Helpless But Not In
Seattle
“Let him who boasts,
boast about this: that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord,
who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these
I delight, declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 9:24)
Before leaving Long Beach for New York, we were
racing along the coast toward San Diego. The phone call had come and
now we knew: Tricia had an 8 pound, 1 ounce boy, and I was a grandfather
again! What a joy – in just another hour we would see them all in
person.
But then everything changed. Instead of traveling
75 miles per hour toward a variety of places, eight lanes of traffic
slowed and then stopped – the freeway was closed! Drivers were out of
their cars, looking ahead to whatever had caused the delay. We had told
my son Chris by telephone that we would see him in an hour and twenty
minutes, over four hours before! And we still weren’t there!
Everyone’s engines were turned off and most were
trying to call somebody-or-other on a cell phone. My mother was with
us, patiently waiting in the back seat and it was a concern, because we
had little water for her, no food, and we did not know how long this
would last. We were out of cell phone range or maybe it was because we
were next to a military base - we did not know.
We asked drivers in other cars if we could use
their phones but theirs weren’t working either. We were stuck and
people started wandering around on the road. We were drivers who had
unexpectedly become pedestrians. An occasional skate boarder or jogger
passed between the cars, on the way to whatever had stopped traffic.
There was an eerie quiet and most spoke in hushed tones.
Genevieve was looking at the ocean and was a couple
of lanes over, telling another driver (one who was anxiously trying to
find a cell phone that worked) that we were on our way to the birth of a
grandson. He scoffed at that, saying, “Well, I’m losing a $300,000 deal
and I can’t call anybody to tell them about it!”
It was an interesting moment in time. Most had
cell phones, but, as mentioned, they did not work. We had homes but
could not go to them; and fast cars that did not go anywhere. Our
schedules and intentions were at an end and we could only stand around
and look at each other, wondering how long this helplessness would last.
It was a reminder that our intentions, our plans,
ourselves – can be STOPPED in a moment; and for some, never go again.
But now we finally, ever so SLOWLY left the freeway onto a street called
Las Pulgas, and we were again headed south, literally thousands of us;
this time across Camp Pendleton guided by uniformed Marines at an
average speed of about three miles per hour. And just a few hours
later, we were holding baby Blake Beckham in our arms.
“Let him who boasts,
boast about this: that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord,
who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these
I delight, declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 9:24).
Hannah Whitall Smith, speaking about our verse for today, asked,
“Have any of us ever come to the
place where we have honestly ceased to glory in our own possessions?
Never, I believe, until we have been deprived of them. Human nature is
so constituted that while it possesses it can hardly help glorying in
it. As long as a Christian feels wise or strong or rich in spiritual
things, that Christian will almost inevitably glory in his strength,
wisdom or riches. But if these are taken away, he will be driven to
glory in the Lord alone, simply because there will be nothing else to
glory in.”
For decades, I taught small, sporadic Bible studies
that lasted for a few months or a couple of years, and then vanished, as
the attendees went on to other matters. And then nothing! I knew the
call of God in my heart and wanted to serve Him. I wrote Bible studies
into my journal, even when there was nobody to read or hear them. Like
so many, I NEEDED to express the working of the Holy Spirit within.
Finally, I gave up even the writing, for I at last understood that I was
powerless to “make” ministry happen, in my life or yours.
That which you cannot do, He can do, and He longs
to act through your life and mine. As seen in our Scripture verse for
today, you’ll PLEASE Him by understanding Him, knowing Him personally,
and by placing your faith in His abilities instead of your own. You can
express HIS kindness, justice and righteousness into the lives of those
around but only through His strength and His love.
“My” Bible studies, “my” abilities – none of this
“mine” stuff really matters, for it is not our talents or skills the
world needs but instead HE is needed, and He is indeed kind, just and
righteous in all His ways. Jesus said, “I am
the bread of life” (John 6:35) but we tend to offer “bread”
of our own making. We wonder, “Why are they not satisfied with what I
have given them?” and feel hurt when they reject our gift.
Reading the labels of most bread products, we find
the chief ingredients are sugar and white flour, which pleases the lips
but does not satisfy the need. The world needs Jesus Christ and Him
only. He can make us thrive in the worst of circumstances and He can
change our worst to His best. We need His “kindness,
justice and righteousness”, and by trusting in Him, we become
USEFUL to others.
Lord, we have trusted far too much in ourselves and
too little in You. Many claim “faith” but trust in their own
abilities. Lord, we received an email requesting prayer for a lady who
“thinks she is a Christian because she is a
good person, and has worked hard for and earned everything she has.”
So many believe that way, but we need to trust in You. We give up this
self-centered reliance on ourselves and receive You now. We love You,
Lord Jesus. Help us and help the lady who “thinks” she is Yours. Thank
You for coming into our hearts and lives. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
E-mail:
Ron@FridayStudy.org
Tel: (562) 688-5559
PO Box 92131
Long Beach, CA 90809-2131
"While
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us"
(Romans 5:8)
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