Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Getting through tough times”
Our Bible verse for today: “We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Take the punch and bounce back.”
In his book, “You’ll get through this”, Max Lucado shares a memory from his childhood about “Bounce Back Bozo”. ‘Bounce Back Bozo” was an inflatable clown figure which stood about five feet high. It had a heavy three pound metal weight at the base which sat on the floor and prevented it from being knocked over. Because it was made of thick but soft plastic, you could punch it with all your might and it wouldn’t hurt your fist; and because of the weight in the bottom, it wouldn’t fall over no matter how hard you punched or kicked it. It would rock and sway wildly, but it would always bounce right back up.
I enjoyed reading about this childhood memory of Max’s because as a child I also had a Bounce Back Bozo and I loved it. I would punch and kick and wail on that thing to my heart’s content and I’ll tell you what – Bozo could take a punch and bounce right back up!
This should describe us too. We need to be able to take a punch and bounce back up. We need to be able to absorb what life throws at us, maybe be staggered and rocked by it, but then bounce back up and get on with life. Unfortunately many people don’t do this. Far too many people take one on the jaw, they go down, and they stay there, bitter and broken.
It’s not necessary. Life might knock us down, for a moment, but we don’t have to stay there. This is what Paul was describing in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9. What Paul got from life is a lot like what my poor buddy Bozo got from me – sometimes life just seemed to punch and kick and wail on poor Paul. But it didn’t defeat him. He got back up. He bandaged the wounds, worked out the soreness, brushed off the dust, and got right back at it.
Paul’s secret is that he had a firm foundation that served as his anchor. It wasn’t a three pound metal plate but a strong faith in God and total reliance on the Holy Spirit. This was the stabilizing influence in Paul’s life – and it can and should be the stabilizing influence in your life and mine as well.
Life can sometimes seem like a rock’em sock’em work-out with you as the punching bag. Every once in a while you’re probably going to take one on the jaw and you might even get knocked down. But you don’t have to stay down. With God as your foundation, with the Holy Spirit as the stabilizing influence in your life, you have what it takes to bounce back up.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 