The Edges of His Glory

By His Spirit He adorned the heavens;
His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.
Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways;
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?
~ Job 26:13-14

If it is God's Will...

Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."
Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."
As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.
~ Mark 1:40-42

It can be confusing praying for God's will to be done. We think, "God is good. Surely therefore it must be His will that He will heal my child, my spouse, my grandfather, (whomever)..." But that is not always the case. God decides when and how He will heal, if He chooses to heal at all. He may choose not to heal, so that His greater will may be done in our lives.

My 20's were book-ended by the loss of each of my parents, first my dad and then my mom. When my dad became ill, I was only 21. I thought for sure God would heal him...I could not imagine that it would be the will of God to take my dad at 54 and leave my family and me without him. But He allowed my dad to die.

My mom became ill when I was 29. She and I prayed to God to heal her, and I had faith that He could if it was His will. But....again God chose not to heal. I was in shock. My mom was gone; it was so final. God, I thought, had failed me. My heart still aches 12 years later as I sit at my desk and write about it.

But as I look back I see now with clarity God's hand in those situations. My dad's death made me question more deeply the truth about God, life and death, heaven and hell, and who Jesus was...and what it all means for me and my life. It began a very confusing time for me, a time of deep and fervent searching. But in all of this turbulence, God was there, gently revealing Himself to me. He became real to me, my Father in Heaven, my safe refuge.

I have to admit to you that when my mom died, things did not go as well. Suddenly everything about God scared me. I was in shock that He would allow her to die in a matter of only weeks. I thought surely God knew I would not be able to handle the blow He had dealt me, the feeling that a part of my flesh and my identity had been torn and ripped from my body and my heart had been crushed. I was scared. God scared me. He still does at times.

But now I see that God was revealing Himself to me. God is Love, and sometimes love hurts. But if God had chosen my will and not His, I would not be who I am today. I now know compassion, tolerance, grace, forgiveness and understanding in ways I would not have experienced if life had gone smoothly and God had healed my parents and spared me the pain of losing them in my 20s. I now am a joyful, well-adjusted, grateful young woman of 41 who loves God and experiences Him daily. There are times I am in awe and fear of His power, and His love does not make sense to me. But the Bible says,

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways." says the LORD.
"For as the heavens are higher then the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts."
~ Isaiah 55:8-9

I choose now to believe that in God's infinite wisdom, His will is better than my own, and I trust Him.

Are You Burdened?

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
~ Matthew 11:28-30

This verse was pointed out to me by a friend about 15 years ago, before I became a Christian. I have always found this verse comforting, calming, and reassuring. In these past 15 years since then, it has also proven to be true. I have found rest for my soul in Jesus.

Rest for Today

Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.
And He said to them,"Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.
~ Mark 6:30 - 31

A friend pointed me to this verse this week, a reminder to take time to rest in the midst of busy-ness.

Perfect Peace

You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
For YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.
~ Isaiah 26:3-4

We can have peace in the most uncertain of times if we learn to put our trust in God to handle the details of our lives. It doesn't mean life will get easier and our problems will disappear. However, there is peace in knowing that God is ultimately in charge of our lives, every breath we take, and we are not created to handle life on our own. In fact, to try to handle life on our own is to take the position of power from God. It just doesn't work.

Great and Mighty

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.
~ Jeremiah 33:3

An Attitude of Gratitude

A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance,
But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
~ Proverbs 15:13

Choose today to focus on your blessings.

The God of Second Chances

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
~ 2 Chronicles 7:14

Sometimes we don't even know we are on the wrong track until we realize that God has a better plan for our lives, if we would just turn toward Him. He is always ready to hear our prayer and show us a better life.

Safe With God

You are my hiding place and my shield;
I hope in your word.
~ Psalm 119:114

Crowned With Glory and Honor

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
All sheep and oxen—
Even the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air,
And the fish of the sea
That pass through the paths of the seas.
O LORD, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth!
~ Psalm 8:3-9