Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Homeless or Angel

Hi Everyone ~ 
  Have you ever entertained an angel unaware?   I know what you're probably thinking, "Well, Rebecca, that's a silly question.  How would I know? Doesn't the Bible say we minister to them "unaware"?  Hebrews 13 starts out, " Let brotherly love continue.  Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." O.K. yeah, good point...  How 'bout this: Do you ever THINK you've entertained an angel? 
     I think Ronnie and I tried to minister to one recently!  This may not seem like a big deal to you, but I am almost convinced God sent an angel across our path, perhaps even my guardian angel. By the time you hear the end of the story you'll see how God used our effort to supply my need :) Angel or not... God is really, really cool!
     So...on with the story. Late one afternoon Ronnie and I headed to a friend’s wedding in Orlando.  We were both starving.  I hadn't eaten much all day.  For one, I had been too busy, but mainly I hadn't eaten much because we were supposed to meet a good friend in Orlando that night at the Dessert Lady!  (O.K....ever heard of that place?  Me neither, but supposedly her desserts are to die for! )  We pulled off onto an exit headed for a Chic-fil-A to get dinner before we met our friend.  As we exited down the off ramp, a light rain began to fall and I noticed a man standing at the bottom of the hill at the red light. He instantly caught my attention and I said, "Ah... if I had an umbrella in here, I'd throw it out there to him."  
     It so happened that our place at the red light landed the man right outside Ronnie's window, close enough for him to make eye contact with us.  Sure enough, he stood holding a cardboard sign with black marker writing.  Actually, I don't even know what the sign read.  I just noticed the word, "homeless".  As we waited for the light to change the man made awkward continual eye contact with us, throwing these passive-aggressive, pleading looks our way. 
     The man became the topic of discussion during the ever-enduring red light.  Ronnie noticed right away that his clean-shaven, manicured go-tee and rather clean - albeit- wet clothes showed that the man didn't appear to be too homeless.  We wondered if he was indeed homeless and questioned if he would take anything other than money if we offered it to him.  All the while, the middle-aged, greying man cast occasional, yet purposed eye contact, starring straight at us and ignoring the other cars in line.  Relief swept over me as the light finally turned green. Just as we pulled off, I caught one last disgusted glare from the man that seemed to say said, "You people with your cars and homes are all alike..." 
   I can't speak for Ronnie, but I have never given anything to people holding signs on the side of the road, especially ones who give disgusted looks to those they are asking to help them. It's not because I don't want to help.  I do, if they really need it.  I've actual experienced a sort of homeless before and I understand desperate.  My heart goes out to people in need. It's just that I don't know if I should believe them or not.  And I've always heard you shouldn't give them money.  Because of all that, the thought to help this guy never seriously entered my mind.  But as we pulled away Ronnie said, "We could buy him a sandwich if you want."  Immediately, my heart quickened.  I'd love to do that and felt very impressed that God would have us do it. I piped up, "Yes, lets do it."
     We bought the sandwich and backtracked to the exit. Ronnie pulled off to the side of the road to deliver our hot meal to the clean-shaven man standing in the rain.  But the man was gone.  I mean gone... like he had vanished.  It hadn't taken us long to get the food.  We couldn't imagine where he could have slipped away so quickly.  We rode over to the gas station and Ronnie jumped out to see if he had dashed in there for cover from the rain.  He was no where to be found...
     I remember thinking, as we finally gave up the search for the man, the impression to buy this sandwich was so strong and the whole experience so odd, I knew God meant it for someone. Obviously the roadside stranger wouldn't be the recipient, but in my heart I figured God had something up His sleeve.  My curiosity grew in anticipation as to what God had planned.
    We finally made it to our hotel and longer story short...our plans fell through to meet our friend. The only problem being that I still hadn't eaten enough at supper.  I had rationed out my food intake, saving for the Dessert Lady and now we weren't going... 
    My sinking energy level from the stress of the week and bad meals had begun taking its toll. Like the straw that broke the camel's back, I was wiped out and didn't know how to snap out of it. This may seem really silly to you, but at the end of the day, I was the one who ate the sandwich...the glorious, 2 hour old, cold, Chick-fil-A sandwich!  I gobbled it up like a homeless person who hadn't eaten for days. Here's the kicker... I don't even like Chick-Fil-A, but at that moment it tasted like The Loop to me!  The sandwich hit the spot like a weird magic potion that brought life back into my soul.  
    I can't prove it, but I believe the stranger on the side of the road may have been an angel sent by God to help his weary daughter.  No, I hadn't experienced a life or death situation, but I needed the encouragement of knowing I have a God who sees right where I am.  The fact that He loves and cares enough to make provision for my future needs warmed my heart and ensured me I'm safe in His care :)  
     He feels the same about you!  He cares enough to assign an angel specifically to you.  And even better than that, He sent His Holy Spirit to be your constant Companion and Guide.  May you know His comfort today.  May your heart be set at rest knowing He is with you.  He sees you.  He is, as we speak, providing for what you will need in the moments and days ahead :) 

Hope & Glory! To You ~ Love
Rebecca 

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Fight Like a Girl


Hi All ~ Ever feel like giving up?  Read on...please!

     The dry crusty earth beneath my cleated shoes begs for relief.  And the earth is not the only one longing for a respite. All of those around me are affected by intensity of the day. The scorching sun rests itself directly above us for what feels like hours raining down heat rays intense enough to boil water. My metal shield soaks up the sun like a horse shoe in the furnace. But I don’t dare let go.  That trusty shield is my only recourse against the Enemy’s fiery darts whizzing past me in every direction.
     I hate to say it but some of the darts originate from behind and to the sides of me where fellow comrades stand.  It sounds odd. In such an intense and fierce battle you expect to ward off darts from the Enemy in front of you, not from behind... from your own. But it happens. Those blows prove the most fatal, causing the victim to drop her shield and gasp in disbelief at the wound.  She drops to her knees in agony not only from the arrow’s penetration, but also from the piercing sting to her heart. Looking around in confusion and disbelief, her head drops as she realizes that this gash came from within the camp. 
      Regardless of where or how a soldier is hit by the fiery dart, the first tendency is naturally to drop the shield. Then you are open game. Vulnerable. Susceptible to the whim and whimsy of the evil schemes. Exactly what the Enemy is banking on. Unfortunately, the Adversary (big shock)…doesn’t play fair. The minute a shield lowers, the arrows seem to come like a magnet toward the wounded.
      I know. It’s happened to me.  If it hadn’t been for members of my squadron coming to my aid, who knows what would have happened to me!  I guess that explains my passion, not only to fight the fight, but to look out for the fellow soldiers around me.
     The battle’s intensity has escalated in recent days. Lately, I look around at those I love; those faithful to the cause; those determined to endure to the end. Many are being hit.  Hit from all directions. All I know to do is hold tight to my shield as I run to their aid. I slam the shields upright in the dirt to form a tiny garrison as I assess the damage.  I wipe the tear and offer a drink from my canteen. Then I do my best to stabilize the wound.  And the cool thing… All around me others loyal to the cause are shouting out warnings, “Soldier, duck!  Incoming!” Once they’ve spotted us they rush to our side and stand guard to protect us.  As more help comes, I grab my shield and run across the field to offer the same comfort to another, ever mindful of those who did the same for me.
     Sometimes I find a big rock to lean against and take a minute to hide behind my own shield, darts dashing in every direction. The tears bubble up from the pit at the pain of my friends. I am weary and overwhelmed…My water bottle is empty.  I’ve given all its contents away to those who needed it more. And then I ask myself, "Is this worth it?"  But the question doesn’t linger long.  My teeth grit, my lips press together, my fist bangs into the ground below me.  Through the mist I breathe these words of resolve to my Commander in Heaven, “By your grace I will not give up! I will not quit! The cargo is too precious, the price too costly.  I will pick up my sword of your word and my shield of faith. I will fight on!”
     About that time, my good buddy catches me huddled to the side.  She rushes to my aid, pulls her shield close to mine as she rests herself against the rock. Catching her breath she says, “Are you alright?  Here, I thought you might need a little of this.”  From her side she pulls out her own precious canteen and to my lips flow the ice cold drink my dry soul so desperately needs.
     And so it is in the battlefield of life…but I grit my teeth and press my lips together in steadfast determination.  I will look up.  I will not quit.  I will accept your help.  I will offer mine to you. Together we will fight the good fight!  We will endure hardness as the good soldiers of Jesus Christ! II Timothy 2:1-4
Hope & Glory! to You ~ Love 
Rebecca
P.S.  You know we win, right?!      

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Got Questions?



Hello All ~
     I have more questions today than I have answers.  I’m positive you know what I’m talking about.  There are those days or weeks or even years when we just don’t know…  It’s important to decipher which questions are of God and which are of the Enemy.  They both ask them.  Just take a look at the very first story in scripture in Genesis 3 and you can see that.  But today is not about the questions…
     While I don’t have all the answers I’m thankful for the parts I do know.  For the last 3 months God has delivered the same message to me in various ways.  He keeps telling me, “Be strong.  Be very courageous.  Do it.  Be strong.”  I wish I had the space to share with you all the passages He has lead me to in the last several weeks that communicate these words.  I didn’t go looking for them!  They have come in my regular Bible reading or messages I’ve heard preached on the radio or at church.  It’s been wild.  Who knew those words appeared so many different places in scripture!
     I’m grateful for each encouragement, but I realize this verbiage is more than some happy little cheerleader type of positiveness. (I know that’s not really a word) These words are a command.  So I’ve dug my heels in and I’m trying… but I haven’t done so well.  In fact, I’ve been more stressed out and crazed than ever…hence some of the question… but once again today is not about the questions.  “So what is it about?” you ask. (See more questions!)  Follow me here…
     Recently, during a much-needed Sabbath rest, God showed me something amazing.  I’ve always loved and often quoted the verse, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him…” from II Chronicles 16.  But until this week I never knew the verse’s context OR that the verse doesn’t end there. 
     This verse landed in the middle of a conversation a prophet had with a king who had loved God with all his heart and called upon him for help when he found his nation in trouble… until now.  King Asa enjoyed years of peace and quiet until the end of his reign when an enemy decided to attack.  So what did Asa do? (Stop with the questions)  He called on the King of Syria to help… Seemed logical enough, but logical and God don’t always jive. The prophet reminded Asa of the times when huge nations were headed for Judah’s jugular and God miraculously saved the day.  And how God’s eyes roam to and fro to show Himself strong…  In other words, He loves to step in and rescue when we cast ourselves on Him!
     The verse ends with, “but you have done foolishly…” Interpreted…You didn’t allow God to be strong on your behalf.  You tried to figure out how to be strong on your own…Click!  Light bulb! That is sounding a little familiar.
     Oh!  After all these years of watching God step in for me, of witnessing miraculous provision, of enjoying the freedom and relief of complete abandonment on Him, how could I have forgotten to ask Him for help? (May be the best question I’ve asked all day) And yet I had.  I realized during that Sabbath rest, that God, while commanding me to be strong, never intended for me to be strong on my own.  He desired to be my strength.  He delights in showing HIMSELF strong on my behalf if my heart will only be perfect toward Him.  So instead of trying to figure it out on my own I plan on seeking Him to be my strength from now on.
     …Well, I don’t have all the answers, but I think I have the answer I need most today. I believe I'll take God up on His offer :)

Hope & Glory to You my friend ~
Rebecca