Many troubles!

     Have you ever wondered why God's followers have so many troubles? We tend to think that once we become a part of God's army our lives will be trouble free, so when something does go wrong we complain about why God allows bad things to happen to good people? However, the Bible never says that our lives, once we decide to follow Christ, will be free from trouble and trials. In fact, the Bible says that many are the troubles of the righteous (Psalm 34:19). Jesus, when on this earth, said that we would have many tribulations. So why do we still whine and complain when things go wrong? Where is God when things go wrong? Well, I was just taught that important lesson. You see, even though many are the troubles of the righteous, the Bible also says that God delivers us from them all. Not that we won't have troubles. In fact we have many troubles, but God will deliver us from every single one of them.

     A few weeks ago the "service air bag" light came on in my car.  Why I don't know. I hadn't been on any accidents, I hadn't hit the curb, a moose, or even a big tarantula, so I really didn't know why the car was telling me to service the air bag. However, one thing I knew: fixing the air bag on a car can't be cheap! As soon as that light came on I started asking God to just make it go away. I did not want to deal with it and I was afraid it would be too costly. Of course not having a working air bag could be costly too, though in a different way. With a deadline to get the state car inspection taken care of, I knew I wouldn't be able to wait much longer. As time went by God worked on my heart and my prayer began to change. I asked Him that if He wouldn't just turn that light off and make my problem just go away, that He would help me trust in Him and know that He would provide financially if needed. God has come through in amazing ways many times in my life, so I knew He would do the same this time, but I still needed help to trust in Him and not complaint.

     The day before the deadline for inspection, I finally took the car to the shop. The "service air bag" light had been on for about two weeks by then. I took the car in on a Friday and I knew it would be a few days before it was ready. The person who attended me said  that it would cost $130 for them just to look at the car. I wanted to cry!! I could use those $130 on much better things, such as a new purse, or new shoes! Ha! Actually a few purses!  Then for some reason, the person who was our contact at the shop got sick and didn't go to work for a few days, so we really didn't know what was going on with the car and how much it was going to cost. Finally on Wednesday we got a phone call saying that the car was ready to be picked up.

     Now check this. God is Good! Even though my car was not under warranty anymore, that one part was! Something about a voluntary recall. So that Wednesday, this God's kid drove off the car shop without having to pay a single dime!
Lesson learned. Even though I had all that trouble, God did deliver me from it, just as He had promised. Since then I've had to go back to the shop a couple more times because after they fixed the car, the key fob and auto-start stopped working and needed to get reset. It has been quite a bit of trouble in fact, but I am not complaining because I did not have to pay anything for them to fix the car, not even those $130. And no, I did not buy any shoes or purses after that. 

     If you are going through a difficult time, please don't think that God isn't close to you. He is nearer than ever. In this world we will have troubles, problems, afflictions, and suffering. Such is the world when the devil is fighting to be its leader, but God has an escape plan, and until then He will take care of you and deliver you from every single one of your troubles. God's promise!

"The righteous may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers them from them all."

Psalm 34:19 

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

John 16:33 

Heaven at breakfast

     I love it when I get to enjoy a calm breakfast with my little man, because sometimes we have the most interesting conversations. This morning as we were making pancakes, washing and cutting fruit, and filling glasses with orange juice, the conversation turned to how Heaven will be like. We were most interested in talking about our homes on the earth made new. Isaiah 65 talks about the people of God building their own homes and planting their own vineyards, so we used our imagination to describe what we think it will all be like.

     The conversation was exciting as we talked about kitchens inside an orchard of fig (my favorite fruit), avocado, peach, and mango trees, of fields of strawberries on the other side, watermelon patches, waterfalls inside the living room, and gentle brooks in the bedrooms. We talked about sofas carved out of redwood trees, and beautiful ways of displaying Legos made out of wood.

     Somehow we started talking about scorpions and decided that they will be friendly in Heaven. It was suggested, and I'm not telling by whom, that instead of poison they will squirt orange juice, but the idea of lavender perfume made the scorpion a little more interesting to me. 

     We wondered if we were having to go to school, and concluded that we were going to be able to learn the deep secrets of mathematical equations from the angel Gabriel himself.
     
     Heaven is a real place and it is so wonderful to try to imagine what it will be like, although of course, Heaven will be so much better than what our limited imaginations can think of. Often I try to imagine a life without sin. Can you imagine a life without sin? Have you ever wondered what friendships will be like without sin? How will marriage be? What about parenting? A perfect fulfilling life without any suffering, communication problems, no bullying or depression disorders. A life filled with purpose where we will truly reach our full potentials. I will finally have my dream job: gardening! 

As we are all journeying together on our way Home, let's keep our thoughts on Heavenly things. This gives us the courage and strength we need to be faithful until that wonderful day when we'll finally make it Home!

Have a beautiful day :)

 " They will build houses and dwell in them; plant vineyards and eat their fruit."

Isaiah 65: 21

" ... my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands."

Isaiah 65: 22