A broken world

We live in a broken world. Adam and Eve broke it and we can't fix it. My heart breaks for those without jobs who don't know how they will pay this months bills or where their next meal will come from. My heart breaks for those who have suffered through a divorce or disease or death. Sometimes it is easy to loose hope. Sometimes it's easy to forget God is good. It breaks my heart to think that those who are suffering may think that God is getting them back for something they did. It also breaks my heart that those who are doing well think that God is being good to them because they are good. If that is someones view of God then they don't know Him. His love and goodness is NEVER based on what we do or don't do. Are there consequences to sin - yes, but God does not take pleasure in watching us suffer because of our sin. His goal is to show us how to live free. Free from sin and it's consequences. Unfortunately in this lifetime we will never live in a sinless world so we will always be effected by it's fallen state no matter how good we are. But our hope is not in this world. Our goal should not be "happiness" and a life free from all suffering because those are unattainable anyway. We will all be touched by hardships and trials and suffer and mourn. Our hope lies in eternity where there will be no more suffering, no more crying and no more pain. Our hope lies in a savior who loved us and died for us while we were yet sinners. He didn't wait for us to smell good, look good or show up in our Sunday best. He loved us when we were still in the gutter.

Wait and Rest

I always compare my walk with the Lord to my relationship with my children. Many times when I ask them something, I wonder...has the Lord ever asked that of me? Or when I get frustrated with them I wonder, have I done something similar that has frustrated Him? So the other day when I was putting my kids to bed and they came up with all the usual excuses...I'm thirsty, I'm not tired, I need to clean my room (love that one), I started to wonder if there are times when God knows we need to rest but instead of resting we do what my kids do and come up with excuses...but that ministry needs me, but I'm bored, but others will think I'm lazy or un-spiritual. And we ask things like, what am I supposed to do, just wait? And He answers: yes, wait and rest. Why don't we trust Him enough to know He knows the future? Why don't my kids trust me enough to know that I know they will need the strenghth and energy of a good night's rest to accomplish tomorrows tasks? What if God knows that He has a task for us in the future that requires our rest now so that we will have the strength and energy to do what He calls us to do? "Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles.They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:31