Undoubtedly by now you've heard a fair amount of news and commentary surrounding the case of Bowe Bergdahl. Sgt. Bergdahl was the U. S. Army soldier held captive and then released in exchange for five Taliban prisoners being held at Guantanamo. Much has been said about the equity, or lack thereof, of such a trade not just numerically, but in terms of probable threat levels each present to the other side once they are free, etc.

Some recent reports have highlighted suspicion that Sgt. Bergdahl may have deserted his unit, gone AWOL, defected, or even aided the enemy. He's been labeled as everything from simply a scared young man to a traitor. I don't intend to comment on those charges as it is obvious there are hours and hours of investigation warranted and still to come in this case.

However, what was curious to me was the charge that if Bergdahl was indeed a deserter or even an enemy of the United States, why in the world would we go looking for him? It's reported that many hours, and possibly as many as six lives were expended in the search to find and free Sgt.Bergdahl. Some that I heard interviewed found this repugnant.He slid under the wire, left his post. Why does he deserve any kind of rescue or redemption?

It made me think, however, about the cost to God in his search to free and find you and me. It poses quite the question in my mind:

To what degree should effort be exerted to recover someone lost if even due to his or her own disobedience?

What might have happened if God had asked that question prior to the death and resurrection of Jesus, his own and only Son? What if God had determined that as deserters, as enemies of God (See James 4:4), we were not worth the cost of his Son's life to save? Where would be now had God embodied the attitude I've heard portrayed in some media?

Instead, we read this in Paul's letter to the Romans:

"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person-though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:6-8 ESV

By not zeroing in on the actions of Sgt.Bergdahl, but instead focusing upon the acts of a righteous God, I'm certainly thankful that the extent to which God went to restore me was not contingent upon my level of deserving such action! While I was yet a sinner, (and continue to be) Jesus gave up his life in order to restore me to fellowship with God. Was it worth it? Was I worth it? He thought so. I think he still does!

Blessed Contrast

I had a text conversation with my wife this morning and she shared with me what she was observing in terms of weather where she was at that moment. "We have black skies and a rainbow," she said. Out my office window, some 20 plus miles away from her location we had similar black skies, but some bright sun as well. However, the multicolored arc that she was able to see was not visible here. However, some thirty minutes later, on my way to a hospital call, I saw the same black skies and brilliant rainbow.

It set me thinking...

Do you ever see a brilliant rainbow on a crystal clear day? "Well of course not," you're thinking right now, since the rainbow is formed by water droplets refracting light, droplets that aren't present with a crystal clear sky, Pastor George; (and, right now you're thinking, "it's obvious that you studied theology and not meteorology!")

What makes the rainbow brilliant is the contrast in which it is set.

Hmmmm....God's promises.

Remember that the rainbow was placed in the sky by God to illustrate to Noah the covenant he was forming with him; a covenant agreement, initiated by God, that he would never again flood the earth to destroy all flesh (Genesis 9:12-17).

But what caused that promise to be so clearly seen, or at least the representation of the promise, was the contrast with the cloud in which the bow was set (vs. 14).

I wonder if the brilliance of God's promises in our life are as remarkable on clear days as they are when things are "dark" and "overcast?"

Isn't there a sort of "blessed contrast" whereby we recognize God's bestowing of promises and mercy more fully when our situations are such that we feel "clouded over?"

That to me is pure grace. And, perhaps, it's after some time has passed as well. Rarely does the rainbow poke out as the rain is beginning. More so it is the case that after a good deluge, the arc pops forth reminding us that while we might have just gotten drenched, "this is not unto death!" A stark contrast.

Now it would be beyond glib to say at this point "So the next time it rains in your life, just look for the rainbow!" But my encouragement to you is this: if your life is dark right now; if you're struggling to see any kind of "blue sky experience" in your situation(s), then you are in a prime spot, because of that deep contrast, to see the blessed promises of God. Here are just a few that might arc themselves over your cloud covered skies:

** "...I will not leave you or forsake you." Joshua 1:5

** "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." James 4:8

** "...If you seek him, he will be found by you..." 1 Chronicles 28:9

** "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33

So don't despise the clouds; that's right where God chose to place the rainbow! In your darkness, replay the promises over and over in your heart. Remember, "he who promised is faithful!" (Hebrews 10:23)

Do You REALLY Think God Knows?

Have you ever watched a movie that has so captivated you that you begin to stress about whether the individual or individuals portrayed are going to make it out of their circumstances okay?

I recently viewed "All Is Lost" along with my wife and one of  my daughters. If you're looking for a movie with stirring dialogue, this isn't the one for you. There are a few moments of voice over at the very beginning, and aside from an unintelligible outburst of frustration at one point in the movie, that's it for any speaking. And, following in the pattern of "Gravity" which featured predominately only two actors, "All Is Lost" boasts one; Robert Redford.

**SPOILER ALERT**

It's the story of a man on a boat, which soon sinks forcing him onto a life raft, which soon catches fire and  burns, setting him adrift in the ocean with nothing except his ability to tread water!

While I didn't find the movie "spectacular," it was certainly captivating; if for no other reason than my continual anxiety on his behalf! Will he ever get rescued? How likely is it in this huge expanse of ocean that anyone will ever see him?

That anxiety grew even greater when he finds a sextant and a map and soon realizes that he is in the middle of a shipping channel. Not long after that realization, as he's floating in his "soon to be melted" raft, a massive shipping vessel passes right next to him. However, in spite of his waving, he isn't seen by the crew of the tanker. A similar ship passes later, this time at night. Even armed with flares, he's not able to flag down the ship's crew.

Try as he might, he was simply too small to be noticed!

Sound familiar? Have you ever sensed that in your life? Do you ever feel adrift in this incredible sea we call life wondering if (a) there is a God, and (b) does he know you're out there? Have you had the experience of shooting off flares and jumping and waving, only to bob in the wake of the ship as it passes you by?

David asked something very similar of God. In the 8th Psalm:

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?

In other words, in the great scheme of things, God, given our relative unimportance, why do you even care?

It's rhetorical. David answers his own question:

Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet...

Your value is intrinsic because of the identity of the One who formed you!
 
Hardly inconsequential, I'd say.

You do matter! You are valued in God's eyes! You were created by the same hands that created the heavens, the moon, and the stars. The very same hands that positioned them all in a specified location, giving them a certain path in which to orbit, those very hands also made you! And while our circumstances can cause us to feel dwarfed and adrift with no hope of rescue, your immense value in the sight of the One who formed you hasn't dropped a bit.

Unfortunately, what many of us do, is use our surroundings to quantify us.

We play an endless comparison game whether it's with what others possess, what others look like, how popular they seem to be, etc. all the while missing that fact that our value isn't earned or purchased or acquired, it's intrinsic because of the identity of the One who formed us! Your "size" in His eyes is immense. And, when compared to him, you SHOULD seem small! After all, He's God. But how great is it that even as huge as he is, he's still mindful of you! You're big to Him!

You're valued because you were formed and crowned by the only One who's able!

So the next time life tries to dwarf you and your circumstances break over the top of your raft, remember that the same hands that formed the heavens will settle that raft and can tow you to still waters. Cry out to him for that!