~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NOTES FROM THE VALLEY - October 6, 2000 "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me." Psalm 23. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TOPIC: WHY DID GOD LET THIS HAPPEN? On Monday, Cathy's Mom, Bea, called to let us know that the doctors have classified her cancer as untreatable. Oddly enough it was she who ministered to our pain during her phone call instead of the other way around. She loves the Lord so very much and feels a real sense of peace with whatever His will is for her. She is ready to go Home if He says it's time. She's also willing to stay here if He has more for her to do. She's placing herself entirely in His hands. Please pray for us all - may our tears of sorrow be mingled with tears of joy and thanksgiving for her salvation and place in God's heavenly kingdom. We love you Mom. Bad things happen to good people. From where we sit, it's not right, it's not fair, but it happens all the time. And we want to know why. We turn our eyes towards heaven and ask God the question, "Why did you let this happen?" I know I've asked Him that question many times in my life - often in anger. Because of God's infinite grace and love, He has ignored my anger and ministered to my pain. I pray this edition will help Cathy, her brother Craig, and anyone else who is hurting, find God's answers to that question. Sometimes good, wonderful, people get hurt simply because they're the victim of another person's poor choices. Sometimes even their own poor choices. Someone, overcome by the hurts of this world, chooses to inflict his pain on others and violence erupts - innocent people are injured or die. As a people, we chose to ignore the dangers of pollution and now we've become its victims - as ingested and inhaled poisons kill the young and the old alike. Not spiritual death. Jesus clearly paid the price for that. But physical death for each sin committed in this physical world. Many people see God as the one dishing out those consequences. To them, He is a very stern and cold-hearted judge who watches every move we make and the minute we do something wrong, He's jumps on us with both feet. I don't want to get in a fuss with anyone about their beliefs, but that's not the way God has revealed Himself to me or our church family. God is most certainly the final judge of us all. He is most certainly omnipresent, so He sees everything we do. He judges us fairly according to the law and our choices. But He's not the one doing the jumping. The devil is. He's the prosecutor and the punisher. If we are foolish enough to bow before sin, as Adam and Eve did, the devil demands his due and God must release His covering over us while the devil inflicts on us the consequences of our choices. It's not what God wants. But He gave us our free will and if we use it to make bad choices then the consequences are ours as well. Sickness and suffering entered into this world when those in authority sinned and let the devil in. Sickness and suffering came in with him. The same sickness and suffering that can drive someone to aim a gun at innocent victims and themselves and pull the trigger. The same sickness and suffering the devil will use to drive you away from God if you'll let him. Sickness and suffering were never God's will. God's will was obedient and abundant life in the Garden of Eden. God the just Judge is also God the loving Father. Even while we suffer at the devil's hands for our sins or the consequences of another's sin, God is moving on our behalf, working within the self imposed limits He placed on Himself as a condition of our free will and within our hearts to teach us and recover us back under His protective and loving care. I know the pain Cathy and Craig are feeling. I lost both my parents at an early age. I also know what my anger at God did to me then. The terribly destructive power of anger and unforgiveness. The utter foolishness of chosing them over the outstreached arms of our Father - God. He offers us so much more. It seems like every day the news is filled with violent crimes where innocent victims suffer or die. Or the news of some precious person who has succumbed to a deadly disease leaving a host of friends of love ones mourning their loss. Roughly 2,000 years ago, the headlines read "Jesus is Dead! Nazarene crucified for claiming to be the Son of God!!" The prophet that had been welcomed with cheers and Hosannas just days before was gone. The one who had done so many miraculous things among the people and taught with such wisdom and power was no more. His disciples were scattered and in hiding, their hopes and dreams shattered. Those who followed Christ, who had heard Him teach and had believed, lifted their eyes towards heaven and asked the question "Why?" They could not yet understand that their apparent loss was actually their salvation - and the salvation of the world. They did not want Jesus to die. But if He hadn't, where would we be today? And therein lies our lesson for the tragedies that confront us in life: No matter how dark or senseless things may seem - God is always in control and will always keep His promise to lead us safely home. At various times in our lives, all of us will ask the pain-filled question, "Why?" In response, the devil will offer the bitter fruit of anger and unforgiveness. The Father offers the sweet, healing power of His love and grace. He intends for us to be the messengers of that offer. I remain a work in progress, sheltered under His wing, overwhelmed sometimes by tears, but forever overwhelmed by His love, Steve Hall THE WILL OF GOD (Received from Linda Layton - Author Unknown) The will of God will never take you, Where the Grace of God cannot keep you, Where the Arms of God cannot support you, Where the Riches of God cannot supply your needs, Where the Power of God cannot endow you. The will of God will never take you, Where the Spirit of God cannot work through you, Where the Wisdom of God cannot teach you, Where the Army of God cannot protect you, Where the Hands of God cannot mold you. The Will of God will never take you, Where the Love of God cannot enfold you, Where the Mercies of God cannot sustain you, Where the Peace of God cannot calm your fears, Where the Authority of God cannot overrule for you. The will of God will never take you, Where the Comfort of God cannot dry your tears, Where the Word of God cannot feed you, Where the Miracles of God cannot be done for you, Where the Omnipresence of God cannot find you. HOME WHERE I BELONG (Received from InspiringWords - Author Glenn A. Hascall, " Tales From The Rearview Mirror") "Do you see that one down there?" He asked. "The strong one?" Came a questioning response. "No, the frail one. She is the one that I want you to visit." "But she is weak and full of years." "That is why I need you to visit her." "She'll be coming to see You then?" "Yes." "Now I see." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "You just hang in there mom, you'll get better. We're praying for you," Jason spoke softly with a conviction he did not feel. She drew the water bottle to her lips and took a long slow sip before a weak reply, "Son, I love you with all my heart, but I haven't lived this long not to know that my time is short." "Don't talk that way mamma. We need you. Just keep fighting, you will get better." Jason held a tear just long enough for him to make his way from his mamma's hospital room. More and more these days she found herself in constant communion with her Father and His Son. It seemed odd to her that in all her years of life she had looked either backwards or ahead and could only see her role as mother, wife, grandma and great-grandma. At some point that all changed for her. Most people who talked of heaven spoke of golden streets, mansions, and crowns. Admittedly she had thought along those lines until recently. She had lived long enough to realize that possessions have little, if any, value. She had raised six children, lived through the depression, and had gone through the foreclosure of the farm and knew that things really didn't mean much. What she most looked forward to was being in the presence of God without pain, without fatigue, without tears. Her spirit drifted effortlessly into prayer while he stood unnoticed. The Father had allowed him to hear the unspoken prayer of this saint and he thought he knew why she was so special to Him. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Do you see that one down there?" He asked again. "You mean the frail one?" The angel was sure he knew what the Master was speaking of. "No, the child. He's the one I want you to visit." "But Master, he is so young and full of life." "But I need you to visit him, he will soon be in My presence." "I don't understand." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I get to go to Sunday School, I get to go to Sunday School," the boy chanted in a singsong voice as his grandfather started the car. "Tommy, make sure to buckle up," his grandpa told him as he backed out of the driveway. Another passenger remained unseen as the car rolled toward Bethel Chapel on 4th and Terrace. Since his parents death in a car accident three years ago Tommy seemed to have a hunger for Jesus. He wanted to read Bible stories, he memorized scripture, he told Jesus to make his heart a home two years ago and Tommy had become a spiritual sponge. Many children his age could not understand why he was so into that "Jesus stuff." Tommy was singing "Jesus Loves The Little Children," when it happened. Metal collided with metal, screams were heard and slowly all became quiet as a young boy was ushered into the presence of the One who made His home in a young heart. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Some might wonder - why Tommy? We can perhaps understand an elderly widow who has lived a full life finding a new home in heaven, but why Tommy? Why a teenager facing a gunman? Why a mother of four, who dies of an asthma attack? Why a family who can't get out of a burning car? Why a young grandmother who just wants to live long enough to see her grandchild born? Why? I don't know that anyone can adequately answer that elusive "why" question. God's Word does explain something that is not so elusive, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints" (Prov. 116:15). Why would a Christian's death be precious to the Lord? He grieves with those of us left behind, but consider what those saints, young or old, experience in His presence. For the saints who are now home they find the God of all comfort is with them in a way they have never experienced. He removes all pain and sorrow. No more gunmen, no more car crashes, no more asthma, no more cancer, no more natural disasters, no more broken hearts, no more medicine, no more decay. Just peace and comfort in the arms of Jesus. Then they truly understand that they are "precious" in His sight. THE MESSENGER (Author Stephen J. Hall) God reveals Himself to us in ways we seldom see; Too wrapped up in our daily lives of earthbound reality. But children are a different lot, that's why He loves them so; Exploring life's curiosities wherever they may go. They feel His breathe in a summer breeze, see His face in a billowing cloud; And celebrate His sun-filled days with a joy expressed out loud. So when one of these little ones, a blonde-haired boy of three; Became perplexed at his Gramma's death, just guess where God would be. Through a brightly colored butterfly, the child's cheek softly kissed; From the Gramma up in heaven, to tell him he was missed. 2nd Corinthians 5:17 says the old is reborn the new; A promise given in Jesus Christ and made to me and you. From a caterpillar to a butterfly, A symbol of Christ's rebirth; What better messenger of eternal love To the child still on the earth. GOD - I HURT! (The following was posted on the wall at the Oklahoma City bombing site) I said, "God, I hurt." And God said, "I know." I said, "God, I cry a lot." And God said, "That is why I gave you tears." I said, "God, I am so depressed." And God said, "That is why I gave you Sunshine." I said, "God, life is so hard." And God said, "That is why I gave you loved ones." I said, "God, my loved one died." And God said, "So did mine." I said, "God, it is such a loss." And God said, "I saw mine nailed to a cross." I said, "God, but your loved one lives." And God said, "So does yours." I said, "God, where are they now?" And God said, "Mine is on My right. Yours is in the Light." I said, "God, it hurts." And God said, "I know." WHAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE? (Received from Alan Smith - Thought for the Day) A sick man turned to his doctor as he was leaving the room after paying a visit, and said, "Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side." Very quietly the doctor said, "I don't know." "You don't know?! You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?" The doctor was holding the handle of the door. On the other side came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness. Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice that dog? He had never been in this room before. He did not know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing: I know my Master is there, and that is enough. And when the door opens, I shall pass through with no fear, but with gladness." ________________________________________________ Copyright © 1998-2000 by Stephen J. Hall - Weekly letters of encouragement to Christians written by Stephen J. Hall unless otherwise indicated. Notes from the Valley and Humor from the Valley are never intended to offend anyone. They're meant only to brighten your day and encourage you along the way. Most of "Notes" and "Humor" are a collection of items provided to me by subscribers and friends. Credit is given to both the contributor and to the true author, where known. If you are blessed by them, please feel free to make copies and pass them along to others. If you have something you'd like to contribute to a future edition or would like to ask us a question or make a comment, please contact us at: sossteve@... ________________________________________________ Your love, God, is my song, and I'll sing it! I'm forever telling everyone how faithful you are. I'll never quit telling the story of your love - how you built the cosmos and guaranteed everything in it. Your love has always been our lives foundation, your fidelity has been the roof over our world. (Psalm 89:1-3 The Message)