The other night my husband and I watched “the Wager” featuring Randy Travis. The story is about an actor who is nominated for a prestigious award (I’m thinking an Oscar). He has a dream about the Beatitudes found in Matthew chapter 5.
The man tries to live out his faith on the set, presenting himself as a man of family values. During the course of the film, his life begins to unravel around him. His wife leaves, a child stays the night in his home and he is set up by the gossip rags as a pedophile, he assaults a reporter and finds himself in jail. His sister, whose faith is deep and steady, bails him out and begins to laugh. “You think this is funny.” He accuses her.
She responds with a smile and says that he looks like a man trying to secure tent pegs in a hurricane.
A day or two goes by, he ponders her statement, until he finally asks her, “So, how do you secure tent pegs in a hurricane?”
To which she chuckles and responds, “First thing you do is realize you can’t.”
How often do we try to pin down the failing marriage, staple together the disintegrating finances, or glue together our ailing bodies with our logic or the abilities we know we have? How frustrating is that?
Studies show that stress is a major player in heart attacks, stroke, and high blood pressure. Jesus said to be anxious for nothing. I wonder if we could reduce the stress in our lives by listening to Jesus’ teachings.
Jesus never promised us a life in paradise here on earth. In fact He promised the opposite. John 16:33 says this: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (NKJV)
So friends, be courageous. Jesus is our hope. He has promised to give strength today. He promises to provide for our every need. We can trust Him. We can put our hope in Him, for our God is not a man that HE should lie to us.
I challenge you; take HIM at HIS Word today.
Read more articles by Karlene Jacobsen or search for articles on the same topic or others.
One more thing...the only peg that will secure a tent in a hurricane was driven deep into the heart of the earth...at Calvary. I get what you meant and in my opinion, there is within you a heart to say more and more and more and I look forward to such articles and seeing more of your work here at FW. I like your "style," as in it, I get the sense of one who's learned to live "in the furnace." Please, keep writing!
