Monday, June 23, 2008

HE SPEAKS BACK

A little background first....

There is a program you can download onto your computer called Bible Promises. There are hundreds of God's promises that appear randomly. I had wanted to have the promises on my blog but Jim and I couldn't figure out how to transfer the program there. So now it's on my Windows page. A little rectangle pops up with a promise in it when I turn on my computer.

When we got home from Ethan's evaluation on Wednesday, I turned on my computer and the following appeared:
The very same passage I ended my post with that morning before we left for the evaluations.

I knew it wasn't random. Not a coincidence. I knew it was from God. And this is what I believe He was telling me....

That He saw how the evaluations forced me to see Ethan's injury from an objective point of view.
And how it hurt.

That He saw how hard it was for Ethan not to be able to do what they asked him to do. He saw how I wanted to run. To run out of there with my baby. To protect him from hurting. From feeling vulnerable. From being embarrassed.

I believe God was telling me that He saw the tears I cried quietly all the way home. And that it was OK for me to cry. That He likes it when we trust Him enough to be honest and to let the tears flow. He has told us to "pour out our hearts to Him and that He will bottle up every tear we cry."

I believe God was telling me that He knew I was thankful. Thankful for the therapist. For the opportunity for Ethan to get help. Thankful for the insurance that was going to pay for it and thankful most of all for Him. Thankful that He gave Ethan a second chance. Thankful that He gave me, Jim and Seth a second chance with Ethan.

He reminded me that just like He redeems people, He also redeems situations. He redeems our mistakes. That He is with us through the consequences. And that the consequences will only be those that will bring Him glory and work the same in us. They will only be for our good.

He reminded me that what I see, what I had just seen at the evaluation, is temporary. That the things we see are not where we put our faith. Our trust. We trust in the things that are not seen. In the things that are eternal. The things He has promised.

I thought about how God has promised to take what the enemy meant for evil and to use it for our good. That what was meant to destroy our family has given it purpose. That He is making it stronger. That the cracks we see in it are only signs of the healing that is to come.

Looking at that verse on the computer screen, I could hear God saying, "Cheri, this isn't about you. It isn't about your faithfulness. It's about mine. It isn't about the love you have for Me. It's about the love I have for you. Just let Me love you. Let Me love Ethan."

He was telling me that I am His Beloved and that He is always with me. That He delights in making Himself known to me.

I believe He was also telling me that there will be more waters, more rivers that will surround me. That there will more fires and flames that I am going to have to walk through. But, He will be with me. I will not drown and I will not be burned. I won't even smell like smoke when it is all done. He will be with me. He will protect me. He will control the waters and the fires.

I stood there in my kitchen, shook my head and said like the psalmist:

"Who is so great a God as our God?
You are the God who does wonders;
We have declared Your strength among the peoples.
You have with Your arm redeemed Your people,
The sons of Jacob and Joseph."
Psalms 77 : 13b-15

And then I got my camera and I took a picture of it, because I didn't want to ever forget.

And I wanted to share with you what an Awesome God He is!

You can find the promises He has for you in His Word and at www.biblepromise.com

Love you all!

P.S. We will be doing speech and occupational therapy every Wednesday. We will continue with physical therapy on Tuesdays.

4 comments:

  1. I love it when you can really feel God speaking back to you. We had that at church yesterday with the sermon, I felt was just for us. HE is GOOD!

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  2. I stand amazed at how God so loves us all individually. Meets our specific needs and does it in such a way that we know it is God and God alone. He sees each of us and responds in love to us. Thanks again Cheri for reminding us of His love and care. LOVE YOU MaryLois

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  3. It is amazing. So many times I need the BOLDFACE PRINT telling me over and over that He will see me through. Thanks for sharing. Love you. Mary Jo

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  4. Oh dear Cheri....

    Did you know that those words "Let Me Love You!" were the very first and most difficult words I have ever heard from the LORD? It took me 3 years (very painful and confusing and challenging years) before I understood and accepted what those words were really saying to me. I continue to grow in accepting and living within what those words MEAN to me and what they MEAN to God.

    Verily, Verily I say to you "Who is so great a God as our God?"

    I love ya!
    Gemma

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