Christians and Their Denial of Reality

In case you haven't gone to Mr. Pigeon's Sunday school class it's imperative that you know... YOU ARE MISSING OUT!! Honestly, it's been a blast and last Sunday's lesson was fantastic. Actually, the lesson was GREAT but the discussions were fantastic. Johnny Ross was teaching and did have a wonderful lesson but some incredible wisdom was demonstrated by one of my favorite men in the church, Mr. Lomas and I thought you needed to hear it.

Johnny's lesson was on Nehemiah 4 I believe.... anywhoo, at one point the lesson was getting a little too victorious. I have nothing against victory and certainly believe our God is and always will be victorious, but the language was beginning to sound unrealistic. As if men with Jesus will never stumble or fall or collapse into a pit of depression or lose battles against sin. I certainly don't think this was Johnny's intention as he is an incredibly wise man who understands the state of man and our need for a savior.

At one point however, he was talking about how the Jews were rebuilding the wall and how in the face of opposition they got down on their knees and prayed and began building the wall with faith in God to be not only their strength but to give them the ability to make the walls fortitude immovable. He stopped for a moment and asked a question that went something like this, "When we go to God, He will give us the ability to overcome all odds right?" At this point, before the class yelled HELL YEAH! the quite and very wise Mr. Lomas said something very simple but revealing in terms of his own wisdom. He said, "Supposed to."

Now Mr. Lomas is probably in his 80's or so. He has live a very long and I'm sure at times, rough life. I have prayed with this man before and he is by definition a PRAYER WARRIOR! How could he display such lack of confidence?! The answer is simple. He knows that though God is gracious and good to His people and even though it is true that God is victorious, he also knows that life is full of sorrow and pain and victory sometimes doesn't come in our lifetime.

It's funny to me to think how often we live this life thinking we are owed something. As if our salvation isn't victory enough. We live in a fallen world and things don't always go the way we want it to. Often, we face depression or hardship that seems to have NO END! Hence the psalmist when he asks God "How long will you forsake me!" His despair is always in the moment, but his hope rests in something that transcends the hardship of the moment when he says, "But I trust in Your unfailing love!"

Don't forget life sucks sometimes and that there are moments when sin and sorrow overcome you. There are times and maybe even a lifetime of battles that never seem to end but your hope my sweet sheep is in Jesus Christ and His unfailing love!

I love you!