Date:  Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Day 133 of 149

This week marks the end of the month of fasting that we've all been participating in at TLC.  As such, I thought it would be fitting for me to share with you all some of my meditations for the blog this week.  I also want to take a moment now and thank you all so much for your prayers and financial support these past few months.  As my time here in Asia comes to a close, my heart overflows with thankfulness to all of you who made this experience possible.
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"Future Hope in the midst of present Suffering"

Ezekiel 11:17-21

Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. ’ 18 And when they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. 19 And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 21 But as for those whose heart goes after their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their deeds upon their own heads, declares the Lord God.”

Just when all hope seems lost, when the LORD seems enveloped in a stream of curses and judgments which began with the nation, then moved to national leaders, and then ended with the people, the LORD takes a brief moment, just a few verses, to remind the reader and the prophet Ezekiel of HIS promises to the nation.  Remember My Covenant.  Remember My grace.  Remember My justice.  Remember My holiness.  Remember this:  one day, in the future, "I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them.  I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God."  Don't forget.  Remember My promise.

In times of distress and pain, it can be all too easy to forget who we are and who God is.  It is too easy to forget what was promised.  It is too easy to point and judge.  Noise, thunder, lightning, and pain.  In these conditions it can be hard to hear a voice speaking softly.  When all we want to do is shout and scream, it can be hard to stay silent and listen.  But here in this emotional state, silence is what we need.

It's easy to shout and judge, but much harder to remain silent and submit yourself to the LORD's timing.  Don't be hasty.  Just wait.  How long?  However long it needs to take.  Thus, the question becomes, what do you do while you wait?  Worship, praise, and exalt a glorious God.  When you open your eyes to see specific ways in which to praise God in the midst of difficult times you unwittingly put yourself in a position to be able to hear and receive the Word of the LORD.

LORD, You are good and your Mercies endure forever.  May all praise and glory be Yours now and forevermore.  Nations rise and fall in a heartbeat, but Your kingdom reigns forever.  Human achievements can be overshadowed, extraordinary feats can seem bland and ordinary, but You GOD are marvelous and beautiful.  Nothing compares to the joy, satisfaction, and peace that are found beneath the Cross of Christ.  It is there that things earthly and man-made fade into the background and true beauty and true love radiate forth and cast all fears aside.

Be near.  Open my eyes to the truth that can be found in You. Open my heart to feel the pain and hurt that you have for all those that lack.  I pray for the orphaned, either through war, famine, or abandonment.  I pray for the widowed and the widower.  I pray for these that have lost friends and family to war, famine, sin, and disease.  I pray for those impacted by a fallen human nature:  those suffering addictions and mental illness.

Most of all LORD, God, I pray for those who are separated from you by sin, those lost sheep. Oh, LORD, give me a heart and a passion for those people.  Guide my hands and lead my feet to bring joy and peace to those previously mentioned.  May this be my guide whenever I lose sight:  John 10:14-16, 

"14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd."