No one and Nothing

The question is posed:  "If God is on our side, can anyone be against us?"  I'd have to answer, "Sure, just because we have God on our side doesn't mean we will never be opposed by anyone or anything else for the rest of our lives!"  It DOES mean that nothing which opposes us will ever win the upper hand! Whether it is an enemy of our own "doing" such as addiction to some substance or habit, or some enemy we have absolutely no control over such as the senseless tragedy of someone taking the life of another just because they are in school or the theater that day - we have enemies around us.  They work to create as much "mess" in our lives as possible - sometimes because the mess of their own lives just is too much for them to handle themselves!

In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us. (Romans 8:37 CEV)

I have often pondered this idea of why bad things happen to good people.  In the recent weeks we have learned of 147 kids attending school in Kenya, simply going about their business of learning their "reading, writing, and arithmetic", then suddenly losing their lives.  Senseless tragedy, unknown to them or their families when they headed to school that day - even more tragic because of the senselessness of one militant group rising up against another.  Christian students were separated from Muslims, then shot dead on the spot.  The age-old question emerges - why must good people suffer bad stuff.  Some would argue, "Where was their God when this was going on?"  Others would merely hang their heads and say, "He must have a plan in all this."  I don't know the plan in the taking of these lives, but I do know my God (and the God these students served) will be with the families of those who lost their lives that day!

As long as there is evil on this earth, opposition to any way of life in contrast to its own will be targeted.  As long as sin has any inroad into the hearts of man, man will follow the pull of such evil and will succumb to the temptation to believe in "their causes" which set at opposition "good" and "evil", "right" and "wrong", "Christian" and any "other religion".  There have always been zealots of causes throughout all of time - some even more violently based than those we see today, but zealots nonetheless.  We ask again, "If God be for us, who can stand against us?"  I'd have to answer that the same way - MANY and MUCH will attempt to stand AGAINST us, but nothing can rob us of our peace, our hope, and our security in Christ Jesus!

For the purpose of our study today, let us return to this idea of things, ideas, and enticing habits being the object of what "stands against us" in this walk with Jesus.  When we consider these things - complete with all their interesting bells and whistles - I wonder how they pale in comparison to the majesty of the one who created the very ground from which the minerals, ores, and timbers were mined or cut?  When we consider those ideas which lurk in our minds, or promote themselves as the most important for us to adopt - I wonder how they fall before the thoughts of the all-knowing God of the universe, present everywhere at all times?  When we consider the things which pull at our heart strings, engaging all our senses in the pursuit of some passion - I wonder how they just crumble at the mention of the name of the one who showed his love by giving his life for those who had no way of repaying a debt so big they could never accomplish the "repayment" of such a debt?

Nothing stands against the power, majesty, and love of God.  NOTHING!  That also translates to NO ONE.  All pale, crumble, and just plain fall.  How is this possible?  For the answer, we have to look back a few verses:  "Christ died and was raised to life, and now he is at God's right side, speaking to him FOR US." We stand in the face of opposition because he died, rose again, and now stands at the right hand of God, making continual mention of our names and our needs to the CREATOR of the UNIVERSE.  We may face oppositions great and many, but none can ever take us away from the presence of God - because Jesus makes us known in the presence of the Almighty!  Just sayin!

All Things to All Men

^19-23Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn't take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I've become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn't just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!

(I Corinthians 9:21-23)

This past week has been a week filled with what some may call "selfish" prayers.  You know the kind of prayers I mean - the ones that start with, "Lord, it is me again..."  Those prayers we all pray are the very ones that God enjoys so much hearing!  We sometimes don't want to lift our needs before God because we fear that he will "label" us as "needy" or "selfish" in our requests.  The prayers I prayed this week may seem a little "selfish" when you hear them, but I don't think God saw them that way at all.  


First, there was the "haboob" that rolled through Phoenix again this week.  The wall of dust just invaded the Valley of the Sun with ominous furry.  The prayers God heard that night were for my grandsons.  You see, the last dust storm (we've had three of these in that past month) sent the youngest one straight to the hospital, struggling for every breath.  Those watchful hours of him experiencing air hunger about broke my daughter's heart.  Those prayers were for God's protection and his keeping power.


Second, there was the surgery my brother underwent this week.  I know, you may not think it much, but it was the extension of a gift of life to another.  You see, he gave a kidney to a life-long friend.  Both men would go through the ups and downs of adjustment - one adjusting to one kidney doing the work of two, the other learning what it would be like again to see his body do the work of filtering his blood instead of some machine.  There were wives at bedside that also needed God's intervention.  Those prayers were for God's miracle of life to be given to one and protection to the other.


Third, there were the prayers for safe passage and gentle graces for my Uncle who is ravaged by the final stages of the cancer that has all but consumed his body.  Maybe these prayers were just a little selfish - knowing how much he means to his family and how much joy he spreads wherever he goes.  The prayer to be free of pain and the fretful tossing of sleepless nights may seem a little selfish, but means the world to those who will share in his last moments of life.


Last, but definitely not least, the prayers for a home suddenly in mourning over the loss of their four year old daughter.  Those moments when Mom and Dad stand in the quietness of a home devoid of her laughter and childlike innocence will have to be met by God's tremendous graces and comfort.  No one will fill that void like he can.


Yeah, we may think our God doesn't want to hear all these "needs" we seem to  be in mind of right now, but I honestly think that is what Paul had in mind when he said that he became all things to all men.  He associated with their need and brought those needs to Christ.  He wanted nothing more than for Christ to intervene in the midst of their need.


God is never tired of hearing from us - even when it seems like all we are bringing him is our NEED.  We have an opportunity to "do the work of Christ" when we are willing to become whatever kind of servant is needed.  This week, your "service" may be in prayer.  You may not be able to hold the family who needs comfort, or spend the night at the bed of the sick.  You may not be able to nurse one back to health, and watch the other burst with the joy of new life.  But...you can be a servant of prayer.  Pray on!