Just a Minute editor, Olive Sharpe has had her pencil out this week with a trilogy of Christian wisdom. You can meet Olive at http://justaminute.mybravenet.com/meet_olive_sharpe.html.




GOD'S CHARACTER




"It is easy to blacken God's character because God never answers back. He never vindicates Himself." (Oswald Chambers)




Whatever our walk or convictions in life we are often misunderstood. As a rule our greatest concern is to explain our stand or vindicate ourselves. We want people to know we meant well, we were trying to do good.




That doesn't seem to be God's way for Himself.




Poor Job, the man in the Bible who suffered so much was told by his friends and even his wife to turn away from God and curse Him - this God WHO NEVER EXPLAINED HIMSELF. Why was he letting faithful Job lose everything? He wasn't being fair.




So they wanted Job to explain his actions. But Job only said, "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him." (Job 13:15)




So he went on and finally his later years were much more blessed than his former ones, because he trusted the God who never explains Himself.




He hasn't changed.




FAITHFULNESS




Tammie died recently.




In the throes of grieving for an animal friend, my thought range across a multitude of experiences with her over the past ten years.




Looking along the hall I can see her ears above the lower panel of the wire door, as she lay on the door mat; her lolling tongue between her excellent teeth and her brown eyes saying, "Come on, let's go!"




But the quality which I miss most of all is her faithfulness, which in its way surpassed anything that most humans are capable of giving. Dogs are like that.




Faithful... One of the dictionary meanings for faith, faithful, is 'comfortable with truth'. The Bible talks a lot about truth and faith.




A woman came to Jesus. She was a woman of her time but she could have been a woman of today. She had been sick for 12 years and she longed to be well. Her faith fold her that if she could get to Jesus she had a chance of healing. She only got close enough to touch Him but it was enough. As Jesus saw her He said, "your faith has made you whole again, go in peace." (Mark 5)




We are able to exercise our faith because God is truth and he is Faithful.






WAITING




Much time is spent in waiting. On Street corners, in the kitchen, in bed, wishing that a spouse would hurry with his shower, for children at school gates, in the doctor's rooms, the hairdresser's. So we stand or sit and wait.




Someone once said, "Sometimes I sits and thinks, sometimes I just sits!" But waiting can be productive, thoughtful, a time withdrawn from the need to do anything else, or boring and a complete waste of time. But wait we do.




Lovely promises are made in the Bible to those who 'wait.' Isaiah, when writing his wonderful book of that name in the Old Testament was seeking to give people some encouragement.




So he 'waited on the Lord' and these are his words, "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength." (Isaiah 30:11) Those who 'hope' meaning trust or look expectantly to. Then he goes on to talk about soaring like eagles and not getting weary, walking and not fainting. Powerful, helpful words.




Next time you need to wait in some surgery or similar place you may find a Bible there unashamedly among the host of magazines. Pick it up. Find the passage. Read some of it. Find hope....while you wait.




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MET IN THE STAIRWELL




You say you will never forget where you were when you heard the news, Sept. 11,


2001. Neither will I.


I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room with a man who called his wife


to say "Good-Bye." I held his fingers steady as he dialled. I gave him the peace to


say, "Honey, I am not going to make it, but it is OK...I am ready to go." I was with


his wife when he called as she fed breakfast to their children. I held her up as she


tried to understand his words and as she realised he wasn't coming home that night.


I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a woman cried out to me for help.


"I have been knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!" I said.


"Of course I will show you the way home - only believe on Me now."


I was at the base of the building with the Pastor ministering to the injured


and devastated souls. I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He heard my


voice and answered.


I was on all four of those planes, in every seat, with every prayer. I was


with the crew as they were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the believers


there. Comforting and assuring them that their Faith has saved them.


I was in Texas, Kansas, and London. I was standing next to you when you heard


the terrible news. Did you sense Me?


I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew every name - though they did


NOT all know Me. Some met me for the first time on the 100th floor. Some sought me


out in their last breath. Some couldn't hear me calling to them through the smoke


and flames, "Come to Me...this way...take my hand."


Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me. But, I was there.


I did not place you in the Tower that day -- you may not know why, But I DO.


However, if you had been there in that explosive moment in time, would you have


reached for Me? September 11, 2001 was not the end of the journey for you.


But some day your journey will end. And I will be there for you as well.


Seek Me now while I may be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are


"ready to go." I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.




JESUS




Sent by Lyle Whiteman (Missionary Dave Aufrance Newsletter October, 2001)






Along the same lines - A beautiful tribute to those who lost their lives September 11th, 2001.


http://www.deafdate.com/ (Thank you to Carol Fisher and also Eric Bickelman).