Do you ever wonder that? Do you ever wonder. "Where is God when _____?" or " Where was God when ______" I think that it is a pretty common question. I know that I've asked it, many times. Many times I've cried out "Where were you God? And why did you allow this trial to occur?"
These questions are not bad or evil. Any sincere question you have for God is a good one. God is not intimidated by our questions, He is not offended by them. No, He LOVES our questions. For it is only in the asking that we can find answers.
Just be aware that you might not like the answer you get. God is going to be honest and He is going to deal with you, as He deals with me-- He holds me to His standards. Yes, I've asked God "Where were you?" sometimes His response has been a gentle, but needed "Daughter, it isn't about where I was. I've always been right here. You need to ask yourself, where were you? Why did you leave my side?"
That isn't always what I want to hear. I want to be able to blame God, because then I can maintain the facade that I'm in charge. But that is false. I'm not. God is.
Yes, I still wonder at times why God allowed certain things to happen. I wasn't raped because I ran from God. As a matter of fact, at that point in my life, I was fairly intimate with Him. The spiral I went on after the rape was not God's fault either. I didn't miscarry and try to commit suicide because God was off in some other part of the galaxy. I spiraled down (partly) because I ran FROM Him. I was the one that moved. Straying from God meant that I wasn't holding onto Him. I was denying myself the comfort and peace that I yearned for.
At a time in my life when I needed God, when I should have been huddling in His comforting peace, I was running from him. There were many reasons for this, or so I thought. The truth is, I ran. I left. God didn't leave, God was constantly urging me back to Him. I was ignoring it.
So, where is God? Where is God in the midst of the economic crisis? Where is God in the midst of 1000's of women being sold into sexual slavery every week? Where is God in a world that is mired in sexual sins, in drug addiction, in idolatry?
The answer is that God is right where He has always been. He is on his throne, reigning and loving us. He is holding the women as they are abused, crying the tears that they no longer have to shed. He is also quietly urging people to be charitable and help their neighbors. He is teaching people new languages, so the Bible can be translated and handed out, and people will see that there is an alternative to sin.
God gave us free will. We are now reaping what we have sown. God hates the sin as much as we hate it, but He loves us enough to let us choose our own path, even if it means rejecting us. God hates how much we humans hurt each other. God wants us to turn to Him, to run to Him. God will guide us and lead us, He is just waiting for the invitation.
Even if you have been a believer for the majority of your life, God still needs the invitation. What areas are you keeping from Him? God wants to be involved there too. So where is God? God is with us in the good and bad. God is here. God is always right here. It is never really about where God is. The better question is "Where are you in relation to God?" Are you facing toward God, or are you turned away and even running from Him?
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in..." (Rev. 3:20a)
Monday, November 8, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
America: God's Gift
Today the nation of America is going to the polls. We are voting on many issues from US Congressional seats, to city officials. There are also referendums and other issues to be decided.
It is said that as American citizens we have the RIGHT to vote. While that is true, it is more than that. It is a PRIVILEGE. Voting and electing the people that make the decisions may be a right, but it is a not that all citizens of the globe are free to exercise. There are many countries without elections, or with partial elections. Of the countries that have elections, not all of them go as smoothly as it does in America.
You may scoff at that statement, but it is quite smooth in America. I voted and I wasn't harassed, I wan't threatened to vote a certain way, and my vote was confidential, so that I could feel free to vote how I wanted. That is an amazing gift.
Those of us in America (especially civilians) tend to take America for granted. I know, that I do. I don't always pause to think of all the gifts that America is, and how blessed I am that God allows me to live here. Even with the bad economy, and a president that I think would make a better hamburger flipper, America is still a gift.
Even living in the country I have my choice of grocery stores to visit, I can shop around for cheaper cell/cable/car service. I can go to church freely and worship how I want. I have a nice house and more stuff in it than I need. I have access to multiple library buildings full of books that I can check out for free!
I can call up my elected officials and tell someone how I feel. They probably won't heed my advice, but I will be punished for making the call.
There are so many amazing things about America, and for all of them I'm proud to call America my home. I'm also proud (bursting) of our military. Every person serving is there by choice. I'm being protected by people that are willing to do whatever it takes. They (and their family and friends) make HUGE sacrifices each and every day for all of us Americans.
There are other countries that are pretty great and I'd love to visit them. Yet, they are not home. America is my home and I'm ever so thankful that she is.
Dear Lord,
Please be with every person at the polls. Encourage them to vote for the godly choice, not just the popular choice. Encourage each of us to remember the seriousness of the ballots.
Thank you for allowing me to live in such an amazing country. Protect our men and women in uniform today and put your loving arm around their family members.
Most of all, thank you for Your love, forgiveness, support, justice and the gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ.
Through the blood the Lamb I pray.
Amen and I love You
It is said that as American citizens we have the RIGHT to vote. While that is true, it is more than that. It is a PRIVILEGE. Voting and electing the people that make the decisions may be a right, but it is a not that all citizens of the globe are free to exercise. There are many countries without elections, or with partial elections. Of the countries that have elections, not all of them go as smoothly as it does in America.
You may scoff at that statement, but it is quite smooth in America. I voted and I wasn't harassed, I wan't threatened to vote a certain way, and my vote was confidential, so that I could feel free to vote how I wanted. That is an amazing gift.
Those of us in America (especially civilians) tend to take America for granted. I know, that I do. I don't always pause to think of all the gifts that America is, and how blessed I am that God allows me to live here. Even with the bad economy, and a president that I think would make a better hamburger flipper, America is still a gift.
Even living in the country I have my choice of grocery stores to visit, I can shop around for cheaper cell/cable/car service. I can go to church freely and worship how I want. I have a nice house and more stuff in it than I need. I have access to multiple library buildings full of books that I can check out for free!
I can call up my elected officials and tell someone how I feel. They probably won't heed my advice, but I will be punished for making the call.
There are so many amazing things about America, and for all of them I'm proud to call America my home. I'm also proud (bursting) of our military. Every person serving is there by choice. I'm being protected by people that are willing to do whatever it takes. They (and their family and friends) make HUGE sacrifices each and every day for all of us Americans.
There are other countries that are pretty great and I'd love to visit them. Yet, they are not home. America is my home and I'm ever so thankful that she is.
Dear Lord,
Please be with every person at the polls. Encourage them to vote for the godly choice, not just the popular choice. Encourage each of us to remember the seriousness of the ballots.
Thank you for allowing me to live in such an amazing country. Protect our men and women in uniform today and put your loving arm around their family members.
Most of all, thank you for Your love, forgiveness, support, justice and the gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ.
Through the blood the Lamb I pray.
Amen and I love You
Monday, November 1, 2010
Yet Another Strange Dream
I think I may be the queen of strange dreams. I had another one this am. It started out well, and ended horribly.
D and I were married and we had just celebrated our 5th anniversary. For our anniversary he bought me tickets to go stay with a friend that lived in Hawaii! It meant a week with a good friend and a week away from the responsibilities of wife and motherhood (we had 2 young kids) How sweet is he!?! My friend loves cats, so naturally I took Queenie with me. Somewhere along the way I lost her carrying case (that comes into play later).
My friend Haley and I had a BLAST! I learned how to surf, we ate yummy foods, visited gorgeous sites, chatted and I was able to relax, relax, relax. Finally the day to leave Hawaii came. Haley had to work, so I was going to take a cab to the airport.
Well, at her house it was a MESS. I couldn't find my suitcase and then everything I had to pack kept multiplying on me, till I was taking a whole closet full of stuff home. All I could find to pack it in were the little shirt boxes from department stores! And, I couldn't find anything to carry Queenie in!
The more frustrated I got, the more the stuff multiplied (and boxes started to disappear). Queenie found an open window and high tailed it to the ocean water. At that point I just screamed (out of frustration) and went to retrieve her, but I couldn't find her.
Finally, I did. She was...SURFING with the Stitch character from Lilo and Stitch. Queenie and I went inside, only when we got there we were not inside the bungalow anymore, we were at the airport and the TSA people were telling me I couldn't just carry Queenie, she had to be in something.
I didn't know what to do! I had my cat and my purse (and all tickets) and nothing else! I didn't know where to go to get a cat box, and my plane was due to take off in 30 minutes! I was frantic, they were not going to let Queenie come with me. I couldn't let that happen.
Just then, my cell rings. It is Haley, yelling at me for leaving her house a disaster. I had Queenie meowing to get down, TSA people telling me to get a carrier, and Haley yelling at me to come clean the house. I just hung up on her, and looked up to see a cop coming toward me.
At that point I woke up! I was never so glad to see my cat as I was this am! I also checked the closet for her carrier (and it was there)!
I'm now exhausted and it is only 7:40am! At least it was only a dream, and now I'm awake and can focus on cleaning a house that won't explode into messiness! Have a blessed Monday folks and HAPPY NOVEMBER!!!!!
D and I were married and we had just celebrated our 5th anniversary. For our anniversary he bought me tickets to go stay with a friend that lived in Hawaii! It meant a week with a good friend and a week away from the responsibilities of wife and motherhood (we had 2 young kids) How sweet is he!?! My friend loves cats, so naturally I took Queenie with me. Somewhere along the way I lost her carrying case (that comes into play later).
My friend Haley and I had a BLAST! I learned how to surf, we ate yummy foods, visited gorgeous sites, chatted and I was able to relax, relax, relax. Finally the day to leave Hawaii came. Haley had to work, so I was going to take a cab to the airport.
Well, at her house it was a MESS. I couldn't find my suitcase and then everything I had to pack kept multiplying on me, till I was taking a whole closet full of stuff home. All I could find to pack it in were the little shirt boxes from department stores! And, I couldn't find anything to carry Queenie in!
The more frustrated I got, the more the stuff multiplied (and boxes started to disappear). Queenie found an open window and high tailed it to the ocean water. At that point I just screamed (out of frustration) and went to retrieve her, but I couldn't find her.
Finally, I did. She was...SURFING with the Stitch character from Lilo and Stitch. Queenie and I went inside, only when we got there we were not inside the bungalow anymore, we were at the airport and the TSA people were telling me I couldn't just carry Queenie, she had to be in something.
I didn't know what to do! I had my cat and my purse (and all tickets) and nothing else! I didn't know where to go to get a cat box, and my plane was due to take off in 30 minutes! I was frantic, they were not going to let Queenie come with me. I couldn't let that happen.
Just then, my cell rings. It is Haley, yelling at me for leaving her house a disaster. I had Queenie meowing to get down, TSA people telling me to get a carrier, and Haley yelling at me to come clean the house. I just hung up on her, and looked up to see a cop coming toward me.
At that point I woke up! I was never so glad to see my cat as I was this am! I also checked the closet for her carrier (and it was there)!
I'm now exhausted and it is only 7:40am! At least it was only a dream, and now I'm awake and can focus on cleaning a house that won't explode into messiness! Have a blessed Monday folks and HAPPY NOVEMBER!!!!!
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