The Lord Gives and The Lord Takes Away. Blessed be the Name of the Lord
When the body of Christ comes together, the assembly is a manifestation of God’s love. Sometimes the assembly is a special occasion. Many of Pete’s best friends were in town this week to attend his wife Suzan’s memorial service. During these times of reflection and grieving we can most acutely hear the comforting voice of our Heavenly Father. While we are grieving, we can tune into his voice of comfort and love. These are the times that we can focus on Ephesians 6:8 knowing that when we do good for others, God will bless us in return. When we’re hurting, we minister best in the midst of pain when we turn our affections on things above, not on the pain and grief of those we’ve lost in this present life.
Pete’s friend Rock Fleming says that Oswald Chambers’ daily devotional in “My Utmost for His Highest” is taken from 2 Kings 2:11-12. “Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind and his protege Elisha saw him no more.” We must continue without the “Elijah’s” in our life. We must put to the test what we’ve learned while we were with our Elijah. We must now face the challenges to cross the Jordan Rivers of life without our mentors. When we come to the battles of Jericho in our lives, we must remain true to what we’ve learned while our Elijah was with us. When we come to our wit’s end we must learn to rely on God himself, just as our teacher Elijah did. Elijah has “passed the mantle” to us…We’re his Elisha’s.
Rocky Fleming relates the metaphor about Gabe, a character in his book, who represents the character of God. God will bring the world to the doorstep of a man of Influence. We who have grown up in the Faith have had many “Gabe’s” in our lives. Suzan was “Gabe” for many of the people in our Influencers Band of Brothers. We can also be that Gabe for others when we deliberately and intentionally and purposefully walk in close proximity with our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, Blessed be the name of the Lord. Our sovereign Lord will work in ways we cannot know this side of heaven. When we lose those we love, the reason for living does not die. The purpose of our life is to accomplish the mission which he’s committed unto us. The apostle Paul when he was leaving the Ephesians, was glad that they were sad to see him go. There are precious times when we get to spend with our loved ones. Suzan always prayed for Pete before he gave a message, “go give ’em heaven.” Her legacy still lives on. The devil did not take her life. It’s appointed for all men to die. Suzan was never afraid of death. She never cried about the pain and suffering or the treatments that she had to endure. Her tears were tears of gratitude about the love of her prayer warriors. She knew personally that God requires extreme service from us with no explanation on his part and no complaining on ours. Pete looks back on the many years of blessing that he was privileged to spend with his beloved wife Suzan.
God taught Pete that when God gives us a precious gift, our blessing is to steward that gift with love and affection. Suzan refused to leave this world until her good friends Sally and Holly came to see her a week ago Monday. She left this world two days later. The precious moments they spent in fellowship together were a gift from God.
Pete didn’t know what he needed in a wife…but God did. When they were newly married, Pete’s friend and mentor said to Suzan, “are you prepared to stay out of the way of what God’s prepared for your husband to do to minister for God?” She always cherished these words as she supported Pete for forty nine years.
Jesus won’t spare us from going through suffering as we walk in close proximity with him. The greatest opportunities we’ll have to glorify God are when we share in the fellowship of his suffering. Through these last six months ministering to Suzan, God has taken Pete through the pain and tribulation of coming to know him more intimately. If God had told Pete that his wife would have a brain tumor and all of the pain and suffering that comes with such a trial, they would not have known the meaning of Jesus’ words, “whoever wants to be my true disciple, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.” That which can be shaken will be shaken. He will remove anything that comes between our face and his face. His question to us is, “can I trust you with this trial?” When the crisis comes and courage is required, God expects us to be the reliable ones. When Job’s riches, possessions, and family were wiped out, his declaration was “the Lord giveth and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” We cannot know this declaration of faith until we’ve come to know by experience that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose.
If you have a question about why the innocent suffer, you need to go to the cross of Christ. There we will find the answer that thy strength is made perfect in my weakness… Thy grace is sufficient for me.
Suzan was ready to be in the presence of her Lord in eternity. She embraced going through the door of death to experience eternity with her Lord. The gift of life upon this earth is but for a moment. We have been given a this precious gift of life so that like Suzan, we can live for His honor and glory.
May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael