Welcome to Pastor Jack Buckley's weekly blog and podcast.
You have three ways to hear his weekly message:
- Read Pastor Jack's GODblog.
- Listen now to an audio of the scripture reading and Pastor Jack's sermon.
- Listen anytime. You choose the time and place. Download Pastor Jack's GODcast to your MP3 player.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Say What?
Psalm 37:1-6; James 1:2-8
In this week's message,"Getting to Yes With God," Pastor Jack focused on the paradox of joy in the midst of trouble. The letter of James says we're wisest when we seek and find God's good will at work, even in the worst of circumstances. Pie in the sky?
Listen to the GODcast!
_______________
"If everything seems to be coming your way, you're probably driving in the wrong direction." My wise-guy friend Olivier told me that.
"When things aren't going your way, that's the time to rejoice." A wise man named James tells us that. (The letter of James, chapter 1, verse 2)
You might think this James guy is a few cards short of a full deck.
But he's no pie-in-the-sky optimist, nor a hit-me-again-please masochist.
He isn't talking about being happy when life is hard, when your health is poor, or when your money's short.
Happiness depends on what's happening, on good circumstances. But joy goes to the bone, to the heart of the matter, even in the worst of circumstances.
When things are bad, God is still good. And God goes with you every step of the way through the deepest troubled waters and into the hottest of circumstantial flames. That's cause for joy.
When Jesus hung dying on the cross, he did cry out the bitter question, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?!" (Mark 16:34) But after that, just before his last breath, he said, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." (Luke 23:46) Enduring the most gruesome anguish, he was confident that God was there, taking care of his greatest need -- spiritual peace.
I don't know what troubles might be knocking you around right now. But I am confident there's a place of calm security for you right in the middle of it all. Not physical safety, maybe. Not necessarily financial success, nor relational happiness.
I do wish all of those for you. But most of all, I pray a centered place of serenity for your weary soul.
The 12-Steps people say a daily prayer: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
That simple little prayer is no escape hatch from real life. Far from it.
In fact, its first pray-er was Reinhold Niebuhr, a minister in New York City who devoted all his energies to the cause of social justice. The changes he was praying about were the kind of things that would help God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
So let joy be the keynote of your life. Not for happiness' sake, but to open the way for serenity, courage, and wisdom to do their good work in you, one day at a time. It will make a world of difference. For you and for the whole wide world.
posted by Jack Buckley at
9:54 AM
<< Home
|
|
 |
|
|
