Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Job, George & Me

At midnight,
I awoke, burning up and in writhing pain.
Whether it is something hormonal, something I ate,
or simply an attack from Satan,
I don't know.
But as I lay there in fetal position,
I began thinking about my life as compared to that of
Job (the Bible) and of
George Bailey (It's A Wonderful Life).
Like Job, I have lovingly, fearfully and willingly served God for as long as I can remember.
And as with Job, in many ways, my life has fallen apart.
Thankfully, unlike Job, my children remain alive and well and I still have a roof over my head.
I have, however, been stripped of many, many things
and have spent plenty of time lamenting the day of my birth.
To have been born only to end up where I am right now makes very little sense to me.
Job didn't understand why he was allowed to go through all he went through.
He was, after all, a righteous man.
In fact, God said that there was no one else on the earth like him.
Yet, God allowed Satan to test him, sift him and attempt to destroy him.
 I clearly see that the same is true in my own life.

Though Job and I have struggled, we remain faithful.
In fact, through each trial,
we gain new revelation of the LORD
and our relationship with Him is strengthened.
Like Job, I understand that God is sovereign and that He does as He wills.
It does not matter what happens on this earth;
I am His and He is mine.
Yes, His banner over me is Love.
In comparison to George Bailey, I understand what it is like to be thrust
into situations by a sense of duty and responsibility and mostly due to
circumstances beyond my control.
My life has reached a place where all odds are against me.
Though no one has (yet) come to arrest me, things are a hopeless mess.
People judge and do not (even try to) understand.
All the while, things spin out of control.

As with George, Satan attempts to destroy me.
But as I stand on the brink, I remember that Jesus said
in this world would be trial and; testing.
But He also said to not fear because He had overcome it all.
And because He is victoriuos, I am victorious.
I have yet to see this victory manifested in my life,
but I must hold onto this promise
and remember,
His banner over me is Love.


Something the Lord revealed to me this morning (as I lay writhing)
was that both Job and George's stories have happy endings.
Interestingly, God used people to restore both Job and George,
which is, indeed, a miracle!
Both men came out victorious and better off than when they had begun.
Whether my story has a happy ending or not remains to be seen.
But I have come to realize that
all that truly matters is that I remain faithful (to the end) to the One whose
Banner over me is Love.



3 comments:

  1. Oh Lysa, you're always so quick to be there for prayers for me and all the time you're struggling on your own. I'm so sorry that you seem to be, being tested at this time. All I can think to say is that when things are at there hardest, it's often because you are right in line with God and his will. The devil doesn't like that and is doing his best to rattle you. I'm praying with all the heart and strength I have for your ability to stay strong and ride this out. I saw so much of myself and my own feelings in what you wrote. Which you describe so well. I love the title of this post. It's so funny that I say the same things you do and question why things can be so difficult and what I did so wrong. Reading that someone else goes through this helps me to get a grip. I hope it somehow helps you to know that your not alone. Christmas is a blessing to be enjoyed but there is also a lot of pressure that comes with that. This is a hard year for many to be joyous. I've had so many of those ole' blue Christmas, missing family and things. I'm praying that the blues stay away from you and the joy of knowing your ones of Gods most loved children shores up your strength.

    Big hugs and a heartful of love...Tracy :)

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  2. Goodness, praying that you stand victorious soon and that God may lift you up and heal and wounds.

    Praying that you are able to enjoy the miracle of His birth this year!
    Kate

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hey Sweetie. I'm sorry I haven't been able to check in on you sooner. You've been on my mind so much. You're in my prayers daily and my thoughts are with you. You're so loved by God and so dedicated to him, thank you for being an example for so many of us.

    Wishing you a wonderful New Years weekend.

    love and hugs...Tracy :)

    ReplyDelete

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