The unexpected journey: the journey continues

There is a song we used to sing in our services. I do not remember who wrote it or recorded it—I did not what to take the time to look them up. One of the verses when something like this, “I was sure by now that you would have reached down and wiped our tears away, stepped in and saved the day. But once again I say amen; it’s still raining.” The verse paints a pretty accurate picture of how I feel today. I was certain that last week I heard the still small voice of the Lord tell me that this week he would show up; but once again I say amen—or so be it. The question in front of me now is what do I do? I can raise my fist into the air toward heaven screaming out that you lied to me; you let me down! I can write an emotionally compelling blog about how unjust, uncaring—maybe even un-alive—God is, but what would that change? The truth is I know that He is indeed just, caring and very much alive. I have too many past experiences that have settled those questions in my own heart to say otherwise. There is a massive lesson that the young pre-king David can teach us about this. Here is David’s back-story. The prophet Samuel acted under the direct instruction of Jehovah anointing young David with oil—the symbol of authenticity—to be the next king of Israel. It seems that the Lord had personally handpicked David. After a brief season of being at the right hand of the current king, David was kicked out of the kingdom, hunted as a fugitive of the kingdom living in caves doing his best to survive before settling down in the land of Israel’s enemy. In the Old Testament book of Samuel you will find the story of the warrior David being told that he could not go into battle and to pack his things and go home. Dejected he and the 600-hundred men that followed him left the battlefield only to find that their home had been raided and everything they owned stolen. To make matters worse, David’s men decided they had enough of this and picked up stones—there are many stones in Israel—to kill David. I am thinking this is a pretty hopeless situation. Instead of running away or taking his medicine like a man, David does something that was completely foolish—or so it seemed. He prayed. While praying David was reminded of the past victories his God had brought him through. This encouraged the would-be king to face the impending doom with hope. Two days later David and his men celebrated a tremendous victory receiving back everything of theirs that was stolen, plus the spoil of their enemy. The bottom line is that David’s God showed up and David was victorious. This is why I do not raise my fist toward heaven and accuse God. I have too many stories in my past of how He has shown up for me. That being said, it does not answer the current situation that my family and I are now facing. What do we do? I think the single most important step is to settle it in my heart that God has not forsaken us. Like David, it is a choice rather than a feeling. I can scream how unfair it is all day long—and only find myself hoarse. I could become depressed and hopeless—and only find myself hidden in a darkened room only to miss the answer when it comes. I could lash out in anger spewing my poisonous venom everywhere—only to become embittered while crushing the hopes of other’s who may be waiting to see the outcome. It is my choice. My next step is also a choice—to offer praise to my God. How absurd does that sound? Unless of course I realize that my God really does have my best interest at heart. In this I may praise with my choice rather than my emotions—which may want to scream otherwise. I praise because I understand that God’s word says that praise is what I am supposed to do. It is in this type of praising God that I can take all of these negative emotions and turn them into positive ones by offering praise or thankfulness to my God. Of course it isn’t easy. If it were everyone would do it. The next step I will take is to rest in His trust or hope. It is much later that the now King David pens words in the Old Testament book of Psalms, “I will rest in [your] hope.” If I have come to understand anything about my God it is this; He will do what he said he would do—at the most perfect possible time. Do I like this? Absolutely not! But one day I will be able to look back and see clearly how this fit with this and allowed this to take place in order for that to happen. I can assure you that I will certainly shout it to anyone willing to hear when my father, my God shows up in this matter. Today just isn’t that day.