A Devotion from Pastor Dennis
Lions and Tigers and Bears…Oh, my! That famous line form the Wizard of Oz can sometimes symbolize how I feel. Full of fears and wondering what’s around the next corner. Then again sometimes I feel like Charlie Bucket in the Wonka chocolate factory. I recognize that my feelings change. The problem I have is when I put my confidence in my feelings. Do you have this problem? There are two things that I have learned that help me when I have this problem.
First, and least importantly, everything changes, including my feelings. I can get pretty worked up emotionally depending on the circumstances that surround me. I understand that certain Scandinavian descendants do not have this type of emotional issue. I marvel at people who have such stoic abilities.
Today is my wife’s birthday. I am very happy for her and plan to surprise her this afternoon with some cupcakes at work. At the same time one of our relatives back east is going through a health crisis and it is tearing me up inside. So depending upon when you see me in the community I might be very outgoing and talkative or I might be very quiet and reserved. Ninety days from now it will not be this cold. Everything changes. Big help that is, huh? It does help…a little.
Secondly, and this one makes all the difference in the world. I know that God is there. Where is God you may ask? He is there. He is there at work with my wife and He has blessed me with her and two wonderful kids. I could just squeeze them to pieces. He is there 1250 miles away as my relative waits for the results. He is there in the deep recesses of my emotions. What joy can I have without realizing that He is the joy giver and what sorrow can I know that He himself has not known. You see my savior was forsaken and rejected. He came to this earth willingly setting aside all the privilege He enjoyed with His Father and the Holy Spirit. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” He took upon Himself my sin. He died in my place upon that cross. My confidence is in that truth and that truth alone. I cannot add anything to it. I cannot receive any more grace than that. And so I know He is there. The psalmist writes, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,” Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.”
The reason why I know He is there is not based upon how I feel. I do not always “feel” His presence but rather I know it is true because the Word of God tells me it is true. Many people today play games with Scripture. It is the Easter season and you will see them paraded out on TV news magazine shows and on PBS. One person will question the historicity of the Bible. Another will play around with cultural issues. Still another will say that Jesus never really said particular things but that the Gospel writers added those things to make their own points. Others will give Jesus a little credit and say He was a great teacher and Christianity’s founding prophet. That’s rubbish. If Jesus were only a great teacher or founding prophet then His statement claiming to be God are sheer lunacy and make Him a liar not a great teacher. If this is something you face I would gladly sit down and visit with you about this vital truth. Because, if the Bible is not the Word of God then how do you know Jesus rose from the dead? He did, bless God. He is risen just as He said. Have a Happy and Jesus centered Easter. He’s alive and He is there.