Guest Blogger: Gerard Long

Gerard currently serves as the Executive Director for Alpha USA.  He has a BSc (Hons) Banking and Finance degree and worked for HSBC (one of the largest banks in the world) for 30 years, retiring at the end of 2006 as SVP, Corporate Marketing.  His banking career took him around the world and included some fascinating roles including Director of the Year 2000 Program (Millennium Bug) for the UK and Europe.  In 2001 he moved to New York to launch a global product and then moved to Chicago to direct the integration of HSBC and Household International, following the latter’s $13.8 billion purchase in 2003.

In 2006, Gerard decided to leave behind a highly paid banking career and join Alpha USA.  He now leads the organization whose mission is to serve local churches in presenting the Gospel through the Alpha course.  He has witnessed many incredible conversions to Christ while leading over 50 Alpha courses in his home, church, clubs, the workplace and a jail.  (Alpha is now being run in over 164 countries and more than 13 million people have gone through the course).

“WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU FEEL OVERWHELMED?”

Maybe you’re grieving from the loss of a loved one, or the breakup of a marriage or other relationship. Maybe you’re struggling with how to bring up your teenage children or how to pay the next bill. Maybe your health is failing or you’re fighting depression or an addiction. Or maybe you just feel overwhelmed with the pressure of everyday life, the pace and the stress from trying to fit everything in! How do you cope, what do you do?

For thousands of years, communities built a tower or fortress which they would run into when they were being attacked by their enemies. In the Middle Ages, these were huge stone towers in the middle of a castle. If the enemy breached the outer wall, they would escape into the tower and be safe.

The Bible tells us that God is a strong tower (Proverbs 18:10), a refuge (Psalms 31:1,2,4 & 19), a stronghold (Psalms 27:1). When we are feeling overwhelmed, we can run to Him and be safe. Under the shadow of His wings we can be restored and refreshed to fight another day (Psalms 91:1).

How do we run into God as our strong tower?

In 1 Samuel 30, David models how to turn defeat into victory. He models how to run to God as a strong tower. For years, David and his men had been running for their lives from King Saul. Things were coming to a head and, through fear, David nearly ended up fighting with the Philistines against Israel. Imagine the stress from this situation! Thankfully, the Philistines, fearing he might turn against them in the heat of the battle, sent David home before the battle started.

After traveling for three days they arrived home mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted, only to find that the Amalekites had attacked their city and taken their wives, children and all their possessions. Furthermore, in their grief, fear and desperation, David’s men started talking about stoning him for leading them into a terrible situation. Have you noticed that bad things often happen at the same time – remember Job’s life.

David was falsely accused, hunted like a criminal, in fear of death, driven from his home, completely exhausted, abandoned by his men and pondering on what the Amalekites were doing to his loved ones. This was the lowest point of David’s life and this is where he learned his greatest secret in life, because the Bible tells us that he, ‘strengthened himself in the Lord his God’ (1 Samuel 30:6). Having learned this powerful lesson, God gave him victory over all his enemies and exalted him to be king.

Have you learned how to strengthen yourself in your God?
Have you learned how to run into God as your strong tower and be safe, restored and equipped to be victorious in Him?

In 2005/6 I learned how much God is a strong tower in times of trouble. Within the space of a few months the following things happened in sequence – I was betrayed at work, someone very close to me was diagnosed with an illness leading to blindness, my youngest son, Alex, committed suicide, my sister died of cancer, my other son came close to death in a serious fall and my wife nearly lost her mind and her life as a result of a knotted hernia – both caused by the grief and devastation of Alex passing!

Day after day, night after night I ran into God as my strong tower. Usually I wept until I had no more tears to shed. But in that place I met with God and learned that He really is my strong tower, that He is my refuge and the one who sustains me – Psalm 54:4. Suffice to say, I continue to be a regular visitor to the ‘Strong Tower’, to fellowship with the Holy Spirit and to find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:14-16 reminds us,

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

If you have been encouraged by this, please pass this on to anyone you know who is feeling overwhelmed.