Faith in the Midst of Trial

A dear woman from our church is dying.  She has leukemia and has fought with every medical treatment possible.  About a year ago things looked bad.  They thought she was going to be dead before Mother’s Day, but she rebounded.  God blessed her with time, and she had ups and downs for months.  Little by little hope would grow for her life to be cancer free…but that hope is now dashed.  Tests show cancer is back, so now she’s living the long goodbye.  She has been an example of faith in the midst of trial, illness, and death on the door.  Her family, especially her husband, has been beaten but has always turned to Christ.  The church has been circling round this family, serving and praying.  They have been strengthened in weakness, and their faith is not broken no matter the terrible circumstances.  This time is no different, this news has not changed things.  Yes, this mommy is dying.  Yes this family is in pain, and they want to beg God for a miracle.  However, they are taking God’s will and are hoping to glorify God in life and in death.  It’s a hard thing to do, but so much grace comes from this life end testimony.  This mother, wife, and friend of many points to Christ.  She doesn’t try to be some sort of strong witness, she just turns to Christ.  The husband, daddy, and friend of many points also to Christ.  He leans on Christ and His church.  He begs for prayer, he also always says, “but God’s will be done.”   This little family just wants to walk in God’s will no matter the cost.

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Harrowing Weekend

In more ways than one this weekend has shown me the value of life.  In our personal life, we had a moment when our child was in danger of death.  The Lord was merciful and our little one came away unharmed, but the moment will forever be etched in our minds. 

Life can end quickly and even quietly.   Hours before this, a man shot Dr. George Tiller (I have heard in the head) in a church.  This was not a silent act, this was violence.  So many of us who value life never wanted this to happen.  My personal desire was for Tiller to realize how awful abortion is, and for him to repent.  Beyond this, my desire was that he would be stopped by legal means.  

I personally know a couple who had a baby dying in the mother’s womb.  They claim Christian faith.  They were our small group leaders.  They knew the moment of their child’s death because they chose to allow a doctor to stop her heart.  Her official birthday, though she was born dead, was the one year birthday of my little girl who nearly died by accident this weekend. 

I will never forget the sadness I felt for my friends who had never carried a baby to term due to miscarriage, and who had another baby dying in their womb.  I mourned with them at the loss of their little one.  I had experienced a 2nd trimester miscarriage myself, and understand how hard it is to have a baby die in the womb. 

However, they heard the last heartbeat, they approved and chose the moment of death.  I was sorely disappointed.  It was a complicated and difficult decision, and my friends had chosen abortion over the natural death that would most surely have come within a few days or weeks.  I do not know how they were able to cope with this.  They induced a still baby, and likely saw the needle mark on her chest.  They got to hold her, had hair clippings and tiny footprints.  They had a funeral, and they named their baby.  I was heartbroken for them, and at the same time heartsick.  How could they abort their baby?  I know this seems like compassion to some, but to me, I just could not relate.  I would do anything to save my child if possible, and if I was told I could do nothing, that medicine could do nothing, then I would let nature take it’s course and allow God to determine the time of death. 

So now a man who acted in a way I can never understand, a man who not only supported late term abortion but performed them, this man is dead.  I do not rejoice.  I would rather he faced his guilt at a time when he could be given a chance to repent.  It’s not like he didn’t have chances.  I am sure he felt he was compassionate, that he provided a service to women who needed to stop their child from suffering. 

There is another couple I know, one who was pregnant with a child who had a fatal genetic problem.  This child would live only a few hours after birth.  This family chose to birth the baby after labor began.  They chose to comfort and care for their child after his birth.  He in fact did have severe abnormalities, his condition was fatal.  He did not die at the hand of a medical abortion doctor, he died in the arms of his mother as she held him, kissed him, and rocked his warm body.  This was not an easy death to bear for this family.  His little life was valued. 

Life, a gift from God.

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Just Remember

This is as good a day as any to remember what Christ did for his people. He was, He is, He will be forever.  He came in the flesh.  He taught.  He lead.  He showed.  He shared.  He bled. He died, but not for nothing.  He died to save sinners.  He extended grace and mercy and forgiveness for wretched sinners.  His body was in the grave.  He rose….that’s what we’ll remember this Sunday.  For today, remember His body and His blood.  He carried our sins.  Now He is our deliverer who mediates for us to the Father.  We do not deserve Him, or His sacrifice.  We deserve death and eternal damnation.  But, praise God, He died.

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