Category Archives: God’s plans for us

Signs of the Times

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Let's celebrate !Today was a day of celebration centered around our middle child, Klaus. Last week he graduated with a degree in Human Resource Management from Purdue University at the same time as he turned 32, and he’s close to launching an interactive web site he’s been developing for 3 years, www.fishaband.com. On top of that, he and Brooke are 3 weeks from their wedding and a honeymoon in Hawaii, making these particular months an extraordinary time for them both.

Every life includes significant mile-markers, and looking backward we can see them clearly. Some are celebratory events like today’s party, but others would never be labeled “celebrations”. We don’t think of the negatives as being mile-markers, but they’re probably more significant than the party-worthy ones. For example, a critical comment might be a marker that ends up changing a bad behavior pattern. Or an unexpected job loss might lead to a much better career.

An important marker might be a parent’s dementia when they no longer recognize their own child, or the death of someone dearly loved. These milestones aren’t good ones but are profoundly important just the same. And good things can come from all of them. Klaus is a case in point.

Nate and I had to take him out of college (for financial reasons) when he was only half-finished at age 20, a big disappointment to him at the time. Today, degree in hand, he looks back at that signpost and says, “It’s better this way. Back then I had no idea what I wanted from life.” Good has come from what was a “bad” marker 12 years ago.

A GOOD day...

Another Klaus-example was the signpost that occurred when he chose to leave the bustling Chicago metro area to live in a tiny Michigan town. After living his whole life “in the big city,” his move to a small town seemed difficult, but down the road he ended up meeting his true love.

Scripture tells us if we turn our lives over to God’s direction, every mile-marker after that will have positive results….. eventually. As always, patience is required, but if we’ve given our lives to God for his purposes (which are always good), without fail those purposes will stand. (Proverbs 19:21)

Klaus has committed his life to Jesus Christ, and the markers we celebrated today are part of what has resulted. He recognizes that this year’s many important signposts are exactly what God had in mind for him. Though there may be disappointments or even catastrophes in his future, they won’t come without God having sanctioned them first, and since that’s true, Klaus can proceed with confidence and optimism.

Cousins Emerald and Jones, 1 week apart

One of his gifts today was a box entitled, “Your Life in T-shirts.” Each one represented a life-marker, beginning with a tiny baby shirt embossed with his name. He’ll wear many other shirts in coming years such as “fishaband.com” or “Welcome to Fatherhood!” or “Little League Coach.” Today we celebrated the signposts thus far…. while God was busy putting the next markers into place.

“Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” (Isaiah 30:21)

Without Wavering

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photo(6)Today I participated in our church’s biannual prayer vigil. By definition, a vigil is “a period of watchful attention.” It’s sometimes coupled with fasting or staying awake during normal sleep hours to focus on something special by guarding it, observing it, or praying over it. And today we were praying.

Those who wanted to participate signed up for a time slot and promised to pray then, either at the church or from another location. Throughout one day, the church and its current concerns would be continuously brought to God’s throne room.

Our church prayer team created a private atmosphere of tranquility for those who wanted to use it, complete with candles, a comfortable chair, a table, lamp, hymnal, Bible, and curtains drawn. The moments of people’s prayer times were set apart for just the Lord and them, yet we were all joining in one consecutive vigil much like links on a chain reaching from our prayer room to heaven.

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Pages of printed verses were made available, and one of the passages I appreciated today was from Romans 4:“Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.” (20-21)

Abraham had an astounding faith that believed God would follow through with what he said. The promise this passage refers to is that his descendants would grow into a great nation, this when he was already old and had no children. Even more remarkable was that during this time when he believed God would come through but hadn’t seen it yet, right then Abraham’s faith “grew stronger.”

Extraordinary! And the reason? He was “fully convinced” God would keep his word.

Before I began to pray at the vigil, I asked myself a serious question. If I’m just as “fully convinced” as Abraham was, why do I sometimes “waver in believing?”

Once in a while after God does answer prayer in a measureable way, my faith gets a boost, but that’s after-the-fact. Abraham’s faith actually grew while he waited to see God act, literally waiting for decades.

As I thought about this, I saw the next phrase in Romans 4: “In this [continuing to believe against all odds], he brought glory to God.”

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Light bulb moment! Believing that God will do what he promises, whether we see it in our lifetime or not, actually brings glory to God. I was wrong when I thought believing without wavering was about my own will power. Instead it’s about God’s glory. Continuing to believe when there seems to be no hope at all is one sure way I can bring blessing to my Father.

So when I began to pray today, it was easy to blanket the requests with scriptural promises, believing without wavering if for no other reason than to bring glory to him.

“Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping.” (Romans 4:18)

 

Dazed for Days

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The storm forms.Oklahoma is not OK. After Monday’s 2 mile wide, 210 mph tornado tore through a suburb of Oklahoma City, a 22 square mile piece of civilization was no more. News reports this morning used the word “dazed” in reference to the way citizens were feeling. After viewing photos, I see why.

Oklahoma is famous for frequent tornadoes, but no one could say they’d ever seen one like this. Even storm chasers, familiar with nature’s fury, were suffering from PTSD when it was over. “People are wandering around like zombies,” reporter Scott Hines said. “It’s like they’re not realizing how to process what just happened.”

Rescued!

Although two schools and a large medical center were beyond repair, thankfully the death toll wasn’t as severe as originally feared. But even for those who came through the storm without injury, recovery will take time. As one parent said, “I’m speechless. How did this happen? Why did this happen? How do we explain this to the kids?”

“Devastating” is too mild a word. Pictures and videos of the event told the miserable tale of destruction, but one photo was different than all the others:                                a cemetery picture.

Cemetery

Although the grass was littered with debris from the land of the living, the buried-dead remained untouched. But had the tornado ripped them from the ground, it wouldn’t have mattered to them. On May 20, those who’d already died were untouchable, even by a monster-size F5 tornado. They’d already taken up residence elsewhere, and for those in heaven, that day was like any other: safe and sound.

Once we’ve died, whatever is taking place on earth quickly fades. I think of the 24 souls who left the earth during Monday’s tornado and hope they’re all with Jesus Christ. If so, their safety concerns are over. No PTSD for them, no coping with lost homes or possessions. Stressing over where to live while their homes are rebuilt isn’t a problem, and they’re guaranteed never to experience another tornado.

Mom often said, “Know your bottom line.” She was sure of where she’d be after death and frequently said she wished it was “today”. Monday was the “today” for 24 people who were (we hope) lifted from that fearsome storm straight into glory. What a dramatic change! Of course it’ll be dramatic even if we’re taken out of this world on an ordinary day.

But those 24? They’ll be dazed for days, too…. but for a much different (and much better) reason.

“The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)