His Promises Are Sure

I was watching a program recently and the main character made this statement - "Very few things that are worthwhile in life come without a cost."  I was so impressed by the statement that I turned off the TV and sat pondering what had been said.

When I think back over my 54 years with Floyd, I don't immediately think about the "costs."  I think about God's goodness, faithfulness, provision, and the spiritual "fruit" that has come over the years.  But, it's true - there have been costs.  For my own pondering, I made a list of some of them. As I went back through the years, I came up with a pretty long list.

Then I asked myself - was it worth it?  And I knew immediately that it was - without a shadow of a doubt.  I thought of all the precious ones who have come to know Jesus.  I thought of all the lessons we learned - of how we've grown in our walk with the Lord.  I thought of the ones who have been delivered from various bondages.  I thought of the physical healings.  And I thought of all the precious friendships we've had.  People are the most precious treasure in our lives, next to Jesus!

I think it's good to remind ourselves that the important and worthwhile things in life are worth the cost......because there will undoubtedly be more costs in the future as we walk with the Lord.  Jesus himself faced unbelievable "costs," even to his own life.  He paid the price!  He faced the ultimate cost, and because of that - He gives us the strength and grace to face the costs in our lives.

We don't start our journey with the Lord and following His call on our lives by thinking about the costs.  We start with a heart of love to honor and serve the Lord.  We want to obey, to follow His direction and leading.  Because our hearts are focused on Him, He then gives us the ability to face the costs.  Following Jesus, obeying His call and direction day by day in our lives, and walking in friendship with Him makes it so, so worth any cost we face.  What an incredibly rich and wonderful life we have in loving and serving the Lord!

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."  Mark 10:45

"Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men."  Colossians 3:23

"(Jesus) made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.  And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."  Philippians 2:6-8 

"Fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider the great things He has done for you."  1 Samuel 12:24

I love to meditate on the promises of God that He has for us as we serve Him.  They certainly more than balance out any of the costs!  To me, God's wonderful promises are symbolized by the rainbow, His covenant to us.  Many days driving home from the hospital after being with Floyd - my heart heavy with concern and calling out to God - and there, in the sky, in all its glory would be a rainbow.  This happened too many times to remember and count.  It was so precious to me.

A dear friend was telling me of an experience she had the day Floyd went to be with Jesus.  She had just heard the news.  She was in her car driving with tears running down her face......when in the sky, right in front of her was a HUGE rainbow - a Floyd sized rainbow.  She pulled over to take a photo of it.  It literally filled the sky.  She calls it "Floyd's rainbow."  She recently sent me the photo which I have shared above.  I love it!

God is so good - and He keeps His promises to us as we follow Him.

When I lift prayer requests to the Lord, I do my best to die to my own thoughts and desires.  I tell the Lord that I trust His plans and purposes.  But I think that "my wishes" can sometimes be what I'm praying.  I may not always be on the same wave length as the Lord even though I try to be.  God doesn't fulfill all our wishes when we pray, but He does fulfill all His promises!  He is faithful in doing that.  I often find it helpful to pray His promises.

I remember when I was growing up I would say I wished for something, almost like a prayer.  My mother was known for all her old "sayings."  She would say to me "if wishes were horses, then beggars would ride." I loved her practical approach, and her Godly outlook.  She was a wonderful woman of prayer.

People have asked me if I'm upset with God for not answering the prayers for healing for Floyd.  I certainly wanted him to be physically healed here on earth!  But I always prayed "healing or heaven" leaving the choice to the Lord.  I knew that only He knew what was best.  I knew He could heal Floyd - so many examples in the Word - like the man by the pool of water who had been lame for 38 years.....a lot longer than Floyd.  Healing Floyd would have been easy for God.  But I didn't know what God's "plan and purpose was."  And, ultimately, Floyd got healing and heaven!  

I think it boils down to trust when we are praying.  We lift up our prayers to the Lord......praying as best we can according to God's purposes - but we have to trust God with the final decision.  That's where the "rubber meets the road."  (Another saying my mom used.)  We have to entrust ourselves into His loving hands.  That's the ultimate prayer!  

Many times God has something better in mind than what we are praying. I think of Mary and Martha praying for Jesus to come and heal their brother Lazarus.  Jesus didn't arrive when they wanted, and Lazarus died.  He was already wrapped in grave clothes in the tomb by the time Jesus arrived.  Jesus had something better in mind - He wanted to raise Lazarus from the dead!  God's ways are not always our ways.  We shouldn't be surprised when our prayers go unanswered because He has something better in mind!

I often sit as I'm praying and check my motives - making sure I'm not praying from selfish motivations.  I ask God to show me His plans, His purposes - and guide me in how to pray.  But I also know He doesn't get upset with us if we pray "amiss."  He sees our heart.  He understands our love and trust for Him.  And He answers us - oh how wonderful that He meets us, and answers us!  I'm so grateful! 

"Hear my prayer, O Lord!  Listen to my cries for help!  Don't ignore my tears."  Psalm 39:12

"Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you."  Jeremiah 29:12

"Truly God has listened; He has attended to the voice of my prayer."  Psalm 66:19

"You will pray to Him, and He will hear you."  Job 22:27

The ultimate goal of our prayers is drawing us closer to God.  That's our "answer" every time!  He knows what's in our hearts, but He longs for us to speak that out to Him in prayer.  He wants our fellowship and friendship with Him.  What a wonderful, precious friend we have in Jesus!