The Flying Machine: "Smile a Little Smile"

Here's a hit from another one-hit-wonder group from the sixties. It's about a friend cheering up a woman whose boyfriend hurt her feelings. Listen to the song here.

North American Christians baffle me. From the devotionals I've read, believers are of all people the most miserable. It's like my siblings in Christ find even the tiniest of difficulties an overwhelming burden.

Throughout redemptive history, people were called by the Lord to be brave. One classic example is recorded in Joshua 1:6 and 7 (Bible in Basic English). "Take heart and be strong; for you will give to this people for their heritage the land which I gave by an oath to their fathers. Only take heart and be very strong; take care to do all the law which Moses my servant gave you, not turning from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may do well in all your undertakings."

Gideon was another man God chose and gave him the job of fighting for Israel. Judges 6:11 and 12 (BBE) reads, "Now the angel of the Lord came and took his seat under the oak-tree in Ophrah, in the field of Joash the Abiezrite; and his son Gideon was crushing grain in the place where the grapes were crushed, so that the Midianites might not see it. And the angel of the Lord came before his eyes, and said to him, 'The Lord is with you, O man of war.'"

Though Gideon hesitated and asked for signs, God reassured him of his mission. Once he knew what he had to do, he performed the Lord's commands.

One sin every Christian makes now and then is in not trusting God during trials. Israel demanded a king but God was angry with them. That's why we read this in 1 Samuel 12:20 (BBE). "Then Samuel said to the people, 'Have no fear: truly you have done evil, but do not be turned away from the Lord; be his servants with all your heart;'"

Even New Testament people had their doubts. Paul wrote this in 2 Timothy 1:6 and 7 (BBE). "For this reason I say to you, Let that grace of God which is in you, given to you by my hands, have living power. For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of self-control."

If Christ hasn't come to rescue us from difficulties small or great by Monday, I plan on posting about how we should handle changes.

It's A Beautiful Day: "White Bird"

This one-hit-wonder group out of San Francisco released this song in 1968. I assume the meaning of this song is that we must "fly," taking advantage of the freedom offered to us. Listen to this beautiful song here.

How sad it is that the gospel is freely available to many people but they ignore Christ's magnanimous offer. John 10:9 (Bible in Basic English) reads, "I am the door: if any man goes in through me he will have salvation, and will go in and go out, and will get food."

In the song, I assume the door of the golden cage is wide open. Otherwise how could the white bird fly?

But like that bird, we hesitate to proclaim the gospel. Paul's protege had his share of timidity. Even so, Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:6 and 7 (BBE), "For this reason I say to you, Let that grace of God which is in you, given to you by my hands, have living power. For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of self-control."

Even so, there are times when we believers are afraid. Psalms 55:5 and 6 (BBE) reads, "Fear and shaking have come over me, with deep fear I am covered. And I said, 'If only I had wings like a dove! for then I would go in flight from here and be at rest."

We need only pray and trust in Christ, difficult though it might seem at the time. As we read in 1 Peter 5:6 and 7 (BBE), "For this cause make yourselves low under the strong hand of God, so that when the time comes you may be lifted up; Putting all your troubles on him, for he takes care of you."

And as our Master gave us an example, we read how to trust in the Father in 1 Peter 2:23 (BBE). "To sharp words he gave no sharp answer; when he was undergoing pain, no angry word came from his lips; but he put himself into the hands of the judge of righteousness:" So must we do.

If the one we trust in hasn't returned by Monday, I hope I can post about how wicked folks will be recompensed.