Ladies, Ladies…All the Ladies!!

Two days ago one of my best friends had her first baby.  Anna Rose.  Isn’t that a beautiful name?  I am thrilled for their whole family.  If all goes well I’m going to get to go on Monday and see her.  I want to hold her in my arms.  See Anna Rose is very sweet and dear to me…(her mom doesn’t know this…)  but I have been praying for her for over four years.  I remember every year that went by and my sweet friend hadn’t gotten pregnant, I would weep before the Lord.  I remember the deep heartache I had every time I had to make that phone call and let her know the Lord had blessed me once again with the precious gift of a child and she had not been given one.  I pleaded with the Lord.  I couldn’t understand…. I was always turned to Isaiah 55:8

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

I continued to trust the Lord and in “his ways and thoughts”…. He obviously knows what is best for all of us.  And through this I have seen this couple grow in amazing ways… I’ve seen them be strengthened in the Lord in their brokenness…. I have seen them place all of their trust in Him.  You know, we wonder why God allows such things to happen to godly people….but I am beginning to understand.  We are being sharpened… grown.  We are being refined.  I was reading the other day in the book of John and I had never really paid attention to this particular verse until now…

“As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth.  And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?”  Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”  John 9:1-3.

 I can’t get that out of my head.  I think that is such a personal verse for me now especially because my husband is a pediatrician and he sees SO many cases of children born with health issues.  I just think that is the cruelest thing of ALL!  I always want to cry out to God and beg Him…WHY!!!  Why to the little children!!  Why! My eyes are tearing up as I type.  But see….it is so “the works of God might be displayed.”  God will always bring himself glory.  Sometimes I see him answer prayerss… as in my friend’s case… and prove himself to be a God of perfect timing….. sometimes I will continue to see Him withhold healing or blessing, yet watch these precious souls become rocks of faith…….and that in itself is a testimony of God’s glory…. the testifying of his greatness amidst the sorrow.  Whatever deep, deep pain we are facing… whatever blessing we feel God is withholding from us……may we rest in the knowledge that it is to display His work in our lives……let us let Him use us for His work….”We must work the works of Him who sent Me[Jesus] as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.”  John 9:4.  I will pray for you all who are reading this.  I will pray that God will carry you through whatever pain or struggle you are going through…..mostly I will pray that He will carry you to that place of faithful acceptance to continue walking in Him and working His works—-that His glory may be displayed in YOU!

Monday I will travel to Nashville….I will enter a familiar home and embrace my dear friends… and for the first time in four years… I will not pray to the Lord for this baby… I will thank Him for allowing me to actually hold MY prayer in my arms.  What a blessing.  God is true to His word…He gives and He takes away…. but Lord give us the strength to always say….”Blessed be the name of the Lord.”