Looking Forward!

Every year, in our church's Vacation Bible

School, the children are encouraged to look for "God Sightings." The term refers to a discipline in which the children purposefully look for events around them that declare God is at work. A God Sighting can be as noteworthy as an answered prayer or as simple as a recognition of gratitude for a loving family. Today I had a God Sighting.

A few days ago Dennis dropped a bombshell on me. I won't go into the specifics, but he (our family newsman--I, coward that I am, shy away from the news de jour) informed me that the government of China has issued more edicts against the practice of the Christian faith in that country. As if it wasn't hard enough to live for Jesus in that challenging environment already!

For many years, China has enforced a litany of rules that affect believing families. For one, children under 18 are not allowed to go to church! Now, on top of that, it will be even harder for our Christian brethren there to maintain their faith. They are now being required to sign a paper relinquishing their beliefs if their children are to attend school. Remaining true to Jesus is now, officially, an automatic prescription for remaining in the lower echelons of society: a Christian's children will receive no education, no good job ... It's one thing to suffer personally for one's beliefs, but when the suffering is passed on to one's children ...! The weight of this knowledge hovered like a dark cloud over me.

But, as to the miasma of gloom that now darkened my outlook, I thank God for examples in the Bible that tell me I am not alone. In fact, being in a funk puts me in good company. Many great men of God in the Bible suffered profound discouragement, Elijah and John the Baptist among them. It's called being human. The noteworthy thing, though, is that they didn't stay in that funk!

Many times we, in our own strength, cannot rise above the pain caused by dire human events. Pain is part of life, it is inevitable. But when we cannot rise above it--God steps in! He will always send a word of encouragement to His children, a "God Sighting", if you will (I Corinthians 10:13). To Elijah He spoke words of encouragement in a still, small voice; to John He sent a messenger to report on all the great things Jesus was doing. When God's child gets "down", God's Spirit lifts him/her up!

That is what happened to me. God sent a messenger to encourage me when my heart felt it could bear no more. The following was my "God Sighting".

Many mornings I look for a YouTube video from our beloved friend, missionary Dr. Oscar Brooks, with which to start the day. Some kind person from The Way of the Cross Ministries posts the short sermonettes Dr. Brooks gives there when he leads the daily devotional held by that ministry. For many years Dennis and I were blessed to sit under Dr. Brook's ministry. His words invariably contain a special spark, a je ne sais quoi, pouring forth from a true gift for sharing wonderful, glorious truths in God's Word, truths many times dredged forth from obscure Biblical facts, in ways we had never before heard. His words are always anointed and never boring. They sure weren't this morning!

"Let's give this one labeled 'Spanish' a whirl this morning," I thought.

I kid you not. No sooner had I turned it on than my hair stood on end! It was labeled "Spanish", but it was in English--and it spoke directly to my downcast spirit. It was 100% what I needed to hear! There's no way I can do justice to Dr. Brook's words, but here is part of what ministered to me.

Dr. Brooks talked about a story in Jeremiah 32. In times past, that same story has ministered to me in other ways; today, true to form, Dr. Brooks brought out truths embedded in the story with a poignancy that touched chords in my spirit.

Who, he asked, would buy land in a war torn country? When in prison no less! But God had Jeremiah do just that--buy land as a visual promise to His people that better days were coming. And that is His Word to us today: better days are coming! Despite all we see around us, do not give up!

Abraham, Dr. Brooks said, was a pilgrim, a traveler through this world, "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God" (Hebrews 11:10). Through all his travels and travails, he, the father of our faith, looked forward, searching for those promises that God had given him. He was not discouraged by the bumps in the road, the delay in seeing God's promises fulfilled--he knew something good was coming, he had God's promises about it, and he kept on looking forward.

Such great clouds of evil have begun to envelop the world, our country, that we, as Christians, often feel a kinship with Lot, who Scripture says was "vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked" (2Peter 2:7). The Greek word for "vexed" here means "exhausted, worn down, affected, treated roughly". The word "conversation" literally means "behavior in wantonness". Wantonness is a rather old fashioned word we don't hear used much anymore, but all it means is a licentious manner of life. Does this ring any bells with you?

It's hard not to be worn down and discouraged by the evil rising up around us. But we do not need to be disheartened! Just like Abraham looked for a better place, just like Jeremiah made a prophetic purchase, we have God's promise that this is not the end--better times are coming! For sure in the next life, and if we haven't finished what He has called us to do, in this life, too. We are to keep our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2), His Sword (God's Word) at the ready (Ephesians 6:17), and live knowing that the day will come when every wrong will be righted (Colossians 3:25). And God's encouraging words are not sent just to tickle our ears--they are to give us strength. They are to help us look forward, like the great men of faith in the Bible. Abraham kept walking with God, no matter what, as did Jeremiah--in God's strength.

What does this mean for us? With God's encouragement, we won't fold our hands in despair--we will lift them up and finish our course with joy--and prayer. If you are anything like me, there are times when I feel that praying is "not doing much"; in truth, however, it's quite the opposite. Praying is everything. God can use our prayers to change lives, no matter our limitations, no matter our age.

I had a dear friend, now with the Lord, who at 95 years of age prayed in the Spirit and received a word to give to her daughter who was going to minister in another state. Every single part of that word came to pass. And it changed the life of the young woman to whom it was sent! Don't let the evil around us strangle your spirit! Don't give up! Don't say you're too old! Don't say you can't do much! You can make a difference! You can pray!

I invite you to join me in touching the hand of God in interceding for His beloved children in persecuted countries. It might be that through our prayers they will receive the very strength and help they need.

Auntie Trinie was big on Psalm 107:20 and, once she shared it with me, it became a favorite passage of my own. It says, "He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions." We might not be able to go physically and help, but we can pray and send God's word of deliverance!

And the added benefit? Reaching out in prayer brings deliverance to us! "And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends" (Job 42:11). Isn't God amazing????

Thank you, God, for this "God Sighting" that got me back on track, looking at You, serving you, instead of letting all the discouraging news around us quench my spirit.

"Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2).