Sunday, April 15, 2012

Behind a Frowning Providence...

It seems as if God's Providence for our little family as of late has been one big frown.  In a sense, the last 17 days have been as emotionally dark as the week Aidan spent in the NICU after his birth.  Unfortunately, everything in my being has fought to rebel against Providence.  
 
Two friends recently posted quotes to FB that immensely encouraged me and brought me to my knees in tears.  Thank you, Brian Cochran, for posting this hymn (and what's the name of it?):
 
God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.


Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.


His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.


Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.
 
And from Bekah McFarland who is a seminary wife:
 
 "That's how God works. He gets at our most fundamental idolatry and He ruthlessly crushes it in His unfathomable love and fatherly kindness and inscrutable wisdom and He goes after our greatest treasures and He leaves us with nothing but himself so that we go limping on our way for the rest of our lives having learned: 'My grace is sufficient for you for my power is perfected in weakness.' Don't underestimate God. Don't underestimate His ruthless compassionate gracious commitment to His glory or His commitment to your everlasting joy and good. He will pursue you graciously and ruthlessly and rip out the idols of your soul that would otherwise consume you. He is working for your joy and your good even when you cannot perceive it and have ceased to be able to feel anything anymore." ~Ligon Duncan, The Underestimated God, T4G 2012
 
Additionally, my very fatigued and sick husband preached an amazing sermon today (most definitely in the strength of Christ).  Lately, his sermons hit me like a golf ball between the eyes; I swear whatever is going on in our family, that's what the sermon addresses (even though he's just preaching through the life of Abraham in Genesis).  I am always convicted and encouraged.

Today he preached from Genesis 16.  Once Hagar is impregnated by Abram, she despises Sarai's goodness to her and uses her pregnancy as an opportunity to boast.  Then, due to Sarai's mistreatment of her, she flees into the wilderness where an angel of the LORD meets her saying,
"Return to your mistress and submit to her."
Genesis 16: 9b
Hagar is then obedient to the LORD, returns to Sarai, and bears Ishmael to Abram.
Brian encouraged his flock to be patient in our sufferings and trials because we serve a God who sees all of our hardships, promises strength to persevere through Christ, and has promised to those who put their trust in Him a reward that will far outlast any suffering.  He also showed us how the LORD most often tells His people to face the hardships.  It's not about "Your Best Life Now!" God doesn't promise an easy life; in fact, He promises that in this world we WILL have trouble.  Thankfully, we have Christ who promises to strengthen us until we are united with Him in death.

So while I want to run far away like Hagar did, throwing off all the hardships that so heavily weigh me down, I will be obedient and "return" to the life God has called me to.  Because "behind a frowning Providence, He hides a smiling face."  I can't wait to see what that smiling face looks like.


0 comments: