Vol. 17 No. 11 | March 17, 2014

Listen and I will tell you a story. There was once a turkey who saw his reflection in a truck bumper.

In the quiet of the morning a minister went upstairs to his desk to study. As he pondered the Scripture he was reading he leaned back in his chair, took another sip of coffee and looked out the window. Below him and across the street he noticed a turkey in his neighbor’s driveway. The turkey was looking at his reflection in the bumper of the neighbor’s truck. The minister grabbed his iPhone and his camera and began recording the scene.

At times the turkey seemed to be admiring himself. At times he seemed to be angry with the turkey in the bumper. At times he seemed to be aggressively attacking the rival turkey in an effort to scare him away.

At first he looked at his reflection in the bumper and pecked it. The minister could hear the pinging on the bumper from across and above the street. Occasionally he would move in super slow motion as if to sneak up on the strange bird. Then, at times he would back away, look around as if in deep thought and shake his head as if to say, “What am I doing?” After pondering the situation he would slowly move his face right up to the bumper staring at the strange bird who looked a lot like him. For minutes at a time he would stand completely still and motionless beak to beak with the turkey in the bumper.

This went on for hours until another automobile pulled into the driveway driving him away. Cars passed up and down the street throughout the morning, but the bumper-pecking bird would not be deterred from his pursuit of himself.

On one occasion his friends gathered around him as if to offer their assistance. He wanted no part of it. With feathers ruffled and beak cocked and ready to fire he made it clear, “This is my bumper and my space.” They quietly walked away scratching in the dirt and gobbling to themselves.

So it is with the Kingdom of God. Sometimes we act like the turkey mesmerized by his own reflection.

Some churches and some Christians get so focused on their own identity that they fail to realize how foolish they appear to those observing their actions.

Some churches and some Christians love the inward focus so much that we fail to see the danger that may be lurking around us.

Some churches and some Christians spend so much time and energy satisfying their own desires and needs with little notice of the time that has been wasted and how many people have been neglected and ignored.

What may be humorous to watch with a turkey is tragic with churches and Christians.

“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Philippians 2:1-4, NIV)

Are you listening? Really listening?

Tom

© Copyright 2014 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 17 No. 10 | March 10, 2014

A story in the gospels, the “Rich Young Ruler” (Mark 10:17-31) reminds me of a common predicament for many of us who call ourselves followers of Jesus. “As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. ‘Good teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?'”

This young man was apparently considered a really good guy. By his own account he had “kept all the laws” since he was a boy. By our standards we would have welcomed such a man into our fellowship with great joy and enthusiasm. He would be one whom we would consider a great addition to our membership roll. We would likely be just as stunned as were His disciples when Jesus basically says, “You are not ready.”

With one brief challenge the man’s confident countenance falls and he went away sad. The disciples are dumbfounded. “If he can’t make it, who can?”

Jesus responds: “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

Here’s the common situation: Like the rich young ruler, I am not in control. In fact, the longer I live the more realize I am in control of very little.

Recently, my wife and I have watched three movies all of which share this theme of not being in control: All Is Lost, The Impossible, and Gravity. One takes place on a damaged boat in the middle of the ocean, one in a tsunami in Thailand, and the third in space. All three portray the main characters in extremely stressful situations over which they have virtually no control. Beyond their own limited resources each one is dependent upon someone or something bigger and beyond themselves for their salvation.
Thus our common plight: we cannot save ourselves. We are not in control. A list of the things we cannot control is much longer than the list of things we can control.

Like the rich young man we can choose to obey all the laws of God and man. We can do all that we can do and hope that our deeds will obligate the Lord to save us. “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

The ability to accept and surrender to the fact that we are not in control may be the key to real and lasting peace. So, let me help you get started. Repeat after me:

Take a deep breath. “I am not in control.”

Take another deep breath. “I am not in control.”

Take another deep breath. “I am not in control.”

Take another deep breath. “I am not in control.”

Take another deep breath. “I am not in control.”

Tom

© Copyright 2014 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 17 No. 09 | March 3, 2014

Maybe you have had this or a similar experience. You need information or want to make a change to one of your business accounts (credit card, cable company, utility company). Naturally you call the customer service number. Almost immediately your call is answered…by an automated system. “Please listen closely because our options have recently changed.” Remember those first three words: Please listen closely.

You hear the first three options and realize they do not address your needs, so you press the number 4 to get additional options. Still not sure that any of the options actually apply to your situation, you press the number that is most nearly the reason you called. From there you are taken to another set of options, the final of which offers the opportunity to return to the original set of options. You keep pressing numbers to get more options and wind up back where you started.

Eventually you hear an option that offers to connect you with a customer service person who will assist you. “Finally! A real person!” Yes, it is a real person and they ask for you phone number, your first and last name, your email address, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. After all that you are informed that you need to contact another department. “I will connect you with someone who can help you with your specific problem,” says the friendly voice on the other end of concern. The annoying music starts and you wait. You remember those words from earlier — listen closely — and wish you could get someone to listen to you.

You’re once again greeted by a real person’s voice, so you repeat your problem and you are asked to give them your phone number, your first and last name, your email address, the last four digits of your Social Security number, and the name of the Seven Dwarfs. Unfortunately she says she must consult her supervisor and will now put you on hold for just a few minutes. While waiting for her to return you check your email, check the time you have been on this call, go to the bathroom, get a drink of water, and suddenly realize you have been disconnected. As you redial you shout, “Could I please speak to a real person?”

You can do better. You can speak to the Creator of the Universe any time and any where. John says it well in 1 John 5:13-15:

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of him.”

Although He may not always respond as quickly or in the exact way we may want, we can know at least that He hears us. He never puts us on hold. He never asks us to check our relationship status on His website. He never tells us we have reached the wrong department. He never passes us off to His supervisor. Our call is never accidentally disconnected.

In those times when we wish we had a real person, someone we could touch, or someone we could talk to face to face we can be confident that He hears us when we call out to Him, when we cry, when have no words, and when we can only groan and moan. He will respond. He is better than a real person. He is our real God and He loves us more than we can imagine.

Tom

© Copyright 2014 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 17 No. 08 | February 24, 2014

Every morning, as I am making coffee or just before I leave the house, I take my daily regimen of vitamins and meds. I take them from the container, place them in my hand, and reach for a bottle of water. On a fairly regular basis as I move my hand toward my mouth one of the pills escapes through a crease in my hand and falls to the floor. It is the smallest pill in my hand. It is also the one I most need. It is an allergy pill. If I fail to take it I will suffer far greater consequences than if I failed to take all the others. If you have allergies, you know what I mean.

Looking at the hand full of large pills and the one small pill laying on the floor I am reminded of how much of life happens the same way. The big things, the loud things, the powerful things, and the impressive things grab the attention. The lesser things, many times the more important things, get neglected, or fall through the creases of our lives.

We see it as parents. Baseball practice, cheerleader tryouts, music lessons, and homework get the attention while quiet walks and talks with our children get neglected. Chores and responsibilities get the attention while hugs and prayer time, sharing our faith, and listening to our children’s hearts get neglected.

We see it in our marriages. Bills must be paid. Houses must be maintained. Automobiles must be kept in good running condition. Hours in the office cannot be reduced. Good open communication is ignored. Heart to heart talks are rushed. Quiet evenings at home are considered as extra. Marriage enrichment opportunities are viewed as luxury items.

We see it in our churches. Buildings must be maintained. Utilities must be paid. Property must be managed. Lawns must be mowed. Real and genuine fellowship of believers may be viewed as unnecessary. Children may be overlooked. Marriages may struggle. The lonely may remain alone. The hungry may go unfed. The weak may need help.

The big things get the attention and the energy while the “lesser” things go wanting. The smaller, more important pill may fall through the crease in your had. Remember to pay attention to the smaller things.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.”(Matthew 23:22-24, NIV)

Tom

© Copyright 2014 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 17 No. 07 | February 17, 2014

I am fairly certain that if you were to search through sixteen-plus years of A Norvell Note archives you would find at least one note with the same or a similar title. There is a reason. It’s good to be home. It was good to be where we have been for the last two weeks, and a huge part of us wish we were still there, but it’s good to be home.

In addition to the articles I have written on the subject, I have said the words more times than I can remember or calculate. At the end of long, full and sometimes difficult days of work I have walked through the door, closed it behind me, and said, “It’s good to be back home.” After weeks on mission trips to foreign lands and domestic locations I have unpacked my bags with a grateful heart for what I have seen and heard and prayed a prayer of gratitude for how it’s good to be home. With a semi-broken heart from leaving family and friends on incredibly relaxing and sometimes extravagant vacations I have laid my body on my own bed, and taken a deep breathe expressing that it’s good to be home.

Weary travelers embrace loved ones in airport terminals with tears in their eyes, thankful to be home. Parents greet homesick college students at their front door and hear them say how good it is to be home. Road weary travelers stuck in rush-hour traffic or stranded on the highway in winter weather conditions reach for the doorknob of their houses with an exhausted thought of how good it is to be home. At Christmas-time weary shoppers haul their packages and super deals in from the garage and collapse on the sofa with a relieved feeling of being glad to be home.

It is good to be home.

After nine months – plus a little extra – Norah was born at 3:41 a.m. on February 10, 2014. Following an unexpected, and certainly unplanned, extended stay in the hospital she, her mom and her dad went home. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends rejoiced with them for finally being home. Eventually those who have walked with them through the experience have or will return to their homes. Each will cross the threshold of their home with mixed feelings of relief, regret and deep gratitude of how good it has been to be gone but, oh, how good it is to be home.

Hebrews chapter 11 consists of brief stories of men and women who lived full lives of faith in God then went home to receive the rewards of their faith. Near the end of the chapter the writer shares a list of fairly well known men and women who lived and died for their faith in God. Then, there is one last group of men and women simply designated as “There were others.” They are described as:

“They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated — the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:37-40, NIV)

Surely they joyfully expressed a satisfied feeling of it being good to be home.

One day all who faithfully walk with Jesus until the finish of the journey will join that planned celebration with those who have gone before us when we hear these words: “Good work! You did your job well.” (Matthew 25:21, The Message)

On that day we will all say, “It’s good to be home.” Come, Lord Jesus.

Tom

© Copyright 2014 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 17 No. 06 | February 10, 2014

I had been thinking it all week then a friend sent an email (all the way from Jerusalem) expressing my feelings perfectly: Sorry for pain, waiting for joy.

(DISCLAIMER: Any reference to my personal pain and discomfort in this article is not to be compared to what our daughter and her husband have been experiencing, nor that of any other mother who has gone through childbirth. I don’t want any mothers coming after me saying, “Pain? You don’t know pain! I’ll show you pain!”)

Going through the pain and waiting for the joy has been our story for the past several days as we have awaited the arrival of our granddaughter. Each day we thought and hoped that this would be the day. Each day we responded to texts and emails and phone calls requesting updates with the same message, “Not yet”. This Proverb has been playing and replaying in my mind: Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13:12, NIV)

For those of us waiting (waiting could possibly be better translated “hovering,” “staring,” and possibly “driving the mother-to-be crazy”) the waiting has been inconvenient. No physical pain for us. Away from home? Yes. Pain? No. Difficult? Yes, at times. Our part of the waiting has involved praying, cooking, offering to do anything that could be done, trying not to get in the way, and trying not to make their waiting more difficult.

At times the prayer has literally been a request that the pain of labor would begin. “Lord, let her labor begin.” Then, in our minds we say, “Because we are ready for the joy of seeing and holding and loving this baby girl.” Somewhere in there is sorrow for the pain, but honestly the real desire is for the joy to come soon. Some dad, huh? “Please, Lord, let my daughter hurt so we can experience joy.”

We pray similar prayers in other areas of our lives, don’t we?

Father, I want the joys of a new job and increased salary, and I know that there will be pain as I pursue it. There is the trouble of putting out resumes, saying goodbye to co-workers, possibly moving to a new location, and the discomfort that goes with a transition. I’m sorry for the pain, and I will wait for the joy.

Father, I long for the time when I see my son transformed into the image of Your son, but I know for him to get there he must experience the growing pains that go with it, the testing, the faith struggles, and all the circumstances that produce that Christ-like character. I’m sorry for the pain, and I will wait for the joy.

Father, we want our marriage to be strong and healthy and an example for others to see and follow, and we know that getting there will be painful and difficult. Tough choices. Serious decisions. There must be changes in our lifestyle. There may be changes in our friendships. We are sorry for the pain, and we will wait for the joy.

Father, we want our church to grow and become a light to our part of the world, and we know that growth requires change and change produces the pain of moving from our zones of comfort. We are sorry for the pain, and we will wait for the joy.

We do not always understand how this transformation from pain to joy takes place. Maybe that is the reason when we speak of the birth of a child we refer to it as a miracle. As painful as it is to admit, I suspect that is the way it should be. We do not understand because we are not equipped to understand. Another passage that has been playing and replaying in my mind all week is from Isaiah:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.” (Isaiah 55:8-13, NIV)

Father, we are sorry for the pain Your Son endured to redeem us from our sins, but we are filled with joy because You waited for us to acknowledge and to accept Your free gift.

Father, as we seek to follow You we are sorry for the pain, but long for the joy of knowing You.

Tom
By the way, as I post this article (12:45 a.m.) we are at the hospital waiting. The pain is almost over. The joy we have been waiting for will soon be realized. Norah Lee Howard was born at 3:41 AM.

© Copyright 2014 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 17 No. 05 | February 3, 2014

I read these words from Jesus, “Do not worry about your life.” I read these words from Paul, “Do not be anxious about anything…” And, I read these words from Peter, “Cast all your anxiety on him…” and I want to argue with them.

Before I get the objections out of my mouth Paul and Peter point to Jesus and remind me, “We are only the messengers! These are His words.” So, I argue with Him.

“Do not worry about your life? Are you kidding me? Have You ever been laid off from your job? Have you ever seen your hard earned paycheck disappear before you even get it deposited? Have you ever wondered where your next meal would come from, or when it would come? Have you have known something was wrong inside your body but found no answers from the medical experts?”

“Don’t be anxious about anything? Lord, are You serious?” I continue my case. “Lord, have you ever sat in a hospital waiting room as the person you love undergoes surgery to remove a tumor that may or may not be cancerous? Have You ever dropped your son off at his college dorm, hugged him, told him you love him, and drove home knowing that things will never be the same? Have You, Lord, ever been hundreds of miles away from your daughter, while she approaches and passes her baby’s due date? Have You ever been forced to watch as your son struggles to recover from his first true heartbreak?”

“Cast all my anxiety on You? All my anxiety? Do you really expect me to do that? Do you know what it’s like to give up the controls of your life and let someone else take control? Have You ever experienced what it is like to be totally at the mercy of someone else, knowing they could take advantage of you, hurt you, misrepresent you, and abuse you?”

He answers, while Paul and Peter stand nearby with their arms crossed and sly smiles on their faces: “Well, maybe not exactly those same circumstances, but I think I understand how you feel. I did send my one and only Son into the world to express my love for the people, only to watch as He was mistreated, ridiculed, judged, beaten, and killed. And, I have watched as my children have declared their undying love for me one day then turn their backs on me the next. And, I have witnessed my loved ones make promises and express vows of faith and faithfulness, only to watch them fall by the wayside when they experience opposition. And, I have been watching over you since before you were born and re-born clearing away dangerous obstacles, removing strong opposition, giving you strength and wisdom to handle the pressure, and going out of my way to express how very special you are to me. Let me ask you, did you know all that?”

Before I can shamefully slip away from His presence, He asks me to read the entire passage surrounding those statements. So, I read the entire passages.

(Matthew 6:25-27) “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

He asks me: “Are you not much more valuable than they?”

(Philippians 4:4-7) Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

He asks, “Do you realize that I am always near?”

(1 Peter 5:6-7) Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

He asks, “Do you realize how much I care about you?”

My argument is over.

Tom

© Copyright 2014 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

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

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