Then Job rose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, " Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. Job 1:20-22
I have a beautiful friend who loves Jesus and passionately shares Christ with those around her. Her hope and joy rest securely in Christ. She is a true inspiration and a delight to know. With that said, this same friend has gone through difficult seasons in life to where instead of running from Christ (although there may have been some running) she ultimately ran to Him. This friend is the oldest of 4 siblings born to a young couple with the hopes of a long joy filled life. When my friend was 6 years old, her Mom unexpectedly died due to a sickness that came on quickly and took her quickly. Dad was left to raise 4 children all under the age of 6; needless to say, the family was very close to Dad. Then when my friend was in college, over Christmas break her Dad was admitted to the hospital and in a matter of weeks was diagnosed and died of cancer.
On the eve of my friend's wedding her grandmother (Mom's Mom) gave her a little keep sake book that she had been filling out for my friend for years. As my friend looked through the book she discovered that her grandmother had written at the time of Mom's death, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away." As a Christian, my friend finds peace in that statement. To me, it signifies the strength with which God gave to her family. For them to be able to make it through, to say such a statement, and for my friend to be such a joyful delight, the Lord truly has guided their steps.
I am so thankful for a Father who cares for us and is the AUTHOR of our faith. He allows us to cling to Him in all situations and is the one who provides the strength to do so. As my friend told me the story of her grandmother's words this week, I was filled with emotion. I actually had to excuse myself from our home group setting and go to the bathroom to ball my eyes out! Often times I think that if something happened to Michael or my sweet girls, I would be devastated and unable to go on. However, I know now the Lord truly provides strength and is the ultimate reason for my life. He has blessed me with being a wife and a mother, but should He so choose, it could all be over today. I am praying that the Lord truly is my first love and that I am securely relying and hoping in Him. If the Lord were to take away, I would be more than just sad, but I know Christ would carry me through.
Seek true joy in Christ....
