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Cal's Pastoral Epistles
Give Your Stress To God
September 14, 2006
I was sitting in the waiting room at Cardiology Associates the other day
when I noticed a very cute cartoon. A man was all wired up and walking
on a treadmill. Standing in line in front of him was his boss, his auto
mechanic and his teenage daughter. Each of them was giving him bad
news and you could see the sweat pouring out of him. The caption read,
"One doctor decided to make his stress tests a bit more realistic." I
laughed out loud.
I had my stress test and I can tell you that walking the treadmill was
nothing compared to some of the recent events that I've had to deal with. I
am sure you know what I am talking about. That cartoon said it all. Every
day we are presented with new challenges, frustrations and difficulties that
raise our blood pressure and cause us all kinds of grief. Unfortunately we
don't have the sophisticated monitors and machinery strapped to our
chests in our walk through daily life. So as the popular spiritual song says,
"Nobody knows the trouble I've seen." Most of us simply go from day to
day bearing the weight of our worries, fears and concerns for the future.
When was the last time you had an honest to God stress test?
I am not talking about the cardiac machinery. I am talking about an honest
evaluation of the ways in which you handle the burdens of daily living.
Because I had a cardiac episode a few years back, I have to check in with
Dr. Healy a couple times year. He checks my vital signs, monitors my
medication and blood work and then makes recommendations on how I
can continue to enjoy a healthy future. I like to say that he saved my life
and now he helps me keep things in balance, so I can enjoy the rest of my
life.
One of the most precious images of Jesus that we have is the one of him
as the good physician. Jesus says that he came to save the lost and the
sick. He came to bring life and to bring it abundantly. He came to heal and
to make all who are sick, well again. The truth is that he invites all of us to
come to him when we are carrying heavy burdens. He wants us to bring
the cause of stress in our lives to his doorstep. He invites us in so he can
look into our hearts and prescribe just what we need to get well.
Jesus doesn't need the big machinery to know what is going on inside of
us. He is the one who created us. He knows us because he has been with
us since before we were born. When we come to him, he can take away
our pain and frustration and replace it with a sense of peace and well
being. Do you know how the rest of that spiritual song goes. "Sometimes
I'm up and sometimes I'm down. Yes lord, you know sometimes I'm
almost to the ground. O yes, Lord, still, Nobody knows the trouble I've
seen, nobody but Jesus."
So let Jesus run a stress test on you. If you have been feeling
overwhelmed and heartsick, then go to him. He will bless you and get you
going again.
God bless! See you in church.
Cal.
September 14, 2006
I was sitting in the waiting room at Cardiology Associates the other day
when I noticed a very cute cartoon. A man was all wired up and walking
on a treadmill. Standing in line in front of him was his boss, his auto
mechanic and his teenage daughter. Each of them was giving him bad
news and you could see the sweat pouring out of him. The caption read,
"One doctor decided to make his stress tests a bit more realistic." I
laughed out loud.
I had my stress test and I can tell you that walking the treadmill was
nothing compared to some of the recent events that I've had to deal with. I
am sure you know what I am talking about. That cartoon said it all. Every
day we are presented with new challenges, frustrations and difficulties that
raise our blood pressure and cause us all kinds of grief. Unfortunately we
don't have the sophisticated monitors and machinery strapped to our
chests in our walk through daily life. So as the popular spiritual song says,
"Nobody knows the trouble I've seen." Most of us simply go from day to
day bearing the weight of our worries, fears and concerns for the future.
When was the last time you had an honest to God stress test?
I am not talking about the cardiac machinery. I am talking about an honest
evaluation of the ways in which you handle the burdens of daily living.
Because I had a cardiac episode a few years back, I have to check in with
Dr. Healy a couple times year. He checks my vital signs, monitors my
medication and blood work and then makes recommendations on how I
can continue to enjoy a healthy future. I like to say that he saved my life
and now he helps me keep things in balance, so I can enjoy the rest of my
life.
One of the most precious images of Jesus that we have is the one of him
as the good physician. Jesus says that he came to save the lost and the
sick. He came to bring life and to bring it abundantly. He came to heal and
to make all who are sick, well again. The truth is that he invites all of us to
come to him when we are carrying heavy burdens. He wants us to bring
the cause of stress in our lives to his doorstep. He invites us in so he can
look into our hearts and prescribe just what we need to get well.
Jesus doesn't need the big machinery to know what is going on inside of
us. He is the one who created us. He knows us because he has been with
us since before we were born. When we come to him, he can take away
our pain and frustration and replace it with a sense of peace and well
being. Do you know how the rest of that spiritual song goes. "Sometimes
I'm up and sometimes I'm down. Yes lord, you know sometimes I'm
almost to the ground. O yes, Lord, still, Nobody knows the trouble I've
seen, nobody but Jesus."
So let Jesus run a stress test on you. If you have been feeling
overwhelmed and heartsick, then go to him. He will bless you and get you
going again.
God bless! See you in church.
Cal.
Pastor Cal Lord writes these weekly epistles to
help us see God in every day things.
help us see God in every day things.
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