DEVOTIONAL: ‘Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus’
Rev. Tim Coker. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
By Tim Coker, Pastor
Central Baptist Church, Darlington
The time: 4:15 pm. The place: Myrtle Beach. The dilemma: Two tired children, two tired adults, a tanning index of 9 and a temperature of 98 degrees. Put them all together and you have – frustration! Frustration changes everything! Tempers are shorter during frustration. Relationships are more difficult in times of frustration. But most of all, the questions come during periods of frustration! Questions like, “Why aren’t the children ever satisfied?” and “Why won’t the umbrella stay in the sand?” … which eventually leads to “Why did we choose to come visit this beach – the one that is far too crowded and where the sand is too hot and where the sharks swim too close to shore and … frustration!” Suddenly, it happened! We heard it! The distant but familiar bells of the Ice Cream truck! Thoughts of frustration were replaced with thoughts of Nutty Buddies, Ice Cream Bars and Sandwiches, as well as Sno-Cones! Who had time to be frustrated? Who could afford anxiety? Why worry? Everything had changed? Sounds a bit silly, doesn’t it? Something as small and simple as a Nutty Buddy calming the storm of frustration. But it is true! This story, from many years ago, still runs through my mind, especially as summer nears. You see, frustration not only comes during family vacations. Many of us live with it every day. In fact, we might be living in the most frustrated time in our history. Folks in our culture … both inside and outside the church … are feeling this frustration. It’s evidenced in our short tempers, out strained relationships and yes, the questions. Questions like, “Why doesn’t everyone see that I’m hurting?” and “When will this problem be solved?” which leads to “Why am I going to that church – the one where the minister isn’t perfect and the people aren’t very committed and some of them need to be committed and where they spend too much money and where they always seem to be changing things and where they … frustration! I have the solution to some of your problems of frustration. No, don’t head toward the freezer for a Nutty Buddy! Instead, turn and listen to the distant but familiar voice of your Heavenly Father – a voice heard in prayer! Prayer is the small and simple solution to our problems. Who has time for frustration? Who can afford anxiety? Why worry? Let’s heed the advice of the hymn writer, “Are you weary, are you heavy-hearted? Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.” Let’s talk with Him, and let’s listen for Him. Who knows? We might discover that He’s still on the throne! And He still cares!
