Common Foundation

"Then Jonathan said to David,

'Go in peace,

because we have sworn both of us 

in the name of the LORD,

saying,

'The LORD shall be between me and you,

and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.'

And he rose and departed,

and Jonathan went into the city."

1 Samuel 20:42 ESV

It would be the most difficult thing they had ever done.  The two were closer than brothers, tied by a heavenly bond made stronger by their shared faith in the One True God.  To part ways seemed impossible, yet that is what they must do.  In order to preserve the life of one, they must both make this sacrifice.

Jonathan's father, Saul, was out to get David.  Even though it didn't make any sense to either of the two friends, Saul hated David.  Hatred, after all, does not follow sound reasoning but is born of insecurity and fear.  Therefore, when the first king of Israel grew jealous of David's popularity, his good nature and his fighting skills, especially considering the Lord's Spirit had left Saul and fallen on David, it's not surprising that the elder wanted to do away with the younger. (1 Samuel 16:13-14, 1 Samuel 18)

So the two bosom buddies came up with a plan.  If Jonathan determined that his father was truly intent on killing David, Jonathan would send him a message and he would go into hiding. (1 Samuel 20:5-7, 19-22)  As they both feared, Saul's anger burned against David.

When I am facing the unthinkable, as David and Jonathan were, I can go boldly forward in a spirit of peace in the same way these two friends did when they parted ways, knowing the Lord would keep them both.  Likewise, I can bear up under any hardship, recognizing that the Lord is my true foundation upon which I can stand firm.

Loss

A precious loved one

My job

Independence

Health

Financial security

My sound mental state

There is so much I find worth keeping in this world yet which is often lost.  When suffering such heartache and stress, I can find consolation in my heavenly Father who knows how to comfort me in times of trouble.  (2 Corinthians 1:3)  He is in the business of binding up broken hearts, healing deep and hidden wounds, and restoring goodness when all seems lost.  (Psalm 34:18, Psalm 147:3, Joel 2:25)

When I present my deepest wounds to the Lord, bringing it out of the darkness and into His healing light, I will find comfort, healing and restoration.  When I hold onto what hurts me most, however, I will never experience His transforming love.  

It takes a risk on my part to expose my innermost wounds to the One who loves me perfectly.  I will never, however, be sorry as He proves His trustworthiness by turning my mourning into dancing, my ashes into beauty and my loss into gain. (Psalm 30:11, Isaiah 61:3, Philippians 3:8)

I share a common foundation of faith with the family of God that indulges us all with the riches of His love during times of loss. 

Hardship

I try to avoid it all costs, orchestrating my life in an attempt to steer around the potholes.  I prefer smooth sailing to rough waters, clear paths to difficult terrain, and easy going to hard challenges.  God, however, has a different way of thinking.

In His play book, the rough waters are where I find Jesus.  As I struggle to keep my head above the fray, I will find Him acting as a life-preserver when I turn to Him for help.  (Isaiah 43:2)  

God allows difficulty into my life in order to bring about traits such as perseverance, character and hope.  (Romans 5:3-5)  And this is not a false hope that will let me down, but a true sense of future expectation that can spur me forward to my heavenly reward.  The hard times are not in vain!

While I may prefer the simple and trouble-free life, God often places tests in my life in order to produce patience.  This ability to wait on Him despite the seemingly hopeless nature of my situation serves me well as I learn to lean on His strength when mine is gone. (James 1:3-4, Isaiah 40:31)

I share a common foundation of faith with the family of God that uses hardship to bring about good in my life.

Suffering

The pain was unbearable.  The minutes crept by as she waited for relief that seemed would never come.  She learned to live with constant pain as if it were her trusty companion.  In truth, she'd rather endure anything else in place of how she now suffered.

It is one of the great questions of life:  Why does God allow suffering?  Living in a fallen world, we all encounter some kind of pain at one time or another.  For those who belong to Jesus Christ through faith, however, there is always hope.

Knowing that this life is not all there is gives me something to look forward to:  A new body where no pain will exist, no suffering will take place, and tears will never flow. (Revelation 21:3-4, 2 Corinthians 5:1-2) Furthermore, even though my physical body is wearing out, breaking down, and often seems to be my worst enemy, God is constantly renewing me inwardly, giving me a fresh spirit, a new outlook and a hope that encourages me to keep going.  (2 Corinthians 4:6-18)

As the suffering becomes worse in this world, I find myself more and more looking forward to my heavenly reward.  In turn, I become more eternally-minded instead of focusing on what is around me.  The real treasure cannot be measured in earthly terms, but I discover new riches in the abundance of God's love for me, in the intangibles that will last forever, and in the transformations that are occurring in my heart.

Through my suffering, then, I gain an eternal perspective and learn to see the value more in what God is doing in my heart than in how He may or may not heal my physical body.  The part of me that will last forever grows strong, even as my fragile body weakens.  Therefore I can rejoice in the pain as it is a reminder of all the good God is doing in me as well as what I have to look forward to in eternity.

I share a common foundation of faith with the family of God where pain is a vessel holding God's grace and mercy.

It seemed impossible for David and Jonathan to bear the sorrow of their parting, yet each knew the God who would give them strength for such a deed.  Similarly, the faith in God I share with His family gives me comfort in times of sorrow, good fruit when I face hardships, and an eternal perspective that comes through the pain.  In these ways, our common foundation of faith in God is more than enough to keep our footing firm.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God even when I'm in the midst of great suffering.

How do I tend to give up when the going gets tough instead of drawing on the strength of the Lord?

What fruit has God produced through the hardships of my life?

Flow of Comfort

"All praise to God,

the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God is our merciful Father

and the source of all comfort.

He comforts us in all our troubles

so that we can comfort others.

When they are troubled,

we will be able to give them the same comfort 

God has given us."

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NLT

If you've watched any television recently, you know that we live in a cold-hearted world.  From reality shows where only the strong survive and an every-man-for-himself mentality is fostered, to sitcoms where fathers are portrayed as buffoons and children as the only ones capable of making an informed decision, there is no doubt that this world is sorely lacking in compassion and godly values.

Living in this kind of a cruel and ruthless world, it is easy for me to become the same.  Therefore, it is important for me to stay in the flow of comfort that occurs in the Body of Christ.  This spring of eternal encouragement and reassurance in the face of difficulty gives purpose to suffering for it's use as a tool in the Father's hands to mold us into more compassionate people.

Source of the Flow

Blood mingled with sweat flowed to the ground, blending with the dry soil to make a kind of holy mud.  The very life that seeped out of the One who hung suffering on the cross served to make the disobedient and defiant right with God.  

The compassion of our Heavenly Father is most powerfully and undeniably demonstrated in Christ's sacrificial death. (Romans 5:8)  He gave His precious Son to those who didn't even know of our need or who, frankly, didn't care to be saved.  He anticipated our need for a Savior before we even knew we needed Him.

The character of God is love, and He is the source of all good things.  (1 John 4:8, James 1:17) My road to compassionate living begins with my Father:  He is the headwaters of this river of kindess.

To enter into the flow of comfort, I must be in relationship with the Source through faith in Christ Jesus, who gave His all that I might live. (Mark 10:45)

In My Troubles

He lay there beside the healing waters for 38 years; so close to freedom from the sickness that wracked his body, yet so far.  Tradition had it that angels stirred the waters of Bethesda every so often.  The first of the sick, blind, lame or paralyzed who entered her waters was miraculously healed.  This was the man's only hope: his source of salvation.

One day Jesus came along.  When He saw the man whom He had created to live life to the full lying there in despair beside the waters he asked, "Would you like to get well?" (John 5:6)  Even though the troubled man knew not from where his true healing would come, Jesus instantly made him well.  

Do I want to be healed from what holds me back from living my life as Jesus created me to live?  It could be physical, spiritual or emotional healing that I seek, but I must look to the Great Physician as the only source of wholeness.  When I'm ready, He will comfort me like no other; sending brothers and sisters alongside me to support, granting me a sense of peace in my heart, and encouraging me through the assurance that He has everything under control.

To receive the flow of comfort, I must be willing to receive the support He offers.

Enables me to Comfort

He was hated by most Jews.  His colorful, diverse background was despised by the people who called themselves God's own.  Even so, when he saw the poor man suffering as the result of the cruelty of another, he was compelled to help out of great compassion for his predicament, despite the fact that the victim was a Jew. (Luke 10:30-37)

The kindness God has shown me during times of great suffering and pain overflows to others in their time of need.  Since I am loved deeply by God, I am empowered to love others in the same way, just as the Good Samaritan did.

Unfortunately, that flow is sometimes blocked by fear or selfishness.  If my comfort, well-being or reputation is more important on my list of priorities, then God's love will not flow.  If my attention is more on my life, my desires and my plan, then God's love will not flow.

To allow the flow of comfort to pour from me, I must be willing to put God first, above all other concerns.

Even though I live in a dark, mean world, I am not destined to become the same.  Instead, I can let the flow of comfort gush forth by encouraging the relationship I have with the Father of Compassion, to allow Him to comfort me in all my troubles, and to keep the river of love flowing through me.  In this way, the flow of comfort will flood into every part of my life.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can pay attention to my Source of all good things.

How do I block the flow of compassion in my life?

When am I afraid to reach out to someone in need?