As his 18 year old son
Connor lies paralyzed in a hospital bed 60 days after the dive into Hume Lake that would forever change his life, his father Eric writes:
If Jesus is truly "the same yesterday, today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8, John 8:58); if God is "not man that He should lie" (Numbers 23:9); if Jesus Himself told the parable of the persistent widow and asked whether He would find such faith when He returned (Luke 18:1-8); and if He Himself also said "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours"(Mark 11:24) - if all these things are true, then why is it that we do not see people doing such things as Christ's early followers did?
I can only see two answers to that question - either A), God has changed and is no longer the way He once said He was; or B), they don't happen because we (collectively and individually) don't believe they can. I take a look around at the state of the church these days - pastors who have their own business jets; deacons and elders wrapped up in all sorts of shenanigans; many people for whom the primary concern appears to be to further their own security and comfort; and most importantly, the pathetic state of my own relationship with Christ; and I wonder what the likely answer to that question really is.
Read the entire post
here.
It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.
Psalm 119:71
Father, the pain is deep and real. More than I know. But even though we often don't feel it, Your grace is still greater. Thank You for Your sustaining grace in the lives of Connor and his family. I pray that You would comfort my brother Eric as You grant Him to know You more intimately and see You more clearly. Thank You for blowing away the fog from his eyes so that there is less haze for him around the reality of who You are and who You have called us to be as Your people. Strengthen his faith I pray. Strengthen his family by the power of Your Holy Spirit in their inner being so that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith. And may You raise Connor up according to the great might with which You raised up Your Son from the grave. Do it for the glory of Your name. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
3 comments:
Hi. You're a kindred spirit. I was browsing the web looking for pictures of "God's Glory" and the picture of you and John Piper was one of the pictures that popped up. I've bookmarked your blog and will be a frequent visitor. God transformed John Piper's life through C.S. Lewis. John Piper is my C.S. Lewis. Thank you, God! Bless you, Brother!
Thanks for dropping by Mel. It's funny you should speak of John Piper's influence in your life the way he speaks of C.S. Lewis' influence in his. I have often heard Piper talk about the debt he owes to Jonathan Edwards for shaping his understanding of God. In the same way, John Piper is to me what Jonathan Edwards is to him. Praise the Lord for grace unmeasured in being the One to whom each one of us is infinitely indebted to. God bless you.
I love Jonathan Edwards, too, because of what I've learned of him and of God through him and John Piper. I've been reading the book from the Desiring God website called "A God Entranced Vision of All Things" and have been profoundly impacted by it. Bless you, again. :)
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