Tuesday, September 11, 2007

The Darkest Hour -Mid Week Epistole by Jim Massey

The Darkest Hour

Today is the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York City. I imagine everyone remembers where they were when the tragedy happened. I recall many people saying it was one of America’s ‘Darkest Hours.”

I remember the days that I watched people relived the event over and over through the news media and table conversations everywhere. The cry went up from people to “Remember 911!”

And then I think of another “Darkest Hour.” It was during the time that terrorist struck at the heart of the world in a garden near Jerusalem. The Son of Man was betrayed by a kiss and evil motives of others. He was judged guilty by angry crowds, scourged and crucified.

Now people may not see the similarity of these two events, but look closely and you can begin to see ways in which they are. The difference is found in what happens after we stand through such trying times. If we are not careful, we will remain forever caught in the pains of the tragedy.

For Christians, it is the days afterward that we begin to see new visions. In both the tragedy of the Twin Towers and the Crucifixion God was present fighting hatred with the power of His grace and love. He never gives sin and evil power in the midst of tragedy, but the strength and resolve of His people show forth in new ways of care and compassion. You see, the answer becomes visible afterwards. In 911 we should now be a nation of strong resolve toward freedom and truth. In the Resurrection we should have a strong individual resolve toward God’s love and salvation for all.

I find new strength in life’s darkest hours in the words of the Psalmist: “If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand. I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.” (Ps. 37:23-25)

May God bring His light to your in your darkest hour.

Heavenly Father, today we pray for everyone who faces dark hours in their lives. Though they feel despair, may they know the strength of your children as they encounter them everywhere. You ask us to be a light set upon a hill as a beacon of hope. Let us remember before we can be the light, You must shine in our own heart. Come into our hearts Lord Jesus! Amen. This has been Rev. Jim Massey. Join me next week for another mid-week Epistle.

Friday, September 07, 2007

Invisible Mom

This is for those times when you feel like you haven't accomplished much, or when you feel, like I do sometimes, that what you do really doesn't matter so much.

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible.


Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a hair clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this." It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."


In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it." And the workman replied, "Because God sees."

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Great Job, MOM

Adequate Shoes

Adequate Shoes

With all the disasters in our world today, we need to hear some words of encouragement. Without such words, we can fall victim to something beyond our understanding and our hearts seem to break completely into and we begin to lose sight of the ways in which God can still come to us.

We are reminded in Romans 8:28 - "...in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." When I read that Scripture, I once again reclaim the promise of Christ when He said, "I am with you till the end of the age."

Then I remember something I read years ago. "God will not send you down a path without adequate shoes." That means His love and assurance will always be with me. Prayers, presence, and friends will affirm it. Nothing will be left out of our situation that is needed. All we have to do is claim it in the name of Jesus Christ.

When you walk in the world today, praise God for the "adequate shoes" that He has supplied for you.

Holy Father, to all who have great need this day, let our words lift fallen spirits and help our presence reaffirm Your glory. We pray this in the blessed name of Jesus Christ. Amen. This has been Rev. Jim Massey.

Pray for the nations this day that are caught in hurricanes. Many people will be left homeless, pray that they will not be hopeless. See you next week in our Mid-week Epistle when we talk about naming.