This past weekend Jo and I made a quick trip to Ohio on Friday to watch our grandson, Braden, play his first game as a Freshman in high school. We came back Saturday after the game. Driving 4-41/2 hours one way gives one a lot of time to think. Lately, the church family has been hit hard with “stuff.”
- It started with me getting hit broadside on June 3rd and still working through several ETAs for the necessary part.
- One of our ladies was heading to Indy for a quilting show and a semi sideswiped her.
- One of our young men was hit head on. His ankle is broke significantly and may require further surgery.
- Another had a car pull out in front of him on the way to a wedding. He and his fiance were shook up but the car is toast.
- One young lady was rear-ended as she was turning into the church lot this past Saturday. She has a concussion and will be very, very sore.
- One young lady’s 90+ y/o grandmother got COVID and they still don’t know how. She is, at least, able to get up and not lay around.
- The church secretary’s father had a massive brain bleed on Thursday and was in a coma. Yesterday afternoon he went to be with Jesus.
- A 13 y/o has been placed in a center to get help with his anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.
- Our youth pastor, Ryan, is slowly watching his father waste away from cancer.
There are more, but you get the picture. As I thought about all of the “stuff” hitting us, I refused to have a pity party. I thought of Daniel and I thought of something I read this past week:
God is still God even when we don’t understand His ways.
The nonbeliever cannot sync with the idea of trials and suffering and a good God. But the follower of Jesus can. We must choose to worship God and to trust His goodness, sovereignty, and power. We remind the world around us that we are in the hands of the One who controls it all. God is still God; I am still me; and He is still in charge.
And I must also say that I am not leaving out the idea this is a Satanic attack on our church fellowship. Add to the above the masks, the fear people have, the political sides being taken on social media and yeah…I am a firm believer this could very well be a Satanic attack.
“Father, I don’t understand but I’m certainly not going to blame You. You have been, are now, and always will be in charge.”
{Quote from The Daniel Dilemma by Chris Hodges, page 91}
Oh, wow! I am so sorry for what your church family is going through. And, YES!, most definitely a Satanic attack. After all, he is the one who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I will be standing in prayer for your body. God Bless you.
Thanks Diane. We will make it because we have the “One who is greater in us than the one who is in the world” on our side.
Bill,
I heard something recently that I am still chewing on. Not sure I have fully bought into it, but thought I would share.
The deep waters we sometimes go through are not meant to drown us… It is meant to drown the enemy.
It can look like a tidal wave coming down on us sometimes, but we have to be willing to let God use that wave to lift us to another level, not crush us. Lift our water table.
Not original thoughts, so I can’t take credit, but seemed like a lift was needed.
That said, it doesn’t take away the immediate hurt. The immediate suffering, the immediate loss.
My prayers are with you and the OVCF church family.
That is worth chewing on Ryan. Thanks for sharing that. I can see the truth is some of that. The phrase “water table” is strange but I will chew on it as you are doing. Thanks for your thoughts though. I know God is in charge. he will pull us through, refining us as he does so, and me as well.
I think the idea of the water table was around just bringing us closer to God… I didn’t perceive anything hokey about it.
–Again still chewing, but seemed to fit at the time.
I had just never heard that used before. I sense it would be an okay thought. Again, thanks for sharing that.
As a self-professed fishing bum, this line of thinking creates a whole new perspective. Water level dictates the boat I take and the tactics I use as an angler. I carefully watch water table graphs to know what I’m getting into when I fish certain bodies of water. Case in point: when I fish in Sugar creek for smallmouth. The lower the water level the safer it is. It is prime fishing because all the fish are the deeper pools and thus easier to locate and target. Low water also reveals hazards such as rocks and things that can destroy a boat or twist and ankle. When the water level is up I have to take a different boat to be safe and the risks caused by the current are much higher. The deeper water is protection for the fish because they can spread out which makes the more difficult to target and catch. Maybe we are the fish.
I think others would agree on the fishing bum. It is not just self-professed. 🙂 This is a great perspective Jim. Deeper waters make us more difficult to catch. I like that.
Satan will, and does, pull out all the stops in his attempts to discourage and dishearten us, and turn us away from God’s truth and love. We can’t let that happen! As you reminded us on Sunday, we have to remember God’s faithfulness in the past so we can see our present moments clearly and with trust in Him to see us through the turbulent chapters of our lives.
Blessings, Bill!
Aaaaah. That is a sigh of happiness and satisfaction. So glad to hear you listened Martha and got my point. I do think one of his #1 plans is to discourage God’s children.
Well at least when the enemy is attacking your church you KNOW you’re doing something right!
I have a tendency, or maybe it’s a habit of hitting my head on things like doors, walls, frames, metal, etc… I don’t know if that makes me a headbanger or not….but it’s definitely not enjoyable!
Prayers for your church!
Great pun Ed. Appreciate your prayers.