Thursday, May 12, 2005

And death comes...

The men and women who challenge my faith the most are those who have encountered deep brokenness and loss, and have come through the times better, sweeter, more smelling like Christ than bitterness.


Each day they face a new bump or bruise or setback. Each new struggle faced with the same trusting faith, doing what is needed.


Occasionally frustration or fear may poke itself up, still they labor on again and again.


Life is filled with bumps and bruises, more for some than for others.


And God doesn't ask if we would like to go through struggles of difficulty or defeat, but does seem to allow them to work in us.


The things we go through are either making us sweeter, better, nobler people or they are making us more critical and fault finding, and more insistent on getting our own way.


The things that happen to us either make us evil or they make us more saintly, depending on our relationship to God and our response to the struggle.


How we respond seems to be the key.


Our example is Christ.


We find him in the garden, struggling with his own will and desires, seeking to submit to his father, who had a larger view of things.


Three times he went to prayer to ask God to take this cup away from him. Three times the answer was no. Three times he responded with "Not my will, but yours be done."


When things happen to us that seem very very hard, when surprises hit us and overwhelm us, we have a choice.


To become angry and hard and bitter. Or we can run to the garden with our anger and hurt and confusion. And we call out to God "This is to great for me, I can't do this."


And finally we bend low, confessing "Yet may your will be done."


In that garden we find the blessing of peace. Though the sweat may pour like drops of blood, we find the blessing of grace poured down upon us. We find the promise of joy yet to come.


Not an easy life, or comfort, but blessing.


We may have to return to that place two or three times to gain his perspective, his victory. Yet, when we finally submit to him and his will, we give up the right to bitterness, anger and hate.


When we say "Your will be done..." we can be encouraged and comforted that Father is working according to his own wisdom, accomplishing what is best. For us and our future.


He knows the end from the beginning. He has his eyes set on eternity and he is busy in us, conforming us to the image of his son, Jesus Christ.


Though the circumstances seem overwhelming, yet can we say like Jesus, "Father, not my will, but yours be done."


And death comes.

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