Relying on the Lord

Good to be back in the blogosphere. Have you seen the entries on Smilingatthefuture? There's some good blogging going on there by the woman I've been happily married to for the past 28 years. Can't wait for an update from bigthinktank. Is the swelling going down? Is the ankle turning different colors? Good stuff is going on at blakeyblog. I wish Christa could have been around to clean up after Bobby when he was living with us. The author of stepontoliquid is the "games guy" at VBS this week. If he survives that then maybe he really can walk on water. And how about those Spurs? Tonight could be the night. If they don't win tonight, though, the whole city could be a nervous wreck on Thursday.

I've been thinking this week about how we can't fully rely on men, but we must learn to rely on the Lord. The Jews of the first century would follow their favorite teachers and rather than study the scripture, they would study the interpretations of men and decide which one they liked best. We do that today. We have our favorite "Bible teacher" and we listen to or read them more than we do the Bible. I remember once at a previous church hearing some one quote from their favorite teacher and actually they were quoting from 1 John. It would be funny if it weren't so sad.

God uses men in our lives. There is no doubt about that and I am thankful for the many men that the Lord has used to help me grow spiritually. However, we can't depend on men because inevitably they will let us down. In 2 Timothy 4 Paul gives a long list of names of men who couldn't be there to help him. Some were legitimately serving somewhere else. Others had sinfully deserted him. Many were too fearful to stand up for him. Was Paul depressed, blue, bummed out? No doubt he was disappointed by some of these men but he wasn't bummed because he was not relying on them. Paul had learned to rely on the Lord. And the Lord stood with him. And you know what? That's all that matters.

Appreciate the ministry of others, but learn to rely on the Lord. When you feel disappointed because others did not do what they could have or should have done, look to the Lord. He never leaves us. He always stands up for us.