Lent - Part 7

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” And again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.” And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.” May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:1-13 ESV). The following is a true story: Dana and Rich had gone out for a bicycle ride, expecting to come home refreshed. Instead, their lives were forever changed. As he rode down a hill, Rich lost control of his bike and crashed. His body was mangled by the accident, and he barely made it to the hospital alive. Now, some months later, as Rich struggles to adjust to his circumstances, Dana keeps a faithful vigil by his side. He can't feed himself. He can't walk. And with his broken jaw wired shut for a time, he couldn't talk. It wouldn't be much of a surprise if they became angry people. But they aren't. They are not celebrating Rick's disability, but neither are they holding pity parties. One day, as the two of them were sitting under a shade tree outside the hospital, Rich turned to his wife and said, "Dana, I don't know if I'll ever get to walk again, but I'm learning to walk closer to Jesus, and that's what I really want." Remarkable! Instead of shaking his fist at God, Rich is reaching out to grab His hand. Sometimes when we think we have problems (and we do), we need someone like Rich to adjust our perspective. To show us that salvation is about a relationship with Christ, a relationship we need the most when the going gets the toughest. We are not equipped to handle all the problems we face, but God is. That's why He told us: "Cast your cares on the Lord." As Rich is finding out, walking with Jesus doesn't depend on the legs, it depends on the condition of the heart. Learn that lesson this Lenten season. Between now and the time you read these words there could well be a dozen national emergencies and numbers of crisis in your personal life. However, as Dr. Norman Vincent Peale often says, "The only people who do not have problems are those in the cemeteries." Then with a twinkle in his eye he says, "and some of them really have problems." If you have problems, it simply means you are alive and the more problems you have the more alive you are. He even jokingly suggests that if you don't have man-sized problems you should get on your knees and ask God to “trust" you with a few.