The Works of God

Frequently, when I write on a subject like embryonic stem cell treatment, a person will comment that if I were in that same situation I would also choose to use whatever treatments were available, including embryonic stem cells.  I’ll admit the temptations would be strong, very strong.

I’ll let one of my dear sisters in the faith respond:

I will not trade my son’s future eternal weight of glory for this vapor’s breath bowl of stew.

That needs to be read a couple of times.

She is referring to two sets of scripture:

Eternity, and all the pleasure that will come with being with Jesus, are vastly superior to anything this world has to offer.  And this mom is one of those women Pastor John refers to as having steel in her spine.  She and her husband have had to make decisions about their child’s health and future that are simply incredible, far beyond what all but a few parents will ever have to experience.

And she won’t choose killing tiny people to benefit her son, because there is glory that is coming and her God loves those tiny people and he has planted in her heart a deep regard for those tiny people.

Or this dad, who has already gone through deep waters with his son and may be entering even deeper waters:

I have this peaceful feeling about the situation; not necessarily because I think “everything is going to turn out okay” but because whether the issue turns out to be relatively minor or potentially significant, God is big and He is in charge and He is good.

I wept when I read that, for the pain his family is experiencing but equally so with joy in his confidence in his God.  My faith was strengthened as I read this brother’s email.  As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.

The statement that ‘you would choose differently if you were in that situation’ is one of the reasons why this blog exists.  I want more people to be prepared when the hard thing comes, either for themselves, their family, their neighbor or their church.  There are real, foundational principles upon which we can stand and not be moved.  We need to know what they are.

Actually, better yet, we need to know who they are anchored in:  Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

After my oldest son was born I rejected all that is good and completely turned away from God and his people.  I was not prepared to live in the reality of God’s awesome sovereignty over all things, including hard things.  If I didn’t define it as good, it wasn’t good.

God broke me of that pride and replaced my bitterness and anger with a much softer heart that longs to be in relationship with Jesus.  I am a wretched sinner, but I love Jesus and understand more clearly (though not completely) what his horrific, painful death bought for me.  God gave me that heart as well.

And God helps me with the hard questions and through brothers and sisters who are willing to walk in faith with me that God will provide.  Today I can answer the question of what I would do with confidence – no, I would not choose even a life-saving treatment for myself or for my disabled son if it involved the destruction of tiny human beings.  Yes, I would be tempted, even beyond my ability to see clearly.  And God would help me.

I invite you to know this Jesus like that, for his glory and for your eternal joy.