What a Difference A Week Makes

Well, since I am procrastinating still, I might as well blog...I know this one is long but you should read it all the way through (speaking mainly to J on this!)...

What a difference a week makes. If you would have talked to one of my parental units last week, they would've thought my life was in shambles, leading to a dependence upon some type of drug [well I was on antibiotics last week, but that's besides the point :-)]. With all the work that was upon me, and just a pure unhappiness with my condition, I was buckling, hurting, angry. The difference of moving, the pressure of maintaining holiday events with the youth, the papers, the tests, the amazing pressure from women (oh wait, I don't have that problem, I'm too busy with the prior things) was unheard of. I found myself shaking my fists at God, saying let's do this thing! Of course any fist fight with God would be comical, as I would be punched into oblivion, far worse than being vaporized by a nuclear bomb. And then the weekend happened...And as I was giving a message about peace this past Sunday, God was speaking to me more than anything. And I have been getting to know my new roommate, I have discovered my ability to laugh again. Things have just been falling into place, which attests to the hope sermon I gave the week before.

And now I talked to my paternal unit today, and sure enough he said these words, "Well you sound a lot better than what you were." I realized my voice was calm, relaxed, and purely happy. I wasn't snapping nor clapping...oh wait I meant that in a tonal context with my voice. I wasn't angry, I wasn't rushed, I wasn't dying. It's sort of weird considering the tone of the semester, but here I am, living, breathing...only because of God. He got me through, in a way I could never imagine. He has blessed me with a great life, a great living space, a cool roommate who shares my name (it's confusing when his girlfriend comes over), a great youth group, a great family, and some awesome friends. What a difference a week makes, but God is great, He's awesome, even when I try to disagree...and that is a great thing. If you are in a hard time, know that God will get you through, whether the result is great or not something you wanted (I'm unsure of just one grade this semester), He will get you through, He will keep you, He won't abandon you, He'll shake you up, but that shaking can be awesome for you, for your life, for your character, for the people around you, for your ministry, for your call. Suffering creates character as Pastor Hankins said some odd years ago (the one sermon that has stuck with me for years). Be encouraged for our God is Great!

It still hurts...but

Hello all,
Yes it is that day...the day we remember the people who died on this horrific day 7 years ago...and it still hurts.

In fact we had a service of lament today at the seminary...and well...I found that I really didn't need that extra reminder of this day...it still hurts...

And even though we brought up many different things that we care about like sickness, oppression, and those who have passed...it still hurts...

But how often do we need to be reminded about our current condition as humans? Isn't the world depressing enough? I mean last week's post should surely prove my point in my own life...it still hurts...

Then we think...where is God in all of this? Does He even care anymore? Has He turned His back to us? Shouldn't we see something better out of God?...it still hurts...

But at the end...the end of our time...the end...there's something better waiting for us. Suffering, death, evil, is not there. No, it can't be there, because if it is then our God has failed us, He is not God then...then all our suffering is in vain...Christ's suffering is in vain...no...that can't happen...

Because the God I know is not a God of suffering, He takes care of the poor and oppressed, He helps us when we suffer, He is a loving God...something that humans don't understand without Him...He is the God of Abraham...He is the God of the apostles...He is the God of you...me...that person and that person...you see God wants to see us through, He always has...we just get in the way...Let my pride fall, my prejudices, my labels, my presuppositions...and let Him show love...not just to me...but to everyone...even when we fall...He raises us up...to do good...to show love...to be holy...and because He does this now to me...to you...to His people...I know that the future is bright...not because of the last book of the Bible...and surely not because He knows what we as humans will do with everything (because if He did, and I believed that then I would be a Calvinist)...but because He is the Omega, the end, the eschaton...He holds the beginning and the end...both were good...and so as we move closer to the end...may we look for the good...the world still may hurt...we may still hurt...but the end is so much better...when we will be healed...

So at the end of the service...we reminded ourselves of that end...the good...that God holds the future...not certain events...but just the end...that's what we need to remind ourselves of when we suffer...that God in the end wins...and those with Him will win with Him...

What is up with me? Why would I put such a post up? Because I need to be reminded, not of the crappy stuff that has happened to me and gives me baggage for the rest of my life, but of the good God gives today to me, and tomorrow...maybe I can live my life a little bit better reminding myself that God holds the end...not us...and that's a good feeling to have...that suffering, death, evil is not the end...but that God is the end...it's not about us...it's about Him...

This just spilled out of me...no intention to write this...but I think God is putting a message in my hands in a more complete way...this week I'm talking about the Elements of the Christian Life to my teens...Nooma 03 I think inspired me a little bit (go watch it)...and while those Elements are essential what's more essential is how we use those elements for the good of the end...for the Kingdom...for the end

It still hurts...but look at what God will do!