"Show me wherefore thou contendest with me" job 10:2
It was but a little while ago that, on thy knees, thou wast saying, "Lord, I fear I have no faith: let me know that I have faith."
...God often sends us trials that our graces may be discovered, and that we may be certified of their existence. Besides, it is not merely discovery; real growth in grace is the result of sanctified trials.
God trains His soldiers, not in tents of ease and luxury, but by turning them out and using them to forced marches and hard service. He makes them ford through streams, and swim through rivers and climb mountains, and walk many a weary mile with heavy knapsacks on their backs. Well, Christian, may not this account for the troubles through which you are passing? Is not this the reason why He is contending with you? --C. H. Spurgeon
To be left unmolested by Satan is no evidence of blessing.
from "streams in the desert" by l.b. cowman
this one line really struck me...
To be left unmolested by Satan is no evidence of blessing.
which reminded me of this song that i love by sara groves, open my hands.
I believe in a blessing I don't understand
I’ve seen rain fall on wicked and the just
Rain is no measure of his faithfulness
He withholds no good thing from us
No good thing from us, no good thing from us
I believe in a peace that flows deeper than pain
That broken find healing in love
Pain is no measure of his faithfulness
He withholds no good thing from us
No good thing from us, no good thing from us
I will open my hands, will open my heart
I will open my hands, will open my heart
I am nodding my head an emphatic yes
To all that You have for me
I believe in a fountain that will never dry
Though I've thirsted and didn't have enough
Thirst is no measure of his faithfulness
He withholds no good thing from us
No good thing from us, no good thing from us
I will open my hands, will open my heart
I will open my hands, will open my heart
I am nodding my head an emphatic yes
To all that You have for me
No good thing from us
No good thing from us
He withholds no good thing from us
I will open my hands, will open my heart
I will open my hands, will open my heart
I am nodding my head an emphatic yes
To all that You have for me
sometimes opeing my hands to all that He has for me means opening my hands to things that i don't (and may not EVERY this side of heaven) understand. it may mean opening my hands up to pain. to rain. to thirst. but knowing that pain, rain, and thirst are not a measure of His faithfulness. that they are GOOD things when they come from His hand.
and along those lines... i think this was the best blog post that i read about the tragedy in newtown... from david platt, the gospel and newtown.
it is long but worthy of reading and starts with the age old questions...
These are questions that go far back in history. Epicurus, the Fourth Century philosopher, made the famous statement: “Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or he can, but does not want to…If he wants to, but cannot, he is impotent. If he can, and does not want to, he is wicked. But, if God both can and wants to abolish evil, then [why do we have] evil in the world?”
and ends with this beautiful conclusion...
When we consider all that Scripture teaches about God and evil, we are led inextricably to the gospel: the good news that God has taken the very worst thing that has ever happened in the history of the world (the death of His Son) and He has turned it into the very best thing that has ever happened in the history of the world (the salvation of sinners). Evil is tragically real, God is supremely great, God is absolutely good, and the gospel is shockingly glorious.
shockingly glorious. He withholds no good thing from us...