I wish I were different. I’m not good at acting or sounding religious. I don’t say spiritual things and if on occasion I do, it seems about as natural as wearing scuba flippers on a bicycle. I’m certainly a believer, but I don’t think I’m good at it. I pray, but those prayers do not resonate with confidence. It seems to me I rarely know what God really wants. How should I know! He’s God and I’m as far from that as anyone should want to be.

Folks like me are honest with Him. When we mess up, we say so. We apologize, ask forgiveness and state our plan for changing. We beg when desperate. We know when things are totally in His hands. It seems like He says, “No” to me a lot. I’m not complaining. He is just and his judgments are right. I’m just explaining how I feel about all this. Those who never struggle with the “No’s” baffle people like me. Those who have a grand faith really break my heart, because I feel so weak and inadequate in their presence.

Have you ever struggled with the idea that some of God’s children that are simply not favored? (Some of my strong friends would say, “This is why you experience these tough times.) Perhaps—but I don’t resent God for being who He is or feeling the way He does. I believe He loves me, forgives me, saved me and will invite me into heaven when this deal is over. I belong to Christ. What else can I say?

I believe that God is good and capable of anything He wishes to accomplish. If He says no to any of His children, it’s because it suits His purpose and is best. The Old Book says, “Love does not seek its own.” I love Him, so I do not make demands. I pour out my prayers and trust He will do right by me. And when I beg for His help, like the dad in Mark 9, I say, “If you can, please help me.” Then He tells me, “All things are possible for the one who believes.” At that moment, I fall at His feet and proclaim, “I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief.” (vs. 24).

I don’t have great faith; but my doubts aren’t about God, His righteousness, grace or power. I struggle with my own stumbling faith; that my needs or desires matter to Him. I’m a dad. I know what it’s like when your child asks for things that are not what is best. It breaks my heart when things happen in life, that we can never understand on this side, and perhaps even the next. So, like that other dad who professed his faith in Jesus, but just as passionately begged for help to overcome his unbelief, I fall into the arms of a Father who understands me and is utterly trustable.

telemicus out

Earlier this week the family watched the show, “What would you Do?” In this edition, they had a group of college students (actors) publicly hazing fraternity pledges. In one scene, they tied a student to a light pole with plastic wrap and a passerby took out a pocketknife and cut him loose. When it appeared to be going too far, people stepped up and got involved. They repeated the bit with sorority girls and surprisingly, people did not get involved—many simply watched.

In another part of the program, they showed a young, attractive, nicely dressed woman collapse on a busy sidewalk. They ran the experiment many times and people came to her aid within five seconds every time. However, when they repeated the experiment, using what looked like a homeless man; people were far less responsive. While the actor lay on the sidewalk for almost twenty minutes, a homeless woman, powerless to do anything, asked passersby to call for help repeatedly. One man actually stopped and slipped a piece of cardboard under his head (better than walking on by I suppose.)

I heard or read a story some years ago about a child who, upon hearing the story of Mary and Joseph being turned away from the Inn in Bethlehem, said to his mother, “We would help them, wouldn’t we?” We would all like to think that, faced with situations like these; we would step up and do the right thing. A friend commented on Facebook this week that she wished John Quinones (the host of “What Would You Do?”) would come to her town and test her. In our living rooms, it’s easy to know what we would do.

We lived in some apartments many years ago and early on a Saturday morning I heard a child crying outside. I stepped out on the patio and looked down in the courtyard. Wearing only a diaper and t-shirt with no shoes, a toddler stood—lost, cold and scared. I ran down and tried to talk to him, but he wasn’t old enough to tell me anything beyond crying for his mommy.

I was afraid to pick him up. I was afraid to take him into our apartment, but I knew I had to help him. (I know it sounds like a no brainer, but we live in a time where things are complicated.) So I took him by the hand and we walked through the property. I found an apartment with the door standing open; a woman was sprawled on the couch while another baby screamed in a playpen. I knocked on the door and when she woke up, she was mad at me for having her son. I explained that I found him wondering in another section of the complex. She took the boy, scolded him and slammed the door.

We see people all the time that need our help, whether they deserve it or not. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). We would help them, wouldn’t we?

telemicus out

My youngest daughter is getting married in two days. On one hand, it’s no big deal. She is always been a solid kid and I’m not worried at all. On the other hand, it’s a scary world and no one is ready at 20 years old for what it is going to do to them. The truth is, we can’t protect our kids from the world or life. We can only give them a solid foundation. Hope has that.

Last night Hope came in after work, I was in my office working. In our little talk, she told me everything I needed to know. She related all that had gone wrong leading up to the wedding over the past several months. The she said, “But stuff happens and you gotta go on with life—it’ll work out.”

That’s my girl!

Heath is a good man. He loves Hope and wants to make a good life with her. He has dreams and plans for his life; knows what he would like to do and is making plans to get there. We love him and look forward to his being a part of our family. We are a strange heard, but we support each other and have fun together. That’s what counts.

Hope is unique. She loves to laugh and have fun. She cracks us up all the time. We are proud of her “can do” spirit. We are proud of her commitment to remain pure for this day. Since she was little, she has decided what she wanted and then gone to get it. She is strong and has learned to be sensitive. We don’t agree on everything. Brittany said the other day, “It’s like you two look at each other and one is speaking Chinese and the other Korean.” That’s accurate, for some reason we don’t communicate well, and it frustrates both of us. Nevertheless, we love each other just the same.

One thing I know. Heath is a lucky man, because Hope makes life better for the people around her. Things work. She will enjoy much laughter and success. If the axiom is true that behind every successful man there is a good woman, then Heath has a bright future. He is marrying a great girl.

A few weeks ago, I was standing in my office and hearing someone talking outside I opened the blinds. I saw Hope and Heath standing by his car talking. It was fun to watch. They were laughing and I could see in both of their faces that this simple conversation was pure joy for both of them. Hope’s soul lights up when she is talking to Heath. I hope it always will.

telemicus out

ps. The wedding is at 1:00 P.M. Saturday March 7 at Mesquite Valley Christian Church, 1401 Clay Mathis, Mesquite, Texas 75181. Everyone is welcome.