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God's Words For US
by Cecelia Lester
“I consider our present sufferings are not worth
comparing to the glory that will be revealed to us.”
Romans 8:18 (NIV)
As children we dreamed of how our grown up lives would be. We might have even pretended what we wanted to have. Even when I was 17, I dreamed the boy I thought I would marry and I would have a big family-five children. I even selected names for them.
Then life unfolded and reality showed a different picture. I didn’t envision raising an only child with multiple medical needs. I didn’t plan on having periods of chronic pain. In my perceived life, there would be no harsh economic times-no job lay offs, no family dysfunction-everyone would get along.My father and his wife wouldn’t both have Cancer-let alone in the same year. But they did. None of what I saw as my life came about. Our child was to get out of college and find the right job-no it didn’t happen. I didn’t even think of our son having to return to our home for extended periods of time-not once but twice. Yes, he had to.
We can become angry about things not working out as we have wanted. But when we learn that all these events we view as struggles and hardships shape and hone us into the persons God wants us to be, we find ourselves more patient with the realities of our lives. Our harsh views become a thing of the past. We begin to see people in a kinder light. We learn to love those with whom we have differences, in spite of those things that annoy us.
When we yield to God’s guidance we learn of His mercies. He speaks kindnesses to us- all of them undeserved. He tells us to trust Him. When we do we learn of the splendor of our future home with Him. Once we experience God and His mercies we discover ways to show mercy to others. In fact we become His instruments of His love to those we meet.
A homeless man named Johnny started frequenting a food kitchen ran by a lady from our church. He wound up helping with some of the simpler tasks that needed to be done. One day, he approached a man from our church, also a volunteer. Johnny had a need; he’d been diagnosed with Cancer. He couldn’t read the papers he’d been given. He asked for help.
The other man talked Johnny into attending church. Some contacts were made through the doctor and Johnny went into a nursing home.
As long as he could, he never missed a Sunday morning or Wednesday night service. Another gentleman had known Johnny and his family when they were growing up. This second gentleman picked him up on Wednesday evenings for church. The first gentleman went and got Johnny for Sunday Worship Service.
He joined our Prayer Fellowship that met after Bible Study on Wednesday nights. His Sunday school teacher discovered Johnny couldn’t read. That class ordered him a CD of the Bible and provided him a CD player so he could listen to God’s Word.
One of the women in that class promised Johnny that he would not be alone at the time God would choose to take him home. She and several others from his Sunday school class were present the day he went to be with Jesus.
Johnny encouraged people he met to do what was right. At his funeral, a man spoke of having a mended marriage because Johnny had suggested he go back home and reconcile with his wife. As long as Johnny was able, he had a Bible study at the nursing home for any resident who wanted to participate.
By the world’s definition Johnny was a nobody. He suffered through a lot of harshness in his life. But in the eyes of God, he was His child and worthy of the splendor of Heaven. Everyone who came in contact with Johnny in the last year and a half of his earthly life received a blessing from God.
We go through suffering either because we are human, we don’t take care of ourselves, or because we make foolish mistakes. Each time we face a hardship we need to learn to ask what it is we are to learn from God as we strive to straighten out our lives.
Our lesson might come quickly or we may have to exercise patience and trust God for the outcome. Our reward will come either while we are here on earth or it will be waiting for us when we see Jesus. Its all in God’s timing.
Dear Lord:
Because You have given us great promises we can go through the sufferings we face in our lives. One of those promises is seeing the glory of Heaven and our homes that await us. We thank You for being our Guide through the difficult times of our days. You love us as we are and make us into the persons you want us to be. For this we give thanks. In the name of Jesus, we pray. AMEN
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Cecelia Lester has been serious about her writing for over two decades..
She composes Christian essays and posts them to her blog quietspirit-followingmyking.blogspot.com/
She has served in a faith-based organization, Grace In Action by writing two newsletters and searching for possible grants.
In July 2017, she published her first book, 'Times of Trouble Bring Rays of Joy.'
She and her husband of 54 years live in central Indiana. They have one grown son.
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