We have often heard the axiom that when life serves us lemons we should turn the lemons into lemonade. I don’t know about you, but I find that is not always an easy thing to do. There have been times when I have been confronted by an issue the seemingly overwhelms me. I twist and turn and cannot see my way around the issue or circumstance. It is as if my brain, if not my life, has been put on pause. How can one turn lemons into lemonade if you do not have the water, sugar or a lemon squeezer?
I must confess there have been times when it took me a few moments to remember that prayer will provide the tools to get beyond the problem that perplexes me. I might even be provided with the smile and cheerful outlook to overcome the issue.
This is not something new, I imagine all of you have confronted similar situations. Certainly, history is fraught with individuals confronted with a situation and finding unique ways to overcome life’s most difficult problems.
On April 15, 1912 the RMS Titanic, the Unsinkable Ship, did the unthinkable and sank after hitting an iceberg. Unfortunately, there were not enough lifeboats to accommodate all the passengers and crew. Famously, a decision was made to save all the women and children first. Then the men and crew members. Knowing that there was not enough room in the lifeboats for them the Titanic’s band led by Wallace Hartley played music continuously to keep the passengers calm until the ship slipped under the waves.
There are many legends, myths and folklore surrounding the sinking of the Titanic, but the story of the band in the face of certain death playing music to soothe the passengers is an enduring and true story.
To persevere even under the worst of circumstances is truly a daunting and difficult task. Oftentimes we may not succeed in completing the task, yet there is strength and honor in the attempt.
Paul, was often beaten, bruised and lonely at times. Yet, he continued to pursue his task of spreading the Gospel message. He left us these words of encouragement:
Php 3:13 My brothers, I do not count myself to have taken possession, but one thing I do, forgetting the things behind and reaching forward to the things before,
Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Paul knew that he stood out. That he was different. Others may have looked upon him as a perfect Christian, but he knew better. He also knew that he needed to set an example. Not to rest on what he has already achieved, but to continue forward, always improving, always reaching for the prize that God is holding out to all believers.
A famous theologian from the early 20th century Peter Marshall is quoted to have said this truth, "Never let the past be so dear as to limit the future."
And in Luke 9:62 we find this quote: And Jesus said to him, No one, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
In 1992 during the Bosnian War the city of Sarajevo came under siege. A siege that lasted four years and resulted in thousands of deaths. Vedran Smailovic and cellist in the Sarajevo String Quartet was haunted by the killing, the hunger of the children and the daily crescendo of bombs falling.
So, every day he brought his cello and a chair and sat in front of a bombed out building in the city square by the Sarajevo River and played his cello. He usually started with Albioni’s Adagio in C Minor.
It should be noted that where he sat every day was in direct sight of a sniper who was in a bell tower overlooking a bridge. A bridge that was necessary for the citizens to cross to the market for their food. On some days the sniper killed as many as 12 men, women and children. Mr. Smailovic was never targeted.
Mr. Smailovic played to give encouragement to the living as well as to honor the dead. He played on that street corner for over a year. A book has been written about him and an opera also. Mr. Smailovic now lives in Ireland.
Even in our deepest grief we can still inspire others to persevere and to hope. Paul speaks of this in 1 Corinthians 15 : 58 1 Corinthians 15:58 (Darby)
58 So then, my beloved brethren, be firm, immovable, abounding always in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in [the] Lord.
Paul is telling us to not resign ourselves to our fate, but to keep on trying, to keep on moving, to keep on challenging what fate throws our way. We will never fight in vain, as the Lord will be fighting right along beside us!
And still the music plays on. . .
On the streets of Damascus, Syria Ayham Ahmad plays a battered piano and sings the stories of Syria’s war. The past four years of civil war have reduced his neighborhood to rubble. A neighborhood once home to rich and poor alike is nothing but blasted brick, concrete and dust.
For the last year Ahmad has dragged his piano out on the street to sing and play. He has run out of ideas on how to help his people so he now plays and sings to uplift their spirits. On many occasions he has been joined by other survivors in an impromptu chorus.
Sometimes, it is a simple gesture that renews others faith in God and strengthens yours.
How do you approach the challenges that come your way? For many years I always thought of them as obstacles. Then I sought out the definition of each.
From the Oxford’s English Dictionary (the foremost expert on the English Language)
Obstacle: Noun A thing that blocks one’s way or prevents or hinders progress.
Challenge: Noun A task or situation to tests someone’s abilities. A call to take part in a contest or competition.
Notice the difference? An obstacle prevents or hinders. A challenge tests one’s abilities.
I decided from that point on that I would never encounter an obstacle again. I would always face a challenge. When you change your mindset it does wonders to your outlook on life.
I confess, I have not always won a challenge. But most certainly, it was not because I didn’t put in the effort to succeed!
In 1978 I was attached to the US Marines at Camp Pendleton in California. A few days after arriving I was told to gear up in full “782 gear” and meet at the LZ as my regiment in 1/1 was going out on tactical maneuvers. I was a Corpsman and had gone to Navy Boot Camp and had previously been stationed at a Navy Hospital. Thus, my Gunnery Sergeant attached to the platoon I was with expected me to have a little difficulty with the pace and terrain. He quickly noticed that I was struggling a bit keeping up. So, with all the compassion that a senior Marine has he told me that pain builds character, the more the pain, the better the character. Then in more colorful terms he told me to get my keister in gear and catch up! This was certainly not something I wanted to hear when I was carrying 60 pounds of gear on my back
while on a 12 mile hump in the mountains
during the middle of the night! Yet, I still remember the mantra after 38 years. Why, because despite the cynical outlook there is a lot of truth in the saying.
2Ti 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.
2Ti 4:8 Now there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that Day; and not to me only, but also to all those who love His appearing.
Paul is saying here in his final days that he suffered pain, indignation and imprisonment while spreading the Gospel. But, he also grew while doing it and now a treasure of immeasurable worth awaits him. He also knew that though death approaches what he has accomplished would not die with him. The Gospel Message will continue to spread because of his efforts and his ministry.
We often hear that our job is to plant the seed. It is God’s job to water and nourish that seed to make it grow. No seed will be planted if we give up.
If you want to succeed, you have to work for it. Success is never easy. Pollsters have found out the average millionaire has gone bankrupt three times. 16% of Christians have said yes, when asked if they felt like they have been a failure. Three out of every five marriages have ended in divorce.
Six months after Karen and I were married I was drafted into the military. This was during the Vietnam War. In my 20 plus years in the military I served on three ships, two of which were Submarines. I did two tours with the Marines, the last tour here is South Carolina where I retired at Parris Island. I also served with the Navy Seals.
Statistically, the most divorces that occur in the Military are with those individuals within Special Forces. The submarine service and the Seals are part of the Special Forces. While with the Seals I was on 24 hour call. At any time, on any day I could be called to the base. I could not tell Karen where I was going, nor how long I would be gone. Just one minute I was home and the next I would be gone. Similarly, while with the submarines I could be gone for 6 months, return to base and one week later depart for another three months. In the 1980's and early 90's we did not have the luxury of communicating with our spouses while underwater.
I can still picture in my mind returning from sea and noticing gents on the pier in suits with formal documents in hand to give to a poor sailor as he got off the boat. Notifying him that his wife had filed for divorce while he was away at sea. Yet, despite these challenges, Karen and I never wavered in our love or the integrity of our marriage. Kinda awesome, I think!
Now, our marriage has not been all sweet and cheery. We have had our moments. Especially, when I retired from the Navy and was now home every day of the week. Karen had been running the household for 20 years and here I come tripping in and thinking I could take over. Boy, did I have to learn a thing or two!!
Another truism I learned while I was in the military: overcome and adapt when faced with a challenge. This goes hand in hand with the old axiom that the plans of mice and men always end in failure.
How did Paul succeed in his ministry? Through prayer. Do you not think he had moments of doubt and despair? He most certainly did. But, he also knew that his strength came from the Lord and to the Lord he must always go when things looked bleak or cheery.
Until Drew Brees and Sean Payton came to the New Orleans Saints, the team had always been a very woeful team. For decades they had not had a winning season. Fans came to games with paper sacks over their heads to hide who they were. Many of the sacks were decorated with sayings such as “The New Orleans Aints.
One year Mike Ditka a super bowl winner as a player and coach was hired by the Saints as their new Head Coach. Just before game time he entered the locker room and looked at the players with a smile and announced:
“Okay boys, here we are unbeaten,
untied,
and unscored upon!
Now, go out there and win your first game of the season!”
Perhaps, he was a little too optimistic. However, a positive attitude is never amiss. Hebrews 12:1 tells us Hebrews 12:1 (Darby)
1 Let us also therefore, having so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, laying aside every weight, and sin which so easily entangles us, run with endurance the race that lies before us,
Indeed, the moment we step out the door of our house a veritable cloud of witnesses watches are every step. They want to see us fail. They want to see us hang our heads in shame. Personally, I don’t want to give them the pleasure. How about you?
A young boy came home from school with report card in hand. As his father glanced at it he noticed that it was dripping with red ink and poor grades.
“What do you have to say about this?” his father asked.
“Dad,” the boy replied, “you can be proud. You know I haven’t been cheating!”
Sometimes, one does have to look for the silver lining in the clouds, eh! Never look back, but always forward. The prize is always in front of us and never behind.
Lou Holtz, former head coach of U.S.C. had many aphorisms he was proud of. One is very important to our religiousosity:
Ability is what you are capable of doing.
Motivation determines what you do.
Attitude determines how well you do it.
In other words, “My attitude dictates my performance.” Similar to the concept of whether you face an obstacle or a challenge.
So, we have talked about perseverance, faith and hope. How do we keep hope alive in the face of all the trials and challenges that come our way?
Well, first let us discuss what kills hope or weakens it.
Discouragement
Suffering
Exhaustion whether physical or spiritual
Time
Proverbs 13:12 says: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.”
I have been attending church since I was a baby, and the Adventist church since I was 7. I am now 62 and I have been hearing every year that Jesus is Coming. My time is running out for me being able to see the Glorious Return of Christ. But, I will not give up the hope of seeing Him arrive. I cannot, it just isn’t in me to quit the dream.
Hope is something we have to maintain. It isn’t automatic. We have to have faith. We have to have daily prayer. We have to have daily study of our Bible. Otherwise, our hope will atrophy and die.
One thing to remember, our lives are very short compared to the Heavenly host. A thousand years to them is like a day to us - Psalms 90:4
2 Peter 3:8-9 (Darby)
8 But let not this one thing be hidden from you, beloved, that one day with [the] Lord [is] as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 [The] Lord does not delay his promise, as some account of delay, but is longsuffering towards you, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Time may move agonizingly slow for us when it comes to the arrival of the second coming. Every day, every hour can chip away at our faith and hope in the Messiah’s arrival. Soon, we may find ourselves asking, “Will He ever arrive?”
Between the time Adam and Eve were thrown out of Eden and Jesus was born in Bethlehem. How many years had elapsed? How many years and how many lambs were sacrificed? Do you not think our ancient forefathers also wondered when Christ would come?
Galatians 4:4-5 (Darby)
4 but when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, come of woman, come under law, 5 that he might redeem those under law, that we might receive sonship.
Yet, Christ did come and he did fulfill the promise of Genesis 3:16. We can see with everything that is happening on Earth that the time is drawing near again. Wars, disasters, famines, earthquakes, fires, drought, governments falling. All this is evidence of the deterioration of mankind. All this points to the time of the end. Rules about religion are changing even in our own country. The government has begun to dictate what can and cannot be said from the pulpit. Instead of being despondent, we should be cheering. Why? Because it all points to final days.
God is looking down and He sees all this happening. He is readying the heavenly host. He is not resting, but neither will He act precipitously. He has a plan and a purpose. He has made promises and He will keep those promises.
Let us not forget what we are told in Ecclesiastes 3
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (Darby)
1 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to seek, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; A time of war, and a time of peace.
God has set a time for the Second Coming. As we are told in Galatians 6:9 “let us not become weary in doing good for in the proper time we will reap a harvest.”
I want to be a part of the harvest. How about you? I would like to be a part of the chorus that sings Hallelujah! Christ is King! I want to be there when the Music Plays On! I hope you do too.
