Offering Prayer

During a time when I was troubled
and my heart was heavy with concern,
I wore my worry upon my face,
a half-hearted smile -- downturned.
A caring Christian acquaintance
saw the sorrow in my eyes,
and though the reason of my cares
she did not realize,
she offered a word of comfort;
she promised a word of prayer,
and I wrapped her smile around me
and found so much solace there.
I had requested prayer from others
who knew the reason why,
but I could never know who actually did
or upon whom I could rely.
However, in that one warm person
who had offered to pray for me,
without knowing what the problem was
or asking what it might be,
I found faith and confidence
and assurance of concern
and I was so thankful for her
as a more cheerful smile returned.

Although we shouldn't let our concerns burden us down, we often worry and let our problems get the best of us. God's Word tells us in many passages that we should take our cares to our Lord in prayer, and that we should lift each other up in prayer also. Sometimes we know that a friend is experiencing trials and tribulations, and yet, the person is too shy or embarrassed to request prayer and we are too shy to offer a word of concern. We might be depriving each other of a blessing! As a Christian family, we all need each other!

"Wherefore comfort yourselves together and edify one another, even as also ye do" I Thes. 5:11

From October 18, 1983

Evidence of God

I have not seen His face,
but have I seen evidence of its radiance?
Perhaps I have seen it in the sunshine
that bathes the day and warms the rich earth
and reflects in its waters.
I have not felt the comfort of His touch,
or have I...
in the cleansing rain, the gentle breeze,
the caress of snowflakes?
I have not heard His voice, unless it sounds like
the whisper of wind in the leaves,
the chuckle and rush of mountain streams,
and the sternness of thunder.
How do I know He lives?
He has smiled upon me.
He has touched my heart.
He speaks to me.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
-Hebrews 11:1

From February 1, 1983

Me Serve?

I love to see God's children
winning others to know the Lord,
with faith as their foundation
and the Bible as their sword.
It gives my heart such joy
to see God's family grow--
to watch as they give their lives to Jesus
and my Lord they come to know.
I sing praises of jubilation
as others give their testimony;
My thankfulness is sincere
and my smile - it isn't phony.
I truly love to see those around me
work to share the wondrous story,
and I look forward to the day
when we'll all meet in glory,
and I'll watch as crowns are given
to those who do deserve...

What that? What did you ask me, Master?
What do you mean did I serve???

We are often comfortable with sitting back and relaxing until someone professes belief in Christ, and THEN we go into action. We smile with genuine joy, and we extend a warm handshake to express a welcome; we tell individuals how truly glad we are to have them join the family of Christ. Then, we walk back to our padded pew and wait on the next person to come forward.

God's Word shows us that these are "the latter days," and Christ's return draweth nigh. The words of the prophets seem to be found in the headlines of our newspapers today, and yet we sometimes prefer to not draw a connection between the two. Members of our family are still without Christ, neighbors are out of fellowship with God's children, and we're still sitting on our padded pews. Think of the results we would see if EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US sought out at least one person to share God's Word and love with. What would happen if every member of our church put the name of one specific person on our prayer list and asked the Lord to open up ministry opportunities with that person?

Perhaps we're thinking that as long as SOMEONE is doing the work, we're off the hook. No way! Each of us will be held accountable for the efforts that we didn't make. What about all those who will face eternity without God because we never left our pews?

From February 14, 1984

Teach and Learn

Sometimes when we are teaching
we find that we must learn;
we know that before a coal can give off warmth
it must be able to burn.
We discover that before we can answer questions,
we ourselves must understand---
We find so much room to grow
when offering a helping hand.

Just as we invite company into our homes
and notice dust upon our shelves,
when sharing our faith with others,
we learn so much about ourselves
We realize where we are weaker
and then strive to become strong.
We improve upon our quality of living
when we help a friend along.

We should welcome the chance to share with others;
we each have so much to learn.
Before a coal can give off warmth,
it must be able to burn.

Love

Even if I could speak all languages--
those of angels, as well as men--
I would just be making noise
unless I had love within.
And if I could tell the future
and know all there is to know
and had all the faith in the world,
so that just believing would make it so,
I still would be worthless without love;
even if I gave my all to the poor,
or if I sacrificed my life, without love,
I would have nothing and nothing more.

Love is long-suffering and kind.
It does not envy and is not vain.
It does not act unseemly
or for its own pleasure or gain.
Love doesn't get angry easily
and doesn't have evil thoughts;
it isn't glad to see evil done.
It is glad when the truth is taught.

Love holds up under intense pressure,
believes, hopes, and endures to the end.
It never fails, unlike the prophecies
or the languages, or the knowledge of men.

For we don't know all there is to know
and can't foretell all that is to be,
but when that which is perfect has come about,
the partial will cease to be.
When I was a child, I talked like a child;
I thought and understood as a child understands,
but I put away those child-like things,
when I became a man.
For now we don't see things clearly,
but later we'll be shown;
the things I don't know right, I will know,
even as also I am known.
But now these things abide--
faith, hope, and love -- all three,
but far above the other two,
love is the greatest of these.
- 1 Corinthians 13

From September 10, 1985

His Garment Hem

I reached out and touched His garment hem
as I came into the midst of them:
the midst of those who knew Him well.
I thought that if I could only touch
the mere garment of the man who loved so much,
I would be healed before the dusty linen fell.
I thought He wouldn't notice me,
and I reached from where He couldn't see,
but somehow He must have felt my need.
That same hour my stricken body was healed
and the emptiness within my heart was filled
as from my pain and suffering I was freed.
For He turned and looked upon my face
though many were about the place,
and He spoke with words directly to my soul.
He said for me to be comforted
and with promising words, He kindly said,
"Thy faith hath made thee whole."
-Matt. 9:20-22

These few short verses tell us so much about Christ's love for us, His concern for our needs, and His promise of salvation. In them we see that Christ is always aware of our suffering and responds when we reach out to Him. Just as the woman was healed, not by her actions, but by her faith, we are saved from sin by God's grace, through faith and not by our works and deeds. The woman stepped out on faith and reached out to Jesus, finding compassion, comfort, and so much more.

Are we depending upon our own strengths, actions, and intelligence, or are we reaching out to Jesus?

From July 30, 1985

Thankful

"For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened." Romans 1:21

As we celebrate a time of thanksgiving, the first item on my list is thankfulness itself. In a world where the focus of the pilgrims' Thanksgiving is often omitted from our history textbooks, we should be grateful that we have a thankful heart. In a society where public prayers are often prohibited, those of us who understand the meaning of worshiping the living God should be thankful for whatever circumstances have brought us to the consciousness that we have.

I'm thankful I was born in a time when even the television characters still customarily went to church! I'm thankful that during the first three years of my education, the public school teachers were still allowed to begin the day with Bible reading and prayer. I'm thankful I grew up in an area that had churches on every corner and where church attendance was the norm and not the exception.

Today we live in a society that has a leftover Bart Simpson attitude of, "It's all paid for, so thanks for nothing." The only time many children hear the name of our Savior is when their parents use His name in vain. To many, Thanksgiving is just a day of food, floats, and football. For some, it's less than that.

I could have been born in an area where the community youth group is typically called a gang. I could still be waiting to hear the name of Jesus spoken lovingly by someone who knows Him personally. I could be cold, calloused, scornful and empty. I could be many things other than thankful.

But somehow, by the grace of God, I was born to a family who loved me. I was nurtured by a community that cared about my soul. And I was ransomed by a Savior who gave His life for me. So before I even begin to count my other blessings, I'm thankful that I'm thankful.

"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell in you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." Colossians 3:15-17