Holy Smoke Trust Jesus!*

 

“Holy Smoke'' pilots

It was finally time. The four kids were sleepy but excited. We were starting our drive to the “Happiest Place on Earth” from Chattanooga. Some of their friends had been to “Dizzy World” every year since before they were old enough to remember, but this was our first trip. Anita had done her homework well. She had figured out with the Disney Vacation rep how we could sleep all six of us, do the meal plan, and add a “park-hopper” pass without going too far over our budget. I, however, was still very anxious about this trip to this large kingdom built on a central Florida swamp. I worried about the taxes and tributes that King Mouse would extract for a few days of exhausting exploration of his kingdom with its elaborate magical facades, excellent rides, and exceptional dining places. Our early morning Tennessee start had us arriving at the Value Resort in time to drop our bags and go to Disney Springs to eat supper. The kids were wide-eyed but tired from the long drive. We got a reservation at the restaurant and walked around the shops of overpriced trinkets, t-shirts, hats, and memorabilia until our name was called. We received our menus and I had my first Disnoshock. I knew I couldn’t keep worrying about the cost of everything or I would make the trip miserable for everyone. So, we went back to the resort and slept restlessly anticipating our first day at the park. I woke up early, got some coffee, and did my quiet time by the pool before anyone else was up. In my journal I wrote something about not being able to relax on this trip. I was concerned about investing all this time and these resources in the hope for a good family memory and it being a flop. I was afraid of all the X’s: exhausted family, exorbitant costs, excessive heat, expensive meals… I needed to know that God was with us and that everything was going to be okay. In my skepticism and doubt I wrote in my journal, “God, If you are in this, I would like for You to write it in the sky.” Everyone awoke, ate some pop tarts, sunscreened our sun sensitive Eurowhite skin, and headed to the park. As we drove, the kids looked out the windows and said, “Mom, Dad! That airplane is writing something in the sky.” Reading each letter they slowly said, “T.R.U.S.T. J.E.S.U.S…” Then reading each word excitedly, “it says, Trust Jesus, Dad! It says, Trust Jesus!” So, with tears in my eyes, we made our way to the park. We had a wonderful 4 days in all 4 parks. Every time I began to worry, God’s miraculous sky message reminded me of Whose Kingdom we really belong to…

 
When Jesus began His ministry, in one of His first famous sermons, He spoke of those in His Kingdom. He reminded His followers not to worry, but to keep seeking relationship with God, trusting Him, and honoring Him with their actions. Jesus knows our propensity to act badly when we are anxious or fearful, its human nature. We take a defensive posture against everything and everyone, even good things and those trying to help us, because our brains go to self-protective “enemy mode.” We see others as a threat even when they aren’t. Worry is a relationship killer. It causes us not to treat others well, because we begin to focus only on our own success or survival and distrust everyone else, including God. Those connected to Jesus, would need to trust that He cares for them. He says, “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”(Matthew 6:31–34 NIV) Even in King Mickey’s Tomorrowland, we had fun, because we could “Trust Jesus.” My oldest daughter would later learn to trust God in her own journey when she participated in the Disney College Program, living in Orlando by herself and working in Princess Fairytale Hall. She was “friends with” Cinderella, as well as, Pluto, Rafiki, even the Easter Bunny. Do not worry about tomorrow, it has enough worries of its own.

 
( I have since learned that the skywriting was the work of the “Holy Smoke'' pilots, two former crop dusters turned airplane evangelists. God had timed a Holy Smoke, Trust Jesus message perfectly for my family to see it we needed that day.)

Hang in there people! God is glad to be with us! I’m praying for us all!

Beyond Understanding*

I parked, made my way into the hospital, got on the elevator, just like I had hundreds of times before. I typically try to get in the right frame of heart and mind to minister to those I’m going to see after fighting traffic, making dizzying circles in the parking deck looking for a place to park, trying to slide my oversized vehicle into the tiny little parking space, then trying not to scratch the car next to mine while squeezing my girth through the narrow door opening.  Often, as I walk, I pray in anticipation of seeing the patient, but this time was a little different. I felt a prompting to pray for God’s Shalom peace for a certain patient and her husband. I put on my mask and made my way to the elevator, and it became my prayer lift. There were some quiet moments in my vertical chapel until a bell interrupted the silence, and a pleasant automated voice said, “4th floor.” When I exited and walked down the hall, I wondered  if I could go into the room this time. Because of COVID risks, sometimes I could only wave through the glass, and make a praying hands gesture from the hallway to let the couple know I’m lifting them up before the throne of God. Sometimes this patient’s husband was able to come out and pray with me in the hall.  When I arrived that day just outside the room, two nurses were standing there, wide eyed, still in their masks, face shields, gloves, and plastic gowns. I looked in and saw the patient sleeping peacefully  in the bed and her husband hard asleep in one of those uncomfortable hospital chairs.  I was praying another quick prayer, thanking God for His peace and was about to turn around to go see another patient, when one of the nurses asked me who I was.  I said I was their pastor. She looked me in the eyes with a very serious look and said, “did you just pray for them?” And I said, “yes, God had prompted me to pray while I was on the way up here.” She said, “I don’t usually talk about this, but she was very anxious, irritated, and agitated, and he was very empathetic with her discomfort, then instantly, just  a moment ago,  they inexplicably became completely relaxed and fell hard asleep. I have never seen anything like it.” These nurses had not administered any medication that would have calmed her like that, and they certainly would not have given anything to her husband, who was not a patient at the time… I remember getting chill bumps and thanking God for allowing me an up close glimpse of His Spirit miraculously pouring out His peace on two of those He loves! He had given them some much needed rest at a very stressful time in this hospital stay. God had not only seen their distress and relieved it, but He had invited some nurses and a pastor to witness Him at work giving some much needed Shalom to an uncomfortable, pain and stress fatigued couple.  He let us all know that He sees us and He cares. 

In the early church at Philippi, there was some unrest, irritation, and anxiety among some in the congregation. Paul was reminding the church family to pray for each other and themselves.  Paul tells them, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”(Philippians 4:6–7) I used to think this verse was written for us as individuals when we are anxious and needing peace, but it is written in the context of a close group of believers. He says, “hearts” and “minds,” plural, not just “heart” and “mind.”  There is a sense of “Us,” not just “me.”   Jesus sees us in our distress, invites us to join Him in His answer, and He shows up with just what is needed. He sends the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, and He arrives with a Shalom that is overwhelming. God had not only given peace to the couple at the hospital, His peace had impacted those believers in close proximity too.  

Hang in there people! God is glad to be with us! I’m praying for us all!