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2/20/2012

Blessed are those who mourn

This is a very hard gratitude monday.
My country, my family, my church were struck with horrible loss.
A fire on a town's prison causing the horrid death of more than 350 people, including a close relative of my mom's and my family. Another fire causing the loss of a whole marketplace and thousands of families' incomes. The untimely death of the brother of a beloved friend at the hands of vicious killers. All in one week!
It's been a week of crying and, for me, a search for the "why", how to understand, how to comfort.
Yesterday at the funeral of my friend's brother, all I could bring myself to tell him was: "We don't know why. We might never know. But God is powerful to comfort and console". I shared the next psalm with him:

Psalms 40:17
But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

"The Lord thinks of me." Those words resonate over and over. I'm grateful for this. My friend could only convey his pain in moans and speak of how alone he will now be with the absence of his brother. I began feeling dismay when I looked around and saw all the people coming to be at his side. "Even at times like this you can find reasons to be grateful," I thought to myself.
There are things I fear with all my heart. Will I be able to be grateful even at times like this if my fears were to come true? Would I be able to raise my head and see God's blessing in time of strenouos pain? Would I be grateful that in my affliction Jehova is thinking of me? Will I ask Him to comfort me and say "He giveth, He takes. Blessed is His name"? Or will I be filled with anger for the lot He gave me?

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!

Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
 
A friend of mine once shared that the author of this song had just lost all his family to a shipwreck or a disease on a ship, I think. After he heard of his family's death, he wrote this song. This is my desire, Father.
So! No hard gratitude monday. A joyful gratitude monday because the Lord is great and has done great things among us.
Mathew 5:4
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
   for they will be comforted.

I do wonder what is happening in my country for all this tragedy. We must turn our hearts to God. We must leave our sinful ways to follow You. Move my country into seeking You and use me for that purpose!

*377 We are blessed when in tears.
*378 The Lord thinks of us
*379 A country needing to turn to God
*380 Amazing leaders from whom to learn from
*381 Being given the grace to serve inspite of my sin
*382 A test to learn self-control
*383 We can comfort because we are comforted
*384 Learning money management
*385 Sewing lessons and awesome time with Izell
*386 Our first skirt! Good for dolls because we did them on scale.
*387 The gift of singing
*388 The test to wait and be still.
*389 Friends and family joining me in prayer for a baby

Love You, Jesus!


2 comments:

  1. Linda, I'm with you. I just finished a prayer for you - and your town. But a thank you list anyway - that makes God smile. And my favorite thank you - and I added this to my prayer for your town - for you - for a baby. God bless!!

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  2. I have been marvelously blessed to read back through your blog this morning Linda. I just love what the Lord Jesus is teaching you and the work He is doing in your heart. You are an awesome young woman! The body of Christ are awesome people because of His Spirit inside of us. The Father absolutely delights in us! His love for us is so GREAT. Much love & prayers, in Jesus, Cynthia

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