The Irony of Life Lived in God's Hands

     It never ceases to amaze me,  the timing of various events in our lives.  I had decided to do this study on 2 Corinthians before the events of this week took place.  Yet the events of this week have so perfectly reflected the themes of this first lesson.  You think this might be a "God thing"?  I think so. I believe God uses the opportunities of our lives to teach us about the Truth  about God's self.
    One of the themes addressed in this first lesson is the reality of stress in our lives.  With our daughter having just left us to become a freshman in college in Evansville, my husband and I have begun to experience the realities of our new stage in life - the "empty nest."   Although having CB gone is noticeable;  no hugs in the morning, no need to buy pop-tarts when we grocery shop, no giggling from her room as she reads fan-fiction, I wouldn't say I'm stressed from this change. That was until last Tuesday when she called feeling dizzy, weak in the knees, and having difficulty breathing, which precipitated a trip to the emergency room.
     That's when the anxiety and stress of the  "empty nest syndrome" hit me.  Knowing that my daughter was having physical trouble and I could not be there to take care of her. I felt helpless and totally dependant upon strangers, who in God's graciousness were provided to take care of her for us. A student who just happened to be there was my eyes and voice as she relayed to me what was happening on their end of the phone call.  An office personal assured me of the action being taken on CB's behalf. One of our beloved family friends rushed to be present with CB and comfort her during her ER experience. And another friend and pastor joined them at the ER to be an extra pair of concerned ears and an extension of Christ's pastoral presence.
     I want to assure you all that my daughter is fine and went back to her dorm room that same night once  her symptoms subsided and the doctor deemed her ok.  And I want to say thank-you to all the people involved in caring for my daughter and being her "family" in my husband and my absence.
   This event became the perfect living example of the learnings Dr Ralph Wilson highlighted in his first lesson,  " God of All Comfort"  (2 Corinthians 1:1-11).   He writes, "It's amazing how a traumatic experience can get us in touch with our emotions and produce deep thankfulness in us! Paul speaks of God's compassion and comfort because he has just been through horrendous difficulties and found God faithful."  Isn't this the learned reality of all of our lives?  Each one of us has had difficult situations in our lives, some downright tragic and gut-wrenching.  In our young Christian life we knew in our minds what our older Christian brother and sisters told us - "God is with you. God cares, is faithful, and will get you through this tough time."  Then - our trust in God was hesitant and we hoped what they believed was in fact true.  But now - after years of numerous crises and equally numerous examples of God's ever faithful presence and redemptive action, we face each new crisis with solid confidence that, just as God has acted in the past, so God will act again on our behalf.
   The truth is, not only do difficult times reveal the true nature of a person, they also reveal the true nature of God.  In my life I have learned and I stand today confident in the knowledge that God is faithful and trustworthy; God is good - all the time, God loves me, God never leaves me. And no matter what happens to me, even if I should die - I know I am held secure in God's loving arms.
     Have you ever considered how rich you are because of all the extremely difficult experiences you have had in life?  As Paul writes in verse 9 and 10 of this first chapter,  all of  "this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us,...and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us.... "
    In order for us to learn the truth about the nature of God - we must learn to be totally dependant upon God.   As long as we are human, giving up control and surrendering ourselves into someone else's hands, trusting our well being to another -- even if it is God - is against our nature. We fight that. We resist and struggle to remain the one in control. We want total say about happens to us.  In order for God to teach us, God allows difficulties to come our way.
     I don't believe God causes bad things to happen to us. God is good all the time. However, I do believe God is not frightened, like we are, when hardships come our way.  We live in a fallen world. Evil is a reality that is a part of our experience in this fallen world.  But by the wisdom of God, God allows us to experience crises and God uses those experiences to teach us what we can not learn any other way.  These difficult times force us to surrender ourselves into God's keeping. When we can not help ourselves, we are forced to depend upon God. And it is then and only then, that we learn the truth of God's nature.  God is all-powerful. God is in control. God is faithful. God loves us.
    As we come to know God's nature, we come to understand that only God can be our Savior. It is then that we bow and allow God to be Lord of our lives.