Not sure anyone cares to know...but on days like these...I need to know where my compass is pointed. On days like these which are a Monday x 1000, I need the reminder of who's really in control, and in whom I trust.
One dear friend awaits to hear the health of the baby girl she is adopting--from halfway around the world. She weeps, worries, and prays because she can't be near to cuddle, croon, and comfort this wee one in her hospital bed. Another friend-by-way-of-adoption-connection watches, helpless, as her 10 year old homegrown kid fights for her life in a PICU, desperately in need of two new lungs. Yet another dear friend waits to hear of her father's progress after a serious surgery.
And...Oklahoma. Babes under the rubble of their own school--a place which is supposed to be safe--where learning happens. Not death. Not destruction. Not terror. Families with members killed, maimed, displaced. Wondering if they've said their last good-byes...
God, I can't take it!
I really can't.
So that's why.
Call me simple.
Call me theologically weak-minded. For I don't have a huge argument. Merely words which I believe to be true and living and final.
I believe in God, His son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit because they are bigger than me and my ability to:
understand and comprehend
comfort and heal
guide and provide
refresh and restore.
They are bigger than my questioning, angry, saddened, sickened, weary self. I can't fathom the reasons behind all of these struggles. I don't have to. This is a broken world. Because of God we have miracles. And because of God, our struggle is not without hope. Because of God...we rest under a gentle yoke. (Matt. 11:30)
To this, I cling:
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT)
Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.[h] Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”[i] 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. 19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children,[j] including the new bodies he has promised us. 24 We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope[k]for it. 25 But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers[l] in harmony with God’s own will. 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together[m] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn[n] among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”[o]) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[p] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(Romans 8:15-39 NLT)
4 comments:
Romans 8 is what brought me to salvation. He is bigger. He is better. He is all we need.
Yes, Tanya. Yes. xxxooo
What a transparent, humbling post! And the Scripture verses say it all...He is our hope!
First of all, thank you.
Thank you for investing in parents by blogging about your experiences on Jewels in My Crown...Someday, and sharing your faith openly.
Please know how incredible this is. And be encouraged to keep going.
I hope and pray that even more Christian parents (as well as non-Christian parents looking for answers) will find your blog and will be inspired by your experiences, solutions and struggles.
We recognize that these are incredible times to live in, where technology allows parents around the world to encourage each other. As for ourselves, we use technology to reach out to children globally.
We’re developing the world’s first videogame that takes kids through the Bible from beginning to end. Our hope is to increase the love for God’s Word amongst kids.
We dream to see fathers and sons going through the Bible together, having fun as they become part of David’s army, spend time in the fish as Jonah, and play level after level, leading up to Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Our prayer is that after kids finish the game, they will have an awe of God, and a deep love of the Bible; eager to read it for themselves. We believe that kids can read the Bible, no matter their age (as long as the translation fits their reading level, of course :D ).
In order to steward this immense project well, we’re building relationships with parents like you. We like to ask your input by allowing you to look behind the scenes, have your kids play demo game levels before they go public, etc. You may also recommend a few people you think would be of interest.
Additionally, we can provide you with plenty of interesting “blog-food” (concept art, images, etc) if you feel that this could benefit your subscribers.
If you’d like more information, shoot me a quick reply to the email address below.
Ruben
Reply to: connect (at) tornadotwins (dot) com
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