Saturday, June 18, 2016

YOU ARE TREASURED




"When someone you love becomes a memory. . .The memory becomes a treasure."  Olson

There are so many memories entwined with the forty-three years my husband and I shared. They are good memories because God blessed us immeasurably. I was not taken by surprise when the angels took my husband home one evening in December, 2015. We knew his heart was failing and that God would chose the moment of death just as He had chosen the moment of life.

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."  Loazi

People often speak of the courage shown by someone who has lost a loved one. I don't feel courageous as much as I feel deeply loved and treasured by God Himself. It's by His grace that I know that He has counted our steps and numbered our days - Job 14. David was equally clear when he wrote in Psalm 139:16 "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." God alone is in charge of life and death.

This may be a very difficult concept for the families and friends of those who were brutally killed in the early morning hours on Sunday, June 12th in Orlando, Florida. Sometimes we can anticipate death, sometimes we are simply shocked, confused, and unbearably heartsick. If God is in charge of life and death, shouldn't we be terribly angry with Him? What could possibly be loving about this? What good will come of it? Those who were not mortally wounded but severely injured will never be the same. They will have physical and psychological scars for the rest of their life. It hurts to think of the pain they will suffer. No one can answer these questions now. We humans living in a fallen world.

Don't be angry with God, love Him abundantly in faith believing that He is a loving faithful Father who treasures His children.

If someone isn't a believer in the midst of a tragedy like this, now probably isn't the time to share much more than your love and support. We probably should not say, "I know how you feel." Unless it's happened to you, you don't know.

"Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted."
Matthew 5:4

God comforts us individually according to our needs. He knows all about loving and treasuring someone. It may not seem like it to us, but trust that He has a plan and His will, will be done!

It is said the first year after losing someone you loved is the hardest. I lost my parents many years ago and I think of them so often. I still have vivid memories of my grandparents. In fact no one that has been related to me, family or friends, memory has been lost. I lost a grandson before he was even born, but somehow I knew him and loved him with a passion. We never got to hold that baby, but he's tucked safely in our hearts, loved and remembered. God has given me a great peace that I will join him in heaven and we'll spend eternity together. I wanted to enjoy life with him here on earth; the Lord had a different plan and I trust Him.

Whether it's my husband or all the others that have passed on, I have peace and the memories aren't sad. There is a warm comfort in these memories. Not all will be in heaven to greet me, I know that, but the day will come that the Lamb of God, Jesus, will explain why, and then I'll know. There can be joy in the midst of sorrow. If you haven't experienced this, ask God for it and in His time and way, it will come. He treasures you, His perfect child. Hold fast to this verse in Deuteronomy which concerned God's chosen people, the Jews. All through history God has 'set apart' a group of people who would be destined to live with Him in an eternal home called heaven.

"The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession."
Deut. 7:6

People may think you are a little 'nutty', but if you ask the Lord to lead you into His living Word, the Bible, you will be lifted up and experience a joy like none other. Really, you will! Have some patience and know that God's timing often isn't our own. But, stick with it and you will be greatly rewarded. In Isaiah 43: 1-3 tells us that the Lord who created and formed you has. . ."summoned you by name; you are mine"! God has called you by name, you are His forever treasure. Believing this by faith should put a big smile on your face.

Most of us have heard the 'Foot Prints' story. A man had a dream about his life. He and God were walking down a sandy beach, leaving two sets of foot prints along the way. The man looked back over his life and noticed that during his hardest, most painful times there was just one set of foot prints in the sand. He asked the Lord where He was during his greatest time of need. The Lord told him that these were the times that He carried him. God picked him up and carried him through the hard stuff so there was only one set of prints, and they belonged to Jesus!

The Lord never says 'NO' to someone who comes to Him, not ever! You wouldn't come unless He'd called you out by name - He searches for every one of His sheep until all have come into the fold - John 10, Matthew 18:10-14. He is not willing that any be lost and if God is not willing, none of His sheep set apart from "creation of the world", Ephesians 1:4, will be lost.

Tomorrow we celebrate Father's Day here in the United States. Also, a son's birthday whom the Lord picked up and carried when he most needed it. It's been a year of hard work and determination and I know that he has felt the Lord with him doing what he couldn't do on his own. We praise God for this!

The man who has been by my side for over forty years as the 'father' of the family is gone; our first Father's Day without him. I couldn't have handled these five kids of ours on my own. God sent the perfect help-mate and I'm grateful for all the years we had together. I'm even grateful for all I've had to learn to do on my own these past few months; I've been challenged and am stronger for it.

To God be the glory! Thank you Jesus for being such an awesome personal God. Touch those who need to be comforted and treasured, carry them through all the tragedy of this world and give them hope and joy that You are always in control.