang. You might say that music has been a part of my life always. To this day, I am moved when that four part harmony creates a fifth sound. To me, that fifth sound is God. It is a sound that only occurs when the harmony is so clean and pure that it begins to take on a whole new meaning. While I would like to think that I have some musical ability, when it comes to us sharing our joy with one another in our lives, that is where a special type of harmony begins. It is the kind that we all need. It calms the anxious, and invokes peace to the angered. It can bring comfort to those mourning, and joy to those who are down. Whatever seems to be surrounding you this day, take a moment and just make a noise. Joyful, soft-spoken, or an outright yelling session! The sound of our voice raised to God is what God seeks from us each day. May you sing while remaining in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, today let me sing! Amen. And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want." ~ Matthew 26:39 I wish I could say that I welcome all experiences in my life, but I don't. I think all of us have moments in our life that we could just change, or avoid all together. The death of a parent. Saying goodbye to friends. The loss of a job. A cancer patient undergoing painful treatment. Although Jesus knew that his death would be the ultimate giving of himself, the process was something he did not want to experience. We can certainly understand why. While talking with a terminal patient one day, she shared that she was not afraid to die, she was more concerned with the process. "Will it be painful?" The process for any of us is something we all have considered. A quote I have often heard, and I have used myself, "That which does not kill us makes us stronger." I will confess, sometimes I don't care about getting stronger! God ultimately does not want us to have difficult times, but sometimes the difficult times are what we learn from. Such things as sacrifice, surrender, and grace are all the result of moving past that which may have been difficult. May all that which we experience be filled with the knowledge that we are never alone in these moments. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, whatever it is that I experience today, may Your presence be felt and known. Amen. “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you? I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, immediately it fell, and great was the ruin of that house.” ~ Luke 6:46 - 49 Throughout my life I have worked on many home improvement projects, landscaped lawns, replaced a wide variety of appliances, and have painted more rooms than I can even begin to number. It is something I enjoy doing. So, when I was asked to join a mission trip to help people who had just been flooded in Kentucky years ago when the Ohio River crossed over a levy, I was eager to go and help. Little did I realize what I was about to encounter. What most people don't realize is that when a river floods, it takes all kinds of things with it! While I was expecting to be tearing out sheet rock, mopping up water, and helping to pile belongings in a trash container I didn't even start to consider mud, dead fish, limbs, oh, and a few snakes! One of the volunteers I was with the first day was helping to move a freezer from someone's home and thought it would be a good idea to empty the contents. OH MY GOODNESS! The freezer door was hardly even open when everyone helping went running! The freezer had been full of meat prior to the flood. Following the flood, no electricity for nearly a week, and now full of river water as well, you can begin to imagine the scene and the SMELL! Everything that we seemed to encounter was devastating for the families and community. It made me realize just what water was capable of doing. Each time now, when I think of this passage from Luke, I am once again back in that little community, and those images literally flood my mind. For some families, this was not the first time their home had been flooded. One home that had been in the same location for over 100 years actually had water marks preserved from where the river had flooded the home nine times now. I don't always understand why people decide to remain, when they realize that they may very well flood again, but they do. I can remember the woman who lived in the home, who was quite elderly and had actually been born in the house saying, "this is where I have always lived." Putting down roots is important for many of us. Creating a firm foundation for not just our life, but so much more, provides for strength, consistency, and a better understanding of who we are. Christ reminds us that we are to build a solid foundation. It's as if he is reminding us to know who we are. To be strong in our faith. It's not that he is telling us "if" the river rises, but "when" the flood waters come, you will be able to withstand the flood. I have seen this happen, not just in my own life, but in the lives of others. As a chaplain, I have been called to visit families falling apart when bad news is shared. Their foundation was literally built on sand, and had been washed away by this experience. Not knowing where to turn, or where to find comfort, strength or hope. While we don't know when the flood will occur in our life, we can be ready. The preparation begins with each new day. Digging deeper, discovering your own bedrock, and then figuring out who you are, are all important parts of establishing your foundation that your life can be built upon. How firm is your foundation? Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, help me to prepare each day to encounter the water when it begins to rise! Amen. The hands of Sister Alice Potts, a Roman Catholic nun that served as a chaplain at M D Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, whom I had the honor of serving with. The photo is from a series of photos I took entitled, "Lifting the cup of Christ." I would ask persons to take hold of the chalice, photographed them holding the vessel, and then share their thoughts with me. They were then included in a booklet, "Reflections of a Chaplain," a gift I created for the Chaplaincy Staff and Fellows I served with. "Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it." ~ Mark 14:23 One of the most wonderful expressions of God's presence in our lives is found within the cup. From the first time that Jesus asks us to remember him through his blood, we are invited to come and be present with him. I think of the night when Christ lifted the cup, drinking in not just the cup of blessing, but also that of pain, suffering, and a promise that this remembering will turn into reality of being present with God. Although when we think of the chalice we often see in our faith traditions, the shape of the Holy Vessel takes many forms. While I have seen ornate cups, I have in my ministry, used even yesterday's grape jelly container to serve as a cup of remembrance and sacredness. In our minds, when the words reminding us that "this is my body broken, and my blood shed for you," is shared, we invite the holy to take shape. I remember an early morning class in Seminary when our professor, Burton Cooper, took two masonry bricks, held them together, then separated the two, sharing how it was bread, broken for us. Then taking a water pitcher, pretending to pour water, then shared how it was now wine, consecrating it to be a holy vessel containing blood, shed for us, they were transformed in our minds, and our eyes began to see the items in a much different way. While our eyes may keep us from seeing, our faith helps us to see beyond that which attempts to hide the holiness from us. The vessels that carry Christ to the world take many forms. Our ability to hold, lift, and to taste is only limited by our own inability. We are challenged, while welcomed, to partake in all that which God has to offer, remembering that with God's glory also exists through all the challenges that we must face. Jesus declared that he had entered the world not to condemn the world, but to save the world. While this was clearly the mission, the vessel by which this would take place, is us! Take, drink, each of you. For as often as we eat the bread and drink the cup, we remember Christ's life, death and resurrection and that one day we all shall see him face to face. This is the gift of God, for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, may I be the vessel of Your presence for others. Amen. And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want." ~ Matthew 26:39 Have you ever made a decision that you must live with? Many of us find ourselves in situations where we must simply live with the choices we have made. I remember my grandfather teaching me to measure twice and cut once when it came to building projects. And of course, I didn't a time or two (or maybe three) and I was left with the decision to do it right, or to try and fix the problem. Gosh, I wish I had always followed his example. With so many choices today we find that there are many options in our lives to consider. Sometimes we make choices based on past experience, sometimes it's because it makes sense, and then sometimes because it's what you must do. Sometimes the decision doesn't make sense. I can only imagine what those at the table that night when Jesus informed Judas to "go and do what he must" after everything played out over the next day must have thought later. It was something that had to be done in order for God's plan to come to its full purpose. God's plans for our lives doesn't always make sense, but I have to believe that God has looked at the situation twice before given the final decision. I guess that is where our faith must sustain us, and that we must trust that God will lead. While it may not make sense today, we must remember that God is in the eternity business. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams Lord, today I hope that I can better understand the plan You have for me in my life. Amen. "For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline." ~ 2 Timothy 1:7 You have a story to tell. One of the things I have loved about being a pastor is sitting and listening to the life narratives of the people I meet. The story of their lives! We all have a story to tell. I often am told stories about how couples meet each other. One of my favorite questions to ask is "So who chased who?" It doesn't matter how old or how young the couple, there is usually some kind of joy associated and a story to tell. While not all life stories are happy. The divorce of parents, or death of a sibling, the loss of a job, or never being able to move beyond a life event, can sometimes be sad, if not painful to hear. On the other hand, some of those stories are filled with great courage, hope, and success when the person shares of what they learned from the situation, and how the person moved forward. It's how we interpret these stories that will be the legacy we leave behind. For me, I'm a collector of stories and I love trying to live each day through eyes that I hope, help me to see all of the things that I God desires for me. When we take the time to listen to the life narratives of others, there is a tremendous amount of insight that we are offered about others, while creating opportunities to grow in our relationships, but also, we learn more about the God who created each of us. So often I think that the Bible serves as a life narrative for all of creation, with God being the master Creator. In the early years of scripture, God is the great designer, and pronounces all things as "good." Followed by some pretty hard realities. Choice is going to be something that God will have to acknowledge, and that for the created, each day choice is going to serve as the starting point. Over the years God's life narrative becomes ours. It's amazing how many times when I ask someone about their life, it includes a time when the person realized God's presence, and what that presence meant. Even when someone expresses the lack of belief, the person can often explain why, or what the circumstances were that caused the person to doubt, or to no longer believe. It still is an experience with God that the person is referring. For those who are hesitant about sharing some things, it can cause anxiety, and often create a self-conscious situation. But when we have the courage to share our lives with others, we soon discover that our lives can bring a richness to each day. It is only by giving generously from the well of ourselves that we discover how deep that well is. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, may each of of my life include a story about You, and how I lived today knowing that You were with me with each step. Amen. Now as an elder myself and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory to be revealed, I exhort the elders among you to tend the flock of God that is in your charge, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you do it — not for sordid gain but eagerly. Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd appears, you will win the crown of glory that never fades away. In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen. ~ 1 Peter 5:1 - 11 Just recently I spent time talking with a dear friend and colleague in ministry who is in the process of moving into the family home that was built back in the 1830's in Kentucky. For the last twenty years, it has been home to her stepmother who just recently died. The home was originally a log cabin structure, and over the years, more rooms were added and updates completed. One of the first things she did when she returned to the home was opened all the drapes to allow the sunshine to enter. She shared that when growing up that there was a warmth in the house, that was completed with sunlight. She went on to say that the house has been a place of hospitality and sanctuary. Often family members would visit the homestead at the invitation of others, and around the table there would always be enough. She shared that there was a "code" when the food was being passed. If there possibly wasn't going to be enough, she said her father had developed a code called, "FHB." It stood for "Family Hold Back" and then he would quietly share what to hold back. For instance, he might say, "FHB green beans." That would serve as gesture for family members to take less green beans so that guests might be able to have plenty. What a wonderful memory, and lesson on discipline and hospitality. While there is great abundance when we gather around the table of God, it should be approached with humility. While the invitation is open to all, the cost for the invitation has been filtered through many circumstances, including the giving of Christ. Our invitation and participation to come and gather should always have a sense of humility, even though there will always be an abundance. It is the blessing awaiting us all. Come and taste the goodness of the Lord... Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Today Lord, no matter where I sit to eat and to enjoy the blessings You have given, may I realize the presence of great abundance and be humbled by the love You have for me. Amen. "You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain, for so you have prepared it. You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with richness. The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy." ~ Psalm 65: 9-13 One of my early memories I carry with me is that of living on our farm, and turning our cows out into a green meadow after a long winter. Even our older cattle seemed to have a dance to their step as they stretched and welcomed the freedom to run. I especially enjoyed watching new calves as they would run and chase one another. So often we forget that we live a life of abundance. It's interesting, even the homeless that I used to work with understood what it meant to live a life of abundance. Often sharing what they had with one another, no matter how great or small, it was a way not of survival, but simply the "right" thing to do. Today our lives can be filled with a lot of distractions, keeping us from seeing the abundance that exists in our lives. We seem to be bombarded with ads for the next generation of technology, and scenes that depict better cars, bigger homes, and easier ways to prepare even our cup of coffee! Simply put, our God is not a god of scarcity, but of abundance. From the time that Jesus collected 12 baskets of leftovers when five loaves and a few fish were all that they had to begin with, to Jesus telling Simon to cast his nets and the catch is so great that his boat begins to sink. God doesn't simply give us enough, God gives us more than enough, including more love than we could ever ask to receive. What is it that you have experienced in abundance? An easy trap for any of us is to look at what others have, or what the world seems to want to sell us as abundance, then look at own life and become depressed. Abundance can be found in many forms, but when we fail to see it already in our life, then we miss so much more! Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, help me to see what I have, rather than what I don't have, and to give thanks for the abundance in my life. Amen. Jesus answered, "You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand." ~ John 13: 7 Have you ever wondered why you are experiencing something bad in your life? In the movie "Bruce Almighty" there is a scene where the main character demands that God "smite him." He also remarks that "God is a mean kid with a magnifying glass." I know folks who believe that God is just sitting back and waiting for them to mess up so God can punish them. I often wonder who taught these folks to believe that God is like this? I remember walking out of the doctor's office one day and a lady remarked that my having cancer was just part of God's plan. I totally lost it with her. I looked at her and said, "God should have hit me with a bus. It would have been quicker, cheaper, and my kids would have had a better story to tell others about how I died." God does not make us victims. God does not give us cancer. God doesn't sit back and wait to punish us. God makes us survivors so that we can live to tell others of what wonders God has done. We struggle when bad things happen. When you think about it, bad things happen because the world that God created is no longer perfect. God made it, and claimed that it was good, but over time we have simply messed it up with the choices we have made. God gets the blame for many things, and frankly God has big shoulders, however, if we were truthful, much of what we experience we do to ourselves. The blame game is not God's game, it's ours, however, God is there when things do happen. Hoping that today we may all see clearly the right path for us to take that is full of God's blessings, not another reason to blame God for something we have done, or when something bad happens to us or someone we know. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, when difficult times, or bad things happen, help me to turn to You for understanding. Sometimes, Lord, there are no answers. Help me to understand the silence when I ask, "Why?" Amen. Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him. ~ Luke 5:1-11 "There was this one time while I was fishing..." Sounds like the beginning of a fish story that we all may have heard. You know, the one "this big" and "fought so hard," and then "it got away." Why is it that God always seems to have to go to the extreme to finally get us to realize that what God is doing? For the men that day in the boat, all who were fishermen, it was the largest fish story that they had ever encountered personally. A catch so large that their boats were sinking. Now THAT is a fish story! So many times in our life we are like Simon that day. We keep attempting to do things in the "same old way." Even he tells Jesus, "We have been up all night fishing and have caught nothing." I don't know if Simon was just tired of fishing, or just plain tired. After all, this had not been an ordinary day for he and his crews. Jesus, because the crowd was so large, and were pressing in so much, had no other alternative than to board a boat and just go out into the water a short distance to preach. These boats and the men working them, were simply used to going out and seeking fish for a living. They were not traditionally used to provide a place for one to address a group, and to speak of things that they had not thought of before. When they were told to cast out their nets and began to gather the fish, something that they were used to doing, the catch was so large it was almost something that they could not handle. Because of the catch, Simon begins to apologize when he realizes that he was thinking and acting in a way that he was just simply used to. Today I listen to young people use the term, "My bad" when they make a mistake. I think it is close to the "I'm a sinner," mentality that Simon expressed to Jesus. It's not that he had done something so wrong. He simply found himself realizing that with Jesus, the way he even thought about fishing, none the less his whole life, was about to change! I don't know about you, but I am always amazed when God reveals a new idea or a new way of looking at something to me. While I could easily proclaim how wrong I had been, or how lame I had been to think of something that way (by the way, that also falls into the category of poor self talk!), instead God wants us to move on. Jesus doesn't say, "Well, Simon, I'm glad you finally realized what a terrible person you have been." Instead he tells them to move on! While they are great fishermen, they are now going to be great gatherers of people. While some may see this as just another fish story, the lives of those catching fish that day were forever changed with one large catch! Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear God, help me to listen to what You are trying to tell me, and upon hearing, help me to follow what it is that You desire of me. Amen. I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. ~ Psalm 9:1 - 2 It's been said that "attitude is everything." I think if there is anything that I truly believe, it is this phrase. While I must admit, there are times when I would truly like to throw my hands up and give up, there is something inside that prompts me to stay positive. I haven't always been that way. Life is challenging enough, and then to challenge yourself to keep an outlook that not only inspires yourself but encourages others, can be just tiring sometimes. And then when you do encounter days when there just doesn't seem to be anything left to be happy about, well, then those days are just days! I wish that I could have spent a day with Jesus when he walked among humanity. The people he encountered seemed to just be filled with the need for something else. Everywhere he turned there seemed to be sickness, the need for something else, and then there were just bad things. Even getting something to eat must have been a chore. After all, every person that he encountered needed something that he had. I'm afraid I would end up asking a month's worth of questions in just a few hours, and I surely would have made a fool of myself staring at those who needed the simple touch of his hand, or for one faithful person, to touch the hem of his robe. How marvelous that would be! Our encounters with Jesus today have moved beyond dusty roads and hillside villages and synagogues where his words caused crowds to be silent, and religious people to gaze and question. While I believe that the power of Christ remains available to each of us, what of those who believe but yet still struggle? While I do believe attitude is everything, there are those times when we struggle. In seminary our class called these "Lions 3 Christians 0" days. You see, when the Christians were fed to the lions, it was seen as entertainment, and the struggle to survive, was as if it were some great display of God's power. It was as if God in all of God's glory was on display for all to see. However, we know with all challenges, some days you simply surrender, or get "eaten up" so to speak by the encounter. Thus the saying, "Lions 3 Christian 0." Our ability to remain positive through these times are what makes for our outlook on many things, including our attitude. While the ability to survive a day in the pit of Lions is no small task. The scratches and bites produced by the Lions can definitely wound us, however, these are the scars that remind us of days that we battled, and perhaps didn't win, but we lived to fight another day. While Paul tries to encourage us to be joyful in all things, the struggle is very real, and our attitude is everything. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, help me to be encouraged and to encourage others today, even when there are real struggles. Unto YOU I give thanks for another day. Amen. Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise. Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! Because of your great power, your enemies cringe before you. All the earth worships you; they sing praises to you, sing praises to your name. ~ Psalm 66:1 - 4 While the Psalmist tells us to make a joyful noise unto the Lord, singing God's name, and giving glory, I am reminded that some days it is just difficult to utter our own name. Let's face it, there is nothing really written about the hours following Jesus' death, or for the next 48 hours really. That's the thing about scripture, it has been written over many years, by many people, and by many circumstances. While we are asked to make a joyful noise, there are some days when all we can do is cry. Sometimes I wish the church talked more about depression, death, and general sadness. I say that because these can be very real circumstances for nearly every person. So often hallways of a church building are filled with, "How are you's?" met by the "I am fine's." How different would these hallways sound if the real truth was being shared? I wish that scripture recorded just how the Disciples felt after watching Jesus being placed in the tomb. If only the words, "Jesus wept," were met by, "Peter cried out," or "John pounded his fist against his chest, and asked God, 'Why?'" These would be very real responses, and clearly the reactions we would expect because that's what we would do! It's impossible to really know what the responses were, because we weren't present, but look at your own experiences, and I have a sense that the real emotions and expressions will begin to take shape. Our ability to make a joyful noise unto the Lord is just sometimes difficult. Does that make us any less a child of God? Not at all. It is probably a clearer understanding of just who God is. Jesus was not always joyful. He did get angry. He did cry. And he did get disappointed, like the time he asked the Disciples to remain awake while he went off to pray, only to return that they had fallen asleep. Imagine the joy he had when awakened in the boat as the waves began to rise, and the Disciples were all afraid they might drown? I don't see the joy of the Lord in those moments! While I recognize that making a joyful noise may not always be possible, what we do share is important. In the dark times of our life, God wants to hear us. In the heat of the noon day when there isn't a breeze or shade, God wants to hear us. In the emergency room when our loved one has just been told that there is no cure, God wants to hear us. When a 15 year old child is shot for no reason, God wants to hear us. When we can't make a joyful noise, let us make the noise of what our heart is feeling. Even God wants to hear that! Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2017 Dear Lord, today I want to share the sound of my heart with You. Thank You for listening. Amen. |
AuthorRev. G. Todd Williams is the author of the book, "Remember Me When..." and is a former hospice chaplain and pastor. Archives
February 2024
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