Something to make you go hmmmm.....

I am preparing to do something tomorrow that I didn't think I'd have to go through for a long time, if ever. I am going to the funeral for a baby who was 3 months and 1 day old. As I look at my children, even my husband, I am reminded that they are not mine. I often refer to them as "my children" or "my husband", but I forget that they are God's and I am a mere steward of my children's lives and a beneficiary of my husband's life. It's a good reminder to love them with all of my heart, but to hold on to them with loose strings. They are God's chosen vessels to accomplish His will. I am not to get in the way or to hold them so close to myself that I don't allow God to work in and through them.

The other thing that was brought to my attention today about knocked me over. It probably actually would have, but I was already sitting. Our Sunday school teacher was talking about our classmates' child's death. (In this illustration, please understand that I am not saying that Andrew was not a sinner. Every human is born a sinner. Also, please understand that I firmly believe that Andrew is in God's presence right now. I understand that some of you don't believe the same way that I do, but I'm not going to discuss it right now. See my old post for that.) Anyway, Pastor McCormick was saying that we tend to look at an infant's death as a loss of an innocent life. We don't understand why God chose Andrew to die, but the other two of the triplets to live. We are puzzled, but know that in His infinite wisdom, that this is what is best. However, we look to the life of a person on death row and say that he deserves his death. If we had to chose either Andrew or the mass murderer to die, we all say that we would choose the incarcerated one. The one who "deserves" it. However, what we fail to remember, is that we already chose. When the only truly innocent and perfect Man was put next to an evil man, we chose Barrabas. It's amazing what we say we believe and how we actually behave. The fact that God knows how evil I am and how wicked my heart is, and yet He still chose me to be His daughter, giving up His Son to die for my wickedness, brings me to my knees. I am reminded "what is man that Thou art mindful of Him". Why He chose me, I'll never understand. However, I am forever grateful and therefore, I live for Him.

Yet another thing that smacked me in the face today was a report from missionaries in Iran. Another missionary to Albania was there visiting the ones in Iran, to show his support. As the Albanian missionary was observing the Iranian church service, he was amazed. They sang 2 songs, had 45 minutes of preaching, followed by 7 hours of prayer. David asked some of the Iranian men, who had converted from Isalm, why they prayed so much. They replied that as Muslims, they spent so much time in prayer 5 times a day, praying to a god that couldn't answer their prayers, that now that they were saved and believed in the One True God who hears and answers prayer, they should pray that much more. They couldn't be content just praying the equivalent of their Muslim prayers praying to God each day. Since God hears their prayers, they should pray so much more. They have seen so many answers to prayer. What a prayer life! To live in constant communion with God. How they must see God's hand at work in their lives. And they live in persecution. How much more should I, who lives in perfect peace and tranquility (between temper tantrums), commune with God. He wants to hear my prayers. My concerns, my joys, my life. What a God we serve. Out of the billions of people in the world, He cares about the concerns of each person, as if he or she was the only person in the world. What a wonderful God we serve. I am so glad He is alive for me, and not just in a tomb halfway around the world.

Anyway, those are just a couple things to think about this next week.
1) Don't hold loved ones so close that God must loosen the strings.
2) Live daily rejoicing that God chose to let His Son die in your stead.
3) Live in constant communion with God, knowing that He hears and cares for you and your every need.