The Yet Song

We all have them, they are a necessary evil and a part of life that cannot be avoided. Disappointments. I have them, you have them, we all have them.

Jesus said in this world ye shall have tribulation but to cheer up, I have overcome the world just so I can bring you peace. (John 18:33)

I turn this laptop on and the first thing I see is a Facebook post from a lady I once pastored who was living with disappointment. Three weeks ago, Angela Stacy Bell and her mother were driving down the highway back in mid Nov. and another driver for whatever reason came over into their lane causing a head on collision. Angela and her mom were dealt misery by someone who got distracted. By the grace of God she and mom lived to tell about it after a 3 week hospital stay but Angela has had 4 surgeries on her hips and a total replacement and her mom left with a steel plate and screws in a broken arm, a broken leg and 6 broken ribs along with a brain bleed. Their plans were to have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

At church last night, my dear friend and our church pastor Bro. Jerry Terrell made mention he and his lovely wife came home the night before to a house flooded for the 2nd time from a broken water line. All flooring has to come up and a serious dry out to be made to keep dangerous mold from forming. How disgusting and disparaging is that right here in the midst of the Holiday Season?

Recently, I attended the wake of a fellow minister's 40-year-old only son, a victim of a drug overdose. Rev. Jerry W. Cox had different plans for his boy. This comes on the heels of the death of his beloved wife in the same year. Not one but two fresh graves in his family plot. Two close male friends who look to me as their mentor and spiritual guide are leaning on me for prayer and support in their attempts to regain parental rights to their children that were taken from them. I spoke to both just recently and gave them a cup of cheer.

This morning, all these folks are living with disappointments. Like Elvis's song, I'll Have a Blue Christmas, they had a blue one. No doubt, most of you who read this are experiencing some form of disappointment. This is what I feel to tell all of us today who are living with disappointments. All we can do is do all we can.

One plants, another waters, but only God can give the increase. The guinea pig of all ages Job summed up his roller coaster life he was experiencing at the time by saying, the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away........blessed be the name of the Lord. That same man asked God 142 questions as to why all the disappointments had to come his way. God did not answer any of them. Rather in chapter 38 God finally answered Job out of a whirlwind with debris flying all around with questions of His own like "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding." (Job 38)  Almost 50 questions were hurled back at the most righteous man living on the planet at the time. So much so, Job put a hand over his mouth and remained mum.

Like him, every time God opens His mouth, He covers me up with so much unanswerable info it takes me 6 months to dig out. This morning I took on another patriarch of Bible's perspective, the Prophet Habakkuk: "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: YET I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.  The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. 

To the chief singer on my stringed instruments. Hab. 3: 17-19 (emphasis mine)  I just gave notice to the choir leader of my soul to break out the band and let's sing this 'yet' song. Yet means in spite of, regardless of what it looks like, etc.  So, Bro. Mike is singing the yet song, praising the Good Lord in spite of my setbacks. If we can sing the 'yet' song while living with our disappointments, we will grow some hind's feet to walk over them in this coming New Year.

God bless you and God bless America.