Where are you, Lord?

It happens every time. A tragedy strikes someone near me, or someone I love. I begin to doubt God’s goodness. All the promises of help, protection, love, provision…. Well, I don’t doubt His love. That seems to be clear to me. But I doubt sometimes what good it does in a tragedy. Oh yes, it does good, I actually am I sure of that, too. Because without His love in a tragedy how would anyone get through it – in one piece, so to speak? But it has struck again. And once again I am questioning God – why? And what if it were me? And it could be me! And what am I to make of this. I felt His answer was that He would be near me, and to trust that He would work in and through me in a tragedy. I guess that will have to be good enough. To know that He is working in me, and through me. Because without that, why would He allow it to happen in the first place? Yes, free will. But if He holds the whole world in His hands, and me too, I must also believe He is not “hands off.” None of this was unforeseen to Him. I’m sure He planned for it in the lives of His children. I am glad it not did not happen to me… at least it did not this time. I would not want to go on. But we must go on, that is not our choice to make. I do believe life and death are in His hands…at least after the choices that we make have been made. So I must choose to believe it has some meaning in the end and is not without His guidance, even though I know He would not have wanted this to happen to His children. My heart goes out to them. Lord, please take away the fear that has taken root in my own heart. I’m not supposed to worry for myself. Amen. “Child, your Lord is carrying you on wings of eagles.” (“They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” – Isa 40:31, ESV)

Everything is not awesome

Things are happening in this world that we cannot understand. My heart is broken for things happening in my life and in the lives of my friends, but more, for fear of what might happen to me and my friends in the future, things that are happening to others right now. And I am reminded, that out of the abundance of God’s goodness He will provide for His people. (Jer. 31:14). We see as we wish to see, but He sees as it is. And He is in the midst of everything always. I can trust Him with my life and with the lives of my friends. But it’s not like it is in our dreams, or as in a cartoon movie’s song, “Everything Is Awesome”… everything is not awesome! Then my God reminds me He is not about fixing the woes of the world without fixing men’s hearts. Their broken lives are things He can weave together in a pattern of good, but their hearts must be changed before they can come into His kingdom. When we go on our own we will not be contented, but when we live our lives with Him, He will satisfy us, we will be full.

Armor of God

Lord give me the Helmet of remembering your salvation is a free gift given to me in grace; the Belt of Truth that You know what’s good and right for me and I can cling to Your truth; the Breastplate of a right view toward you and obedience in following Your way; The Shield of Faith to truly believe, and fling off Satan’s fiery darts that come my way; the S(Word) of the Spirit that Your Word is truth and is reliable in all things, that it will cut Satan’s lies like scissors cut paper ;-); and let my prayer be constant in contacting and connecting with You. Amen!