Nowhere Else

 I heard Joni Eareckson Tada relate an experience she had with Christ in the early days after the accident that made her a quadriplegic. She'd been going through all the stages of questions, anger, despair, and hopelessness, yet in the midst of it all, continued to seek Him. She came across one of the Psalms where she was called to "trust the Lord at all times." She said that in the midst of all the emotions and questions, she knew one thing, the same thing Peter knew when most of Christ's followers turned away from Him and He asked His disciples, "Will you leave also?" Peter replied, "Lord, where will we go? You alone have the words of life." Tada said she told Him, "Jesus, You're the One who has the words of life. Show me how to live." She then said, "For the past 56 years He's been showing me how to live and how to trust Him." 

Someone said that if God is only one hour of your weekend, He's a hobby, not your Lord." To be a disciple of Christ requires more, far more than a few hours of a weekend. It requires your heart. All of your heart. It requires surrender. Complete surrender. Hobbyists can never be disciples. They don't have the heart for it.

I am no Joni Eareckson Tada. My experience with Him is as nothing compared to hers, but I do share a similar story in my journey of faith. I've shared some of my past story and my deep involvement in the drug culture of the 60's and 70's. Jesus Christ invaded my life in a glorious way and brought me out of my darkness and captivity. For the next 10 years we journeyed together. Then, it all collapsed upon me with the loss of my marriage, family, and ministry. I was in a place much like Tada was. Everything was gone, I didn't know what was going to happen to me. I had questions, pain, anger, and fear. What would I do? Would I return to what had been before Him? I didn't know a great many things, but I did know this. I could never go back. I could only go to Him. I knew I could never trust myself, so I would take the only option I could. I would trust Him. That was 36 years ago, and like Tada, He's been showing me how to live ever since. I have failed Him, but He has never failed me. He never will, and He will never fail you. Dare to trust Him.

I don't know where you are today, but I ask, if you can't trust Him, who will you trust? If you can't put yourself completely into His hands, into whose hands will you put yourself. Where will you go? He has the words of life. Trust Him. He won't fail you. He'll show you how to live....and how to live in victory.

Blessings,
Pastor O