Photo courtesy of AprilnotMay (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ohiomom/)
Some of my favorite shows on television are what I would call “charitable TV.” By that I mean shows that involve charity that end up revolutionizing peoples’ lives. Two shows of this type that I love are Extreme Home Makeover (“EHM”) and The Secret Millionaire (“TSM”). Of course, as you know, in EHM, Ty shows up at a needy family’s house, tears it down, and builds them a dream home, all in the space of one week. In TSM, a wealthy person somewhat craftily volunteers at charitable service organizations in needy communities for a week, and then at the end of the week, surprises the charities with a large donation.
I have been thinking a lot about why I love these shows so much. I realize that it is because, if you are like me, I dream that something amazing would happen to me someday. Don’t try and tell me you have never thought about what would happen if, out of the blue, you won the lottery; or what life would be like if grandma left you a zillion dollars; or if you were innocently sitting at Starbucks when a talent agent spots you and you become the next soap opera star. We all dream that something incredible like that will happen to us someday.
Life for me over the last five years has been one mitigated disaster after another. I will not bore you with the details, but suffice to say, just in the last five years, I have seen enough trouble to last me a lifetime. Nevertheless, by the grace of God, I am still standing; and am happy; and am optimistic about the future. I sincerely mean by the grace of God; He has walked beside me and before me every step of the way. Even though I have walked through the “valley of the shadow of death”, He has comforted me throughout.
This is the “good news” of the gospel. As we continue our transformation of becoming more Christ-like, we begin to experience the “abundant life.” We experience peace, despite the chaos in our world. We have joy, despite our troublesome conditions. Our happiness is not dependent on our circumstances or the size of our bank account. This is the type of peace, joy, and happiness that can never be taken away.
Have you ever been asked your favorite Bible verse? I will now ask you a question I doubt you have ever been asked. What is your least favorite Bible verse? If I am honest, I have several least favorite Bible verses, but one verse that I disliked immensely, until recently is Ephesians 3:20; now it has become one of my favorites. Paul states,
“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us.”
The reason I struggled with this verse so much is the whole, “abundantly beyond all that we ask or think” phrase. God is going to do beyond what I could hope or dream? I am not so sure about that. I mean I can dream awfully big.
Yet, even as I look back on a few tough years, even though life has been hard, He has done for me far beyond what I could have dreamt. And I believe life is only going to get better.
We have no reason to yearn for something like A Secret Millionaire or for Ty to show up on our doorstep. We have a God who is looking for ways to bless us. We have a God who gives us blessings that cannot be eaten by moths, destroyed by rust, or stolen by thieves. (Matthew 6:20). We just need to trust Him and stay faithful.
I do not know where you are right now. If you are discouraged, however, hold on. God will not hide His face forever. You have Someone much better on the way than a secret millionaire, and He is bringing something much better than a dream home.
This Guest Post is by Tim Thurman
http://timthurmansblog.blogspot.com
@TimThurman
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