Just Wondering.....

Our friend, Tom, related a story to us about his elderly mother who lay dying. As she slept in her bed she suddenly awoke and sat bolt upright. "Tom, am I dying?" she asked. "Tom, there are all these people here telling me that I'm dying, and one of them came and poked me in the side and woke me up!" Afterwards, she lay back down to sleep and awoke in heaven.

In Acts 12, it tells the story of Peter imprisoned and then rescued by an angel. Verse 7 says that the angel "struck Peter on the side and woke him..."

I just can't help but wonder, is this angel operandi??

Ponderings

I used to think that older people sat quietly and still for long periods because they were too feeble or tired to do anything else, and that may well be the case. But, now I am thinking that it also may be because they have hearts and minds that are too full.

The Scripture says that after the birth of Christ when Mary had been visited by the Magi, she "pondered these things in her heart." I am finding that the older one gets the more there is to ponder! It's not easy to think through all the things that life affords.

This week, in about 36 hours time, with great relief we welcomed home a son from war, sat with a daughter in the emergency room awaiting word from the doctor about a threatened miscarriage, saw - with great relief again - the ultrasound image of a healthy, busy baby, and then learned that the greatly-anticipated, greatly-needed employment fell through. Again.

What to think? How to feel?

This I know: the overwhelming goodness of God continues; through good and through bad it continues, and there I can find rest, for His purposes in our lives will be accomplished. This I feel: the exhilaration, the fear, the joy, the discouragement - is all real. It's a lot to ponder!

A Psalm of Thanksgiving

Shout for joy to God, all the earth;

sing the glory of his name;

give to him glorious praise!

Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds!

So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.

All the earth worships you and sings praises to your name."

Come and see what God has done:

he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.

He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot.

There did we rejoice in him, who rules by his might forever,

whose eyes keep watch on the nations -

let not the rebellious exalt themselves.

Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard,

who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip.

For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.

You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs;

you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water;

yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.

I will come into your house with burnt offerings;

I will perform my vows to you, that which my lips uttered

and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.

I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals,

with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;

I will make an offering of bulls and goats.

Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.

I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue.

If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer

or removed his steadfast love from me! ~ Psalm 66