Do you remember this song...
My God is so BIG!
So strong and so mighty,
There's nothing my God cannot do.
My God is so BIG!
So strong and so mighty,
There's nothing my God cannot do.
The mountains are His,
The rivers are His,
The stars are His handiwork, too.
My God is so BIG!
So strong and so mighty,
There's nothing my God cannot do.
I'm guessing that as you read the words you were also singing the tune in your head. It's a familiar song that a lot of us learned as kids - and if our kids are lucky, they've learned it in Sunday School, too.
That song popped into my mind on our way home from Arizona, driving across the country. We've seen the majesty of mountains - even hiked up part of one. (Although our friends in Colorado tell us they're not really mountains, they are a whole lot bigger than anything we see in Michigan!) We've looked down at the mighty Mississippi River from the top of the St. Louis Arch. And we've gazed at the stars... so many stars in a crystal clear sky that we don't see very often at home!
I think more than anything on this trip, I have been struck by the greatness of our God and His awesome power to create the beauty around us. I have especially appreciated the wide open spaces, relatively untouched by human construction, spanning the horizon until the red and purple mountains rise upward.
What is so amazing to me, though, is to look at all of that and realize the God who created it also created me exactly how He wanted me to be. I am His work of art just as much as the mountains, the rivers, and the stars. And He longs for an intimate relationship with me. He loved me enough to send His Son to die in my place.
I am so grateful for this opportunity to see just a glimpse of the splendor of my God. I now worship Him with a renewed sense of awe and gratitude.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Beyond Our Understanding
It has been a while since I have been able to update my blog, and a lot has happened over the past several days. When we arrived at Youth Haven in Arizona, we were busy with Board meetings, visiting with family who live in Tucson, and getting ready for Ladies' Days.
The two days of Ladies' Days went very well, and Donna Partow had some wonderful things to share with the ladies. She personally encouraged me to not be stuck in the church pew, but to get up and be a mighty warrior for Christ. That's all I'm going to say about her message, because I want everyone to come to Ladies' Day in Michigan to hear her for yourself! (The dates are May 14-16 - check out www.youthhaven.org for more information.)
The very next day, we received the tragic news that a fellow parent from Lansing Christian Schools had passed away unexpectedly. His son is in Stefan's class and his daughter is in Lukas' class. It shocked and saddened us, and we had a special time of prayer for the family. It reminded us that every moment we have with our loved ones is precious, and we shouldn't take a single one of those moments for granted.
It also opened up an opportunity for us to talk to the boys about death. This morning as we prayed for the family on the day of the funeral, we discussed the fact that God had taken him to heaven to be with Him. We talked about the fact that their friends' dad is not still alive, but he's not here on the earth with us anymore. His body has died, but his soul is with God in heaven. That's why we as Christians don't have to be as sad when someone dies. We are sad because we will miss them, but we know they are waiting for us in heaven and we will see them again someday.
We also talked about the fact that God sometimes works in ways we don't understand. Since our friend died from an electric shock, Stefan asked, "Why would God take him to heaven that way? It's painful." How do you answer a question like that? I explained that sometimes things happen that don't make sense to us, but God always has a purpose.
I listened to what I was telling them and realized I was comforting myself as well. This morning my dad had surgery to remove an infected toe on his left foot and also to do an arterial bypass in his left leg to improve circulation. I had prayed about the situation and had peace about his surgery today. But the past several months have been a hard journey for me.
I struggle with understanding why someone who has committed his life to serving God has to suffer like my dad has recently. This is his third major surgery in less than a year. He has been sick and his body weakened. It really doesn't seem fair. And yet, who am I to question God?
Often my problem is that I want to be able to do something, to make him better or at least help in some way. I put too much pressure on myself and forget to let God be God. Surrendering it all to Him and trusting Him to do what's best is hard for me because I don't want to see the people I love going through hard times.
And then I think about what Christ suffered for me. It grieves me to know that I was the cause of all the pain he went through. And now I know that I have no right to complain about the hardships we encounter here on earth. Sin is a terrible thing with terrible consequences. I am eternally grateful that Christ suffered and died so that we could receive the gift of life - a gift not one of us deserves.
Someday we will experience a heaven without sin, and therefore without pain, grief, or hardship. Our friend is living there now, rejoicing in the Savior. One of these days my dad will be there, and although I will miss him terribly I will be grateful that he will no longer have suffering in his body. I am looking forward to the day when we will all be there, and experience the glories of heaven. Mostly, I am looking forward to being forever with the God who loves me so much He sent His Son to die for me.
The two days of Ladies' Days went very well, and Donna Partow had some wonderful things to share with the ladies. She personally encouraged me to not be stuck in the church pew, but to get up and be a mighty warrior for Christ. That's all I'm going to say about her message, because I want everyone to come to Ladies' Day in Michigan to hear her for yourself! (The dates are May 14-16 - check out www.youthhaven.org for more information.)
The very next day, we received the tragic news that a fellow parent from Lansing Christian Schools had passed away unexpectedly. His son is in Stefan's class and his daughter is in Lukas' class. It shocked and saddened us, and we had a special time of prayer for the family. It reminded us that every moment we have with our loved ones is precious, and we shouldn't take a single one of those moments for granted.
It also opened up an opportunity for us to talk to the boys about death. This morning as we prayed for the family on the day of the funeral, we discussed the fact that God had taken him to heaven to be with Him. We talked about the fact that their friends' dad is not still alive, but he's not here on the earth with us anymore. His body has died, but his soul is with God in heaven. That's why we as Christians don't have to be as sad when someone dies. We are sad because we will miss them, but we know they are waiting for us in heaven and we will see them again someday.
We also talked about the fact that God sometimes works in ways we don't understand. Since our friend died from an electric shock, Stefan asked, "Why would God take him to heaven that way? It's painful." How do you answer a question like that? I explained that sometimes things happen that don't make sense to us, but God always has a purpose.
I listened to what I was telling them and realized I was comforting myself as well. This morning my dad had surgery to remove an infected toe on his left foot and also to do an arterial bypass in his left leg to improve circulation. I had prayed about the situation and had peace about his surgery today. But the past several months have been a hard journey for me.
I struggle with understanding why someone who has committed his life to serving God has to suffer like my dad has recently. This is his third major surgery in less than a year. He has been sick and his body weakened. It really doesn't seem fair. And yet, who am I to question God?
Often my problem is that I want to be able to do something, to make him better or at least help in some way. I put too much pressure on myself and forget to let God be God. Surrendering it all to Him and trusting Him to do what's best is hard for me because I don't want to see the people I love going through hard times.
And then I think about what Christ suffered for me. It grieves me to know that I was the cause of all the pain he went through. And now I know that I have no right to complain about the hardships we encounter here on earth. Sin is a terrible thing with terrible consequences. I am eternally grateful that Christ suffered and died so that we could receive the gift of life - a gift not one of us deserves.
Someday we will experience a heaven without sin, and therefore without pain, grief, or hardship. Our friend is living there now, rejoicing in the Savior. One of these days my dad will be there, and although I will miss him terribly I will be grateful that he will no longer have suffering in his body. I am looking forward to the day when we will all be there, and experience the glories of heaven. Mostly, I am looking forward to being forever with the God who loves me so much He sent His Son to die for me.
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