God Is Always There

What can we say in times like these to reassure those whose hearts tremble with fear and uncertainty? Is God still on His throne? Is His world still turning on the axis of His sovereignty? Is His plan for man still heading steadily toward the ultimate consummation of His eternal purpose? Has the omnipotent Creator and Ruler of this universe been deposed by the cruel and heartless acts of His evil and sinful creatures?

If He is still there, how could He allow evil to run so rampant  in our world today?  I will freely admit that the answer to this perennial and perplexing question does not come easily. Especially for those who suffer terrible and traumatic loss. But I do know God has the answer. In fact, He has written a whole book about the matter. Through the ages He has again and again given those who need it most grace and faith to understand and accept His will for their lives; no matter how perplexing and painful it may be. In all this we must never forget that the love and mercy of God can be seen even in a time of great trouble.

Such an answer is not readily understood by those who have rejected God and His Son Jesus Christ. This was highlighted in the response given by a Christian who was asked such a question by a journalist after a terrible disaster. He challenged the reporter with words to this effect: "Why do you ask such a question? Do you believe in God? Are you obeying and following Him? Are you willing to accept His will for your life?" It goes without saying that the journalist quickly changed the subject.

It is not only the precious promises of God found in His Holy Word that persuade us He will stand by those who trust Him. "[It is of] the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. [They are] new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness." (Lam. 3:22- 23) But we simple Christians know that God is present in all life's experiences. We have experienced the mighty power of His arm In the good times and the bad. The frailty of our fragile mortal frame has drawn us to faith in Him again and again. We have felt the tender touch of His helping hand all along the path of life. We have known the soft sweetness of His precious presence in the lonely hours of the night watch. We have known the healing help that only He can bring in the hour of our harm and hurt. In all of this we have come to know that GOD IS ALWAYS THERE.

Accidental Or Providential?

An incident from the past was brought to my mind this week. My granddaughter was only ten. She had come up to the Gold Coast from New South Wales to spend holidays with us. She had gotten her first small watch for her birthday. That afternoon I took her to the beach. On the way down the long winding path through the sand and sea grass she somehow dropped her tiny watch without being aware of the loss. After her swim, she missed her watch and we spent half an hour searching the sand all over the beach where we had placed our towels.

On our way back to the car, with the innocence of a child, she asked me to stop along the path and pray with her that someone might find her watch or that her mother, who had given her the watch, might not be hurt because she had lost it. As we knelt together to pray, she placed her hand in the tall grass growing from the deep sand beside the path. We had only been praying a minute or so when she felt something underneath her hand and I heard her cry, "I've found it! God has answered my prayer. He's given me back my watch!"

In my mind and experience I felt the so-called "odds" against this happening in an accidental way would have been mind boggling. So did my granddaughter. We should always remember to praise and thank God for even His smallest mercies!

The Ministry Of Encouragement

In the letters of Paul there seems to be a constant urging that we who followers of The Way should focus our lives upon building up our fellow believers rather than the opposite.  That we are all called to a ministry of encouragement.   In the letter to the Hebrew  Christians the writer tells us that a primary reason for our assembling together in the local body is to encourage one another along the way. (Hebrews 10:25)

If we are to participate in the ministry of encouragement, we must have a clear, constant and compassionate confession of faith in Christ. Not only in the first instance, but every day of our life as we walk our weary way through this wicked world of woe. This confession is based upon the Word of God which never changes and upon Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Then we are called to consider how to inspire, stimulate and encourage our brothers and sisters to love and good works. As we gather together we are to consider how we can live Christ-like lives and encourage and embolden others to do the same. If we are to fulfil this ministry of encouragement, we must avoid one obvious pitfall at all costs. We must not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. It is clear that forsaking the assembly and the ministry of encouragement are diametrically opposed.

The Greek word for encouragement indicates very close involvement in the life of others. It derives from two words, para (alongside) and kaleo (to call). It is clear that those who are called to the ministry of encouragement are called to walk alongside their brothers and sisters. It is significant when our Savior told us that He would send the Holy Spirit to walk alongside us and help, guide and encourage us in our walk with Him, He used a form of the same word (paraclete) (See John 14:26, 16:7) There is no ministry that yokes us more closely with Christ nor links us more intimately with the work of the Holy Spirit than the ministry of encouragement. Through our encouragement of others we are sharing this uplifting ministry of the Holy Spirit.

An encourager of necessity then becomes one who walks alongside us and helps us along the road of our daily walk with Christ. Just how can this help be most effectively given? It may be good to note that our English word for encourage comes from an Old French word that means "to put courage into - to embolden." A dictionary says it means "to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope: to hearten, to spur on, to stimulate etc." How can an encourager affirm others  in this manner? Sometimes God can use just a smile, a touch or a listening ear or a few simple words to lift, inspire and encourage those around us. God had the wise man to pen this principle in a beautiful poetic thought that should be heeded by those who wish to be God's encouragers. "A word fitly spoken [is like] apples of gold in pictures of silver." ({Prov. 25:11) 

                                                             Only A Word

Only a word of anger, but it wounded one sensitive heart;

Only a word of sharp reproach, but it made the teardrops start,

Only a hasty, thoughtless word, sarcastic and unkind,

But it darkened the day before so bright, and left a sting behind.

Only a word of kindness, but it lightened one heart of its grief;

Only a word of gentle cheer, but it flooded with radiant light,

The pathway that seemed so dark before, and it made the day more bright."