Scripture
Anna came up to Jesus’ family at that moment. She gave thanks to God. And she spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the time when Jerusalem would be set free.
~Luke 2:38, NIRV
Quote
Everyone needs something to look forward to.
~Ya’akov
In John Bunyan’s allegory PILGRIMS PROGRESS, Christian and Hopeful turn aside from the straight and narrow by wandering in the By-Path Meadow. The grass is very soft in the meadow and the way seems easy but it was here that they were captured by the Giant Despair who takes them to Doubting Castle and throws them into his stinking dungeon. He gives them no bread, no water and no light. He makes daily rounds to the dungeon to beat them and encourage them to give up and take their own life. Christian would have given in had it not been for his friend Hopeful. Even in the worse of circumstances, Hopeful would not give in or up. He persistently encouraged Christians not to give up. On the fifth night of their enslavement, Christian suddenly realizes that he has the key in his inner being, it is PROMISE. Hopeful encouraged him to try the key in the dungeon door and it worked. It works on every door in the castle and lead them to freedom.
The moral of the story is that we Christians cannot give up no matter how difficult the circumstances. We have the Key, the promises of God and we have HOPE. Anna was an 84 year old widow who lived at the Temple. She worshipped and fasted day and night. She epitomized those in Israel who were looking forward to the time when Jerusalem would be set free. Everyone needs hope; without hope we give in to despair. When we give in to despair, we cease to live.
Viktor Emil Frankl was an Austrian {Jewish} neurologist and psychiatrist as well as a Holocaust survivor. He wrote a tiny book called MAN’S SEARCH FOR MEANING. In this book, he documents John Bunyan’s thesis. As a long-time prisoner in bestial concentration camps, Frankl found himself stripped to naked existence. His father, mother, brother, and his wife died in camps or were sent to gas ovens, so that, excepting for his sister, his entire family perished in these camps. How could he – every possession lost, every value destroyed, suffering from hunger, cold and brutality, hourly expecting extermination – how could he find life worth preserving?”
Even in the degradation and abject misery of a concentration camp, Frankl was able to exercise the most important freedom of all – the freedom to determine one’s own attitude and spiritual well-being. No sadistic Nazi SS guard was able to take that away from him or control the inner-life of Frankl’s soul. One of the ways he found the strength to fight to stay alive and not lose hope was to think of his wife. Frankl clearly saw that it was those who had nothing to live for who died quickest in the concentration camp.
When a person loses hope, they die one way or the other. We must, in all circumstances, remain hopeful. Christ gives us a promise that can set us free of despair, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God. Believe in Me also. There are many rooms in my Father’s house. If this were not true, would I have told you that I am going there? Would I have told you that I would prepare a place for you there? If I go and do that, I will come back. And I will take you to be with me. Then you will also be where I am.”
- I wrote this blog to myself. Kayleigh McClendon has been on my mind and heart. I don’t understand why children get cancer. I’m just trying to make sense of it all and doubt and despair have been knocking at my door. The only things that keeps me going is the ultimate end–Jesus and heaven.
- Countdown to REVIVAL…just 4 more days until REVIVAL with Wade Morris. Pray…Attend…invite a friend.
- I appreciate the concern for my state of mind in regards to the WORLD SERIES. I picked the Red Soxs, the Blue Jays and the Cubs. Our pitching staff is crippled and even if all the Indian pitchers were healthy, they can’t match up with the cubs, no one can. They won 103 games and they have the best starting rotation and closer in the game. They also have three super-stars. The odds are not in our favor. I have hope but it is faint. Besides, it is a matter of perspective. My biggest concern right now is the election. I will take a TRUMP win over Cleveland. Besides, Bob will be devastated if the Cubs lose and everyone knows that I am a better sport than Bob Brechtel. {Haha}
- THE GATHERING tonight at 6:30
- GOLDEN GIRLS November 12th at 9:00 am @ Cracker Barrel in Hartselle.
- This old computer is driving me nuts!!!!!!
