Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in our works. I know I like praise and acknowledgement from others. It sure feels good. But it's not just about me, it's about God, it's about others. On our prayer team, we have been praying for a Christian family. It started three years ago, the Father was critically wounded in Iraq. His injuries were so bad they didn't expect him to live. He was sent to the US to die with his family. He lost his sight, hearing, legs and his arm, he had a liver and kidney transplant. He was kept on life support for four months. His wife had to make the decision as to when to unplug him. No one should have to make that decision, she couldn't tell if she was being selfish or following God's will. Mercifully, his body shut down after four months.
There was a man who had planned to kill her husband in Iraq. The plan backfired and he died. His relatives in the United States decided to rape this soldier's wife, when the kids were out of the house. The brutality led her to lose her mind. She took her life. Their six year old son, became angry and violent when his Dad was wounded. After his death, he got worse and was locked in an institution. He also committed suicide. Now there are only the twin girls left. One is dieing of lung cancer. She's had problems with her lungs since birth. We are praying for a miracle for her. Some of the people on our team, have been praying about this for 3 years.
People have walked away from the thread saying, "Why won't God answer! Where is God?" Sometimes our prayers sound like begging. It's hard to understand how one family can go through all this. Our ways are not like God's. I was praying yesterday for the little girl- Jaylie. After reading this Psalm, I realized, we can't pray for our sake. We can't strong arm God into doing our will. Even if Jaylie isn't healed, He is still merciful and faithful. She will be in Heaven with Jesus and her family. Though we don't understand, we must trust in God's unfailing love. I will continue to pray for a miracle. Not for my sake, but so the family will know there is a God. Even in this, I realize God knows how to reveal His love; He's been doing it since creation. Feel free to say a prayer for Jaylie- she's passed the amount of time the doctors gave her to live, but is in critical condition.
On a lighter note, I used to love playing with Barbies when I was a little girl. She had the coolest outfits, a car, a house. But one day, I realized Barbie couldn't move unless I moved her. She was just a doll. And I put her away. Idols are worthless. Serving God is much more interesting.
4 Their gods are metal and wood,
handmade in a basement shop:
5 Carved mouths that can't talk,
painted eyes that can't see,
6 Tin ears that can't hear,
molded noses that can't smell,
7 Hands that can't grasp, feet that can't walk or run,
throats that never utter a sound.
8 Those who make them have become just like them,
have become just like the gods they trust.
The word, "bless" or "blessed" is used many times in these verses. The tricky part is being able to determine when something is a blessing. The Exodus felt like a curse at times, for Moses and the Israelites. They even wanted to go back to Egypt and be slaves again. But God was with them. They reached the end of their journey to enter the promised land. These verses remind us to "Trust in God! Trust your Helper! Trust your Ruler!" It'll all make sense in the end.
THE MESSAGE
There was a man who had planned to kill her husband in Iraq. The plan backfired and he died. His relatives in the United States decided to rape this soldier's wife, when the kids were out of the house. The brutality led her to lose her mind. She took her life. Their six year old son, became angry and violent when his Dad was wounded. After his death, he got worse and was locked in an institution. He also committed suicide. Now there are only the twin girls left. One is dieing of lung cancer. She's had problems with her lungs since birth. We are praying for a miracle for her. Some of the people on our team, have been praying about this for 3 years.
People have walked away from the thread saying, "Why won't God answer! Where is God?" Sometimes our prayers sound like begging. It's hard to understand how one family can go through all this. Our ways are not like God's. I was praying yesterday for the little girl- Jaylie. After reading this Psalm, I realized, we can't pray for our sake. We can't strong arm God into doing our will. Even if Jaylie isn't healed, He is still merciful and faithful. She will be in Heaven with Jesus and her family. Though we don't understand, we must trust in God's unfailing love. I will continue to pray for a miracle. Not for my sake, but so the family will know there is a God. Even in this, I realize God knows how to reveal His love; He's been doing it since creation. Feel free to say a prayer for Jaylie- she's passed the amount of time the doctors gave her to live, but is in critical condition.
Psalms 115
1 Not for our sake, God, no, not for our sake,
but for your name's sake, show your glory.
Do it on account of your merciful love,
do it on account of your faithful ways.
2 Do it so none of the nations can say,
"Where now, oh where is their God?"
Do it on account of your merciful love,
do it on account of your faithful ways.
2 Do it so none of the nations can say,
"Where now, oh where is their God?"
3 Our God is in heaven
doing whatever he wants to do.
doing whatever he wants to do.
On a lighter note, I used to love playing with Barbies when I was a little girl. She had the coolest outfits, a car, a house. But one day, I realized Barbie couldn't move unless I moved her. She was just a doll. And I put her away. Idols are worthless. Serving God is much more interesting.
4 Their gods are metal and wood,
handmade in a basement shop:
5 Carved mouths that can't talk,
painted eyes that can't see,
6 Tin ears that can't hear,
molded noses that can't smell,
7 Hands that can't grasp, feet that can't walk or run,
throats that never utter a sound.
8 Those who make them have become just like them,
have become just like the gods they trust.
The word, "bless" or "blessed" is used many times in these verses. The tricky part is being able to determine when something is a blessing. The Exodus felt like a curse at times, for Moses and the Israelites. They even wanted to go back to Egypt and be slaves again. But God was with them. They reached the end of their journey to enter the promised land. These verses remind us to "Trust in God! Trust your Helper! Trust your Ruler!" It'll all make sense in the end.
9 But you, Israel: put your trust in God!
— trust your Helper! trust your Ruler!
10 Clan of Aaron, trust in God!
— trust your Helper! trust your Ruler!
11 You who fear God, trust in God!
— trust your Helper! trust your Ruler!
12 O God, remember us and bless us,
12 O God, remember us and bless us,
bless the families of Israel and Aaron.
13 And let God bless all who fear God
— bless the small, bless the great.
14 Oh, let God enlarge your families
— giving growth to you, growth to your children.
15 May you be blessed by God,
by God, who made heaven and earth.
16 The heaven of heavens is for God,
but he put us in charge of the earth.
17 Dead people can't praise God
17 Dead people can't praise God
— not a word to be heard from those buried in the ground.
18 But we bless God, oh yes
— we bless him now, we bless him always!
Hallelujah! THE MESSAGE
I always say that the only thing harder than being a Christian is NOT being one.
ReplyDeleteFocus on Him in all things.
Thanks Clint. That's exactly right. Like what Glynn said in another post. Christians expect a warm blanket but they get the cross. I guess if we understood everything- we wouldn't need faith.
ReplyDeleteI like that "Focus on Him in all things."
We got an update on the little girl. She'll be getting a bone marrow transplant tomorrow morning. The message to us was, "God bless y'all and thank you for your friendship, love, and support."
ReplyDeleteI guess just knowing strangers prayed meant a lot to them. Amazing how God works isn't it?