Category Archives: Friendship

Reflections on the Goodness of God from My Hospital Bed — a Refresh & Restore Testimony

Greetings Sojourners,

As I write this, I am on my seventh day of my current hospital stay. This hospitalization — or even the illness really — is not the subject of my reflections but merely a backdrop. However, I will give enough details for clarity and hopefully none for complaint.

Many of you most likely do not know that I am in the hospital, and that is because I don’t care for that sort of attention. Outside of the Christ Community prayer group and a few personal messages, I have not shared much. Ultimately, this is pride — not trying to hide things necessarily, but some difficulties are hard to share even when you should (2 Corinthians 12:9). So I’m sharing now.

Two weeks ago (May 29), I woke up with what I thought to be gout flare ups in both feet. This was odd as gout typically manifests in just one, isolated joint. I already knew that I am an atypical sort of guy, so I just was going to roll with the weird. Within an hour, both feet were fully swollen up to the ankle. By lunch, my left wrist and the little finger joint on the right hand had joined in with swelling and pain.

The next morning (May 30) I awoke to walking being nearly impossible because of excruciating pain in both feet. I needed assistance eating because the pain in both hands was nearly as bad. I still managed to walk to the bathroom a few times. Little did I know I would only walk one more time the following day.

The next Monday (June 2), Candice took me to an orthopedic doctor in Oxford. They performed x-rays and examinations that revealed my feet were “full of arthritis”, meaning there was no space in my foot not taken up by inflammation which explained why walking or even standing, and the doctor scheduled a wide array of labs to be run and started me on a steroid pack. The following day (June 3), Kevin took me to Oxford to get the labs run. And the wait began.

Long story short, steroids brought little relief and the lab results were largely inconclusive except to say that wide spread inflammation was occurring in my body. By the end of the week (June 6), the total joints inflamed and in pain expanded to both knees, the right hip, and eventually both shoulders. We went to the hospital that night and ended up staying (and are still here).

Ultimately, there is no official diagnosis, but what is known is:

  1. There was gout involved.
  2. Even though there initially was thought to be some sort of infection, none was found.
  3. My body had an autoimmune response and was fighting against itself causing the wide spread inflammation to all the joints.
  4. God is still seated on His throne, still loves me, still cares for me, can heal me if He so chooses, and — for whatever reason — has me where I need to be even if it’s not where I want to be (Romans 8:28, 2 Corinthians 4:16-17).

The reason I am writing this is because in the midst of the worst two weeks of my life, I have consistently seen and experienced the goodness of God on display (Psalm 27:13) and want to share that. So, with no further ado, let me share with you about the goodness of God.

Reflection #1 — An Excellent Wife I Have Found

10 An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.

Proverbs 31:10-12

So far (and for the rest of this), Candice is typing instead of me. I have gained about 95% usage of my left arm and hand back and only about 75% of my right arm and hand (which also has an IV in a less-than-helpful position). This is the first collaboration of this sort Candice and I have ever done, and judging by how much she hates that she’s having to type out a reflection thanking God for her and bragging on her, this may be our last.

Over the last two weeks, Candice has tirelessly (despite exhaustion and being as overwhelmed and scared as I have been) cared for me night and day. She has advocated for me with doctors (even ferociously at times), fed me, bathed me, and loved me through this time. While I was humiliated for being so unable to do for myself, her love humbled me and reminded me that wedding vows spoken by young adults prove out by the deeper-than-romance love that God can foster between a husband and a wife.

This has not been easy for her. She didn’t expect it to be. The love that she has shown me, even as she types this now through her own tears, has preached the gospel of Jesus’s love for His Church more eloquently and effectively than my words ever could (Ephesians 5:32). Her selfless actions and unrelenting care were more than “word or talk”, showing her love “in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18).

I could not, should I live a thousand years, hope to ever repay or match her show of love and care (although I can’t wait to get to go home and try). She’s more precious than treasure (Proverbs 31:10), has all of my trust, is my favorite person and the love of my life, and has shown real-life love more than I could have ever dreamed of 22 years ago.

Reflection #2 — God Exulted Over Me With Loud Singing

The LORD your God is in your midst,
a mighty One who will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness;
He will quiet you by His love;
He will exult over you with loud singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

We were supposed to be on a mission trip with our Christ Community youth group in New Mexico right now, but obviously we are not.

I am immensely thankful that God allows me to be one of the pastors at Christ Community, and getting to serve and disciple our kiddos is one of the greatest joys of my life. Needless to say, a large portion of my heart has been in New Mexico while my body has been confined to this hospital bed.

Sara Goldwater worked it out with Candice that they would FaceTime us so that we could participate in some of their nightly worship times. I knew we needed that, but at the time I was so mentally, physically, and emotionally overwhelmed I almost said no. Thankfully, I didn’t because the kiddos and adult leaders who are so dear to my heart ministered to me more that night than I ever have to them.

The time they spent singing and songs they chose were so carefully, lovingly, and thoughtfully arranged that by the end I was ugly crying and raising the only hand I could in worship of God.

The first song they chose was “Battle Belongs“, reminding that God is our fortress, mighty to save, and has already won the only battle that eternally matters through the cross and His empty tomb (Colossians 2:14-15).

The second song was “Firm Foundation (He Won’t)“, reminding me that Jesus is my rock and firm foundation, who has never failed in all of history, will never fail in the time that remains, and will protect and keep me through the storms of this life (Matthew 7:24-25). It brought to mind a quote from Charles Spurgeon (who dealt with debilitating gout and health problems that often left him bedridden for longer than I have been):

I have learned to kiss the waves that throw me up against the Rock of Ages.

After a verse and chorus of “Because He Lives“, and being reminded that I know who holds the future, the mission team humbled me and loved me in a way that was nearly overwhelming. They passed the phone around and one-by-one spoke something meaningful, encouraging, personal, and loving. To say that I was wrecked is a vast understatement. I was reminded of Zephaniah’s words to Israel above about how, even in times of trials and exiles, God was still in their midst, still mighty to save, still rejoicing over them. But it’s the last part of Zephaniah 3:17 that was so poignant and clear to me that night as it describes God Himself quieting His people, those He loves, by exulting over them with loud singing. I experienced God singing over us by His mission team singing over me. That memory will stay with me from here on out.

Reflection #3 — Built Up and Burdens Borne

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2

We have experienced such a great outpouring of love, concern, care, and prayer from our family, faith family, and friends. Difficult times are often lonely times, but that has not been our experience. I could not begin to recount all of the text messages and phone calls. Family (both biological and church) have come to sit and visit to lift spirits. The days leading up to the hospital stay, Candice did not have to cook as well as care for me because God has people in our life who took care of that, even being so thoughtful as to find out some foods our kiddos would like and sending us to the hospital with our own vending machine stockpile so as to not go without at all.

Sometimes it is not until after tragedy or loss that people step up in this way. I have often wondered why we do not share more freely how we feel with people while they are still with us. However, I do not have to wonder anymore because God has used the kindness and care of our families and friends to show His goodness toward us.

Without hesitation, Katherine and my parents have taken care of Xander for the entirety of the hospital stay, keeping him busy and worry-free while Candice and I were living out the opposite. Candice’s dad wanted to show appreciation for our helping him through similar health difficulties that we may experience the way he felt when cared for. And as far as helping bear our burdens, Kevin got me in and out of the vehicle and wheelchair multiple times, and he and Daddy literally carried me out of the house the day I went to the hospital.

Keri was still able to go with our church on the mission trip, and we did not have to doubt for a second that she would be cared for, looked after, and loved like she was their own (because that’s how our faith family loves). We received many text messages at various times making sure that we knew she was being cared for looked after (while still letting her be the independent young woman she is). We are thankful for the spiritual aunts, uncles, and cousins who have adopted our kiddos and love them.

While tangible shows of care and physical presence are big, nothing has moved me more than the sheer volume of people praying for us. Too often, we treat prayer like the least we can do, but what more can you do than seek God Most High on behalf of someone? I felt like the man in Mark 2:1-12 whose friends carried him on the roof of where Jesus was, removed a section, and lowered their friend to where Jesus could help him. It’s humbling to know that so many were willing to approach the throne of grace and seek mercy from the King on my behalf (Hebrews 4:16). It is the most they could do, and they did it tirelessly.

When you are feeling alone in sickness and pain, it’s too easy to be isolated, but God in His goodness, as reminded us at every turn, that He is with us and has given us family, friends, and a faith family to remind us of that.

Reflection #4 — Lord From Sorrows Deep I Call

Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him,
my salvation and my God.

Psalm 42:11

Sunday night/the wee hours of Monday morning was probably the longest of my life thus far. I have been avoiding pain medication as much as possible, but should have taken it sooner that night. The pain got to be too much, and coincided with a night requiring multiple lab draws with arms too swollen to find veins. I had just become overwhelmed.

In normal circumstances, I use the Dwell app (an audio Bible/Scripture meditation app) to take my mind off of difficulties or trials, but I could not work my phone or hold a Bible in my hands. My mind was so frantically distracted that I found it difficult to bring Scripture to mind. I laid in the dark, pleading with the Lord, praying for help or relief or whatever.

Now, if you know Candice, sleep has always been very precious to her. If you know hospitals at night, you know sleep is for well people at home. However, Candice stood over my bed for hours, playing various playlists of Scripture verses to help me fix my mind on things above, on Jesus, “not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:1-2). She played “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” to help the “Word of Christ dwell in [me] richly” more than the pain that overwhelmed me physically (Colossians 3:16).

Dark times can cloud our vision. Sometimes hope is eclipsed by temporary trials. But for those who have been saved by grace through faith in our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, “suffering produces endurance”, “endurance produces character”, “character produces hope”, and “hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5). My hope remains because it is not fickle, moveable, earthly hope; my hope is a person. My hope’s name is Jesus. And I can cast “all [my] anxieties on Him, because He cares for [me]” (1 Peter 5:7).

One of the clearest evidences of God’s goodness is that He has given us His Word — not only to reveal Himself, but to renew our minds, anchor our hearts, and strengthen us in every season of life. In His mercy, God does not leave us to be shaped by the world around us, but transforms us through the renewal of our minds so that we can discern His will and walk in it (Romans 12:2). His Word brings comfort and life in the midst of affliction, reviving our hearts when they are weary (Psalm 119:50). When our minds are fixed on Him through the promises of Scripture, He surrounds us with perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3). Rather than letting anxiety consume us, He invites us to bring everything to Him in prayer, and as we dwell on what is true and good, His peace guards our hearts and minds in Christ (Philippians 4:6-8). In trials, His Word gives strength and courage, equipping us for every step of obedience (Joshua 1:8-9). Because Scripture is breathed out by God, it thoroughly equips us for every good work — not just in easy seasons, but especially when life is hard (2 Timothy 3:16-17). When we delight in His Word and meditate on it daily, we become like trees planted by water — stable, nourished, and fruitful no matter the conditions around us (Psalm 1:2-3). And as we not only hear His Word but live it out, we experience His blessing and see more clearly who He is (James 1:22-25). In spiritual battle, His Word is our sword (Ephesians 6:17), and even Jesus, in the wilderness of temptation, showed us that we do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).

Every verse is a testimony to His kindness — He has not left us in the dark, but has spoken light and truth to sustain us.

That night, when my body had failed me and there was no strength to attempt to battle for myself, God sustained me with His Word. It was a refreshing reminder of His goodness, goodness I learned of from His Word and experience anew through His Word again and again. Here are some examples of both song and Scripture playlists:

  • Song | “Lord from Sorrows Deep I Call (Psalm 42)”

I do not (we do not) write this seeking sympathy or trying to complain. I am thankful to have a God who does not leave me nor forsake me (Hebrews 13:5, Deuteronomy 31:6) but instead meets me in my darkness with His light (John 1:5, Psalm 18:28).

On the way to the hospital last Friday night, Kevin reminded me of Satan’s words to God when seeking to tear apart Job’s life to make him curse God (Job 1:8-12, 2:3-6). Now, I am far from Job, and I am not saying this is all some elaborate test of my faith. The consequences of the Fall on the world and within human bodies (death, decay, sickness, etc.) is enough. But if you think on Satan’s rationale for needing to hurt Job, his earthly logic seems sound:

9 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.”

Job 1:9-11

and,

3 And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.” 4 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.”

job 2:3-5

Kevin reminded me that Satan knew that by attacking Job’s health it could fundamentally affect how he lived and thought. So Satan was right — insomuch as the things of this earth being all that there are. His logic, at face value, was sound. However, what Satan discounted — what he always overlooks in his passion and sinful pride — is that the LORD is not of this world. The Creator of all that is, the King of kings and Lord of lords is not bound by the logic of a being He created because He Himself is Truth.

When He saves people, He fundamentally changes them from the inside out, making them new creations not religious converts (2 Corinthians 5:17). His change in those He saves is not a mere change of mind but truly a change from death to life, delivering them from “the domain of darkness” to the “kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).

I am not Job. But I have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9). My faith has wavered at times these last two weeks, I have forgotten who and whose I am, but praise God when all else is stripped away and I find myself at rock bottom, Jesus is the Rock (Psalm 18:2, 1 Corinthians 10:4).

I have to remind myself that God is no more or less good if He chooses to heal me immediately and/or completely or if whatever purpose He allows this to go on. He is good because that is who He is.

God is good all the time.

And all the time God is good.

As difficult as this period is (and seems to continue to be), I can rejoice that in the midst of sickness and pain I have seen the goodness of God and can see more clearly the sweetness and beauty of Jesus’s return when He will dwell with His people, wiping away their last tears with His nail-scarred hand as well as wiping away death, mourning, crying, and pain (Revelation 21:3-4). All of those things have an expiration date that is set and sure.

The goodness of God has no expiration date.

We are thankful to have the opportunity to share with you and would appreciate your prayers. If anything has helped you, lifted your spirits, or helped you see the goodness of God in Christ, then I’m glad to be where I am. And I am learning to be content that whatever season I find myself in I am not alone for He is with me.

Thank you and God bless.

“From Betrayal to Blessing” from Psalm 41 (#dailyPSALMSchallenge)

By this I know that You delight in me: my enemy will not shout in triumph over me. But You have upheld me because of my integrity, and set me in Your presence forever.

Psalm 41:11-12

Psalm 41 is a psalm of both confidence and lament, showing David’s trust in God even as he faces sickness, slander, and betrayal. It begins with a blessing on the “one who considers the poor” because the Lord will deliver him in “the day of trouble” (v. 1). David knows that God sees and cares for those who show mercy, and he clings to this truth as he cries out to God for grace and healing (v. 4).

David’s suffering at the hands of his enemies is worsened by the betrayal of a “close” and “trusted” friend, one who he once shared meals with (v. 9). His foes whisper in the shadows about his downfall, waiting for him to die and be forgotten (vv. 5-8). In his distress, David prays, “O Lord, be gracious to me, and raise me up, that i may repay them!” (v. 10). His hope doesn’t rest in his strength as he clearly has none and cannot overcome his foes on his own. His only hope is in God’s strength and faithfulness; he trusts that the Lord will uphold him and not allow his enemies to triumph over him (vv. 11-12). 

The psalm ends with a beautiful doxology (formula for praising the Lord) that we can echo today: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and amen.” (v. 13) This shows that, despite his suffering, David praises the Lord and exalts His name and that no matter what, God’s justice and mercy will prevail.

Seeing Jesus in Psalm 41

Psalm 41 finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, the true and greater King. David’s words about the betrayal of a close friend in v. 9 are quoted by Jesus in reference to Judas Iscariot (John 13:18). Judas, who had walked with Jesus and shared meals with Him, turned against Him and handed Him over to His enemies. 

Like David, Jesus was surrounded by those who whispered against Him, mocked Him, and plotted His demise (vv. 5-8, Matthew 26:3-4). Yet, unlike David, Jesus did not pray for deliverance from death but submitted to His Father’s will and plan by willingly enduring betrayal, suffering, and the cross for our salvation. Though His enemies thought they had triumphed, God raised Him up in victory (v. 10), exalting Him to His rightful place at the Father’s right hand (Philippians 2:9-11). And through His resurrection, Jesus secured ultimate healing, restoration, and vindication for all who have faith in Him.

Reflection

For those who have faced betrayal, affliction, or opposition, Psalm 41 offers a reminder that God sees, sustains, and vindicates His people. It is tempting to try and vindicate ourselves or to give up in the face of overwhelming circumstances, but Jesus has made a way for us. He endured so that we may have eternal life, leaving us with the reminder that this world is not all there is. For those who have confessed Him as Lord and believed He is risen from the dead (Romans 10:9), He saves not only from our sin but forevermore!

Even when we are afflicted, betrayed, or opposed, God remains faithful. He will sustain us. Follow the example of David in Psalm 41, and trust that the Lord delights in His people – that He delights in saving us.

The #dailyPSALMSchallenge gives us the opportunity to start 2025 in God’s Word by digging into a psalm a day. Each day will identify a key passage for us to meditate on as well as seeking to help us see Jesus in the psalm and reflect on what we have read.

Won’t you take the challenge?

“Trusting the God of Our Salvation” from Psalm 25 (#dailyPSALMSchallenge)

Make me to know Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. Let me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day long.

Psalm 25:4-5

Psalm 25 is a heartfelt prayer of dependence on God’s guidance, forgiveness, and protection. David pours out his soul, expressing trust in God while seeking to be delivered from enemies, wisdom for life, and mercy for past sin. This is an acrostic poem, meaning that (for the most part) each verse beginning with a Hebrew letter A-Z (actually aleph א to tav ת), and emphasizes themes like trust, humility, and God’s covenant faithfulness.

David opens the psalm by lifting his soul to the Lord and declaring His trust in Him (vv. 1-2). This is active trust, not passive – a confident reliance on God’s character and promises. He boldly asks that he not be put to shame, knowing that those who wait on the Lord will not be disappointed in that regard (v. 3).

The heart of Psalm 25 is David’s plea for guidance and instruction. He desires to know God’s ways, to walk in His truth, and to live in obedience to Him (vv. 4-5). This humble plea reflects an awareness of his (and our) limitations and the need for God’s wisdom. David’s cry also reveals his teachable spirit, acknowledging that true wisdom comes only from the Lord.

David transitions to seeking forgiveness for his sins, particularly the sins of his youth (vv. 6-7). People often remark that it seems odd that David would be known as a man after God’s own heart when he very clearly is a sinner; vv. 6-7 give a good indication for what set him apart, namely repenting of his sin and seeking God’s mercy and steadfast love. David consistently holds to the consistency of God’s character and His steadfast love. It is also important to note that David acknowledges that God’s forgiveness is given and not earned – that it flows from God’s goodness and covenant faithfulness (v. 11).

In vv. 8-14, David highlights God’s character as good, upright, and faithful. He notes that God teaches sinners, leads the humble, and reveals His covenant to those who fear Him. This reverent fear fosters intimacy with God, described in v. 14 as “the friendship of the LORD”.

Psalm 25 concludes with David praying for deliverance from his troubles, enemies, and sins. He asks God to guard his soul and to preserve him through integrity and uprightness as he waits on the Lord (vv. 15-21). Finally, David expands his prayer to include all of Israel, asking God to redeem His people from their troubles (v. 22).

Seeing Jesus in Psalm 25

Psalm 25 finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus. David’s plea for forgiveness points us to the cross, where Jesus bore the penalty for sin and secured mercy for sinners. Only Jesus lived with perfect trust, humility, and obedience to God’s will, walking the path of righteousness without flaw or error.

As the God of our salvation, Jesus delivers us from sin and leads us in paths of righteousness. Like David, we can lift our souls to Him, confident that He will guide us, forgive us, and guard our lives for His glory.

Reflection

Psalm 25 calls us to trust God fully, seek His guidance, and rest in His mercy. As you do so, reflect on the following questions. 

Are you daily asking God to teach you His ways and lead you in His truth? 

Do you trust in God’s forgiveness, even for the sins of your youth? 

How does the promise of God’s friendship encourage you to walk in humility and obedience?

Lift your soul to the Lord today. Confess your need for His guidance, forgiveness, and protection. Wait on Him, knowing that He is faithful to answer and to redeem. Through Christ, you can walk in His paths with confidence and hope.

The #dailyPSALMSchallenge gives us the opportunity to start 2025 in God’s Word by digging into a psalm a day. Each day will identify a key passage for us to meditate on as well as seeking to help us see Jesus in the psalm and reflect on what we have read.

Won’t you take the challenge?

Songs for Sunday, January 26, 2025 @ Christ Community Church

Sunday’s coming, and that’s good news!

Have y’all ever gotten something stuck in your mind that you just couldn’t get unstuck? Of course you have – everyone has experienced this at some point and time. For me, it is the key verse from John’s sermon last week, Romans 12:15:

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

It’s simple. Straightforward. Clear. As John explained to us, this verse is really only four words in the Greek, essentially “rejoice — rejoicers, weep — weepers”. We, those of us who are saved and have been adopted into God’s family and grafted into His church, are to be there for our brothers and sisters, hurting when they hurt. That’s what family does, right? It should especially be so in the family of God.

As I have pondered on that verse (really simmered or stewed like a crockpot), it has had me thinking on why it is to be this way. And essentially, I have arrived at the conclusion that it stems from us extending grace to others as Jesus has extended grace to us.

One Scripture that came to mind is from the Sermon on the Mount right after Jesus gave us what we call “The Lord’s Prayer”. Look at Matthew 6:14-15:

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

This is not saying that we earn God’s forgiveness by forgiving others. If that were the case, we’d have no hope because humanity as a whole is not a forgiving people but rather quite selfish and self-serving. No, what Jesus is saying here is that the way we forgive is based on how we have been forgiven. If we understand that our sin put us at odds and enmity with Jesus and that He reconciled us to Himself and showed us love while we were still sinners, we will have an appreciation for that love and forgiveness that will show in how we forgive others.

This isn’t some theory on my part or some great epiphany. Jesus explained it similarly to Simon the Pharisee after the woman came in and washed Jesus’s feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and anointed them with costly perfume. When Simon (and Jesus’s own disciples) were critical of the woman’s wastefulness with pouring out very expensive perfume on Jesus’s feet, Jesus told them that the woman’s sins “which are many” had been forgiven which was why she “loved much”, and He clarified that the one who has been “forgiven little, loves little” (Luke 7:47).

If you are saved, you know that you have been forgiven MUCH because your sin — no matter how the world might view it — is a LOT, and definitely more than our sinless Savior should’ve had to bear on the cross. We deserve the cross, not Jesus. We deserve death, not Jesus. But because of His great love and richness in grace and mercy, He forgave much, loved much, and gave much. That kind of forgiveness, love, and grace changes folks’ lives. If you are saved, you have received this from Jesus and cannot help but extend it to others.

Simon didn’t get it. He thought he had some earthly status as a Pharisee. But when you look at the other gospels, you get, as Paul Harvey would’ve said, the rest of the story. Matthew 26:6 doesn’t call Simon a Pharisee; there he is referred to as “Simon the leper”. You don’t have to read a lot of the Bible to know that folks typically kept their distance from lepers. They were considered unclean. Folks would walk on the opposite side of the road to keep from touching one. They surely wouldn’t touch one, much less go to his house for supper. Long story short, Jesus wasn’t at Simon’s house to honor him but because Jesus had compassion on those no one else did. Jesus was a friend to sinners. He ate with tax collectors. He showed compassionate care to those the world had thrown away. No one was lining up at Simon’s door because Simon was unclean, untouchable, and unmistakably ostracized from society. Yet he looked at that poor woman weeping at Jesus’s feet and had the audacity to remark how pitiful it is that Jesus would let her touch Him (when anyone passing by could’ve remarked how pitiful it was for Jesus to go in Simon the leper’s house).

Simon didn’t get it.

Do we?

That woman had received a lot of grace because she’d committed a lot of sin.

That woman had experienced greater love from God who not only forgave her sin but would go on to die on the cross her sin deserved.

That woman had reason to weep sorrowfully over her sin against a holy God but had more reason to weep out of rejoicing that her sin was wholly forgiven by God and show love to Him in return.

What about us? Do we get it?

Look at how Paul put it in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God.

God has shown us grace and comfort because He loves us. We have the opportunity to show that grace and comfort to others. And this is sorely needed in a world today that seems like the rejoicing is getting more seldom and weeping is ever increasing.

Thankfully, Sunday’s coming. There is a coming Day when Jesus will return and gather His people to Him. The last tears of sorrow will be cried and wiped away by His nail-pierced hand. Death will be abolished. The sad things of this earth will come untrue. As the old hymn says, “What a Day — glorious Day — that will be!”

Until that day, we will gather and read God’s Word, sing God’s Word, and hear God’s Word preached. That’s what we’re singing about this Sunday: telling what Jesus has done for us. And as we do so, we will have brothers and sisters who are rejoicing about this or that. Rejoice with them. Assuredly there will be those with much to weep about. Weep with them. You have been given much grace and love. Christ Community family, it’s time to extend that grace and love to others.

Won’t you gather with us?

Here are our Scriptures & songs:

  • Scripture | Titus 3:1-7 —

1Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

  • Scripture | Galatians 6:14 —

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

  • Scripture | Revelation 1:17-18 —

17When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

I’m Thankful for My Friends — Gratitude & Hope Challenge | November 11

Friendship is something that I hope I never take for granted. It is something that I cherish more than I can express with words because, for many years, I did not have friends – at least not many or any at all who match the quality of today’s passage.

The imagery in this verse makes me picture entering a room and smelling something that reminds me of someone. You know how that works. God created our senses so that they work together specially for different purposes. The sense of smell is linked to emotion and memory – hearing, too, to a lesser degree – in a special way that one whiff can bring on waves of nostalgia, jog a memory, take you to a certain place, or remind you of a specific person. 

The “oil and perfume” here produces an emotional response or memory that makes “the heart glad”, and immediately takes that emotional reverie and ties it to the “sweetness” of a specific aspect of friendship. That aspect is the “counsel” of a friend.

Most of the time, when we think of what makes friendship sweet, “counsel” probably isn’t it. It is often the camaraderie of friendship or company. That is the counterargument that came to my mind. But God in His wisdom tells us that there is something better. This let’s us know that there is more to friendship than meets the eye – something sweeter than just what we want. God’s wisdom points us to friends who are willing to give us earnest counsel.

Now, some folks just shove their opinions in any old way. This ain’t that. Earnest counsel is advice or counsel that comes from a sincere place of intense conviction. This is not run-of-the-mill stuff but rather a rare willingness to be with people in tough times as well as good and offer help that they may not want but definitely need. This is not friendship that runs from disagreement but thrives despite it. This is friendship that loves in a way that will risk their own feelings to help the other. It is sacrificial and special. 

But keep in mind that counsel is not all this sort of friendship has to offer because friendships are more than its parts. As I write this, I am still overwhelmed by a show of friendship I experienced earlier in the week. Some of my friends whom I love and cherish dearly came to surprise me at a revival service I was preaching. They all have a lot going on in their lives right now. They are all tired. They are all stretched. Yet they decided to show they care and support me – despite their tiredness and busyness. They are friends that will offer counsel when I need it because they love me. There is a sweetness there that I am not conveying in my words because it is so intangible and unexplainable. You just know it when you’ve got it. In the same way that smells or sounds jog emotions is so vivid yet often unexplainable, this sort of friendship is something you know if you’ve got it. 

I’m thankful I do and hope I am half the friend they are to me.

Lord, thank you for my friends. Thank you for seeing fit to put us together and to build a bond deep enough to give needed counsel and broad enough to cover the range of emotions that our lives contain. Bless them and keep them, and help me to be such a friend to them. Amen.

All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).

This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!

Daily Wisdom Challenge — Proverbs 27

I have seen this proverb on t-shirts, coffee mugs, and many social media posts. But the place I see it most these days is in my life.

As we have seen throughout the #DailyWisdomChallenge, God’s wisdom is better — and often contrary — to the world’s wisdom. Worldly wisdom teaches men that they are to be self-sufficient, tough, stoic, and unbreakable. If I have learned anything in my decades of life and decades of being an adult man, men are breakable and definitely not entirely sufficient, at least that hasn’t been the case for me. I spent years trying to prove how strong and sufficient I am. Too many of those years were devoid of the kind of friendships that this proverb — that God’s wisdom — prescribes.

The good news is that God’s wisdom can repair the seemingly wasted years.

In the past decade or so, God began bringing Christ-like men into my life who hold me accountable when I go astray, lift me up when I fall down, and come alongside me to support me when I struggle. More than that, they celebrate with me in joyous times and have provided more laughter than I thought possible. I also get to provide the same to them, although not as well as they do for me.

I am better — sharper — because of the friendship of these men. This was God’s intention, hence Proverbs 27:17. God intended saved men to lift each other up and to sharpen each other’s lives and characters. This is contrary to the fickle relationships that pass for some friendships where people are enablers and anchors to negative behaviors or toxic, long-lasting adolescence. No, God provided us brothers who point us to Him and are willing to knock our rough edges off if we need it or help us cut through trouble if that’s what the occasion calls for.

Thank you, Lord, for the brothers you have sent me.

For the month of October (and November for slowpokes like me), we are answering the challenge John Goldwater, pastor of Christ Community Church in Grenada, MS, laid out — the #DailyWisdomChallenge. Each day, we are going to read through a chapter of Proverbs corresponding to the day of the month.

This fits with what we have studied in Colossians, specifically Colossians 3:1-2, namely that we should seek “the things that are above, where Christ is” and set our minds like a thermostat “on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”. Imagine what a month meditating on God’s Word daily can do for us.

Won’t you join us on this #DailyWisdomChallenge and set your minds on Christ?