Love Lifted Me

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

“I was sinking deep in sin,
Far from the peaceful shore,
Very deeply stained within,
Sinking to rise no more;
But the Master of the sea
Heard my despairing cry,
From the waters lifted me,
Now safe am I.

Love lifted me!
Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help,
Love lifted me.”

(Love Lifted Me Copyright 1912, by Charlie D. Tillman. Robert H. Coleman, Owner)

That’s the way I felt last night. Oh, I know the subject of the song is really the salvation experience–that moment when God reaches down in His grace and pulls us up into His arms, just as we are, from the depths of sin. Still, this old song came to mind.

You see, last night I was sinking. I was drowning in depression, doubt, frustration, hopelessness, and despair.

Earlier in the evening at our biweekly small group meeting, I felt myself ever-slowly sinking. That’s the only word I can use to describe it.

All of us have mood swings. I’ve been down before. Like you I’ve had those times when things seemed to be going south, or headed downhill, to use the common cliches. But this was different. This sort of thing doesn’t happen to me often. I won’t detail the specifics here. My small group knows. God knows. What is important is what was happening within me while I was drowning, and what happened afterwards. And my particular experience is important to relate only if it can serve as encouragement for you should the same thing happen to you.

I need to mention here that my wife, Christine, was experiencing her own dive downward at the same time. Now, isn’t that a coincidence?

Not really. Our enemy knows our weaknesses and where and when best to attack. (I might add that we all give him ammunition needlessly when we speak of our weaknesses out loud on a regular basis, but that’s a whole different subject.)

Anyway, I was so consumed by my own situation that I didn’t realize Chris was in a similar one until we were headed home for the night. Her experience and the specifics of what pulled her down are every bit as valid as my own, although different. And they are hers to relate.

Shortly and simply, we were under attack by our enemy–by the roaring lion who prowls looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). But these attacks are nothing new to us, are they? They are Satan’s standard “M.O.” Like you, I practice what I find in the book of James: “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. ” (4:7 NLT) Like you, I know from personal experience that it works. Yet last night I continued to sink.

But that moment of realization, which the Lord surely brought to my attention, led me to turn around and drive back to that safe sanctuary where brothers and sisters in Christ were still there to help. If one of us–Chris or I– is under attack, the other can go to combat. If we’re both there I know we are in trouble.

Brothers and Sisters, Hear my confession:

Though I am saved; though I walk with Jesus; though I seek to serve God and be faithful; though I know to speak to the enemy or the circumstance when it is required–and do so, I know also “…I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.” (Phil 4:13 NLT) And only through Christ.

And I am not the body of Christ here on earth and neither is Chris; We are part of that body. Last night, we needed the other “body parts.” I felt like the little boy who is frightened and calls out for his Mommy to come to his bedroom. His mother assures him that God is always with him to protect him from harm although He can’t be seen. And he says, “I know, but sometimes I want someone with skin on.”

We reached out so that others could do in Christ, what we could not do at the moment. And we did so in humility.

Galatians 2:20 says,

“Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not ‘mine,’ but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 The Message)

And in James:

“Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].” (James 5:16 AMP)

And we were restored by our Heavenly Father–by His touch through our brothers and sisters in Christ. “But the Master of the sea heard our despairing cry, and from the waters lifted us.”

Last night, I was taken by surprise. Our enemy launched an attack so subtle in its development that it was upon me before I knew it. However, it didn’t surprise our Heavenly Father.

And I am confident that He allowed it to bring me to a new understanding, through direct experience, of a wonderful way in which He can express His love.

Twila Paris wrote a song with which I’m sure you’re familiar. The title is “How Beautiful”. Among the lyrics are these words about Christ, which apply also to His body here on Earth when we serve one another:

“How beautiful….the hands that serve…the heart that bled…the tender eyes…the feet that bring the sound of good news and the love of the King…how beautiful, how beautiful is the body of Christ.”

Last night, Chris and I experienced Christ in a new and vivid way through the ministering of our small group. To each person there, we love you and treasure you. I pray that all who read this will have the opportunity to experience the same love that we received last night from the body of Christ.

Love,
Brother Bill

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