Hope for Family

I found myself considering this morning the ways I tend to respond to family members.  I oftentimes have normal loving relationships with my family members, and at other times those relationships can end up becoming quite toxic.  I spent my weekend visiting a family member who is elderly and in poor health, I attempted to bring comfort and care for this person only to find that her neediness exceeded my capabilities to help her.   To be blunt ‘I was overwhelmed’, but that didn’t stop me from at least offering to help.  Upon leaving, I felt drained of energy and spirit.  I could worship the Lord (which I did, even though I didn’t feel like it) and it helped me rejuvenate my spirit, but something was still wrong—what was it?  That was my question to the Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:1-5 (GWT)

¹ We know that if the life we live here on earth is ever taken down like a tent, we still have a building from God. It is an eternal house in heaven that isn’t made by human hands. ² In our present tent-like existence we sigh, since we long to put on the house we will have in heaven. ³ After we have put it on, we won’t be naked. ⁴ While we are in this tent, we sigh. We feel distressed because we don’t want to take off the tent, but we do want to put on the eternal house. Then eternal life will put an end to our mortal existence. ⁵ God has prepared us for this and has given us his Spirit to guarantee it.

The Lord finally spoke with me on Thursday morning and said something like this:  “Steve, what is more important?  What you can do???  Or, what I can do?”  Then I realized the problem, God withdrew his presence from me because of my worry and over concern for my family member.  I needed to surrender this person to God for my own sake, and for theirs.  God was letting me know that I cannot effect their outcome, only He can.   So, what is more important?  What I can do?  Or, what God can do?  I think that answer is obvious, but not always apparent.

Psalm 130 (GWT)

 ¹ O Lord, out of the depths I call to you.
² O Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be open to my pleas for mercy.
³ O Lord, who would be able to stand
    if you kept a record of sins?
⁴ But with you there is forgiveness
    so that you can be feared.
⁵ I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
    and with hope I wait for his word.
⁶ My soul waits for the Lord
    more than those who watch for the morning,
    more than those who watch for the morning.
⁷ O Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
    because with the Lord there is mercy
        and with him there is unlimited forgiveness.
⁸             He will rescue Israel from all its sins.

In God’s gracious way He was reminding me that ‘no other God’s can come before Him”.   Now I wasn’t making my family member a ‘god’, but my worry was making it difficult to come before God’s presence with a clear conscious, and that was my conflict.  I needed again to come and kneel before my savior and reach for the secret,  the secret is that God has completed the work (all the work) and I can rest in that completed work.  I can place my family member in the Lord’s care with confidence rest in the knowledge that He knows what is best for her far better than I do.

Isaiah 40:28-31 (GWT)

²⁸     Don’t you know?
        Haven’t you heard?
    The eternal God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth,
        doesn’t grow tired or become weary.
            His understanding is beyond reach.
²⁹     He gives strength to those who grow tired
        and increases the strength of those who are weak.
³⁰     Even young people grow tired and become weary,
        and young men will stumble and fall.
³¹     Yet, the strength of those who wait with hope in the Lord
        will be renewed.
            They will soar on wings like eagles.
                They will run and won’t become weary.
                They will walk and won’t grow tired.

Lord, I trust you to make the best out of every difficult situation.  You know what is best and what needs to be done even before I ask you, because you are God.  Forgive me for worrying and not trusting you fully.  I am being made into your likeness, even though my old nature gets in the way of that process sometimes.  Help me to again surrender my spirit to you that you can receive glory in and through me.  You are worthy of praise and honor, and I bless your Holy name!   I place my hope in you!

Blessed be your Name

Words and Music by Matt Redman & Beth Redman

         

Blessed Be Your Name

In the land that is plentiful

Where Your streams of abundance flow

Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name

When I'm found in the desert place

Though I walk through the wilderness

Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out

I'll turn back to praise

When the darkness closes in, Lord

Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your name

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name

When the sun's shining down on me

When the world's 'all as it should be'

Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name

On the road marked with suffering

Though there's pain in the offering

Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out

I'll turn back to praise

When the darkness closes in, Lord

Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your name

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your name

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away

You give and take away

My heart will choose to say

Lord, blessed be Your name

           Chord Chart Link:  http://www.worshiparchive.com/song/blessed-be-your-name