'“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke
and learn from Me, because I am gentle and
humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves.
For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”'
Matthew 11:28-30
https://my.bible.com/bible/72/MAT.11.28-30
WOW! This has to be the craziest time in my lifetime. As the President has said, we are at WAR. With war comes casualties and our entire goal is to win the war and eliminate casualties. Our hearts go out to those that are sick with this terrible epidemic and those on the front lines fighting this. We are ALL in the battle. Yet, even as we are a key piece to fighting the fight, we feel helpless! What can we do? If you are like me, you feel you should be able to do something. I see people everywhere contributing to the war efforts. Corporations, mom and pops local businesses, individuals in quarantine, young and old, are all using their great ingenuity to fight. Stress is at an all time HIGH. Soon, we will weary of the battle. Soon, we will loose sleep and worrying about our families and friends will drag us down.
The answer is in the words of Matthew.
During my EXTRA time at home, (ok, I am retired and have a LOT of extra time), I have been doing more Bible Study and reading. The book I just started really helps answer the stress we are all under right now. The book is:
The author makes a great point that we, as Americans, keep asking for peace. We want to "Get OUT of the Rat Race" but really don't know how. So we keep doing the same thing and hoping something will change. He recommends, simply, don't just FOLLOW Jesus, FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE, LEARN FROM JESUS, how to live life. He brought up a point I never thought of: Jesus was NEVER in a hurry. Even when ALL THOSE AROUND were stressed and frantic, he took the time to pray and share with others. We need to LEARN from that wonderful example and Jump of the TREADMILL of a life of HURRY into the arms of Jesus.
I am not saying the Lord caused this virus, but I believe he is giving us an opportunity to "STOP THE MADNESS" and slow our lives down during our time of LOCK DOWN. He is FORCING US to step back and get a break.
PLEASE DON'T MISS THE OPPORTUNITY!
Slow down! Take a walk! Read a BOOK! Sit quietly with no cell phone, internet, music, tv, or 24/7 COVID 19 news. Spend time with your kids. Talk to your spouse. Eat dinner around the table. Share a Bible time together. Watch the clouds go by. Listen to the quiet, still small voice of the Lord.
I kind of stumbled on this as I am trying to lose some weight brought on by my Diabetes. As I have been walking and increasing my STEPS every day, I have had extra time to THINK. I have decided to take this time and PRAY! I have also been taking this time to not pray for STUFF, but take time to LISTEN to the LORD. I have been deeply studying the Word. Right now I am studying the life of David in 1st and 2nd Samuel. Stephanie and I have been praying together more, we also have been doing a year long Bible Study together.. WE ARE TRYING TO SLOW DOWN AND FOCUS OUR LIVES ON THE LORD. What a difference it is making in our lives! I want that same thing for you!!!
Please do the same thing. The PEACE I have felt through this entire CRISIS has been so evident that the LORD is certainly involved. I am "naturally" a stressed out, worrier and so IF I feel peace, it is obvious it is NOT from me. Listen to the Lord and he will speak to you, STOP and take some dedicated time to spend with JESUS. NOW IS THE TIME!!!!!!!!!!
'David said to himself, “One of these days
I’ll be swept away by Saul. There is nothing
better for me than to escape immediately
to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul
will stop searching for me everywhere
in Israel, and I’ll escape from him.” '
1 Samuel 27:1
https://my.bible.com/bible/72/1SA.27.1
The other day, my wife and I attended a Yankee Spring Training game at "Fenway South". I have to admit, I was a little nervous wearing my Yankee Baseball Cap. That nervousness soon disappeared. We had a great time at a very beautiful ball park. I am not sure the Yankee fans would be a comparable host. I ran into a gentleman yesterday, also a Yankee Fan. Guess where he has lived his entire life? Yep, Boston. That is REALLY living in enemy territory. I can't even imagine.
I have been studying the life of David. Thus far, I have been reading about the background of his life. As a young man chosen from the pasture to be King, David spent his early life in BOOT CAMP to prepare him to rule Israel. I am so impressed with his WISDOM being so young. He was so loyal to the kingdom and he was more loyal to the God of Abraham. Yet, he spent so much of his time as an "exile" of the kingdom he loved. He had opportunity after opportunity to kill Saul. If he would have taken his small army against Saul, I suspect the warriors of Israel would have quickly defected and followed him. Yet, David was patient. David even fled to live with his enemy. He patiently waited for the Lord to act. His relationship with God was such that he understood the PLAN. He didn't try to run ahead of God, he knew that with the Power of the Creator of this world would come through in HIS time. He trusted the Lord to protect him EVEN while living with his enemy.
When we believe STRONGLY in the Lord, when we build a relationship with him through prayer, worship, and study, we can EVEN live in the ENEMY CAMP waiting for his perfect will. It's sad to say, we ARE living in ENEMY territory right here and right now. This world, our country, is becoming more openly vicious against followers of Christ. We are under attack. Yet, the very people attacking us are the ones we are told to share the Gospel. We are CALLED to live in Enemy Territory. We are called to serve the KING OF THE PHILISTINES. Like David, we need to find a way to serve others. We need to prepare ourselves for battle. We We need to live by example. We need promote the Gospel message, and love the Lord with all our heart, while we live amongst others that want to see us killed. In all reality, sometimes it is easier to live with the enemy than it is with our own brothers and sisters in Christ. But, that thought is for another time.
Dear Lord, we know we live in a world that shows growing hostility to your message of hope and love. We know we are called to go into ALL THE WORLD to preach your message. Lord, we ask your protection, we ask your guidance and wisdom as we live in the ENEMY CAMP. Teach us to LOVE OUR ENEMY as you LOVE us. Thank you Lord for our life! Thank you Lord for our wonderful mission and the future we look forward to. Amen!
'She fell at his feet and said, “The guilt is
mine, my lord, but please let your servant
speak to you directly. Listen to the words
of your servant. '
1 Samuel 25:24
https://my.bible.com/bible/72/1SA.25.24
I love this little story in the middle of 1 Samuel. Abigail was a smart and beautiful lady. She was married to a "jerk" and I am guessing she had to save him several times. Here in this story she had to, literally, save his life. But, she also, without knowing, saved David. He was acting out of pure anger and NOT with the Lord. She kept him from killing Nabal and kept him in good standing with the Lord and the people of Israel.
David even recognized this
-'Then David said to Abigail, “Praise to the Lord God of
Israel, who sent you to meet me today! Your discernment
is blessed, and you are blessed. Today you kept me from
participating in bloodshed and avenging myself by my
own hand. Otherwise, as surely as the Lord God of Israel
lives, who prevented me from harming you, if you had not
come quickly to meet me, Nabal wouldn’t have had any
men left by morning light.” '
1 Samuel 25:32-34
https://my.bible.com/bible/72/1SA.25.32-34
I can not tell you the number of times, my lovely wife, Stephanie, has saved me from making a rash decision. I can not tell you how valuable her counsel is to me. She is filled with wisdom and filled with the presence of the Lord. I am sure I can be a JERK just like Nabal, sometimes. Yet, she tolerates me and keeps me moving closer to the Lord.
The Bible gets a bad wrap when it comes to the way it represents women. I just totally disagree. There are so many great stories like this that show the great value of women and their wonderful leadership in the world. I see it all the time. I see it in churches. I see great women leading our ministry in CMA and I see it in my own life. My daughters and my wife are dedicated women of the Lord and they are filled with the Holy Spirit. They use that for their families. They use that Spirit at their places of employment and they use that Spirit to direct their own lives in the direction of the Lord. I am so thankful for the gift of these women in my life.
I really don't know what I would do without them.
