Monday I got an email from a Sister who had a family member who had a friend that was planning to have an abortion on Friday (today). She felt like the Lord was leading her to get involved and be willing to adopt this child. So, we have been praying for the Lord to work a miracle in this lady's heart to bring her to faith in Jesus Christ and to keep the baby. I have always believed abortion is wrong, but it is so painful when you know of a particular individual.
Tuesday afternoon one of my Brothers called me and told me that he had been unfaithful to his wife, and he confessed to her that evening. It's a mess. I really want to punch him in the face. But I've been where he is, so I just pray for him a lot. I pray that the Lord will break him and show him his sin in the light of the Cross - both the pain of God's holy wrath on Christ, and the forgiveness that we have because of it. I pray that the Lord will get a hold of him like he got hold of me. For some reason, it wasn't until I had totally screwed everything up that I really cried out for the Lord to rescue me. This situation has helped me remember the intensity of Brandi's pain and the magnitude of the Lord's work to lead her to forgive me and reconcile our marriage.
Wednesday I got an email from another Brother, and he told me that his thesis adviser told him the thesis committee wasn't going to let him defend his proposal this semester because they didn't think he was ready yet. I can imagine how crushed I would be. Even more tragically, his wife, who was several months pregnant in their first pregnancy, miscarried their first the same day.
So my heart has been pretty heavy this week. I pray Eph. 3:14-21 over these situations. May my focus always be on you, Lord.
"Great and marvelous are your works,
O Lord God, the Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations.
4 Who will not fear you, Lord,
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before you,
for your righteous deeds have been revealed."
Heavenly Father, I love you. And I want to love you more. I want to enjoy you more every day. Lord, please give me spiritual eyes to see you so that I can be genuinely awestruck by you. Lord, would you please show your power in these situations. Lord, please show grace and mercy, and give peace. I pray that we will drink from the Living Water, and that you will flow through us for your glory. May your name be praised among the nations. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Wow! Isn't it crazy how we can go about our day and then wham we are awakened to how desperately we, others, need our Savior! That there is so much more going on than we can see... the unseen battle for our soul(s)... The heavenly crowd encouraging us to finish the race and the enemy who desires to hurt our God through us... and so on... I will be praying.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. Thank you, April.
ReplyDeleteGeorge Matheson wrote: ...worshiping at night, during the depth of our sorrows, is a difficult thing. Yet therein lies the blessing, for it is the test of perfect faith...It is easy for me to worship in the summer sunshine, when the beautiful melodies of life seem to fill the air, and the lush fruit of life is still on the trees. But when the songbirds cease and the fruit falls from the trees, will my heart continue to sing? Will I remain in God's house at night? Will I love Him simply for who He is? ...Yes, when I can remain in His house through the darkness of night and worship Him, I have accepted Him for Himself alone."
ReplyDeleteSuch heavy stuff, Shane. I'm lifting you up and the situations you describe in the blog. If I could add a verse that touched me this week (apparently it's what Jordan Shipley of the UT team said to the Field goal kicker before his game winner).
ReplyDeleteJeremiah 17:7-9 (NIV)
7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.
8 He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit."
9 The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?