In His Presence

As I have pondered Asaph's experience where the wicked
did NOT get punished and Job's predicament of why the
innocent DO suffer, I found something in common:
Both men changed in the presence of Almighty God.
Both men broke, bowed, and worshiped.

Broken

by Janice Walker

Lord, You allow me to be broken

Again and Again,

So You can pick me up

And put me together:

Rearrange the pieces

In a new form.

Each new dying

Holds promise of a new resurrection.

New life and new celebration.

May you, dear reader, find new resurrection, new life, and new 

celebration, as you walk through this day.

Life AND Death

Yesterday I wrote of a tiny miracle wrapped up in
a newborn baby but today I want to share about a
dear friend who was given the diagnosis of Cancer
in January and who feels that death is not far off.
She is now in Hospice Care.There is another story
about another baby named Sophia who was born
with a serious birth defect--God took her home
within a few weeks of birth. In each situation, many
believing prayers went up, are going up. It seems
like such a mixture. Some get healed; some do not.

Edith Schaeffer, who recently died at the age of 96,
wrote a *book about suffering and in it she included
two museums in heaven: Museum A was full of miracles,
crutches left behind, even stories of those raised from the
dead. Museum B contained the stories of those not delivered,
those who walked through deep suffering. The stories in
both places gave glory to God; one emphasized deliverance
and the other, His keeping power.

Papa, there are so many things I don't understand,
but I love You.

*Affliction by Edith Schaeffer

Our Little Darling!!!

Yesterday was a darkish day. Oh, yes, the sun was shining
but we were waiting for the birth of our great granddaughter.
The doctors painted a very black picture of all the disabilities
expected on this tiny being who was diagnosed with
Spina Bifida in the second trimester. Sophia was born by
C-section at a specialty hospital in California. They have all
the latest gadgets, except that not one of them knows how to
put a baby together. King David knows:

"For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my
mother's womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and
wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from you,
When I was being made in secret,
intricately wrought in the depths of the earth."
Psalm 139:13-15

Well, Sophia Marie Reeves was born kicking and today they
fixed the hole in her back and found nothing wrong with her
spinal cord! How could this be? Well, we have an
amazing God who is the one who puts things together and
then holds everything in its place!

Papa, I am dancing today!!!!

Noah Time

No, I am not referring to the Patriarch, but to our
grandson. We just spent a delightful eight days
with him. Noah is TWO--thats with two fingers
added for emphasis! Awareness of his surroundings
is exploding, and he mimics what he hears like a
little echo. He calls me Amma, and his grandpa
he calls Abba.

He likes to "go fast," play with his cars, read books
with us--I murder the dutch ones and he finally gave
up on me.

He is a study in motion. One evening at the park he
talked his Abba into going down the slide with him.
He climbed up and walked through the tunnel followed
by Glen who had to either crawl or swing through, legs
first. He chose the latter which sent Noah into gales of
laughter. Down they would slide together and with
a hearty, "AGAIN," Noah ran all the way around the
sidewalk to watch his grandpa swing through the tunnel.
10, 20 times? I lost count.

Families belong together. This is God's plan. We see
it in our culture for the holidays like Thanksgiving
and Christmas--

"I'll be home for Christmas if only in my dreams."
"The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh..."

Then it took a sleigh; now it takes an all day trip
by air. I think technology has increased the isolation
of families and loneliness is the result.

We are planted here for the time being, and, yes, there
is suffering in the mix. I get to see Noah 3 or 4 times
a year and with each visit it gets harder to leave his
hugs and sloppy kisses.

Some Further Thoughts

I woke up this morning thinking on Job. He has
impacted my life in so many ways since I started
blogging on his life. Job is such an amazing man
and I can't wait to meet him! The verses that sparked
my interest today came during the fury of Job's
personal storm, right in the middle of immense suffering:

"For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth.

And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
yet in my flesh I shall see God..."
(Job 19:25,25 NIV)

My heart leaps as these words spill out across the page.

Job KNOWS that his Redeemer, his Savior, lives.
Job KNOWS that this Redeemer will one day stand
upon the earth.
Job KNOWS that even after death and the destruction of
his body, he will see his God.

Jesus.  Job's Redeemer--and mine.  

Restored!

After Job interceded for his friends, God restored his
fortunes--and then doubled it.

Job's friends, family and neighbors came and told him how
sorry they were and consoled him with generous gifts.

He ended up with:
4,000 sheep
6,000 camels
1,000 team of oxen
1,000 donkeys
Seven sons and three daughters--the other seven are alive
and in heaven. (I guess his wife stuck with him through
it all.)

"Job lived another 140 years, living to see his children, 
and grandchildren--four generations of them!
Then he died, an old man, a full life."

Job never found out why he went through unbearable
suffering. He was not told of God's conversations with
Satan. God knew Job's heart. He knew that Job would
not deny Him--no matter what.
Satan lost, didn't he?
In the end he always loses.

This is Our God

God now turns and speaks directly to Job's friends:

"He turns to Eliphaz and says,
'I've had it with you and your two friends.
I'm fed up!
You haven't been honest either with me or 
about me--
Not the way my friend Job has.
So here is what you must do...
Sacrifice a burnt offering on your own behalf.
My friend Job will pray for you,
and I will accept his prayer.
He will ask me not to treat you as you
deserve for talking nonsense about me,
and for not being honest with me, as he has."

What? God is calling Job his friend?
After all that Job has said?
God is not angry with him?
God has not rejected Job?
On the contrary,
God is bringing
Job alongside as He deals with Job's arrogant friends.

Dear reader, THIS IS OUR GOD!!!!