No one knows the Future!

As many of you already know Margaret has had several rough days in a row. She is fighting infection in her body with all that is in her. Jerry is standing by her side like the dedicated husband that he is. They are an amazing couple. Please keep them in your prayers.

You know this whole ordeal is still a mystery to me and most of us. It can make us very unsure about the future of our own lives. I would love to be able to tell you I know what tomorrow will bring but I have no clue!

I was walking down a street with a friend many years ago in a major city in the lower 48. We passed by a small house with a huge sign on the front that read “Madame ?????, Fortune Teller”. As we looked closer it was obvious there was no one there. Then we saw a small sign that read  “Closed, Gone out of Business”.  My friend looked at me and simply said, “looks like she would have known”.

It’s so rediculous to think that any of us can predict the future with any degree of accuracy. The best we can do is trust God because He is already there. I don’t know what tomorrow holds but I do know who holds tomorrow!

The Apostle Paul shared that he had a “thorn in the flesh”. We don’t really know exactly what it was but we do know he asked God three times to remove it and God didn’t answer his prayer. At least not like he wanted. What God did do however was to tell him that “My grace is sufficient for you”!

Many times we get angry at God when He doesn’t answer our prayers, or at least not like we want. I think it’s OK to be angry at God because He already knows anyway. However the thing we need to know is that even if we get angry at Him and do some really dumb things like throwing adult Temper Tantrums it still won’t make Him give us our way!!!!!!! We can’t force God to tell us the future or change it for that matter.

However what we can rely on is that if we put our faith and trust in Him He has promised us He will never allow us to go through more than we can handle. (I Corinthians 10:13) The problem with that is sometimes I wish He didn’t trust me so much!

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas and New Years and beyond let us remember: His Grace is sufficient for you and me. He will make a way for us to stand and face whatever tomorrow brings if we will “Trust in Him with all our heart, and in all our ways acknowledge Him.” He promised He will direct our paths. It may not be like we had planned or imagined it to be but He will give us the strength to face the future with Him.

Remember every ending is always followed by an new beginning!

Trusting Him,

Pastor Alan

Painfully Getting Better!

The last two days have been quite painful for Margaret. She has been quite nauseated and not able to eat very much at all. It is cause for some concern specially if you are Margaret. She has several tubes coming out of her and several tubes going into her body. They are giving her fluids and giving her medication to remove excess fluid from her body. It all seems so frustrating at least to me. However we know that it is part of the healing process. It just seems sort of unnatural to be hurting to be getting better.

Now we know that from a physical standpoint. The doctors and nurses keep telling her you are doing great. It is part of the healing process! It will soon pass and you will feel much better and in a few weeks. Just hang in there. So we relax and face the pain gallantly and sure enough we get better almost always.

I was thinking about a comparison of physical pain with emotional pain. When we hurt on the inside we very rarely go to the “Doctor”.  We just try and deal with it on our own. One of the huge frustrations for me sometimes has been when I am hurting on the inside I really need someone to come along side me and just listen. I don’t always need them to say “it’s ok, you will get better”, I just need to know that there is someone who really cares. I know that isn’t always the case but it really does help sometimes.

Deep down in our hearts we know we will get through most of the pain that we feel on the inside but it really helps to know someone really cares. I think we have all been guilty of not listening or not calling when we have a friend on our mind. I want to encourage you to make that call! Just let them know you were thinking about them. Let them know I am praying for you. It can really make a huge difference. Just a kind word and a listening ear can make all the difference.

Please don’t let guilt come in because we didn’t do it in the past. The point here is to look ahead not back. We can’t redo yesterday and we can’t do tomorrow! All we have is today! Let’s make it count. Let’s make that call, write that note or just smile and say hello. We never know whose life we may touch.

Healing is sometimes painful, but together we will get better.

Are we listening?

Pastor Alan