5-10-2017

Good Morning All,

                   Romans 10:13; “For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

      During a discussion with a couple of young people about faith, I learned some interesting things.  I asked them to explain what they thought was needed in life.  One of the popular answers from them and from reading the social media is that we need to “think good thoughts.”  I asked what that meant.  These two hemmed and hawed a little but decided that you needed to have a positive attitude and to think that only good things will happen to you.  This will help alleviate the problems when they occur.

    The next thought was that there was a need to “try harder.”  This was defined as bad things can happen when we get lazy or that we don’t put in our best effort.  I asked how this was decided; how is it apparent that I am trying my best or that I am not trying my best, what is this criterion?  There was no answer from the two I was talking to and I have never read any explanation about how this works, so we left that.  So we took these two life theories and then I asked them a question.

    I asked them, “If you were drowning, what would you want me to do?”  At first they looked at each other and then gave me “that look” the one you get when they think you are looney.  They said, “I would want you to save me.”  “So you wouldn’t want me to tell you to ‘try harder’?”  They looked at me like I had two heads.  They both said that they would drown because obviously they were trying hard not to drown but they were drowning anyway.  Then I asked them “how about if I tell you to think good thoughts, would that save you?”  Apparently I grew a third head.  They both agreed that would be of absolutely no help whatsoever; how could they have good thoughts while they were drowning?  That was a good question.

   So I asked, “Would you want me to rescue you, perhaps even jump in the water to being you to safety?”  They both agreed, with a hint of exasperation, that was what needed to happen.  So then I asked them, “Have you ever had times when you felt like you were ‘drowning’?”  Were there ever times when life seemed to be rolling against you and you just felt like it was slipping away?  They were a little quieter and more subdued but both agreed that they had had times like that.  Did they need someone to save them or just give them advice?  Did they need a hand to grab or be told to ‘think good thoughts’ or to ‘try harder’?

    God saw our life and we were drowning in a world of guilt, pain and sin.  He sent his Son to dive into this life in order to rescue us.  Jesus gave his life in the process.  He died in order to rescue you.  We can hold onto this and onto the promise that God gives to us about his love for us.  The problems of this life will not last but his love and comfort always will.

Father, you sent Jesus to rescue me from sin, death and the devil.  These can no longer torment me.  Through your grace, you give me hope.  In your mercy you comfort me.  Be with those who are especially suffering and hurting.  Give them your Spirit that they may know your mercy and find comfort in you.  In the precious name of Jesus our Risen Savior we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret