Too Late to Be Heard

“There is surely a future of hope for you, and your hope will never be cut off.”  -- Proverbs 23:18

Lauren held the pills in her hand, fully prepared for whatever awaited her on “the other side”.  She was at peace - feuds had been settled, important belongings had been given away, and those closest to her knew she loved them.  She easily swallowed the fifteenth pill and then lay down on her bed calmly waiting for death to come.

She tried to clear her mind - which was hard.  After all, what else is there to do while dying?

She fought the urge to be sentimental.  There were some great times . . . but there were some truly dark times too, thus her current situation. 

Her friends would probably miss her.  She thought back on countless movies, parties, and pranks.  What would things be like for them once she was gone?

Thoughts drifted to her family.  As far as she knew, they weren’t aware of the depth of her despair. That had been her fault.  She hid the scars of her loneliness.  Maybe she should have opened up to them - they might have listened.

Lauren knew what would happen when they found her lifeless body.  Her mom would cry hysterically and blame herself.  Her dad would act brave around everyone else, but then fall apart in private.   Her sweet little sister Jesse would be alone now.  She would withdraw just the way Lauren had.  She would block out the very people in her life that could help her.  Lauren felt a sudden pang of guilt for her selfishness. 

Then it hit her like a slap in the face - she really didn’t want to die.  Life wasn’t so bad. 

She tried to cry out, but she was getting weaker.  With the little energy she had left, Lauren rolled off her bed - anything to make a thud, anything to make herself heard.  

But it was too late.  Her life was snuffed out just as easily as blowing out the flame on a candle.  She was already gone: a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

If you know someone who is depressed, don't be afraid to talk to them.  Reassure them that they are loved and that people (especially people in our Faith Community) want to help work out any problems.  Be a good listener, don't judge, and don't dismiss any of their concerns.  It's OK to directly ask if he or she has ever thought of killing themselves.    If you think they are suicidal, get professional help for them immediately.

Dearest Lord.  I know that you will never give up on me, but help me not to  give up on myself.   Please protect those who entertain suicidal thoughts.   Let them feel my love and Your love.  "Open the eyes of my heart Lord," let no pain go ignored.  Amen.

His Perfect Storm

“Don't be afraid. I am with you. Don't tremble with fear.  I am your God. I will make you strong, as I protect you with my arm and give you victories.”  -- Isaiah 41:10

The Pastor slowly stood up and walked to the pulpit.  He briefly introduced the guest speaker, an old childhood friend actually, who had a powerful story to share.   

The old man began to tell his emotional tale with calm reverence:

"A father, his son, and his son’s friend were sailing off the Pacific coast," he began, ". . .  when a swift storm erupted and blocked any attempt to get back to the shore.  Even though the father was an excellent sailor, the waves were so high and the gale so mighty, he could not keep the boat upright.  The three were swept into the chilly, dark ocean when the boat capsized."

"Grabbing a rescue line, the father was forced to make the most painful decision of his life: to which boy would he throw the life line?  He had only seconds to decide. The father knew that his son was a Christian; his son's friend was not.  The agony of his decision could not be matched by the violence of the waves.

As the father yelled out “I Love You, Son!” he threw the life line to his son's friend.  By the time the father had pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beneath the raging swells into the black night.  His body was never recovered," the old man whispered sadly.

With a thunderous voice he concluded: "Knowing his son would enjoy eternal life with Jesus, he sacrificed his lone son to save his son's friend!”

With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as deadly silence filled the room.

After the service, a pair of teenage boys cornered the old man.  "That was a nice story," one of the boys said respectfully, "But, I don't think it was very realistic for a father to give up his only son's life in hopes that the other would become a Christian."

"Well, you've got a point there," the old man replied.  He glanced down at his badly worn Bible and a big smile broadened his narrow, weathered face.  “That story is for real.  It gives me a better understanidng of what it must have been like for God to give up His only Son for me.  

“You see . . . I was that father, and your Pastor is my dead son's friend."

Heavenly Father – How great is Your love that You gave your only Son so that I could be saved from the flood of sins that tempt me daily.  You are the calm in a storm of           anxieties . . .  and my lifeline to salvation.   You are my King!

For the Least of These

“What I am about to tell you is true: whatever you did for the least [important] of my people, you did it for me."  --Matthew 25:40

Jazmin was raised by an alcoholic father for the first 8 years of her life.  She ran away from a foster home at age 12 to escape the father who beat her on a regular basis.  Today at 18, she lives on the street, doing whatever to survive.  She steals food to eat, gives herself to strange men for money, and does drugs or alcohol whenever she can to escape her pain and loneliness.  She learned about the love of God when she was in prison.  “Knowing Jesus loves a person like me gives me some hope.”

We live in the wealthiest county in Michigan, yet 1,500 people had no place to live yesterday.  With only 400 emergency shelter beds in Oakland County – 1,100 of our brothers and sisters slept in sub-zero temperatures last night. 

Jazmin’s story is not unique but it’s not typical either.  Some homeless have graduate degrees.  Others served in the military.  Some have disabilities.  Still others once held high-paying jobs, until:

·    Catastrophic illness wiped out their insurance coverage.

·    An ugly divorce stripped them of their families and their money.

·    They entered a death spiral of drugs and alcohol.

·    They felt abandoned by God.

There are hundreds of passages in the Bible about helping people in need.  Jesus tells us that we are one body in Christ.  Everyone – rich, poor, every race, all ages – has a legitimate role to play in that body.  Mother Theresa, who worked with the poorest of the poor in Calcutta, reminded us too that God makes no distinction between rich and poor.  The rich are often poor in spirit, while the poor may lack many of the qualities the wealthy have.  God loves us all.  He wants us to care for each other.  Ultimately, we will be helping each other grow together into the body Christ envisioned where the rich save the poor and the poor save the rich.

Father in Heaven, Thank you for my countless blessings.  I know that everything I truly need – I already have!  Remind me that every Christian is spiritually “homeless.”  We  live in temporary shelters, however modest or extravagant, waiting to take  our place someday in the Lord’s mansion. 

He Never Lets Go

“Do not be afraid – I am with you!  I am your God, let nothing terrify you!  I will make you strong and help you.  I will protect you and save you.”   --Isaiah 41:10

One hot summer afternoon in south Florida, a young boy decided to go for a swim in the pond behind his house.  In a hurry to cool off, he dashed into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore. Through her kitchen window, his horrified mom watched as the two moved closer and closer.  Panic gripped her as she raced toward the water, screaming at her son to turn back.

But it was too late.  From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs in her sadistic jaws.  An incredible tug-of-war ensued between the powerful gator determined to keep its prey and the overmatched mom, too passionate to let go.

A farmer driving by, heard her screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot and killed the alligator.

Remarkably, after months in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were badly disfigured by the vicious animal.  His arms too, were deeply scarred where his mother's fingernails dug into his soft flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she dearly loved. 

While interviewing the young man, a reporter asked if she could see his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs with obvious pride.  “But look at the great scars on my arms, too,” he beamed.  “I got those cause my Mom wouldn't let go."

You and I are like that little boy.  We have scars, too.  Probably not from an alligator, or anything quite so dramatic.  But the scars of a painful past.  Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret.  But, some wounds are because God has refused to let go.  In the midst of your struggle, He's been there holding on to you. The Bible teaches that God loves you and wants to protect you.  But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations.

My God, help me to remember always that the swimming hole of life is filled with peril, and my enemies lay waiting to attack. I’m so grateful that when the tug-of-war begins – I have the scars of Your love on my arms to prove that You will never let go of me!