When Bad things Happen to Good People

Nicole and I have suffered several job related setbacks in recent years; the most recent happening just this past week.  As a pastor, people might assume that I have some fancy answer ready to go for such situations, like "don't worry, God will work it all out in the end".  I don't.  I always cringe when I hear well-meaning people give a pep talk to those who are suffering from a loss (esp. after the death of a loved one).  Not only does this approach make light of the very real emotions that person is feeling, but it also casts God in a light that does not reflect the true nature of the situation.  Make no mistake, God does indeed know that our sorrow or pain is real.  God doesn't want you to pretend that you're not hurting, or put on a happy face in order to appear a "good" Christian.  That's foolishness.  There is indeed a time for sorrow (ask Solomon, he wrote it), and a reason for tears (Jesus wept at Lazarus' tomb).  We live in a fallen world full of pain, disease, sin, and death.  Isn't there plenty of reasons why Christians should feel sorrow too? 
So now you're asking, what's the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian in terms of sorrow?  The answer is simple: the Christian may feel sorrow today, and it may last for a while, even years; but the Christian has HOPE in the future.  The Christian knows that God is indeed in control (regardless of today's circumstances), and that ultimately, God will work for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28).
So when my wife asks me, "when is this going to end?" "why is this happening to us?" I don't pretend to offer answers, nor do I try to be a cheerleader; sorrow is real, troubles are real, pain is real.  To minimize them is un-Christian, but so is despair.  Because we know that our souls are safe in God's hands, we can endure far worse than this.  Because we know how blessed we are by God, we can be thankful in far worse than this.  The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord.

Where do Good things comes from? James 1:16-18

We've had a lot of depressing news in this country in the last couple of years, the state of Michigan has been run through the ringer again and again.  When times are tough, it helps to remind ourselves where the truly GOOD things in life come from.  No, I'm not talking about jobs, health care, homes, or anything that money can purchase.  The truly GOOD things in this world are Faith, Hope, Love, Mercy, Joy, Truth, and Holiness.  I use the capital letters because we often think that we know or understand this ideals but in reality know only the reflection of them as they are enbodied in the essence of God.  Sorry if that's a bit wordy, but the short version is this: If you're looking for anything truly GOOD in life, you're wasting your time and energy looking anywhere else but God.  I have no hope in my own ability to achieve anything resembling perfection on my own.  Nor do I have any confidence in my fellow man to achieve perfection either (no matter what the politicians are promising you).  But, I have complete and full confidence in the Holy God who created this world, who holds us to the standard of his own holiness, and who offers us the chance to join him in holiness through his Son.

Is Failing to Pray a Sin? - I Samuel 12:23-24

When Israel's spiritual leader Samuel was addressing the people about their choice of Saul as their king he made a curious remark about his responsibility to pray for them.  "far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you."  As a man called by God to lead his people, Samuel considered it an obligation, a moral imperative, that he pray for his people.
So, are we obligated in the same way to pray for our family, our friends, our church?  The short answer is that the Bible tells us to pray a lot.  To pray earnestly, to pray without ceasing, to pray on all occassions (to name a few).  Fathers and mothers need to pray for their children.  Husbands need to pray for their wives, and wives for their husbands.  We need to pray for our family and friends; and we definately need to pray for our local church family.
There are few parts of scripture that convict me when I read it as much as these verses.  As a pastor, I know this obligation, and I'm sure I don't live up to it as much as I need to; but even before I began at Palo, I knew that the God of the universe wants ME to pray about the people whom he has placed in my path.  Far be it from me to sin by failing to pray for you.

My Friend and Afghanistan

Got a call from a good friend of mine (he was in my wedding, I was his best man, plus we've played hockey together); found out he's heading to Afghanistan in January with the Army (doctor).  Needless to say, the thoughts and prayers of my wife and I will be with him and his wife and children while he is gone, as they should be for any members of the military we know who are in harms way.  As I wrote about my Memorial Day address, I've always been a staunch supporter of the men and women who serve to protect and defend the unprecedented freedom that we enjoy in America each day.  When I went to my high school reunion last summer (15), it was amazing to calculate how many of the boys from my graduating class ended up serving in the military (it was something like 12 to 15 out of 30).  I think it says something very positive about small town values that so many see the military as a worthy pursuit.  God Bless you all, may the Lord of us all protect you, comfort you, and bring you back home safe to those you love.

Who's in Charge of this mess? I Samuel 9:1-2

What is it about man that we feel the need to have somebody in charge? It didn’t take the people of Israel long to decide that they wanted more than the prophets and judges that God had sent them; they wanted a king just like everybody else. Why a king? What’s the value of having someone visibly in charge, a representative of the people? For the people of Israel it was the hope that the repeated cycle of Judges could be ended with the dynastic line of a king. (The people sin, God brings judgment, the people cry out, God sends a deliverer, the people follow the judge till he dies, and then the people sin again; cycle repeats itself) Security and continuity was what the people were longing for. In the end, they chose Saul because he was tall and handsome (I Samuel 9:1-2). He was rather different from the judges whom God had chosen to lead his people.
We’ve haven’t changed much since their day. We still choose our leaders (both secular and religious) more on the outward appearance than we should, and we still crave the feeling of security that comes from believing that somebody is in charge. Sadly, we’re just as mistaken as the people of Israel were. Saul wasn’t in charge, God was and God is. Calling someone a king, or president, chairman or chancellor doesn’t change a thing. If you want to have peace of mind about your life, your community, or our nation, you need to start paying attention to someone what actually is capable of running things.