Yesterday afternoon I saw a Facebook post about a good friend in Illinois who had apparently been hospitalized for heatstroke. I remember praying briefly for him and hoping to learn soon that he was OK.
However, later that evening my wife and I were on our way to visit a friend at his grandpa's visitation when my phone rang. I saw that it was Don's wife, Laura, so I expected that she wanted to update me on his condition and hopefully tell me he was improving.
Instead, she told me he had passed away. Don? A guy in his early fifties? Gone? In the middle of my shock, I couldn't help but ask again, "Why?" Why allow this servant, father, husband and friend to be taken when there are so many evil, lazy jerks out there that our world could do without?
My first reaction of course was, "God, you didn't come through here. People were praying, they asked you for healing, for protection and instead you missed this one."
Of course that's silly. God wasn't asleep. He saw everything that happened from the stroke he apparently suffered to the final arrest of his heart.
But events like this got me thinking again, even this morning through some tears, that we often think that for God to come through He must make us happy, He must keep us comfortable, and change things in our world so that we avoid pain.
Sure, some of us would say otherwise, but we can pray that way. We love to claim things for God that we have no right claiming and if we're honest we claim them more for our comfort and happiness than God's perfect will, plan and glory. Sometimes we even demand that God come through because we don't want to deal with our friend or relative's agony.
But the truth of the matter is that God owes us nothing. Everything we have, including life, is because of His grace and mercy. And because He loves us He sometimes does let us go through the worst because there is something on the other side that is better though we will probably never understand it at the time or until Heaven.
God has always come through to use that term. He did in the beginning, He did for Israel and He did at the cross. And He will today, tomorrow and the next day, no matter what happens that we can't understand.
So, yes, let's keep praying for miracles. Sometimes God still blesses us beyond measure so that He will be glorified, we will bear fruit and our joy will be full. But be sure to remember that He's the one who makes those calls, not us. And there will be joy in the morning.
Comments
I release
peace and strength upon you in Jesus name. All glory to God. Darkness is closing in all around us. Soon it will be night when no man can work. Now it is day. Call upon the Lord and repent as a nation, region and city. If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins and will heal their land. We are at the cross-roads. Turn to the right, turn to God while we can. Watchmen, Gatekeepers, Apostles, Pastors, Teachers, Evangelist and Prophets have been lulled to sleep by their many distractons and personal victories. The body of Christ have become complacent and contended and have left their positions on the wall. Believers have become sleep walkers, blinded and unaware ot what time it is and the hour we are now in. Their is an unrest in the land. wake up!!! Wake up!! and pray Our enemies are not asleep.
Thanks for your encouragement, Linda. God has clearly been in the details from the preparing of the devotional message I'll share to providing the funds for me to fly there last minute at significant cost. He gets the glory!
I always think of our love ones being healed on this side or the other, but yet being healed and made whole. I pray that God will allow you to think and meditate on the good things and that you will be strengthen during this time. Be encouraged..
God knows everything So that we shouldnot complain.We can learn alot from life of Israelis.Most of the time God works in the way that we didn't expect.He knows all.God is perfect &right in all of his actions.
Instead glorify him
"tebarkeh Kir"
I am always amazed when I look back at the darkest moments of my life and see that God was working, both for my good and for His greater glory. No wonder James 1 says to
"2Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."