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Stallings Memorial Baptist Church 817 South Main St., Salisbury, NC 28144 ~ Phone: (704)636-2052 Fax: (704)636-2056
Rev. Charles Bryan Pastor Rev. Ron Touchton Minister of Music |
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From Your Pastor |
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“When Life Gets Tough”
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. – Hebrews 12:1-3
A London, England, police exam read: You are on patrol in outer London when an explosion occurs in a gas main in a nearby street. On investigation you find that a large hole has been blown in the footpath and there is an overturned van lying nearby. Inside the van there is a strong smell of alcohol. Both occupants—a man and a woman—are injured. You recognize the woman as the wife of your Divisional Inspector, who is at present away in the USA. A passing motorist stops to offer you assistance and you realize that he is a man who is wanted for armed robbery. Suddenly a man runs out of a nearby house, shouting that his wife is expecting a baby and that the shock of the explosion has made the birth imminent. Another man is crying for help, having been blown into an adjacent canal by the explosion, and he cannot swim. Describe in a few words what actions you would take. The officer thought for a moment, picked up his pen, and wrote: ’I would take off my uniform and mingle with the crowd.’ What would you do in the circumstances? My guess is that many of us would respond in the same way as the officer had suggested. There are times in which it seems as though we are facing impossible situations, and we just want to go someplace and be an ostrich (you know, stick your head in a hole and think you are hidden). However, I think most of us know that this type of plan will not work. The book of Hebrews was written to a group of Jewish Christians who like us had never seen or heard Jesus themselves. After initial growth in the faith, it seems that they had stopped making progress and seemed to be slipping back into Judaism. Being a Christian in the Roman world was harder than being Jewish which enjoyed certain privileges. Since their conversion they had been exposed to persecution – public abuse, imprisonment, looting of their property – but as yet they had not been called upon to die for their faith. But their faith was definitely being put to the test. The 11th chapter of Hebrews is an encouragement to keep trusting God in their difficult circumstances. I want to encourage you to keep trusting God in your difficult situations. Don’t be an ostrich. Trust God instead.
Lord, I don’t like the tough times of life, but I thank you for being with me during those times. Help me to trust you during these difficult times. AMEN. |