Showing posts with label Mary rejoices. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mary rejoices. Show all posts

Friday 20 November 2015

A Time for Tears and Joy.


Photo by Laitche
Who is God?

He is the creator of time and space.

"There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace."
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8


Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
To every thing there is a season,.... A set determined time, when everything shall come into being, how long it shall continue, and in what circumstances; all things that have been, are, or shall be, were foreordained by God, and he has determined the times before appointed for their being, duration, and end; which times and seasons he has in his own power: there was a determined time for the whole universe, and for all persons and things in it; a settled fixed moment for the world to come into being; for it did not exist from everlasting, nor of itself, nor was formed by the fortuitous concourse of atoms, but by the wisdom and power of God; nor could it exist sooner or later than it did; it appeared when it was the will of God it should; in the beginning he created it, and he has fixed the time of its duration and end; for it shall not continue always, but have an end, which when it will be, he only knows: so there is a determined time for the rise, height, and declension of states and kingdoms in it; as of lesser ones, so of the four great monarchies; and for all the distinct periods and ages of the world; and for each of the seasons of the year throughout all ages; for the state of the church in it, whether in suffering or flourishing circumstances; for the treading down of the holy city; for the prophesying, slaying, and rising of the witnesses; for the reign and ruin of antichrist; for the reign of Christ on earth, and for his second coming to judgment, though of that day and hour knows no man: and as there is a set time in the counsels and providence of God for these more important events, so for every thing of a lesser nature...

Who am I?

A grandma who lost her dear grandson. But I trust God's timing and purpose in his death. Today is his birthday, a time we miss him very much, although Christmas and Thanksgiving are the hardest. But something wonderful happened yesterday that made this day happy for me.

Craig's brother, Jordan, asked his mom to buy him a Bible. He was reading a tiny Bible I had given him many years ago. It was a New Testament and Psalms Bible. He said he heard about a text and wanted to look it up but his little Bible didn't have that book. So he asked why it didn't. Sandy told him he only had half a Bible and then came and got a new Bible from me and gave it to him. I am so full of joy right now! I was thanking God over and over, because I didn't know if Jordan would ever be interested in knowing God or not.

Jordan loved his brother so much. I think perhaps Craig's death has lead him to search for God because he wants very much to see his brother again. This is how God brings beauty out of ashes! "Oh Lord, I do pray they will see each other again and be together with you forever in heaven."

When I heard about Jordan, I remembered the praise Mary gave God when she was visiting her cousin Elizabeth. I looked it up and the words describe how I feel today.

And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”

Luke 1 :46-55