Monday 6 November 2017

The One Liners

One liners usually refer to funny quips, however, every now and then as I am reading a book, I will read a line that is profound.
You know the author has spent time working through something, living through something, in order to write it into the story line.

"Part of her strength came from accepting that it would never be over quickly." (Dee Henderson)

I have seen people whose hope is in God healing them. They zoom from one healing service to another for that magic prayer. That one anointed minister who has the magic touch and they will be set free from whatever ails them.

God does absolutely heal. And ... God also chooses not to heal. 
If hope resides in healing and not in Christ alone, then the result is huge disappointment in the very nature of who God is - and sometimes questioning if  He even is.

When I was in the hospital during my eldest daughter's trauma, I walked the corridors asking God this... "You healed in the Bible. You spoke, it was done. Why are You not healing Monica now?".
Like usual, God did not answer that question directly.
 Instead, He impressed these words on me.

"In the New Testament, I healed and it got a line or two. Go read Job, he got a whole book."

At that moment in time, I knew our walk would be the long haul.
I also knew, and keep reminding myself, that the result will far surpass just a physical healing for the here and now. Job was changed deep in his spirit and soul. At the end he could say, " My ears had heard of You but now my eyes have seen You." Job 42:5

How can we ever experience God as Comforter if we never need comforting. 
How can we experience God as Counselor, if we think we don't need counseling?.
How can we ever experience God as Protector, Refuge, Strong Tower, Sheild... if we are always safe, comfortable, and living a life of ease?

I am told God has about 1,000 names. I don't want to serve a God I do not know. God wants to be known by us. God wants to be involved in our lives. Let us embrace God in every circumstance.

The other part of this, is that God is all wise. He has certain things He wants to develop in us. Perseverance, faith, hope... I want to trust Him to do the work He needs to do in me so I grow and improve.

Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.…Romans 5:4,5,6

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