Eye Opener

In Jr. High we have started the You Pick series and the question the kids are asking are awesome. Normally the questions are just good refresher for what I already know but last Sunday God taught me something new. One of the questions had to deal with Job. I have heard Job’s story before but I saw it this time in a new light. Corey summarized Jobs story for the kids. Job lived in a time where the devil actually walked the Earth. He was always faithful to God and was blessed for his faithfulness. The devil approached God and God was ranting about His loyal servant Job. The devil then proceeded to ask God if he could test Job. Satin explained how Job life has always been easy and blessed and if everything was taken away, Job would curse God. God allowed Satin to test Job but He told Satin not to physically harm him. Job lost his crops, animals and even his children. Job lost everything worldly that he held dear and in the end he got on his knees and praised God. He remained faithful after all that but the devil wasn’t done with Job yet. He knew he could make Job fall. Satin approached God and God brought up how Job still remained His faithful servant. Satin replied that if he was allowed to attack Job’s body that he would surely curse God. God permitted Satin to do this but said he had to let him live. Satin attacked Job’s body with large painful boils all over. During this time his wife even said “Curse God and die.” Then Job said something that has stuck with me, “You talk like a godless woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” In the end He still praised God when everything was against him. This story is a good illustration of trails in our lives. It just opened my eyes to how God is always in control of everything.  In this story Satin had to physically ask God if he can test us. God even told Satin that you can test him just don’t touch him physically. I don’t know if that is how it works to today but that would be pretty cool. God is even in control of Satin, I never thought of it that way. I always knew that God obviously could crush the devil at any time but I always saw it as a good versus evil thing. But this story really showed me that even the devil is even under God’s control. It also just reassured me that everything that happens has to go through God first.  

Whole World in Your Hands

The idea of a war actually going on used to seem like something that was unreal. But now everytime I see or hear something about our soldiers who risk their lives for us, it hits a lot closer to home. After high school two of my best guy friends left for basic training after enlisting in the Army. Levi Flook and Austin Heffelmire, I have known them for a while now. I have known Levi since Preschool and Austin and I became close in 8^th grade. These were two guys in high school that always had my back, even though  they both aren’t home right now, I know they still do. I am so proud of these boys, they are doing what they have always wanted to do. Tonight Austin leaves to serve in Iraq and when I stop to think about it, it makes me kind of sad. But then I am filled with excitement for him because this is what he wants to do and he is really good at it. I realize that it’s scary because life over there is completely different compared to America. Lately God has been teaching me that there are only two ways to approach every unknown situation.

1.       You can work yourself up which only leads to stress and worry
or

2.       You can give everything to God and trust that he knows what he is doing.

If you think about these two options, they both have the same outcome but you feel completely different emotions while waiting for the outcome. It seems like the answer to how to deal with the situation would be black and white but for me it’s not. I am the girl who always wants to have control, not in a bad way. But I always want to feel like I have control over my life, and know how things will turn out. So for me to surrender and completely give everything to God is one of my biggest challenges. Every day is a struggle for who is in control and every day I have to surrender to what I can’t see. So even through two of my best friends entered into a profession that puts them in dangerous situation. I am putting all my trust in God that He will protect them and I know that no matter what happens he has the whole world in His hands.