I think God uses turbulence to keep us loose and flexible, continually seeking Him. It's ironic how one of the only things that never changes in our lives is change itself. We're in a constant state of flux. This is certainly true for two individuals this weekend: my brother and my friend Jon.
My friend Jon has siblings that are about 15 years older than him, and both of his parents have had bouts with cancer. Friday, Jon learned that his dad had unexpectedly passed away. He and his wife drove up to be with the family that afternoon. They took his mom to the hospital because she wasn't feeling well, and she unexpectedly passed away on Saturday. Wow. To this I say, "Wow." That's a boatload of change in one weekend. Of course, there is great joy and peace in knowing that they are in Heaven rejoicing with the Lord since his parents were Christians. But, man, that's a lot to deal with. The funeral is tomorrow.
My brother is a music and youth minister. He served at a small (and I mean small) church for a couple of years with a long commute and low salary, but he was obedient to the Lord. Then the Lord moved him to a different small church, still with low salary. I think my brother has been faithful to teach the youth the principles of seeking the Lord, and he has shared his perspective of worship through music and praise. I have seen the Lord grow him tremendously over the last handful of years. Well, the Lord has led him on to his next location this weekend. He has accepted a call to another church where He will learn more about God and help other people connect to God in a fresh way. I look forward to hearing about the youth learning and growing in Christ. Of course, there are mixed emotions - sadness for leaving what he knows and excitement for moving on to the new opportunities.
I can see the Lord at work in both of these lives. They are both Brothers in Christ, and they each are seeking His leadership for their lives. I believe the Lord uses our turbulent experiences to shape us into the characters He wants. I recognize that it's pretty easy for me to pitch in my two cents when I'm viewing these lives obliquely; I would probably say things a lot differently if I were experiencing them myself.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for being in control of our lives. Thank you that I can trust you for my life and the lives of my Brothers. Lord, I pray that you will comfort my friend Jon, and please help him grow in his understanding of you. I pray that you will draw Him closer to you through this tragic experience. May he seek you as never before in his life. Lord, I lift up to you my brother as he is following your call to move on. I pray that you will use him to shape others' lives and that you will grow him to be a mighty man of the Gospel. Lord, I pray that you will receive glory in these two turbulent situations. I pray that they will be examples of Christ, and I pray this in His name. Amen.
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