From the Old Home Bound for the New

From the Old Home, Bound for the New

3/11/15

Today, I am beset with worries, and my thoughts only make me fear. Perhaps today is the same for you. Well, this is nothing new, and many many people who have gone before us faced unsettling issues and problems for which they could find no answers. There have been more heartaches than anyone can count. Without saying more about that.........I will say this: God has things well in hand. He knows our trouble and it has come as no surprise to Him. He has come to put our feet on the right track and walk us through danger, through trouble, through disease, through the camp of giants, and any other thing that may threaten us or hold us back from all the good He has planned for us. He knows the way through to safety. It is not our way. It is not what we wanted or where we went when the road forked. But it is HIS way. It is the ONLY way.

At the beginning of time, when Adam rejected God and because of sin, could not walk with Him in the garden, a rift was created between ourselves and God. A veil was drawn over our eyes so that to us wrong seems right, and right seems wrong. If we will throw away our pride and admit that we are lost and cannot find our way back to Him, we can receive His help. But we must trust Him to help us.

In our case, among other things, this means He will help us through this disease on this day even though we don't have any strength; even though we think we cannot stand another minute of this humiliation; even though we cannot scrape together the remnants of the joy we once had; even though we have bourne the loss of things we thought we could never live without; even though it feels like life is over and we want no part of what's left.

King David was right there. He sang of it. He opened his heart up to God and held back nothing within it from the Lord. Here is some of what he wrote:

“Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body also. For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength has failed because of my iniquity, and my body has wasted away. Because of all my adversaries, I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors, and an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me. I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind. I am like a broken vessel....”

Now we get to the “hope” part.............

“I trust in Thee, O Lord. I say, 'Thou art my God.' My times are in Thy hand;” …... “Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant; Save me in Thy lovingkindness. Let me not be put to shame, O Lord, for I call upon Thee;”................”How great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast stored up for those who fear Thee, which Thou hast wrought for those who take refuge in Thee, before the sons of men! Thou dost hide them in the secret place of Thy presence from the conspiracies of man; Thou dost keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues. Blessed be the Lord, for He has made marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a beseiged city....” Or we might say, in a beseiged body........ “ As for me, I said in my alarm, 'I am cut off from before Thine eyes; nevertheless Thou didst hear the voice of my supplications when I cried to Thee, O, love the Lord all you His godly ones! The Lord preserves the faithful.... Be strong, and let your heart take courage all you who hope in the Lord.” taken from Psalm 31 NAS

There is no avoiding trouble in life. But there is a way through. We may make it to the finish line, torn and bruised, weary and hurt, but God has it all under control. He gave us the beautiful gift of life with blessing. Our ancestors brought sin into this perfect world, and we were all lost to His blessings. Then He provided a way – the only way – to get through our once perfect world that was ruined. The way is not easy, and doesn't always make sense. It sometimes hurts – because medicine can be bitter. But He has not cut us off from the way out – the way back to Him.

If you think you can commit to halfway following Him and the other half to doing things your own way, then you'd better think again. He will not be dishonored or disbelieved that way. It would be better to reject Him outright than to pretend to belong to Him and to pretend to love Him.

Don't be afraid. Live this life for Him, and headed for the beautiful home He has made for you. It's almost ready.