Category: From Pastor

This week’s devotions are based on Week 2 of Stormproof – Tornadoes of Tragedy (CLICK HERE)

---

Tragedy rocks our world…will it rock your heart?

 

There is no doubt that tragedy rocks one’s world.  This past summer a pastor’s family who is part of our Lutheran denomination lost six family members at a family reunion due to a house fire. As different individuals who survived recount their story, it is horrific to hear screams you can’t get to and be outside the house as you know your children are perishing inside and there is nothing you can do about it.  

It’s hard to know how you will react until tragedy strikes in your own life (in no way would I wish tragedy on anyone!). It’s hard to know how the tragedy will affect your life not just immediately after, but years after.

Tragedies can shatter our lives.

Loss is hard.  Loss of lives you love is super difficult.

Your world comes crashing in and the question is how will one move forward?

Will you come away from it with hope?

Will you come away from it with hopelessness?

This family that suffered tremendous loss has been an amazing testimony on TV News broadcasts of both the heartache and challenge of the tragedy, but the peace and hope they find in Jesus and the promise of his love and future resurrection to eternal life.

Amidst their tragedy, they find secure hope in Jesus.

Psalm 112 is a reflection of characteristics of a righteous person.  The Psalmist writes, 

Psalm 112:6 Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. 7  He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. 8 His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.

It seems that the psalmist has predecided how they will deal with tragedy.  Here are the decisions:

“I’m not going to live in fear of bad news.”

“I will trust in the Lord…always.”

“I will not fear…even when bad things happen.”

“Ultimately, I God will provide the victory.”

These heart decisions are made by the individual before a hardship strikes so that when the hardship comes, the decision is already made.

In the moment of tragedy, I am going to find my hope in Jesus.

Tragedy does rock our world…but when it does, stand firmly on and rely on the Rock…your Savior.

 

Apply: How has a tragedy rocked your world?  How has your relationship to Jesus helped you find hope in that tragedy and not hopelessness?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being my solid hope even in the midst of great loss.  AMEN.

This week’s devotions are based on Week 2 of Stormproof – Tornadoes of Tragedy (CLICK HERE)

---

Where do you run?

I can’t imagine the panic that some felt in the mountains of western North Carolina as the sudden floodwaters of the mountain rivers began to rise.  Homes that were twenty-plus feet above the riverbed soon found themselves surrounded by the raging waters.  People that had seen the river flood and watched it from the safety of their homes, now found themselves in a predicament.  Do we stay in our home or run or try to drive to higher ground?

Sometimes we have a very short period of time when a tragedy strikes to make a decision that will either save us or kill us.  Stories emerge of individuals barely escaping as their house crumbled into the flood waters or clinging to a tree hoping it would hold amidst the rush of water and debris.

Decisions in the moment of disaster can be life altering.

Decisions after a tragedy can be eternally altering.

Tragedies bring sudden loss of life and/or possessions.  When this happens, even for Christians, it is natural to ask of God, “Why?”  The answer is often elusive or not directly revealed and so the next step is to make a story about why the event happened.  Some of that story may include thoughts like, “God hates me.”  “God is supposed to be good, but I can’t see any good in this.”  “God was supposed to protect my loved one, but he didn’t.”

These narratives about God really boil down to a key question: “In the time of tragedy, will I run TO God or away FROM God?”

Those are really the only two choices.  Does Satan use the tragedy to separate us from God or does God use the tragedy to draw us closer to him?

So which is it for you?

I have talked to people on both sides of this question.  My prayer for every reader is that tragedy is an impetus to run to God and not away from him.

I may not always have the “Why?” answered.  But I always want to know “Who?” will journey with me through the tragedy.

The writer of Psalm 73 definitely went through periods of tragedy, hardship and times where they couldn’t understand what God was doing.  Their hearts were sad and their spirit embittered.  However, even amidst the hurt and heartache of a tragedy, here is what they decided to do: Run to God.

Psalm 73:21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, 22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. 3 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. 25  Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 26  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Tragedies take away things on this earth.  When my heart realizes my time on this earth is temporary and my home is in heaven, I have only one thing to do when tragedy strikes: Run to God.

 

Apply: How have you experienced tragedy in your life, or lived through it with someone else?  What makes it tempting to run from God?  What blessings come when I run to God in time of tragedy?

Prayer: Lord, I don’t always understand why you allow tragedy in my life.  In all circumstances, lead me by your Spirit to always run to you and not away from you.  AMEN.

This week’s devotions are based on Week 2 of Stormproof – Tornadoes of Tragedy (CLICK HERE)

---

There is no shortage of tragedies in our country right now.

Loss and destruction have been left in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.  People are homeless after their houses were washed down the river.  People’s livelihood is gone and where their store once stood is the flowing of a river.  Sand fills people’s homes.  And maybe what hurts most is families planning funerals for loved ones or simply hanging in limbo wondering if their friend or family member is alive or buried in the mud of the flood.

Tragedies are hard.  Even when they don’t affect us personally, we feel a small part of the pain someone is going through and perhaps silently are grateful it was not us.

Tragedies rock our world.  In a moment, the vision we had for our life is greatly altered and the course we were charting takes a hard turn or comes to an abrupt stop.

Tragedies challenge our faith.  Perhaps of all events in life, tragedies put our faith to the test and lead us to question God’s love, faithfulness or goodness.  When life is smooth faith is easy, but perhaps it is for the time of tragedy that we need our faith the most.

So how do we navigate through a moment or season of tragedy?  How do we come through stronger than before?

In the wake of hurricane Helene and Milton, we see memes and signs of “WNC strong!” or “We will survive” or “We will rebuild stronger than before.”  The human spirit yearns to move on…but does our soul?  Do the signs on the outside express the hurt on the inside or does the communication of strength on the outside truly reflect strength on the inside?

The Bible is littered with tragedy and God’s people dealing with it.  This week’s devotions will explore a few of those teachings.  However, if one is to think of a person in the Bible that epitomizes tragedy, loss, and suffering, it would be Job.  The 42 chapters of the book relate the physical and spiritual journey of Job through tragedy and loss.  It gives us much to contemplate in our own tragedies, but in the end we see the sovereignty and strength of God who confirms Job’s initial assessment when the barrage of tragedy struck his life. (Job 1:6-22)

6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” 

Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.” 

8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” 

9 “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” 

12 The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” 

Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. 

13 One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” 

16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” 

17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” 

18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” 

20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said: 

         “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, 

         and naked I will depart.

         The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; 

         may the name of the LORD be praised.” 

22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. 

 

Apply: Take time today to reflect on any tragedy that you have experienced directly or indirectly.  Think about this question, “How has it affected me and my relationship with God?”

Prayer: Lord, in the tragedies of life, lead us to trust your love and goodness even when the externals of our life are crashing in around us.  AMEN.

This week’s devotions are based on Week 1 of Stormproof – Downpours of Doubt (CLICK HERE)

---

What do I do with my doubts?

Doubts will come.

The question is, “What will I do with my doubts?”

Every doubt needs some additional input to move from doubt to certainty. 

If a product makes a claim in an advertisement, you may choose to buy the product and try it yourself.  If the product does what it claims, you move from doubt to certainty about the product.  If it does not do what it claims, you move from doubt to certainty about not buying the product again.

If I hear something from a political candidate that seems like an over-inflated claim, I can seek additional reporting, information, or first-hand witness to try to bring certainty to the doubt.

But sometimes getting new information is not easy or takes more time than we feel it’s worth.  So we do nothing with our doubts and remain a skeptic.

Perhaps this can work in the product and political world, but not in the faith world.

Unsettled doubts tend to remain unsettled doubts.  We can easily allow doubts to weaken the faith we have.

For example, if one doubts that Jesus ever lived, it would be hard to have a firm conviction that he is Savior.  If one doubts that the miracles of Jesus are real, including his resurrection, it would be difficult to believe he is the Son of God.

Satan loves when we dismiss doubts and remain in uncertainty.  Because every doubt is a foothold for a lie of Satan.  Satan loves to take our doubts and move them to the realm of convicted unbelief. 

Doubts will come, and doubts desire an answer.

The question is, “Where will I seek an answer to my doubts?”

As mentioned before, I can have first hand experience with a product or research the credibility of a political claim, but perhaps it’s hard with some of the doubts that come in my faith life. Let me offer these three action steps:

1. Take them to the Lord in prayer!

If there is some aspect of your faith that has you doubting, let God know about it.  Like a child who asks a parent for answers, so a child of God can let his/her heavenly Father know the questions with which they are struggling.  He wants to be involved in moving your heart from doubt to certainty.

2. Go to the Word of God for truth and certainty about God.

Often time a parent says to a child, “What did I tell you?” when they have asked a question multiple times and still are struggling to accept the answer.  God directs us back to his holy Word recorded from Genesis to Revelation that has as a primary focus communicating the message of salvation through Jesus, but also has a primary purpose of bringing certainty to our doubts.  The Apostle John writes:

John 20:30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. 

3. Seek godly wisdom from a trusted, Christian friend.   

Sometimes we are comforted by other people’s questions and spiritual journey to answers.  Christian friends often wrestle with similar doubts.  Hearing the journey God took them on to bring them to certainty can be helpful to a doubter.  Even though Thomas had a hard time believing his disciple friends, they were there to lead him toward certainty.   Jesus finished the task.  Who knows where Thomas would have gone, if he didn’t stay close to his disciple friends.  It’s friends like these that we need to lead us to understand God’s truth.

Doubts will come.  Don’t let them separate you from God, but rather use them as an excuse to lean into God.  Don’t be surprised when God honors that seeking and replaces your doubt with certainty!

 

Apply: Of the three suggested activities to help overcome doubts in our faith life, which have you used and which haven’t you?  How might this help to bring certainty to any doubts you have.

Prayer: Lord, you know the doubts with which I struggle.  Lead me to the solid teaching of your Word and the Christian friends that can be used by you to replace every doubt with certainty! AMEN.

This week’s devotions are based on Week 1 of Stormproof – Downpours of Doubt (CLICK HERE)

---

Sometimes the biggest skeptics can be the people closest to you.  A person’s inside circle is often a source of great support, but also when people see all sides of you, they can sometimes have an insight or perception that will be hidden from other people.

We know that there were individuals who followed Jesus for his time in public ministry that doubted even after the resurrection just before Jesus went into heaven. But even closer than his followers were his family.

And they doubted.

Mary, Jesus’ mother seems to be steady on her understanding that the child she was privleged to bear was the Son of God, the Messiah, the Savior of the world.

However, Jesus’ brothers and sisters…not so much.

Mark 3:20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

And just a bit later…his family arrived:

Mark 3:31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”

33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.

34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Was Jude part of this group?  Was he one that was a bit embarrassed by what his half-brother Jesus was doing?  Did he perceive him as a lunatic that was out of his mind?  Perhaps.

Maybe he was part of that group.

Maybe he observed Jesus patiently interact with his family, knowing they were doubters, but loving them enough to help them too from a heart of doubt to a confession of certainty.

Maybe Jude experienced first hand what he says in verse 22 of his letter:

Jude 22 Be merciful to those who doubt;…

Doubt is not a hard heart.

Doubt is not staunch unbelief.

Doubt is not a rejection of faith.

Doubt is being caught between believing two opinions or sets of inputs.  Jude and his family were faithful Jews.  They too were influenced by the religious establishment of the day which also discounted and rejected Jesus’ claim.

So Jude and his family found themselves in the middle of this tension.

And Jesus had mercy on his family and has mercy on all who doubt.

Why?

Because he wanted his family to be in heaven with him.  Because he wants you to be in heaven with him.  So he has mercy and does all he can to, in love, move hearts from doubt to certainty.

Just as he did with Jude.

Just as he does with you.

 

Apply: Do you know someone with doubts?  How can you show mercy and be used by God to step into their doubt and help to move them to certainty?

Prayer: Lord, as always, thank you for your mercy which is patient with my doubts and always desiring doubts to be replaced with certainty of your love, grace and forgiveness in Jesus.  AMEN.