I don't remember which baby it was. Maybe it was my 2nd or 3rd or 4th miscarriage? But I have a letter tied in a roll of letters from a dear friend and author, Elisabeth Elliot, responding to my losing my baby. In her beautiful script, the words jumped off the page: Blessed is the one who is not offended by God and whatever God chooses to do.
Matthew 11: 2-6 - Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, "Are you the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?" And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: The blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by Me."
Tell my beloved John of whom I think there has arisen No One Greater, that I am giving eyes back to the blind, putting feet back on the lame, restoring health back to the lepers...and raising up the dead too. But you, Beloved John, will remain in prison to your death, beheaded on a whim. My Beloved John, you can find rest for your soul even in a prison. Jesus promises. Matthew 11:28 - "Come to Me and I will give you rest."
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
ReplyDeletePraise the LORD. There is no one like Jehovah...No One Like Jehovah.
It is only the King of Kings and LORD of LORDS in Jesus Christ that can provide the satisfying REST that fully restores my soul on a daily basis.
This is a Song I must Sing to me and anyone else who will read it, believe it, and sing it to the LORD Jesus today.
Sylvia
I cannot read this passage without knowing there is a huge truth in it bigger than I can grasp. "Blessed is the one who is not offended by Me." No miracle rescue for John. Can I say with my heart "Lord, You know best. ANYTHING You are in the middle of is okay by me"? I'm still not sure I can. My heart breaks over several ones in need of huge miracles. At this point, it doesn't look good. So hard not to ask defiantly, WHY? So difficult to accept, and yet, He is our only hope, our answer, our peace for our distraught hearts, our rest for our weariness. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. Help us not to be offended. Help us to turn it over to You and trust completely that it all is in so very Good Hands.
ReplyDeleteTruly, this reading about John in prison and Christ performing miracles but none for John...???
ReplyDeleteGod is setting things right.
John Piper has a book I'm reading right now that it touching some deep places in my heart.
"The Passion of Jesus Christ: 50 Reasons Why Jesus Came To Die"
John was left in prison awaiting his martyrdom.
Christ hung on a cross dying in our place.
We suffer, too.
But God is the God who sets things right.
That's why John sat there and just let Christ increase and himself decrease.
And that's why Jesus willingly gave up his life and died for a greater purpose.
And that's why we walk by faith and not by sight.
Listen to these words about a Jewish Rabbi by Elie Wiesel from his book "Night," written about his holocaust experience in concentration camps.
"Akiba Dumer left us, a victim of the selection. Lately, he had wandered among us, his eyes glazed, telling everyone of his weakness: “I can’t go on . . . It’s all over . . .” It was impossible to raise his morale. He didn’t listen to what we told him. He could only repeat that all was over for him, that he could no longer keep up the struggle, that he had no strength left, nor faith. Suddenly his eyes would become blank, nothing but two open wounds, two pits of terror."
Then Mr. Wiesel makes this statement mentioning Calvary...
“Poor Akiba Dumer, if he could have gone on believing in God, if he could have seen a proof of God in this Calvary, he would not have been taken by the selection.”
Depths of despair
Death confronted
Calvary in the concentration camps
What will our choice be when God remains inactive in our need?
Do we still believe that He will set things right?
John did.
Jesus did.
And survivors came out of the holocaust.
Defining points of faith refined...
Thanks for that excerpt, Deborah. Such truth to refining faith. John had enough--our goal is obviously not deliverance from circumstances, but drawing closer to our eternal state in His presence. More faith, Lord! Refine us!
ReplyDeleteMatthew 11- 25 -26"Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer: "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You've concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people. Yes, Father, that's the way you like to work."
ReplyDelete27 "Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly. "The Father has given me all these things to do and say. This is a unique Father-Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge. No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does. But I'm not keeping it to myself; I'm ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen."
28 -30"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
Just a little treasure I've been reading this week...
ReplyDeleteRomans 9 MSG
If you have time, read through this chapter. I love it from The Message!
Ponder the last of this chapter for a while.
Not a question for anyone in particular, just a thought to ask ourselves...
Are we the ones who want to "take over?"
I am so not qualified.
Jan...love the last verses you selected. Psalm 1 says His Word thrills us. Those verse thrill me.
Thinking of two young women who right at this moment in very hard places in their lives. Both godly young women. No true explanation for their suffering.....Yet He will give them rest He will work everything in their lives for His good. Those of us praying for them, have to hold on to Him and not become weary in praying. Their families have to cling to God like they never have before. He is moving and prayers will be answered, will we choose to not be offended by the way He answers the prayers being offered up....will we all praise Him even IF the answers are not what we want the outcome to be in our humanity. Studying Job the past few weeks has been very timely for me. Trusting Him and resting in Him to answer in His perfect time and in the way He so chooses. What lessons we all can learn from each other. Blessings on each one of you today.
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