Warning: The following devotional is not for the faint of heart!
A few months ago, during Wednesday evening worship, I talked about the Prosperity Gospel’s promise to remove hardship and pain from life if you gave a lot of money to the preacher and how that lie was a spiritual quicksand that had made some charlatans incredibly rich.
After the service ended, Christy and David sent me the following portion of a skit from the comedian, Ron White. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
“Yesterday, I was sitting on a beanbag chair naked, eating Cheetos and …(audience cheers), I was flippin’ through the television and I saw Robert Tilton. He’s a televangelist from Dallas, and uh, he was staring at me. And he said this. He said, “Are you lonely?” Ishrugs] “Yeah. “Have you spent half your life in bars, pursuing sins of the flesh?” [Takes a sip of his drink]. “This guy’s good!” “Are you sitting in a beanbag chair, naked, eating Cheetos?” [Shocked look] YES, SIR! “Do you feel the urge to get up and send me a thousand dollars?” “Close! I thought he was talking about me there for a second! Apparently, I ain’t the only cat on the block that digs Cheetos.”
The Bible never teaches life will be free from pain for those who are faithful. In fact, one of the most devote people I’ve ever met had more than his share of pain. His father committed suicide, his first marriage failed, his daughter died, and then finally, when he did marry a wonderful woman and they had a daughter, he was diagnosed with cancer. He’s now in heaven.
To the best of my knowledge, these hardships never broke his faith. He always believed in a grace-filled, loving, compassionate God.
The promise of the Bible is not that hardship and pain won’t come. They will. For most of us it’s just a matter of time.
The promise of the Bible is God will walk us through the hard times of life. Sometimes, God will do this by taking us by the hand. Other times, God will have to carry us. God will always be there.
This is God’s promise to you:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you,
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” (Isaiah 43:1-2)
God’s promise is to love you, walk with you through life, and bring you home.
Prayer: Dear Gracious Heavenly God, when life gets hard, help me hold on to you. I know you will never let me go. You are wonderful. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Life is hard. God is good. That pretty much sums up everything.
Also, never in a million years did I think I would use a Ron White quote in a devotional. That proves all things are possible.
I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.
Tom Robbins
Daily Devotionals by Dr. Tom Robbins 