How should we respond?
When life seems to be running rapidly into a dead end
When we feel carved out and emptied by the rivers of this world's realities
When the weight of our pain threatens to crush
When our hearts are pitted and scarred by pain, anguish, shame
What should we do?
Yes, we continue to obey, to follow the signs.
To what purpose? To what end?
The men who walked in the fire told a king that even if God refused to rescue, they would continue to obey.
The man who lost all but his life declared that even if God took the last thing remaining to him, he would continue to trust.
Why do we obey, why do we trust even when we cannot seem to find the light?
Listen.
Listen to the Word speak.
Listen to what the Word says as He is drawing very near to His own darkness.
"Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!"
The Glory of God our Father.
Out of the rocks, His glory bursts forth.
Out of the dead and the dying, His beauty shines out.
All praise to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Father, glorify Your name!
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Elizabeth, this is such a beautifully woven post! Your pictures and words painted such an amazing perspective of beauty emerging out of hard times of our lives. It never ceases to amaze me how God truly turns everything for the good of those who love Him...even the worst circumstances are still putty in His hands to form something beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jamie. I just ran across a quote from Corrie Ten Boom who is talking about a similar idea and says it beautifully: "Only Heaven will reveal the front side of God’s tapestry of our lives." What seems messy and ugly and what doesn't make sense here on earth will be revealed as glorious beauty!
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