You know you have a good friend when they bring over chicken and toilet paper. I'm just sayin'. I hope you know how very much I appreciate your friendship and how THANKFUL I am for you.
Happy Thanksgiving!
~ Wendy
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Why do we wait?
I am led to write about this thought based on some things that I have been seeing transpire over the past few months. When do we most likely take the time and genuinely seek God and His sovereignty? Is it when things are going great in our lives? Or is it when things are just going everything but great? It would be my hope that we are able to seek Him during both circumstances.
I am seeing so much suffering in the world that it makes me wonder how people who are experiencing this cope with their situations. When you've lost almost everything that means something to you, where do you turn to? Over the past two months, the Philippines has had enormous human loss and physical loss as it has been visited by at least four typhoons that have caused major destruction to the country. In the aftermath of it all, many have died, lost many of their houses and belongings and still many are becoming ill because of the spread of diseases from contaminated water sources and spread of disease transmitting insects. I have watched a video clip showing elementary schools not only teaching their students, but also providing shelter for the homeless. As I learned of the devastation, I sat there and thought, if I didn't know Christ, I don't know what hope I would have or who I would turn to to give me immediate peace amidst the chaos. My heart dropped for those affected, but I immediately prayed that it would be an opportunity for people to seek God and His ways through this tumultuous time. Sure enough, days after the first two typhoons, I spoke with a relative in the Philippines would said that the whole country is in prayer and many are turning to God for deliverance. Wow! On one side, I was relieved and glad that good was coming out of this negative situation, but on the other hand, I felt sad to think that it would take something like this for some to start to seek Him.
Recently, I just learned that another relative of mine has an advanced form of cancer. To my knowledge, he has been resistant to accepting God (let alone Christ) and even allowing His wife to learn about Him. Once he actually locked her out of their home because she went to a Bible study session. After that incident, she refused to attend another Christian venue in fear that she would be locked out again. I tell ya though, God has His plans and He is so much bigger than our pride and rebelliousness to Him. Since my relative's diagnosis and recent hospitalization, he has joined others to come before God and pray!!! I am so thrilled for his spirit (yet saddened by the pain he is enduring)! I only pray that he would accept Jesus' invitation to him no matter what the outcome is of his illness.
Has our society or humankind come to a point in history where we think we are fully self-sufficient that we don't need God in our lives? Will it take that "shaking of the heavens and earth" for us to be humbled and realize that He is the only one that can save us and grant us peace?
I am seeing so much suffering in the world that it makes me wonder how people who are experiencing this cope with their situations. When you've lost almost everything that means something to you, where do you turn to? Over the past two months, the Philippines has had enormous human loss and physical loss as it has been visited by at least four typhoons that have caused major destruction to the country. In the aftermath of it all, many have died, lost many of their houses and belongings and still many are becoming ill because of the spread of diseases from contaminated water sources and spread of disease transmitting insects. I have watched a video clip showing elementary schools not only teaching their students, but also providing shelter for the homeless. As I learned of the devastation, I sat there and thought, if I didn't know Christ, I don't know what hope I would have or who I would turn to to give me immediate peace amidst the chaos. My heart dropped for those affected, but I immediately prayed that it would be an opportunity for people to seek God and His ways through this tumultuous time. Sure enough, days after the first two typhoons, I spoke with a relative in the Philippines would said that the whole country is in prayer and many are turning to God for deliverance. Wow! On one side, I was relieved and glad that good was coming out of this negative situation, but on the other hand, I felt sad to think that it would take something like this for some to start to seek Him.
Recently, I just learned that another relative of mine has an advanced form of cancer. To my knowledge, he has been resistant to accepting God (let alone Christ) and even allowing His wife to learn about Him. Once he actually locked her out of their home because she went to a Bible study session. After that incident, she refused to attend another Christian venue in fear that she would be locked out again. I tell ya though, God has His plans and He is so much bigger than our pride and rebelliousness to Him. Since my relative's diagnosis and recent hospitalization, he has joined others to come before God and pray!!! I am so thrilled for his spirit (yet saddened by the pain he is enduring)! I only pray that he would accept Jesus' invitation to him no matter what the outcome is of his illness.
Has our society or humankind come to a point in history where we think we are fully self-sufficient that we don't need God in our lives? Will it take that "shaking of the heavens and earth" for us to be humbled and realize that He is the only one that can save us and grant us peace?
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