I have recently had to watch several people close to me go through some extremely difficult situations and as is our human nature, we wonder why. Why do good people have to endure such hardships? Shouldn't such pain be reserved for the vile, evil people of this world?
I read a verse in Isaiah the other day with a phrase that caught my attention. It seemed to so accurately describe what I am seeing people have to go through.
Isaiah 48:10
"I have refined you but not in the way silver is refined. Rather I have refined you in the furnace of suffering." (emphasis mine) NLT
Some versions say "furnace of affliction." Let that phrase percolate in your brain for a minute.
Doesn't it feel like you are in a "furnace of affliction" at times? And not for some noble purpose like the refining of silver?
Let me put this particular verse in context. This whole passage in Isaiah 48 is reprimanding Israel for being stubborn and obstinate. Hear me now. I am not for one minute suggesting that the people in my life are being punished by God. My point here is not chastisement.
The very next verse, in Isaiah 48:11, says, "I will rescue you for my sake--yes, for my own sake! That way, the pagan nations will not be able to claim that their gods have conquered me. I will not let them have my glory!" (emphasis mine) NLT
So here's my point. Everything God allows to touch our lives is done for His glory. He rescues us for His sake, not ours. Sometimes that rescue may not look like we want it to but it is always done for His purpose. Maybe it's to prove His power. Maybe it's to bring us closer to Him. Maybe He has to bring us literally to our knees to get us to look up. Maybe He has to destroy the body to save the soul.
Do we always understand His purpose? No. Is His purpose always revealed this side of Heaven? Possibly not. But is it always perfect? Yes. Nothing going on in our lives changes who God is.
I've been through plenty of times in my life when I felt like I was in a "furnace of suffering." It's never a fun time but I can say with absolute certainty that God's purpose was served in every situation. His glory was revealed, not always to my complete understanding, but revealed nonetheless.
I ache for those going through tough times right now. But I know the Sovereign Lord and I know He "is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us." Ephesians 3:20.
What an incredible promise. It is my prayer for each one of those in the "furnace of affliction" right now. It is all for His glory. Allow Him to reveal it to you and find the peace He wants you to experience, even in the darkest of times.
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Kerig Christianity
During a recent study of 1, 2 & 3 John, I was introduced to something I had never really considered before and since it has been rattling around in my brain for a couple of weeks, I thought I'd write it down to try to make sense of it. Once again, I am inviting you along on my brain train.
1 John 1:3 says, "We are telling you about what we ourselves have actually seen and heard, so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
John tells us in his last writings that we have been invited into fellowship with the very creator of the universe. How awesome is that? The Greek word used here for fellowship is kiononia. This caught my attention because the name of our Sunday School class at church is this very word. (I know, Sunday School is an archaic term but then I'm fairly archaic myself.) It means:
-joint ownership, partnership, mutual sharing-
Interestingly, according to my source, this particular Greek word is only used in the New Testament, 20 times to be exact. The first time it is used is in Acts 2:42 during Pentecost when it says that 3,000 people were baptized and added to the church. It says, "They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship (koinonia), sharing in the Lord's Supper and in prayer.
So this specific type of fellowship, having not been mentioned in the gospels, only came about after the church was formally created at Pentecost. Hmmmm.
It occurred to me that, in our present day society, going to church is not always a high priority for some people. When polled however, a significant amount will say they believe in God but they don't go to church. When did fellowship with other Christians become more of an option than an expectation?
Let's face it; we live in an individualistic society. Take coffee for instance. (Stay with me, the train isn't leaving the tracks. Just taking a little detour). We used to make coffee in a coffee pot. It was big and it took a little while to brew but when it was done, you could serve a whole room full of people. Everyone partaking from the same pot. Now we have Kerig. Individual cup, perfect blend, just the way we like it. And each of your guests can get something different if they wish.
Doesn't this sound a little like our Christian fellowship these days? Everyone looking for just the right fit; just the right music, just the right teaching, just the right building, just the right group of people? There's nothing wrong with feeling comfortable in your worship but if we truly look for koinonia, looking at the definition above, it requires joint ownership, partnership and mutual sharing. And that can get messy sometimes. And demanding. And convicting. And take up some time.
And here's something else to let bounce around your brain pan:
Christians getting together is not the same as getting together as Christians.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with getting together with a group of friends you attend church with. In fact it's one of the things I look forward to the most. But when we get together, are we "fellowshipping" in koinonia or just a group of friends that happen to be Christian? I'm not saying that every time we get together, we have to be in Bible study or sing hymns or be in prayer the whole time. And I'm not here to pass judgment on anyone. I haven't even completely comes to grips with what it means myself. It's just something to think about.
Fellowship was something important in the Bible, specifically in the New Testament it seems. It should be something we look forward to, long for, seek out. Not something on our list of "things I have to do to be a good Christian."
Well, I think the train has come back to the station. It was a bit of a journey but it has left me with a lot of things to consider. Maybe it did you too.
1 John 1:3 says, "We are telling you about what we ourselves have actually seen and heard, so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
John tells us in his last writings that we have been invited into fellowship with the very creator of the universe. How awesome is that? The Greek word used here for fellowship is kiononia. This caught my attention because the name of our Sunday School class at church is this very word. (I know, Sunday School is an archaic term but then I'm fairly archaic myself.) It means:
-joint ownership, partnership, mutual sharing-
Interestingly, according to my source, this particular Greek word is only used in the New Testament, 20 times to be exact. The first time it is used is in Acts 2:42 during Pentecost when it says that 3,000 people were baptized and added to the church. It says, "They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship (koinonia), sharing in the Lord's Supper and in prayer.
So this specific type of fellowship, having not been mentioned in the gospels, only came about after the church was formally created at Pentecost. Hmmmm.
It occurred to me that, in our present day society, going to church is not always a high priority for some people. When polled however, a significant amount will say they believe in God but they don't go to church. When did fellowship with other Christians become more of an option than an expectation?
Let's face it; we live in an individualistic society. Take coffee for instance. (Stay with me, the train isn't leaving the tracks. Just taking a little detour). We used to make coffee in a coffee pot. It was big and it took a little while to brew but when it was done, you could serve a whole room full of people. Everyone partaking from the same pot. Now we have Kerig. Individual cup, perfect blend, just the way we like it. And each of your guests can get something different if they wish.
Doesn't this sound a little like our Christian fellowship these days? Everyone looking for just the right fit; just the right music, just the right teaching, just the right building, just the right group of people? There's nothing wrong with feeling comfortable in your worship but if we truly look for koinonia, looking at the definition above, it requires joint ownership, partnership and mutual sharing. And that can get messy sometimes. And demanding. And convicting. And take up some time.
And here's something else to let bounce around your brain pan:
Christians getting together is not the same as getting together as Christians.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with getting together with a group of friends you attend church with. In fact it's one of the things I look forward to the most. But when we get together, are we "fellowshipping" in koinonia or just a group of friends that happen to be Christian? I'm not saying that every time we get together, we have to be in Bible study or sing hymns or be in prayer the whole time. And I'm not here to pass judgment on anyone. I haven't even completely comes to grips with what it means myself. It's just something to think about.
Fellowship was something important in the Bible, specifically in the New Testament it seems. It should be something we look forward to, long for, seek out. Not something on our list of "things I have to do to be a good Christian."
Well, I think the train has come back to the station. It was a bit of a journey but it has left me with a lot of things to consider. Maybe it did you too.
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Heartbreak
I really do love to write but you certainly couldn't tell it from this blog. Has it really been almost 3 years since I posted anything? I really have no excuses. Busyness, stress, laziness, all of the above?
So why pick it back up again now? Mostly a desire to record my emotions and thoughts about a recent event involving my daughter. Feel free to listen in if you wish.
For those reading this blog for the first time, Laurie is a special needs child. Although she is chronologically 37 years old, she operates on about a 2-4 year old mental level. She lives in an independent supported living home with two roommates and staff that cares for her 24/7. She comes home every Sunday and for a weekend once a month.
Recently, we discovered that her wisdom teeth on her right side needed to be pulled. Given her situation, everyone agreed that we would need to put her under anesthesia to accomplish this. Since her regular dentist was not able to do x-rays, cleanings or fix any problems during her regular dental visits, this seemed to be the perfect opportunity to coordinate all these procedures while she was under.
John and I brought Laurie home the night before and took her to the surgery center early the next morning. The staff was incredibly kind and understanding of her disabilities. They were able to get her under and even got an IV started without incident. About 30 minutes later, her dentist came out to tell us the x-rays revealed that the wisdom teeth on her left side were right under the surface and would require removal at some time in the near future. We all agreed doing it now would be the best. They were also going to fix a couple of small cavities while they were there.
Unfortunately, because the teeth on the left side were not through yet, they had to be cut out. When we were brought back to recovery to see her, she was a pitiful sight. Still sleepy, very swollen, and throwing up blood. We managed to get her to the car and John sat in the back with her, trying to follow her around with the bucket as she threw up. It was a wild ride home for all of us!
Once we got home, we needed to get some food down her so she could take her pain medication. She wasn't having anything to do with food and anything we did get down her, came right back up. My anxiety level was getting higher and higher. No food meant no meds which meant more pain for her. Then I began to get concerned about dehydration as she refused to drink anything either. Helplessness is not a fun feeling. By mid-afternoon, we finally got a small bit of food in her stomach and pain meds on board.
The next few days were a roller coaster ride. Pitiful is the only word I can use to describe my precious girl. Her usually millisecond hugs became long and clingy. She would sit next to me on the couch, tuck her head under my arm and try to curl up in my lap. Then she would perk up a bit, take some cautious bites of food and be attentive for a few hours, only to go back to being lethargic. She would not allow me to hold a cold compress on her face so her left side swelled more and more. It looked like she was holding a golf ball in her cheek.
The most difficult thing for me was not knowing what to do for her. Was I giving her enough pain meds? Was I giving her too much? What could I fix for her that she would eat? Did cold foods or hot foods feel better? Not being able to converse with her has never been so frustrating and heartbreaking. All I could do was be there to try to comfort her as best I could. At one point, I sat next to her bed, stroking her hair and talking to her. The look in her eyes was so haunting, I couldn't help but weep. It was the most emotional four days I have experienced in a very long time. Even though my heart wanted to keep her home, my head told me it was better for her to get back to her routine so we took her back to her house.
It has taken her about six weeks but she has finally returned to her kind of normal. Worry has been a constant temptation over these weeks. Leaving it in God's hands sounds great in theory but proved so hard to do in reality. However, looking back, I see the incredible memories I can hold on to forever. The times we sat together, hugged each other, looked each other in the eyes. These are rare in Laurie's everyday life and I can't help but believe these things were gifts from God to a mother who often longs for a more "normal" relationship with her daughter. God is good, all the time.
So why pick it back up again now? Mostly a desire to record my emotions and thoughts about a recent event involving my daughter. Feel free to listen in if you wish.
For those reading this blog for the first time, Laurie is a special needs child. Although she is chronologically 37 years old, she operates on about a 2-4 year old mental level. She lives in an independent supported living home with two roommates and staff that cares for her 24/7. She comes home every Sunday and for a weekend once a month.
Recently, we discovered that her wisdom teeth on her right side needed to be pulled. Given her situation, everyone agreed that we would need to put her under anesthesia to accomplish this. Since her regular dentist was not able to do x-rays, cleanings or fix any problems during her regular dental visits, this seemed to be the perfect opportunity to coordinate all these procedures while she was under.
John and I brought Laurie home the night before and took her to the surgery center early the next morning. The staff was incredibly kind and understanding of her disabilities. They were able to get her under and even got an IV started without incident. About 30 minutes later, her dentist came out to tell us the x-rays revealed that the wisdom teeth on her left side were right under the surface and would require removal at some time in the near future. We all agreed doing it now would be the best. They were also going to fix a couple of small cavities while they were there.
Unfortunately, because the teeth on the left side were not through yet, they had to be cut out. When we were brought back to recovery to see her, she was a pitiful sight. Still sleepy, very swollen, and throwing up blood. We managed to get her to the car and John sat in the back with her, trying to follow her around with the bucket as she threw up. It was a wild ride home for all of us!
Once we got home, we needed to get some food down her so she could take her pain medication. She wasn't having anything to do with food and anything we did get down her, came right back up. My anxiety level was getting higher and higher. No food meant no meds which meant more pain for her. Then I began to get concerned about dehydration as she refused to drink anything either. Helplessness is not a fun feeling. By mid-afternoon, we finally got a small bit of food in her stomach and pain meds on board.
The next few days were a roller coaster ride. Pitiful is the only word I can use to describe my precious girl. Her usually millisecond hugs became long and clingy. She would sit next to me on the couch, tuck her head under my arm and try to curl up in my lap. Then she would perk up a bit, take some cautious bites of food and be attentive for a few hours, only to go back to being lethargic. She would not allow me to hold a cold compress on her face so her left side swelled more and more. It looked like she was holding a golf ball in her cheek.
The most difficult thing for me was not knowing what to do for her. Was I giving her enough pain meds? Was I giving her too much? What could I fix for her that she would eat? Did cold foods or hot foods feel better? Not being able to converse with her has never been so frustrating and heartbreaking. All I could do was be there to try to comfort her as best I could. At one point, I sat next to her bed, stroking her hair and talking to her. The look in her eyes was so haunting, I couldn't help but weep. It was the most emotional four days I have experienced in a very long time. Even though my heart wanted to keep her home, my head told me it was better for her to get back to her routine so we took her back to her house.
It has taken her about six weeks but she has finally returned to her kind of normal. Worry has been a constant temptation over these weeks. Leaving it in God's hands sounds great in theory but proved so hard to do in reality. However, looking back, I see the incredible memories I can hold on to forever. The times we sat together, hugged each other, looked each other in the eyes. These are rare in Laurie's everyday life and I can't help but believe these things were gifts from God to a mother who often longs for a more "normal" relationship with her daughter. God is good, all the time.
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