I'm Up To My Eyeballs Already!

Ecclesiastes 11:5 As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.

I love the Weather Channel, but a sure sign that there are problems with your weather is the arrival of a Weather Channel On Camera meteorologist in your town. It is something I would pass on if I had my druthers. My prayers are with all those who live where these guys show up in the midst of a disaster.

There are times when we have the opportunity to experience challenges in our lives.  These challenges may come in the form of difficult working conditions, a personal tragedy such as the loss of a loved one, or a natural disaster. We do not understand in the midst of the difficult times the why. And so we have to rely on God for a couple of things. First, he knows what we need. He knows that if life were a continual bowl of cherries it would not be to our benefit. Storms enter our lives to form our character. They define us and they refine us. Faith is easy when life is good. But faith in the midst of severe trials is faith that has weathered the storm and that shows strength, resolve, and a trust in God. Secondly, God gives us the promise of a soft landing. Jesus Christ suffered the cross so that you and I would have life eternal with the Father. The life we could not have possibly achieved and embraced was given to us. But not on a silver platter, rather on the gnarled wood of a device used to torture and ultimately kill its' intended victims. Life from death on the cross is indeed life most precious.

We need to keep things in perspective my, brothers and sisters in the Risen Savior. Our severe challenge in life today is an opportunity to learn, possibly share with someone in the future, and maybe even allow us to comfort someone else who is in the midst of deep turmoil. We can do this because we too have come through the storm, stronger, wiser, and more appreciative than before in what Jesus gave us in His life, death, and resurrection.

Christ is risen, He is risen indeed. Hallelujah, Amen

PRAYER: Lord and giver of life, we owe everything to You. We have a debt we cannot, by ourselves repay. But You have generously given to us Your precious Son Jesus Christ. Our debt has been paid by Jesus. His sacrifice on the cross wrote the check to pay for our freedom from the death of sin. For this we are forever grateful. Our thanks, humble as it may be is reinforced by our worship today and everyday. We offer this prayer of thanksgiving in the name of Your Son, who with the Father and the Spirit are One God now and forever. Amen.