Then Jesus told him, "You believe because you see me. Those who believe without seeing me will be truly blessed." – John 20:29 (NCV)
What do you believe? What is it like to believe in a God you cannot see? Do you wish you could see some proof? What proof would be good enough? How would that change your belief?
This comes from the book, “Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom
On this day, Morrie says that he has an exercise for us to try. We are to stand, facing away from our classmates, and fall backward, relying on another student to catch us. Most of us are uncomfortable with this, and we cannot let go for more than a few inches before stopping ourselves. We laugh in embarrassment.
Finally, one student, a thin, quiet, dark-haired girl whom I notice almost always wears bulky, white fisherman sweaters, crosses her arms over her chest, closes her eyes, leans back, and does not flinch, like one of those Lipton tea commercials where the model splashes into the pool..
For a moment, I am sure she is going to thump on the floor. At the last instant, her assigned partner grabs her head and shoulders and yanks her up harshly.
“Whoa!” several students yell. Some clap. Morrie finally smiles. “You see”, he says to the girl, “you closed your eyes, that was the difference. Sometimes you cannot believe what you see, you have to believe what you feel. And if you are ever going to have other people trust you, you must feel that you can trust them too – even when you’re in the dark. Even when you’re falling”.
Belief and trust go hand in hand. Abraham took God on a promise, and trusted that promise even when all evidence pointed to the contrary. It is true that sometimes faith seems utterly ridiculous, especially when we are looking for something to give us some certainty in the face of uncertain times. Yet all we have is a promise. When life feels like we are falling it is still best to close our eyes and trust in the Promise Maker. Should we do such audacious and ludicrous thing, somehow we will be truly blessed.
With hope and joy,
Garrett
Showing posts with label Trust in God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trust in God. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Thursday, October 7, 2010
God's Rosebud and Our Faith
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. – Proverbs 3:5,6 (NRSV)
What does it mean to trust in the Lord? Do you? How have you tried to rely on your own insight? What happens? How will you acknowledge God in all ways?
The following was e-mailed to me and is called “GOD'S Rosebud”
A new minister was walking with an older, more seasoned minister in the garden one day. Feeling a bit insecure about what God had for him to do, he was asking the older preacher for some advice.
The older preacher walked up to a rosebush and handed the young preacher a rosebud and told him to open it without tearing off any petals. The young preacher looked in disbelief at the older preacher and was trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting to know the will of God for his life and ministry. But because of his great respect for the older preacher, he proceeded to try to unfold the rose, while keeping every petal intact.
It wasn't long before he realized how impossible this was to do. Noticing the younger preacher's inability to unfold the rosebud without tearing it, the older preacher began to recite the following poem...
"It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of God's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine."
"The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
GOD opens this flower so easily,
But in my hands they die."
"If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God's design,
Then how can I have the wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?"
"So I'll trust in God for leading
Each moment of my day.
I will look to God for guidance
In each step of the way."
"The path that lies before me,
Only my Lord knows.
I'll trust God to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose."
Mother Teresa said, “I do not pray for success, I ask for faithfulness.” Oswald Chambers said, “Faith never knows where it is being led, but it knows and loves the one who is leading.” We are God’s beauties, and God will make us bloom when the time is right, if we are still following. So let us follow with faith!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
What does it mean to trust in the Lord? Do you? How have you tried to rely on your own insight? What happens? How will you acknowledge God in all ways?
The following was e-mailed to me and is called “GOD'S Rosebud”
A new minister was walking with an older, more seasoned minister in the garden one day. Feeling a bit insecure about what God had for him to do, he was asking the older preacher for some advice.
The older preacher walked up to a rosebush and handed the young preacher a rosebud and told him to open it without tearing off any petals. The young preacher looked in disbelief at the older preacher and was trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting to know the will of God for his life and ministry. But because of his great respect for the older preacher, he proceeded to try to unfold the rose, while keeping every petal intact.
It wasn't long before he realized how impossible this was to do. Noticing the younger preacher's inability to unfold the rosebud without tearing it, the older preacher began to recite the following poem...
"It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of God's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine."
"The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
GOD opens this flower so easily,
But in my hands they die."
"If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God's design,
Then how can I have the wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?"
"So I'll trust in God for leading
Each moment of my day.
I will look to God for guidance
In each step of the way."
"The path that lies before me,
Only my Lord knows.
I'll trust God to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose."
Mother Teresa said, “I do not pray for success, I ask for faithfulness.” Oswald Chambers said, “Faith never knows where it is being led, but it knows and loves the one who is leading.” We are God’s beauties, and God will make us bloom when the time is right, if we are still following. So let us follow with faith!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
Thursday, May 20, 2010
In Whose Hands
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
”Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word…” – Luke 2:25-29 (NRSV)
Why was Simeon so happy? Where did he place his faith? Do you believe in the promises of God the same way? What happens to those who place their trust in the Lord?
I once heard something about how the value of things change depending on whose hands they are in. For instance in my hand a basketball is about $20, in LeBron James’ hand that same basketball is suddenly worth millions. In my hands a tennis racquet is worth $60, in Roger Federer’s hands it is suddenly worth millions.
Or for a different kind of example in my hands 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish are 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. I put those same things into Jesus’ hands and it suddenly can feed 5000 people to satisfaction with leftovers! You get the point, the value of things change depending on whose hands they are in.
The same is true of life. In our own hands our lives are in shambles, and we are walking messes. When we try to go about controlling our own lives and destinies with all the intensity we can muster, we still look in the mirror and wonder why we feel so empty and without value. And maybe in the midst of that emptiness we can hear God’s voice softly saying, “Let me hold you and you will know you are the most precious thing ever.” And if we can’t hear it, God is still saying it.
Maybe Simeon once heard that voice, and if he did he listened. He let God hold him and thereby believed in the promises of God. Simeon could have been an old, tired and bitter man, but instead he was a hopeful and anticipating individual who was able to leave the world in peace. We will know peace when we are in the hands of God and discover that we are of infinite worth in those loving hands. And who knows, maybe one day, like Simeon, we will get to hold our God in our hands.
With hope and joy,
Garrett
Why was Simeon so happy? Where did he place his faith? Do you believe in the promises of God the same way? What happens to those who place their trust in the Lord?
I once heard something about how the value of things change depending on whose hands they are in. For instance in my hand a basketball is about $20, in LeBron James’ hand that same basketball is suddenly worth millions. In my hands a tennis racquet is worth $60, in Roger Federer’s hands it is suddenly worth millions.
Or for a different kind of example in my hands 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish are 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. I put those same things into Jesus’ hands and it suddenly can feed 5000 people to satisfaction with leftovers! You get the point, the value of things change depending on whose hands they are in.
The same is true of life. In our own hands our lives are in shambles, and we are walking messes. When we try to go about controlling our own lives and destinies with all the intensity we can muster, we still look in the mirror and wonder why we feel so empty and without value. And maybe in the midst of that emptiness we can hear God’s voice softly saying, “Let me hold you and you will know you are the most precious thing ever.” And if we can’t hear it, God is still saying it.
Maybe Simeon once heard that voice, and if he did he listened. He let God hold him and thereby believed in the promises of God. Simeon could have been an old, tired and bitter man, but instead he was a hopeful and anticipating individual who was able to leave the world in peace. We will know peace when we are in the hands of God and discover that we are of infinite worth in those loving hands. And who knows, maybe one day, like Simeon, we will get to hold our God in our hands.
With hope and joy,
Garrett
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Someone to Trust
“Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.” – Deuteronomy 7:9 (NIV)
Do you know your God as a faithful God? How has God kept his covenant of love in your life? How have you kept God’s commands? When have you called upon God in your time of need? What happened?
While Melinda and I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, one day Melinda called me when she was in San Francisco working. She had just gotten back to her car and discovered that it had been broken into. The thief had stolen her stereo, and CDs, and whatever else he could get his hands onto quickly. It was the middle of the day and on a busy street with people walking by the whole time. Either no one noticed, or no one cared.
She called the police and she was told that they could not do anything. “Your stuff is gone and we don’t have any resources to devote to that kind of thing,” she was told. It was discouraging, but we accepted such things as the way they were.
When we moved to Albany it wasn’t four days before my car was broken into. I blamed myself because I apparently had forgotten to lock the door. Everything had been taken. We didn’t call the police because we thought nothing would happen, but people kept telling us to call the police so we did. And wouldn’t you know it, an officer showed up, finger printed the car, took a report, and a couple of days later the guy was caught and everything was returned.
The moral of the story is just because some people we trust fail us, doesn’t mean everyone will fail us.
A lot of people don’t have many reasons to trust anyone. Many have experienced the heartbreak of watching parents abandon them in various ways, friends not come through on promises, government officials demonstrate more concern about keeping power than doing what is right, and countless other such things, and then decided that they couldn’t trust anyone. But we have a faithful God! A God who keeps his covenant of love! We have all heard testimonies from people who know that God has been their help. It may be hard to take that leap of faith when everyone else has seemed to fail us, but know this, God does not fail those he loves and God loves you!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
Do you know your God as a faithful God? How has God kept his covenant of love in your life? How have you kept God’s commands? When have you called upon God in your time of need? What happened?
While Melinda and I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, one day Melinda called me when she was in San Francisco working. She had just gotten back to her car and discovered that it had been broken into. The thief had stolen her stereo, and CDs, and whatever else he could get his hands onto quickly. It was the middle of the day and on a busy street with people walking by the whole time. Either no one noticed, or no one cared.
She called the police and she was told that they could not do anything. “Your stuff is gone and we don’t have any resources to devote to that kind of thing,” she was told. It was discouraging, but we accepted such things as the way they were.
When we moved to Albany it wasn’t four days before my car was broken into. I blamed myself because I apparently had forgotten to lock the door. Everything had been taken. We didn’t call the police because we thought nothing would happen, but people kept telling us to call the police so we did. And wouldn’t you know it, an officer showed up, finger printed the car, took a report, and a couple of days later the guy was caught and everything was returned.
The moral of the story is just because some people we trust fail us, doesn’t mean everyone will fail us.
A lot of people don’t have many reasons to trust anyone. Many have experienced the heartbreak of watching parents abandon them in various ways, friends not come through on promises, government officials demonstrate more concern about keeping power than doing what is right, and countless other such things, and then decided that they couldn’t trust anyone. But we have a faithful God! A God who keeps his covenant of love! We have all heard testimonies from people who know that God has been their help. It may be hard to take that leap of faith when everyone else has seemed to fail us, but know this, God does not fail those he loves and God loves you!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
The Divine Plan
“I say this because I know what I am planning for you,” says the Lord. “I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.” – Jeremiah 29:11 (NCV)
What does it mean that God has good plans for you? How does it make you feel? Do you believe God has a plan for everyone? If God wants to give everyone hope, how must you treat people? How does believing this change the way you live?
The following story was found at: http://www.rogerknapp.com/inspire/shay.htm
At a fund-raising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children, the father of one of the school's students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question. "Everything God does is done with perfection. Yet, my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is God's plan reflected in my son?" The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. "I believe," the father answered, "that when God brings a child like Shay into the world, an opportunity to realize the Divine Plan presents itself. And it comes in the way people treat that child." Then, he told the following story: Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, "Do you think they will let me play?" Shay's father knew that most boys would not want him on their team. But the father understood that if his son were allowed to play it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging. Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance from his teammates. Getting none, he took matters into his own hands and said, "We are losing by six runs, and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and I'll try to put him up to bat in the ninth inning." In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. At the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the outfield. Although no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base. Shay was scheduled to be the next at-bat. Would the team actually let Shay bat at this juncture and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that this was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball. However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher moved a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly toward Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball to the pitcher. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could easily have thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have ended the game. Instead, the pitcher took the ball and threw it on a high arc to right field, far beyond reach of the first baseman. Everyone started yelling, "Shay, run to first. Run to first." Never in his life had Shay ever made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled "Run to second, run to second!" By the time Shay was rounding first base, the right fielder had the ball. He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman for a tag. But the right fielder understood what the pitcher's intentions had been, so he threw the ball high and far over the third baseman's head. Shay ran towards second base as the runners ahead of him deliriously circled the bases towards home. As Shay reached second base, the opposing shortstop ran to him, turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third!" As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams were screaming, "Shay! Run home." Shay ran home, stepped on home plate and was cheered as the hero, for hitting a "grand slam" and winning the game for his team. "That day," said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face," the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of the Divine Plan into this world."
God has a plan for everyone! Now it is time we help bring pieces of that Divine Plan into the world. When we see everyone as God’s creation, and believe that God has a plan for them, we will start treating them as special as they are! Go out and believe in people the way God believes in them.
With hope and joy,
Garrett
What does it mean that God has good plans for you? How does it make you feel? Do you believe God has a plan for everyone? If God wants to give everyone hope, how must you treat people? How does believing this change the way you live?
The following story was found at: http://www.rogerknapp.com/inspire/shay.htm
At a fund-raising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children, the father of one of the school's students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question. "Everything God does is done with perfection. Yet, my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is God's plan reflected in my son?" The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. "I believe," the father answered, "that when God brings a child like Shay into the world, an opportunity to realize the Divine Plan presents itself. And it comes in the way people treat that child." Then, he told the following story: Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, "Do you think they will let me play?" Shay's father knew that most boys would not want him on their team. But the father understood that if his son were allowed to play it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging. Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance from his teammates. Getting none, he took matters into his own hands and said, "We are losing by six runs, and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and I'll try to put him up to bat in the ninth inning." In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. At the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the outfield. Although no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base. Shay was scheduled to be the next at-bat. Would the team actually let Shay bat at this juncture and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that this was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball. However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher moved a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly toward Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball to the pitcher. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could easily have thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have ended the game. Instead, the pitcher took the ball and threw it on a high arc to right field, far beyond reach of the first baseman. Everyone started yelling, "Shay, run to first. Run to first." Never in his life had Shay ever made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled "Run to second, run to second!" By the time Shay was rounding first base, the right fielder had the ball. He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman for a tag. But the right fielder understood what the pitcher's intentions had been, so he threw the ball high and far over the third baseman's head. Shay ran towards second base as the runners ahead of him deliriously circled the bases towards home. As Shay reached second base, the opposing shortstop ran to him, turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third!" As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams were screaming, "Shay! Run home." Shay ran home, stepped on home plate and was cheered as the hero, for hitting a "grand slam" and winning the game for his team. "That day," said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face," the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of the Divine Plan into this world."
God has a plan for everyone! Now it is time we help bring pieces of that Divine Plan into the world. When we see everyone as God’s creation, and believe that God has a plan for them, we will start treating them as special as they are! Go out and believe in people the way God believes in them.
With hope and joy,
Garrett
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Being Happy
Happy are those who are helped by the God of Jacob. Their hope is in the LORD their God. – Psalm 146:5
What does it mean to be happy? Are you happy? How have you been helped by God? How does a person act who realizes his/her hope is in the LORD? Knowing that hope is in the LORD your God how will you act for the rest of the day?
The following story is called, “The Secret” found at: http://www.skywriting.net/inspirational/stories/the_secret.html
A woman named Vicki once knew a young person at church named Susan. Susan always seemed effervescent and happy, although Vicki knew she had faced struggles in her life. Her long-awaited marriage had quickly ended in divorce. She had struggled to get a grip on her single life. She hadn't chosen it, but she decided she would live it with utmost enjoyment and satisfaction. Susan was active in Sunday school, in the choir, as a leader of the junior high girls' group, and in the church renewal movement. Vicki enjoyed knowing Susan. Susan's whole face seemed to smile.
One day Vicki asked Susan, "How is it that you are always so happy, you have so much energy, and you never seem to get down?" With her eyes smiling, Susan said, "I know the Secret!" "What secret is that, what are you talking about?" Vicki asked. Susan replied, "I'll tell you all about it, but you have to promise to share the Secret with others." Vicki agreed, "Okay, now what is it?"
The Secret is this: "I have learned there is little I can do in my life that will make me truly happy. I must depend on God to make me happy and meet my needs. When a need arises in my life, I have to trust God to supply according to HIS riches. I have learned most of the time I don't need half of what I think I do. HE has never let me down. Since I learned that Secret I am happy.”
Vicki's first thought was, “That's too simple!” But upon reflecting over her own life she recalled how she thought a bigger house would make her happy -but it didn't! She thought a better-paying job would make her happy -but it hadn't. When did she realize her greatest happiness? Sitting on the floor with her grandchildren, playing games, eating pizza or reading a story, a simple gift from God. Susan knew the secret, Vicki learned the secret, and now you know it too! We can't depend on people to make us happy. Only GOD in His wisdom can do that. Trust HIM! And now I pass the Secret on to you!
Happy are those who are helped by God! It is a great secret worthy of sharing with everyone you come across. God gives us pieces of hope and joy at every moment. We must trust in God and see each blessing, when we do people will see us as God wanted us to be, happy!
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