Good morning…
Still shocked by the loss of her loved one, my friend sent out a “thank you” email to those whose prayers now carry her. God shared through her hurting heart life-giving words, words I now share with you.
“His service was amazing. It glorified God, celebrated his young life and faith and was attended by approximately 1500 people. The majority of those there were young people; it was an incredible sight.
Now we start another difficult phase, of moving ahead being assured that he is in heaven, his forever home. We are trying to have the spiritual maturity we have discussed so many times in our Bible Studies — to ask ‘HOW would you have us live now, Lord?’ rather than asking the earthly, unanswerable question ‘WHY did this happen, Lord?’
‘Why’s’ spring easily from our lips or silently in our brains, but they don’t help us take the next step. Asking how we are to live or what we’re to do next or where we’re to go from here steers our hearts in God’s direction. Those questions will help us get better. Continuing to ask ‘Why?’ only helps us to grow bitter.
To build (and frankly, restore) my trust in God being in charge of even our most painful days and to squelch my tendency to ask ‘Why?’ I am dependent on being in His Word. That’s the reason I am very much ready for our weekly Study to begin again.”
Isaiah 35:3-7 (MSG) holds out the promise my friend desperately needs.
Energize the limp hands,
strengthen the rubbery knees.
Tell fearful souls,
“Courage! Take heart!
God is here, right here,
on his way to put things right
And redress all wrongs.
He’s on his way! He’ll save you!”
Blind eyes will be opened,
deaf ears unstopped,
Lame men and women will leap like deer,
the voiceless break into song.
Springs of water will burst out in the wilderness,
streams flow in the desert.
Hot sands will become a cool oasis,
thirsty ground a splashing fountain.
Even lowly jackals will have water to drink,
and barren grasslands flourish richly.
Because Your Word is our lifeline, I personalize a prayer for my friend.
“LORD, energize. Strengthen. Give courage to her fearful soul. God, be here, right here. Making alright. Redressing all wrong. Saving her soon. Open her blind eyes. Unstop her deaf ears. From lame to leaping. From voiceless to singing. From underground springs in the deserted wilderness, burst forth Your stream of steady flow. From hot sands to cool oasis. From thirsty ground to splashing fountain. Quench my dear friend in her lowly, barren state that she may again flourish richly.”
Please hear and heal her pleading prayer, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God” (Psalm 42:1, NIV).
…Sue…
