Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Rejoicing and Weeping

Rejoice with those who rejoice! Weep with those who weep. (Romans 12:15)

These very words have never been more real to me than today.

Last night, Big A and I received a call from some very dear friends who, after 7 years of trying to have a baby, just found out that they are pregnant with twins!!

Praise God for His overwhelming grace!! He is good!

Not only has He blessed them once but twice!

Then this morning, as I sat with my girls in our weekly Bible study, I received a devastating text message, letting me know that some very dear friends of ours just lost a child through the miracle of adoption.

They have already spent time with the baby at the hospital, have given the baby a name and even have a nursery ready for the baby to come home to.

This morning the birth-mother backed out and took the baby home with her, leaving them in what I can only assume is a whirlwind of disbelief, sorrow, pain and questions.

Dear Jesus, why?!!? Why must they suffer through this reality?? Why did you let them go through this?? WHY?!!?

I may never understand why, but I am reminded of what happened in Daniel 3.

King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold and then decreed that all people must bow down to this image of gold or be thrown into the fiery furnace.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to worship the King's gods or worship the image of gold he set up.

As a result, the King called them in and said to them, "If you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?"

And they responded, "We do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will NOT serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up!"

As you know, they were thrown into the fire and God did rescue them.

But I think the point of the story is that before they knew the outcome, they committed to praise the One True God regardless of the results!

"But even if He does not..."

WOW.

Though I weep, I am choosing to trust Almighty God as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did.

And though I cannot understand, I will choose to say as Job did...

"The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord!"

And for my friends who are weeping with me today, I leave you with this song of comfort:



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3 comments:

Larinee said...

Erin, you don't know me, but I too know those friends who were blessed by twins. What a testament to how our God works all things together for good. Through those seven years it didn't feel good, but our God's plans are better than our own! Through the desert of waiting, asking, pleading, wondering, fearing, doubting, He delivered them to the promised land. Just as He did with the Israelites. Praise the Lord it didn't take 40 years this time! Larinee

Melissa said...

So well said Erin....sorry that your friends are going through such a hard time and then to have friends that are going through such a joyous time...we can see God's work on one hand and then on the other...we wait to see what hes working through this heartache, and wander will we see it on this earth or will it be later, because we know it's for a reason. This is where I guess REAL faith comes in, right? Your Hands has been my new favorite song for quite a while now...its so simple and speaks volumes of what goes on inside our hearts. I hope I can one day do it at church and deliver it as well as she did!
You and your friends are in my prayers...love ya Melissa

Amanda McD said...

Hey Erin...I read your post last week, but I didn't listen to the song. Turns out, it's the same song I have been humming all week. It was one of my favorites before, and it definitely has new meaning right now. Thanks so much!

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