Under His Wings

I’ve been thinking a lot this week. I guess for me that is not unusual because I tend to be a pretty deep thinker. There have been some things going on in my family’s life that I cannot share in this venue. Perhaps one day I will be able to. I’m not sure right now if it is a matter of my not being vulnerable enough or if I’m trying to protect the innocent. I will say that our family has been working through a grieving process and a major change.

I have also been reading especially heather the last couple of days. I am riveted to this young mom’s blog as she walks though extremely difficult trials in the arms of her Redeemer.

Last year at this time I was listening to a woman who discovered that her unborn child had died just before her due date and the she described how the Savior held her hand as He called her to deliver that stillborn baby. This mom held the baby that she was already familiar with whom she had now lost…… but Jesus knew.

So, I have been thinking about suffering a lot this week. The world wants suffering to go away. And we as Christians sing about the day when we “fly away from this world” and there will be no more pain. I’ve been told that I must embrace my pain when I know that there are others all over the world that are in worse suffering than I.

There are those in the Persecuted Church who endure suffering upon suffering untold for the sake of Messiah. They have to leave their homes and children. They are tortured and starved for His Name’s Sake. I have so many luxuries and my suffering so small in comparison. When I am sick, I can get medical help. There are people to care for my children. I have food, I have a home. I can pick up the multiple copies of my Bible and read anytime I want. Yet, they often have more joy, less complaining, and more fire than I.

The apostle Peter wrote, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls……Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation…. Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.” (1 Peter 1:3-9; 4:11-12,19)

Some will say, “But, just being sick or having cancer isn’t suffering for being a Christian.” I guess that maybe I perceive it a little differently. As a believer in Messiah we carry His Name. We are not immune from anything that anyone else suffers. Christians and non-Christians alike loose jobs, get teased, have abortions, get cancer, etc. God allows these things in the lives of the righteous and the wicked alike. But, how will we react as those who trust in His Name. His Name is a Strong Tower, the righteous run to it and are saved. And Peter tells us that we can rejoice in our suffering now because there is a glory to come when Messiah is revealed.

Not that the suffering won’t be hard. Jesus didn’t even want to go through His suffering and it was excruciating. But, Scripture says that for the joy set before Him He endured the pain (Heb. 2:12) I can’t even comprehend that.

On Resurrection Sunday a small group of believers gathered together to give glory to their risen Messiah. We sang a chorus that has been going through my head ever since. It is taken from the words of Job. Job, the guy we look to as the guy who really suffered. Job, the guy who was there before Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David and Messiah. And Job said, “I know that my Redeemer lives! And in the last He will take His stand upon the earth.” (Job 19:25)

Oh, how I just want to break forth in praise! We can trust him with whatever comes! I have walked through having to trust him when my brother was lying in a coma, when I thought I might loose my eyesight, when a teenaged homeschooler was killed in a car accident. We don’t have any guarantees! But, My Redeemer lives! And He is good! No matter what He chooses to do!

I know that my Redeemer lives and in the last He will stand upon the earth!

For His Name’s Sake.

On the right column of my blog you will notice many little words and boxes. Some are about this blog, some are about books I have read or am reading and some are about Israel and other things. But, there is one box that I go to every time I come back and check on my blog. The number on this box changes everyday. As of this writing the number is at 5,231,038. The box records the number of children killed by abortion since the beginning of the war in Iraq.

Having recently gone through training to work at the crisis pregnancy center that will be opening later this month in my town I have become more keenly aware of what abortion does to those involved. It is not just the murder of a child, although it certainly is a horrific and unspeakable murder. I have learned how devastating it is to the woman, physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. Abortion also affects the man involved, as well as, the extended family. Immediately following the training session I wasn’t sure I was going to be involved in the ministry of the center. It is overwhelming. But, the Lord is putting a passion for these women on my heart. As I read more and more about what abortion is and that the procedures of abortion have not really changed in 30 years, I want to help to save these women from the devastating price that is paid and to heal from the consequences of choices they felt they had to make.

I have just finished reading the book “Blood Money: Getting Rich Off a Woman’s Right to Choose” by Carol Everett This woman was involved in running several abortion clinics in the 1980’s. A very eye opening book. I am currently trying to get Bernard Nathanson’s “The Hand of God” and others. I would encourage anyone to read these books. I would have called myself pro-life before, but even if these books bring you to put your arm around the 1 in 4 women in your life who have had and abortion they are worth the read.

For His Name’s Sake.

originally uploaded by devotedmusiclady.

One little girl came to our seder last night dressed in a pretty blue princess dress with red high tops and miss matched socks. Hannah got some wonderful shots of her. You can see more pictures of the “princess” and more of Hannah’s photography by clicking on on the “devotedmusiclady” link below the picture.

Our Bible study Celebrated Passover tonight and this is a picture of the third cup, the Cup of Redemption. God said in Exodus 6:6 “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm.” As a believer in Messiah, I believe that this was fulfilled when Yeshua hung on the cross to take away the sin of the world.