"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Heb 11:6)
I'm sitting here on "autopilot" this morning. What I write may or may not make any sense. My mind is cluttered with images of a young man who had his entire life ahead of him. He had the loving support of his mother, his family. My dear friend must now bury her only son just days before Christmas. The "whys" are not important. It wasn't a hate crime, nor was it police brutality. It wasn't racial profiling either.
When we begin our walk with Jesus, we begin often because of a tragedy. Our inability to cope or understand brings us to our knees and we are lovingly picked up and carried through the event, coming out often broken, but definitely blessed. How do we manage to deal with and understand these events when they come years later? How do we not doubt the existence of God? How do we push through and believe that God has a plan for us?
As a mother, I have tried to give my children everything they need to survive in this world. No, not the material things, the spiritual things. I have taught them that although we do not know God's plan for our lives, we know that all things pass through his hands first. I have taught them by example (not always the best example, but that, too, takes time). They know how deep my belief goes and how strong my faith is...there's that word...FAITH!
It is our faith that takes us through our tragedies and it is faith that brings us closer to Jesus. Each step we take, be it a soft and easy one, or a heartbreaking one, brings us one step closer to his plan and his purpose in our lives. As we walk this walk, we are not alone - ever! We are held and comforted knowing that regardless of the outcome, we are not failures. We are beautiful reflections of all of God's love! We are his and in his time, we will call each of us home.
So it is at this time that I would step out of the "writer" mode and ask that you take a moment and pray for my friend. Pray for her courage and strength to endure what lies ahead of her in the next few months. Pray for her family, that they can be the support system she needs in this time of loss. Pray for her friends, that we may continue to walk in faith and carry our sister in Christ in our hearts.
We are blessed with our children for only as long as God gives them to us, and us to them. Cherish every moment...
