Katie, my sister and a preacher, wrote the following on our private family blog. She gave me permission to post it here:
My conversations with God lately are not all that friendly. I do not believe that it is God's will that any child should not live, that any parent should grieve their offspring, that any one should endure the kind of pain [Joe and Laura] are enduring. I believe that when things like this happen, it is a thwarting of God's good and perfect will for all God's children. It is a sign of the brokenness of our world, the brokenness that we are waiting to see repaired once and for all on that great and final day. So when I pray "thy will be done" it is through clenched teeth -- a challenge, a throwing down of the gauntlet to the Almighty. "What are you waiting for?" I scream. "On earth as it is in heaven, dammit! Only You can make it happen! MARANATHA!"
My conversations with God lately are not all that friendly. I do not believe that it is God's will that any child should not live, that any parent should grieve their offspring, that any one should endure the kind of pain [Joe and Laura] are enduring. I believe that when things like this happen, it is a thwarting of God's good and perfect will for all God's children. It is a sign of the brokenness of our world, the brokenness that we are waiting to see repaired once and for all on that great and final day. So when I pray "thy will be done" it is through clenched teeth -- a challenge, a throwing down of the gauntlet to the Almighty. "What are you waiting for?" I scream. "On earth as it is in heaven, dammit! Only You can make it happen! MARANATHA!"
posted by jch at
1:00 PM
3 Comments:
I understand the clenched teeth prayer so well. I keep praying - not for faith that He CAN heal Ira, rather for faith that He WILL heal Ira. I'm trying to pray with a spirit of boldness for Ira's healing - a miracle even. I'm thinking my "boldness" is more akin to anger, though.
May God truly be your Heavenly Father and strengthen, protect and comfort you in the days to come.
Much love,
your cousin Jennifer
My niece, Julie, told me last night, "I'm reading the brooklynchurchplant blog every day to keep up with what's happening with Joe and Laura and Sophia and Ira. And I'm very interested in the "comments" on that blog and realizing how many Christians all over the country/world? are "family" in this prayer effort on behalf of Joe and Laura. I'm also amazed at how honest people have been in expressing their feelings and thoughts."
What a family of believers! To know we can go to our FATHER with ALL of what's inside of us and HE WILL UNDERSTAND!
I have to admit....I sometimes panic at some of the language my children are using when expressing their feelings. If they were young, I probably would wash their mouths out with soap. But I'm learning so much about a REAL relationship with my Father instead of "thinking one thing and saying another!"
God bless all of us as we continue in our walk with Him.
Love and peace,
Mom/Gram/Glo
I really appreciate Mom/Gram/Glo's comments that she can look past something that bothers her to learn, as she puts it, "about a REAL relationship with my Father instead of thinking one thing and saying another". It's cool to see that -- and pardon me for saying so -- no one is ever "too old" to learn! That gives me hope!
We pray every night for Ira and his sweet family. Please remember that you are not alone in your anticipation and struggle: "O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I will never pray to anyone but you. Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my request to you and wait expectantly." (Psalm 5)
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