Naked and Vulnerable. Control Freaks' Senility, Part 16

Today's Bible Verse: Heb 3:15 Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.

We have learned that being submissive to God in all things will open wide the doors of grace. However there is an element of submission that we often tend to ignore: submission always includes obedience, no matter what the cost!

Jesus provided us with a powerful counsellor, One that would never contradict His written Word, the Bible. "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth." (John 16:13 NIV) He will always prompt us towards obedience. Some of these promptings will be delightful and easy to follow. Others will be more hmmm… heart-wrenching!

Let's take a look at the prophet Isaiah, for example: "God told Isaiah son of Amoz, 'Go, take off your clothes and sandals,' and Isaiah did it, going about naked and barefooted." (Isa 20:2 The Message)

You likely wonder if you read this right, but you did. Feel free to check any other Bible versions out there, or even the original Hebrew text. Isaiah was prompted to walk in his birthday suit, not for an hour, nor for a day, but for 3 years!

How would you feel if you were the prophet Isaiah? Would you want to walk a mile in his shoes... Uh... Bare feet?

"No way would I ever do any of such nonsense! They would lock me up in the loony bin!"

But notice that Isaiah never questioned the request. He knew without a doubt that it came from God and he obeyed. He subjected himself to ridicule for an entire three years!

At least his clothing budget was manageable!

Because of Isaiah's obedience, God had a visual message for those around him, one that they would never forget. And then it came true:

"Then God said, 'Just as my servant Isaiah has walked around town naked and barefooted for three years as a warning sign to Egypt and Ethiopia, so the king of Assyria is going to come and take the Egyptians as captives and the Ethiopians as exiles. He'll take young and old alike and march them out of there naked and barefooted, exposed to mockery and jeers - the bared buttocks of Egypt on parade!'" (Isa 20:3 The Message)

But remember that if it hadn't come true, Isaiah would have, indeed, been named the fool of centuries! And please don't go out now and start a new fashion called the "bared buttocks on parade!" There is enough of that going around already!

Submission includes unhesitant and whole-hearted obedience. It doesn't include comments such as: "I will do it, but I really don't want to!" Or "This is stupid! So stupid! I will make sure everybody hears about my complaints!"

Jesus also gave us specific commands, ones we never have to doubt came from God Himself: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35 NIV)

This command can be summarized in three little words: "Love others" and "witness". And sadly enough, these three simple words are often disregarded!

One time, during the many years that I have been a teacher, I was encouraged by God's Spirit to attend a local speech competition that one of my students would participate in.

Notice my wining: "But Lord, it's right during church time!"

The answer was clear: "Go!"

I went with my youngest son. My student, as well as her family were ecstatic. "My teacher cares for me!"

A couple of months later, her grandpa had to undergo some serious heart surgery. His life expectancy was at stake and my student was in tears. She came to me and asked: "Could you please pray for my grandpa?" There were other students around and I invited them to join me in this special request.

Her grandpa went through surgery with flying colours and was soon back on his feet! All I could do is praise the Lord!

A few months later, that special little girl came once again to me and announced: "I am a Christian too!"

Oh the power of obedience to God!

Imagine the looks on the faces of all the people who mocked Isaiah, when what he preached came true! What would have been their reaction? There is no way they could continue ridiculing him! I bet some, if not many, gave their heart to God as a result!

Obedience to God will always lead to supernatural love towards others, which, in turn, will lead to salvation! "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:35 NIV)

The same is true with the following New Testament command: "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men…" (1 Peter 2:13 NIV). Notice: This includes your boss, the mayor, police officers, beloved (or not-so beloved) presidents and prime ministers... In fact, when Peter wrote this particular passage, the emperor was far from being on anybody's favourite list! He was a cruel persecutor!

May we pay attention to the promptings of God's Holy Spirit!

"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion." (Heb 3:15 NIV)

What will your response be?

Do you have a pair of shorts to loan to Isaiah? It seems he misplaced them somewhere!

Rob Chaffart

I Followed His Path

Today's Bible Verse: Ps 73:24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

I gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles. The windshield wipers, caked with ice, left streaks on the glass. Unable to see, I rolled my window down. Snow blew in and spotted my glasses. I reached out. The wiper on the driver's side swung to the left. I grabbed it and lifted. When I let it go, it slapped against the windshield. The ice shattered and spun away with the wind. The wiper, free of ice and slush, cleared my view. I could see through the window again, but it was of little use. Ahead of me was a white wall of wind driven snow.

The rear wheels lost traction in the deep snow. The back of my car slid to the left. I steered into the spin, regained control, and kept following the road that was now a ski slope. The radio announcer said, "We are in the midst of the worse storm of the season.

Police are advising all motorists to stay off the road." The news was too late. I was already halfway into my twenty mile drive home.

Houses appeared. They bordered the road on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. The wind ripped across the water and blew the snow horizontally. It was a whiteout. To my left, I saw a flashing yellow light. It was a snowplow, entering the road.

I slowed and let him in front of me. The plow's pace was slow, but I stayed behind it. I was in no hurry. My family depended on me to get home safely.

We moved forward through the blizzard. The wind picked up the snow the plow pushed aside. It swirled between us. The plow disappeared, even though it was only fifty feet in front of me. I followed blindly, guided by the path - the piles of snow to each side. "Where are you, Plow." I whispered. "I know you're there, but I can't see you." The winds dropped. The plow's flashing yellow light appeared and then the plow itself. A few minutes later it was disappeared into the swirling snow again. I knew it was there, but couldn't always see it. I drove on. My faith never wavered.

An hour later, I turned into my driveway. I sat in front of the fireplace, began to relax and thought about my trip through the storm. I'd followed that plow on faith. My drive was a mini version of my life. I moved forward. Sometimes the road was clear. All was well. The next thing I knew, I was blinded by the storm. God appeared like the plow; my guide.

There are times when you won't see the plow. Have faith! It will guide you through. God is clearing the way.

Michael T. Smith msmith4@nj.rr.com

When Control Flies Out the Window. Control Freaks' Senility, Part 15

Today's Bible Verse: Luke 22:42 Yet not My will, but Yours be done.

How do we tend to react when people try to dictate what we should do?

Here's a close-to-home example:

"Papa… I need a car by tomorrow, and make sure it's a Mercedes Benz! You promised to provide for me, now prove it!"

In this case, my reaction would probably be: "Hmm… I think I'm having trouble hearing you clearly. Where's my hearing aid?"

"You don't have one!"

"What did you say, son?"

Imagine how our Heavenly Father must feel when we dictate His actions: "Lord, I want a better job. Please take away my rebellious kids. And don't forget to hit little Johnny with strap throat. I sure don't want him to win the speaking contest! And make Aunt Fluvia come down with the flu! She's planning to visit me, and you know how she annoys me with her constant bickering!"

His answer might go something like this: "Who do you think I am? Santa Clause? Why do you call Me Lord when all you expect is for Me to obey your every whim?"

Many of you know that I have been experiencing difficulties sleeping. I was diagnosed with sleep apnoea last fall, and although the remedy, called a C-PAP, has helped me tremendously, it has not broken my habitual pattern of waking up in the middle of the night.

This is very frustrating to me, and I don't know how many times I've cried out to God: "Lord! Heal me!"

Now, looking back to my request, it pretty much sounds like a demand to me!

It took me a while, but I finally did realize that my real problem was not my diagnosis of sleep apnoea. Rather, my two-fold problem was spiritual:

1. I was not leaving my worries completely in God's hands. (For some reason I have sadistic tendencies towards torturing myself over silly things, and I love to steal back the worries I have handed over to my Heavenly Father!); and

2. I was not totally and reverently submissive to my Father. (No demands, whatever the source, are ever reverent or submissive!)

Let's face it: One year from now, how many of us will even remember the worries of today? If worries have so little value to us, then why worry at all?

While at Kingdom Bound this summer, I was touched by God. He made me realize that my sleep difficulties were due to the fact that I constantly want to be in control! Yes, I had accepted Jesus as my Saviour, but had I also accepted Him as Master over all things in my life? Even over my worries? Even over my sleep?

The following Bible text hit right in the centre of my heart:

"During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission." (Heb 5:7 NIV)

Note that Jesus was heard "because of His reverent submission". If Jesus was reverently submissive to His Heavenly Father, shouldn't we be even more so?

Let's take a look at Jesus' last request before going to the cross: "Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me." (Luke 22:42 NIV). Then, in anguish so great that He was sweating great drops of blood, He reverently submitted Himself to God: "Yet not My will, but Yours be done." (Luke 22:42 NIV)

Let's take a moment here to realize that Jesus' request was never fulfilled! God did not remove the cup of suffering! Nevertheless, the request was still heard and addressed by God: "An angel from Heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him." (Luke 22:43 NIV)

Is it possible that it seems our prayers are not heard because we are not reverently submissive to God's will? Is it possible that our prayers reflect more of our own will than that of the Father?

When God gave me this message, I repented bitterly; and falling to my knees with tears flowing freely, I uttered this prayer: "My sleep problems are now in your hands. Not my will, but Yours, Lord! I'm so sorry that I haven't given You control over all aspects of my life. Be my Lord now! I am Yours, completely! I don't have to worry about worrying any longer! No matter what happens, You are with me! Not my will, Lord, but Yours! It does not matter if I sleep well or not. What matters is that You become my reality in all things!"

From that night on, I have hardly had any problems sleeping through the night. And this is the first time in at least two years! And do you know what the funny thing is? It no longer matters if the sleeping difficulties come back or not. What counts is this: "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30 NKJV)

"Dad… I want you to buy me a ranch with at least thousand horses."

"Are you sure you would like that, son?"

"Absolutely!"

"Let me try and help you find a job…"

Rob Chaffart

I Have to do What? Park a Tent Trailer? Control Freaks' Senility, Part 14

Today's Bible Verse: Heb 12:9 How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!

I have a physical handicap, one so bad that the Belgian army dismissed me from my obligatory army duty. I am what they call me "legally blind" in one eye. Oh, I can see and read, and I can drive. The only problem of being "legally blind" is that even with -15 corrective lenses, I see everything in two dimensions. Three-dimensional pictures are a complete blur to me, and towing a trailer on small roads is pure torture! I have no way to tell if the trailer is too close to one side of the road or the other. What a relief for the other drivers when I am not at the helm!

As we were heading for Kingdom Bound at Darien Lake this year, we thought we had the perfect plan. Our family had spent the two previous days camping at Taughannock Falls State Park, and my wife, who was with us for that leg of the trip, would take care of the towing. She wouldn't be staying with us at Darien Lake as she had to work, but we had it worked out so that she would park the trailer on the campsite, and while the kids set up camp, I would drive her back home.

We arrived at the gate and to our astonishment, my wife was not permitted to even enter the campground. We tried to explain that her only function would be to keep the trailer out of the ditch, but to no avail. There was no other option: She would wait outside the campground until I had parked the trailer and could return to drive her back home.

I was pretty tensed up as I slid behind the wheel. "Beware everybody!" I thought. "The menace is coming!" After all, it is one thing to tow the appendage; but it is a completely different thing to back it safely onto a campsite! I found myself hoping in vain for a pull-through site; but it was not to be. Instead, we were on the hilly side of the park, surrounded by giant trees and huge boulders. Simply pulling the trailer between them would have seemed insurmountable to me; but backing between them was literally impossible!

My kids jumped out of the van to try and direct me, but I couldn't help wishing my wife was behind the wheel instead of myself! I glanced around, searching for some bystander who was just waiting to help someone like myself get onto their campsite, but there was no one. I was in the middle of a dirt road with nowhere to go!

That is when I did the only thing I could do under the circumstances: I bowed my head and prayed: "Lord, there is no way I can back onto this site with this trailer! No way at all!!! But with your help, I can! Not my will, but Yours, Lord, but may Your glory shine through all of this! I leave You my worries. Thank You, Lord, for being there for me."

Immediately a wave of peace washed over my heart. And then I miraculously backed that trailer onto the site!

Both of my sons were trying to direct me, but it wasn't me driving at all. In fact, it felt like my hands weren't even my own. I stepped out of my van, my mouth hanging open in astonishment, and I fell on my knees: "Thank you Lord!"

"You see, Papa, you CAN back the trailer onto a campsite!" Shouted my boys.

All I could mutter was that I really hadn't done it! It had been Someone with much more capable hands, and much better eyesight!

Once the trailer was detached from our vehicle, we were faced with another challenge. We had a sharply inclined ditch just behind, and we were somehow uncomfortable having the thought of the tires of our portable bedroom heading directly towards it! We decided the three of us would push the trailer around. No problem. For the first 90 degrees, that is. But now the trailer was half-way on our campsite, and half-way on the neighbour's site, and we couldn't push it forward because our campsite was a bit higher than the one below us.

Just at that time, our unknown neighbours arrived to set up camp. They saw our dilemma and immediately offered their help. In one, two, three our trailer was right where it belonged, safely away from dangerous ditches and uneven boulders!

While my kids were setting up camp, I rushed out to rescue my wife. I had, however, neglected to consider one important factor: How would we be able to pull the trailer off of the site when it was time to leave? To move a trailer it has to be connected to a vehicle, but this would now only be possible by turning it 90 degrees. The weather report called for severe thunderstorms. The ground would likely be muddy, and turning it would be very difficult.

Funny, although I became aware of the challenge the next day, I decided not to worry about it. After all, someone much bigger than myself was in control! (I wish I would remember this fact all of the time!)

The day of our departure, we tried to push the trailer around, and sure enough, it wouldn't go. Too much mud! I glanced around for help, but there was no one in sight. I noted that there was a hole in the brush between us and the site above us. This site was now empty, but the ground was soggy and it was a bit higher than ours.

Despite these obstacles, I heard an inner voice gently speaking to me: "Trust me! I will show you the way!"

I knew I could trust that voice. We hitched the trailer to the van, and I had no problem pulling it through to the next site. God had come through again!

I learned that weekend that God is, indeed, much bigger than all of our problems combined. If we submit to Him reverently in prayer and trust Him no matter what the outcome, He will hear us:

"During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission." (Heb 5:7 NIV)

Our only problem is that we tend to cling to our own problems! "They are mine, and mine alone! Shouldn't I have the right to cling on them?"

Well, that all depends if we want to be heard by God or not. He cannot help us if we do not give it up to Him!

We need to realize that the outcome might not always be what we anticipate; but in the end, it will be much better than we had hoped for!

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Rom 8:28 NIV)

"How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!" (Heb 12:9 NIV)

May this truth become our motto: No one is bigger and better and more willing to solve our impossible situations than God!

Do you have tent trailer problems? I know someone who can help you out!

Rob Chaffart

The Ant and the Feather

Today's Bible Verse: Jer 17:7-8 But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.

"Ah, what is more blessed than to put cares away!" (Gaius Valerius Catullus C. 84–C. 54 B.C.)

One morning I wasted nearly an hour watching a tiny ant carry a huge feather across my back terrace. Several times it was confronted by obstacles in its path and after a momentary pause it would make the necessary detour. At one point the ant had to negotiate a crack in the concrete about 10mm wide. After brief contemplation the ant laid the feather over the crack, walked across it and picked up the feather on the other side then continued on its way.

I was fascinated by the ingenuity of this ant, one of God’s smallest creatures. It served to reinforce the miracle of creation. Here was a minute insect, lacking in size but having amazing strength yet equipped with a brain to reason, explore, discover and overcome. But this ant, like the two-legged co-residents of this planet, also shares human failings.

After some time the ant finally reached its destination - a flower bed at the end of the terrace and a small hole that was the entrance to its underground home. And it was here that the ant finally met its match. How could that large feather possibly fit down that small hole? Of course it couldn’t. So the ant, after all this trouble and exercising great ingenuity, overcoming problems all along the way, just abandoned the feather and went home.

The ant had not thought the problem through before it began its epic journey and in the end the feather was nothing more than a burden. Isn’t life like that! We worry about our family, we worry about money or the lack of it, we worry about work, about where we live, about all sorts of things. These are all burdens - the things we pick up along life’s path and lug them around the obstacles and over the crevasses that life will bring, only to find that at the destination they are useless and we can’t take them with us.

I discovered three things from this incident. Firstly, the time spent watching this ant was not wasted. Life is a learning experience and that ant instructed me in the futility of worry. Secondly, God places much emphasis on the damaging effects of worry and we would do well to heed the warnings contained in His Word. Thirdly, just suppose I hadn’t noticed the ant and had trodden on it.....But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you’

Don’t tell me that worry doesn’t do any good. I know better. The things I worry about never happen.

Pastor Ron Clarke w4w2@bigpond.com

The Rebellious Tree.

Today's Bible Verse: Ps 1:1-3 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

I love trees. All kinds, actually, but I'm especially fond of the willow with its long, feathery bows and its white fruit. How majestic to see them bending out over lakes, ponds, and streams of water... How beautiful to behold! What's even more amazing is the growth of the willow tree. After just a few years in the ground they reach their full height and foliage! We have a beautiful willow on the front of our property that, just six short years ago, was nothing but a broken stick that we stuck into the ground. No wonder the righteous are compared to such trees!

There are trees, however, that are less desirable. We had one just off our back deck. We never did identify what kind it was, but it came on the wind and planted itself as a seed, right between the wooden deck and our septic bed. Hum . . . Not good at all!

We should have cut it down immediately, but we didn't. You see, when you have kids, you tend to be a bit more lenient... "Papa, It's a tree! It won't grow quickly! Can we keep it? Please?"

Indeed, the innocent seedling seemed so harmless. What could it possibly hurt to keep it a couple of years?

This was a very fast growing tree, however. After three summer seasons of impatient patience (an oxymoron to say the least!), it had grown to 10 feet in height, and the circumference of its trunk easily matched the circumference of an elephant foot... Well, maybe that of a baby elephant! The trunk was also dangerously close to our deck, and I could just imagine the havoc its root system would soon be creating on our septic bed. The tree was most assuredly a menace!

Early one morning, while my youngest son was away, my oldest son gave me a hand and we "electric-sawed" (a term coined specially for this occasion, but you can feel free to use it, if you like!) The trunk of the tree and hauled it to our compost pile at the back of our property.

The pest was finally gone. Whew!

How wrong we were!

When we returned from our short trip to the Bahamas, the stump of this tree had sprouted, not one, but TEN shoots! It had not giving up its fight, and we would pay dearly for its surrender!

After some much-needed internet research, we discovered two options for our menace: poison or removal. Poison, the easier of the solutions, was, unfortunately, not an option. It would have leaked into our septic bed and killed the bacteria that help it to function adequately. No, our only viable solution was removal...

Sigh...

Much easier said than done!

Although we anticipated a battle, we had no idea just how quickly unmoveable roots established themselves around rebellious tree trunks! There were not two of them, nor three! We counted a total of nine major root systems coming off of that stump, and each one of them outdid itself in being unyielding and uncooperative!

We set out to fight the battle armed with our best tools in hand: a small hatchet; a pair of snippers; two shovels, one small and one large; a crowbar; and the favourite of my oldest son: an electric saw. Okay, so maybe our tools weren't the best after all... Maybe we set out instead with the ONLY tools at our disposal! Remember, we aren't seasoned tree stump removers!

After going through the ordeal, I would highly recommend that any future endeavours be handled with a full-sized axe, and quite possibly a chain saw!

The first problem we encountered was that the evergreen bush that was supposed to be filling this flower bed was also unrelenting, and it did everything in its power to discourage us from the task at hand! It seemed to think it had been appointed "caregiver" of those baby trees, and no matter how hard we tried to hold back its branches, it slapped them forward, usually hitting us in the face, and always managing to come between our blade and the stump. It also oozed a tarry substance which soon covered our hands, arms and faces. What a sticky mess!

To make matters worse, we were in the midst of the rainiest summer on record for our region, and the ground was a sink pot of black, sticky mud.

In my eagerness to attack the project, I had forgotten to eat breakfast. Not a good thing when planning such tasks! After just an hour-and-a-half, my blood sugar was dipping, and with it my spirits. I decided to try and remove some of the mud from my hands, and I went inside for a few minutes. When I returned, I found that my youngest son had slipped a shovel under the stump and had turned it on its side. Oh, it was still firmly attached to the ground with its nine "cables", but at least it was progress, and it gave me some encouragement to persevere.

An hour later we had made a little progress, but still not enough to warrant any success. The trunk's roots were unyielding, and the nearby evergreen had renewed its efforts to not lose its stubborn friend. With my head spinning, I decided to take a break, and while away from the situation, I decided that there was only one course of action: Leave it for tomorrow!

When I returned to inform my boys of my decision, however, I found that my older son had gotten out the electric saw, and was cutting back the branches of the evergreen! What do kids learn nowadays at school! Amazing! Maybe it's in their genes (wishful thinking!)!

His endeavours filled me with one last burst of energy. I began hacking away at those roots with the hatchet, and we were finally able to free the stump from its obstinate, deadly location.

It sure helps to work as a team!

I had never thought about how stubborn roots and stumps could be, but now that I think about it, I realize sin is kind of like that stump with its vast system of roots. This is a Biblical concept, actually:

"I am like a green pine tree; your fruitfulness comes from me. Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them." (Hos 14:8-9 NIV)

It isn't easy to leave all control to God, especially when you aren't in the middle of His will! Our rebellious traits will show up in all aspects of our life. At work, the rebellion may take on a flavour similar to this: "My boss is a jerk, my colleagues are miserable complainers, and so am I!" At home the rebellion is only slightly different: "I could strangle my kids! Maybe yelling at them will help! And as for my wife, I better not talk about her!" The rebellion even follows us to church: "My pastor can be so boring and his sermons are way too long! Can't he stop in time for me to reach Swiss Chalet before the other church goers get there?" It's also seen in our leisure activities: "Why can't I just relax? My work stinks, my church is, well… it's boring, my family is ungrateful and what am I doing here?" Is it any wonder that our rebellion also follows us to bed at night? "Why can't I sleep?"

When we aren't in the middle of God's will, we are miserable most of the time. Oh, there will be some sweet times, but the sour lemons will generally be the norm. There's no way our own fruit will be tasty to others!

What's the solution to this miserable existence?

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7 NIV)

Only by submitting ourselves wholeheartedly to God's control will we ever enjoy life and produce worthwhile fruit. No one would ever consider cutting down such a majestic tree! So much better than the rebellious tree stump we once were!

Rob Chaffart

Going Paddling

Today's Bible Verse: Ezekiel 47:4 He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist.

I used to love “going paddling” in the Firth of Clyde before it connects with the Irish Sea. Each summer, Evelyn and I would take our kids down to the beach to build sandcastles, look for shells, and “go paddling” in the water.

Only adults went paddling – usually adult men. They went down to the shore with their children, took off their shoes and socks, rolled up their trousers to above the knees, and sometimes tied a clean handkerchief like a bandana to their heads. They paddled along the shore line, knee deep in the water, looking after their swim-suited children who were swimming, playing, and laughing in the sea. The purpose of the beach paddler was to keep their children from going too far out.

I loved it and often wish each summer for those halcyon days to return. I enjoyed watching my kids play, and of being their protector from the mighty sea. Ezekiel 47:4 He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist.

Today’s verse from Ezekiel reminds me of those days, but it’s also a picture of the depths of faith that we each have in God. I remember an old pastor giving a tremendously simple sermon on this passage, in which he challenged the whole congregation to review their relationship with God. “Have you a faith that is ankle deep, knee deep, waist high, or over your heads? Are you willing to trust God completely, or just a little bit at a time?” It was a great sermon and one that I have cherished in my heart for decades.

So, I guess the message for us all this morning is this: are we prepared to be deeply faithful to God and surrender ourselves to Jesus, or are we still inclined to just “go paddling” on the shore line of commitment?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You know what we face this week, what fears we have, and what our faith commitment is to You. Help us to reach out to You completely, so that when we are confronted with hard choices and serious decisions, the depth of our faith will enable us to take the right action. Thank You for Your protection and guidance, Your counsel and presence with us each day. In Your Holy Name, we faithfully pray. Amen.

John Stuart traqair@aol.com
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA

Flamingo Parade

Today's Bible Verse: James 4:6-10 'God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.' So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet. (The Message)

While on vacation this summer, we had the opportunity to visit a park containing a unique collection of pink flamingos. What made this especially unusual was that tourists were allowed to move about freely among these birds!

Most of the flamingos seemed quite at ease with the antics of their admirers; however some preferred to keep their distance. I don't blame them! We likely look pretty scary with those one-eyed protrusions (More commonly known as cameras!) That are where our faces should be!

One thing I noticed was that many of these birds seemed to think that they were in control, even if they were being chased about by an unruly child. This was even more evident during the Flamingo Parade. A bunch of flamingos were directed into a small enclosure by a trainer, and then were encouraged to strut about and do various antics. They did, indeed, go in the indicated direction indicated by the trainer, and most of them did, indeed respond to some oral commands. But what were they thinking?

As I watched most of them running about in the indicated direction, I could see that many of them thought they were in charge of their decisions. They might be ordered to circle some volunteer tourist, but they still believed they had complete control over their actions, especially if there was something shiny protruding from some body part! Be careful for your ears! "Ouch!" I warned you!

In all reality, the constant yelling, clapping, and arm waving of their trainer went farther towards producing the desired effect on their behaviour than the flamingos would have thought!

Doesn't this remind you of something? How often don't we think we are completely in charge of our lives? But it isn't really so! We are constantly being directed by someone...

"The one called Devil and Satan, the one who led the whole earth astray…" (Rev 12:9 The Message)

"Don't stay angry. Don't go to bed angry. Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life." (Eph 4:26-27 The Message)

When someone leads someone else astray, it means that that someone is in control! The same is true when someone has a "foothold in your life"! You might think you are in control, but are you really?

Is there a way out? Can I find freedom and true living?

"'God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.' So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet." (James 4:6-10 The Message)

"The thief (the devil) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10 NIV)

Real living is only possible when you first admit that you are not in control of your life. Then you must realize that no one is better qualified to be at the helm of your life than God Himself! Only then will you be able to start enjoying real living. Oh, you'll still be able to make your own choices, and you'll still be allowed to make the wrong ones! But if you make a habit of depositing it all into God's hands, it is also a life where you will be victorious!

Remember: The devil has already been defeated, and all he can really do is bark. But defeated or not, he is still a good illusionist and a master manipulator. Don't let him intimate you, and especially don't let him make you believe that his choice is your best choice!

"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death - that is, the devil- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." (Heb 2:14-15 NIV)

Hey, look where the flamingos are heading! Who is really in control of your life?

Rob Chaffart

Relax Mon! Control Freaks' Senility, Part 11

Today's Bible Verse:

Acts 26:17-18 I'm sending you off to open the eyes of the outsiders so they can see the difference between dark and light, and choose light, see the difference between Satan and God, and choose God. I'm sending you off to present my offer of sins forgiven, and a place in the family, inviting them into the company of those who begin real living by believing in me. (The Message)

In our fast-paced society, where stress is the norm, perfection is expected. But what happens when facing less-than-ideal situations while visiting foreign countries? Either we become irritable, out-of-control and less-than-satisfied customers, or we relax and adopt the local philosophy: "Welcome to the Island time! Relax, mon!"

The first thing that struck me about this gorgeous group of islands is that Bahamians enjoy their daily living.

Hmmm… I wonder if we could learn a thing or two from them!

The second thing is that most things are not as bad as they look!

Take, for example, the patched-up mildew spot above the bathtub. It may not be attractive, but it is functional! The faucet in the bathtub may be leaking, but why worry when surrounded by billions of gallons of ocean water? In fact, the drip works to lull you to sleep at night! Quite handy, don't you think? The elevator floor may seem to include a bubbly sea monster, but count your blessings; at least you do have an elevator! And so what if the only way to call the elevator up from the lobby is by pressing the "up" button? Hey! At least it comes, and that's more than you can say for my dog! And what about fire drills in the middle of the night? Or the car alarms blaring loudly at bedtime? These things are all a part of the joy of life. They really don't hurt you in anyway. Just sleep in and enjoy the upcoming day! Why worry about such futile things!

These "inconveniences" might annoy most of us if they happened at home, but if you are open to the easy-going laissez-faire mentality of the Bahamians, you will quickly learn to laugh them off. In all reality, none of these will diminish your stay abroad!

The third thing I noticed is that most Bahamians are not afraid to share their faith. They live it not only on Sunday, but also at work, at home and anywhere else they are going. One of them overheard tourists talking about the upcoming US elections. What came out of her mouth surprised me, but she was 100% correct: "I don't praise men," she said. "I only praise God!"

I wonder if we could all learn something from the Bahamians. Maybe our lives would be less hectic! Maybe we would be less tempted to control everything around us! Maybe we would start to really enjoy living! And maybe, just maybe, this would result in us becoming bold in sharing what is on our heart concerning the One who really matters in our life!

Releasing all control to God every day will not only fill us with adrenaline, it will also fill us with peace, with real living, and with a desire to join God in His endeavours to reach out to the needy of this world!

"I'm sending you off to open the eyes of the outsiders so they can see the difference between dark and light, and choose light, see the difference between Satan and God, and choose God. I'm sending you off to present my offer of sins forgiven, and a place in the family, inviting them into the company of those who begin real living by believing in me." (Acts 26:17-18 The Message)

"Honey, there are ants in my kitchen!"

"Yuck!!!"

What will be your approach to this "inconvenience"?

Rob Chaffart

The Broken Plate

Today's Bible Verse: 1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. (KJV)

For years now, I have been collecting miniature plates made by Limoge with the theme "love story". These miniatures are expensive for their size but are a great investment for me. A few years ago, I decided to take them in and have them framed so that they would be together and would be a bigger ticket item if I decided to sell them, or as a set together to pass on when I leave this world. They had to be framed in a couple of different sets.

I received a phone call informing me that the smaller set was framed and ready to be picked up. When I arrived at the store, I could tell, by the lady's manner, that something was wrong. The owner informed me that her husband, who does the framing, had dropped one of the plates for the larger set. Naturally, the little thing broke. I was told that he was running around town frantically trying to replace this plate.

I started to laugh, and I continued to laugh off and on most of the day. These folks were expecting me to cry and get upset, and I laughed. While I was standing there laughing, he returned. As he walked through the door, my heart went out to him, and I put out my arms and said, "Do you need a hug?" I cannot explain my reaction, except that I knew how awful these folks felt, and I also knew that they would not be able to replace this plate.

I did not know that he was very ill at the time and would die within the year. I believe that there are times in our lives when we have the opportunity to let our Christian faith and the love that Christ places in our hearts shine through situations that we are not in charge of. This, I believe, was one. I thank God for that broken little plate, with the love story theme etched upon it.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to step out of our comfort zones and listen to Your Spirit when You ask us to do something we are uncomfortable doing. Thank You, Jesus, for the opportunities which You place in our lives each day to touch others with Your love. Amen.

Marilyn Allanson nk-wm@shaw.ca Kenora, Ontario, Canada

Thanks to http://daily.presbycan.ca

With Thunder and Trumpets. Control Freaks' Senility, Part 10

Today's Bible Verse: Phil 4:4 Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! (The Message)

Have you ever faced a completely sleepless night? You know what I mean: You lie in bed, but no matter how hard you try to fall asleep, sleep refuses to come? Of course it never helps when your neighbours are sharing their music with the neighbourhood, or the dog next door decides to howl at the moon...

Or does it???

July 10, 2008, was the 35th Bahamian Independence Day, and the Bahamians spent days and weeks preparing for the festivities. It cannot be said that Bahamians are not proud of their country! In fact, they put the North American attempts at independence celebration to shame. I mean, we tend to buy flags and hang them in our windows or from the backs of our cars, there are usually a few fire works, and we enjoy our day off from work. The Bahamians, however, fill the days leading up to the celebrations with national events such as Bahamian Pride Day, public concerts, and Bahamian booths and markets, while strains of the Bahamian national anthem can be heard everywhere. Where there are no official concerts, local musicians practice up and down the streets. Everyone wears the Bahamian flag on their shirts and dresses, and the entire town is ablaze with the unique turquoise, yellow and black colours of the Bahamian flag.

We were fortunate enough to be in the Bahamas during this time, and we happened upon what seemed to us to be a ceremony one evening, about 5 days before Independence Day. We would soon learn that it wasn't the actual ceremony, but simply practice for the parade and festivities to be held on the day itself. Other than the fact that the crowds of onlookers just filled the stadium, instead of overflowing it, you wouldn't have been able to tell it wasn't the real ceremony! The parade would involve all branches of the police, all branches of the national defence, including new recruits, the firefighters, and even the prime minister himself! Apparently they had been practicing for at least two hours every day for the event!

Everywhere we looked, construction was taking place for the festivities. Fences were being put up, fields were being cleared, and there was even an enormous castle front that was being constructed on the parade grounds.

We were amazed and impressed at the national pride we saw all around us. Unfortunately, however, we were scheduled to fly back to Florida on the July 10, and we were a bit sad that we would miss out on the festivities.

What we didn't realize was that we wouldn't miss out at all! In fact, we were destined to leave this beautiful country with a literal bang!

With our flight leaving Nassau at 7:30 a.m., we had arranged for our taxi to pick us up at 5:15. Knowing it would be an early morning and a long, tiring day, we all turned in early. And it's a good thing we did, because our dreams were soon ripped apart by what could have easily been a war zone between good and evil. All four of us jumped up from our beds, sweat droplets spiralling down our bodies. We looked at each other, confused. Had we all dreamed the same thing? How could that be?

Then what sounded like a cannon shell exploded with strings of blue, yellow, green and red light streaking through the sky.

Those weren't artillery shells! They were fireworks!

By the time we had our wits about us enough to check the clock, it read 12:40 a.m!!! We'd been asleep for less than three short hours!

We went back to bed. Our sleep had been interrupted, but no worries. We'd still be able to get a good night's sleep.

But it was not to be. We wanted to sleep, and we had given no one our permission to prevent us from reaching our goal, but the noise did not stop. Oh, the booming of the fireworks did finally cease, but only to be replaced by another sound: The police were coming, sirens blaring, lights flashing! And it wasn't just one police car or two, but at least six of them!

Once again we stood up and glared through our window, wondering where the criminals could possibly be hiding. But the police weren't after criminals. They were all part of a long, noisy parade... One that would pass directly in front of our hotel!

Oh no!

Back to bed! "Concentrate, concentrate, concentrate! Imagine that there is no noise around you! I said no noise around you! Bah, that sure doesn't work!"

Eventually we did fall back to a listless sleep, only to be woken up again. The clock read 2:30, and this time it was trumpeters and tuba players practicing at maximum decibels. But why did they need to practise just outside our hotel door?

We quickly checked it out, but there was no one in the hallway. We followed the sound to the back of the hotel only to discover over twenty musicians playing in the street below.

Back to bed! And with much mumbling and grumbling, we tried to close our eyes once again.

We had barely tuned out the noise when the hotel's fire alarm rang! We quickly grabbed our clothes, wondering if this was real or not. It wasn't!

"Hey mon," cried the locals, "we need to celebrate!"

No one celebrated my 50th birthday like that!

We were heading back to bed, feeling out of control and less than sociable, when our troupe of trumpeters began to play: "It is well with my soul."

We looked at one another, wide-eyed, and without a word we all conceded that we had let local events perturb our inner peace. Wasn't this a time to celebrate? The locals were right! We don't celebrate enough, especially what God has done for us!

Now it was our time to make loud thunder! We began to sing with our trumpeter friends: "It is well, it is well, with my soul!" And we were happy and at peace from that moment on!

The alarm clock finally put an end to our miserable attempts at sleep at 4:30 a.m. We didn't bother trying to be quiet while we dressed and got our luggage together, although I did make one feeble attempt to control the noise coming from inside our room: "Shh!" I said. "We'll wake up the neighbors!" But I was only met with loud laughter: "You think there's anyone sleeping in this hotel?"

Funny thing, we weren't even tired all day! There must be something to it when you submit yourself completely to the Lord and praise His name on the top of your lungs! Yielding to God leads to power!

It is sad though that we tend to make more raucous for sports and politics than for the Lord Himself! Shouldn't we be celebrating what He has done for us daily? Let's make a raucous for the Lord! And let's be sure to let others know why we are celebrating!

"Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him!" (Phil 4:4 The Message)

What will you do when loud noises wake you up in the middle of the night?

Rob Chaffart

Announcements:

What if you have prayed and asked God for an answer, asked Him to help you with a particular problem, asked Him to reveal Himself to you and everything seems as if nothing has changed? Should you just keep on praying the same prayer over and over, asking for the same things? It seems God would get tired of hearing us repeat our problems and just abandon us out of pure boredom. Is there a specific way of approaching God to get answers?

If you would like to answer this question, please respond by 3:00 p.m. Wednesday September 26th. We will publish all reasonable answers.

If you have a Bible question that you are seeking answers for, please share it with us and we will publish your question if it hasn’t been published already.

I Only Have a Disease

Today's Bible Verse:

Rev 21:4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

I mentioned earlier that my daughter Chelise was recently diagnosed with JMDS, an incurable skin disease. We were distraught with worry for her. But Chelise, a child like the children whom Jesus urged his disciples to emulate, wasn't so concerned. She had difficulty climbing stairs, and she no longer could dance around the living room as she once had. But tell Chelise that she was sick and she would only roll her eyes.

"I'm not sick, silly," she would say. "I only have a disease!" In her young believing mind, this ailment was only a passing inconvenience called disease. When the doctor prescribed large doses of prednisone to settle her immune system, she gathered the family with great pride, showing how she could swallow the pills without water. She couldn't skip around the coffee table because of her pain, but she could still sing the same endless, make-believe songs that she always had.

Her condition has improved tremendously since that day several months ago, and the disease is expected to go into complete remission within two years. It will be a long battle, but our hope is strong.

Ted Dekker The Slumber of Christianity. Nashville: Nelson Books, 2005, p. 186.

You are Still my Sunshine! Control Freaks' Senility, Part 9

Today's Bible Verse: Rom 5:1 We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Storm Ahead!

"Don't let this throw you. You trust God, don't you? Trust me. There is plenty of room for you in my Father's home. If that weren't so, would I have told you that I'm on my way to get a room ready for you?" (John 14:1-2 The Message)

She was around six years old. Whenever I saw her on the playground, she was always smiling. A cute little thing with beaming eyes, one who had everyone in the school as her friend. I didn't know much about her, except that she was ill, very ill. I had no idea however, just how ill she truly was until the day when I replaced a colleague for bus duty...

While assuring that all of the students remain safe until their bus picked them up, I suddenly felt a hand slip into mine and clutch it tightly. As an intermediate teacher, I was really not used to this! I didn't pull away, however, and as I looked down at her, she was smiling up at me. I couldn't help but wonder what I had done to desire this honour. After all, we had never even spoken before.

Then she started to speak, and it turned out to be a conversation that changed my life.

"Do you know that I have leukemia?" She asked.

What a big word for such a small child! No, I hadn't known, but because it seemed the right thing to do, I nodded anyway.

"I'm going to die soon!" She said matter-of-factly.

I was stunned. I had no clue what to say! Was she truly dying? How was this possible?

As I stared dumbly at her, she spoke again: "But that's okay!"

How could she say that? It isn't "okay" for someone so young to be forced to face certain death! But since I still couldn't think of anything meaningful to say, I remained silent.

"I know where I am going, though!" She added with a mischievous grin.

I nodded. I still couldn't speak, but it was for a different reason now: I couldn't make my voice work around the knot in my throat! I reached up with my free hand and rubbed my eyes, trying hard to be inconspicuous about the tears I was wiping away.

"Don't tell my parents," she said. "I don't want them to worry. They already worry way too much about me!"

Just a few short months later, I had the opportunity to attend her funeral. During the service, they played her favourite song: "You are my sunshine". I glanced around, wondering if anyone else knew what I knew: That she was, beyond a doubt, in the arms of her "Sunshine" as we sang!

Do you know who your real Sunshine is?

I have learned from my brief encounter with this special child of God that in the end we are all powerless. Some of us rebel, others are resigned. But unless we know who our Sunshine truly is, we will never be able to let go without an anxious struggle.

Storms are looming, trials will come; but if you know who your true Sunshine is, then you have no reason to fear. Our true hope lies only in One!

"Be strong and experience his presence with you." (1 Cor 14:3The Message)

You are my Sunshine, my only Sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey. You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my Sunshine away.

If your Sunshine is Jesus Christ, no one will ever be able to take it away!

Rob Chaffart

Announcements:

As our subscriber list continues to grow (Which, praise God, it is currently doing in leaps and bounds!), it is becoming increasingly difficult for our shared hosting provider to handle. This has already stopped publication of The Illustrator on numerous occasions.

To remedy this problem we have started a blog at http://sermonillustrator.blogspot.com , and we will be publishing all newsletters there. Newsletters will be archived automatically on this site, and you will be able to access any of them any time.

Please bookmark this web address, because if the problems sending out newsletters become impossible to remediate, you will be able to visit us at http://sermonillustrator.blogspot.com and enjoy receiving the daily inspirational messages there.

You will still be able to contact us from the blog. Just go to "View my complete profile" and under "Contact", click the word "Email".

Thank you so much for your patience. In His love,

Rob Chaffart add@sermonillustrator.org

The Storm Deflector

Today's Bible Verse: Prov 31:10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

"A wife of noble character is her husband's crown." (Prov 12:4 NIV)

My wife and I celebrated our 24th anniversary by going away for the weekend. As a surprise for my wife, I had planned everything in advance, down to the last detail. The only problem was this: The weather outlook was grim! For up to a week prior to our departure, the local weather predicted a 90% chance of thunderstorms!

I wasn't worried at first. After all, the local weather is never correct, especially a week in advance! But as I dutifully checked the weather everyday until the day of our departure, ever hoping to see a change in the predictions, I came to the solemn conclusion that once in awhile, there ARE no changes to the forecast!

The forecast still hadn't changed the morning of our first day in Rochester. There was still a 90% risk of thunderstorms, and now they were calling for heavy wind and rain as well. Would I have to cancel the outdoor activities I had planned?

I phoned the company who advertised the romantic boat ride on the Erie canal to ask whether or not the boats would be running. They weren't very optimistic. The lady on the phone informed me that boats were warned not to leave the docks that day. She promised to keep me posted, however, just in case of a change...

The sky was black and ominous, but as it wasn't raining yet, we decided to go to the zoo as planned. Imagine our surprise when the sun came out shortly after we entered the park! We decided to visit the High Falls next, and to our joy, the sun remained! When would the rain be coming? Did we dare chance the boat ride?

Besides the lack of rain, there was one other thing that puzzled me: The knowing look on my wife's face. The entire trip had been kept a surprise. She knew nothing about the planned activities. So where did her grin come from?

After witnessing a mother deer rest after the recent birth to two tiny fawns, my cell phone began to vibrate. The boat trip was, indeed, on!

We enjoyed our trip thoroughly, and the sun remained the entire time. In fact, when we entered the theatre to see a Broadway musical that evening, the sun was still shining, and as it turned out, the entire weekend continued to be filled with sunshine. Imagine our surprise to learn that there had been severe thunderstorms in the surrounding areas all weekend, as well as at home!

Interestingly, every time I made a statement of surprise about our exceptionally good weather, my wife resumed her knowing grin. As we were having lunch on Sunday, just before leaving to drive back home, she confessed. "I heard the weather predictions, and though I didn't know what you had planned, I knew that rain would not fit in very well. I really wanted this to be a special weekend, and I knew that rain would ruin it for you. I prayed for God to hold off the rain!"

I was speechless. There have been those who have told me that God cannot answer weather requests, because one person may ask for sunshine while another asks for rain! Well, they are wrong! God cared enough about the success of a special anniversary weekend to answer my wife's weather requests!

I have to say that one of God's greatest blessings to me is my wife. No one could have a nobler character than her! (See Prov 12:4). We have our moments (mostly due to my own stupidity!), but no one could be more caring than she is!

How often don't we neglect the presents that God has bestowed us with! Get to know your spouse by spending time with him or her. Don't assume you know them already. Listen to their beautiful voice and start appreciating the difference they make in your life. Pray for them and watch God's grace shine through. Only then will this verse become a reality: "May you rejoice in the wife of your youth." (Prov 5:18 NIV)

My wife is also a prayer warrior, and she knows beyond a doubt that nothing is impossible to God (See Luke 1:37). That's why her prayers deflected the storm! She knows the Storm Deflector personally! This same Storm Deflector can carry you through the storms that life rolls your way, as well! His specialty is turning them from tornados into roller coaster rides!

Rob Chaffart

P. S. Umbrellas? Who need them? Let His grace shine through!

No Higher Calling

Today's Bible Verse: Hebrews 11:1 Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Clarence Roddy was an old-time Baptist minister from Maine who taught preaching at Fuller Seminary when I was an undergraduate there 40 years ago. The notes I took in his classes filled no more than two pages in three years, but the inspiration he gave to budding young preachers filled heart after heart. He spoke little about how to prepare and deliver sermons, focusing instead on the person who was doing it. "Preaching is you," he said-over and over. Patiently, daily, he listened to our struggling beginners' efforts, always encouraging us to believe that we were gifted to fulfill the marvelous opportunities before us. "There is no higher calling than that which God has given you!" He insisted.

I wondered at his optimism. There was little about myself that I could see to justify it, but I decided to believe him. Being yourself is enough . . . Your way is the best way . . . They expect judgment; give them grace . . . The high road gives the long view . . . No higher calling!

A few years after I left seminary, Roddy died. At his memorial a member of one of his former churches in Maine told this story:

Let me tell you something about Roddy. . . . My wife and I had a son who was institutionalized for many years because of a brain injury. It's hard to admit, but we had stopped loving him, wife and I. We visited him often, but our feelings for him had begun to die. Then one day when we came to see him, we found Pastor Roddy in our son's room. He was talking to him-as if our son could hear. He read the Bible to him-as if he could understand. He prayed with our son-as if he could share in the prayer. My first impulse was to say, "Roddy, you fool, don't you know about our son?" Then it dawned on me. Of course he knew. But he cared for our son as if the boy were whole and well. He saw him through eyes of faith. . . . Roddy renewed in us something we had almost lost, the capacity to love our son.

Then I knew why Roddy had been such an encouragement to so many of his students. He saw us through eyes of faith-sure of what he hoped for each of us and certain of what none of us could yet see. Faith views others not as they are but as they can be. There is no higher calling.

Copyright 2007 Dr. Michael A. Halleen Monday Moments mhalleen@att.net

Taming the Lion. Control Freaks' Senility, Part 8

Welcome to the Illustrator

Today's Bible Verse: Matt. 11:28-30 Come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul.

We were nearing our destination: Darien Lake Theme Park, in Darien Lake New York. Our purpose? To attend Kingdom Bound, the Christian music festival featured at the amusement park every August.

Or at least, that was THEIR destination. I was only along for the ride. Or the drive, if you prefer. You see, I was driving the van that towed our 10 ft. Tent trailer. We had spent the weekend camping at Taughannock Falls, near Ithaca, New York, and now I was towing the trailer to Darien Lake where, after briefly helping them set up camp, my husband would drive me back into Buffalo where I would pick up my car and head back home. I am not as much of a fan of music as they are, and besides, I had to work!

Excitement abounded in the back seat as the first of the roller coasters came into view. In just a few moments, our "best laid plans" would be rolling. Only one problem: Only those who had paid to participate in Kingdom Bound would be allowed into the campground. I, of course, had not paid. They would not let me in!

We tried all of our best arguments:

Argument #1: "I'm the only one who can park the trailer. I will just zip in, park the trailer, unhitch, and then I'll be on my way!"

Response #1: "Sorry, but we can't let you enter."

Argument #2: "My husband can wait outside the gate for me, if you like! I'll only be in the park for a few minutes!"

Response #2: "Sorry, but you can't go in. You haven't paid."

Argument #3: "My husband really cannot back-up with the trailer! I have to be there or the trailer will end up in the middle of the road!"

Response #3: "Sorry, but we can't let you enter."

I bit my lip in bitter resolve as I crawled out of the driver's seat and surrendered it to my visibly nervous husband. Being legally blind in one eye and having very little depth perception, he really did have valid reasons why he didn't like to back-up with the trailer! But there were no other options, and I slowly turned my back on the van and its trailer, and made my way over to the side to wait.

My wait wasn't exactly a "patient" one. You see, I had two problems, not just one. First of all, I was upset and worried about the parking of the trailer, and secondly, nature was calling, desperately, and there were no restrooms, and not even any bushes, in sight!

Walking provided a measure of relief for my cramping bladder, so I made my way down the long entranceway to the Darien Lake camping area, out to the main highway. The farther I walked, however, the more I allowed a lion of anger and frustration to grow in my heart. I had been expecting a miracle! Why hadn't God come through? And then I began to think about how the campsite would likely look without me. Why, the boys would probably forget to put down the stabilizing feet of the trailer. And they wouldn't see it necessary to put up the awning. And they would...

That's when I remembered my walk with God earlier that same morning. Everyone else had still been asleep, and God had called me out onto the trails. I had followed the path from the campground down to the gorge, and my eyes had been drawn to one of the lower waterfalls. My mind quickly began to review what we had read the day before about how the gorge was constantly being formed by the water that rushed over the many cliffs, and it occurred to me that this year, which so far had been the rainiest summer on record, the gorge might be being formed a bit more quickly! That's when I heard God's voice: "Just as the rushing water is forming this gorge, I will form you! Sometimes you only allow a trickle of Me to work in you. Those are the times that you aren't being reshaped quickly. Other times you allow Me to work to my near fullest on your heart. At those times, just like this gorge this year, your heart will be reformed much more quickly, into an image of me!"

I had cried at these words, and I now remembered my response: "Lord, flood my heart with Your Spirit! Reshape me-quickly!" Suddenly it occurred to me that God was doing just that! Somehow, being left stranded at the entrance to Darien Lake while my husband attempted to back the trailer into a campsite-somehow it was all part of the "water" that was rushing through my heart, reforming me into an image of Him!

But wait a minute! What was so wrong with me wanting to help out my husband by parking the trailer???

But God is so good. He answered my question immediately: "Do you not trust me to help HIM park the trailer? Are you so proud as to think that YOU are the only one who can learn to back the trailer onto a campsite? Do you not remember who helps YOU each time you do it? And don't you trust me enough to help your boys remember the stabilizing feet? And the awning? And even if they don't do everything the way you would want them to, don't you trust me enough to make sure everything is okay?"

Ohhhhh! So this was what it was all about! Control! And suddenly it all became clear. Most of my problem had nothing to do with the fact that I was concerned for my husband and his ability to park the trailer. No. Most of my problem stemmed from the fact that I wanted to be in control of the camp! Even when I wasn't going to stay there! I swallowed, and right there, on the grass bordering the entrance to the campground, I repented of my pride, and I relinquished control into the hands of the One who is ALWAYS in control.

And then I began to pray. I prayed for my husband, that God would give him the ability to park the trailer. I prayed for my boys, that they would be blessed by the concerts. Then I began to pray for the thousands of other people who were waiting in line to get into the campground, and I began to pray for the thousands of unsaved people, who would innocently be spending their day at Darien Lake over the next few days, that they would be touched, and as a result of Kingdom Bound 2008, thousands of hearts would be won for the Lord.

It's amazing how the lion that had been raging in my heart suddenly shrunk into a house cat!

But there was still one little problem, one that was getting bigger by the minute: Nature was STILL calling: LOUDLY! "What am I going to do, Lord?" I cried. "There's just no place to "go"!

"Give Me control," was the reply.

I swallowed, half-ashamed that I hadn't thought of this already: "Okay," I said. "You are in control of my problem here!"

Over the course of the next few minutes, the urgency to "go" just vanished. Oh, I still knew that a restroom would be welcome, but there was no longer any dire emergency. And that sense of urgency didn't return for 90 minutes, when I finally found myself in the proper place for such a problem!

I don't suppose I need to tell you that the trailer parking incident went very well. My husband managed to back the trailer onto the site, and with the help of a kind neighbour, they were able to hand-push it where they wanted it to be. The stabilizers got put down, the trailer was levelled, the awning was put up, and my husband gained great confidence in his ability to tow. And all of this without me. God didn't need me at all! He only needed me to relinquish control to Him.

Friends, is there a lion raging in your heart? Do you have a major problem? Are you upset because you can't be in charge of something? Give it to God. Relinquish that control. Know that it will all come together without you, because you put God in charge!

"Come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul." (Matt. 11:28-30)

Lyn Chaffart

Heaven is More Real than That

Today's Bible Verse:

Heb 11:16 they were after a far better country than that — heaven country. (The Message)

I was driving with my sixteen-year-old son the other day, and I was struck by the disparity between what we Christians say about heaven and how we feel about heaven. The disparity is something I was sure my son saw, and so I meant to drag it into the open. I wanted to help him feel some kind of real excitement for heaven.

So I leaned on one of his pleasures. Watching movies. "Imagine," I said, "that Star Trek is real. That there really are starships flying about the universe, skipping from star system to star system, engaging a thousand different worlds. And imagine that this world is one of the worlds they have sworn not to contact for fear of interfering with humanity's progress. Can you imagine that?" I asked.

"Yes," he said.

"Good. I realize that we don't believe alien life exists, but just for the moment, let's pretend that God has allowed such life, and that he is in full control of that life. Follow?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now imagine that you were visited by an emissary who turned out to be an angel from God. The emissary whisked you away to a holding place deep in the mountains and informed you that what I've said is real. There are thousands of spaceships throughout the universe. Hundreds of exotic worlds to discover. But more than all of this, they've informed you that you are the twelfth son in a lineage that countless billions have had their eyes on for many years. You, JT Dekker, are the rightful heir to a position of great power in the universe. At this very moment more than a billion people have gathered on a certain planet in the next star system, eagerly awaiting your arrival. The time has come for you to choose to either embrace the role for which you were born or stay here on earth forever."

"Okay," my son said with a smirk.

"`You can bring seven others with you,' the emissary tells you. `We will transport you to the planet, where you will walk into a massive arena specially built for your arrival. The roar of the crowd will shatter the stillness of space. But you have to decide today. If you choose to stay, your memory of this visit will be wiped out, and you'll never again be given the opportunity to take your rightful place as God's leader for a hundred worlds.' Follow?"

"Yes."

"Would you go?"

My son's eyes lit up. "Of course."

And what sixteen-year-old boy wouldn't? Who could resist the call of such great adventure and discovery?

"What if heaven were as real as that?" I asked. "Would you want to go? I mean now, today?"

No hesitation. "Yes."

"Heaven is more real than that. And far better," I said.

Ted Dekker The Slumber of Christianity. Nashville: Nelson Books, 2005, p. 173-174.

Welcome to the Illustrator

Today's Bible Verse: Isa 49:23 Those who hope in me will not be disappointed!

Taxi Please! Control Freaks' Senility, Part 7

Arriving in any foreign country is always disconcerting. Not knowing your way around, you have to depend totally on locals to know what to do and how to do it.

When we landed in Nassau, Bahamas, we soon discovered that claiming our luggage was one of those things. There were so many conveyor belts, and none of them were labelled! Which one would bring our luggage?

Fifteen minutes later, we had half of our bags, and they came off of two different conveyer belts... An hour later, we finally had them all... Now we were faced with another problem: How to get to our hotel?

There was no shortage of taxi drivers at the terminal, and we quickly decided this would be the best way to get into town. But which one to take? Would some charge us more than others? Do all of them know their way around? All of such choices tend to be confusing, leaving you feeling, literally, like a robot with dead batteries: "Can someone give me some Energizers please?"

We accepted the help of the first cab driver to approach us, and it didn't take him more than a moment to load our myriad of bags. "Had he known we had so many," I thought, "maybe he would have approached someone else!" But the quantity of luggage didn't seem to deter him. Of course, what we didn't realize at the time was that there was an additional charge for each bag...

We were soon on our way, and we could only hope we were heading in the direction of our hotel. The driver turned out to be very friendly. As he shared his knowledge of the local culture, we became more and more fascinated. Then we discovered that he was often hired out at times to be a body guard. I guess we couldn't have been better protected!

Then we started to ask about the local food, as we wanted to know all about the exotic island fruits and vegetables. The driver soon learned that we were planning on buying most of our food from grocery stores, rather than eating at restaurants, and he turned his taxi around and drove us straight to the closest supermarket. "It's too far to walk with all of that food!" He said.

Once out of our taxi, we were faced with another dilemma: Should we leave all of our luggage in the cab while shopping? What if he decided to go for a ride, never to be seen again?

Then it occurred to me that every day we are faced with trust issues. Can I trust John? And what about Joe or Georgette? The problem is that many of us don't even trust ourselves! We have learned by experience that we are not always trustworthy. Take, for example, the time you took photocopy paper home from work. And what about when you yelled at your son or your brother? And then there was that unfounded tax break you claimed on your tax return. What about the time you inadvertently left the store with unpaid merchandise? Did you return it? Some of these questions may or may not apply to you, but in all honesty, can you trust yourself 100% of the time?

The problem is that if we are not always trustworthy, who else can we trust? And this leads to another question: Are we portraying our lack of trust in ourselves on God Himself? Is this why, possibly, so many of us have an issue with trusting God 100% of the time? Is this why we always try to resolve our own problems? Is this why we are facing so many insurmountable dilemmas? Is our lack of trust, possibly, the source of our unhealthy lifestyle?

One fact is clear: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me." (John 14:1-2 NIV); and "Those who hope in me will not be disappointed!" (Isa 49:23 NIV)

We left our goods in the taxi, and when we returned, we were greeted with a huge smile... There were more bags to be charged for!

The bill turned out to be shocking, and we resolved to reserve any future taxi time for our return to the airport. We did learn that our taxi driver was reliable, however, and we did not regret having trusted him. In fact, the day we were to leave, he arrived at our hotel fifteen minutes early and waited patiently in the lobby for us - all at 5:00 in the morning!

Perhaps he remembered all of our bags?

We still have his card, by the way, and we know who to call the next time we find ourselves in this tropical paradise!

Who will you trust?

Rob Chaffart

Announcements:

What if you have prayed and asked God for an answer, asked Him to help you with a particular problem, asked Him to reveal Himself to you and everything seems as if nothing has changed? Should you just keep on praying the same prayer over and over, asking for the same things? It seems God would get tired of hearing us repeat our problems and just abandon us out of pure boredom. Is there a specific way of approaching God to get answers?

If you would like to answer this question, please respond by 3:00 p.m. Wednesday September 26th. We will publish all reasonable answers.