Schubert's Eighth

The study of genesis has finally come to an end. What a year. What drama. In the beginning everything seem good...and then chapter ends with 2 deaths and a coffin.

I never like funeral wakes. I hate the silence of death and the lingering pain of those who were being left behind. My heart goes out to Pauline and Peggy who's got to endure the sudden lost of their beloved husbands. May they find peace and comfort in our Lord's loving hands and cling on to His promise that we will all one day be reunited with our loved ones again in our heavenly home.

i feel like the second half of this year is one long long funeral march for me. The pain has lost its intensity as time promises to heal. Each day i come to work, my prayer to God is to take away the pain. Sometimes He does, sometimes He doesn't. I recently came across a very intersting sermon/article by my fav preacher Ray C Stedman (i've attached his link at the sidebar of my blog page).

He says:" I think we can use instruction in the practice of prayer. God is not saying we should ask for everything we want. We're to ask for everything we need. Frequently we find ourselves praying for things he never promises. For instance, if you are up against some kind of trial, some catastrophe strikes in your life, our perfectly understandable, natural human reaction is to say, "Lord, take this away." But God never said he would do that. He does not always want us to have it taken away. Sometimes he will, sometimes not. That kind of prayer must always have appended to it what our Lord prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done."

But there are things for which we can immediately ask, and know that we will receive. His grace, his strength, insight, wisdom , patience, love and compassion. And as we lean back upon him in that inner dependence of faith which is prayer, we can also begin to give thanks that the answer has come, and in our thanksgiving we discover the experience of it as well. So as in everything we let our requests be made known to God, the result is peace. The peace of God that passes all understanding will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Amen.