The Lions We Face

In the earliest century A.D., Christians were cast before lions for their faith. I was wondering, what are the lions that we face today? Some Christians do face death in different parts of the world as they profess their faith in Jesus Christ. We would never want to deny our God and our Savior Jesus Christ if faced with such a severe testing.

But, what kind of lions do we face? The lions that could cause us to turn from our faith because we cannot believe what is happening to us. The "If God is good, how could He let this happen?" kind of events in life that can shake us to our core.  

Disappointment and unbelievable grief can cause a person to wonder and seek for reasons and explanation. But you know something that has helped me when facing difficult times and utterly despairing moments (our "lions" that would devour us and try to destroy our faith)? Knowing that God is with me. It is His promise that He would never leave us or forsake us even when we are standing before the "lions" of our life, feeling exposed and helpless. He is with me. I may be shaking but I will not be shaken.  

The story of Job brings us amazing insight. Job was in the arena and he didn't know it. There was a divine drama going on. Job had an audience: God and the enemy of his soul. As Job asked question after question of God, God let him do just that. Job asked questions including "Where are you, God?" and "Why is this happening?".

God never answered one of Job's questions. Instead He had some questions for Job. He asked him, "Were you there when I laid the foundations of the earth? Were you there when I created the stars? Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east? Were you there when I made the oceans and set the tide in motion? Have you visited the storehouses of the snow? Were you there when....?"  

And Job's friends, who tried to find blame somewhere in Job's life or character, were instructed by God to have Job pray for them. Sometimes the reason things happen are unexplainable. Job's wife said, "Curse God and die." Oh my! Job didn't. He did not turn from his God even though He had questions which God did not answer except with questions of His Own.

God illustrated to Job that he could not explain the physical world so how would he be able to understand the unseen world. Psalm 119:68 says "He is good and does good. It is better for me to put my faith in Him than in my own ability and my evaluation of the situation." Job answered the Lord in chapter 42 and said, "I know that You can do anything and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You ... Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me which I did not know." 

In the difficult and trying times of our life, we may not know why things have happened. Our questions may not be answered but the most important thing we can do is be in fellowship and relationship with our God. 

Trust in Him, rely on Him and stand firm. God is here with us. He will never fail. We may not understand, we don't understand, but remember His questions that we, like Job, cannot answer:  "Were we there when He .....?"   

He is here with us at all times and He promises to be near to the brokenhearted. We are not alone when we face the "lions" in our life. 

A Lesson from Ruby

Ruby and Granmommy

I was driving to the airport to pick up Jen and her girls when I started to think of the days I had just spent with Tiffany. I went to be with Tiffany and Zach and was so happy to be there to welcome home their new little baby girl, Lily Clementine. The past days had been so sweet and what a privilege it was to play and take care of Isaiah and little Ruby, Lily's big brother and sister. I was excited that Jen and the girls were going to get to meet Lily and be with their cousins too.  

Sweet Lily Clementine

Ruby is a joyful little one and is such a huge blessing to our family. She has physical challenges due to cerebral palsy. One of their therapy goals is to help her gain strength in her little neck. At times her head falls forward to her chest and Tiffany says, "Ruby, where are you?" Ruby, lifts her head up and smiles sweetly. On other occasions, we reach out and lift up her head and help her to hold it in the position that is so natural for us. She is a little trooper and is getting stronger each day.  

She also clenches her hands (I must say I have seen great improvement and relaxation in her hands over the past year) and when she gets really happy it is just a sweet little reaction of happiness to clench her little hands tightly. When I was playing with her I would open her little hands and play with her fingers.  At times, she would reach up and stroke my face with her open hands which melted my heart. To get a Ruby hug is something really special.  

As I thought about precious little Ruby and her family on this 3-hour drive, I started thinking about our Father in heaven who desires to lift up our heads. "But You, O Lord, are a shield around me, you are my glory and the lifter of my head" Psalm 3:3. He wants to help us open our clenched hands and show us the way to reach out in love just as Ruby has learned to do. 

As I contemplated these Ruby lessons, a song came on the CD player in Zach and Tiffany's van.  It was a new song to me by Emerging Voices and a confirmation of my Ruby reflections. The title of the song is Who Can Compare?  https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/who-can-compare/id543630292? 

Here are some of the lyrics:  

"And You take my hand and You guide me on,
You show me the way to life
You lift my head and You give me hope
You show me the way to life.....
You are the way, You are the truth, You are the life."

I played the song over and over again as I drove along and the words blessed my soul. Thank you, Lord, for my Ruby lesson. You are "the glory and the lifter of my head" and You give us hope. You desire to take our hands and lead us step by step and teach us to keep our hands open to You and others.  

Oh, I am thankful for little Ruby, her big brother Isaiah and baby Lily and their mommy and daddy too.  

Baby Lily, we love you.  

Isaiah in his new Cars apron