I've been preaching for a while, in my 18th year of preaching. I've been around the block so to speak, but I don't claim to anyone special--just a man called to work for the Master. But being in ministry for more than just a few years does give a man experience in both the good and the bad--but is it all bad? I say no, because, as Joseph told his brothers who had sold him into slavery years earlier, "God meant it for good"...because the nation of Israel had been saved as a result.
I've preached in the past about how God puts trials and tribulations in our way for different reasons. Sometimes it's to get our attention, and to turn us around from sin both intentional and passive; those times when we flop our big hairy toe across the line knowing full well we are sinning and those times when we just ignore, procrastinate or just allow sin to happen. God can and does take us to the woodshed, and the reason why is because He is our Father in heaven:
For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives."
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Hebrews 12:6-8 (ESV)
Another time that we go through difficulty is when God is breaking through to us through the fog of sin, a fog or darkness so thick that we cannot see Him. We are spiritually blind and deaf to the gospel message does not penetrate to us because of our sin (2 Peter 3:3) and because Satan and his demonic hoodlums blind us through sin to the truth (2 Cor 4:4). It is when we face hard times (or at least what we THINK are hard times), that God the Father opens the sin sick heart and draws them to Him (John 6:44).
It's funny how an incredibly hard time can change us for the better. Back in the fall of 2007, our son Turtle fell down a flight of stairs at school and landed square on his head. He had to be flown by aeromedical to Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh as he was paralyzed and suffered a concussion. His paralysis was temporary, but a few weeks later he developed post concussion syndrome; he could not remember how many inches was in a foot, the first US President or how to even use a remote control! He spent nearly two months out of school, and had a "7 out of 10 pain level" migraine daily until school finished in June.
Turtle also suffers complex migraines from time to time. He had one in the fall of 2008, and the migraine caused him to be paralyzed on his left side. I gave him some medication, but he was still paralyzed in his chest and left arm, so off we went to Children's Hospital. On the way there, he was laughing and joking; I asked him "How can you be so loose and not upset at what's going on?" He answered "After being out of school with post concussion syndrome, and having a migraine for 8 months, this is notthing". Turtle was trained by God in trial, and matured a lot because of that...and developed patience
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4
Many times, the only way that a person can be gifted my God in empathy is to go through a trial. Paul wrote in 2 Cor 1:3-4 about this very thing:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NKJV)
Kay and I lost twins at birth in 1988, and it was an incredibly hard time. However, we both know what it is like to suffer that kind of loss, and can offer support from that point of view where we could not have before. That's a gift earned by suffering.
Sometimes God also puts us through trials so that we can appreciate Him, His provision, and His blessing. This is what this message is about, and is an internal part of the Kindred United series in two ways. First, we as Christians must understand that God has intentions for the trials that we encounter; nothing takes God by surprise and, in fact, God allows those difficult things to happen. Second, we should thank God for the trials we encounter, as God has an intention behind them as I mentioned above because most times they are meant to change us in a way that God intended. Lastly, when we hit the difficult time--no matter what the cause--we should look for the hand of God. This may sound like an oxymoron, we should prepare to be surprised.
Thank God I Totaled My Car
...God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Genesis 50:20 (NKJV)
Yes, you read the title correctly...I am glad I totaled my car.
In the grand drama of life, my mishap with my old Honda is a pretty minor thing. Others face greater trials in their lives: Alzheimer's Disease (my dad lived with it for seven years), cancer, heart problems, divorce, job loss, financial difficulties, bullying in school, the workplace and even in the neighborhood. But still, how can one be thankful to God, even glad when things happen that sure aren't a barrel of joy, sunshine and rainbows?
Let me tell you the whole story. I was called to work midnight shift at my "day job" as a 911 Dispatcher; it had snowed a good amount and the woman that called off could not get to work. I left, and just out the road my car got stuck in a ditch. Yeah, I sure wasn't praising God over that one, having to walk about 3/4 miles back in the cold...but I should have been.
I got our other car, an older Honda Accord wagon, and went to work. The next morning, a Sunday morning, I went out to the church and got on Facebook and found that everyone but one person was not going to be able to make it to church so we did what nearly all other churches did in our area: we canceled. I wasn't in the best of humors, because I remember vividly that in my childhood days Dad would just chain up the car and go to church; we almost never canceled church. I often think "canceling church is for wimps", and think about how if five flakes fall people will not go to church but it could snow 8 inches and they will still make it to work or to go watch the Steelers!
So, home I went. Turns out that I should have had some extra tea or even some coffee...or perhaps just laid down on the couch and taken a nap in the church social hall, as I fell asleep a mile from our home and over the bank I went. I was kind of surprised, and not too thrilled. The snow was coming down, it was cold and my door would not open so I had to crawl over to the passenger side and get up over the bank. The neighbor had heard me crash, and was there when I got to the top. My first thought? My wife Kay is not going to be amused by this. My second thought? I'm not hurt--not a scratch, bump or bruise, so that's something to be thankful for.
I thought that I really didn't do a whole lot of damage to the car, but when the tow truck came (he was dispatched by AAA to pull my OTHER car out of the ditch), I looked closer and discovered the whole driver's side was trashed. It was then that I was not too happy, but also said to God "Well, I suppose there will be a blessing in this, I just have to wait, watch and see what it is." Little did I know that I was going to be blessed beyond my understanding. God was going to work this for good, for His glory--and I was going to be blessed out of my socks.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ...Romans 1:16 (NKJV)
Keep Your Eyes Open...And I Don't Mean Stay Awake!
I have to say that when I saw the damage to the driver's side of the car, I was upset and not upset. First, I wasn't too amused because I had put a lot of money and effort into that old Accord Wagon. When we purchased the car, it was, well, pretty sad looking. Mechanically, the car was good but it had a caved in driver's door, and a green door and fender on the silver car. We paid $1000 for the car, and then put another $1500 into a new door, straightening up the door pillar and repainting the whole car from the top down. What was a junky looking car now looked new, and it ran great so to lose it was not a real happy, happy, happy moment in the annals of Pastor Jeff.
On the other hand, I was thankful that I was not injured. If I had gone off of the roadway another 2 feet sooner I would have had an head on collision with the tree and who knows how badly I would have been injured or even if I would be face to face with Jesus. Instead, I had not a scratch, bump or bruise on me. I was indeed blessed because of this.
One of the other thoughts that came to mind once I got up out of the car and onto the road was that I had seen a nice car for sale on one of the Facebook Flea Market sites in the prior week. It had a really good price on it, and was identical to a car we'd had for six years but had sold the prior summer. I was quite surprised that no one bit on it, including a young friend that I had recommended take a look at the car. I made contact with the young lady, Katie, who was selling the car on behalf of her grandparents. On Monday, I decided to go look at the car...and that was when the great stuff began.
First, the car was actually better than I had expected. It was a nicer version of the car that we had had like it, with more bells and whistles, and only needed a couple things common to that model of car, but was immediately derivable. I started it up, it purred like a kitten and I was happier than my dogs with a big old bone. I told Katie "How about we go inside and chat a bit, it's too cold out here!", and I went in with Katie to visit with her and her folks. Not only did I intend to talk about the car, but my intention--as always--was to talk to them about Jesus. I strongly believe that each Christian should be just like the Boy Scouts--always "Be Prepared". In other words, keep your eyes open for that opportunity to share the Good News with anyone!
We began talking, and her step dad Bud and her mom Prudence both said that they had been wanting to start going to church. They both have a plethora of physical problems, resulting in disability for both Prudence and Bud. They also live in a tough neighborhood, and it's not uncommon for them to hear gunshots often. This was a family that was looking for answers, for comfort. But I'm sure that this family did not expect God to send a messenger right to their living room in the form of a man buying a car.
Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.
After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. Acts 16:6-10
Watch For Divine Appointments
To make a long story short, all three--Bud, Prudence and Katie--all came to Christ that evening in one of the most powerful and unforgettable experiences that I have ever had in sharing the Gospel with anyone.
As Christians, we must always be prepared for "divine appointments". Dennis Rainey of Family Life today defines a divine appointment as "a meeting with another person that has been specifically and unmistakably ordered by God". Rainey also noted that he often wonders how many such "supernaturally arranged meetings" he'd missed because he did not have his "spiritual radar" turned on!
This was one of those times when my spiritual "heads up display" was on. I told these dear folks about that God orchestrates things in ways we cannot understand, and that I was actually happy that I totaled my car. Yup, crazy as it sounds. Sure, I am out some bucks because I didn't have collision coverage on my car, and I have to scratch up some money for the new-to-us car that replaces it. But look at how it was a great blessing.
I was not injured in the least. I could have been injured badly, in fact I passed a car earlier that I could have gone head on with.
I learned a valuable lesson-- just take a nap. Getting home can wait, going to visit someone can wait, everything can wait a bit while I catch a power nap. People will understand, or at least they should understand.
The new car is actually an upgrade. I really liked my old Honda, but the replacement car is a year newer with almost 50,000 miles less on the odometer. It has a bit more room in it, so I can pick up more people for church, and we can take the car on vacation this summer and pack a good deal of stuff in it.
But all of those things pale in comparison to the blessing of sharing the Gospel of Jesus with those folks. God prepared their hearts in advance, and the Holy Spirit opened their eyes to the truth and they did not hesitate to profess to Jesus their fallen state and confess their need for Him. Had I not totaled that old Honda, I most likely would never have met these folks. This was an appointment from God, and I am thankful for it.
