Why God?

Corrie ten Boom, the woman who is credited with saving the lives of more than 800 Jewish men, women, and children relates a wonderful story in her book “The Hiding Place”. It took place when she was about 8 years old on a train trip with her father. She had read the word “sexsin” in school and wanted to know what it meant. When she asked her mother, she blushed and would not answer. So she asked her father. He did not answer and she wasn’t sure that he had heard her but she didn’t press for an answer.

When it came time for them to leave the train her father asked Corrie to carry his briefcase from the train. It was heavy with the watches and things of his trade and so naturally was much too heavy for her to lift, let alone carry. When she told him it was too heavy for her he reached down, picked it up effortlessly, and taking her hand with his other hand, lead her from the train.

“Corrie”, he said. “Some knowledge is too heavy for children. When you are older you will understand. Until then you must trust me to carry the answers for you.” It was a simple answer but Corrie was content. She knew her father was in control and that was all that mattered.

Years later Corrie and her sister Betsie stood inside their newly assigned barracks in the Scheveningen concentration camp and realized they were covered in fleas. They had been sent here for hiding Jews in their home to save them from the Nazis.

“Oh Betsie, Corrie wailed. How can we live in such a place?”

“Show us, show us how”, said Betsie.

It took Corrie a moment to realize that Betsie was praying. Corrie would later write that the dividing line between prayer and the rest of life became less and less for Betsie every day. After prayer Betsie announced to Corrie that they already had the answer. She instructed Corrie to re-read their morning Bible selection.

“I Thessalonians 5:18 – In all things give thanks.”

Betsie then began to thank God for everything about their new barracks including the fleas. At Betsie’s urging Corrie did the same. “But in my heart I knew Betsie was wrong”, she said. It was weeks later before they realized that the guards would not enter their barracks because of the fleas. This left them with complete freedom to have Bible studies with no interference from the German guards. They could not have known at the time but these fleas were the answer to their prayers for protection as they ministered God’s word.

There are times when all of us go through things we don’t understand. It may be a job loss or the sickness and death of a loved one. Maybe it is the derailment of our carefully laid plans or the disappointment of betrayal. In such times God has given us the answer if we will accept him at his word.

“Give thanks in all circumstances.”

Giving thanks in such times is never easy. It goes against our logic. The most natural question is “why God”. “Why is this happening to me?” “Haven’t I been faithful enough” is a common question. “What about all the children I’ve taught in Sunday School or the people I’ve fed at the soup kitchen downtown”? “Don’t they count for something, God?” On and on the reasoning goes …

In such moments it might be helpful to remember that this trial may not be about us at all. Jesus allowed Lazarus to get sick and die so that others could see God’s glory. He said himself, “This sickness is not unto death but for the glory of God.” (John 11:4) In Corrie and Betsie’s case the fleas were not “about them”. God had purposefully put them in a place where they could minister for him unhindered. Upon careful consideration the fleas seemed a small price to pray. I’m sure that this knowledge didn’t make the flea bites any less miserable. It didn’t make their hunger go away or the cold less intense. But it did bring peace to their troubled minds; God was in control.

The hardest thing in a trial is to “let God be God.” Some would tell us not to question God or ask “why?” I assert that these are only natural questions. We are all human and our heavenly Father understands that better than anyone. His word tells us in the book of James that we can ask for wisdom without fear of being mocked. (James 1:5) This applies to questioning him about the “why” of a trial as well.

Yet the truth is, more times than we would like to admit, the answers we seek are not clear until much later. It is in these times that we must learn to praise God. It will not be easy at first. It never is. But once we learn to praise God it can become a habit. We know that though we don’t understand he will carry the knowledge for us.

Praising God may not bring the answers we seek but, as in in Corrie’s case, it will bring peace. Aren’t you thankful for a heavenly Father that is never caught off guard! Are you in a trial? Take a moment to praise him now? You will feel better, I promise.

Trusting Jesus,

Sullivan Jones 

Honesty and Integrity

Psalm 31:23 - The Lord preserves the Faithful.

It is always the right thing to do the right thing - Anonymous

While the above quote may seem simple it is not always the easiest thing to do. There are times when it might be convenient to be less than honest.The following story was told by a man who lived during WWII. During the war it was next to impossible to get new tires. The only way to fix a flat was to "retread" a tire. This man's brother was shipping overseas so he agreed to take the bus across country, pick up his sister-in-law and drive her back to their home town. His brother had just purchased a car with "new tires." When he arrived to pick up his sister-in-law he discovered that the tires were retreads. In short, he fixed fifty-two flats in the next 2 days while they drove home. At one point he admitted that he faced a temptation he almost couldn't handle. He came around a curve and there was a car lying upside down in the ditch with 4 new tires on it. But he was a man of integrity and so naturally he left the tires on that car and kept fixing flats.

 Is it ever right to do wrong? Aren't there situations when it isn't wrong to lie or cheat or steal? After all life is hard, right? All kinds of excuses will come to our minds as to when it might be acceptable to "bend the rules" a little. Here are some times when we might be tempted to falsify information:

Reporting on income tax
Returning something to the store that has been used
Saying someone isn't home when we know they are
Telling a bill collector that they have the wrong number
What about if our boss asks us to do something that we know isn't honest?

There is always the excuse that "everyone else is doing it" so why not me? It isn't really wrong, is it?  Who hasn't had the thought "no one will ever know?" Yet somehow others do know when we aren't exactly honest. We gain more respect when we refuse to do what "everyone else is doing" because we know it is wrong. And let's suppose that no one does know. What about our own conscience? Somehow, no matter how hard we try, we just can't seem to fool ourselves. It goes without saying that we can't fool God.

 It may not always be popular to do right but it is always the only acceptable choice, especially for a Christian. As I heard one preacher put it, "If doing right gets you into trouble then doing right will get you out of trouble in the end".

It would be wonderful to tell you that this man went down the road and someone gave him 4 new tires. But that isn't what happened. He just kept fixing flats. Life doesn't always have a fairy tale ending. We all will endure our share of trials. But one thing is certain: The Lord knows how to preserve the righteous. I would rather have his favor than to take the easy way out, wouldn't you?

Trusting him daily,

Sullivan Jones

Hard Work versus Talent

"Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there." - John Wooden

I remember my pastor making the statement that "the problem with our young people many times is that they want to start at the top." Oh how true that statement is! Sometimes it is true of the "not-so-young" as well.

It is easy to see people who have reached a place that we call successful and be envious. What is not apparent at a first glance is the hard work it took for that person to reach the place where they are today. When we see someone with a doctorate degree we don't see the many hours of study, class time, research, and paper writing they put into that degree. It represents more than a title. It speaks of hard work.

The same can be said of a musician or a singer. When we hear a lovely recital we don't think about the long hours of practice it took for us to hear a four minute song. The person may have been born with talent but that talent had to be developed. I have know some gifted, talented young singers who flaunted their God given abilities and thought they didn't need to improve. Today they are not singing. Why? Because talent is only part of the picture. Dedication, hard work, faithfulness, and courage to continue will trump talent every time.

I am often asked, "how long will it take me to learn Spanish". The question is not an easy one to answer. It really depends on the person. Some are more linguistically gifted than others, no doubt. But the bottom line is this: How much are you willing to put into it? I have been studying and speaking Spanish since the age of 16 and I am now 36 years old. For me it has never been about "how quickly can I learn to speak." It has been a passion for learning that drove me onward. Though I will never speak like a native speaker I am comfortable with the language. Yet there will always be more to learn. I never want to feel as if I have arrived.

Is there something you'd like to be able to do? A job you want? Think about it this way. If you were given that position today, would you be able to do it well? If not, how can you prepare yourself? What skills do you need? What discipline do you lack in your life that would make you a good _______. I dare say if you prepare yourself the door will open. But one thing is certain. If you are not prepared the door will never open. I have the job I have today, not because of the education I have, but because of long hours of study and practice and making myself available to the Hispanic Community. Over the years that translated into experience that got me a job. It didn't happen overnight but it did happen.

It is God's will for us to be content and prosperous and doing what we love. If you have a desire to do something, don't hesitate. Start today and try. It may not happen over night but you never know what the end result will be.

Yours in Christ's Service,

Sullivan Jones