The Lord blessed us with a wonderful
Wednesday evening gathering of sweet fellowship and study. We are excited to
host the children for the Release time today. During our study time yesterday we had a time for questions and
sharing. Some raised the question of the suffering, tragedy, and atrocities
that we all face. For some the presence of difficulties and suffering in the
world means that God is punishing people for something. For others, however, it
is a sign that God is not able to do anything about the problems they face.
Others wonder if God simply does not care.
William
Frey, retired Episcopal Bishop from Colorado, tells the following story: "When
I was a younger man, I volunteered to read to a degree student named John who
was blind. One day I asked him, "How did you lose your sight?" "A chemical
explosion," John said, "at the age of thirteen." "How did that make you feel?"
I asked. "Life was over. I felt helpless. I hated God," John responded. For
the first six months I did nothing to improve my lot in life. I would eat all
my meals alone in my room. One day my father entered my room and said, 'John,
winter's coming and the storm windows need to be up - that's your job. I want
those hung by the time I get back this evening or else!' Then he turned, walked
out of the room and slammed the door. I got so angry. I thought Who does he
think I am? I'm blind! I was so angry I decided to do it. I felt my way to the
garage, found the windows, located the necessary tools, found the ladder, all
the while muttering under my breath, 'I'll show them. I'll fall, then they'll
have a blind and paralyzed son!" John continued, "I got the windows up. I
found out later that never at any moment was my father more than four or five
feet away from my side." In the same way Jesus did not promise to spare us, but
he did promise to be with us: "And surely I am with you always, to the very end
of the age" (Matthew 28:20).
While visiting Yosemite National Park this
past summer, we saw some brave and courageous rock climbers, scaling one of the
historic peaks. Our daughter Janice and her husband Jeremy are avid rock
climbers. Whenever they tell me about their heroic expeditions I cringe.
In his book, "Unnecessary
Pastor" Eugene Peterson wrote, "My tow sons are both rock climbers, and I
have listened to them plan their ascents (up a mountain). They spend as much or
more time planning their climbs as in the actual climbing. They meticulously
plot their route and then, as they climb, put in what they call 'protection' -
pitons hammered into small crevices in the rock face, with attached ropes that
will arrest a quick descent to death. Rock climbers who fail to put in
protection have short climbing careers. Our pitons or 'protection' come as we
remember and hold on to those times when we have experienced God's faithfulness
in our lives. Every answered prayer, every victory, every storm that has been
calmed by his presence is a piton which keeps us from falling, losing hope, or
worse yet, losing our faith. Every piton in our life is an example of God's
faithfulness to us. . . As we ascend in the kingdom of God, we also realize that
each experience, each victory is only a piton - a stepping stone toward our
ultimate goal of finishing the race and receiving the crown of
glory.
In Christ our Anchor:
Brown
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