"In the middle of the fire"

There is no shortage of blog topics.  For instance, we have entered the Christmas season; which, to amend the song lyric, is "the most bittersweet season of all" for the Bauer family.  I miss my dad most of all during this season.  But that’s a blog for another day.  Speaking of blogs, unbelievably, in January we will be celebrating 10 years of blogs!  I’m still pondering just what I will do to commemorate this milestone, so stay tuned.

Thirdly, I could also talk about how, thanks to the coronavirus insanity, the Denver Broncos essentially played a football with no quarterback yesterday.  It took me some time to try to wrap my head around the particulars of that crazy situation.  And yes, it played out just as you would expect: the New Orleans Saints routed the Broncos 31-3.

Somebody is saying, “So after all of this, what is your blog topic for today?”  I actually wanted to return to the topic I brought up last time: the notion of thankfulness even in the midst of the pandemonium that is 2020.  Let me clarify something I should have made clearer: 2020 has been an extremely difficult year for me as well.  No, I haven’t caught covid-19, but I’ve still had to deal with my own angst, fears, disappointments, and illnesses. 

In fact, to be transparent with you, I was recently worn out with everything I’ve had to contend with for these days and months.  I listened to Rebecca St. James’ new song “In the Middle of the Fire” several times.  I needed the truth of the song to fortify me.  The chorus says, “In the middle of the fire, I will trust You, Father.  In the middle of the fire, You are standing with us.  In the midst of my darkest hour, Holy Spirit, come show Your power.  In the middle of the fire, You are faithful, Jesus.”  The infusion of hope from this song's affirmation prompted me to compose this blog today.

To conclude, a great line from another Rebecca St. James song came to mind.  In a song called “A Cradle Prayer” from her Christmas album from decades ago now.  She says, “Trials may come, and friends they may go, what really matters is You, my Lord.”  I needed the reminder that real hope isn’t found in clear blue skies, or calm waters; it’s found in God alone!  Maybe you needed that reminder too.      

Kevin

Giving thanks, even in turbulent days

In a helpful devotional book titled “Navigating the storms of life”, author Gary Inrig writes, “Life in the modern world is like trying to navigate an uncharted, rapidly changing, unpredictable ocean.”  He penned those words a few years ago, but it sounds as if he could have written them this week!  2020 has been a difficult year.  Ryan Stevenson puts it well in his song, “Amadeo (still my God)”; he sings, “Life can take our breath away; tragedy can leave a wake; a broken heart won’t ever beat the same.” 

I’m well aware that you might be reading this with “a broken heart [that] won’t ever beat the same.”  Maybe the coronavirus took the life of your loved one.  Or maybe some other very sad development occurred, and you are in mourning right now.  So why be thankful?  It’s Thanksgiving, but where is gratitude in these turbulent days?  I began with a devotional by Gary Inrig; the booklet is about Job and his famous plight in the Bible.  At one point, Inrig writes,

“When Job’s nightmare day comes to an end and he finds himself stripped of everything he valued, his words are profound: “‘The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.  In all of this Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing”’ (Job 1:20-22).  It is impossible not to be moved by Job’s response.  He makes no effort to choke off his emotions.  Through tears, Job maintained his focus on the Lord…These are not trite words; they are not pious words he was expected to say.  This was the resolve of his deepest being.”

This amazing affirmation of faith makes me think of my mother, Rose Mary.  By the way, I’m so thankful for her!  She recently put it so well.  She said that God is “the greatest gift we could ever receive.”  It’s true.  And remember, to quote Stevenson’s work again, Mom knows “a broken heart won’t ever beat the same.”  This time of year has a way of reminding us of the loved ones we have lost.  I certainly have gripping memories of my dad these days.

Suffering and pain notwithstanding, my mother is right.  To have an intimate friendship and fellowship with the Creator of the universe is a treasure that cannot be matched by anything or anyone else.  I don’t mean just checking in with Him on Sundays; no, I’m referring to a daily fellowship with Him.  In the painful episodes of life, you and I need help and hope.  We need what the Bible calls “an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:19).  This doesn’t come through illegitimate sex or a bottle of alcohol; it comes with a relationship with God.  As Gary Inrig states in the devotional I’ve referenced, “The greatest privilege of life is to become a Christ-follower, a person living by faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.”

Kevin

God's "limited time offer"

Back in April of 2019, I had the opportunity to hear a sermon from a dynamic preacher by the name of Doug Dameron.  He made a statement that has since been branded on my heart forever.  He said, “Salvation is a limited time offer.”  The context of the quote was the pagan city of Nineveh was told that they had 40 days to repent of their wicked ways, or God would destroy the city (Jonah 3:4).  It was at this point that Dameron made the observation that this was a limited time offer.  They had 40 days.  He then stated this:

“Salvation is still a limited time offer today.  None of us are promised tomorrow.  We don’t know when our last breath will be.  We don’t know when our last heartbeat will be…The rapture might happen this week.  We don’t know when our last day is.  The opportunity could pass.  It’s a limited time offer…I want to encourage you: if you are here today and you’ve never said “yes” to Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  You’ve never given your life to God through faith in Jesus; it’s a limited time offer.  Take God up on the offer today.  Today is the day of salvation.”

As I was putting this blog together, I was saddened to hear the news of the passing of two stars.  The first was Sean Connery, the first on-screen James Bond.  Like so many, I enjoyed his performance as the world’s most famous spy.  And of course, he had various other roles too.  The second was game show icon Alex Trebek.  I’ve spent time watching him, not only as host of “Jeopardy” but lesser known entertaining games, like “Classic Concentration”.  He will be missed.

The sad reality is no one will live forever.  Incidentally, the topic of loss is a personal one for me.  My dad – a healthy, vibrant man – suddenly passed away at the young age of 60.  I know firsthand the heart-wrenching pain of losing someone you love to death.  I also know that every day is a gift to be treasured.  Psalm 3:5 says, “I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.”

Back to Jonah and Nineveh for a second: Jonah was initially disobedient to God’s call to preach to a city that was guilty of abominable, egregious sins.  But he finally did.  The Bible says that the citizens of Nineveh – from the king to the common man – believed God, and repented of their evil ways.  The Lord saw this, and He refrained from the destruction of the city (Jonah 3:10).  Interestingly, in the next chapter, Jonah reveals that he wanted judgment for the Ninevites.  In anger, he says the Lord is “a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness” (4:2).  Yes, He is.  And apparently Jonah needed to be reminded that if it hadn’t been for God’s grace, that’s where he might be.

In conclusion, I’ve been thinking about the 2012 film “The Dark Knight Rises” lately.  For one reason, the main villain, Bane, wore a mask; it muffled his voice making him difficult to understand at times (does that sound familiar with our plight in 2020 with covid?).  But secondly, I was thinking of Selina Kyle’s quest in the flick.  She is in search of a program called “the clean slate” which erases her misdeeds from databases, and allows her the chance to start over.  At one point, after working with some shady people to get what she wants, she is betrayed by them; they tell her that there is no clean slate at all.

I wonder if you can relate to Selina.  You’ve made mistakes.  And you’ve searched for the chance at redemption, but your quest has repeatedly come up empty.  You were told there is no chance to get forgiveness – a clean slate.  You’ve subsequently found yourself drowning in a sea of despair.  But Selina was lied to in that scene in the movie.  Batman/Bruce Wayne had the clean slate all along.  In an intriguing act of unmerited favor, he gives it to her.  By the film’s end, we see that she had used the clean slate program.  Her sins were gone.  But, out of love and devotion to Bruce, she chose to remain with him.  The truth is, no matter what you have done, God has the same offer of a clean slate for you.

Kevin

Relevant words from the past in this chaotic time

Tim Jackson, in his helpful booklet titled “When Fear seems overwhelming: Finding courage and hope” began his work by citing a famous quote from President Roosevelt.  He spoke these words in March of 1933, but they are applicable today.  He said,

“Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror, which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” 

I have to confess that I had only seen the beginning of the quote.  That part is famous.  But it was helpful for me to learn the full context.  Roosevelt was saying that we should be wary of fear that grips us, paralyzes us, and debilitates us.  Doesn’t that sound relevant to us in 2020?

This has been a difficult year for so many people.  I have felt the added burdens, pressures, and anxieties in 2020 in my own life as well.  But recently I have faced new challenges.  Let me share that with you:

On Tuesday, October 20th, I wasn’t feeling well, and so I called in sick to my job.  However, this experience was different than it usually is.  I was told that I was going to have to be tested for covid-19 before I could return to work.  To make a long story short, the restaurant has been closed down for a few weeks now.  The details have been very hush-hush; I was told we closed as a “precaution”.  While I do know there was one positive case of covid-19 (and thankfully it wasn’t me; my test came back negative), once again, everyone has been very tight-lipped and I don’t want to deal in speculation.

The bottom line is, I’m feeling fit and healthy.  But I have had to sit on the sidelines, and wait until this new chapter ends until I am able to return to work (which is supposed to be sometime this week).  Not only this, but I have had to deal with car repairs, a large bill for a new set of tires, and what my pastor called “pre-election stress.”  It is easy to feel fear and anxiety in all of this.  That’s why I began with that Roosevelt quote; we have to fight against crippling fear – that “unjustified terror” – which paralyzes us. 

Finally, I would also add that you and I need to choose to put our trust in the magnificent God of the universe.  Back to the quote from my pastor, while I don’t have his exact words in front of me, he said, “Some of you are dealing with pre-election stress.  And God says to you today, ‘Relax.  I’ve got this.’  You’re wondering, ‘What about this?  What about that?’ And God says, ‘Relax.  I’ve got this.’”  I needed that reminder yesterday, and you probably do too!  I love Psalm 112:7; and I want to live it out on a daily basis: “His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”

Kevin