Here’s a link to the message I gave yesterday at NFC, from Acts chapter 12. 2nd service was another powerful experience of God. A man stood and very vulnerably shared his depression, even suicidal thoughts. The heartfelt response of people to pray for him, and to meet with him afterward for further follow up and encouragement to enter therapy as well, were really wonderful to watch!
For those of you actually reading this, I thought I’d let you know that a lot of my intention with this message (as I’ve done other times) is to address changes from our modern to postmodern world without labeling it as such. I’d be interested in your feedback as to whether it was helpful or not.
yeah…i get it. today i was walking out from work with a guy who is always pissed. he has slaved at ups for 20 years. i asked how his daughters were doing. he said the older one was doing great. but the younger one dropped out of u of o. she was an alcoholic, was cutting her arms with blades, and literally bashing up the vehicle they gave her with a bat, etc., and wasting a great deal of their retirement money. she is now suicidal. he can’t stand her anymore. he admitted this freely. it is causing him critical problems with his wife. she believes in unconditional love for their daughter, my friend does not. he came from an abusive home where his dad beat his mom, his mom is mentally unstable and on medication. he feels squeezed by three generations of troubled women with no effective male role model to give him any hope. his life is a living hell. and he just keeps going with some kind of strength.i have known this man for 13 years and this is the first time i ever knew all this, and all learned in five minutes walking out to our cars together. i just stood there listening to him today and thought my heart was going to bust. i told him i admired the hell out him for sticking it out for so long, and made an offhand comment about how we as human beings suffer. he really agreed with me and said how much life sucked.i actually wanted to say something encouraging to him, but what could i really say?but as i turned and got to my car, i heard an inner voice, as clear as my own breath say to me ” can you imagine how surprised john will be when it’s all over and i have him in my arms and he can rest with me? ” somehow, that thought just freed me up look upon john with hope and utter admiration as another creature completely loved by god.is this ridiculous?
Actually, Matt, it’s not ridiculous. It’s completely profound. You saw under this man’s surface and looked on him with Love, revealing the character of Christ in you. That is a really beautiful thing.
thank you for the affirmation kathy…(again)