For my family and I this year has had a bit of everything. We welcomed our fourth child, Thomas and we rejoiced in God’s abundant blessing. We also grieved the passing of my grandmother and our dear elderly sister in Christ, Mavis. The joy of new birth and the sadness of death were all happening at the same time. We thanked God in each of these times for His blessing, His mercy and His faithfulness.
This year has also been a difficult one physically, probably the hardest and most painful I have experienced. In these difficult times my family and I have cried out to the Lord with great urgency and also with great confidence. We know Him as the Great Physician and we know He hears our prayers. We have learned to pray with greater clarity and have better understood the will of God in relation to our prayers. Simplicity has come as we now just say ‘Speak Lord Jesus’. We are so thankful that in the midst of all the pain and suffering we have known miracles, healing and answered prayer. We thank the Lord for speaking as clearly as He has throughout the year. His words have been both a healing balm and a grace to endure.
The Scriptures tell us that ‘all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose’. Without the Lord there is little purpose or understanding in the different and difficult circumstances of life. There is little meaning to the good or to the bad. With God all things find purpose and meaning. God’s mercies are new every morning and His compassion never fails!
In this season I have recalled to mind Psalm 13. This Psalm became very precious to me 20 years ago when the Lord spoke clearly in the midst of another difficult and painful year. My testimony and the song in my mouth is the same. “I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me.” Psalm 13:5.
The Lord is indeed good to those who wait for Him, and He has most certainly been very good to me.