HOW ARE YOU?

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen…”  (2 Corinthians 4:16–18 NIV) 

"How are you?"

That familiar question makes me smile as I consider the possibility of giving a totally honest answer after living with cancer for the last two years.

Many times the question comes from a stranger, such as the waiter who introduces himself at our table in a restaurant. The answer is more about making him feel comfortable than about my current health. So I automatically say, "Fine, thanks," even when I'm not so fine.

When a good friend or family member like my son-in-law asks, "How are you?" I sometimes go for the obvious, smart-alecky answer. "I have cancer," I say with a grin, "but otherwise, I'm great." To that, my son-in-law rolls his eyes and vows never to ask me that question again.

Many times the question comes from well-meaning people who care but don't need a lengthy description or a boring tale of woe. Last week at church, soon after I got home from yet another hospital stay, several people asked, "How are you?"

This is when the question challenges me the most. How do I give a current, appropriately honest answer? After all, when cancer enters a person's life, it changes how she is. I liken it to living within a picture frame with a persistent dark cloud on the horizon. But cancer also brings the odd gift of making today's sunshine preciously important, so that day I answered the question this way: "I'm good for today… and today that's good enough for me."

Next week or next month, the appropriately honest answer might be different, so I ask God's help in seeking the right words.

Father, I want the answer to "How are you?" to point back to You. Please give me the words that reflect my faith. 

-- Carol Kuykendall in “Daily Guideposts 2009”

#6360 

Editor’s Note: For a follow-up to this post, go to https://guideposts.org/positive-living/health-and-wellness/living-longer-living-better/the-amazing-way-this-couple-beat-cancer-together/

RESPONDING TO PEOPLE

Editor’s Note: This past Sunday our Pastor, in his sermon series on the Beattitudes, focused on Matthew 5:5. “Blessed are the meek/gentle/humble, for they will inherit the earth.” In his sermon he put up on the screen the following message from Paul:

“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.”

-- Paul, in his letter to Titus (3:1-11 NIV)

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THE WISE MEN’S RESPONSE

“And going into the house, [the wise men] saw the child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.”  (Matthew 2:11 ESV)

The message of the season is not, "Let it snow" or even, "Let us shop." The real message of Christmas is, "Let us worship." That is what the wise men came to do. And that is what we should be doing as well. 

-- Greg Laurie

#5505

THE SHEPHERDS’ RESPONSE

“So the [shepherds] hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this Child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”  (Luke 2:16-20 NIV)

The greatest brightness of the whole birth narrative comes in the shepherds' response. You see, had the shepherds only heard the message and gone back to sheep tending, we would think they were foolish. Had they found a baby and then gone home with a satisfied knowledge, we might consider them extremely fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time. Yet, what they did was greater. They proceeded to tell everyone around them, everywhere they could go, what they had heard and seen; and then they praised and glorified God for it all. The shepherds took on the role of the angels themselves, new messengers of salvation and good news; and in doing so, they extended the light of God's loving Word far beyond where it might have gone otherwise that night. The light of this news, this new day, was carried far and wide; and all who heard it were amazed and still are.

As we hear the shepherds' story, we find our task as the followers of Christ this Christmas. That is, we are called to bear the light of the news of the coming of Christ to this world, to carry the brightness of this gospel… The extent of this light is only limited by our self-limitation and unwillingness to share the message, or lack of faith in believing that the message is that profound, that world-changing… Who do you know who needs the light of Christ's love offered to him or her? 

-- Randy Cross in “Born to Save: An Advent Study Based on the Revised Common Lectionary”

#5504

OUR RESPONSE MATTERS

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”  (Romans 8:28 NIV)

We cannot always or even often control events, but we can control how we respond to them. When things happen which dismay or appall, we ought to look to God for His meaning, remembering that He is not taken by surprise not can His purposes be thwarted in the end. What God looks for is those who will worship Him in the midst of every circumstance. Our outlook of inquiring trust glorifies Him. This is our first responsibility: to glorify God. In the face of life’s worst reversals and tragedies, the response of a faithful Christian is praise -- not for the wrong itself, certainly, but for who God is and for the ultimate assurance that there is a pattern being worked out for those who love Him. 

-- Elisabeth Elliot in “A Lamp for My Feet” 

(Elisabeth Elliot, 1926 – 2015, was a Christian author and speaker. Her first husband, Jim Elliot, was killed in 1956 while attempting to make missionary contact with the Auca people (now known as Huaorani) of eastern Ecuador. She later spent two years as a missionary to the tribe members who killed her husband. Returning to the United States after many years in South America, she became widely known as the author of over twenty books and as a speaker. Elliot toured the country, sharing her knowledge and experience, well into her seventies.)

#5341

COME TO ME

Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”  (Matthew 11:28-29 NIV)

Jesus speaks to those like me (and you?) who are weary and burdened by the stresses of life, whether self-imposed or unavoidable. Come. One simple action is all that is needed. An entreaty. An invitation. Come. Sit in a nest of rest -- near My altar. It’s what I want for you. 

-- Elisa Morgan

STOP, LOOK, LISTEN, AND TRUST - Part 1

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea… ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’”  (Psalm 46:1-2,10 NKJV)    

The Psalms are a tapestry of human emotions. The poetry of prayer weaves together anger, fear, joy, longing, despair, praise, and passion. This verse sums up God’s response to those prayers. Its truth is the thread of peace and comfort that runs through the entire book of Psalms, as well as the rest of the Bible -- and the life of every individual who walks with God. God’s answers to those who are emotionally troubled is brief and straightforward: stop and remember Who is on your side.  

-- From “100 Favorite Bible Verses”

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THE CRITICAL DIFFERENCE

At the conclusion of His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told a quick story about two housebuilders. The one famously built his house on a foundation of rock, and the other infamously built his house on a foundation of sand. Terrible storms hit both houses. The former survived the assault, while the latter fell.

Two builders represented two different kinds of people. And the critical difference between them, according to Jesus, was in how they responded. “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock, “ while, on the other hand, “everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.” (Matthew 7:24-27) The two people heard the same words, you see. The monumental difference in what became of them lay in how they responded to those words…

Graciously, the Lord initiates with us, and it is our calling to respond appropriately to what He is saying and doing. The question is what that response looks like for you and me today. 

-- David Kalas in “Reunion: A Bible Study for Churches Getting Back Together”

#5143

LET SADNESS DRIVE YOU TO PRAYER

“When I heard these words I sat down and wept, and mourned for days,…”  (Nehemiah 1:4a NRSV)

If only a sailor could use any wind at all to get him where he needs to go. And if only a human being could use any feeling, any mood, any emotion to get them where they need to go. Enter Nehemiah.

We see as we read through his story the strong things that he feels. He feels things strongly, he feels things deeply, and yet we see that he lets those strong winds drive him… always towards God, and always towards God’s work. It’s remarkable.

So in the very beginning I shared with you when Nehemiah hears the bad news how he responds, how he feels. He says, “When I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days.” That’s not the whole sentence. I read to you before only a part of the sentence. Here’s the whole sentence: “When I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.”

His sadness did not merely drive him to tears, it drove him to prayer. And don’t dismiss that as a minor detail, a small thing. It makes all the difference in the world. It is the difference between an act of grief and an act of faith. It’s the difference between wallowing in my troubles and worshipping in my troubles. 

-- Rev. David Kalas in a sermon entitled “Hero in the Rubble: Letting Yourself Be Moved”

#4503

GIVING IN RESPONSE TO GOD

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”  (Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV)

Our God is a giving God. He is a God of abundance, and He loves to give. In Christ He sacrificed willingly on the cross and then invited us into fullness of life. As His children, we are called to imitate Him. Our generosity in giving is a demonstration of God’s character and a response to what He has done for us.

As we become more and more who God has called us to be – more like Him – through the process of sanctification, we reflect God more and more. We become more loving, more gracious, and, yes, more giving. Because God is generous, we are also called to be generous. Generosity not only points others to God, it is an appropriate response to what God has done for us. 

-- from an article entitled "Why is giving so emphasized in the Christian faith?" on the gotquestions.org website


#4467

GOD’S INITIATIVE

“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions -- it is by grace you have been saved.”  (Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV)

The divine Presence constantly moves toward us.  Initiative for our relationship with God always comes from God…

Every prayer you pray, every thought you think of God -- even the deepest yearnings of your being for fulfillment and final satisfaction -- are but responses to the Spirit of God who has initiated your hunger for the relationship. 

-- Ben Campbell Johnson in “Calming the Restless Spirit”


#4438

IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S LOVE

“If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because [God] first loved us.”  (1 John 4:15-19 NIV)

Should I worship Him from fear of hell, may I be cast into it.  Should I serve Him from desire of gaining heaven, may He keep me out.  But should I worship Him from love alone, He reveals Himself to me, that my whole heart may be filled with His love and presence.

-- Sadhu Sundar Singh (1889-1929) 


#4431

OBEDIENCE TO GOD

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”  (1 Samuel 15:22 NIV)

The response called for in the Bible to the hearing of the words of God is not mere assent, but faith in God who speaks the promise, obedience to the God who commands, faithfulness to the God who has made His covenant plain, return to the God who warns, and hope in the God who foretells the future. To respond to God's words is to respond to God: God is present in the speaking of His words.

-- Peter Adams in Speaking God's Words


#4062

THE HEART OF GIVING

Giving in response to God’s amazing grace is a vital and essential aspect of true and genuine Christian Discipleship. The manner in which one gives, both in attitude and amount, will be a reflection of the condition of the heart.

When Jesus spoke to this issue, He encouraged His disciples to do more than what was required under the Old Testament with what was called the tithe (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42). It is clear that our Lord was concerned not only with what we give but how we give. In other words, issues of the heart are at the heart of giving.

-- Daniel L. Akin

#3986

OUR REACTIONS

“So I'm telling you that her sins, as many as they are, have been forgiven, and that's why she has shown such great love.”  (Luke 7:47a ISV)

God has forgiven me so much, how can I not forgive? It’s that simple. It’s that difficult.

The true test of our faith is not our actions. It’s our reactions. It’s relatively easy to act like Jesus. It’s much harder to react like Him. And forgiveness is the litmus test.

-- Mark Batterson in The Grave Robber

#3971

GOD'S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

Why is it so hard for us to believe that God's love really is unconditional and that we should imitate God's love not only for others, but also for ourselves?

Perhaps we have regarded self-centered behavior too harshly.  We are unwilling or unable to give ourselves the same gentle grace that God offers us and that we believe should be offered to others.  Leap from doubt to belief and remember that God loves you, delights in you, and yearns for your response.

-- Rueben P. Job & Norman  Shawchuck in A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God  (Nashville, Tenn.: Upper Room Books, 2003)

#3822

THE WONDER OF GOD'S LOVE

"Amazing love!  How can it be, that Thou, my God, shouldst die for me!"  This great hymn by Charles Wesley conveys the wonder of God's desire to have fellowship with us.  The God who created us has not abandoned us to grope blindly through life.  He has provided, at great expense, all that we need for life and Godliness.  God is our personal Creator, and He wants to be our Shepherd who protects and provides for us.  He has proclaimed His love for us, and He waits only for our response. 

 

-- Cynthia Heald in Intimacy with God

#3666