Momentum For Monday, November 27th 2023
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 KJV)
*A post by guest writer: Jeff Foster- Jeff is a native of Caldwell County in the foothills of North Carolina where resides with his wife Lorena near the small town of Hudson. An active and faithful member of his local church, Jeff serves by teaching and working in outreach activities. Jeff’s latest book, Pondering God’s Word is available at his website (https://seedsowing.org/pondering-gods-word/).
Spending a little time each week with our home-bound and elderly church members to offer a little encouragement is often an educational experience for me. It’s always such a pleasure to sit and listen to stories from their younger days. Although most of those folks have family members who either care for them daily or check on them regularly, they still yearn for a friendly face to sit and chat for a while.
Last week I visited a gentleman who has only recently become unable to get out and work his farm that had kept him busy over the last six or seven decades. Life can change quickly for a man his age. Now he spends his days in the old green upholstered chair that is the most comfortable for him, watching the big flatscreen television with the volume turned up high so he can hear. The realistic high-definition images on the screen do not impress him, declaring that if this tv ever goes out he’ll have another small one that fits on the built-in bookshelf, “where it belongs”. I can’t help but grin as I realize that I too have trouble accepting all the new-fangled technology sometimes.
As the conversation turned to current events, (not what’s going on in the world that you see on the 6 o’clock news as you may be thinking, but what is going on in his little piece of the world that hardly anyone sees), the gentleman related a late afternoon visit to the hospital for an MRI a couple weeks before. His belt with the metal buckle had to be removed for the test of course and by the time the test was completed, it was late in the afternoon. His arthritic hands having trouble getting the belt started through the loops, the young technician offered to help.
What has never occurred to me is that my aged left-handed friend threads his belt in the opposite direction than I do, and apparently as the technician does his as well. The young man’s genuine offer of help was quickly met with resistance, “You’re starting in it backwards!” The old man’s anxiety from having to lie still in that medical mechanical monstrosity much longer than was comfortable heightened his frustration with the young fellow just trying to do his job. I couldn’t help but laugh as my elder friend related this story to me. Though he was serious when telling the story my laughter made him realize the humor now of what at the time had been mildly traumatic for him. He was quick to point out that during the many other times he had been at this facility the staff were kind-hearted and took very good care of him.
Our verses in 2 Corinthians chapter 1, explain why God allows us to go through trials and unpleasant circumstances. We know we can find comfort in those situations by trusting in Him. By having first-hand knowledge of the comfort provided by God’s Holy Spirit within us we can offer comfort to unbelievers who we find in the same or similar situation, thereby giving us opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
But the lesson I learned with the left-handed belt buckle is that even in the everyday mundane tasks, I still must rely on God. If I’m not careful I will let tiny annoyances stir up my temper and I will say or do things which not only are displeasing to God but might ruin an opportunity to be a credible witness for Jesus. The apostle Paul said it best I think in Romans 7:15 (ESV), “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” It’s not an easy journey my friends. But God is faithful with new mercy each morning.
“Heavenly Father, You are such a good God to us. I thank you for loving and caring for me. Thank you most of all for the blood shed on that old cross that paid for my sin and made a way for me to live with you forevermore. Lord, I pray that every hour, every moment, You would guard my thoughts, guard my tongue, that I would always be an encouragement and a help, never a hindrance to those I encounter, that somehow my actions might point someone to Your Son Jesus Christ, for it is in His Holy Name I pray, Amen.”