In 1974 we took a trip to Spain. It was my very first trip to another country, except for Mexico. My husband being the world traveler and 'mapper' of many countries - Iran, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Viet Nam - was eager to show me the world. We made arrangements for our children ( thank heaven for grandma and grandpas) and flew over to Malaga, Spain. We stayed in the lovely little hilltop village of Mijas and explored the Costa del Sol area. We also took a boat from Gibraltar to Tangier's, Africa. I can't express how exciting this was for me. I think this is when I came down with a serious case of 'travel fever'. I was hooked on exploring this world!
During part of the trip we enjoyed a nice young man who acted as a tour guide. He spoke good English, and was very knowledgeable. He told us that in Spain, when you are happy and something is good you yell 'Ole'. If there is trouble and things aren't so good, you yell 'Ole' anyway!" We were new Christians and eagerly soaked up God's Word. One thing we'd become convinced of was it was very good to learn to praise God for 'all things'. We aren't to judge what God is doing in our life, we are to walk in faith trusting in His love.
We humans must deal with an assortment of unpleasant life situations. We're always trying to figure out what God's plan could be in what we have judged to be a horrible circumstance. After returning from that trip to Spain we changed the 'Ole anyway' to Praise the Lord anyway! Life wasn't always the way we thought it should be, it certainly wasn't perfect. But as we learn to Praise the Lord for everything, trusting, not judging, a wonderful peace settles in our soul. The world can't take this peace away from us. It's a reminder every time we say 'Praise the Lord anyway, that our loving Lord is in control no matter how bad the situation looks to us.
Our heart aches this very moment for the people of Japan. It may be easy for me sitting here at my computer, safe and secure, to say - 'Just trust the Lord'. It's so difficult during the times of extreme hardship to hold on to this verse.....
"All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose" Romans 8:28
How could such a tragedy work for good for anyone? We don't know, and this is where 'faith' comes in. So the first thing we do when faced with an event of this magnitude is ask for faith. Our problems are not usually catastrophic in the sense of an earthquake, but they may seem overwhelming to us! James wrote this....
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17
GOD - the one solid unchanging thing we have in life! He wants us to come to Him, praise Him, trust Him, bend a knee and acknowledge who HE is.
I encourage you to open your Bible and look at these verses. Stand in these truths, a peace will come that surpasses understanding.
Exodus 15: 2 - The Lord is my strength and my song....he is my God and I will praise him
Psalm 145: 21 - Let every creature praise his holy name
We are unable to praise God unless He has personally opened our eyes as to who He is. Ask Him to come into your life as your Lord and Savior. He NEVER says 'NO'!
Isaiah 45: 8 - "You heavens above, rain down righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it; I, the Lord, have created it."
Isaiah 48:8 - "My own hand laid the foundations of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens....."
If God made the earth, He will sustain it until the time He comes again. Then, there will be a new heaven and a new earth! II Peter 3:13 - and God is faithful to keep His promises - have I mentioned that, like most every blog?
Lord we ask your peace for those who are struggling in Japan. We ask for wisdom for those who are trying to tame the nuclear reactors and most of all we ask that those who are suffering will turn to YOU in faith and trust for a better time.
