Enduring

As a young boy I remember the conversations between my dad and my papaw about the Great Depression. Today as I look at the rising percentage of Americans that are unemployed as well as the seemingly incessant plunge of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, it's easy for me to start to draw comparisons to that time. Of course we're not at that level yet, but the lessons I learned could serve to help us all endure this storm. Papaw talked about how the entire community worked together to make sure everyone was taken care of and had enough to eat. The neighbors would gather at the church and bring a pot luck dish and share what they had with everyone else. A real sense of community was birthed and a desire to share with others was brought about by the hardship. They made it thru the toughest times by praying together and growing in faith together, trusting God could and would deliver them from their despair. 

Since that time, however, I believe that we've become a spoiled nation. We've enjoyed times of great wealth and blessings like never before. Almost everyone has a car or two. Most people don't have to grow a garden any more. We have enough money to buy everything we need from super markets and grocery stores. "Hand-me-downs" have become a thing of the past for most folks. We go buy a new outfit or new jeans or new shirts or new shoes every few weeks. And rarely have we heard of anyone going hungry and starving to death. Of course some of those things are changing with this down turn of the economy.

But I've got to tell you, even during the worst of times, I'm still not worried. We will ride out this storm with hope and faith in our hearts to sustain us. And I am convinced that God will bless us in our enduring. Even though we may find ourselves in deep water, struggling to keep from drowning, these desperate times have a way of drawing us closer to one another and closer to our Lord. So despite with the news might say, regardless of how low the Dow Jones may go, we must unite as one and allow God to draw us all near as we endure this crisis... And the best thing I believe we can do is to begin to share... Share provisions - like the community outreach we're doing right now... Share hope - as we meet in our small groups and encourage and strengthen one another... And Share love - as we reach out to our friends, relatives, associates and neighbors with the good news of God's sustaining love thru Jesus Christ. 

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