9-27-2016

 Good Morning All!!

       1 Kings 18:29; “And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.”

    I watched part of the presidential debate last night.  For some reason this verse played over and over in my head.  They raved on but no one answered and no one paid attention.  Oh well, it will be over soon.  Yet for most of us, that is the problem; no one listens.  In many of our difficult times, no one listens. 

    I remember listening to a young teen who was struggling getting along in life.  He was a good kid but he always seemed to be on the short end.  He struggled in school and wasn’t an athlete in a class full of them.  It was difficult to get him to talk; he had built up a wall around himself.  His parents were divorced when he was much younger and for a long time he was viewed as extra baggage; first by his father because dad owed child support and then by his mother because he got in the way of her dating.  When he was first experiencing this, he would literally cling to your leg if you listened to his story.  As he got older, he told fewer stories and began to withdraw and that was when school starting be a problem.  When he came home excited about the good grade on his paper from school; no one listened, no one paid attention.  When he needed advice no one answered; no one paid attention.  Fortunately for him, a teacher noticed and took him under his wing.  He is getting there because someone is listening.

    We all can struggle when no one listens.  It can leave us hurting, lonely and feeling lost almost as if we are adrift on the ocean and unable to see land.  We feel hopelessly lost.  We cry out but no one answers and no one pays attention.  While this may be true of those who surround us; it is not true of God.  God always listens and he always pays attention.

    God has given to us our greatest gift and that is eternal life with him in his kingdom.  God has great plans for us, plans to prosper us.  There may be times when it feels like we are alone and crying out to no one but God hears and God answers in his own way and in his own time.  He sends his Spirit to defend us and to bring us peace.  He invites us to hear his Words of comfort and hope and to share in his holy meal to strengthen and nourish us.  He calls us to faith and to remember his love and mercy for us.

    God may also be calling you to be the physical presence for someone who is lost or hurting.  If you feel the Spirit moving you in that direction be sure and answer this call.  It really only requires time on your part.  All you really have to do is listen and God will fill in the rest.  Visit a shut in or listen to one of your neighbors or one of their children.  God calls us to care for each other; this is one way to go.

Father in heaven, you hear my cry and you send your Spirit to comfort me.  Father, when those around me are experiencing pain or difficulty, lead me by your Spirit to bring about hope and comfort to our hurting brothers and sisters.  Make us instruments of your peace.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret