“But you, dear
friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy
Spirit. Keep yourself in God’s love as
you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ…” Jude 1:20-21.
Yesterday as Bruce and I were discussing the day I got a
text from one of my best friends informing us that one of our friends’ home had
been struck by lightning and was on fire.
Obviously, Bruce and I jumped in our car and went over to try to
help. Once we arrived, the landscape was
covered with smoke, hoses and fireman.
Umbrellas lined the driveway as we stood and watched the battle of water
verses smoke and fiery embers. What
makes this scene even more devastating is this friend lost her husband to brain
cancer ten months ago. As her closest
friends arrived one by one the evening unfolded with questions…disbelief…concern
for the future.
I wanted to comfort and encourage people but couldn’t find
the words or sentiments. I felt at a
complete loss to share the much needed message and salve for a time of deep
injury and tragedy. I found myself
saying things that sounded like spiritual clichés…God has a plan…God will turn this to good…when we can’t trace His hand
we can trust His heart. As they came
out of my mouth they seemed to lack the taste I was used to. Nothing seemed to resonate in my heart of
hearts spiritually speaking until I heard Bruce tell someone something I will
never forget. He said ‘The arm of God doesn’t extend arbitrarily.’
That was it! Those were the words that
seemed to plant my faith back on its feet. I knew that he was saying that God in all His
wisdom is in charge of every drop of water in the hoses. He is well aware of which ember can spark
into flame in an instant. He has the
perfect precision of this situation and is in complete control of the rippling
effects leading towards complete resolution. He is God and He takes our pain
and suffering to heart. He has us tightly
cradled in His arms when we see our lives unraveling before our very eyes.
Last night was a night when all I could do was beg God for a
Romans 8:26-27 prayer. ‘Likewise
the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we
ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for
words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the
mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to
the will of God’ Romans 8:26-27.
Bottom line we
must constantly build ourselves up in our faith believing in God’s goodness and
power. We are invited to pray alongside
the Holy Spirit allowing Him to form the words when we cannot express our
own. We are to reside in the loving arms
of Jesus protected and cradled as adversity rages around us. I received a text this morning from my friend
who has lost so much over the past ten months.
She wrote, ‘I’ve been thanking God for this adversity and praising
Him. Where He leads I will follow.’ She is my Jude 1:20-21 example and faith has found a hero. Please pray for her and her family and be
encouraged by her faith applying it to your own adversity. We all serve the same God and can access the
same portions of His love, grace and mercy.
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