There are many trying times in life which seem to pull at you from every angle and there are so many rushing waves, it appears, that one cannot even catch their breath. This past week qualified as “one of those” descriptions for me personally.
My family just experienced the passing of my aunt, Alice Marie Shelton, this was one of my father’s younger sisters and we had been in Franklin, Ohio supporting my father and our extended family and had just returned back home when my brother’s middle child, Meagan Danielle was involved in an accident that sent her to the University of Tennessee by flight, then to also be called about the loss of Jeffery Scott (Holly) Hollingsworth. The past 10 days, I believe you can understand, were trying times not to mention the wedding I would be officiating that weekend as well as one this weekend too.
Emotions, feelings and the roller coaster of life itself are very sensitive and delicate items to deal with. I confess that I am not always personally up to the challenge, but I am most thankful that God never fails even in our greatest time of need. As a pastor I assume it would be more professional on my part at least, to write that I never have doubts, I am always up for a challenge, I’ve never been depressed, or that I am always looking and seeing life in a totally positive view, but that is just not the case.
Often I have wondered if God is still God? Different times I have thought to myself is God listening as I pray? I have even gone as far as to tell Him that if He doesn’t do something I will….now that’s wise huh? Certainly the pressure of our jobs, family, friends, relationships, church, and even unknown people can create moments of questions in our lives, or at least they have in me.
I wish I could write that He has always answered when I’ve demanded He do so, but that’s not the case. I wish I could write that I have clearly understood His direction each time I’ve asked but I haven’t. With all this true, one might ask why ask then, right?
Well, I’m still turning and looking to God for direction and answers because while He doesn’t do it my way, He does do it His way, and when my head is looking for His answers I have always found them. I’ve discovered that when I stop looking from my selfish point of view and ask what His will would be, I seem to always see the direction I should go. It has been amazing, to me, that He has never failed me, yet I’ve failed him time and time again. My real question is why would He still love me after I’ve acted that way? Again, I’m faced with a difficult moment because I don’t have an answer for that one either except to say because He loves me so.
In my childhood I learned early on that song that many of you know too, “Jesus Loves Me”. The song simple says, “Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so”.
I would love to be able to share with you great Theology that I learned in Seminary that would impress you with my academic studies and cause folks to see me in a different light, but I’m simply me. I see myself looking for a God that will and does love me just as I am. I’m looking for a Savior that accepts me with my good points and my bad ones. I know in my looking I think I’ve found a God that meets those needs in my life, and so much more than I’ve even asked or thought of. His name is Jesus Christ and I’m not sure what your last days have been like but if you think you need a helping hand I am suggesting you turn to Him.
Until then
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