ASK FOR LITTLE …

Today’s blog starts out with a pet peeve I have about men.  I will only use one or the blog would be way tooooooo long.

MEN – LISTEN UP--- When your spouse or your children ask you, “What would you like for your birthday/Father’s Day/Christmas?” GIVE THEM AN ANSWER!!!  I am so tired of hearing, “Oh, you don’t need to get me anything.”  That answer is right.  They do not need to, but they want to.

For goodness sakes, do you realize the joy you are taking away from others?  Picture your loved one being a balloon, all excited about giving you a gift, but they want it to be something you would like.  When you answer, “Oh, you don’t need to get me anything.” it is like taking a pin and popping that balloon. 

Flip it around.  Do you enjoy finding just the right gift for your mother, father, spouse, child, or friend?  I bet you do.  And I bet you can hardly wait for them to open it.  You want to see the look in their eyes.  You want to see the smile on their face.  Why do you take the joy of giving away from those you love?  And do not give me the macho routine. 

EVERYONE – LISTEN UP --- When God asks you, “Which of my gifts will help you?” ---

“Mary, so you think men are taking joy away from others when they tell them not to get them anything?”

Yes I do.  I have had this conversation with hubby for years.  I have tried to explain …

“Along that line, Mary, have you ever taken my joy away?”

Not that I remember.  I want every gift you have for me.  I really like the eternal life one!!

“I do believe your memory is a bit fuzzy.  What about when you have had surgeries?”

Hey, anesthesia and I do not get along.  I have a right to be afraid!

“Oh, Mary, did you come to me or did you take away my joy by trying to handle your fear on your own?”

I seem to remember…

“Mary.”

I kept my fear. 

“You and I have something in common.  You want men to quit taking joy away when someone wants to give them a gift.  I want my children to quit taking my joy away when I want to give them a gift.”

Do you suppose we could have a conversation where you are not always right?

“Mary you are quite the creation.  I think I need to take a look and see if there was a design flaw…”

What? 

“Just kidding.  I have so much I want to give my children – give you – and so often I hear, “I don’t need that.  I got this.”  My joy slips away as I watch the world not use wisdom and faith.  My joy slips away as I see my Word gathering dust instead of being used.  My joy slips away as people do not use my gifts of hope and love and mercy.  My joy slips away as people do not use my gifts of forgiveness and compassion.”

My memory is better.  I am sorry that I have been so stupid.  I guess I am as bad as the men.  Tell you what – I WANT IT ALL!  BRING ON THE GIFTS!  ENRICH MY LIFE WITH EVERY BLESSING! 

“One more thing.  Next time you are afraid, read Psalm 34:4.  The situation will be there, but the fear?  Mary, I got this.”

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It is so easy to suck the joy out of life.  And, it is easy to suck the joy out of other’s lives.  The joy of giving is a real thing.  You want to allow your loved ones and friends to have the joy of giving?  Tell them what you want.  Tell them something:  a special candy bar or a book or a game or a trip or maybe time with them.  Give them the opportunity to have joy.  And humbly receive their gift.

Instead of telling God, “I got this.”  Tell God what will help you get through this day or this second.  Give God the joy of saying, “I have that right here.  You give me great joy by allowing me to give you this gift.”  And humbly receive God’s gift.

HIM?  LISTEN TO HIM?

(The angel speaks to Zechariah)  “Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.  He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.  He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.”  Luke 1:13-15

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea, …. John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.  His food was locusts and wild honey.  Parts of Matthew 3:1-4

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them:  “You brood of vipers!  Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?  … out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. … The ax is already at the root of the trees … His winnowing fork is in his hands, … burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”  Parts of Matthew 3:7-12

HIM?  LISTEN TO HIM?

I am supposed to listen and rejoice over a man that wears camel’s hair?  A man who passes up a good steak for locusts and wild homey?  A man who uses words like vipers and wrath?  Says children can rise out of stones?  Talks about an ax to the roots of trees and burning chaff?  In an unquenchable fire?  He says another will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 

I think I want to run.  I do not want to hear stuff like this.  And from a man that looks like this:

Were there no barber shops?  Or a good men’s clothing store?  If John the Baptist was going to tell everyone about “the one coming” why didn’t he at least look a bit normal?  I am sure his mother would have purchased him a decent tunic and sandals. 

Besides, he is a bit scary!  Calling the Pharisees and Sadducees vipers and telling them to lay off the “we have Abraham” excuse.  I mean, really!  He listened to confessions of sins and then dipped the poor sinner in the Jordan River. 

John the Baptist was a RADICAL!  Maybe a glass of wine would have helped take the edge off and settle him down a bit.  But then….

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.  But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me.”  Then John consented.  Parts of Matthew 3:13-15

  

What happened here?  This man who had taken on the “religious leaders” was suddenly humble.  Suddenly did not want to baptize the man that stood before him.  What happened?

What happened?  Jesus! 

I can hear John the Baptist’s thoughts:  Jesus should baptize me.  How can I baptize the Son of God?  I am unworthy.  Prepare the way, yes.  But ….  Jesus came to me to “fulfil all righteousness.”  How do I say no?  Oh, Holy Spirit, you have filled me from birth.  Strengthen me now. 

I can hear John the Baptist saying, “Jesus I baptize thee…”

HIM?  LISTEN TO HIM?

How do we know who to listen to?  If this Sunday, a person walked in the door dressed in camel hair and munching on locust, went to the front of the church, and started speaking, what would your reaction be?

Okay.  I will tame it down a bit.  What would your reaction be if a person went to the front of the church and started speaking, when they were

• dressed in clothes that were not clean?
• had tattoos everywhere?
• female and was dressed in an unconventional way?
• young? (Less than 20)
• dressed in black, carrying a pitch fork and had horns?

The last one is easy.  We would recognize the devil.  But would we listen to the others? 

Or would we miss the message of someone filled with the Holy Spirit because they don’t fit our image of someone “great in the sight of the Lord”?

OOPS

I was reading our minister’s June 9th blog (http://larry-fromthepastorsdesk.blogspot.com) and he mentioned reading comic strips and later mentioned people working in a funeral home.  As you know, my mind is a bit unusual.

I wondered what happens when an undertaker remembers the morning comic strip.  Picture it...standing beside the family, trying to be very serious, your mind wonders, and you chuckle at the image of the Coyote putting the Acme dynamite in the path of the Roadrunner.  OOPS! 

Oh those “oops” moments!  OOPS!

The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear 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.”

OOPS!  How quickly words pop out of our mouths.  How we wish we could shove them back in.

Zechariah was the man of the hour.  It was his turn to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.  Many were assembled and were praying outside, when an angel of the Lord appeared.  Zechariah was startled and gripped with fear.  I can picture his eyes wide open and waiting to hear what the angel had to say.  The angel spoke:

“Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard.  Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.  He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, …….

Zechariah asked the angel, How can I be sure of this?......

The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel.  …..And now you will be silent….”

OOPS!  How quickly we question.  How we wish we could always trust our faith.

There is no narrative leading up to the mother of Zebedee’s sons approaching Jesus, but, if there was, it might go like this:

“Mother please do not go talk with Jesus,” James said.  “Besides the other disciples will get really upset.”

John agreed, “Mother I know you mean well and you only want what is best for us, but James is right.  This will not go as you would like.”

“What do my boys know?” she thought.  “I am sure Jesus will grant my request.”

Off they went.  I picture the mother of Zebedee’s sons walking a few steps ahead and looking back at her boys to hurry them along.  I picture her approaching Jesus, kneeling down, speaking, and then hearing:

“What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”

“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them.

OOPS!  How quickly we wish we had given a second thought to our actions. How we wish we could have a do-over.

OOPS!

How quickly words pop out of our mouths.

How we wish we could shove them back in.

How quickly we question.

How we wish we could always trust our faith.

How quickly we wish we had given a second thought to our actions.

How we wish we could have a do-over.

Personally, I have a problem with all of these.  I say “oops” on a regular basis.  Words pop out which I definitely wish no one had ever heard.  I question instead of trusting my faith. More times than I can count, I wish I had given more thought to my actions.

OOPS!  A word I wish I did not use so often.

WAITING

Why doesn’t the phone ring?  They should have an answer by now.  Waiting.  I am no good at waiting.  Give me an answer and I can deal with it.  Tell me what is going to happen and I can plan.  But waiting.  I am no good at waiting.

And with each hour.  With each minute, my fear increases.  Fear because I do not know.  Waiting.  Fear.  Why doesn’t the phone ring?

I do not need this answer for me...well, yes for me too because the answers we need are for our 16-year-old grandson.  They are waiting.  Why doesn’t the phone ring?  And our minds and hearts go in circles.  Just three months ago everything was clear.  There were no lumps. 

Why doesn’t the phone ring?  And the parents wait.  The brothers wait.  The grandson waits.  And all who love this boy....wait.  And with each hour.  With each minute, fear increases.

I heard a minister say, “Courage is not being afraid.” I do not agree with that.  Courage is moving forward, facing life, and taking action even when you are afraid.  Courage is waiting for the phone to ring. 

This is being written June 4th at 5:30 AM and, for those of you who do not know me, I am not a get up at 5:30 AM person.  But, I am waiting.  And words...writing, helps me cope. 

I know this much.  The phone will ring.  Advice will be given.  Action will be taken.  And, with courage, we will move forward and we will face life.

Yes, we want the phone to ring.  Yes, we want answers.  Yes, we are afraid.  BUT WE ARE NOT GOING THROUGH THIS ALONE!!!  Our grandson has been prayed over.  He knows people are praying for him.  He knows he can be afraid and still have strength and courage.  Our daughter’s family knows they are being surrounded by prayers.  The grandparents know they are being supported by prayers. 

And those prayers...prayers to a God who is always there…are exactly what we need.  Exactly what our grandson needs.  Those prayers do not take away our fear or make the phone ring.  Those prayers make our fear bearable and make it possible for us to wait. 

Those prayers support and uphold us when we think we will break.  Thank you to all who are praying.

And with each hour.  With each minute, my fear increases.  Fear because I do not know.  Waiting.  Fear.  Why doesn’t the phone ring?  But, as I wait.  As my fear increases, I also feel calm because I trust God.  I know this is a storm He will walk through with us.  This is a storm which will not last.  I know when the phone rings; God will be beside each of us. 

My guess is that every person reading this has gone through the very same thing.  Waiting.  Willing the phone to ring.  Afraid for it to ring.  And, with each hour.  With each minute, your fear increased.  It takes courage to wait.  It takes courage to wait for the phone to ring, because you know that when it does, your life will forever be changed.  I pray that each of you had the power of God with you as you faced your moment. 

If you did not have this power and peace, I pray you will accept Jesus as your Savior, because there will be more storms.  More trials.  And the power and wisdom of God will go through the storms and trials with you.  They will be hard.  They will test every fiber of your faith.  But the storms and trials will never separate you from God.  He will always be beside you to lead and guide you through.  He will always be there, strong when you can only fall to your knees.  He will always be there, wise when you need wisdom.  He will always be there, faithful when your faith is faltering.  He will always be there.  Always.

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I was hoping to finish this blog by writing, “Then the phone rang.”  Sadly no decision was made today and we will all wait until tomorrow.

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UPDATED JUNE 5, 2020, 5:00 PM– The phone finally rang and I am so thrilled to add a sentence or two.

Do you know why we had to wait?  We waited for God's plan and for doctors to take another look at test results.

The radiologist and team have looked at the ultrasound upside down and sideways.  They DO NOT believe what they see are tumors.  THAT IS A TREMENDOUS AMEN.  Our grandson is still in pain and this has him scared.  Please shout AMEN and follow that with a prayer for his pain to go away.

Waiting was hard.  Waiting lasted five days but each day had at least a thousand hours.  I am so thankful that the doctor did not act upon his first reading of the ultrasound.  I am thankful the doctor worked with a team and the head radiologist.  I guess, I am glad the doctor made us wait.  It was a very wise decision.