There’s an old saying that I’ve heard all my life that says, “There’s a light at the end of the tunnel.” This saying seems to indicate that when I am going through a tough situation, I should have hope that it will end soon, and I will see improvement in the situation. This saying is from a quote by Ada Adams – “There is a light at the end of every tunnel. Some tunnels just happen to be longer than others.”   

Something I heard got me to thinking about this saying. I’ve heard so many people use it to comfort someone going through a hard time. But I wondered, is that really how I should think as a believer in Jesus Christ? Is He really waiting at the end of the tunnel? Is He there at the end when I finally make my way through the situation? Will I finally step into His light after I make my way through the muck and mire of this world?  

I quickly realized that Ada was wrong. 

The light is not at the end of the tunnel for me. It is in the tunnel with me; every hurt, every tear, every pain is wrapped in His love and light. I don’t have to make my way through whatever situation I am in alone. I draw so much comfort in knowing that my Jesus walks every step of this life with me whether I’m in a tunnel or on a mountaintop. It can be difficult to remember this when things are falling apart; but by focusing on Him I have light IN the tunnel. 

“The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom should I fear.” Ps. 27:1 (CSB)

“Arise and shine for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord shines over you.”  Is. 60:1 (CSB)

“Jesus spoke to them again; ‘I am the light of the world.  Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness again but will have the light of life.'”  Jn. 8:12 (CSB)

“What has been will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9 CSB

It gets hard some days to stay focused on the good things of this life.  So much is going on that can distract, disturb, and dishearten.  The days just seem to run together with one bad news story after another. I was recently reading in 1 Samuel 7 and was reminded that this is not new.  It may be getting worse and more frequent, but it’s not new, and it’s not a surprise to the great I AM. 

Israel had come out of Egypt, spent years wandering around, and received God’s mercy multiple times.  They had been oppressed by their enemies and experienced deliverance through many God-appointed judges, and now they had Samuel to judge them. Samuel was a dad as well as a judge, but his sons, who he appointed as the next judges, did not judge by God’s standards. They became oppressors of God’s people. Before Samuel died the people rejected Samuel’s sons and said, “Give us a king like other nations have.” 

They did not want his sons, and I think this might have hurt Samuel’s feeling just a little.  I don’t know for sure, but Samuel may have just cried out something like “God, why are these people doing this to me.” That’s what I would probably say. I think God’s answer might have surprised him a little.  

“But the Lord told him, ‘Listen to the people and everything they say to you. They have not rejected you; they have rejected me as their king. They are doing the same thing to you that they have done to me, since the day I brought them out of Egypt until this day, abandoning me and worshiping other gods. “1 Samuel 8:7-8 CSB

God said this is nothing new. They are not doing anything to you they haven’t already done to me. You feel rejected? They have rejected me repeatedly. They are abandoning you? How many times have they abandoned their faith in me? This made me stop and consider how I react to what is happening to me and around me. What the world, governments, or people do or say to me is not new; it’s not unique. God has already been there, experienced that, felt that – forgiven that. 

Dear friend, whatever your hurt is today, give it to the one can comfort, heal, and support you like no one else – because He has already been there. 

I have a confession to make…. I am old-school sometimes in how I pay for things or give a monetary gift. While I like the convenience of using a card, I have not gotten into using some of the virtual payment systems that so many use, and sometimes I want to write a check. Yes, a piece of paper with my handwriting on it.  If you get one of these from me, it is a promise of value to you; a promise that I have money in an account that you now can access. But it is only a piece of paper until you take it to the bank and cash it – that is when its true value is realized.  That is when it becomes more than a piece of paper and some ink. You can put that check in a drawer and leave it, but it won’t be useful to you or anyone else.

I have been thinking about how this could be analogous to the promises God has made. Promises I read about in His word but often don’t “cash.”  I don’t stand on that promise, or I get weary of praying and waiting for the promise to be fulfilled. As I start a new year, I wonder what promises I have from God that I have not claimed, that I have not continued to believe are meant for me. What are my “uncashed checks?”  I want to begin searching for and standing on God’s promises that I have not accepted, believed, and cashed.

As I start looking at God’s promises in the Old Testament, I see how many times a promise is confirmed by repeated scripture and how sometimes it is fulfilled over many generations. I take heart in the realization that God’s promises are always fulfilled and God’s timing is always perfect.

Psalm 145:13 says “… The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.”  

I had knee replacement surgery a few months ago.  If you have had this or similar surgery, you know the recuperation period can be painful and sometimes scary.  Even though I’ve been walking a long time, I had to learn how to walk with this new knee.  At first, I had to use a walker, then I was able to use a cane and finally I was able to walk without either.

The scariest part of learning to walk again was being on uneven or sloping ground.  Anything that might cause a fall meant I was extra careful.  You see one leg was stronger than the other and it was hard to rely on the weaker leg.  I had to take it slow and watch where I put my feet.  The first time I walked down the sloping driveway to the mailbox was a victory. 

I’ve been through this twice so I kind of knew what to expect but that didn’t make it any less scary.  I didn’t need the walker or cane any less this time.  In the same way, as I go through difficult circumstances in life, I need to be careful where I walk.  I need to watch where I am ‘putting my feet’.  When this life gives me scary, uncertain times, I need to rely on God’s word and His Holy Spirit for support.  They are like my walker and cane; I can depend on them until I am strong again.  No matter how many times I have been through different situations, I need my support to see me through the next one to level ground.  They are my pathway to the next victory.

“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me on level ground.”  Psalm 143:10 (CSB)

“Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.”  John 4:35 (NIV)

I wrote the following paragraphs at least a year ago:

“This morning I decided to pull up the tomato plants that I eagerly planted months ago.  I was tired of tending them now. I took a bowl and harvested the last of the ripe and semi-ripe fruit on the vine.  I looked at each tomato, was it ripe or close enough, did it have any flaws, any bug bites, was it damaged by the wind or not enough or too much water, was it worth picking?  I looked at the ones that fell on the ground; were they hurt, or could I add them to the bowl.  As the bowl got fuller, I got pickier, discarding some that I might have added earlier.

How thankful I am that Jesus is not like me harvesting the tomatoes.  He doesn’t tire of tending to me or you. He doesn’t discard those of us that have been bitten, bruised and damaged by life.  He carefully cradles me and you in his arms, heals the bumps and bruises and loves each of us regardless of our state.  There isn’t a ‘no vacancy’ sign in Jesus’ bowl, it’s big enough for all who believe. 

My prayer today is that if you are bruised or broken by life, hurting, or discouraged, you will turn to the One who can heal and love you as God intended. Know that Jesus will embrace you and love you just as you are. “

As I reread those words, I recalled how I felt that morning; I just didn’t have it in me to keep tending those tomato plants.  Sometimes today I look around at all that is going on and I feel tired of trying to keep going amid all that I see.  But I remember that Jesus called on us to continue just as he continued all the way to the cross, to the grave, to the resurrection.  To continue isn’t to just exist; for me it is to be a worker in whatever way I can. 

“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”  Matthew 9:37-38 (NIV)

Continue. Finish Strong.

I was recently reading the passage of scripture about the woman who touched the hem of Jesus garment while he was surrounded by a crowd of people.  I’ve read that passage many times but this time the commentary that was given talked about how scandalous that would have been at that time in history.  You see this woman had a bleeding problem that forbid her to participate in society like most women could.  She was considered unclean which meant she could not go to the temple to worship, could not participate in normal social activities; it meant she was excluded.  In today’s language she was “canceled.” 

The commentary described what this woman did as ‘scandalous faith’.  She did what was forbidden; she risked everything to touch the hem of Jesus garment.  She was willing to be further ostracized because the possibility of healing was greater that the potential risk.  She had nothing left to lose. 

Touching someone’s clothes would hardly be scandalous behavior today.  Given what is seen as acceptable in society today, I’m not sure what would be considered scandalous; except perhaps standing firm in my faith, speaking up about my faith and keeping on doing the best I can to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to anyone who will hear.  Maybe that is what it means today to have ‘scandalous faith’ – to speak up and step up even if society cancels me, even if friends no longer want to be connected to me, even if I’m considered crazy or dangerous by some.

Yes, I want to think I could have scandalous faith but I wonder if I would be more like the Pharisee who came to Jesus at night rather than during the day when everyone would see.

Matthew 9:22 (NIV) Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “Your faith has healed you.”

“I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and now, I am convinced is in you also.” 2Timothy 1:5. (CSB)

In Paul’s second letter to Timothy he states that Timothy’s faith grew from his grandmother and mother’s faith. I have seen a grandmother’s faith grow in my own family. My maternal grandmother, Nanny, was instrumental in my childhood as someone who loved me deeply and showed the love of Jesus to me.

Nanny and Papa were never rich in worldly terms. They never owned a house or a car. They worked hard all their lives. Nanny worked for a coal mine company store when I was a child and later had a corner store in her Bessemer neighborhood. She and Papa had a good-size garden every year to help feed not only the family but neighbors as well.

I remember summer visits with Nanny so well – Sunday and Wednesday meant church. It didn’t matter that she had worked all day on Wednesday, cooked three meals (homemade) and taken care of her grandchildren – it was Wednesday so we went to church. Saturday meant getting ready for church on Sunday – iron the clothes and polish the shoes. I mentioned that Nanny and Papa didn’t own a car – they didn’t drive at all. So going to church meant walking most of the time. Sometimes the pastor would pick us up, but I remember many long walks to church and back with her. I’m not sure how far it was in miles but it didn’t seem long because Nanny would tell us stories along the way. She always made sure we had a quarter for the offering plate.

From her I learned the values of getting up early, working hard and being generous. She was the first person in my life that I remember who truly had faith in God and demonstrated that faith by her life. Even though I didn’t always live a life that honored God, her example never left me. There was always a tug on my heart and soul that I think eventually brought me back to where I am today. Nanny was never rich as the world judges but she was rich in love and faith.

After my older brother, David, was married he accepted Jesus. He and his wife, Diane, went to tell Nanny and they said she responded with “I knew it. I was praying.” Never stop praying for the children in your life – even if they are adults now. Never doubt that how you display God’s love, grace and mercy on a daily basis will not be fruitful. It may take more time than you prefer but in God’s time you will see a result. Whatever winding path the children in your life may be on today your living example will remain with them.