Yesterday was my birthday. The celebration began when I was awakened with kitty kisses and furry snuggles. Feeling somewhat like Cinderella, minus the singing birds and scampering mice, I smiled and greeted the day with joyous jubilation and elated expectation, singing “Happy Birthday to me. Happy Birthday to me. Happy Birthday dear Pamela. Happy Birthday to me!”
Now for the real story. The sweet kisses felt a little like sandpaper and the snuggles created a state of warmness sometimes referred to as a hot flash. My birthday song sounded more like a frog croaking and not something most people would want to hear first thing in the morning. Still, it was a sweet moment with my beloved felines, Jaxi and Shiloh. And I will take the sandpaper kisses anytime. I just tell myself it’s a home spa treatment. After all, who doesn’t need a little exfoliating now and then?
As the day progressed, I treated myself to a longer quiet time hoping that God might have something special for me. I asked for a birthday verse, which I didn’t get, but I enjoyed reading about Abraham’s faith in Romans 4. There’s something about his story that leaves me in awe. I have to remind myself he was a human being like me, which means he wasn’t indifferent to the challenges of waiting on God. Just think how hard it would be for us to walk by faith for twenty-five years without seeing our greatest desires fulfilled. I get impatient at the Starbucks drive thru. And, how did he persevere that long without giving up on God? Perhaps I am projecting what we commonly feel into Abraham's story, but that is what I pondered as I celebrated my birthday. And then it happened.
Sitting in my chair, I suddenly became aware of how blessed my life has been. It’s not been picture perfect and I have gone through some dark times. Within a six year period, I lost two sisters, my mom, my pastor who was my spiritual father, and two beloved kitties that were 14 and 16 years old. Other than Jesus, the cats were the most stable thing in my life as God moved me from Texas to Tennessee to Chicago to Nashville by way of Orange Beach and then to Jackson. So, life hasn’t been easy and like Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 11:28, “Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.” Life has been filled with challenges and ministry has never been trouble-free. Yet, that wasn’t where God took me yesterday. He invited me to see the blessings that have come in spite of the challenges.
During my quiet time, I decided to look at Facebook. I admit I was excited to read the birthday wishes posted. I’m always curious to see who posts on my wall. One of the advantages of serving with numerous churches is that I have friends all over the world. As I read the posts, I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and well wishes. Friends took a few minutes out of their busy day to celebrate with me. Some were school friends that I met in kindergarten. Others were friends from the churches where I have served. Then there were the college friends and sorority sisters who knew me before I knew Jesus. I always wonder what they would think of my life now. They knew someone who was lost and someone who was looking to the world for answers it could not give. I think they would be amazed to see all that God has done. I know I am.
God didn’t give me a Bible verse. Instead, he gave me a glimpse into the incredible life that he has allowed me to live as a follower of Jesus Christ. I saw the healing and restoration of my life. And that would have been enough, but he didn’t stop there. I recognized how gracious he has been to me, giving me opportunities that I never expected, hope and purpose that I desperately needed, and a confidence in his love for me that I never thought possible. Even then, he didn’t stop. I realized how many brothers and sisters in Christ I have that believe in me and support me. How could I not see the blessings before?
Pondering Romans 4, I perceived something that has escaped me for years. Abraham wasn’t telling his story, the Apostle Paul was. With the advantage of years and distance, Paul saw Abraham’s faith in the context of his whole story. If we were talking with Abraham, I wonder what he would say about his faith. If he’s like you and me, he would think about all the times he struggled with it. In that way, our lives aren’t that different from Abraham’s.
Most of us would never compare our lives to Abraham’s, but our stories are basically the same. We were lost and in need of a Savior. God came to our rescue and promised us more than we ever deserved or could even imagine. Life got hard along the way. Faith required patience, but grew stronger as we persevered through the challenges. The one constant through Abraham’s story and ours is God. He’s the reason we have faith at all.
Paul recognized that Abraham’s faith was an essential part of the story. Isaac, the promised son, was a gift to Abraham, but God was the reward of his faith. That explains why Paul emphasizes Abraham’s relationship with God, not Isaac, in Romans 4. And that’s what I saw yesterday when I looked at my life. Gifts of people, opportunities, and grace have been lavished on me, but the reward of my faith is knowing God intimately. And that is something worth celebrating.
Pamela Hall
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