TOUGH TIMES

Saturday, August 25  "A Gift from God"
James 1:2-4  (The Message)
" Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.  You know that under pressure, your faith is forced into the open and shows its true colors.  So don't try to get out of anything prematurely.  Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way."  
     Tough times temper our faith.  We discover strength we didn't know we had when we persevere through the 'marathons' of our life.  Not only the elation and joy, but the change in ourselves can be celebrated when we endure.  We have to test ourselves in the tough times in order to gain the confidence that our faith can, and will, carry us through.  It is a gift!  Thank you, God! 

Friday, August 24  "Unseen Hope"
2 Corinthians 4:17-18  (The Message)
These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.
     "Show me. I want proof."  "Do you have evidence to support that?"  We are a technological, scientific society bent on demanding physical evidence and proof of everything.  How do we love others?  Show me.  God provided that proof in the flesh and blood of his son, Jesus.  Jesus is the walking and talking version of the invisible God.  What more can we ask for?  What better demonstration of love could possibly be available? 
     The tough times we endure are 'small potatoes' to the coming celebration.  We don't need proof to know this is true.  Our faith should tell us that Jesus affirmed all this.  And the more we live out the love in our faith, the more lavish the celebration will be in this life and the next.  
     
Thursday, August 23  "Suffering to Hope"
Romans 5:3-5  (The Message)
"There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!"
     I am one of those who sometimes reads the end of a book to make sure a particular character is still mentioned and therefore lives through a particularly challenging or suspenseful passage I am reading.  I can watch a movie with satisfaction even if I know how it ends already.  Some call that cheating.  Not for me.  
     When suffering strikes, and things are rough, we know the ends of the story:  God will help us through.  The end of the story may not be as we expected, but it will not leave us "shortchanged" to use Peterson's term.  God is with us, working in us and through us.  Steel is tempered by fire and we are stronger by the struggles.  Allow God to temper our faith; the story will end well.  
NOTE:  Scribbles added for the previous two days!  

Wednesday, August 22 "Sharing = Joy"
Isaiah 58: 7-8 (The Message)
"What I'm interested in seeing you do is: 
   sharing your food with the hungry, 
   inviting the homeless poor into your homes, 
   putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, 
   being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on, 
   and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way. 
   The God of glory will secure your passage."
    The key words here are SHARE, INVITE, CLOTHE.  Words of action and words that extend ourselves beyond our own little world.  Why?  It is the right thing to do, but also because it will bring us joy.  There is truth to the saying that helping others blesses the helpers as much or more than those who are helped.  Isaiah puts that blessing as the light of God as our rear guard.  That's a nice thought: "God has me covered!"
     Patty broke down yesterday in tears as she tried to express how much our coming has meant to her.  As an employee of Habitat, she has been in the business of helping others.  To be on the receiving end has been humbling and overwhelming for her.  I think it made us all want to work just a little harder, to do a little more for her.  She had coffee hot and ready for us, and a 'monkeybuns' cake hot on the counter for snack!  
     Sharing brings out joy for all.  

Tuesday, August 21  "Encouragement" 
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (The Message)
"So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you'll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you're already doing this; just keep on doing it."
    d365.org writer Patricia Lyons comments today on Facebook and the 'Like' button.  As one who is distant from my home community right now, I have to admit Facebook has become an important way for me to stay in touch with folks and let them know I am in support of them.  I've hit the LIKE button often lately, sometimes with comment, often without.  Likewise, I've felt the encouragement of my family and friends in our current calling through the LIKES I've found on my page.  
     Facebook is different from other social media, however  There is no 'Dislike' button.  The creator thinks that is anti-productive.  Apostle Paul would say it isn't Biblical either!  Yet You-tube has a dislike icon.  I realize many post some ridiculous things, yet how discouraging to find a multitude of dislikes and a few likes.  
     As we work together this week as a new Habitat team (our gal from Colorado finally made it yesterday!), may we hit the LIKE button often, remembering to compliment the work of others and provide encouragement to each other.  Such actions not only please God, but they build a community of love and support.  



Monday, August 20   "Hands Up!"
Philippians 2:3-4  (The Message)
"Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet talk your way to the top.  Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.  Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage.  Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand." 
     We don't need to be at the top of the pile to serve God.  We should be more concerned with holding the pile up.  The last line of The Message version says to lend a helping hand.  Each morning after our devotion, our Habitat team joins hands and says, "Habitat is not a hand-out, but a hand up!' and we all raise our joined hands upward.  We are helping hands to pull people up and out of tough times.  Our own status doesn't and never should matter.


PAUSE! d365.org
"Life should not be lived alone.  God has called us to help others whether they are friends, neighbors, family, or strangers, through tough times.  We are to carry one another's burdens in this life together. 
In this next week, think about those around you, those with whom you live.  How could you help them as they struggle?"   (Patricia Lyons)

Sunday, August 19    "Share Burdens"
Galatians 6:2  (The Message)
"Share their burdens and so complete Christ's law.  If you think you are too good for this, you are badly deceived." 
     The law of the Old West was one of the independent cowboy or loner who didn't need anyone else to survive.  One can live like this and move quickly, without anyone to slow them down, but it is not often a long lasting life.  Nor is it one in which you can maintain a complete relationship with God.  To do that, we must care for each other in community.  To live independent and alone, you can KNOW God's love and recognize God's power and presence.  But it is in community that we can PRACTICE God's love, that we can extend that love to others in helping them through tough times and in celebrating good times.
     May we strive to not be too independent for our own good.  May we strive to demonstrate God's presence to those hurting around us, and allow others to be the same for us.