BIGGER THAN KILIMANJARO

BIGGER THAN KILIMANJARO

By Daniel Yohanna

    

For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. (Mark 11:23)

Our Lord, Jesus Christ, here assures us that with faith born in our hearts and expressed with our mouths, we can move mountains. What kind of mountains was he referring to? Was He teaching us to re-arrange the topography of the earth? Bulldozers and dynamites could easily do that.

While I believe He was pointing at a particular mountain (because of the use of the definite article, “THIS” when He said, “Whoever says to this mountain…” I also believe He was alluding to something greater than a physical mountain. A mountain can also denote problems we encounter in life.

When He spoke of a mountain, He was referring to:

 1)      Any obstacle. Just like a mountain is an obstacle to any road, anything that stands as an obstacle to your journey in life or opposes your progress, is a mountain. It can be moved.

 2)      A problem that is bigger than you. Just like a physical mountain is bigger than you, a mountain is any problem that you are not able to handle yourself. It may be bigger than you; I assure you that it’s not bigger than your God.

 3)      A problem that’s been there from generations. Just like the mountain in your village has been there from the days of your great grandfather, a mountain is any problem that has been there for generations. Your great grandfather faced it; your grandfather faced it; your father faced it, and now you’re facing it.

 4)      A problem with an invisible root. Just like you do not see the root of any physical mountain, so it is with many problems – their root or source is invisible. You don’t know who is behind it; neither do you always know what is responsible. Rom. 8:26 says the Spirit of God helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray or what to pray for, as we ought. I’m glad that the Scripture says, “God overturns the mountains by the roots…His eyes see every precious thing.” (Job 28:9,10).

No matter the kind or size of your mountain, Jesus said it can move. Therefore, the presence of a mountain is not the issue. Your attitude to the mountain is the issue. Those that fly do not complain about the bigness of the mountains. Do you realize you can be seated in the heavenlies with God (Eph. 2:6)? From that vantage point, you can have God’s viewpoint concerning the issues of life.

Comparing yourself to the size of your problems instead of comparing your problems with the size of your God is a big problem. That was what happened to the spies Moses sent to spy the Promised Land. Ten of them said they looked like grasshoppers in comparison with the giants, and went ahead to conclude that so were they in the eyes of the giants (Just wondering if they had any discussion with the giants). See Num. 13:26-33.

How you see a problem is the real problem. Instead of telling God how big your mountain is, tell your mountain how big your God is. Jesus told us to speak (directly) to our mountains.

While the Israelites saw a major obstacle in Goliath, David saw things differently. He saw an opportunity to make a difference. He saw a door to international limelight. While some see problems as stumbling blocks, others view them as stepping stones to higher ground. Some may see them as the end of the road, others see them as an opportunity to witness God make a way where there seemed to be no way.

Are you consumed with worry over the size of your problem or you are rejoicing over the surpassing greatness of your God who is bigger than all your problems?

How big is God?

    

Isaiah 40:12-18, 22-26

12 Who has measured the waters* in the hollow of His hand,

Measured heaven with a span

And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure?

Weighed the mountains in scales

And the hills in a balance?

13 Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord,

Or as His counselor has taught Him?

14 With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him,

And taught Him in the path of justice?

Who taught Him knowledge,

And showed Him the way of understanding?

15 Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket,

And are counted as the small dust on the scales;

Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing.

16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn,

Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering.

17 All nations before Him are as nothing,

And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless.

18 To whom then will you liken God?

Or what likeness will you compare to Him?

22 It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,

And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,

Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,

And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.

23 He brings the princes to nothing;

He makes the judges of the earth useless.

24 Scarcely shall they be planted,

Scarcely shall they be sown,

Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth,

When He will also blow on them,

And they will wither,

And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble.

25 "To whom then will you liken Me,

Or to whom shall I be equal?" says the Holy One.

26 Lift up your eyes on high,

And see who has created these things,

Who brings out their host by number;

He calls them all by name,

By the greatness of His might

And the strength of His power;

Not one is missing.

How big is your God? My (own) God is higher than the highest, greater than the greatest of men, bigger than the biggest creature (In fact, no creature compares with Him who is the Creator of all things).

There is a song we sing:

“Bigger than all my problems; bigger than all my fears. God is bigger than any mountain I can or cannot see.”

He is higher than the highest mountain. He is far greater than Kilimanjaro. He is much bigger than Everest. Nothing compares with my God.

Our minds are too small to really comprehend the magnificent magnitude of this perfect person.

    

Psalms 8:3-4

3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,

4 What is man that You are mindful of him,

And the son of man that You visit him?

What is man that you are mindful of him? It is mind-blowing to imagine that this great and mighty God can have the time, the space and the affection in his heart to think about “little” us. But it only tells us how important we are in the sight of God.

The Psalmist said, “When I consider the heavens, the moon and the stars…”

Truly, the universe is said to be made up of hundreds of billions of galaxies that make up the great constellations in existence.

Our own galaxy – the Milky Way – comprises over 200 billion stars.

How big is a star? The closest fixed star to us is the sun, which is considered a dwarf star in comparison to others. The stars look like tiny little dots scattered in the sky - because of distance.

The earth is about 12,756km in diameter (equatorial) while, measuring from pole to pole, it is about 12,720km long.

The sun is 93 million miles or 149,600,000 km away from the earth.

It is 109 times larger than the earth in diameter.

It is 1.3 million times bigger than the earth in volume.

Now, if a star that big looks faint because of distance, what if you were on a star looking at the earth? It would take a very powerful telescope to see the earth. And then, what would be your size if someone were sighting you (that’s if you would be visible) from the star.  You wouldn't be up to an ant in size, not more than a piece of dust. What about the size of your brain? And you want to comprehend the size of the Almighty God with your little brain?

You can’t figure God out with your tiny little brain. It would blow your mind trying to analyze Him.

Have you tried using your small pocket calculator to multiply some figures up to a few billions? When you press the answer, it would read “error!” Because it doesn't have the capacity to handle such a large volume of figures. It’s the same with your brain. It’s beyond your mental capacity to comprehend God. After all, heaven is His throne and the earth His footstool (Isa. 66:1). He must truly be a very big God to sit in heaven (which is far beyond the farthest star) and stretch His legs as far as the earth. And when you think of someone having “long legs,” these are some “long legs.”

Stop trying to figure out how God would solve the problems you've brought before Him. Let go and let God. There’s nothing He cannot do. Nothing is impossible with God. Give it up to Him. Allow Him to do what you cannot do. Let Him do in your life things only He can do, that He alone will take all the glory. He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that you can ever ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20). That no one is able to do it does not mean God too cannot do it. When doctors have given up on you, He’s able to heal even what they refer to as incurable or terminal diseases. He can meet any need in your life. He is the Almighty God – El Shaddai – the Big-breasted One; the All-Sufficient One; the God who is more than enough. There’s nothing too big for my God to do. He’s just a prayer away.

If you have issues in your life you’ll like us to pray together concerning, be free to call me on 08077837847  or 08181982929. You can follow me on twitter @DanielYohanna. For more inspiring articles, visit www.danielyohanna.blogspot.com

If you live in Lagos, you can visit us 8am on Sundays at THE BROOK TABERNACLE, Finicky Hall, 6 Jibowu St, Yaba, Lagos. You are bound to have an encounter with God. A miracle awaits you as you come.

A VOYAGE IN SEARCH OF THE TRUTH By Daniel Yohanna

I grew up in a Christian home, my parents being preachers of the Gospel. Yet it was amazing that I had my own personal struggles with accepting as truth what I grew up to discover was the general practice or liturgy of faith. 

Though my parents insisted that we went to church, I dragged my feet to church every Sunday. After all, church was boring to me. Yet, deep inside me, there was a great hunger to know God. I needed to be assured of the true path that leads to life. 
I desperately sought for the reason for creation, the essence of our living, the purpose for everything done in the earth and even our destiny. Is there any life beyond this life? How can one be sure? Is there any hope for tomorrow? I wanted to know. I pondered on questions like, "If there is a God, who made Him?" " When and how will everything in existence end?" "If there is a heaven, where is it, and who has seen it?" 
Part of my skepticism were born out of the many things I was taught earlier on that I grew up to discover were not really true. I was told that if I swallowed an orange seed, it would germinate inside my stomach and become a tree. So, what else have I held unto that wasn't true? 
I therefore cultivated in me an incredible fear for believing a lie. In spite of that, the teachings I received from my parents had laid a solid foundation for my faith. I believed there was a hell to shun and a heaven to gain. 
Yet, surrounded by different religions, it made me begin to wonder who is really right. Which one, among so many, is the right way? 
In my search, I came to discover that God never established any religion. Religion is man-made. It is man's attempt to connect with Deity. It recognizes man's limitation and shortcoming and so devices means of reaching God, often through some medium. I discovered that there is a void within every man that craves to be filled. 
Some have tried to fill that void by acquiring wealth, indulging in sensual pleasures or the lust for power. It is this same spiritual hunger in man that has given birth to the many religions we have in the world today. It is however pertinent to note that there is nothing created which can fill that void as it is put in there by our Maker so we can connect with Him. That alone is the secret of fulfilment and the key to satisfaction in life. The reason is simple. There is a spirit in man that cannot be satisfied with anything physical. It's easy to explain this. When someone dies, you say, "The person is gone." Though he is lying there (lifeless and motionless of course) yet you say he is gone. Why? Because the spirit has left. 
Then there is an intellectual and emotional part to man resident in his soul or mind. That's why you know that a mad man has lost his mind, while a dead man has lost, not his mind, but his spirit - his real essence and the core or nucleus of his being. You then understand that man is a three-fold dimensional being made up of spirit, soul (mind) and body. 
Such understanding began to give me a reason for living. It reinforces my belief that there is a God somewhere. There is a witness within my being - deep down in my spirit - that lets me know that there is a destiny ahead of me, and a life beyond this life, where I must render an account of my life before my Maker. 
At a tender age, the whole family always prayed and read the Bible together. It became normal for me to do that as an adult. 
Yet, deep within me, I had no peace. I knew I had not made that connection with God. Though I prayed regularly, my prayer was dry and made no impact nor brought any tangible result to me. Later I would discover from my Bible that God does not hear sinners (John 9:31). 
Every human being was born in sin, as the seed of sin is inherent in us, being inherited from the first human - who sinned and lost the life of God in him - Adam. 
That I was born by Christian parents did not make me a Christian, as much as I wouldn't be a Doctor simply because my parents were Doctors. Yes, I went to church, but I discovered that you can have blocks inside a building that are not part of the building. Just because someone lives in a University campus doesn't make one a student. Sleeping in a garage doesn't make you a car. 
In like manner, going to church, giving alms, doing good deeds or saying your prayers do not translate to your being a Christian. Sure, there is the Christian religion which you could identify with, yet, religion never saves. In fact, it is the source of conflicts around the world and the path to bondage, and it has no answer for sin. True Christianity is not a religion but a relationship with God, where one becomes a recipient of the love and life of God. And there is only one way to God - Jesus Christ His son, who died for us and shed His blood to wash our sins and free us from death and hell. As a sinner, you cannot save yourself. You need a Saviour. 
When you invite Jesus into your heart and surrender to Him as your Lord and personal Saviour, you become a child of God and you are born again (John 3:3,7; Romans 10:9,10; 2Corinthians 5:7). 
I asked Jesus to take over my life on Nov. 9, 1985, and I became born again. I received new life from God. Everything changed from that day. My destiny is secure in Christ. I am not afraid or doubtful of the future anymore. I have found the truth and the truth has made me free. I know that one day, my Saviour will return to take me home (heaven) with Him, but if He tarries, I will go and meet Him when my time on earth is done. 
What are you waiting for? Go ahead right away and call on the Lord to save you. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Open your heart to Jesus and make Him Lord over your life. You will experience peace that surpasses understanding.

P.S.
One of the things that have helped is coming to the conclusion that the Bible is truly the Word of God and not just a religious pr historical document nor a theological textbook. What is written there applies to us  and is relevant for us today. And it is the truth (John 17:17). The Psalmist came to this beautiful conclusion: "Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right; I hate every false way." (Psalms 119:128).
I never argue or try to rationalize God's Word. I simply accept it. I believe it. I act on it. And every time I find out that the Word works. 

Home » Articles » The Lord Your Healer

  20 1 19

The Lord Your Healer

 Posted on June 6, 2013 by DAVID CERULLO

With all my heart, I believe it’s God’s will for you and your loved ones to be healed today. If you need a healing in your body, your emotions, your finances, your family, or some other area of your life, God’s Word is clear…

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in ALL things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 1:2).

Friend, the Lord never intended for His children to get sick or even to die. He made us perfect—without sin, sickness, or a body that would have to experience death and decay.

But everything changed when Adam and Eve sinned. From that day until now, we all suffer the effects of their disobedience.

Yet the good news is that God sent His Son Jesus into this world to reverse the curse of sin and death. On the Cross He bore the penalty for your sins and mine—and He also purchased our healing:

He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).

Whether you need physical healing, emotional peace, or deliverance from some kind of sin or addiction, God describes Himself as Jehovah Rapha—the Lord our Healer (Exodus 15:26).

Do You Really Know Your Father?

Throughout the Bible, God reveals Himself as a loving, merciful, caring Heavenly Father. Jesus said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11)

God doesn’t take any pleasure from His children being sick, emotionally distraught, or in poverty. As our loving Heavenly Father, He’s glorified when we prosper and are in health. Just as He wants us to be spiritually healthy in our relationship with Him, He also wants to touch every area of our lives—our “whole spirit, soul, and body” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).

You can know for sure today that your Father cares deeply about you. He sees the anxious times your family faces. He knows the difficult things you’re going through. He feels your pain, heartache, and suffering.

Amid all the attacks of the enemy and challenging circumstances of life, God says, “Trust Me, My child. The battle is not yours, it’s Mine!” (2 Chronicles 20:15). Yes, the battles may be fierce at times, but in Christ we can find healing, peace, and victory: “In ALL these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).

I’ve Seen God’s Healing Power

Barbara and I have experienced God’s healing touch in our own lives and family. When our son Ben was an infant, he once came down with a serious fever—rising all the way to 104°F (40°C). The pediatrician told us to bathe him in cold water, but his fever went right back up when we took him out of the water.

The doctor said the only other thing we could do was rush Ben to the emergency room. But as we prepared to go, I said to Barbara, “Let’s wait just a minute. I think we need to call on God one more time.”

We laid our hands on Ben’s forehead, anointed him with oil, and cried out to the Lord, “We’re standing on Your Word, Father, and we’re asking you to heal our son.”

While we were still praying, Ben’s temperature suddenly plunged. One moment he was burning with fever, and the next he was perfectly normal!

We knew we had witnessed something truly miraculous, quite a testimony of God’s desire to heal His children. Just as we were desperate to have our son experience relief from his sickness, we saw how much our Heavenly Father yearns for His children to be healed and blessed. And since then we’ve personally witnessed the mighty healing hand of God at work in countless situations in our own lives and in the lives of our Inspiration Partners around the world.

A Relationship, Not a Formula

Healing is one of the by-products the Lord wants to give us as part of our Covenant Relationship with Him. He tells us to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Healing must never be reduced to a set of formulas or methods. Jesus healed people in a wide variety of ways in the Gospels, showing that the key is not any certain procedure, but rather coming to Him in faith as our Healer.

We can’t prescribe how or when the Lord is to heal us. We simply must have a heart that is open to His promise to make us whole, regardless of how He does it.

Sometimes healing is immediate and miraculous. Sometimes it is gradual and comes over time. And sometimes we don’t see the healing take place this side of Heaven.

But I believe you can position yourself to receive God’s healing power. First, ask the Holy Spirit to examine your heart and reveal any unconfessed sin, unbelief, fear, or unforgiveness that may be blocking His supernatural touch.

Then declare God’s Word over your life and circumstances. Speak to your “mountain” in Jesus’ name, and command it to obey the Word (Matthew 17:20).

Engage the enemy in spiritual warfare, persistently and fervently. When you need healing in some area of your life, get spiritually “violent,” as Jesus instructed us: “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matthew 11:12-13).

We Want to Pray for You!

Barbara and I love you, and it’s such a joy for us to pray for you and our other Inspiration Partners. Please send us your prayer requests for healing, whether in your own life or the lives of your loved ones.

Every year, the anointed prayer ministers in our Inspiration Prayer Center join us in praying for God to touch thousands of people around the world with His healing power. Click here to see how you can contact our prayer ministers to agree with you in prayer for the miracle you need.

Today is your invitation to let your loving Heavenly Father dote over you, draw you into His presence, heal your heart, build your faith, and release His miraculous healing power in your life. Be healed today in Jesus’ mighty name!

God bless you,

P.S. We’ve created some powerful resources that will help build your faith and help you receive a healing or whatever other miracle you need from God. Just click on any of the links below to get started.

7 Steps to Your Healing

Books and Other Resources

David Cerullo is CEO of Inspiration Ministries, an international ministry he established over 20 years ago to impact people for Christ worldwide through the media. He and his wife Barbara have been married for more than 30 years. Ordained for ministry since 1974, he is committed to helping believers strengthen their walk.

 - See more at: http://inspiration.org/the-lord-your-healer/#sthash.gphGyYlb.dpuf

ONE MORE TIME by Larry Ollison, PhD

One More Time
By Larry Ollison, Ph.D.

Recently, I was talking with a man about forgiveness. He said that he had forgiven everyone in his life except one person. When I asked him who it was, he related a story about a family incident involving his brother that had taken place years ago.

When I asked why he couldn't forgive his brother, I got a strange answer. He said it was impossible for him to forgive his brother because his brother wouldn't forgive him.

Jesus said in Mark 11 that we were to forgive those who have wronged us. He didn't say that we were to forgive them if they forgive us. He said we were to forgive - if they love us or if they hate us, if they forgive us or don't forgive us. Even if they are holding a grudge and are doing everything in their power to destroy us, it doesn't matter. Whether or not they forgive us is irrelevant. Our responsibility is to forgive, unconditionally.

One woman told me she couldn't forgive a certain person because she had forgiven that person several times for the same offense. And even after all that forgiveness the other person continued to be offensive. She asked me how many times she should forgive this person. I told her "One more time." Any time you wonder how many times to forgive someone, that is the answer. Forgive them "one more time."

In Matthew 18:21 Peter went to Jesus and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered and said, "I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." In today's words, that would be like saying "up to a million times." Forgiveness has no limits. Forgiveness has no end.

The reason for forgiveness is not for the one being forgiven, but for the one who forgives. The one who forgives reaps all the benefits. What are the benefits of forgiveness? There are many, but one that we all need is peace. Forgiveness will give you peace.

Over the years I have met many people who will not forgive. They all have one thing in common. They are never at peace. When we are obedient to the Word of God, we will be at peace. The peace of God is beyond anything the world can give. Philippians 4:7 says, "and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

If we are not obedient to the Word of God and refuse to forgive, the only peace we will have is what we can glean from the world, and that's a poor substitute for the real thing.

Forgiveness will allow you to forget the pain of the past. In Jeremiah 31:34, the Bible says that God not only has the ability to forgive but also has the ability to forget. We, however; cannot forget the past, but through forgiveness we will forget the pain of the past. That's true peace - when you can remember, but there is no hurt or resentment. Try as you might, without forgiveness, it can't be done.

Daniel 9:9 says mercy and forgiveness belong to the Lord. God is a God of mercy and forgiveness. As Christians we are to mirror the character of God. We are to show mercy and we are to forgive.

So, when you become offended because someone has wronged you and wonder if you should forgive again, do this. Forgive, one more time.

Larry Ollison Ministries
All rights reserved. Used by permission.

THE WOODCUTTER'S WISDOM by Max Lucado

Once there was an old man who lived in a tiny village. Although poor, he was envied by all, for he owned a beautiful white horse. Even the king coveted his treasure. A horse like this had never been seen before—such was its splendor, its majesty, its strength.
People offered fabulous prices for the steed, but the old man always refused. “This horse is not a horse to me,” he would tell them. “It is a person. How could you sell a person? He is a friend, not a possession. How could you sell a friend?” The man was poor and the temptation was great. But he never sold the horse.
One morning he found that the horse was not in the stable. All the village came to see him. “You old fool,” they scoffed, “we told you that someone would steal your horse. We warned you that you would be robbed. You are so poor. How could you ever hope to protect such a valuable animal? It would have been better to have sold him. You could have gotten whatever price you wanted. No amount would have been too high. Now the horse is gone, and you’ve been cursed with misfortune.”
The old man responded, “Don’t speak too quickly. Say only that the horse is not in the stable. That is all we know; the rest is judgment. If I’ve been cursed or not, how can you know? How can you judge?”
The people contested, “Don’t make us out to be fools! We may not be philosophers, but great philosophy is not needed. The simple fact that your horse is gone is a curse.”
The old man spoke again. “All I know is that the stable is empty, and the horse is gone. The rest I don’t know. Whether it be a curse or a blessing, I can’t say. All we can see is a fragment. Who can say what will come next?”
The people of the village laughed. They thought that the man was crazy. They had always thought he was a fool; if he wasn’t, he would have sold the horse and lived off the money. But instead, he was a poor woodcutter, an old man still cutting firewood and dragging it out of the forest and selling it. He lived hand to mouth in the misery of poverty. Now he had proven that he was, indeed, a fool.
After fifteen days, the horse returned. He hadn’t been stolen; he had run away into the forest. Not only had he returned, he had brought a dozen wild horses with him. Once again the village people gathered around the woodcutter and spoke. “Old man, you were right and we were wrong. What we thought was a curse was a blessing. Please forgive us.”
The man responded, “Once again, you go too far. Say only that the horse is back. State only that a dozen horses returned with him, but don’t judge. How do you know if this is a blessing or not? You see only a fragment. Unless you know the whole story, how can you judge? You read only one page of a book. Can you judge the whole book? You read only one word of a phrase. Can you understand the entire phrase?
“Life is so vast, yet you judge all of life with one page or one word. All you have is a fragment! Don’t say that this is a blessing. No one knows. I am content with what I know. I am not perturbed by what I don’t.”
“Maybe the old man is right,” they said to one another. So they said little. But down deep, they knew he was wrong. They knew it was a blessing. Twelve wild horses had returned with one horse. With a little bit of work, the animals could be broken and trained and sold for much money.
The old man had a son, an only son. The young man began to break the wild horses. After a few days, he fell from one of the horses and broke both legs. Once again the villagers gathered around the old man and cast their judgments.
“You were right,” they said. “You proved you were right. The dozen horses were not a blessing. They were a curse. Your only son has broken his legs, and now in your old age you have no one to help you. Now you are poorer than ever.”
The old man spoke again. “You people are obsessed with judging. Don’t go so far. Say only that my son broke his legs. Who knows if it is a blessing or a curse? No one knows. We only have a fragment. Life comes in fragments.”
It so happened that a few weeks later the country engaged in war against a neighboring country. All the young men of the village were required to join the army. Only the son of the old man was excluded, because he was injured. Once again the people gathered around the old man, crying and screaming because their sons had been taken. There was little chance that they would return. The enemy was strong, and the war would be a losing struggle. They would never see their sons again.
“You were right, old man,” they wept. “God knows you were right. This proves it. Your son’s accident was a blessing. His legs may be broken, but at least he is with you. Our sons are gone forever.”
The old man spoke again. “It is impossible to talk with you. You always draw conclusions. No one knows. Say only this: Your sons had to go to war, and mine did not. No one knows if it is a blessing or a curse. No one is wise enough to know. Only God knows.”
The old man was right. We only have a fragment. Life’s mishaps and horrors are only a page out of a grand book. We must be slow about drawing conclusions. We must reserve judgment on life’s storms until we know the whole story.
I don’t know where the woodcutter learned his patience. Perhaps from another woodcutter in Galilee. For it was the Carpenter who said it best:
“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” (Matthew 6:34)
He should know. He is the Author of our story. And he has already written the final chapter.