Feb

I got up a few minutes early this morning so that I would have time to put a roast in the Crock Pot before getting ready for church. As I prepared the meat, potatoes and carrots, I thought about how fortunate I am to be able to sit down for a nice Sunday dinner with my husband.

I started the Crock Pot on high, making a mental note to turn it to low before leaving for church.

Then I smiled, and remembered something else (or rather, someone else) to be thankful for.

I smiled because I remembered a Sunday morning approximately fifteen years ago. Fifteen, because I figure I must have been about ten, and my younger sister about five.

My mom was similarly preparing a roast for Sunday dinner, and she asked us to remind her to turn it to low before we left for church.

I’m not sure who invented the song. Maybe it was me. But my sister took it and ran with it. Or rather, sang it.

over.

and over.

and over again.

“Turn the Crock Pot to low!

Turn the Crock Pot to low-ow-ow-ow!

For if you don’t, your food will burn.

Turn the Crock Pot to low.”

After a half-dozen times through the song, I wanted some peace, so I asked the dear sister to stop singing. She didn’t.

I probably got nasty about it pretty quickly (I’m impatient like that). But my threats and attempted bodily harm were to no avail. The singing continued.

So I appealed to the higher power. Surely my Mom was getting tired of the song. I’ll never forget her answer, which is now a family classic.

“At least she’s happy!”

My sister smirked. And sang on. I seethed.

But this morning, as I started the roast, the song came back to me. And I was thankful, not only for the food, but for my sister. We’re much better friends now than we were back then! I’m thankful that God has put her (and my other two sisters, and parents) in my life.

And I have to admit, it was a catchy song.

Jan

I often pray that God would give me a good day. By that, I usually mean a productive day, with nothing particularly unpleasant in it.

Perhaps there is nothing wrong with that prayer. However, after reading the beginning of Job today, I am motivated to pray differently.

In the first chapter of the book, God challenges Satan to consider His servant, Job. Satan suggests that Job’s faith is a result of God’s blessings. Take away the blessings, and the faith will evaporate.

The rest of the drama of Job, of course, shows Satan’s attacks, Job’s faith, and God’s goodness throughout.

As I read that first chapter, I was impressed with the need for faith at the crisis points in life. It is good to have faith in the times of blessing, but absolutely crucial during hard times.

What is our faith worth if it cannot sustain us in times of crisis? Christ died to save us from the ultimate crisis, separation from God. In doing so, He gave us victory over the crisis of death, as well. But what about daily crises?

I think we all recognize that we need to trust God during crises. When we find out that someone has cancer, or a house has burned down, or a baby was miscarried, we know that we should pray and trust God.

But what about the smaller, daily crises? When I become angry because I am stuck in a traffic jam, is Satan standing before God, accusing my faith?

God is good, and I can trust Him. If I can trust Him to provide my eternal redemption, shouldn’t I trust Him during the petty grievances of life?

I believe that our faith is tested every day, but we often do not notice it. We view car accidents, deaths, divorces, and natural disasters as faith-testers. But we don’t notice the daily quizzes caused by irritations like headaches, arguments, computer crashes, and mistakes on our bank statements.

Perhaps, rather than praying for a productive, smooth day, I should pray for the Holy Spirit to help me trust God through the crises of today.

Perhaps I should pray for wisdom to realize that annoyances aren’t just annoying. They’re faith testers. Perhaps I should pray for grace, so that I may live by faith.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

-Hebrews 12: 1-2 (ESV)

“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, ‘Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.’ But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”

-Hebrews 10: 36-39 (ESV)

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