Tap into the presence of Christ for strength and comfort

We all have mental pictures of moments when life took on new meaning.

For example, my first grandson had a party when he turned 1. His parents, who had guarded his sugar intake very carefully, gave him a small chocolate cupcake. He tasted it hesitantly; his eyes lit up and that cupcake was gone in moments.

He had, for better or worse, discovered the world of chocolate. He had discovered temporary delight. It was a special moment.

There was another moment when, as a boy, I was shooting baskets with my buddy at his house. Just as I released the ball , my friend said, “Oh be careful not to hit the side of the backboard. There’s a big wasp nest there.”

Guess what I hit dead on? My buddy saw the wasps flying out and he ran for his house and slammed and locked the door in my face. I had no choice; I ran home. Those wasps followed me quite a ways and I had stings all over my neck and the back of my head.

I learned an unforgettable lesson that day. Not everything friends suggest is a good idea. It is important to carefully consider actions. They have consequences.

There is a third learning moment that remains in my memory. Several years ago, an Iraqi missile hit the USS Stark that was stationed in the Persian Gulf. It did immense damage to the ship and killed 37 crew members.

One of the men killed was Stephen Kiser. He left a wife and a 5-year-old son. His wife was staggered by the loss. She was allowed to go on board the ship and found that the only thing that survived the blast was her husband’s Bible. Finding it and reading it gave her the strength to face his death without the support of family nearby.

This was her response in the matter: “I am not a strong person … I am an ordinary Navy wife. I miss my husband dearly. But if an ordinary person has a personal relationship with the Lord … God empowers them in times of crisis and gives them extra grace and strength.”

We learn in Life 101 that some lessons are vital to us. The taste of chocolate, however delightful, does not last. Childhood mistakes can eventually tum into quiet lessons learned that teach but no longer hurt.

In one sense, they are something to laugh about when we think about them. But I have discovered this transforming reality: We can tap into the extraordinary presence and comfort of Jesus Christ in times of crisis and great need and he will exchange our weakness for his strength.

This is not only true in the present. It is a principle we can carry through all of life and it will not diminish with time, age or a change of circumstances. That is life learning at its best.

This story was originally published January 30, 2016 at 4:58 AM with the headline "Tap into the presence of Christ for strength and comfort."