I once heard a Christian from one of the
poorest places on earth say that he and his Christian friends were praying for
North America. That might shock some. Surely it should be the other way around?
But we here in the midst of our prosperity are in desperate need of prayer. The
prosperity has put blinders on our eyes and our spirits.
A pastor tells the story of a woman who
had just gone through several extremely difficult things in her life including
a house fire and serious illness. She'd been advised to read the book of Job
and came to the pastor because she found it frustrating and not at all
satisfying.
"Job's prosperity was returned to
him. So what?" she said. "How did that help?"
How sad that she missed the point at the
end of the book of Job. The point isn't that Job's prosperity was restored. The
point is that he now knew God in a way he did not know Him before. And knowing
God is worth any price.
Many people have asked me as I've gone
through cancer, if I asked God, "why me?" That question didn't occur
to me, but this question did - God, who are you? Who are you, really?
In His mercy He showed me who He is - a
God who is there, who cares enough to do small and profoundly significant
things to keep hope alive, day after day.
At times we cling to God because there
simply isn't anywhere else to go but then we discover He is The Place,
the only place, the Only One for each of us. When we discover that, we are able
to survive almost anything, even in the poorest countries in the world. I
suspect that Christian who prayed for North America was well acquainted with
that God. Too many of us here in the land of prosperity are not.
Lord, open our eyes, awaken our Spirits
to know you more profoundly, to love you more deeply, to honour you more
sincerely. Amen.
****
Marcia writes from Alberta Canada. Her devotional book, Spur of the moment and her novels, One Smooth Stone and A Tumbled Stone are all available on Amazon in either print or ebook format. Visit her website to learn more about her writing/speaking/teaching ministry.
Marcie, i understand where you are coming from. Mom had an intestine infarcture this summer, and should not have survived (she's 86) but today she is pretty well back to where she was before her illness! God is good, and each day we thank Him for all our blessings.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, thankfulness is the best place to be. :)
DeleteI just finished reading an advance copy of Jeanette Windle's Congo Dawn that discusses this very question in the midst of overwhelming suffering. She asks (among other things) who has the right to say "Jesus loves you" to one in pain. Marcia, you have earned that right! God bless.
ReplyDeleteThanks LeAnne. Appreciate the encouragement. :)
DeleteAll in how you look at things. Thanks Marcia. Love the cover of A Tumbled Stone
ReplyDelete