Perspectives

Are we great and mighty or frail and fragile? Do we have the strength to slay giants or do our hearts fail in the face of danger? Fervent in prayer; steadfast in faith. While we would like these things to be true about us, I am afraid that my life is a mix of each; strong, but weak; courageous and yet withdrawn. My indictment is not the lack of my perfectness (because none of us are), but rather constantly determining where I belong. I was presented with the opportunity to talk to several people during the last few weeks in response to questions about their personal struggles. Those conversations lead me to consider that whatever the most difficult of my circumstances, others that have been through a good deal worse. Yet, God abides. I believe based on those conversations it is necessary to share something uncommon this week.

To define what is beautiful is difficult because beauty is, as the old saying goes, in the eyes of the beholder. … What is beautiful to us may not be to another. … To regard something as beautiful, it must meet our own definition and concept of beauty. The fact that beauty is an individual concept is understood by all. … However, … many do not realize that God’s concept of beauty is also His own. … No one defines for God His concept of beauty. If a person is beautiful to God, they fit God’s concept of beauty. … But I ask, … do we really appreciate the beauty of what we have in one another and those that are set immediately before us. Think of the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen, … a person, a place, an inanimate object, … one that appeals to the best of all your senses … now multiply that by the greatest numerical value known to man … it still would not begin to describe the manifest beauty of God, God’s people, and the entirety of his love for the whole of humanity. … We should not get so caught up in the world’s definition … that you miss the occurrence of God’s true love towards us. … Your flaws, your past mistakes, your pain have a purpose. … There is no better love than this! The beauty of God’s love is … UNCONDITIONAL!

Prayer is not a matter of convenience, but it is borne out of necessity. … But … before we go any further, we must address the purpose and our need for prayer. … Common belief is that we only pray when we are in trouble or we want something. … but again, that is not the genuine intent of prayer. … truthfully … we should pray in good times as well… Of course! … God gives good gifts to his children, but our relationship with God is not reciprocal, where we give him something, for him to give us something. It is … contrariwise the admission of us all, that we can do nothing of our own accord. … Prayer represents our bond of fellowship, … bringing in line our needs, wants and desires with God's will. Not treating him, … for lack of a better term, as an ATM machine … making plenty of withdrawals, but seldom any deposits. … I am ashamed to say, when it comes to prayer all of us are operating in the “red”, at a deficit. … Prayer is about proper positioning, not physically (in the flesh), but of the heart (spiritually), … we cannot pray or expect our prayers to be heard if our hearts are filled with animosity, … jealously, … hate, … vengeance, … bitterness and so much more, … we cannot ask God to correct someone else when we are reluctant to allow him to complete his perfect work in us (Matthew 5:23). … Suppose during prayer God asked; “What do you want?” … What would our response be? … Would we have the audacity to look upon his face and declare anything … I am afraid not. … Therefore, our prayers should always begin with an acknowledgement, a declaration of sorts, that we truly and genuinely recognize who he is; “He is Lord” (Philippians 2:10-11).

Routinely in our lives we find ourselves, in unfamiliar places, … away from what we would customarily consider normal. … It is easy to simply excuse it as life, but … in relation to God it is common and necessary, … not because he desires to hurt us, but out of his longing for us to grow. What if I told our lives here are not as precious as where we long to spend eternity? Therefore, it becomes more necessary for God to make us uncomfortable … sometimes, to usher us into new places. … Nothing occurs by chance, where things suddenly align … or contrariwise where we confess to being victims of doom or some crumbling plot. … Nothing occurs with us that God is unaware. … Where we go and where we are sent is purposeful and by design, … no matter if our heart desires to be somewhere else.

Home encompasses many things; it is where families reside, and our most coveted memories come from. Statistics reveal, each year millions of people purchase homes … they may comprise of a one person living on thousands of acres alone or … as some would believe the immaterial equivalent of 200 square feet, used to house twelve. The character of a home can reveal the prosperity of its owner or the depth of another’s poverty … however, viewed this is not a rational for what truly rests behind the walls of each. … Home is where we are supposed to have a place of peace and solitude … but most often we find the unending distress of opening old wounds. … While we can escape home physically, our memories imprison us. It is confounding, that God’s creation, in which he gave dominion (Genesis 1:26), feels so inadequate inwardly.

Today’s podcast is unique as I was presented a very rare opportunity and distinct honor to have a conversation with the esteemed Dr. Robert L. Fairley, Pastor Emeritus, of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, in San Bernardino, California.  Dr. Robert L. Fairley was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and is the eldest brother of five siblings. His father, Reverend Leonard Earl Fairley, was a well-known Southern preacher pastor that delighted in ministering to others as well as serving as an example to his son. 

Admittedly or not, we are often wrong about many things, … particularly our opinions, thoughts, and feelings towards others. … We cannot determine life’s outcome, as we are quick to assume someone is preordained to fail. … How others see us and how we believe they see us is of no consequence, because God does not examine us through the carnality of man’s eyes. … What you and I have done or the trouble we have caused is of little importance, when God is judge, and only cares about You! We (meaning you and I), and the whole of civilization has sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). When Job, having lost everything, was reflecting on his circumstance he said; “Man, that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.” (Job 14:1).

In our moments of great need we are unable to physically grasp with the strength of our hands the contents of a text or email, … they don’t resonate in our hearts the same way, but … in those rare instances we are able to cleave that letter, holding it closely to our heart, no matter how old, we go back to it time and again, as the words leap from its pages, and we picture the voice of the one who affectionately wrote it. Similarly, the Bible is God’s word passionately written to us, they are his “Letters from Home.”

The parable of the “Prodigal Son” is one of love and forgiveness, the manifestation of God’s grace and mercy. It represents how God sees us and how repentance works as the “Father” welcomes us home.

We often question our value. What do we mean to others? and What do we mean to God? … Asking; Who am I that God would render his ear unto me, reaching far beyond the heavens to comfort me, right where I am?