Vol. 17 No. 04 | January 27, 2014

A friend was describing the pain he feels for his teenage granddaughter who is having a tough time. Her mother, his daughter, is struggling to know how to help. He is struggling to know how to help her. During one conversation he told her, “I have been were you are. I know what it’s like to be where you are, but I don’t know what it’s like to be where I am.”

Maybe you can relate.

You are talking to a friend when you realize she is struggling with a problem that you have struggled with. You have been there. You have done that. But, you have never been where you are now – trying to help a friend deal with that same problem. You know what it’s like to be where she is, but you don’t know what it’s like to be where you are.

Your son and his wife, or your daughter and her husband announce that they are expecting a baby. They are excited. You are excited with them, for them, and for the fact that you are going to be grandparents. You remember what it was like when you and your spouse found out you were going to have a baby. You know what it is like to be excited out of your mind and scared out of your skin all at the same time. But how to encourage them, reassure them, support them, and celebrate that big event as their dad, or their mom? You know what it’s like to be where they are, but you don’t know what it’s like to be where you are.

Your father has gotten older and his health is failing. He needs round-the-clock care. He has always been independent and struggles with the newfound dependence on someone to get through the day. He is looking to you for help. You are trying. To prove you understand with his situation you tell him, “I understand being sick. I know what it’s like to be dependent on someone else to take care of you.” He nods in only semi-agreement. You understand helplessness but you do not understand what it’s like to care for an aging parent. You know what it’s like to be where he is, but you don’t know what it’s like to be where you are.

The situation is new. It is strange. It is way out of your comfort zone. It is not even within the same realm of possibility of where you thought you would be at this point in your life. Nothing is familiar. Nothing is easy. You have no instruction manual for where you are and what you are experiencing. You are learning as you go. At least, you hope you are learning something. You don’t know what it’s like to be where you are.

Life gets confusing. Circumstances change. Little ones grow up and have little ones. We are constantly being faced with new and challenging situations that keep us guessing, keep us questioning, and remind us that nothing stays the same. Perhaps our best, and maybe only, response when we pray is, “Lord, I don’t know what it’s like to be helpless.” “Lord, I don’t know what it’s like to be in need of help instead of being the helper.” “Lord, I know what it was like to be where I was, but I’m not there any more. I don’t know what it’s like to be where I am.”

Our loving Father responds to that kind of honesty with love, kindness, and compassion, “I know you don’t understand, but I do. I know you have never walked this path, but I have. Come near me and rest. Let me give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28-30) You are never beyond my reach. “Be still and know I am with you.” (Psalm 46:10)

I don’t know what it’s like to be where I am, but I know I am not alone. He is with me. He is always with me. For that I am thankful. Be assured, He is with You, too.

Tom

© Copyright 2014 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 17 No. 03 | January 20, 2014

I am borrowing the title from a brochure provided by the Pregnancy Care Center in our community that we shared with our people on Sunday morning as part of our observance of Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. The article, based on John 10:10, identifies Jesus as the Life-Giver and challenges us to live our lives in His footsteps as we give life to all people.

The article concludes with these words:

“By treating every person we meet with dignity, we demonstrate the value of all human life the way God does. We help each of them to understand God’s love and grace. Through a life-giving lifestyle we have the best opportunity to introduce others to the life-giver Himself and to the forgiveness and healing offered by God through His Son.”

Workers in the Pregnancy Care Center in our community, and those in your community, and multiple other organizations are committed to offering compassionate counsel and gentle guidance to expectant mothers in a moment of crisis. How blessed we are to have this organization and multiple others in our communities where the homeless are offered food and shelter, where people who find themselves at the end of their rope can find hope to keep going.

Many of you are off work today because of a man who attempted to follow the life-giver, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was his desire – his “dream” – to see all men and women treated with dignity. Although we continue to struggle with this concept, we are closer than we would have been if this man had not taken following the life-giver so seriously.

It is our turn. We do not need to volunteer at a pregnancy center (although I am sure they would be appreciative if you did), nor is it necessary to join a protest march for freedom or equality. Our greatest contribution to this effort may come when we give a child our undivided attention. Our greatest gift may come when we choose to slow from our hectic pace of life and walk with a person whose pace of walking has been slowed down by years or poor health. The greatest need is not for us to make a splash in the world that will make the news and be retold for generations, but to make an impact on one individual who needs to know you are glad they exist.

As you move through this week will you look for an opportunity to follow the life-giver by being a life-giver? Will you make a decision this week to give your undivided attention to one individual in your sphere of influence? Will you commit to search for an individual who needs to be reminded that he is special, unique and created in the image of God, and remind him? Will you pray for God to bring you into the path of someone who needs to be assured that she is not forgotten, not ignored, and not alone?

It’s your turn. Follow the life-giver.

Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10, ESV)

Tom

© Copyright 2014 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

One story from Abraham and Sarah:

Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.”

Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”

But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.” (Genesis 18:10-15, NIV)

Sarah most likely thought she was far enough away from the conversation that no one knew she was listening and certainly no one could hear her reaction to the news that she was going to finally have a baby “After I am worn out and my master is old.” She was wrong. She was heard. And worse, she was confronted and could not hide it.

I feel for her. I sense her frustration and disappointment. I understand how she must have felt (not about having a baby) about laughing to herself. “Yeah, like that’s going to happen now. Great timing Lord!”

I also know how she must have felt being confronted by the God who says, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”

More times than I can recall I have laid out my requests before the Lord and waited expectantly. And waited. And waited. Nothing happens. Eventually I’ve gotten to the point that Sarah may have reached, “Okay, Lord, if this is not going to happen, what are You going to do? Are You going to do anything? Are You telling me to give up on this dream? I do not understand. But, I still trust You. Although it seems crazy I will wait.”

He acts. Often at the least expected and most convenient time, He acts. I laugh to myself. He hears me laugh. I deny it. “I did not laugh.” He says, “Yes, you did laugh.”

The new ministry begins with great enthusiasm and excitement. You experience God’s empowering presence in ways you never imagined. You are seeing the results you had hoped for. You are encouraged. Something changes. Positive results begin to diminish. You and your co-workers get discouraged. You pray for a turn-around. Nothing happens. No signs of improvement. You question your wisdom, ability, leadership, and your heart. You resolved that things are never going to change. You begin looking across the fence at the greener pastures. Then, He does something amazing. You laugh to yourself, “Oh really. Now?” He hears you laugh. You deny. He says, “Yes, you did laugh.”

You had such hopes when your marriage began. You were the perfect couple. You knew it was true and everyone who knows you agreed. Now, years later the dreams have faded, the communication has stopped, and you both are too tired to try anymore. Help is available but neither of you can be convinced it is worth trying. You are almost to your breaking point and ready to either walk away or to tolerate the mediocrity of the relationship when something happens. You are unable to actually pinpoint what it is, but something says, “Don’t give up.” You laugh to yourself, but He hears you. He whispers: “I’m not finished with you.” You laugh again.

I’m not sure how God feels or how He thinks about things like this, but I get a sense that He loves to hear us laugh as He reveals His plans for us. I sense that He loves to catch us when we feel like we are about to fall and remind us that He has everything under control. I sense that He enjoys surprising us by meeting us at the crossroads of life with hope, reassurance, and a refresher course in faith and trust.

Father, I know You hear me laughing. Thanks for listening.

Tom

© Copyright 2014 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 17 No. 01 | January 6, 2014
During a week when there is much talk about making New Year’s Resolutions about losing weight, getting healthier, exercising, reading the Bible regularly, and praying more andbeing overwhelmed with suggestions and techniques and plans for doing each, through his relationship with the Lord, David gives us a simple formula for prayer:

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait expectantly. (Psalm 5:3, NIV)

Reading the rest of the Psalm reveals his understanding of the kind of heart needed to have God’s ear: honest, righteous and humble. Convinced that he has that kind of heart, or at least is attempting to have that kind of heart, he calls out to God. Confident that the Lord is listening he simply prays.

In the morning I lay my requests before you. Pray in the morning. Obviously you can pray anytime and anywhere, but David takes his requests to the Lord in the morning. Why is that a good idea? In the morning things are fresh on our minds, and our minds are usually clearer. In the morning, chances are we have not gotten bombarded with tasks of the day. In the morning, leaves the impression that this is a priority. Before I get started into the events and responsibilities of my day, I pray. I lay my requests before you.

In the morning I lay my requests before you. My requests. There does not seem to be a limit or any specifications on what these requests need to be. David simply says, “my requests.” I suppose that can be anything. Dreams I have. Plans I am making. Hopes for the day, week, month, the coming year, the rest of my life. Concerns I have for myself, my loved ones. Health issues. Financial issues. Certainly spiritual issues. I lay them before you. I give them to you. I leave them with you.

And wait expectantly. Uh-oh! You knew there had to be a catch didn’t you? Wait. You mean my requests will not be granted immediately? Some times, but not always. Some times we wait. Some times we wait and we wait and we continue to wait. But, we wait expectantly. We wait with hope. We wait with our eyes wide open to see how God responds to our requests. We lay our request before the Lord and wait expecting Him to act.

So, here is a suggestion for praying (even if and especially if you have already abandoned your resolution to pray more). Take a few minutes in the morning to approach the Lord and say, “Lord, here is my list of requests for the day.” Leave them there. Lay them down. Give them to Him. Wait expectantly for God to act. Then, watch God work.

This is a simple formula. A simple plan that just may enhance your spiritual walk, increase your faith, and draw you closer to the Lord. I hope you will give it try.

Tom

© Copyright 2013 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.