Elijah House
The Power of the Cross
Through the Spirit and the Word
Working to Heal and Restore Families
www.elijahhouse.org
by Paula Sanford
A Call to Rejoice Part 1
"Many people think that in order to have joy, they need to have money in the bank, two cars, a nice house, and all the modern appliances."Joy does not come easily in these days, as we are constantly reminded of wars and the threat of wars. My own heart aches especially to see the condition of the world's children in the news each day. I grieve also over what I see happening in the Holy Land. And I certainly do not look forward with "joyful anticipation" to the possibility of one of our grandsons, Joshua, leaving for Afghanistan with his Marine unit. Such times as these call for a consistent daily focus on the Word and on the presence of the Lord in our lives. The apostle Paul writes an excellent directive in Philippians 4:4-9. He says,
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. "Finally brethren, whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things practice these things, and the God of peace shall be with you." (emphasis mine)
Paul goes on to say, in verses 11 and 12, that he has learned how to be content in all circumstances, and that he can get along with humble means and yet know how to live in prosperity; he knows the secret of being filled, and of going hungry. Then in verse 13 he states what we all need to proclaim to ourselves each time we are tempted to doubt or fear: " I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."
Many people think that in order to have joy, they need to have money in the bank, two cars, a nice house, and all the modern appliances. Others think hardship, tensions, persecution, and rejection prevent joy, and they embrace sadness and bitterness as a lifestyle. But John and I have learned that joy is an abiding and undergirding gift from the Lord no matter what the circumstances. The Lord wants us to take authority over our feelings and talk to ourselves when negativities begin to threaten:
"Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance, and my God." (Psalm 42:11)
John and I learned from the beginning of our marriage 51 years ago what it is to live with humble means. We met at college and were married after dating for two-and-a-half years. Our first "home" was a $10-a-week apartment across the street from the college library. We budgeted $10 a week for groceries, and I can't remember being hungry. (Remember, these were the "olden days!") We earned money by baby-sitting for one of the professors and grading papers for two others. After graduation we stayed with my parents in St. Louis for the summer and moved to Chicago after Loren was born in the fall.
During John's first year of seminary in the windy city of Chicago, we lived in a tiny apartment on the 4th floor of the church where John served as youth director (with my help, of course). Loren was a tiny baby, and during the day he slept quietly in a basket next to my desk (I was secretary-receptionist). That worked well until Loren learned to crawl; then I was extra busy on the days when the old ladies came to quilt. Loren wanted to see what they were doing, and they encouraged his frequent excursions.
We were in a neighborhood where there was a great deal of racial unrest. Our apartment was just above the gymnasium, and at night we would often be awakened by what sounded like footsteps across the floor - probably only the expansion and contraction of the floorboards - but it was scary. We moved our metal folding bed to the bathroom just off the gymnasium so we wouldn't have to negotiate the narrow stairs if we needed to make a trip in the night. We cooked our simple meals on an ancient 2-burner gas stove. We learned to pray together that year. We enjoyed the youth, sang in the choir, and John learned not to sing through his nose. Ami was conceived while we were still at the church, and I spent 2 weeks in the hospital with no insurance while the doctor was running tests because he thought she was a tubal pregnancy. But the joy of the Lord so filled our hearts we didn't even know we were poor.
That year, the church was sold to the African American community and we moved to the edge of the university campus into a two-room, married-student apartment in what had been a mansion. We took turns cooking in our building, because hot plates and electric roaster ovens being used in more than one apartment at a time would invariably blow a fuse. We shared a bathroom, a refrigerator and a vacuum cleaner with a neighbor. We also took turns hanging our laundry in the basement. Almost everyone lived mostly on canned corn-beef hash - it was cheap. John worked at whatever job he could get to fit his class schedule, which meant working at night and going to school by day.
One summer, two of my brothers came to stay with us. They found jobs, and I was hired as a research associate in the University of Chicago's Central Administration. I learned to type (I was slow, but made no errors), and I was a fast reader. We shared watching Loren. He was a true adventurer. Our 16-month-old (with the aid of a naive neighbor who opened the door for him) managed to get out of the house and halfway down the Midway Plaissance before the police picked him up and delivered him to the University Chapel, where the chaplain recognized him and called us. Later, Loren managed to lock himself in the bathroom twice, and we had to call the fire department to come in through a window to get him out. Funny how we look back on those days as times of joy; it doesn't come from favorable or prosperous circumstances, only from the Lord.
Next month Paula will continue to describe how joy is independent of circumstances.
For more information about Elijah House...
Phone: (208) 773-1645; Fax: (208) 773-1647
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM pacific standard time, Mon-Fri.
General Email: ehinfo@elijahhouse.org
Elijah House
17397 W Laura Ln
Post Falls, ID, USA 83854
208-773-1645
fax 208-773-1647
http://www.elijahhouse.org
