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Cal's Pastoral Epistles
"More Than A Coincidence"
November 11, 2009
I was walking by the outpatient blood draw center at the hospital the other
day when I ran into her. She looked frazzled. I didn't really know her too
well. She was the friendly face behind the counter at my favorite sandwich
shop. So this was a very a-typical encounter.
When I asked her if she was alright she told me that the just found out her
seventeen year old daughter was 6 1/2 months pregnant. Wow! Talk about
a bombshell. This woman was now dealing with what it would mean for
her daughter and herself. She wasn't angry or depressed. She was simply
trying to regain her composure in light of the world altering news.
The funny thing is that many of us have been hit with announcements that
take our nice little world by surprise. We think we have it all figured out.
We have all our ducks lined up in a row. Then life happens.
Upstairs in the same hospital was a friend of mine who was battling
cancer. A few months early she was all excited about her move to a new
home. She and her husband had made the decision to move into this
retirement community. Then life happened.
I remember another friend of mine saying that if he didn't have faith he
would have thrown in the towel a long time ago. He is right. The good news
is that our faith sustains us in these turbulent times. When the storms of life
come, it buoys us up and helps us stay afloat. No one knows when those
moments are going to come but we all know they will come. The
knowledge that we are not alone, that God cares and he will walk through
this with us is a tremendous comfort.
I take it a step further. My faith tells me that God will not only be with me,
he will send people to visit and encourage me. I think that's why I happened
to bump into the young woman at the hospital that day. It wasn't an
accident. She needed God and I gave him a human face. I came with his
encouraging word.
The truth is this is what we are all called to do. It isn't a coincidence when
we bump into someone. It is God directing our steps. So be an
encouragement to all you meet and let the holy spirit work through you.
You will be someone's blessing today.
God Bless. See you in church. Cal.
November 11, 2009
I was walking by the outpatient blood draw center at the hospital the other
day when I ran into her. She looked frazzled. I didn't really know her too
well. She was the friendly face behind the counter at my favorite sandwich
shop. So this was a very a-typical encounter.
When I asked her if she was alright she told me that the just found out her
seventeen year old daughter was 6 1/2 months pregnant. Wow! Talk about
a bombshell. This woman was now dealing with what it would mean for
her daughter and herself. She wasn't angry or depressed. She was simply
trying to regain her composure in light of the world altering news.
The funny thing is that many of us have been hit with announcements that
take our nice little world by surprise. We think we have it all figured out.
We have all our ducks lined up in a row. Then life happens.
Upstairs in the same hospital was a friend of mine who was battling
cancer. A few months early she was all excited about her move to a new
home. She and her husband had made the decision to move into this
retirement community. Then life happened.
I remember another friend of mine saying that if he didn't have faith he
would have thrown in the towel a long time ago. He is right. The good news
is that our faith sustains us in these turbulent times. When the storms of life
come, it buoys us up and helps us stay afloat. No one knows when those
moments are going to come but we all know they will come. The
knowledge that we are not alone, that God cares and he will walk through
this with us is a tremendous comfort.
I take it a step further. My faith tells me that God will not only be with me,
he will send people to visit and encourage me. I think that's why I happened
to bump into the young woman at the hospital that day. It wasn't an
accident. She needed God and I gave him a human face. I came with his
encouraging word.
The truth is this is what we are all called to do. It isn't a coincidence when
we bump into someone. It is God directing our steps. So be an
encouragement to all you meet and let the holy spirit work through you.
You will be someone's blessing today.
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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