I DON'T KNOW WHO THIS GUY IS, BUT HE'S BEGINNING TO P_ _ _ ME OFF

A few decades ago when Bill Medley and Elvis were headlining in Las Vegas, and they were appearing at the same venue, with alternating show hours, the latter and the former spent a great deal of time together between shows.

One evening, as he was singing, “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling,” before a respectable audience, Presley came strolling across the stage, tapped Medley on the shoulder, and said, “Hello, Bill!”

Of course, the audience went wild.

The next night people hoping to get into Bill Medley’s performance were lined up around the block; expecting Elvis to pull the same stunt. Of course, the accomplished singer was doubtful that “lightning would strike twice in one place.”

However, when Medley reached the exact same place in the exact same song, Elvis again strolled across the stage, and tapping him on the shoulder said, “Hello, Bill!” and disappeared to his left. Again, the audience went wild.

With this, Bill Medley put on a fake frown, shook his head in disbelief, and said,

“I don’t know who that guy is, but he’s starting to p_ _ _ me off!”

The next morning Elvis called, and apologized to Medley saying,

“Bill, I’m sorry if I messed up your show. I promise I won’t walk across your stage again.”

With this Medley laughed, and responded with,

“Elvis, you can walk across my stage anytime you want! My next show is at 8pm.”

Pt. 2

I think perhaps there’s a lesson for believers in this humorous story.

For you see, I think every professing Christian, (if he or she is truthful) has, at times, been a little p_ _ _ _ _ off with the Almighty. (I honestly don’t mean to be sacrilegious. Feel free to substitute a different word for the abbreviated verb, if you like).

I mean, you take the martyrs of Hebrews Chapter 11, for example.

¹³ These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

³⁶ They endured cruel mockings and scourgings, yes, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

³⁷ They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

³⁸ (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

³⁹ And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

I have put myself in the place of those dear believers who were the subject of mocking and jeering from the multitude who filled up the Roman Coliseum.

And I have considered the amazing faith these young and not so young Christians exuded, as they were set upon, and eaten alive by tigers and lions; understanding that had they renounced their Messiah, they might have been set at liberty.

And as a father, I can only wonder in awe how parents of young children could have remained silent as both they, and their minor offspring died together in the dust of that enormous arena.

Pt. 3

As believers, we are prone to remind ourselves and others of what we deem to be “the promises of God,” and are quick to diminish what we perceive to be His inconsistencies, or at least what seems to be the inconsistencies of His Word, until…

something happens that we cannot understand, or which seems to fly in the face of those promises.

After all, we’ve all ‘been there.’

We experience a car accident in which not only the vehicle, but you or I experience irreparable harm. Worse yet, one of our children develop an addiction to drugs, and relapse seems to be the order of the day. Or perhaps the job we’d prepared for, for years, was almost within our grasp, and suddenly it went to the other guy.

I can relate to disappointments and disillusionments. I mean it’s not just theory with me. My oldest daughter is mentally ill and borderline retarded and has lived in a group environment for a quarter century. Both my wife and I have experienced cancer, and subsequent surgeries. And a couple years ago, someone near and dear to me simply stepped away; without so much as an explanation.

We all have our own list of troubles and trials, and we’ve all been prone to say something somewhat similar to the illustration with which I began.

“I know who that guy is, and He’s starting to p_ _ _ me off!”

But speaking of God’s promises, recently, I came across a song which really registers with me.

“Even If.”

And I love the chorus. I mean it speaks to my soul.

I know You're able, and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone

And this is exactly how I feel, and how I choose to operate.

Afterward

My friends, this is not all there is. And if our Lord experienced disillusionments and disappointments, we will. After all, is the servant greater than his Master?

Another passage in the 11^th Chapter of Hebrews puts it all in perspective.

¹³ These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

¹⁴ For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

¹⁵ And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

¹⁶ But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

 by William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from McDonald's Daily Diary, Vol. 47. Copyright pending