When I watch this commercial, I also find something else. To me, I realize that people of all makes and models come to church with various problems. Some who come to church are broken—no matter their presentation; deep down they are not as perfect as we think. If we were to look at some folks, we wouldn’t see that they just had a fight with their spouse. Or, they are caring for an elderly parent and they are running on an emotionally empty tank. People come to church with guilt and worry and feelings of insecurity. Instead of running from God with our problems, we ought instead run to God and ask for God’s wisdom and aid in our time of distress. This is what Jesus was telling his listeners. When we turn to God in our distress, we will be comforted. In our Isaiah reading, we read where the prophet Isaiah is telling Israel how much God is a part of their lives. At the beginning of the Isaiah text, Isaiah asks, “How can you say the Lord does not see your troubles? How can you say God refuses to hear your case? Have you never heard or understood? Don’t you know that the Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of all the earth? God never grows faint or weary. No one can measure the depth of God’s understanding” (Isaiah 40:27-28). Put more succinctly, God sees, hears, and understands our lives and our problems. We can know that when we pray, God hears us and wants to get involved in our renewal. But there is more to God than just prayer and sympathy. God is also our strength giver. The prophet Isaiah reminds Israel, “That those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” When we can trust in God’s ways and promises, we can find the strength and wisdom we need to face our problems. If you are a seasoned person of faith, think of a time when God has helped you through a problem. Were you able to summon the strength to handle a difficult time in your life, especially after talking with God in prayer? Were you able to handle the death of a family member or friend, knowing that you had turned over the experience to God in prayer? How about facing a divorce? Or an unexpected tragedy or experience? God can give us the strength and wisdom we need to face any problem, when we pray and ask for it.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 16:10:54 +0000
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