Requests To God
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding…” (Proverbs 3:5)
I cannot think of anything worse than to watch one of your children suffer when there is little you can do to make it better. We mortal parents are subjected to this from time to time. It tests our faith in God who could intervene and stop the suffering or could have prevented it altogether. So why doesn’t He? I don’t know…I would and you would.
Nevertheless, we must deal with what comes our way the best we can. Abandoning God because we do not understand why He allows evil in the world is really not an answer. It will not relieve the pain. Deciding there is no God at all is not the answer for it is obvious to all that someone began the Universe. Listening to the pathetic arguments of religious leaders who blame it all on the Devil, or on sinful men, doesn’t help either.
So what helps? What I have seen is gentle spirits making their requests known to God for the child they love...
“Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:5-7)
For those moments of grief and helplessness that is all I’ve got, and all I can give to those who are experiencing it right now is to remind them of what they already know. It is not enough and it makes me weep. But it is all we have…and it will be enough when the ages are done, and we know even as we are known.
“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cointhians 13:12)
I cannot think of anything worse than to watch one of your children suffer when there is little you can do to make it better. We mortal parents are subjected to this from time to time. It tests our faith in God who could intervene and stop the suffering or could have prevented it altogether. So why doesn’t He? I don’t know…I would and you would.
Nevertheless, we must deal with what comes our way the best we can. Abandoning God because we do not understand why He allows evil in the world is really not an answer. It will not relieve the pain. Deciding there is no God at all is not the answer for it is obvious to all that someone began the Universe. Listening to the pathetic arguments of religious leaders who blame it all on the Devil, or on sinful men, doesn’t help either.
So what helps? What I have seen is gentle spirits making their requests known to God for the child they love...
“Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:5-7)
For those moments of grief and helplessness that is all I’ve got, and all I can give to those who are experiencing it right now is to remind them of what they already know. It is not enough and it makes me weep. But it is all we have…and it will be enough when the ages are done, and we know even as we are known.
“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cointhians 13:12)