“A church that sets out to win over the world
is tempted to divest itself of everything that might offend the world, to promise forgiveness without confession
and renewal without repentance.
It markets joy without awe and love
without accountability for justice.
Some compromise is inevitable,
but a congregation needs to be aware of the point at which
its compromises begin it serve itself more than God.”
Daniel Frankforter
Apart from the Lord we are all helpless and totally vulnerable. This is magnified even more during times when we are experiencing the tribulations of life’s pathway.
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… I served on a submarine the U.S.S. Blenny (SS 324). We were returning from the Mediterranean Sea in early January through the North Atlantic Ocean. We were on the surface charging our batteries when a fierce storm caught us by surprise. Before we knew it we were being tossed about by thirty-to-forty foot waves (no exaggeration). I was on watch in the bridge atop the conning tower with two other men. We were charged with watching for surface contacts, as not to run in to them.
Within a few minutes the waves were cascading down upon the top of the submarine, the force of which would drive us down into the water. We would rise up and ride over the next wave only to plummet down the back-side of the wave, which allowed the next wave to come crashing down on top of us. The ladders to the interior of the submarine were continually flooded, making it impossible for us to get off the bridge. The weather was frigid and the water was freezing (well almost). We had on heavy foul-weather protective clothing, which was saturated with the frigid waters.
Atop the bridge was a large plexi-glass bubble which helped protect us from the pummeling waves. I recall us lashing ourselves to a metal rail that ran in a semi-circle around the front of the bridge. With each crashing wave we would hold on to the rail or ropes tenaciously. They were literally our life-lines that kept us from being swept overboard into the churning sea.
I frequently remember this incident when life’s little indignities and uncertainties come my way.
We have a far better life-line in the presence of the Lord in the secret place. The prayer closet is our source of survival as we call out to the Lord for whatever confronts us.
God desires to have intimacy with us; it is part of the reason He created us. It is His great joy when we demonstrate our need and dependence upon Him. To be sure there will be times in our life when the winds and storms of life will be buffeting us around and we will have little or no understanding why. We can easily get caught in a whirlwind of emotions and uncertainty, if we are not clinging to the Lord in these times.
The Word reminds us that:
“For by You I can run upon a troop; And by my God I can leap over a wall.”
Psalm 18:29 NASB
The Lord is incredible faithful to protect us and direct our path according to His will for us, even when we don’t understand what is going on. If, on the other hand, we fail to cling to Him in difficulties, we will wallow in the waves and become overwhelmed.
30 fkj
Apart from the Lord we are all helpless and totally vulnerable. This is magnified even more during times when we are experiencing the tribulations of life’s pathway.
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… I served on a submarine the U.S.S. Blenny (SS 324). We were returning from the Mediterranean Sea in early January through the North Atlantic Ocean. We were on the surface charging our batteries when a fierce storm caught us by surprise. Before we knew it we were being tossed about by thirty-to-forty foot waves (no exaggeration). I was on watch in the bridge atop the conning tower with two other men. We were charged with watching for surface contacts, as not to run in to them.
Within a few minutes the waves were cascading down upon the top of the submarine, the force of which would drive us down into the water. We would rise up and ride over the next wave only to plummet down the back-side of the wave, which allowed the next wave to come crashing down on top of us. The ladders to the interior of the submarine were continually flooded, making it impossible for us to get off the bridge. The weather was frigid and the water was freezing (well almost). We had on heavy foul-weather protective clothing, which was saturated with the frigid waters.
Atop the bridge was a large plexi-glass bubble which helped protect us from the pummeling waves. I recall us lashing ourselves to a metal rail that ran in a semi-circle around the front of the bridge. With each crashing wave we would hold on to the rail or ropes tenaciously. They were literally our life-lines that kept us from being swept overboard into the churning sea.
I frequently remember this incident when life’s little indignities and uncertainties come my way.
We have a far better life-line in the presence of the Lord in the secret place. The prayer closet is our source of survival as we call out to the Lord for whatever confronts us.
God desires to have intimacy with us; it is part of the reason He created us. It is His great joy when we demonstrate our need and dependence upon Him. To be sure there will be times in our life when the winds and storms of life will be buffeting us around and we will have little or no understanding why. We can easily get caught in a whirlwind of emotions and uncertainty, if we are not clinging to the Lord in these times.
The Word reminds us that:
“For by You I can run upon a troop; And by my God I can leap over a wall.”
Psalm 18:29 NASB
The Lord is incredible faithful to protect us and direct our path according to His will for us, even when we don’t understand what is going on. If, on the other hand, we fail to cling to Him in difficulties, we will wallow in the waves and become overwhelmed.
30 fkj
No comments:
Post a Comment