Friday, September 6, 2013

Even If

I’ve listened to a lot of music this week about God’s faithfulness in our lives, particularly in the struggles beyond our control, and the hope that He gives us both for today and for eternity.  One of those songs which I woke up to and which ran through my prayer time this morning is sung by the contemporary Christian music group Kutless and it is titled, “Even If.”

‘Even if’ is a difficult situation for all of us. It is that place where we have hopes for one thing, but we have to decide how we will move forward in the event that the one thing does not turn out as we had hoped or maybe even the one thing we feared actually comes to pass. What will we do ‘even if?’

But bigger than that, is what will God do? What will He do if you are not healed? What will He do if the job you had loved is lost or the one you hoped for doesn’t come to pass? What will He do if one of your children takes a path away from God? What will He do if your spouse leaves you? What will he do when all that you found comfortable is turned upside down? These are hard questions, but the answer is found for all of them in knowing who our God is and the commitment He has made to us.

Here are the words of “Even If,” written by Tony Wood and Scott Krippayne, that helped worshipfully to bring the concerns of my heart face to face with the faithfulness of my God (punctuation added to put it in paragraph form and probably not as they would).

“Sometimes all we have to hold on to is what we know is true of who You are. So when the heartache hits like a hurricane that could never change who You are, and we trust in who You are. Even if the healing doesn't come, and life falls apart, and dreams are still undone, You are God, You are good, forever faithful One. Even if the healing, even if the healing doesn't come.”

"Lord we know your ways are not our ways , so we set our faith in who You are. Even though You reign high above us, You tenderly love us. We know your heart, and we rest in who You are. You're still the Great and Mighty One; we trust You always. You're working all things for our good, we'll sing your praiseYou are God and we will bless You as the Good and Faithful One. You are God and we will bless You, even if the healing doesn't come, even if the healing doesn't come."

I can’t think of one of the problem questions mentioned above or any others than cannot be substituted in for the word ‘healing.’ The answer for all of them is that our God is indeed the Good and Faithful One, and our response is to bow before Him in worship, to bless His name, and to trust Him to do His good purpose in our lives. This is what a dependent heart does. Consider the words of the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians:

“Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:7–10, NASB95)

Today in “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young (9/6)

Do everything in dependence on Me. The desire to act independently—apart from Me—springs from the root of pride. Self-sufficiency is subtle, insinuating its way into your thoughts and actions without your realizing it. But apart from Me, you can do nothing: that is, nothing of eternal value. My deepest desire for you is that you learn to depend on Me in every situation. I move heaven and earth to accomplish this purpose, but you must collaborate with Me in this training. Teaching you would be simple if I negated your free will or overwhelmed you with My Power. However, I love you too much to withdraw the godlike privilege I bestowed on you as My image-bearer. Use your freedom wisely, by relying on Me constantly. Thus you enjoy My Presence and My Peace.

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NASB95)

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” (Ephesians 6:10, NASB95)

“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:26–27, NASB95)

No comments: