LIVING EPISTLE
"Be Ready To Give an Account of the Hope that is in You!" (l Peter 3:15)
There are many chapters in Life�s Epistle and reflecting on mine, I have had some heart to heart
talks with God � even some challenging ones. Yes, I
have challenged God , and some of those times were
unearthed in my interview sessions ( at a Ministry Discernment Conference) last weekend.
It�s good to go back to history, because then you
remember from where you came � who brought you
through � and you have a Hope of where you are going.
What would life be without Hope � and in whom is our
Hope! I confess that my Hope is in Jesus.
I thank God for my parents who directed me to this path on
which I travel. Even though I grew up in a Christian
family, where church was the center of all I did, it
was during my 30�s - some very trying and difficult
times - that this Jesus (my Hope, Love, Joy, Peace,
Light, Bread of Life, Saviour - became real to me. I
acknowledge him in all I do, and he is the center of
my life!
Sundays are very special times for me, because I
love to gather with others whose purpose and focus is
to come together to worship, to praise God and to
learn of this Jesus. In this special place (not
necessarily in a building), we have a common goal, a
common purpose � that is belief in God, in his son
Jesus and belief in the Spirit of God always in our
midst, and present with us wherever we go!
I cannot help but tell about Jesus and what he has brought me
through and what he means to me. Must I be ashamed of
this Jesus who loves me? � No. There is a song I
learned when I was a child - "Jesus loves me this I
know, for the Bible tells me so".
The gospel of love is simple � yet very powerful. Love transforms. Even
the Psalmist says "No one whose hope is in Jesus will
ever be put to shame."
So I was perplexed, when I heard: "I�ve read what
others say about you, and I�ve read about all this
Jesus stuff, but I don�t know who you are?" This
"Jesus stuff" � is what puzzled me. (What�s the
meaning of this, I thought - � isn�t that what
Christianity is all about � this "Jesus stuff?") I
took the phrase "Jesus stuff" as a dismissal of the
very source of my existence. (Maybe not � and maybe
it was a challenge.)
Some days, for example, I don�t
even want to go to work � but because I know Jesus,
and that he is with me � that he will carry me
through whatever difficulties or obstacles I may
encounter, I pull myself up and pray for his Grace; I
make it through each day�one day at a time.
I replied � Well, it�s all there � I�ve told you
about growing up and the grounding of my faith, which
if I didn�t have, I would not be able to witness about
this "Jesus stuff!", as you have put it. You see,
Jesus is real to me, and if he were not, I would not
be here today!
But there�s something missing from this Spiritual
Autobiography; it is too short
(Should I have written a book?) The part that�s
missing is about your marriage! Tell me about your
marriage.
I said � It�s there � the information is there,
because it prompted questions on the subject from my
first two sessions.( I surmised that details were
required by this particular Interviewer.)
It was the last session of the day, and I was exhausted - I was
spent. I thought, Hmmm � this is a challenge for me�
Somehow, I regained strength to go deep into the
recesses of bruises that were healed. I was delivered
out of a moments of utter despair, and she wanted to
take me back.
I can only say: I made a claim � "Jesus was � and still is my strength, my deliverer,
my joy, my sustenance." Evidence was required.
And as though someone literally turned to a page
in the chapter of my living epistle, laid out before
me were episodes of abuse, brought about by
alcoholism. It created chaos in our household -
uneasiness, fear, conflict, and even danger.
Sometimes it�s calm and happy � and other times,
without warning, it was like a battlefield. (My heart
still aches today for families where this problem
exists, for I know the harm it does to good people,
even the one afflicted with the disease.) And you
know what, merchants profit from this!!!??
"It must have been very costly."
Interviewer said. My heart was heavy � "Yes, I nodded
� very costly." This is the chapter which was so
vivid:
My eldest son, who was about l4, decided
he had had enough, and one day after school, he didn�t
come home. Evening turned into night � and no sight
of him. I telephoned his friends � (the ones I knew
anyway), and no one knew where he was. Worry,
sadness, fear, despair overwhelmed me. Is he alright
� is he safe? The ensuing days I drove the streets of
Cambridge � hoping to see him. No luck.. I had to
muster the strength to take care of my other three
children. I heard from his friends that he attended
school each day � he just didn�t want to come home. (I
didn�t blame him � I would have left then too � had I
the courage.)
I finally learned that he was staying
with a classmate�s family in North Cambridge.
I telephoned the family and arranged to visit
with them. The three children and I went and I
thanked them for opening their door to my son. He was
in good hands. "Hope does not disappoint us" � says
Paul (Romans 5:5)
You see, we are never alone in our dark,
despairing moments. God sends his light to us through
his angels � the family who reached out and welcomed
my son into their home. I knew he was safe.
I continue to live in HOPE and I claim this
"Jesus stuff" as my guide. As Peter says, "Be
prepared to give an answer for the Hope that is in
you." My Hope is in Jesus! I can sum it up with
the songwriter;
"Through it all � I have learned to trust in Jesus � I
have learned to trust in God. Through it all, I have
learned to depend upon his Word."
I must think that the comment was indeed a
challenge. Bruises? � yes � costly? � yes. But I
have met the Saviour and he has healed my bruises. He
has brought me through many trials, and now I�ll say
with the Psalmist "My heart leaps for joy, and I will
give thanks to him in song."
The joy that I experience in knowing Jesus is a
"restoration of the years that the cankerworm has
eaten"
In Romans 5:5 � Paul says Suffering bears fruits of
perseverance, character, Hope and hope bears Love
which God puts into our hearts!
P.S. (to the listener or reader) WHAT DOES JESUS MEAN TO YOU?