This week has been challenging to stomach for anyone noticing the headlines. On a personal level, a long-time friend of the family was buried at the beginning of the week, and the father of my son’s girlfriend passed away a few days ago from complications due to COVID-19. She had already missed several days of school due to her need to quarantine, and the day he died, someone stole her wallet and keys to her car.
We live in a fallen world. My heart aches for this precious young lady and her family, facing the loss of a godly father and husband.
I imagine the dash between the dates on a tombstone as a short length of string, which is made up of tiny strands of fibers, some sticking out, but most intersecting, interweaving, crossing backwards and forwards, and tightly wound together. Maybe upon the closest inspection that string is not so attractive; maybe it looks very messy under a microscope! But stepping away from the minuscule evaluation, we can see a final product—the beautiful color and the strength of the material–and we can imagine how useful the thread is for connecting greater materials, creating lovelier designs.
Pondering the losses of these lives, I’m reminded of a sermon Rev. Scott Sistrunk preached several years ago, which he entitled, “Plot Twists.” If we have breath in our bodies, we have a story that we’re telling. Hopefully, the story is one that has a point, a direction, and a goal, and not one that is meandering in indecision and self-fulfillment.
The most interesting and engaging stories are the ones that have plot twists. How we respond to our own story’s plot twists can encourage or discourage those who are observing us, as well as future generations. Our response develops our character and potentially our recognition that we desperately need God.
Wednesday night, while my son was driving two-and-a-half hours at a breakneck speed to get his girlfriend to her father so that she could say a final goodbye, I was watching our mid-week service online. Rev. Braden Reeves was passionately teaching on Psalms 85:10, which expounds on the character of God: “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” I’m so thankful that when we are faced with an unbelievable reality, God extends to us an equal measure of mercy. It’s up to us to accept it.
I know without a doubt that God is still in control. I’m believing Him today that He will uphold and comfort the sorrowful, set a clear path before those who desire to find Him, and show His great mercy to the scared and lonely folks dealing with political and natural disasters this week.
May you find time to seek His will for your life today!
Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (James 4:14, KJV)
