Questions

Questions

The Psalms are full of questionings. How long Lord? Why Lord? The psalmists were real people with problems just like ours. They saw the wickedness around them, and wondered when God would punish it. They went through times when they felt God was far off, and wondered how long it would be like that. They questioned the pain and suffering and the injustice in the world around them, and in their own lives as well.
They searched for answers to the question why, yet in the process their hearts turned to dwell on the love and faithfulness of the Lord. Their suffering and sorrow was turned into a song.

This past week, I can relate to the psalmists. About 2 weeks after my surgery, when my prescription strength Ibuprophen had run out, I was hit with a toothache and what felt like strept throat and an ear infection. Maybe I had those symptoms for a while and never knew because of my medications. Motrin wasn’t touching the pain, so off I went to the dentist, only to find out I need a root canal, and I begin to wonder, why me, why now?
He gave me an antibiotic, 800 mg Ibuprophen, and a referral to Farmington for February 27th, since I have no dental insurance. You can guess where my income tax refund is going. (Does anyone want to drive in with me? I’m not sure I will feel like driving home after a root canal.)

Now, I realize on the grand scale of things, I have it easy compared to what many people have to face. But, as the bills for my past 2 surgeries start to filter in, and I am still on light duty around the house, I began to wonder why. My answer came in two stages.

We were at a Friday night soaker meeting, where the presence of God was especially real, and God began to speak to my heart as Darryl played the guitar. It is the pressure of the guitarist on the strings that helps make the music. Not just one string, but it takes 3 strings being squashed against the hard surface of the guitar to make a chord. There is also the repeated strumming on the strings that makes the melody. We wonder why things come in bunches, yet it is the pressure in our lives that can bring out the beautiful music the Master Musician wants to play in our lives. Sometimes we are too busy whining to cooperate with His touch, and His melody is hard to hear. When we yield to His work in our lives, no matter how uncomfortable it may seem, He can bring out the tune that glorifies Him.

The second part of my answer came from the life of Joseph. He did nothing to deserve prison, yet God had him there. God used that time to build his character, to save his family and the future nation of Israel, and to spare many Egyptian lives. Though none of it made sense to Joseph while he was suffering in jail, God had a plan. God restored his relationship with his family. He raised him to a place of power and influence, second in command over all of Egypt. He gave him a vision that his people would one day leave there to go to the Promised Land, and he made his family promise to bring his remains along. Although Joseph might not have chosen to go that way, he saw God’s hand in it all. He recognized that God’s plans were for his good.

In my last blog, I shared a bit of confusion going on with my college classes. I dropped the US History, and could not for the life of me get into Art Appreciation online. At the very last minute, I added a Tuesday night class called Women Writers Across the Cultures. We are reading 6 novels and the class is mostly discussion, and I love it! It’s so interesting, there are about 12 women in the class, and I had only missed one week so I was able to jump in and get caught up the first week. I have 2 papers to write, and a presentation to do. My World Civ class online is totally boring, but this makes up for it! It seems that God is orchestrating my schedule, as 3 of the 4 classes I have so far have been writing classes. I am hoping Creative Writing will be available this summer, it’s the one class I really wanted to take, and I only need 4 more credits. We’ll see how it fits in with the family vacation schedule.

Just a few verses from Psalm 18…

To the faithful, you show yourself faithful;
to those with integrity you show integrity.
You light a lamp for me.
The Lord my God, lights up my darkness.
God’s way is perfect.
All the Lord’s promises prove true.
He is a shield for all those to look to Him for protection.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
My God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me and my place of safety.

Wherever you are today, may the Lord light your path. May He be your place of safety.
May you rest in His promises and know His peace. May your life be His melody.

Love and prayers,
Cheryl

2/13/08