When you can’t dance anymore.

Grief is invades our lives and removes all sense of joy. The writer of The Book of Lamentations was right when he wrote,

“Joy is gone from our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.” Lamentations 5:15

When we are in the middle of our grief, we are not ready to hear anything that resembles “Hey, you’ll get over it!” In fact, to even say this to the bereaved is cruel. In the depths of our loss, our souls are empty of anything that looks like joy. If you know someone who is grieving a loss today, sit silently in the sadness filling the space between you. It is the greatest gift you can give. – Ron Friesen

There is light at the end of the tunnel!

In the middle of the trials and afflictions that come our way, it seems that there is no end insight. The pain is relentless, the anguish unending, the grief overpowering. “When will this end!” our souls scream. The people in prophet Jeremiah’s day wondered the same thing about their captivity in Babylon. Then they hear these words,

“Your punishment will end, Daughter Zion; he will not prolong your exile.” Lamentations 4:22

This season of correction will come to an end. The lesson is this: learn the lesson you need to learn when you are in this school of correction so you do not need to repeat the class. – Ron Friesen

Who will take up your case?

Do you ever feel that you are alone in fighting the battle of life? Abandoned, betrayed, assaulted, and utterly unsupported? Many people believe they are alone including people who follow God. You are not alone if you are feeling this way today. In Jeremiah’s day, the people had been taken off to a foreign land and were convinced that everyone had abandoned them including God. Yet, hear this word of confession and comfort:

“You, Lord, took up my case; you redeemed my life.” Lamentations 3:58

You are not alone in pleading your case! – Ron Friesen

What evil lurks in our hearts?

The writers of the Bible do not sugarcoat the depths of human desperation. In this passage the writer of Lamentations describes this scene:

“With their own hands compassionate women
 have cooked their own children, who became their food
when my people were destroyed.” (Lamentations 4:10)

The writer is not condoning cannibalism; he is only describing the utter lengths people will go to survive. Before we rush to judgment, we need to look at our own inner darkness and reflect on our own potential for evil. Do not too quickly say, “Oh, I could never cook my child for food.” Remember the writer is describing the actions of people of whom God has said, “You will be my people and I will be your God” (Jeremiah 30:22). What evil lurks in any of our hearts? – Ron Friesen

Is your life under a cloud?

One of the scenes from 9-11-2001 that is burned in my mind is the picture of people fleeing the growing cloud of dust and smoke from the collapse of the World Center towers. The terror is etched on their faces as they seek safety.

One of the pictures of the prophetic voices in the Hebrew Scriptures of God’s presence over his people is that of a shadow created by the cloud of his presence. The writer of the Book of Lamentations was very familiar with this metaphor:

“We thought that under his shadow we would live among the nations.” Lamentations 4:20

In the middle of their suffering, homelessness, hunger, war-ravaged grief was the constant reminder that they had a choice: they could live in the shadow created by the cloud of terror and fear or they could live in the shadow of God’s presence. Whatever you and I go through today, we have the same choice. – Ron Friesen

Filled with love...

Filled with Love…

When we encounter God we find that we are embraced with a love that is almost beyond description. This love is a love born out of some creative process inside us; it is a love that is poured into us by the Spirit of God. The answer to the question, “Are you Spirit-filled?” is this: “Can you see the love of God in my life?” If you are not seeing God’s love through me, I am not filled with the Spirit. I must return to God, humble myself, confess I am to filled with myself and seek a new filling of his Spirit. – Ron Friesen

Is your habit your god?

In some Christian circles, a great deal is made of having a daily habit of spiritual disciplines. The disciplines are usually called “a time with God.” Many of us are encouraged to set the time with God in concrete. We begin to treat this time so religiously that if someone comes along and asks us to do something, we say, “I can’t do that now, this is my time with God.” We are in danger of making our habit our god. Instead of us serving God, we are now serving our habit. God is still working out something in our life when these interruptions come into our lives. – Ron Friesen