By Joe Widick
I would guess that if I were to mention the name David Steeves, most if not all would draw a blank as to who he actually was. When I ran across his story, I thought it was one of those stories I would just have to use. In 1957 Lieutenant David Steeves was serving in the Air Force. He had been in training when his trainer jet went down and completely disappeared. It was fifty-four days later that he walked out of the California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. He told an unbelievable tale of how he had lived in a snowy wilderness after parachuting from his disabled plane. By the time he showed up alive, he had already been declared officially dead. When further search failed to turn up the wreckage, a hoax was suspected and Lieutenant Steeves was forced to resign under a cloud of doubt. The story however does not end there. More than twenty years later, his story was confirmed when a troop of Boy Scouts discovered the wreckage of his plane.
As I thought of this amazing story, I could not help but think of another time in history, where people had a difficult time understanding and even accepting a survival story of much greater proportion. A man by the name of Jesus Christ walked out of the Judean wilderness making claims a lot of people found difficult to believe. He stated he was the son of God. He claimed he would sit at the right hand of God, he even stated that all things belonged to him. He was later executed and pronounced dead. It was three days later that he showed up alive. Guess what? That created a new wave of skeptics that have plagued the earth ever since.
Stop to think with me for just a moment. Think about the facts of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. His integrity is well-founded. Prophets foretold His coming. Miracles supported His deity. Eyewitnesses verified His resurrection. And today the Holy Spirit confirms to anyone who is seeking to know the truth that Jesus is alive. I believe that the resurrection of Jesus is a fact of history that demands a response of faith. The Bible simply sates concerning Jesus; “He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs.” (Acts 1:3).
What a rich blessing to know with confidence you and I can believe, believe in the one they call Jesus.
By Joe Widick
It is always interesting to look at human nature. In July and August, we were clamoring for the Lord to send some rain our way. Recently it seems as though it rains all the time. As I am writing these thoughts, it is raining. It was raining the day before. I know we need to be thankful for all that God gives us, however, it seems that rain is often times associated with “bad days.” One doesn’t seem to have the freedom to be about as they normally would. We keep our eyes down to avoid stepping in a puddle, instead of looking at people and greeting them with a smile. We move a little quicker trying to get from our car to the store without getting too wet. Do rainy days make for a bad day for you?
When I have one of those days that seem to be a “bad day” and on top of that it rains and rains, I need to focus in on is it really that bad of a day? To help me keep things in perspective, I can think of numerous “bad days” in the lives of the men and women of the Bible. Think with me for a few moments about what Paul and Silas endured in Acts 16. Any one of their troubles was enough to ruin even the sunniest day. Imagine the irritations of dealing with greedy profiteers who had turned a demon-possessed girl into a sideshow (Acts 16:16-17). Think about the pain of confronting an angry mob and furious judges (Acts 16:22). And if that is not enough think about receiving a whipping and imprisonment (Acts 16:23). And to top matters off, contemplate having your feet locked in stocks (Acts 16:24). What would you think of a day like that. If the sun were shinning, you would say you had a “bad day.” If it were rainy and cloudy, you would probably think that that was a “really bad day.” Isn’t it wonderful that God did not conclude the events in Philippi with Paul and Silas chained to a wall in a jail. We all know the rest of the story. Paul and Silas rose above it! How did they do that? They were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they had a sense of mission. They were motivated by a desire to obey God and spread the message of Christ. They had something that they were very excited about!
I believe that like them, we can rise above the mood swings prompted by our circumstances. By trusting in the Lord, by facing each day with an overwhelming confidence that the Lord loves us, we can overcome the “rainy days” that come into our life. I can reflect on the fact that God’s Son can brighten even the darkest of days.
When you read this, I hope that the sun is shining. But if it is not, and the rains are pouring down, I trust that you will realize it really isn’t a “bad day,” because it is a day that the Lord has made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it.
By Joe Widick
I have always enjoyed being outside. There is something about being outside that makes you feel a little closer to God. It has a way of reminding you that God has taken a lot of care in His creation. You cannot sense this when you find yourself parked in front of a TV. Each season is special as is all types of weather. A rainy day always makes the sunshine look that much brighter. While outside, have you ever thought about how it feels when the wind blows. Sometimes it is a gentle breeze that comes in. At other times there are storms that come quickly in to our world. On occasion the wind blows a cold rain in or snow. Elaine and I can sit at our kitchen table and look at our decorative flag blow in the wind and know what direction the wind is coming from. One thing is always true, and that is that no matter what direction the wind is blowing from, God’s love for us remains constant.
When the warm “south wind” with its soothing and balmy breezed brings showers of blessings, one can know that God is love. James said “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). As winter approaches, we will experience the cold “north wind.” It is as though God is allowing trials and testing to sweep down upon us. I can be reminded at times like this that; “All things work together for good to those who love God” (Romans 8:28). At other times there is a strong “westerly wind” that blows in. There seems to be no relief in sight from the heat and wind appears to be of almost a punishing intent. It is then that one can be reminded of God’s love because “Whom the Lord loves He chastens” (Hebrews 12:6). When we see our flags effect with an “east wind” we usually know that there is a drastic change in the weather. It is at times like this that one can reflect and know that “God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory” (Philippians 4:19).
Maybe, I have stretched the point a little concerning the winds that come and go. But maybe, just maybe, the next time we feel the wind in our face we will be able to remember that our God is still love and that He still cares for us in a very special way. The apostle John wrote; “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
By Joe Widick
A week ago Saturday, Elaine and I kept two of our grandchildren, Faith and John Derrick. While John Derrick was taking a nap, Faith was outside playing. She decided to climb up into one of our trees. After climbing down, she proudly came running to me and said “Granddaddy, I climbed your tree and while I was up there, I felt like a leaf.” I wonder sometimes if I have forgotten some of the real joys in life. I am amazed that so many simple pleasures are overlooked because of hectic schedules. Do I find myself forgetting that out of some of the simplest statements, I can be reminded that there is a wonderful, powerful creator, who is looking down at me.
I wonder what it feels like to be a leaf, to have the warm sunshine light up your day. I wonder about how it feels to have the rain come and wash away the dirt and grime of the day before. What does it feel like to stay outside all day experiencing the cool crisp air of the day? What is it like to be covered with a blanket of stars each night or to hold on tightly to the vine where you get your daily nourishment? To realize that one day you will let go of that vine/branch and fall to the ground.
The religious leaders were wrong about Jesus as He rode into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:15-16). They couldn’t have been more off-base if they had tried. True, they knew a lot of theology, but they were wrong about who Jesus was. The children, however, were right. They were the ones in the temple who shouted, “Hosanna to the son of David!” They believed that the person riding that unbroken colt was the promised Son of David. It was the children who responded with wholehearted joy, even though they may not have fully understood Jesus’ mission to redeem mankind.
Children can teach us a vital lesson about faith. In their openness and innocence, it’s easy for them to trust the One whose pure character touches a responsive chord in their tender hearts. As adults, we think we know so much. We try to be so mature, so correct, and so religious. I wonder if we would even recognize the Savior if He walked among us, working the kind of miracles He performed long ago.
On a beautiful fall day, a granddaughter taught her grandfather a lesson, a lesson about not overlooking some of lives most simple yet most precious moments. Thank you Faith! I wonder what it is like to be a leaf?
