Today we continue the series “Give Us This Day” and particularly talking about kissing the wave.

      Matthew 6:11 (NKJV) “Give us this day our daily bread.” Last week we spoke about Joseph Merrick, he was the infamous Elephant Man. We also talked about how Doctor Frederick Treves took an interest in him, had compassion, and provided a place of healing spiritually and emotionally. Spurgeon, “I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.” Hear your pastor, all of us are fighting some kind of battle or obstacle. Usually, it is a battle that no one else is aware. Good news, we have seen God turn some of our toughest tests into our most treasured testimonies. We would not want to go thru that stuff again, but we wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world. Every testimony starts with a test. Praying “Lord, give me this day” is never about a quick fix. It is about kissing the wave that throws you against the Rock of Ages. Be thankful for the pain that made you run to Jesus.

1. Kiss the wave, and know, it is okay to grieve. We all know of and have heard much about Charles Spurgeon and rightfully so. Along with pastoring the largest church in the world, he wrote 150 books, started a college, and led sixty charities. On October 19, 1856, he was preaching to 10,000 people in London’s Surrey Gardens Music Hall when someone yelled “Fire!” It was chaos. Those trying to get out were blocked by those trying to get in. A balcony collapsed beneath the stampede and when the commotion had stopped, seven people had died and twenty-eight were seriously injured. It is no wonder that Spurgeon admitted reluctantly that his thorn in the flesh was depression. Go ahead a grieve, it is one way that we kiss the wave. Good news, we don’t have to grieve like others. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NIV) ^“Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.” 

2. The best of times, the worst of times. We want the best of times without the worst. We want wisdom without foolishness, light without darkness, hope without despair. This is not reality. Christianity is not the avoidance of evil in the world and bad things happening to you, it is, however, having a Savior Who will walk with you thru every test and trial. He’ll never leave you or forsake you. 

3. From it or through it. Sometimes God delivers us from suffering. More often than not, He delivers us through it. Why? So we can help others going through similar mess. Reinhold Niebuhr, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference.” I encourage you to kiss the wave that pushed you to Jesus and pray, Lord, give me this day.