Tuesday Yr B Sunday between Jul 10-16
2 Samuel 3:12:-16; Acts 23:12-35; Psalm 68:24-35
Good News Bad News Good News
“Remember the story our counselor told at camp? About Good News Bad News? How the story seesawed back and forth between good news and bad? The good news was that the son was coming home. The bad news he couldn’t make it for Thanksgiving, Good news he caught a flight. Bad news the plane crashed. Good news he parachuted out. Bad news his parachute didn’t work. Good news there was a hay mound. Bad news he missed it.” Tony chuckled as he spoke
“Yeah, what’s your point?” Lawrence raised one eyebrow.
“It’s that sometimes our lives are a series of good news and bad news. Every day on the news, it’s bad news for someone. But then they solve that problem and then there is another problem.”
“Sort of good news following bad and bad news following good news?” Lawrence asked.
“My dad just lost his job. I was kinda hoping for some good news.” Tony sobered quickly.
“O that’s bad.” Lawrence frowned at his best friend.
“My dad says we don’t have to be afraid.” Tony sighed a big breath out.
“That’s good.” Lawrence agreed, then his face became quizzical. “Why not?”
“I hope it’s good.” Tony began, “He says that just as God took care of the apostle Paul when his enemies plotted to kill him, God will take care of our needs.”
Lawrence’s mouth dropped open. “Someone plotted to kill the writer of all those books in the New Testament?”
“Yep.” Tony nodded, “He had been preaching about the resurrection of Christ and the rulers didn’t like that. They decided to charge him and then 40 guys promised they wouldn’t eat or drink until they killed Paul.”
“Yikes, that’s a lot of people wanting to do him in.’ Lawrence winced as if someone had attacked him.
“But Paul’s nephew heard about it and reported it to the Roman commander who decided to protect Paul by sending him to Rome.” Tony continued.
Lawrence looked as if a light bulb went off in his head. “He was in a bad news good news situation too.”
“That’s what my dad said. If God can use the maliciousness of people wanting to kill Paul to have the Roman guards escort him to Rome so he could preach the good news there, then, God can find a way for us to get through this time without a job.”
“Wow, your dad has a strong faith.” Amazement flooded Lawrence’s face.
“Actually, he said he didn’t have much faith before this happened, and he was so depressed after he got his pink slip –that’s what they call getting fired—that he started reading his Bible more.”
“But he must have known God for a long time to trust like that.”
“No,” Tony paused in thought, “he and mom became Christians recently, about a year after I started attending youth group at the church, they got invited to a Bible study by the mom of one of the kids in group. They became Christians at one of the studies.”
Lawrence hesitated, “I’m not certain if I am a Christian or not.”
“I know I am one.” Tony spoke with assurance, “I asked Jesus to come into my heart two years ago at a youth camp.”
“How can you be sure? “I have a peace in my heart that I can’t explain any other way except that God has given it to me.” Tony’s smile reached ear to ear.
“But does that really make a difference?”
“I figure it is the same way with the apostle Paul.” Tony chewed on the corner of his lip. “He was at peace knowing that he was going to be sent to Rome even though people wanted to kill him. He took action; he told the guards about the plot, but he was certain he was going to Rome because God had told him.”
“And that’s the same peace your dad has about God taking care of you despite his losing his job?” Lawrence’s face reacted with astonishment.
“Yeah, he knows in his heart that it will be okay. But he’s still job hunting and putting his resume out.”
The phone rang in his father’s study and before Tony could run and answer it, the machine kicked in. “Hi Tom, this is George from Bible Study. Mary Beth told me that you lost your job. I have a sudden opening in my company, an employee was called up to the National Guard duty and I will be short for 1-2 years. Can you come by for an interview tomorrow? Mary Beth says you’re skills are exactly what we need…”
Tony let the man record the full message so his dad could listen to it in full when he came home from his job hunting.
“Wow, that’s amazing.” Lawrence mouth still hung open. “We were just talking about bad news and good news and Paul going through the bad to get the good.”
“Yeah, that’s what Dad says, ‘You’ve got to trust God through the bad times as well as the good.’” Tony was grinning. “I’m learning to trust God, too.”
“Me, too.” Lawrence added as they went in search of Tony’s dad.
Daily prayer: Sovereign God, we praise your name for watching over the apostle Paul, guiding his journeys so that your will was done. Please forgive us for not trusting you completely. Guide all who need your help through these tough times, that we might praise your name the more as we hear more stories of your greatness. In Jesus name, Amen.
Memorize: Psalm 68:28 28Summon your power, O God; show us your strength, O God, as you have done before.
