Never Forget_ Discovering Hope in the Aftermath of Tragedy [NOOK Book] - Max Lucado [5]
Compassion in its fullest sense can be attributed only to God. It is the central message of the gospel that God, who in no way is in competition with us, is the One who can be truly compassionate. It is because Jesus was not dependent on people, but only on God, that he could be so close to people, so concerned, so confronting, so healing, so caring. He related to people for their own sake, not his own. To say it in more psychological terms, he paid attention without intention. His question was not “How can I receive satisfaction?” but “How can I respond to your real need?” . . .
Your love for others can be unconditional, without a condition that your needs are gratified, when you have the experience of being loved.
—HENRI NOUWEN
Turn My Mourning into Dancing
1. Arno Gruen, The Betrayal of the Self (New York: Grove, 1988), 281.
Living Fearlessly
Never Forget . . . God Knows About Your Circumstances
THE LORD IS THE DEFENSE OF MY LIFE
Some of us who are old enough recall how difficult it can be to live during trying times, to face an enemy seeking to destroy all that is held sacred and dear. In such times people seek help, comfort, assurance, and safety. In moments of tragedy and crisis there is no better place to turn than to our God who has promised to help those who turn to Him in times of trouble. . . .
Many of God’s saints have known times of trouble and difficulty as they journeyed through life. Consider David the psalmist of Israel. Though he was anointed and chosen to be king, he found himself hated and hunted by those who sought to destroy him. In Psalm 27, however, notice what he says while in the midst of trouble:
The Lord is [the] light [of] my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the defense of my life;
whom shall I dread?
When evildoers came upon me
to devour my flesh,
my adversaries and my enemies,
they stumbled and fell.
Though a host encamp against me,
my heart will not fear;
Though war rise against me,
in spite of this I shall be confident.
(VV. 1–3, NASB, emphasis added)
These are the words of a man who has learned how to be sustained in the most difficult, trying times of life. He learned an amazing lesson—in the midst of tragedy, he did not need to live in fear, because God was his defense. Though in a war zone, he could be fully confident that God would protect and sustain him.
There is hope for us because God has promised never to leave us or to forsake us. There is hope because we are not alone—we have each other. This is the strength of a nation under attack—a united spirit gaining confidence and determination from each other. But more importantly, learning to rely on our God.
—CHARLES STANLEY
When Tragedy Strikes
FACING AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE
How can we face the fog of our uneasy, uncertain future? All these terrifying events are happening—buildings collapsing, explosions all around us, anthrax and bioterrorism threats which intensify our concerns. What more can the future hold?
Verse ten of Psalm 46 answers that: [“Cease striving, and know that I am God”]. We will not worry. The text says, “cease striving” . . . and it means, “Stop!”What a great directive! STOP!
I heard a mother say that to one of her children in the grocery store just yesterday. The child was busy, busy, busy. Getting into this, messing with that. “Stop!” When I heard her, I stopped!
But it’s the Lord who is speaking at this moment. “Stop! Stop it! Stop that worrying. Quit it! I am your refuge. I am your very present help in time of trouble. Your worry implies that I’m not here anymore. But I never left. I’m not like the swallows that leave in the winter, to return only when the weather is fair.”
Now you see why Psalm 46 speaks with such relevance. In times of physical catastrophe, since God is our refuge, we will not fear. At the threat of warfare, since God is our refuge,