Romans 8:28

Recently a dear friend sent this e-mail to me about his wife who has been struggling the past few years with medical issues. We often question God's existence and His goodness in times of intense trial, but here is a testamony from a couple that has a proper understanding of who God is because of their experience with pain and suffering. May we be blessed to face trials with such faith and courage.

"The purpose of this email is to let you know about the latest miracle in our lives. Since I last sent you an update, Paulette has had some challenges with pleural effusions or to us regular folks that's fluid collecting around her lung. The obvious result is difficulty in breathing. She was hospitalized almost 3 months ago for removal of approximately one and a half liters of fluid. Seven weeks later an equal amount had collected again and had to be removed. Three weeks later (which was one week ago) the pulmonologist estimated that one and a half quarts of fluid had built up again. She was scheduled for the procedure to remove the fluid last Thursday. X-rays were made upon her arrival for the appointment, and when the Dr. came into the room and saw her x-ray, a broad grin spread across his face. He said that Paulette is one lucky lady because most of the fluid had vanished, and there was not enough to be concerned about. We told him that people around the world are praying for us, and that we've experienced miracles before. The Dr. said, "well, somebody is listening because you've just had another miracle." He ended the 3 to 4 minute Dr. visit by giving Paulette a big hug (not his usual style) and wished us a Merry Christmas.

Few people that I have met experience these kinds of miracles in a lifetime. Yet during the past three years, Paulette has been the recipient of three really big ones. In 2006 she was diagnosed with untreatable and inoperable cancer. Miraculously, the cancer disappeared. In 2007 a growth appeared in her heart which prevented her body from processing blood. The doctors thought her death was near. Miraculously, within a few days the fluid disappeared along with the blockage in her heart. And now in 2008 a large amount of fluid disappeared from around her lung.

I won't pretend that I understand why we've been singled out for these blessings anymore than I understand why there is now a plum sized growth on the outside of Paulette's heart. We've known about this growth for over a year. We know that should either or both of us die tomorrow, we have had three incredible "bonus" years together on this earth, since our odyssey began the day before Christmas 2005. It is a certainty that God is good, and His mercy lasts forever. What a gift, and what better time than the Christmas Season to be reminded of God's grace and mercy. Two thousand years ago He gave the greatest gift of all -- His son, Jesus. All of this is about Him, not us. "

Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for the good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose."

Consider the works of His hands!

THE GREATEST OF THESE REASONS

Saturday morning we were locked out of our home. I had thrown my keys on the kitchen table because Joanna was planning on driving me to work. She thought I grabbed her keys. What had started out as a peaceful family morning was about to turn sour. If our neighbors had been watching what they would have seen was a display of my sinful nature.

Upon reflection I realize that my actions were a response to the stresses of the moment. My reaction, that's important to note. I had a choice to react differently, but I chose to be angry at my wife for not bringing out her keys. I did not have to be angry. I chose to be. I also chose to be anxious because by this time I was late for work. I care about what people would think of me. I want to be known as reliable, and dependable, and being late could stain my good image.

Quickness to anger, and fear of man are unfortunately sins I recognize in myself. God was teaching me and my lesson was not over. Since we moved from our apartment into this house I have noticed that I have been dealing with fearful thoughts stemming from issues of security. We are more in the city now, and one window in the house is broken. I thought I had secured it until it could be repaired. As I was circling he house trying to break in I decided to try the window I had secured. I removed the screen and knocked the window with the palm of my hand totally expecting it to remain firmly in place. Instead the entire window fell backwards out of the frame into the house. It was in this moment I realized that I had been holding on to a false sense of security. How foolish to trust in locked doors and windows. Anyone who wanted in the house clearly is going to get in the house regardless of how secure it is. I need to place my faith and trust in God and not locks and keys.

What does this lesson from the Lord teach me? I am prideful, and I don't trust God. I am in desperate need of the Gospel. The only hope for my sinfulness is the grace of God, His forgiveness obtained by the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. I needed that grace the moment I first believed in Him, and I need it still today as I continue to allow Him to conform me more and more into His image. Clearly He has much work left to do with me. How thankful I am for the coming of Christ into our world. During this season of advent I have many reasons to be thankful. The forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life found only through Jesus Christ are the greatest of these reasons.

And if you think God was done teaching me this weekend you should have seen my reaction this morning when Joanna asked me the question, "Steve did you park the car in the cul-de-sac"?

A ONE IN SEVEN CHANCE THAT LIFE HAS MEANING

At the approaching of each years close we have the opportunity to reflect upon our lives in a way that is different from other days throughout the year. Perhaps it has to do with the nostalgia of days past, or the promise of starting anew in the coming year. Whatever the reason we certainly are faced with hopeful messages during the advent season. What is the message you hear at Christmas? Hope, peace, love, the brotherhood of man, setting all differences aside? Does the message promise peace of mind, or peace on earth lasting throughout the year? Does the message and your hope in it last past January?

Alfred Delp writes that during this time of the year we experience contrasting emotions. "We are eager, yet frazzled; sentimental, yet indifferent. One minute we glow at the thought of getting together with our family and friends; the next we feel utterly lonely. Our hope is mingled with dread, our anticipation with despair. We sense the deeper meanings of the season but grasp at them in vain; and in the end, all the bustle leaves us frustrated and drained."

I believe it is possible that even with all the hopeful messages being sung, and caroled to us we can still miss the point. And each advent season I am reminded of the importance of the longing of ancient prophets awaiting the Messiah, and their hope as they longed for the fulfillment of what the foresaw thousands of years before he was born.

"We...are often so dulled by superficial distractions that we are incapable of hearing any voice within, let alone listening to it. Consequently, the feeling we know as Christmas cheer lacks any real connection to the vital spirit that radiated from the manger...Advent marks something momentous: God's coming into our midst...Advent is not merely a commemorative event or an anniversary, but a yearly opportunity for us to consider the future, second Advent, the promised coming of God's kingdom on earth." (Alfred Delp ) That Christ is returning is more than just a promise of glad tidings or peace on earth. His return is the righting of all wrongs, the answer to so many tears shed in a moment of "Why God?" He is coming to complete the good news of the Gospel message. As Christ spoke of Himself in His first advent with the words of Isaiah the prophet "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19). Now on his second advent he will complete the work adding to this quote the rest of Isaiah 61 ending with, "So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations." The hope we are dreaming of, the peace we are hopeful for are coming with the Lord Jesus.

But what about those who would say belief in God is irrational? Take for example the most recent attack on faith. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,450445,00.html

The anti-theists ads that came out this year saying "Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness' sake". While the men and women who believe themselves to be agnostic or atheist (I contend it is impossible to be either) certainly desire peace on earth, and good will toward mankind they believe it cannot come from blind faith.

Chuck Colson writes that knowledge of God is innate within humans. (see Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 1:18 and following). He tells us that today "secular biologists and scientists studying the human mind have found strong evidence of this intuitive knowledge...what some have even called the God gene. This need to connect to God and to one another was documented in a recent scholarly study entitled 'Wired to Connect.' We are made to seek meaning beyond ourselves in ways a purposeless, random process could not explain." Colson continues by saying we are made this way because what we long for is real. He adds that C.S. Lewis once commented that we all hunger by nature and food has been made to satisfy our hunger, we are made for it.

One of the anti-theists of our day Richard Dawkins says, "Any God capable of designing a universe, carefully tuned to lead to our evolution, must be a supremely complex and improbable entity that needs an even bigger explanation than the one He is supposed to provide." Dawkins believes God is therefore ruled out by the laws of probability. He simply cannot be God because he is beyond our understanding. But this is the very definition of God. St Anselm proposed so many years ago that God is that which is beyond what the human mind can comprehend. And years before Anselm, Isaiah inspired by God wrote, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord." (55:8).

Dawkins says "that he chooses to live as if God does not exist. But at the same time, he concedes that on a scale of 1 to 7, 1 being certainty that God exists, and 7 certainty He doesn't, Dawkins rates himself a 6, at least acknowledging that he cannot prove his position." (Colson)

A one in seven chance that life has meaning is better than a zero in seven. It was the philosopher Pascal who argues that if there is no God, and you bet your life there is then you have lost nothing. But if there is a God, and you bet your life that there is not, then you have lost everything, making the greatest mistake possible.

Colson adds, "If Dawkins had been on the titanic and was offered two lifeboats, one certain to sink as opposed to one with a one in seven chance of staying afloat, he would have instantly chosen the latter. To choose the boat with no hope would be clearly irrational."

And so it is with us this advent season. As we reflect on hope filled messages we can choose to gamble on the empty promise of peace, comfort and joy from the world which melt away with the spring or trust on Christ and His coming advent in which the Gospel message will find its complete fulfillment.