Sam or Frodo?

The burden grew heavier each day. Almost unbearable, yet he had agreed to make the journey and he would do what was expected of him. It was his responsibility. The ring must be destroyed, at all costs. He was set upon his course; he was headed for the mountain where the fire that had birthed the ring waited to destroy it. But he was not alone. Sam walked every mile with him, always helping, ever alert for danger. Now they were nearing the end.

Frodo lay unmoving, unable to stand. The mountain was in sight; they were so near, yet so far. Sam reached down, and pulled Frodo onto his shoulders. ” Come on, Mr. Frodo. I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you” (my favorite line in the entire trilogy).

Sam was Frodo’s gardener, a simple man in some people’s minds. He was not the one entrusted with the ring. He was not the one people looked to for leadership nor was he expected to have all the answers. Yet, when the going was the toughest, Sam came through. It is doubtful Frodo’s mission would have been successful had Sam not tagged along.

Loyal. That’s how I’d describe Sam. He was never very far from Frodo. Although Frodo was committed to destroying the ring, Sam was committed to Frodo. The task that had been thrust upon Frodo was made easier by Sam’s loyalty and faithfulness. When Frodo could go no farther, Sam stepped to the plate; he stood in the gap.

“I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you.”

Has God entrusted you with a task that, at times, seems almost impossible to complete? Exhausted you lay crumpled, unable to get up. Despair washes over you, draining you of every ounce of courage you ever possessed. You need a Sam who will come alongside you, pick you up and set you back on the course God has planned for you. Look around. Somewhere, maybe lurking back in the shadows, God has placed a Sam in your life to watch out for you; to step to the plate; to stand in the gap when life becomes tough.

“I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you.”

Don’t miss out on the blessing of being Sam. Frodo needs you.

Grams

Let Him Be God

If you’ve never spent very much time behind a wall, you have no idea how safe you can feel. You are completely hidden and protected. Nothing or no one can reach you. If someone or something invades your space, you just go deeper behind the wall(s) or you make them higher and thicker. The trick is to be invisible. Imagine coming out of a dark hole where you have been hidden for 50 years into the bright morning sun. Oh, the pain, the discomfort, and the overwhelming desire to turn and run back to the safety and security of that hole, to that which is familiar. Back there you knew your way around. No one could get to you. You were safe . . . or you thought you were. But now, complete exposure! It doesn’t matter if God loves you, if your family loves you or if your friends love you. That is not the issue. You know the way things should be and how you should be, but there is a lot of difference in how you should feel or act and what you actually feel and know.

The sun’s rays blind me. My heart races as I grope my way forward. I can’t see; I begin to look for somewhere to go; some place to hide. But before I can crawl behind my wall, a hand reaches for mine. An arm goes around my shoulder and someone I know who loves me asks, “Are you ok?” and the flight impluse subsides and I turn and answer “Yeah, I’m ok.”

Exposure gives place to a sense of abandonment. Although I chose to walk out from behind my walls, they left me. I’ve been abandoned. What once gave me security, comfort, and even a measure of contentment is no longer a part of who I am. Much like a toddler taking her first steps, I embark upon a journey that will require every ounce of courage, strength, and faith I can muster.

What is so hard about letting go, of stepping out from behind the walls put in place years ago in a desperate dash for survival? That’s what it comes down to–I simply wanted to survive. Instead of trusting God to take care of me, to provide for whatever I needed, and to set me upon a new course in life, fear took control. Like a rat scurrying for its hole, I ducked behind my walls, throwing them higher and making them thicker each time someone or something threatened my safety or security. Instead of running to my Lord and Savior, instead of letting Him heal my heart, instead of making Him my fortress, my comfort, and my security, I chose to hide. I refused to trust. I was afraid.

According to 2 Timothy 1:7, God does not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind. All I had needed, even wanted, God had available for me. He is the God of all resources.

So why did I hide? I was afraid. Why was I afraid? I simply refused to let God do for me all He has ever wanted to do–empower me through His love to live a productive life for His glory. All I needed to do was let Him be God.

Grams

My Good Fortune

I like words. They are intriguing combinations of letters that create expressions which give meaning to our thoughts. They allow us to communicate. Sometimes I stumble across a word that captures my attention. One of those is the word godsend.

Godsend is actually two words combined to form its meaning–God and send. So one would think it means something God sends. According to my online dictionary resource, godsend is something or someone sent unexpectedly that is either wanted or needed which brings good fortune. Something unexpected that brings good fortune. Wow! That is powerful!

Some might equate that simply with opportunities to make more money. After all that’s all it takes to have a good life, isn’t it? To experience good fortune? But that reduces the meaning of the word to nothing more than a stop-gap measure–something that plugs the hole or remedies a situation, temporarily. God does not deal in stop-gap measures; not with His children anyway.

History is replete with events, happenings, and people who unexpectedly brought good fortune, a godsend. Notice that while the result of the godsend is good fortune, nothing indicates that the event, happening, or person must be pleasant, good, gentle, kind, or even desired. But in the end, it was what was needed.

When Joseph was sold into Egyptian slavery by his brothers, that was not a very pleasant experience. But, later Joseph tells his brothers that what they meant for evil God used it for good–a godsend. Years later, after Joseph had died, Moses strode out of the desert with a commission from almighty God to free the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. With the Egyptian army fast approaching, the Israelites faced the Red Sea. Their salvation was just across that body of water, but how to get there. Moses struck the water with his rod, the waters parted, and several million people walked across on dry ground. A godsend.

Were the next 40+ years filled with great and glorious happenings? Not always, but there came a day when the children of those slaves stood on the brink of the Jordan, ready to follow Joshua across and possess the Promised Land. The river was at flood stage; there was no way across, or so they thought. How quickly they forgot! When the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stepped into the water, the waters of the Jordan River began to roll back and opened a path across to Canaan. A godsend.

The greatest godsend of them all is Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. For you see, because of those happenings, we, all of mankind, can have eternal life. We can even go to live with Him in heaven when we die. There will be no more pain or suffering; no more sin, evil, or its ugly results. Those who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will enjoy life and peace in the presence of almighty God. A godsend? Oh, absolutely!

Sometimes in His goodness, God allows special people to come into your life. People who have the uncanny ability to know you almost without effort. That person can “read” you, totally. For some it’s a parent, but for most it’s your spouse. However, it simply may be someone God puts in your life, that crosses your path; a friend.

God has put different ones in my life that in hindsight were a godsend. God used them to point, direct, guide, even reprove. Today I told a friend she was a godsend, someone God sent along unexpectedly to bring me good fortune. Am I richer today because He did that? Not with money, but my life is richer, fuller, and more in tune with God and His plan for my life. Do I trust her? You better believe it. Does she speak the truth? Always. Does she do it in love? Yeah. Is it always something I want to hear? Not necessarily. But I listen to her because she always points me back to God, my good fortune.

Grams

All Things to All People

She comes in all shapes and sizes, with differing personalities, gifts, and abilities. She may step to the forefront, driven by a desire to lead, or give place to those around her, content to remain in the background. Either action brings criticism. Bravely she looks to the future and accepts her role in God’s plan for her family.

What kind of woman willingly leaves behind everything familiar to serve a group of people who, for the first twelve months, watch every move she makes, deciding if she will fit? What kind of woman smiles, even when her heart breaks from lack of acceptance and friendship with the very people God has sent her to serve? What kind of woman hugs a child, all the time remembering she has been on the receiving end of the mother’s caustic tongue?

What kind of woman lies awake during long, sleepless nights praying with her husband for another’s wayward son or daughter, the hard times others may be experiencing or their lack of spiritual growth? Then, after friendships and relationships deepen and the Lord says it’s time to move to another place of service, what kind of woman can smile through the tears, release those she has come to care for so much and go somewhere else to start the process all over again?

What kind of woman? A very special woman uniquely gifted to continually put herself last so others may go first. She is a woman God calls and places alongside the under shepherd of His flock. She is the pastor’s wife.

A certain mystique surrounds her. While there are other women in the congregation, there is only one pastor’s wife. That alone makes her the most important among all ladies in the church. No one else holds her position. After all, she has the preacher’s heart. More important to some, she has his ear. Her influence with him is something to cultivate. Friendships become cloudy; what was thought to be heartfelt is nothing more than a ploy to gain an advantage. But, all is not lost. God is good and He sends someone along who is genuine–someone who is real. And a lasting bond develops; the wrenching of the heart is replaced with a reminder of God’s faithfulness. So, she continues on, opening her heart to those who will let her and loving even those who do not.

With her bright smile, her knowing glance and her reliance on the truth of God’s Word, she stands firmly and proudly beside her man, the preacher, the one God has placed at the helm. Together they steer a straight course, looking over their shoulders as if to say, “Come on, follow us as we follow the Lord.” What is the mystique that surrounds this gracious lady? It’s her ability to be all things to all people. (Together With God, [Grams])

Grams

To Have, Let Go

“If you love someone, set them free. If they belong to you, they will come back to you.” I’m not sure that is the correct wording of this old saying, but the meaning is there.

Why would you let go of something that belonged to you, especially if you wanted to keep it? Ownership does away with rights except for the owner. If something is mine, then only I have the right to dispose of it, give it away, or throw it away. When an object, machine, gadget, etc. has outlived its usefulness or is broken, it is normally thrown away and replaced. That doesn’t work so well with people. Ownership does not even come into play when two personalities, wills, or intellects are involved. Then, if you do not “own” another person, how can you set him or her free?

When your children are small, even though you do not own them, they do belong to you. There is the family ties that are established and nurtured as the children grow to adulthood. However, when those same children reach adulthood, you no longer, nor should you, have the same level of control over their actions and decisions. If you try to exert the same level of control you had when they were younger, most often the relationship between you and your children becomes strained. In some cases, even contact ceases. In these circumstances, the children have not been set free; they have escaped. But, when parents are able to step back, trusting to that bond that has developed over the years, and let their children make decisions that may even change the family dynamics, then the parents have set their children free. When adult children are free to come and go, to live their own life, more often than not, you will find them at your place more than you ever thought you would.

When two people bond together as friends, ownership doesn’t figure in at all. This relationship was entered into voluntarily by both people. So, from the outset freedom is a factor, deeply woven into the fabric of personalities, wills, desires, wants, even needs. All of these factors must be considered. Who determines what the friendship will be? Actually, both will. And that is a key factor. There must be a bond, a genuine bond between the two people involved. Sometimes one person wants a level of friendship that the other does not. When that happens, it is ever more important to step back and let your friend go. If your friend is your friend, he or she will return.

Once the friendship is established, if the bond is there; if the level of care and concern is genuine; if you trust the heart of the other half of the friendship, then that friend will not go far. He or she is not compelled to escape; there is the freedom to choose. When given the choice, who would not choose genuine love, genuine friendship?

To have, let go. Be constant, genuine, loving, caring, and give the other person the privilege of being your friend. If you are sincere, if you do not grasp too tightly, your friend will not go far. “If you love someone, let them go. If they belong to you, they will come back to you.”

Grams