This Wednesday is the last day of school as we head into our Christmas break, and Father, I, and many of my coworkers – Karen included – are more than ready for it. We love what we do but it is time for rest and restoration. Be with us as we complete our time, please bless our efforts, fill us and use us as You will. Amen.
Philippians 4:7 (<<click here to read the passage)
To worry less – pray more! Lord, doing this will bring about a peace found only in You and as the old translation reads, it will be a “peace that passes all understanding” – from the world’s perspective, it makes no sense!
As Your children, how do we respond to the absolutely horrific things this life thrusts upon us? Death, disease, heartache, financial woes, loss, and rejection – the list goes on and on. We cry out, “Why me!? Won’t it ever stop?!”
Now Your Word tells us in Romans 8:28 that “… in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” NIV So the question we deal with then is, how does all of this gel? If You love us, why do we experience so much pain in life? And how does pain which is included in the “all things” of Romans 8:28 work for our good? Again, going to Your Word tells us to stress less we must pray more and that will bring about a peace that is beyond comprehension.
First, You do not bring about the pain. We, the whole of humanity, have brought that upon ourselves. Eve’s yielding to sin started it and every one of us since has perpetuated that sin – our depravity knows no end. Our great propensity for wondrous creativity from being created in Your likeness has been pushed to all limits by our perversion and wickedness. We have so polluted the world with our rebellion that inevitably we encounter pain.
Secondly, because You love us so much – which is proven by the fact of how far You went to bring us back into a right relationship with You – the giving of yourself to the point of a horrific death at our hands – because You love us so much You can take all that is ugly and revolting about ourselves and our lives and make it good! The impossible becomes possible!
Lord, most of us would have no problem acknowledging these two points through most of the ebb and flow of life. But when those times of pain and suffering are so intense that we feel like we are going down for the count, is the answer to worry (which seems like an awfully small word in this context) less and pray more? “That’s it?” we yell. “With all Your power and might and ‘love’, that’s all You have to offer?” And Your answer is…a resounding “YES!!”
We absolutely cannot wrap our minds around it but giving ourselves over to You and praying in place of worrying brings us peace – not peace of the world, which is shallow and, oh so temporary, but Your peace. Your peace is deep, and rich, and most importantly – never ending!!
Miraculously, You take the absolute worst of our lives and bring the absolute best out of it! From a worldly perspective – it makes no sense at all, but Your peace is not of this world. Being Your children, whom You love, You give it to us freely and in abundance!! Lord, all the praise goes to You for this awesomely overwhelming gift!! During the hurricanes of life – You are there – solid and strong – FOR US!!
Help us, Lord, to trust in You – to throw ourselves into Your mighty arms. Give us Your peace we plea! When we do so the glory will be given to You! Others will ask how we do it and we can proclaim that it’s only because of You!! You are our only answer to everything this old world throws at us! Even if death is what is thrown our way, yes, even death, You are the answer – being escorted into Your presence, what could be better?
Praise You, Lord!! Strengthen us! Enable us! Empower us!! Use us through all of life to hold our lights high, showing the world that there is HOPE and LIFE found only in You! AMEN!
(June 2nd, 2017, Tues, 8:07 am)
Dec 20th, 2022, Tues, 7:37 pm
