Dear Covenant Family:
I have an appointment early tomorrow morning and I am not sure when I will be free to send out my TGIF message. So I have chosen to send it out now so I don’t have to think about getting it out tomorrow. Enjoy!
TGIF
I am having two major issues in my life right now. One issue is the current supply chain disaster where I now cannot immediately get some things that I want, which I have been able to do much of my life until recently. How can this possibly be? To whom can I complain and try to get some immediate relief from this terrible injustice? The answer is no one because this is a global issue and it will take many people and much time to resolve.
My other major issue is that my cable TV has not worked completely reliably for the past month. About a month ago, we had a very bad storm in our neighborhood and a lightning bolt hit very close to our house. The result was that we had significant damage to our cable infrastructure and even two TVs were ruined that were not on surge protectors. My neighbor whose line shared the same cable access point between our houses had the same issue. The cable company repaired their issues from the storm and I replaced the two affected TVs. I was told by the cable company that I might have some continuing problems for awhile until all the issues from the storm were identified and fixed. How can this possibly be? To whom can I complain and try to get some immediate relief from this terrible injustice? Unlike my issue above with the supply chain, in this case I could yell and complain to human beings at the cable company, letting them know how important it is for me to see my favorite shows each week and certainly to make sure I can watch college football every Saturday this fall all day from morning till bedtime. But would that yelling and complaining get me back any more quickly to my favorite TV shows and college football? The answer would be NO!
As my wife would tell me (as she often does) that both of these problems are “first world problems”! We have heard a lot about “third world problems” which are major problems affecting entire populations of people in third world countries. Typical third world problems include starvation, war, pestilence, and preventing women from standard education.
First world problems are those that impact first world countries, like our current supply chain issues and my cable problem. If you heard Pastor Don’s sermon last Sunday, you could also say that I am “snakebit” right now. The scripture for Pastor Don’s sermon (Numbers 21:4-9) showed that the Israelites were upset with God because they didn’t appreciate that God was providing for all their needs. Sometimes God needs to show us, like He did the Israelites, when we may need somewhat of an “attitude adjustment”.
I can suggest that my cable issue was from an act of God. Why did that lightning bolt hit so close to my house instead of somewhere else? Maybe God felt that Ron Marks (and my neighbor) needed an attitude adjustment at that moment. Maybe I had gotten too comfortable and was not as appreciative as I should be for the blessing of having cable TV where I can get an almost unlimited number of channels, tape whatever shows I might want to watch later without those bothersome commercials, and watch sports all day long when I choose.
Maybe God is sending a message to all of America and the other first world countries that our supply chain is just fine, as long as God is at the head of our supply chain. Maybe the people that are most upset about their current calamities are those who don’t have God in their lives nor atop their supply chain of needs.
We need to make sure we are not taking our incredibly blessed lives for granted, that we stop and smell the roses regularly, and that we thank God for His presence and His blessing on our lives always.
In closing, let’s hear God’s Word as applied to this message.
Romans 12:12 – Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Ephesians 4:2 – Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Matthew 5:15-16 – Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven
Galatians 6:9 – Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 – give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.