I think I'm onto something

This post is dedicated to Doris Lee. Thank you for touching my life.

If you recall from my last post I mentioned two young women who I knew who died recently. Although I’ve been doing what I told you I would by focusing on ensuring that I’m living a life God wants me to live, I still had a few questions in the back of my mind. And, true to God’s word, He has answered my prayers and questions.

Before I tell you how, let me tell you this first: When I posed a question to my mother on how could these women have died when God’s word says “we’re already healed,” she told me not to dismiss that God also says His will will be done. Hmm? So, then I got to thinking well isn’t His will for us to be healed since He says that in His word?

With those thoughts in the back of my mind I have continued on with my daily life… not dwelling on death. It wasn’t until February 27 when I was reading “Our Daily Bread” that I think I got the answer. The title of the entry is Keep Praying and it is written by Dave Branon. Mr. Branon wrote about his daughter who he and his wife had always prayed to keep safe. As his daughter and her friends began to drive, they prayed, “God, please protect Melissa.”

Well, Melissa was killed on a warm spring night as she was driving.

How devastating for a mother and father to have to deal with the death of a child, but that didn’t stop them from continuing their prayer life. In fact, they needed prayer more, which was Mr. Branon’s point. But, for me, I stopped to think. Why didn’t God answer that prayer? Or was it that it seemed to me it went unanswered?

Dave Branon and his wife prayed “protect.” What God brought to me is that by taking Melissa home to Him was the ultimate protection. He answered their prayers just not in the way they saw fit or would have assumed. Well, I’m not sure anyone of us would have assumed that. And that brings me back to my friend who died of cancer. Although we had prayed for her healing there are no stipulations in the Bible based on when, where or how. With her death came the ultimate healing and an end to her suffering.

Amazing! God protected Melissa by bringing her home to Him. He healed my friend, Doris, by bringing her home to Him. As always, God is true to His word. We, as His children, simply have to continue to trust and believe.

“Faith is not demanding what we want; it is trusting God’s goodness in spite of life’s tragedies,” Mr. Branon wrote.

Thank you Dave Branon, thank you Doris and, of course, thank God!

In death, focus on life

Within the past seven days two women I knew have died. They were both about my age. I’m 38. When I heard about the first lady, I was saddened and surprised. I was told that she was “found dead” at her home and when the pastor of my church announced her death and upcoming memorial service he said she “slipped away.” How is a young woman “found dead” and how does she just slip away? I knew she struggled with some health issues – the details of which I’m unclear – but I think she suffered with high blood pressure.

The other lady had cancer – breast cancer, I think. Most people may not be surprised by her death, but not only was I surprised but I was devastated. This is a lady who firmly believed in her healing. She professed that she would live to tell her testimony, which would bless other people. A group of us all prayed, touched and agreed that she would be healed. And, for me, that was the end of it. There was no doubt in my mind that she would be healed.

So why is she dead? While I grapple with that question I’ve also been made painfully aware of my own mortality. Here we have two women who were my age and they’ve passed away. Of course, I’m well aware that people die everyday some my age and younger, but to have two people you know personally pass away so closely together gives you reason to pause. Well, at least that’s been my reaction.

I’ve experienced unexplained healings and I know others who have as well. But, for the life of me, I can’t figure out why these women are dead… and especially the woman battling cancer. There seems to be something I’m missing. If God says in His word that we are already healed then that makes it so. Why not in this case?

Well, you know as well as I do that asking “why” will yield no answers. God is not obligated to reveal to us “why,” but we are obligated to trust that His will is done and continue to have faith in Him. In the meantime, we must ensure that we are living a life pleasing to God, according to His word so that when our time comes – when we die – we will see His face.

That includes living a godly lifestyle and abiding by His word. Including “thou shall not commit adultery” – have any sex outside of marriage. Hint, hint. And for me, rather than dwell on the deaths of these women and wonder in the back of my mind if I’m next; I’m going to concentrate on being the person that God would have me to be.

In the meantime, I pray that the families, friends and loved ones of these women are comforted in their time of grief. Please pray for them as well.

Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. Psalm 31:9 (New International Version)