Every year I do BSF, there seems to be one main teaching God wants to get across to me. With Romans, it was about Jesus being THE Way--even for Jews. With Matthew, it was forgiveness. Last year with Life of Moses, it was about how God cares for his church--even when they act very "human" over and over again.
This last week, I'm beginning to understand how God is working in me through the study of John. It makes me nervous--but that's part of what God is also working on. God is teaching me about reliance on Him and assurance in Him even amidst deep suffering. Hence, it makes me nervous to think that God is preparing me to rely on him in suffering.
However, God has been good to me to give me a glimpse into what he's preparing me for. I don't know specifics, but He preparing me as a God-fearing mom. Motherhood is not all sunshine and daisies. And there is more suffering than just poopy diapers and lack of sleep. There's also going to be times of sickness and times of letting go and letting God. God is giving us this little girl, but she is His and he can bring her to himself at anytime. That's the hardest one for me to accept. I dearly hope I don't have to know that pain but all I can do is trust God and know that whatever pains of motherhood come to me, God is with me and is working in me and in my baby's life for His glory.
So if anybody still checks this....
Warning: rant about Pat Robertson to follow
I was driving home tonight from AWANA listening to Wally on our awesome local Christian station, The Spirit (89.1). Wally Rocks! Anyways, he was talking about Haiti and then was honest about his opinions about Pat Robertson's comments on the Haiti earthquake--the comments that put the tragedy as a consequence to some "pack with the devil" made LONG LONG ago. A pact that he knows about how? Really?
link to youtube of robertson's comments
Really? Since when are we to cast judgement on others and speak for God(other than using the Bible)? unless Pat Robertson is claiming to be a prophet... Not all tragedy is the result of sin! Remember the story of the blind man in John 9 . The man's lifelong blindness was NOT the result of sin, it was the intended for God's glory. Off the top of my head, I cannot think of ONE instance in the Gospels where Jesus casts judgement on someone's personal tragedy. He does cast judgement on the money-changers and thieves in the temple, but he only ever demonstrates COMPASSION in all other situations, even on the woman who the Jewish leaders brought to Him--testing him--to try and have her stoned for adultery. (John 8)
Yes, there are earthly consequences to sin. and we know from the Bible that God does cast judgment through his forces of nature on nations because of sin. (Old Testament and Revelation) But he commands us to LOVE and not judge in the New Testament--to live as JESUS lived. We can only speak with God's authority through the HIS WORD, the Bible and we should be using the Bible not to cast judgement but to show God's compassion and love, especially on the great many who are suffering in Haiti right now.