Our story’s aren’t the same. Some have buried friends, children, siblings, parents. Some have been martyred. Some are clinging to their I.V. pole as they heave from the chemo. Others are swaddling babies and cheering victories. But whatever in this broken world you’re doing; this still rings true.
Josh proclaimed it from the pulpit that Sunday morning; how we have peace not because we understand, but because we have faith in our God who understands.
A few hours later we read the news. I realized we can proclaim the truth when our hearts need it – then witness how things really can get worse and our hearts can need it even more.
Our souls groan at the headlines, and we must recall the truth we’ve heard, we’ve spoken, we’ve read, and we believe; to deliver us in this time.
Yeah! Absolutely, God is our crutch. Because we are those people who’d rather hobble through broken than set down or set out.
We would rather acknowledge our weakness’ and lean on God’s strength than pretend we’re fine, it’s fine, we’ve got this, and walk around saving our pride and hiding our authentic need for a savior.
That truth that we must declare isn’t just for the brokenness within our own flesh, or within our own walls. It expands across the ocean. It reaches into houses, and huts, and hearts.
The only effective aid that can span the whole space of the broken world, and hold up the to the weight of it all – is Jesus.
If we hide it, deny it, or make light of it; then we are withholding the aid the whole wide world needs.
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid from them who are lost. 2 Corinthians 4:3
We can know it in our heads, hide it in our hearts, and feel it in our bones. “Your ways our higher than ours.”
Jim said every breath we take is only possible because God gives it, but the last thing we do when we die is exhale. You can die without God, but you can’t take your next breath without Him.
For better or for worse; it is impossible to hear someone’s last words and not be changed. For better or for worse; it is impossible to hear Gods word and not be changed. Your heart becomes tough or tender.
Lisa ask where the happy was. I could have sworn the whole world was a monochrome grey that day. I said I didn’t know, but that’s not exactly true. It’s just that neither of us needed a sermon right then. We just needed to be real, and to lean, and to not put some phony patch on things. Just lean on our crutch, and let the tears fall, and the sky look grey. Because God always sends a rainbow, but he reserves it for after the storms done passed.
A Relentless Surrender 