This past Sunday morning, I preached at Louisville’s Hikes Point Christian Church. My assigned topic was “My Name Is Elijah,” and I concluded the sermon as follows: “There are a number of lessons we could draw from this account of Elijah but let’s focus on just one: Some discouragement is understandable, but hope is eternal because of the promised intervention of God.
It’s easy to understand why Elijah got discouraged. Evil appeared to prevail, and righteousness seemed ineffectual. He had battled the evil King Ahab and the wicked Queen Jezebel for two decades. Even the thrilling victory over the false prophets at Mount Carmel seemed to result in no change. Jezebel still ruled and put a contract out on his life. So, Elijah ran and hid in fear. He whined, “I’ve had enough, Lord. Take my life. I am not better than my ancestors.”
It’s easy for us to get discouraged too. Satan seems to be winning, and the church seems unable to do anything about it. I read recently that Harvard University’s new Chief Chaplain is an atheist. The School’s motto is “Truth for Christ and His Church,” yet their chaplain today doesn’t even believe in God! What has happened to us? Thinking ourselves to be wise, we have become fools! (Romans 1:22).
It’s discouraging! Moral values are spiraling downward. Good is called evil, and evil is identified as good. We are still struggling with the Covid virus, the defeat in Afghanistan, and the aftermath of hurricanes, floods, tornados, and fires.
Some discouragement is understandable. That is why Christians need the constant reminder that God is going to intervene one day dramatically. Ahab and Jezebel died in disgrace, but Elijah was taken up into heaven in a whirlwind. So, when we get discouraged, we have to keep remembering God is still in control. We’re going to celebrate with Him in the end.
Last week, a friend asked me if the trial our family is currently going through has tested my faith. Does seeing my grandson struggle for three weeks on life support in Intensive Care cause me to doubt God’s word? While I am no spiritual giant, I assured them that I still believe in God and His ultimate goodness as strongly as I ever have.
However, I confess that although I don’t struggle with doubt, like Elijah, I sometimes battle discouragement. I don’t fully understand how God works or why He seems slow to respond. With so many people praying, why doesn’t God just instantaneously, dramatically answer our prayers? Would it not be a great testimony to the power of prayer for Charlie to be instantly healed and walk out of the hospital with healthy lungs? Why is he still on life-support and struggling for his life every day? We have prayed as hard as we can pray and have promised to give God the glory.
Yet, the Bible insists, “God’s ways are not our ways.” In fact, His ways are as different from ours as “the heavens are high above the earth” (Psalm 103:11). The one virtue that seems to please the Lord more than any other is faith — faith that trusts Him even when we don’t fully understand His ways. Can we continue to trust and follow Him even though we don’t know where He is leading? Our daily challenge is to “walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7)
On Saturday, our family rejoiced because the nurses elevated Charlie’s bed to a seated position for the first time. He’s still on the ECMO machine, but we cheered because he was partially sitting up! I don’t know how our family story ends. There are still a lot of uncertainties right now. But God knows. We also trust He will bring beauty from ashes. We can believe all things will work together for good even if we, like Elijah, have to wait for the fiery chariot to swing low and carry us home.
Through all of this, I have witnessed some really good things happening. I wish I had time to tell you all of the positives from the past few weeks, such as a perfectly healthy baby and mother, thousands united in prayer, spiritual lives deepened, and generosity stimulated, just to name a few. Yet, allow me to share another thing our family considers a positive. My grandson Tommy, one of Charlie’s younger brothers, is a senior at Liberty University, majoring in Biochemistry, and is an incredibly gifted musician and part-time worship leader. We think he has a bright future and will make a significant contribution to God’s kingdom.
Tommy is a good-looking young man and a great conversationalist, yet he has been introverted around girls. He insists he wants to get married one day to a good, Christian girl and have a large family with six children. Yet, his siblings have joked that Tommy is unlikely to find someone who wants that many kids, further teasing him that he is destined to be an old bachelor unless he gets serious about dating! Tommy contends that he simply has not met a girl he would be serious about.
Well, it just so happened three weeks ago. Tommy traveled to Nashville, Tennessee, to help Charlie and his wife Faith around the house because Charlie was very sick, and Faith was due to have a baby any day. Thankfully, Tommy was there the night Charlie could barely breathe and was able to rush him to the emergency room.
It also just so happened that the church in Chicago where Charlie had previously served on staff offered to send one of their female staff members, who happened to be Faith’s best friend, Rebecca, to help her for a couple of weeks after the baby arrived.
So, while serving brother and best friend, it just so happened that Tommy and Rebecca began talking and quickly became attracted to one another. They discovered they shared many things in common, including that Rebecca, too, wants to have a large family someday! Yet, most importantly, they share a faith in Christ. So, through long hours of conversation over the past few weeks, the chemistry between the two has grown.
In the meantime, for several months, the Russell family has planned a big birthday party for my wife, who is celebrating a milestone today. Although, I can’t remember if it’s Judy’s 50th or 60th? Nevertheless, the plans are for our entire family to meet in Louisville to celebrate Judy’s birthday tonight. Obviously, we are disappointed that Charlie, Faith, and our great-grandbaby will not be present.
However, this past week Tommy texted us a message asking if he could invite Rebecca to Judy’s birthday party. Well, that was fast! And it sounds serious! But, yea, for Tommy! While that is not exactly the miracle we have all been praying for as of late, believe me, it is close to a miracle! While it is much too early to suggest that God has brought Tommy and Rebecca together for something long-term, if this new relationship is only temporary, it will have been a good encouragement for Tommy and given him some practice for the next one!
It looked like Ahab and Jezebel were in control. But their evil reign was temporary. God was in complete control then, and He is now. God has all of us in the palm of His hand. God’s got Charlie Russell in His hand in the ICU. Somehow 100 years from now, we will all understand it. Yet for now, let’s just trust Him, regardless. And I promise you He will be true to His word. No, better than that, He promises that He will be true to His word. And God always keeps His promises! So, when we can’t see His hand, let us trust His heart
O soul are you weary and troubled; No light in the darkness you see
There’s light for a look at the Savior; And life more abundant and free
Turn your eyes upon Jesus; Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim; In the light of his glory and grace.
His word shall not fail you He promised; Believe Him, and all will be well
Then go to a world that is dying; His perfect salvation to tell.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus; Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim; In the light of his glory and grace.
**Many have expressed a desire to help Charlie and Faith financially in this challenging time, A friend of our family, Brent Frederick, has helped to establish an account at the Christian crowd-funding site, GiveSendGo: https://www.givesendgo.com/CNF2021
Many have asked for an avenue to financially help Charlie and Faith Russell during this time of need. Charlie Russell is currently in ICU at Centennial Hospital in Nashville, TN, battling severe pneumonia after testing positive for covid on July 29. His wife Faith gave birth to their first child, Charity, on August 11, while Charlie was hospitalized. He watched the birth on FaceTime while in the same hospital a floor away. Charlie has not yet been able to hold his newborn daughter. Charlie is on an ECMO machine, intubated with a tracheostomy, and on kidney dialysis. We are praying for his healing, but it will be a long road to recovery. The average time on an ECMO machine is six weeks, usually followed by several more weeks of rehab. It is not uncommon for such a patient to be out of work for six months or longer. Since Charlie is self-employed, this severely impacts his family financially. Faith is a nurse at the same hospital where Charlie is in ICU. But she is now a nursing mother. She was planning on having Charlie’s help with childcare and was considering going part time. Those circumstances have changed. They also anticipate several thousand dollars in medical bills because of deductibles, out-of-network care and so forth. The Body of Christ has reached out with such love and care. Many have asked how they can help financially. This Give-Send-Go account is the avenue the family has determined would be most convenient for donating and best for all involved. All funds will be received and administered by Bob Russell Ministries for the benefit of Charlie, Faith and Charity Russell. Pastor Bob Russell is Charlie’s grandfather; Bob Russell Ministries is a non-profit 501©(3) organization. However, because of the targeted nature of this fund with every dollar going toward the care of Charlie, Faith and Charity, your gift is not tax deductible.
Please also consider a small donation to Give Send Go when prompted to thank them for this free tool.
Thank you for your generosity!
.
Follow BobRussellKY on Twitter and LIKE the Bob Russell page on Facebook
