The bear truth

In the year 2000, we made the relatively short home move from Sheffield to Doncaster.  One of the first welcome gifts we received after our arrival was a teddy bear.  The lady who presented us with the gift is herself a very keen teddy collector, and our new teddy friend was soon seated proudly on the mantelpiece in our front room.  Over subsequent years, a very strange phenomenon was apparent, as our teddy collection began to grow.  By the time we left Doncaster in 2012 we realised that our teddy family had become quite sizeable.  One of the last teddies I was given was a teddy with a message.  On his t shirt was inscribed the words, "Trust in the Lord."  Until I recently changed my car, teddy sat on a ledge below the dashboard.  Over time, he elicited quite a few comments from passengers.  I am sure that he will find his way into my new car sooner or later!

Teddy's message, of course, is a very real challenge, especially when things aren't going so well.  It's relatively easy for us to say "I trust in the Lord Jesus" when life is plain sailing and there aren't any storms brewing, or big obstacles ahead.  It's when the troubles come, and we find ourselves really up against it, that our faith can be shown up for what it really is.  For Christians in Iraq, for example, who are coming face to face with the very real prospect of being killed by the forces of the so-called "Islamic State" group, the challenge to "Trust in the Lord" becomes an imminent and difficult choice - literally a matter of life or death.  Many Christians have chosen to stay faithful to their Lord and have been killed as a consequence.

It is unlikely that most of us will face such terrible situations.  However, it is likely that we will face troubled times during the course of our lives.  Christians are not immune from tragedy or from life's storms.  The big question for us all is, will our faith stand the test?  Will we continue to "Trust in the Lord" when the tough times hit us?  Will we continue to believe that God is with us in every circumstance, and that 'nothing can separate us from the love of God which is ours in Christ Jesus our Lord?' (Romans 8:28&29).  The bear truth is, 'without faith, it is impossible to please God.' (Hebrews 11:6).