FRESH START READERS: We are delighted to share with you a two-week series of devotionals that are the follow-up to We Women’s 2012 annual conference entitled Choices: God’s Answers for Life’s Toughest Choices.
Choices
By Jeannine Sawall
"Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!"
Deuteronomy 30:19
By Jeannine Sawall
"Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!"
Deuteronomy 30:19
"Tension is the place where the worst of life and the best of true hope meet to unveil our eyes to God’s artistic work of redemption. What a mighty and creatively loving God we serve. He allows us to know great pain, so that we can know the greater pleasure of trading it in for purpose." -- Matt Hammitt
I came across this statement by Matt while he was blogging about his infant son, Bowen. Bowen was born with a serious heart defect, one that is potentially life-threatening. My heart ached as I looked pictures of that tiny baby with tubes coming out of everywhere. Even his chest was still open after surgery for "easy access," in case something went wrong and the doctors needed to get into it again quickly.
Why?? Why such pain for that little guy? Why such sorrow and uncertainty for his family? Why such trauma in everyday life for any of us? Friends whose loved ones are sick with terminal diseases and wasting away before their eyes? Others who have lost jobs and fallen on difficult financial times? For myself, why 10 miscarriages? Why the unexpected loss of my mom? It's so easy to go to that place of "why?" So easy to wonder where God is at these moments.
Sin. The Curse. The Fall. The answer to my "why's." Sickness, sorrow, pain, death...these are the results of sin. However, God can use these times to draw us to Him, if we let Him. In the midst of living in a world where we can expect difficult times, we are given two choices. We can say He is not enough and turn away, or we can be touched by our gracious God who meets us in the midst of that tension. We can lean into a God who, in that worst place, shows us there is still purpose. He will reveal to us His character and tell us He has made a way; to hang on, hope is around the corner. He has redeemed us and a day is coming when tears will be gone forever. And when we know the secret of His redemptive grace, we can stand in the midst of any trial and say He is good…even if tears are streaming down our cheeks. We are given that choice. We only have to make it for Him.
GOING DEEPER:
1. Have you found yourself doubting God or wondering where He is in a hard time? Stand firm on His promises. He will see you through any difficulty.
FURTHER READING:
Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 27:4-5, Psalm 46:1, Isaiah 26:3-4
Jeannine is a wife and active mother of four boys. She works in property management and is a part of the Special Events team for Oakwood’s We Women ministries.
I came across this statement by Matt while he was blogging about his infant son, Bowen. Bowen was born with a serious heart defect, one that is potentially life-threatening. My heart ached as I looked pictures of that tiny baby with tubes coming out of everywhere. Even his chest was still open after surgery for "easy access," in case something went wrong and the doctors needed to get into it again quickly.
Why?? Why such pain for that little guy? Why such sorrow and uncertainty for his family? Why such trauma in everyday life for any of us? Friends whose loved ones are sick with terminal diseases and wasting away before their eyes? Others who have lost jobs and fallen on difficult financial times? For myself, why 10 miscarriages? Why the unexpected loss of my mom? It's so easy to go to that place of "why?" So easy to wonder where God is at these moments.
Sin. The Curse. The Fall. The answer to my "why's." Sickness, sorrow, pain, death...these are the results of sin. However, God can use these times to draw us to Him, if we let Him. In the midst of living in a world where we can expect difficult times, we are given two choices. We can say He is not enough and turn away, or we can be touched by our gracious God who meets us in the midst of that tension. We can lean into a God who, in that worst place, shows us there is still purpose. He will reveal to us His character and tell us He has made a way; to hang on, hope is around the corner. He has redeemed us and a day is coming when tears will be gone forever. And when we know the secret of His redemptive grace, we can stand in the midst of any trial and say He is good…even if tears are streaming down our cheeks. We are given that choice. We only have to make it for Him.
GOING DEEPER:
1. Have you found yourself doubting God or wondering where He is in a hard time? Stand firm on His promises. He will see you through any difficulty.
FURTHER READING:
Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 27:4-5, Psalm 46:1, Isaiah 26:3-4
Jeannine is a wife and active mother of four boys. She works in property management and is a part of the Special Events team for Oakwood’s We Women ministries.
