An Awesome God

Today I began my OWNit365.com challenge of reading the bible in a year. I read two chapters from Genesis and two from Job.

My thoughts...I am reminded of what an awesome God we have looking over us.

First...creation. What a fine artist. A mathematician. A scientist. Our God is so much more of course than any of those, and I think of the minute things we can do and create, and then I look at His creation. The colors, blends, distinct details of animals, sunsets, the seas, seashells, mountains, lush fields, flowers...etc. etc. etc. How can one believe that creation was not by design? Someone had to plan, perfect and choose to not only make it something that takes our breath away...but create us to care and allow it to take our breath away. Then there is the preciseness of everything. Placed exactly where it needs to be placed, and doing exactly what it needs to be doing. And when it isn't doing what it should be....there is still a plan, other things kick in and make sure what needs to happen does and helps to repair it. Absolutely blows my mind when I focus on what our God has done...and He did it for us. And He continues to do.

Which takes me to the readings of Job. Here I was reminded of God's love and protection. One may laugh that I say this when speaking of Job. God allowed Satan to destroy so much of Job's things. However...I know God knew Job's heart. What stands out to me in all of Job...it's God's permission. I know He looks at each of our lives and nothing will happen to us that He won't permit. If you know of God's love, His perfect will, His understanding, His vision...then that is completely ok. If he permits it, then you who know and love Him can be assured in that. When sitting in this dark world full of evil that is a chair of faith we can sit back and  rest in. A bad day, or week certainly doesn't look as bad anymore. There is a reason, He has allowed it, and He will bring me through it. I will probably learn, grow in faith, and in the end see the significance of it. Or possibly not. Job may have never known the why...he just chose to trust. What a lesson for all of us. If only we can live knowing our time here is not even a sentence in our life story....it is a fleeting second. All that we own, all that we have....it isn't ours. And if we live as if it isn't...live just trusting and believing, we will know success and happiness. Not by the things we acquire here.

" 'I came naked from my mother's womb and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord! ' In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God." Job 1:21

May my words be salt and light to you.

Their Faith

Most of us who have attended church, bible study or read bible stories have heard the story of Jesus on the boat with his disciples. He is sleeping, a storm comes up, and they wake him up. If you haven't you can read it here: Luke 8: 22-28, or Matthew 23-27,  or Mark 4:35-41.

I have heard many different sermons on this scripture focused on Jesus calming the storm.

But last week, the sermon spoke of them waking him. And that Jesus was rebuking them for their lack of faith. And it is true..if we think of the boat as our life, and if we have Jesus in our boat (if we have invited him there), ...do we need to worry about the storms? We have Jesus in the boat! What should we worry about if Christ is in the boat?  And as many sermons have taught, our eyes should be on Jesus....not on the storms that are raging.

So, that got me to wondering...the what if.  What if the disciples had had the faith and had looked at the storm, and then looked at who was in the boat....and chose to go to sleep. Not worry about the storm. Not worry about what could happen. Not think about all the possibilities. But....just had the faith to go to sleep. What did they miss out on?

And I wonder about us. What storms have we begged and begged to stop...and Jesus stopped them. What could those storms have done in our life? How would it have shaped us? What possibilities did we let go of?

When storms rage against our lives...they toss us into new directions. They give us new perspectives. They grow us. They change us. They make us more dependent on Christ. We should not be shouting so soon to wake up Jesus. He knows exactly what is going on. He is fully aware. If he can sleep through it, we should rest as well. He knows all, and sees all.

I am not sure what they missed out on that day. But I think of the storms I have endured...and what they did for me. They were tough to go through and they were very scary. But, I look at who I am today because of those storms, and I am so thankful.

So don't miss out, endure your storms. Remember, he will only allow what we can endure...so hold on tight, be alert and steadfast, and see where your storms will take you.

2 Corinthians 1: 3 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort."

May my words always bring salt and light.