Back when I was in college, I can remember walking through the Commons (A central campus building for students to come and hang out) on my way to classes every afternoon. I started to notice the same people there every day glued to the television sets. What were they watching? Soap Operas! You know- All My Children, General Hospital, etc. Now, I had never watched soap operas and never had any interest in them to start with, so I had no idea what the obsession was all about. Oh and yes for some it was a real obsession.
Not to long ago when my daughter moved back home to live with me for a while she started watching the soap opera Passions. She would tape it every day to make sure she would not miss it. A couple of times she was watching it when I was home and I sat down to see what the big deal was. This person was cheating on that person, then this person was plotting to kill that person, then this person was caught in a love triangle with that person, then this person was not really the father of the baby that belonged to that person, then this person was blackmailing that person for the indiscretions they committed and did not want anyone to know about, etc.
Oh my gosh, the drama of it all! I could always guess pretty well where the story lines were going, but it took forever for them to get there. They would drag what would normally be one episode on a night time drama, and then drag it out for weeks. Still, I could feel the way people get pulled into these soap operas and I stopped to think why?
Why are we so easily pulled into other people’s tragedies? Are there really so many drama voyeurs out there addicted to other people’s drama, sins, and miseries? Well, sadly the answer is yes. It is a whole lot easier to escape into someone else’s drama than to stop and face your own. I hate to tell you this but sin is in thought, word, and deed. Where is your mind going while you are watching all of this? Is it glorifying Him?
Then I got a great idea! Who knows maybe some big Hollywood screen writer will read this blog and I can say it was my idea first. Ok, I’ll stop the dreaming LOL. Well, my idea is why don’t they take all the dramatic stories in the Bible, put them in a today soap opera format, and spread God’s word that way. Hey, it could work.
My vote for part of the pilot show is The Book of Job. Wow, now if you want to read some drama at its best, read The Book of Job. (This is a very loose translation) So, here you have a man that is tested to his limits with one tragedy after another. Oh, the things that this man has to go through and endure are phenomenal. No, I am not going to tell you the whole story that would wreck it for you. I will tell you that the story has some powerful characters in it like Satan, God, and several more. If they put this in a soap opera format they would have people biting their nails waiting for the next day’s episode. OK, I am a sucker for happy endings, so I will tell you it has a very blessed and happy ending. You say that you have already read Job before? Well then I challenge you to go back and read it again with the soap opera format in mind. It sure made me look at it differently.
Have you ever been like Job? Has there ever been a time that you feel you just can’t take it anymore? You pray and nothing happens? Have you ever lashed out at God in anger? Have others ever been harsh with you when you are ready falling apart? Has God ever had to set the record right with you on an issue? Read Job and there you will find REAL DRAMA!
So often we are so caught up in learning the scripture, decoding the messages given to us in God’s word, listening to sermons about God’s word, and always seeing it in such a sterile setting that we miss what awesome characters and stories there are in the Bible. The Bible has it all people: Murder, mystery, adultery, betrayal, lust, friendship, love, sacrifice, etc. Forget the new television show Heroes, we have the best super hero character there is. The point that is even more totally awesome is that God, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit are all real and not just a bunch of fiction.
I’m reminded of a quote my mother had with a picture of a candle hanging on my younger brother’s wall when we were younger. My younger brother could show out with a very bad temper when he was younger. So, to remind him to think first she had this picture hanging up in his bedroom. It said, “Anger is the wind that blows out the light of reason!” This quote has a much deeper meaning to me now that I am an adult.
Oh, I almost forgot a couple of things since I was so excited about Job. First, if you want a bit of entertainment listen to Carman’s song, Soap Song. He incorporates the names of many of the soap operas into his song. It is a great entertaining and inspirational song. I have posted the lyrics to the song below with a link to his website. His music and messages are reaching so many people. Second, I have posted 2 poems from when I was going through so tough trials. It is so wonderful to know that if we have faith, trust, and patience in God when a window closes He will open a new door to a place that was even better than before. I look back on these poems now and can’t believe I was ever that low. I am so thankful for God’s love and His many blessings He has given me. Take care and God Bless.
Heavenly Father, I pray today for your continued wisdom and guidance in my life. Keep me from jumping to conclusions when I don’t understand or can’t see things clearly. I want my light to shine for you. Keep my light of reason burning bright so that I may not fall in Satan’s traps showing anger or doubting you. Keep my eyes and life always focused on you, so that my life may always honor you. Father, I praise you for the many doors you have opened in my life already and I look forward to tomorrow committed to my walk with you. I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.
Soap Song
By Carman
Gone are the days of Leave it to Beaver,
Matt Dillon and his sidekick Festus.
Now we survive on the immoral lives
Of those of the Young and the Restless!!
It's not that they're young,
They're just uh, restless!
Not doing at all like they should!
So they go to the General Hospital,
And The Doctors can't do 'em no good.
So they keep on with their Search for Tomorrow
Not doing one thing that's right!
And they all end up in Another World,
About to fall off The Edge of Night!
But that shouldn't matter,
Cuz after all, As the World Turns
You only have but One Life to Live!
There remains a blessed hope for you
And All your Children,
More Hope than Ryan could ever give!
If we want true contentment, peace in our homes
With an end to marital strife
We must live for Jesus Christ
The Only Guiding Light
Not one, but All The Days of our Lives!
For more information about Carman's music and mission click here-
http://www.carman.org/index.shtml
If you have just made a decision to follow Jesus or if you want to put a prayer concern on a global prayer chain click here- http://www.carman.org/faith/
In Darkest Hours
I stared lost tonight gazing up at the ebony sky
Wondering why time seemed to keep passing us by
Hopes and dreams like stars once sparkled so bright
Clouds of doubt overcast the damp cold darkened night
There was neither the welcomed heat nor fiery glow
From the reassuring gentle touches felt long ago
And like the blazing sun and summer’s cheerful days
Those precious warm feelings seemed so very far away
The dark lonely winter that now brings a brisk shiver
Satan’s constant jabs causing scarred skin to quiver
His chilling cold touch penetrating deep to the bone
Stirring faithless doubts into the lingering unknown
Still pondering hard on the many thoughts you wrote,
Piercing cold rushes quickly now through my thin coat,
As evil’s grip tightens at my heart urging fright and flight,
With tears falling on my cheek like the rain into the night.
Has God’s gift to us so quickly become last years present,
A lack of faith jeopardizing precious love and commitment,
Have feet strayed from the path stronger legs once traveled,
Faltering and weak seeing hopes and dreams soon unraveled.
Sweet man let us not lose focus on His bright glorious light,
Like the stars His love can pierce through the cold dark night,
I need my “Real Man” his head bowed now with mine in prayer,
Strengthening our faith through the trials we united must share.
Together let us renew our faithful commitment to our loving Lord,
His strength can then be our battle’s shield and unyielding sword,
With prayers and praises Satan’s grip will relinquish to His powers,
We can walk safely comforted through these long stressful hours.
God forgive me for the faithless worries making me falter and weak,
Your heavenly leadership is what I still need and lovingly seek,
I pray humbled for God’s wisdom to still be my blessing and guide,
I pray that His will for you is standing strong in faith by my side.
FaithfulToOne © 2006
I Now Know A Different Path
Lost now forever in the far away distance
Where even straining I can no longer see
Connections your heart once lovingly made
Tenderly in faith reaching out to me
There I stood in faith on our path
Once feeling so lost and alone
Left to wonder why it’s your heart
That felt such a need still to roam
This ring a symbol of undying love
You proposed and asked me to wear
It came with promise and commitment
The same ones you asked me to share
Then came trials of patience and that of time
Commitment must always face the true test
Your faith failed to place love on the altar
Valued and cherished above all the rest
Then to discover your heart so unsettled
It was clear you felt a need still to roam
Your choice sacrificed our hopes and dreams
With it our future, our family, and our home
The time came and our paths were parted
Still I offered this forgiveness and I pray
That in your search someday you’re given
What you chose so freely to take away
May God now bless you and keep you
To guide you in faith each day from above
Seek Him in prayer to lead your search
For the one in faith you really should love
It is Almighty God that now directs me
And fills me full with so much love
His words healed me and now protects me
As I honor his will and direction from above
Oh it’s what He’s really given me now
And not what you chose to take away
With His love in patience I wait on Him
Because I know His love’s here to stay
I have neither worries nor a shed of doubt
My heart feels the anguishing pain no more
Because I see now when He closed a window
He chose to bless me with a new open door
FaithfulToOne © 2006
Job 1:20-22
20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." 22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
