Inheritance-tried in the fires

1 Peter 1:

3-7 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, …5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials 7so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.… As Christmas lights shine, so dark patches dissapear, and spirits lift. This is true this Christmas season, even more than ever for me. The moreloved ones that pass to the other side, the more my heart looks to the eternal, and carries an awareness of the Presence of a supernatural reality. It is in the wrestling with labor that the birth comes. It is in the sitting that a knowing comes... It is in Him that Peace comes. The night is long, but the glory of His appearing, breaks through in seeing an the passing of a loved one, as in when I saw my mom, and Aunt Connie, when they passed away. It was as if a Divine portal opened- and God's light shone directly from heaven into us here on earth. And we had PEACE. Every once in awhile we get that glimpse. To me, sunsets and sunrises reflect that glory, an natural example of a supernatural reality. Thank You, Abba, Father that you comfort us with such glimpses. Let us be a comfort to others in return. Let the trials bring us to eye opening experiences and let your peace, and yes, your joy inexpressible and full of glory- shine into this darkness.

On Hope

HOPE. Hope is the concept I've been chewing on in this wierd season of grieving, as another of my brothers passes and anniversaries of other loved ones' deaths come around. And I hear and see other dear loved ones who, in their loss, suffer without any hope. My heart breaks for them! It overshadows my own grief and leaves me aching for their grief without comfort. How hard it is for me to understand, when I have been able to meet Him in my worst grief. And yet, I get it. I get the anger at God, the gnawing question- "How can a good God let this evil happen?" I've yelled it, I've seethed in it, and I have struggled with a God who is supposed to be all powerful and all good, but is not stopping the unjustice, evil, or pain. I know the the theoligical reasons for still believing, but those arguments rang empty in the face of such pain in my life. How then? How did I find hope in light of that? It was in the fights. It was in the screaming and cussing and literally shaking my fist in God's face, then crying in a heap on the floor, that a quiet, gentle, and incredibly loving voice broke through, with nothing but compassion, understanding, and the words that let me know that I was loved. He got it, and cared, and He that was with me. And suddenly, I had peace. And hope. Then I knew that I was so loved by this all powerful and all good God. I knew that I was not going to be shielded from the suffering, but that He would walk with me through it. And it was gonna be okay. Peace that defies understanding, but rings more true in the knowing than any fact. The God that I know, the Love I've discovered, beckons us all. This Lover, who took up His cross and walked the path of suffering, who came and identified with us in all of our human suffering, this is the One who is waiting for you, for anyone who wants to have it out with Him. A wise Special Education professor I had at CSUN once said that suffering will make you bitter or better. The choice is each of ours.. I encourace you to take your pain to Him. And watch and wait. Because as surely as there is death, there is resurrection. As surely as Good Friday came, and Jesuse was tortured to death, Sunday is coming and He will bring resurrection life. Come to Me,all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Jesus But God showed us His love in that, while we were still living apart from Him, Christ died for us. Rom.5:8 This hope does not disappoint us, for God has poured out his love into our hearts .Romans 5:5