"Love Through Pain"

 

“Love Through Pain”

 

Shortly after moving to a new pastorate in New York’s Southern Tier I visited a home in which the husband was terminally ill and was being cared for by his wife and other family members with help from church and community friends. After about two months he was hospitalized to better manage his painful condition. A day or two later I received a call that he’d probably not live through the day so I went to his room to pray and be present with him. Soon his son arrived, went to his dad’s bedside and heard him whisper, “How’s Ron?”, his toddler grandson who’d undergone surgery earlier in the week. When his son replied that the child was doing well he smiled through his pain. Later in the day this godly gentleman stepped into Heaven. Perhaps this was the last thing he wanted to know before meeting Jesus.

I thought about this incident when I read Jesus’ third statement from the cross: “When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved (i.e. John) standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’” In His agony He, as His mother’s firstborn son, saw to her care by entrusting her to His friend. (Some scholars believe that Mary and John’s mother were sisters so there may have been a family relationship as well.) John then “…took her into his home.” (John 19:26-27). Like the man above, Jesus showed His concern for someone He loved hours before His death.

As we remember and celebrate our Lord’s crucifixion, burial and resurrection this month He showed His love not only for His mother but for the world (“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.”—1 John 3:16). The plan was completed when “…God raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.” (Romans 4:24). Forty days later He ascended into Heaven and “…sat at the right hand of God.” (Mark 16:19, emphasis added) indicating that the work of salvation had been completed and He “…is now interceding for us.” (Romans 8:34) as our “…Advocate with the Father….” (1 John 2:1, NKJV). In the words of the last line of Beatrice Bush Bixler’s “I Am Not Worthy”, “What mercy, what love and what grace!” This is available to all (“…Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”—Romans 10:13, emphasis added)—receive God’s gift by trusting Jesus this Resurrection Season.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"GoFundGod"

 

“GoFundGod”

 

In 2010 Brad Damphousse and Andrew Ballester founded “GoFundMe”, an online program to “raise money for personal causes, emergencies, charitable projects and life events.” Pages are set up to receive donations for ministries, medical expenses, disaster relief and other worthwhile projects. While its intention may be honorable it’s also subject to fraud and abuse. So it’s important that we make sure that any need presented is legitimate and not a scam for personal advantage.

The entrepreneurs who created “GoFundMe” thought they had an original idea but David beat them to it by about 3000 years. Even though God had told the king that he’d not have the privilege of building the temple dedicated to worshipping Him David took action to provide resources for his son Solomon to do so. In 1 Chronicles 29 David established a “GoFundGod” for this great effort: “The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for (people) but for the Lord God. With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God…Besides…I now give my personal treasures…over and above everything I have provided….” (Verses 1-3). After setting this example he issued a challenge to the citizenry: “Now, who is willing to consecrate (oneself) today to the Lord?” (Verse 5). The leaders then “…gave willingly….” (Verse 6) and the construction was successfully completed about eleven years later (1 Kings 7:51).

Hardly a day goes by without our receiving requests for donations through texts, email or snail mail. Be they ministries or otherwise, most are worthwhile but obviously it’s not possible to give to each one. So how can we be reasonably assured that what we donate will be utilized for the stated purpose? First, pray for wisdom in using what God’s entrusted to us (James 1:5). Then, too, we can request a financial statement (if there’s reluctance to provide this it’s a big red flag). And for ministries the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) was established in 1979 to set standards for Christian organizations’ fiscal practices. And for most charitable efforts (both religious and secular) information can be obtained from Charity Navigator concerning how donations and other resources are allocated.

God says, “…It is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.” (1 Corinthians 4:2, NASB). Let’s put this into practice in our “GoFundGod” efforts and all other financial decisions.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"Unfounded Fears"

 

“Unfounded Fears”

 

Many people are plagued by phobias, defined as unfounded or abnormal fears, which can have great impact on their lives. The possibilities for phobias are virtually unlimited and in extreme cases professional intervention is needed to provide what Rabbi Edwin Friedman calls “a non-anxious presence”. On a personal level people like you and me can fulfill this role in less serious cases (“Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.”—Proverbs 12:25, NLT).

Some common phobias include claustrophobia (fear of small or closed places), glossophobia (fear of speaking in public or before a group) and ophidiophobia (fear of snakes—I qualify here). Less common ones are aerophobia (fear of flying), acrophobia (fear of heights), trypanophobia (fear of needles), ornithophobia (fear of birds) and gephyrophobia (fear of crossing bridges). In my pastoral and chaplain roles I’ve known of people afflicted with each of these and other conditions which can cause great anxiety and hinder their quality of life and relationships.

There’s certainly a place for legitimate fears in our lives (e.g. of uncontrolled fire, an approaching tsunami and especially God’s judgment of sin {“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”—Hebrews 10:31, NKJV}) but God doesn’t want us to live in unfounded fear. Someone has pointed out that the phrase “Do not be afraid” or an equivalent appears 365 times in Scripture. Why is it repeated so often? So people like me will get it eventually! An anonymous psalmist wrote, “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.” (Psalm 94:19).

In 2 Timothy 1:7 Paul encourages his co-worker, “…God did not give us a spirit of timidity (other translations say fear), but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” So if we’re dealing with unfounded fears they don’t come from God but are distractions from our archenemy to minimize our effectiveness in what He has for us to do, Rather, let’s hold onto His promise given through His prophet: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10, emphasis added). That’s God’s way of dealing with our unfounded fears—trust Him to keep His word.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"A Blessed Day"

 

“A Blessed Day”

 

Shortly after getting up most mornings I repeat the words of Psalm 118:24 in my mind: “This is the day the Lord has made; let (me) rejoice and be glad in it.” I then pray briefly for the commitments and plans for the day as well as immediate needs of family and friends. I also ask the Lord to prepare me for the “unknowns” that might come my way and give wisdom as He’s promised (“…The Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”—Proverbs 2:6, NLT). I’ve seen this prayer answered often, sometimes in extraordinary ways.

A few days ago I had two morning appointments. The first was a PSA blood test to prepare for a regular check-up with the oncologist who oversaw my prostate radiation in 2024. The lab technician had a picture of Jesus as the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5) in her work station and we had a brief but meaningful conversation concerning needs in her life. (An added blessing was that my PSA level was 0.05!) From the clinic I joined a friend for breakfast at a local eatery. As we prepared to thank God for the food and our time together he asked our server if she had needs we could pray about. Her response was that she was trusting Jesus to bring her through some difficult circumstances which prompted a short conversation about her relationship with God. (An added bonus: my “guest” insisted on picking up the check!) Then as we were fellowshipping around eggs and pancakes a group of fourteen men arrived for their weekly time together and they began with a round of prayer. We later spoke with them for about ten minutes about the many ways God has worked in us throughout our lives. Since these “chance meetings” (Karen calls them “God hugs”) I’ve prayed for these sixteen sisters and brothers in Christ whom I might never again see this side of Heaven.

Every day is a gift from our Heavenly Father (see James 1:17) but some stand out as special. This was one of those especially blessed days for which I’m thankful. Our backgrounds were varied but, in the words of King David, “How good and pleasant it is when (brothers and sisters) live together in unity.” (Psalm 133:1). Amen!

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"Stuck with Us?"

 

“Stuck with Us?”

 

In a high school English class structural ambiguity, a term for a sentence or phrase that can have the same words but be understood in different ways, was discussed. (Sometimes the French phrase “double entendre” is used to describe this grammatical feature.) To illustrate  I came up with this example: “What are you doing here?” Depending on which word is emphasized as well as one’s tone of voice it can be perceived as a request for information, an accusation or an insult. These possibilities show the need to be careful with how we speak (including our body language) to minimize the potential for conflicts.

Here’s another one: “God’s stuck with us.” Taken one way we might conclude that He has to care for us whether He wants to or not; interpreted differently it shows He’ll be with us no matter what the circumstances might be. Which sounds more like the God of the Bible?

In His last meeting with His disciples the night before His crucifixion Jesus said to them, “You did not choose me, but I chose you….” (John 15:16, emphasis added). In effect He was saying, “I’m not stuck with you—I’m choosing you because I want a relationship with you.” Then about six weeks later just before returning to Heaven and sitting at His Father’s right hand He told these same men, “I will be with you always….” (Matthew 28:20, emphasis added). So He’s not stuck with us—He’s stuck with us!

There may be times we’ve felt abandoned and alone by family, friends and even God (see the recent posting “Through It All”). But He’s seen us through, not because He had to against His will but because He chose us as His own and said, “You are my friends….” (John 15:14). Solomon wrote, “Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you….” (Proverbs 18:24, TM, emphasis added). Jesus is that True Friend who’s stuck with us and can be counted on to be with us—and we with Him—for eternity.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"Thermometers or Thermostats?"

 

“Thermometers or Thermostats?”

 

For some reason in recent years I’ve become intrigued with suffixes which give words added meaning. In 2024 I posted back-to-back articles “What ‘-Form?’” and “What Kind of ‘-Holic?’” Attaching “-form” suggests acting in a particular way (e.g. conform and perform) and “-holic” carries the idea of being controlled (e.g. workaholic and shopaholic). Each can affect us positively or negatively depending on the place we give them in our lives.

A couple of weeks ago I was looking through a stack of accumulated blog ideas to see if an old thought might gain new life (see “What to Write” for more on this process). I ran across a note of three words: “Thermometer or Thermostat?” “Thermo” comes from a Greek word for heat, “-meter” is derived from a Greek term for measuring conditions and “-stat” has its root in a Greek expression for stationary or a standard. Each suffix has technical and scientific usages as well as in everyday conversation and writing.

As I pondered this thought which became this article’s title I asked myself if I’m more like a thermometer or thermostat. Am I more prone to be unduly influenced by conditions around me or contribute in some way to making a positive impact? Paul warns us to avoid the former in Romans 12:2 (PH): “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God remold your minds from within….” In other words, don’t be a thermometer which responds to conditions around us. In contrast, Jesus tells us that “You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:13-14), indicating that we’re to be agents of change for the good as salt enhances food’s flavor and light dispels darkness (stated another way, be thermostats).

God has prepared us for our role through Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17), the Spirit’s power (Acts 1:8) and His gifting (1 Peter 4:10). Are we ready to be the influencers rather than the influenced through our lives in a needy world?

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"Through It All"

 

“Through It All”

 

A few weeks ago my daily Bible reading brought me to Jeremiah 20. God’s prophet had been beaten and imprisoned for speaking God’s message of judgment. In Verses 7-19 Jeremiah pours out his heart in complaint to God for his plight, mentioning that he felt God had deceived him, his being ridiculed and insulted, his being watched so his shortcoming could be reported and even expressing grief that he’d been born. He likely felt useless and wanted out.

I echoed Jeremiah’s thoughts during a very difficult fourteen year period of my life. It was a time of major struggle and uncertainty with a similar range of emotions as the prophet had experienced more than 2500 years previously. But God brought me and my family through it all in extraordinary ways of provision and encouragement through the prayers and presence of many godly people and especially Karen’s love and support. The words from Jeremiah in Lamentations 3:22-23 proved true: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Emphasis added). In the words of a youth group chorus of decades ago, “The road may be long but my Savior is strong, and He holds my hand.”

In the midst of his expressing his grievances to God Jeremiah writes, “Sing to the Lord! Give praise to the Lord! He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked.” (Verse 13). Even in his darkest moment the prophet recognizes God’s presence and work in his life. Similarly in my lowest time God spoke to me through Andrae Crouch’s wonderful song, “Through It All”:

“I’ve had many tears and sorrows I’ve had questions for tomorrow

There’s been times I didn’t know right from wrong

But in every situation God gave me blessed consolation

That my trials come to only make me strong

 

“I’ve been to many places I’ve seen a lot of faces

But there were times that I felt so all alone

But in my lonely hours Yes, those precious lonely hours

Jesus lets me know that I was His own

 

“So I thank God for the mountains And I thank Him for the valleys

And I thank Him for the storms He’s brought me through

For if I’d ever had a problem I’d never know that God could solve them

I’d never know what faith in God could do

 

“Through it all Through it all I’ve learned to trust in Jesus I’ve learned to trust in God

Through it all Through it all I’ve learned to depend upon His Word”

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan