Monday, May 05, 2008

Joseph and His Brothers, Revisited;
and Red Dots

Brother Matt's sermons on Sunday nights have been about Joseph and how he was sold into slavery in Egypt, how he was elevated by Pharoah to governor of Egypt and how in God's timing he and his brothers were reconciled, his family reunited and how the story demonstrates in so many places God's grace, forgiveness and mercy. Last night's lesson was mostly about grief and how God uses our grief to bring us to Himself, where He wants us - near Him, worshiping Him, loving Him. How what seems bad will eventually work out for our good and His Glory. Sometimes all I want is "my good." I thought about Mama's prayers in the hospital, the all-night prayer vigil she held with God. I thought about Mama Nick and how frail she is and at times has wondered aloud to me why she is still here. And I think about the beautiful prayer she prayed the day I walked in on her prayer vigil. And I know Teri prayed for her family, children, and future grandchildren. Prayer warriors for their families, their children, the generations of now and the future. That's what Jesus did before He went to the cross for us - His Father's children - the generations to come - us, two thousand years in the future - prayed for everyone to cling to Him for salvation, guidance, sustenance, grace, forgiveness, and steadfastness in all the times of grief. There is a reason and if I - we - seek Him, He will give us more and more of His peace, grace, spiritual healing, and understanding. The answers won't all be known now to me, but God has a Plan and I trust Him with it! Oh, for Grace to Trust Him More!

Yesterday's Sunday School lesson was the second in a series on The PAPA Prayer by Larry Crabb. On mall directories when we look for a particular store our location is represented by a Red Dot or other marker showing "You Are Here." And this is where I am. There are Red Dots every day that I need to pay attention to. It is all about just being who I am in God's presence because He already knows who and where I am. I can't live in the future nor the past and today is the day I have been given. Every minute my spiritual location is likely to change, sometimes even according to the degree of the hot flash I'm having! So, nothing surprises God; and He's so merciful and forgiving and gracious to just let me be who I am... in Him.

Amazing love, How Can It Be.

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