Archive for the ‘Devotional’ Category

by Susan Fleming

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord
And whose trust is the Lord.
For he will be like a tree planted by the water,
That extends its roots by a stream
And will not fear when the heat comes:
But its leaves will be green,
And it will not be anxious in a year of drought
Nor cease to yield fruit.
Jeremiah 17:7-8

Not too long ago I heard an ad for a call-in show with a radio pastor.  A young girl, maybe 5 years old, asked why God had let something bad happen to her.  The pastor told her that while God protects us sometimes, there are other times when He just doesn’t.  I was left with an ache in my heart for the little girl who didn’t hear the whole story.  Does she think God doesn’t care what happens to her?  Does she think He isn’t powerful enough to protect her?

And what about us?  What do we think about God when we face dark days?  Do we feel more favored when we “escape” difficult times than when we are forced to walk through them?  Are we indeed more favored?  The sword of God’s sovereignty cuts both ways.

I remember once when my daughter was in the hospital, enduring a painful procedure.  She begged me to make it stop.  Which would have shown her more love: to shield her from the pain at the expense of her health (and that of the child she was carrying), or to allow it to continue so she could be restored to health?

Thankfully, God does not always choose the hard path for us.  This past week, twice, He spared me, protected me, from the hard path.  On Tuesday, I took some follow-up medical tests and received a favorable report – no cancer.  And on Thursday night, I was at the library.  I started to leave, had a thought about something else to research, and stayed a little longer.  During that 10 minute delay, another woman left the library and was mugged.  It could have been me, but it wasn’t.

While I rejoice at His goodness to me, I am also aware that if He had chosen a different path for me, He would be no less good, no less merciful, no less loving.  And His protection would not have been less – it would just have been different.

The key, I think, is what Jeremiah speaks of – trusting the Lord.  We must trust Him implicitly, knowing that regardless of our circumstances, His everlasting arms will hold us up.  Our roots must go down deep into the well of living water so that when the heat scorches and the drought threatens, we will not waver in fear and anxiety, but will, through the abundant provision of the Holy Spirit, continue to yield fruit.

What I wish that pastor had said to the little girl is this:  “God loves you very, very much.  He always wants what’s best for you, and He makes sure you get it.  Sometimes it’s something that seems good to you, and He delights to see your joy.  But sometimes what’s best seems very hard to you.  When those times come, He’s right there with you, and wants to fill your heart with comfort.  He wants you to trust Him and love Him and cling to Him, and He has promised to get you through.”