Our church is currently going through the book of Romans on Sunday mornings. I have read this book in the Bible, I don't know, countless times. I love that I am learning each Sunday, that God is speaking to me on a personal level, applying truths to my life. That's what is so wonderful about God's Word. It is living. It applies to your life where you are now. You can read the same scripture a 1,000 times and you can get something from it 1,000 times. I could have read a verse a few years ago, reread it now that I'm in a totally different place in life, and the passage can mean so much more. I love how that works.
Last Sunday Jake spoke from the last part of Romans chapter 4. He spoke on guarantees. As a believer I have a guarantee of grace, I have a guarantee of a promise and I have a guarantee of justification through Christ. I want to expound on the guarantee of a promise.
Jake said something Sunday morning that really stuck out to me. "Physical evidence doesn't always line up with God's promises." Romans 4:18-21 says, "18 He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations[a] according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be.[b] 19 He considered[c] his own body to be already dead (since he was about 100 years old) and also considered the deadness of Sarah’s womb, without weakening in the faith. 20 He did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 because he was fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform."
God had promised Abraham descendants too numerous to count. The physical evidence seemed to prove otherwise. Abraham was old-- about 100--and his wife Sarah was 90. By all physical proof it would seem impossible for them to have children this late in the game. God's promise outweighed the physical evidence.
Look at Job. Without quoting the entire book, let me give you a rundown. Satan thinks that the only reason Job worships God is because God has blessed him so abundantly. God grants Satan permission to attack all of Job's possessions, leaving him destitute. He lost everything, including his children. When this wasn't enough to cause him to stop worshiping God Satan asked to strike his health. At this point Job is unrecognizable...and we're only into chapter 2! The last verses of the chapter brings his friends into the picture. It says, "12 When they looked from a distance, they could barely recognize him. They wept aloud, and each man tore his robe and threw dust into the air and on his head. 13 Then they sat on the ground with him seven days and nights, but no one spoke a word to him because they saw that his suffering was very intense."
Saying that Job was at an all-time low would be the understatement of the year. He lost everything, every physical possession, his children and now his health. His body was so mangled with boils and disease his friends couldn't even recognize him. They were so distraught none of them could even speak for a week! Every inch of this physical evidence would point to a curse from God. It would seem God had turned His back on Job. We would ask, "How could a loving God allow this?" Physical evidence isn't always accurate.
Job is depressed, to say the least. He is questioning why God even allowed him to be born. However, even through all this He won't curse God. His wife even came to him and said, "Do you still retain your integrity? Curse God and die!” He responded to her,“You speak as a foolish woman speaks. Should we accept only good from God and not adversity?” Throughout all this Job did not sin in what he said.
However, he is bitter and quite frankly having himself a grand ol' pitty party. (But who could blame him, though, right?) The end of the book shows God speaking to Job and Job finally coming to his senses again, realizing how much God truly loved him and asking God to forgive his pettiness. Chapter 43:10 says, "the Lord restored his prosperity and doubled his previous possessions."
All physical evidence during that time of Job's life pointed towards God turning His back on him. Physical evidence doesn't always line up with God's promises.
There may be something you are going through right now. You may not understand why it is happening, how God could allow it. You may question what the outcome will be, how you are going to get through it. I promise you this, if you turn your face towards the Savior, He will get you through. It may not turn out the way you had planned. Your life may not look like what you expected, but you will end up exactly where He wants you. You cannot do it on your own, however. You need Jesus. He will never leave you or forsake you, even if everyone and everything in your life does. Call out to Him. His promises are true.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Today is February 10th
February 10th is a reflection day for me... Well, it has been for the last several years. February 10 is forever marked as the worst day of my life. February 10 changed my life forever. I don't really like February 10.
February 10 was the day my daddy left this world and entered into eternity. It's been 6 years now. 6 years. As I type that I have to stop and look and count backwards. Has it really been that long? Yes. It has. 6 years worth of wanting to pick up the phone and call him. 6 years worth of dates I miss him taking me on. 6 years worth of wishing he was here to see his grandkids, and now great-grandkids, grow. 6 years of an emptiness and ache words cannot possibly come close to describing. 6 years.
The carnal side of me thinks he left this world way too soon. You're not supposed to lose a parent that young. There isn't a single day that goes by that I don't think about him, dream about him, wish I had him here.
I understand why he's gone--most of the time. He suffered terribly. His life was consumed with more physical pain than most people could endure. The last 17 months of his life we had to watch him literally die. We had to watch as his body slowly gave up. It wasn't easy.
I remember the last night he was here. JD and Cora and I had been over visiting him, as we had been every other night that week. His birthday would be approaching soon, February 26, and Cora began to discuss what she wanted for Grandaddy's birthday. My little 4 year old spoke from the backseat, "Do you know what I want for Grandaddy's birthday? I want God to heal him, and if God can't heal him here I want Him to take him to Heaven so he will be healed there." He died less than 6 hours later. The faith and prayer of a child.
Everyone who knew Doug Haynie was blessed. There was no one like my daddy. Whether he was Daddy (even my brother called him that), Grandaddy, Uncle Doug, a husband, a brother, a nephew, your friend, your pharmacist... He left a permanent and unmistakable mark on your life.
He was the man who got a call at 2AM from a sick client who needed his medicine right away--and would go. He was the man who, when his brothers or sister needed help, would go, no questions asked. He was the man who took every Wednesday off from work to spend with his baby daughter. He was the man who endured bands like Marky Mark, Warrant, Trixter and Firehouse, and many others, just to spend time with me. He was the man who let his 1st granddaughter, Brittnee, run through his pharmacy full-speed, knocking everything she could touch off the shelves, making his employees run after her picking up. He was the man who, when their parents told them they couldn't go swimming, pushed his granddaughters, Haleigh and Alyssa, into the pool, fully clothed. He liked bending those rules just a bit.
Friday, out of the blue, Cora asked me if I thought Grandaddy could look down on her from heaven. She's asked this before in the past. I told her I wasn't for sure, but the Bible says all of Heaven rejoices when one comes to Christ. I know for sure he was ecstatic and celebrating when she and JD gave their lives to the LORD and he is waiting for the day when we join him.
I look forward to that day too.
Knowing he was going to die, my dad had the opportunity to plan what he wanted for his funeral. He chose several verses, like Psalm 121, speaking of God's love and faithfulness. He also wanted to be sure the Gospel was presented clearly. He didn't want anyone to question where he was going, or how they could get there too.
He was ready to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
Knowing that brings me peace. Knowing he was ready, that he knew Who his Savior was, knowing he is no longer suffering and I will one day get to see him again brings me comfort. Without that I would be completely consumed with grief, even now.
For the time being I am resigned to being here, completing the work God has for me on this earth. My daddy had completed his.
February 10 was the day my daddy left this world and entered into eternity. It's been 6 years now. 6 years. As I type that I have to stop and look and count backwards. Has it really been that long? Yes. It has. 6 years worth of wanting to pick up the phone and call him. 6 years worth of dates I miss him taking me on. 6 years worth of wishing he was here to see his grandkids, and now great-grandkids, grow. 6 years of an emptiness and ache words cannot possibly come close to describing. 6 years.
The carnal side of me thinks he left this world way too soon. You're not supposed to lose a parent that young. There isn't a single day that goes by that I don't think about him, dream about him, wish I had him here.
I understand why he's gone--most of the time. He suffered terribly. His life was consumed with more physical pain than most people could endure. The last 17 months of his life we had to watch him literally die. We had to watch as his body slowly gave up. It wasn't easy.
I remember the last night he was here. JD and Cora and I had been over visiting him, as we had been every other night that week. His birthday would be approaching soon, February 26, and Cora began to discuss what she wanted for Grandaddy's birthday. My little 4 year old spoke from the backseat, "Do you know what I want for Grandaddy's birthday? I want God to heal him, and if God can't heal him here I want Him to take him to Heaven so he will be healed there." He died less than 6 hours later. The faith and prayer of a child.
Everyone who knew Doug Haynie was blessed. There was no one like my daddy. Whether he was Daddy (even my brother called him that), Grandaddy, Uncle Doug, a husband, a brother, a nephew, your friend, your pharmacist... He left a permanent and unmistakable mark on your life.
He was the man who got a call at 2AM from a sick client who needed his medicine right away--and would go. He was the man who, when his brothers or sister needed help, would go, no questions asked. He was the man who took every Wednesday off from work to spend with his baby daughter. He was the man who endured bands like Marky Mark, Warrant, Trixter and Firehouse, and many others, just to spend time with me. He was the man who let his 1st granddaughter, Brittnee, run through his pharmacy full-speed, knocking everything she could touch off the shelves, making his employees run after her picking up. He was the man who, when their parents told them they couldn't go swimming, pushed his granddaughters, Haleigh and Alyssa, into the pool, fully clothed. He liked bending those rules just a bit.
Friday, out of the blue, Cora asked me if I thought Grandaddy could look down on her from heaven. She's asked this before in the past. I told her I wasn't for sure, but the Bible says all of Heaven rejoices when one comes to Christ. I know for sure he was ecstatic and celebrating when she and JD gave their lives to the LORD and he is waiting for the day when we join him.
I look forward to that day too.
Knowing he was going to die, my dad had the opportunity to plan what he wanted for his funeral. He chose several verses, like Psalm 121, speaking of God's love and faithfulness. He also wanted to be sure the Gospel was presented clearly. He didn't want anyone to question where he was going, or how they could get there too.
He was ready to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
Knowing that brings me peace. Knowing he was ready, that he knew Who his Savior was, knowing he is no longer suffering and I will one day get to see him again brings me comfort. Without that I would be completely consumed with grief, even now.
For the time being I am resigned to being here, completing the work God has for me on this earth. My daddy had completed his.
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