Not for A Moment

This is me and my 2nd born.  Little Samuel.  Sweet thing.  It wasn't too long after this photo, a few months later, a few little teeth later, the learning of one little word later…'mama', that he would start crying as soon as he realized I had left a room.  Not just a whining-come back-I'm bored cry but a heart-breaking, belly-deep, where's-my-mama, she's-never-coming-back cry.  "Mama-mama-mama" he would sob, as I quickly shoved the laundry in the dryer.  It broke my heart to consider that in his baby-thinking, Mama might not be returning.  I would rush back upstairs to pick up my little red-faced, tear-stained baby, soothing him with "Shhh...baby, Mama is here. Mama is here.  Mama would never leave you."  It wouldn't be long before his sobs would quiet and his chin would stop quivering and all would be right with the world again.

There's been seasons in my life where I've been much like a little Samuel.

"God?  Where are You?"
"God?  Have You left me?"
"God?  Where did You go?"

My heart has cried out for Him but all I felt was silence.
I have longed for just one word from Him and nothing.
And I wondered if He had deserted me.

David wondered the same thing.  Quite often.  Read through the Psalms and you can see how many times David asked God; "Why have You forsaken me?"

Like a little Samuel, if we can't sense Him for a season, we think that He has gone from us, that He might never return.

Can I reassure you about something?  Can I reassure myself (!) about something?
He promised NEVER to leave His children or forsake them.
His silence does not mean His absence.
Learn from David's experience…
"For I said in my haste, 'I am cut off before Your eyes;' (sound familiar?)
Nevertheless, You heard the voice of my supplications
when I cried out to You."  (Psalms 31:22)

God hears you.
He loves you.
He is planning your future.
He is working all things out for your good.
He is arranging things you don't even know about.
He is with you.

Here's a song that a friend sent to me today.  "Not for a Moment"
Not for a moment has He left you friend.

Out of Control

When I was younger I loved Laura Ingalls Wilder's book series, "Little House on the Prairie".  I especially liked her book, "The Long Winter".  Well, Winter 2014 certainly has been a long winter (though I wouldn't start complaining too much, unlike Laura's family, we haven't had to resort to a diet solely of potatoes...yet). Winter is not that bad if you really get into it..sledding, snowshoeing, ice skating, hiking and snowmobiling.  I enjoy all those sports except for one - sledding.
I can abide sledding as long as the conditions are ideal.  Meaning, long, low hill with no obstacles or bumps along the way.  I like being in control.  Sledding seems so out of control to me.  Snowshoeing - control.  Sledding - no brakes.  Ice skating - control (well, if you can skate).  Sledding - crazy speed.  Hiking - control.  Sledding -  trees!  Snowmobiling - control.  Sledding - ending up on a bay with breaking ice (o.k..so that may be original to where I grew up).
I feel safe when I am in control.  Throw some unexpected obstacles at me or give me a life going at a speed that's too fast, and I don't feel so safe anymore.
However, the reality is that in this world I will have many obstacles.  The Bible even tells me so.."In this world you will have trouble" (John 16:33).  It may be a relationship gone wrong, loss of a job, a health issue, sending your child to school.  Any number of things that can make us feel that we are not as in control as we thought.
So, what do we do?  Jesus very plainly encourages us in His next breath..."In this world you will have trouble, BUT TAKE HEART, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).  It is Jesus who is ultimately in control and has ultimately overcome all of those obstacles for us.  We don't know the future, we don't know what His perfect plan may be, but we can hang our hats on this; He told us to TAKE HEART, or be of good cheer because He has gone before us and handled everything already.  It may seem a long way coming, and we may not make any sense of it right now, but your life is in His loving control.

Take heart dear friends.  Always, take heart.