During times of trouble we have learned from Habakkuk to focus on the Sovereignty of God and His Character. Chapter five of our book study introduces us to a third component - There's a Purpose in it all! All three of these components work together to give us a proper perspective of life. So how can we know what God's purpose is? He tells us!
"I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your Name forevermore." Psalm 86:12
"What is the chief end of man? Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." I was musing on this thought while on my sickbed these past couple of weeks. I was totally knocked off my feet. I couldn't do my real estate work that I needed to do to help my husband, I couldn't do my Bible Study and fell behind in getting out my emails, I couldn't go to church, I couldn't serve anyone, I pretty much couldn't do anything except lie in bed, read a little, pray and muse. I was thinking about the people who are bound to a life that doesn't seem to have significance, doesn't seem to fit into the "God has a wonderful plan for your life" formula. Do you ever feel like you have to do something for God in order for your life to have purpose? What if you can't "do something?" does your life lose it's purpose? Have you ever felt like you needed to do something in order to give purpose to your child's death or to give their life meaning?
John 9:2 Now as Jesus passed by , He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him." "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." John 11:3-4
I was thinking about the many times my husband has visited those who were very ill in the hospital. One lady in particular we will never forget. A year or so after Melissa's death Mark was called upon to visit a woman at the very same hospital. She just so happened to be in the same room where Melissa died. She was in despair. She had been in the hospital for a very long time, no one ever came to visit her, she couldn't understand why God kept her alive. She saw no purpose or significance in her life. Mark was able to share with her that her life did have significance and purpose. She was giving glory to God. Even if no one else was watching, God was with her, the angels were watching and were giving glory to God as she persevered. She could be confident that God was using her life for His eternal purposes. He was able to share with her Melissa's story and all the amazing works God had done in that special room. The Lord showed up that day to let a seemingly insignificant person know how special she was to Him and that her life gave Him pleasure and glory!
"to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord." Ephesians 3:10-11
Did you know that through the church (Believers), God manifests His glory to all those in the heavenly places? Think about that for a minute. God is showing Himself off to all the angels, all the principalities, all of heaven through our lives! "...there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents." Luke 15:10 Heaven is watching and praising God as they observe God's wisdom manifested in us. Earth is center stage and we, Believers (the Church) are the stars. Whatever God is doing in our lives is for the manifestation of His glory!
As I laid in bed doing nothing, I praised God and trusted Him that He was being glorified through my life. I acknowledge that "I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and delivered Himself up for me" (Galatians 2:20) My life is His life and whatever He decides to do with it is His business. I don't have to DO anything except surrender my life for His! He will Do whatever He wills for His glory through me in His perfect timing. The one thing I know is that He will bring glory to Himself through my life because that is God's purpose!! I praised God that Melissa's life gave Him glory and that there was nothing I could do then or now to give her life more meaning, purpose or significance. She was His beautiful workmanship. He had a plan and a purpose for her life and the fulfillment of that is still ongoing. "Only You know Lord whether my life or my death will bring you more glory - so it is silly for me to worry about." (Melissa's journal) How amazing and beautiful to be so secure in God's eternal purposes and plans for our lives.
Just as God's purpose for my child's death was for His greatest glory in her life and in mine so you can be certain that the same is true for you. He obtained the greatest glory through your child's life and death no matter what the circumstances.
One day we will get to see it and we will be AMAZED - blown away I'm sure, by the "depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 'For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor:' 'Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?' For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen." Romans 11:33-36
Hang on dear one. Soon and very soon we are going to see The King!
Revelation 4:11 "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created."
"I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your Name forevermore." Psalm 86:12
"What is the chief end of man? Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." I was musing on this thought while on my sickbed these past couple of weeks. I was totally knocked off my feet. I couldn't do my real estate work that I needed to do to help my husband, I couldn't do my Bible Study and fell behind in getting out my emails, I couldn't go to church, I couldn't serve anyone, I pretty much couldn't do anything except lie in bed, read a little, pray and muse. I was thinking about the people who are bound to a life that doesn't seem to have significance, doesn't seem to fit into the "God has a wonderful plan for your life" formula. Do you ever feel like you have to do something for God in order for your life to have purpose? What if you can't "do something?" does your life lose it's purpose? Have you ever felt like you needed to do something in order to give purpose to your child's death or to give their life meaning?
John 9:2 Now as Jesus passed by , He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him." "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." John 11:3-4
I was thinking about the many times my husband has visited those who were very ill in the hospital. One lady in particular we will never forget. A year or so after Melissa's death Mark was called upon to visit a woman at the very same hospital. She just so happened to be in the same room where Melissa died. She was in despair. She had been in the hospital for a very long time, no one ever came to visit her, she couldn't understand why God kept her alive. She saw no purpose or significance in her life. Mark was able to share with her that her life did have significance and purpose. She was giving glory to God. Even if no one else was watching, God was with her, the angels were watching and were giving glory to God as she persevered. She could be confident that God was using her life for His eternal purposes. He was able to share with her Melissa's story and all the amazing works God had done in that special room. The Lord showed up that day to let a seemingly insignificant person know how special she was to Him and that her life gave Him pleasure and glory!
"to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord." Ephesians 3:10-11
Did you know that through the church (Believers), God manifests His glory to all those in the heavenly places? Think about that for a minute. God is showing Himself off to all the angels, all the principalities, all of heaven through our lives! "...there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents." Luke 15:10 Heaven is watching and praising God as they observe God's wisdom manifested in us. Earth is center stage and we, Believers (the Church) are the stars. Whatever God is doing in our lives is for the manifestation of His glory!
As I laid in bed doing nothing, I praised God and trusted Him that He was being glorified through my life. I acknowledge that "I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and delivered Himself up for me" (Galatians 2:20) My life is His life and whatever He decides to do with it is His business. I don't have to DO anything except surrender my life for His! He will Do whatever He wills for His glory through me in His perfect timing. The one thing I know is that He will bring glory to Himself through my life because that is God's purpose!! I praised God that Melissa's life gave Him glory and that there was nothing I could do then or now to give her life more meaning, purpose or significance. She was His beautiful workmanship. He had a plan and a purpose for her life and the fulfillment of that is still ongoing. "Only You know Lord whether my life or my death will bring you more glory - so it is silly for me to worry about." (Melissa's journal) How amazing and beautiful to be so secure in God's eternal purposes and plans for our lives.
Just as God's purpose for my child's death was for His greatest glory in her life and in mine so you can be certain that the same is true for you. He obtained the greatest glory through your child's life and death no matter what the circumstances.
One day we will get to see it and we will be AMAZED - blown away I'm sure, by the "depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 'For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor:' 'Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?' For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen." Romans 11:33-36
Hang on dear one. Soon and very soon we are going to see The King!
Revelation 4:11 "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created."
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