Inspirational Thought of the Day:
Life’s greatest sorrows turn into our biggest blessings in the hands of our great God, our Kinsman Redeemer.
Scriptures of the Day:
Isaiah 54:5
“For your husband is the one who made you–the LORD who commands armies is his name. He is your protector, the Holy One of Israel. He is called “God of the entire earth.“”
Psalm 78:35
“They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.”
Exodus 15:13
“In Your lovingkindness You have led the people whom You have redeemed; In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation.”
Rent was due and that familiar unsettled feeling of not knowing where or how I would pay it threatened to overwhelm my spark of faith with doubt. Visiting the food pantry and finding creative ways to stretch a dollar helped, but in that place and time, we just could not make ends meet. But God could.
My children and I sold things, things that were precious to us. Expensive American Girl dolls that my children willingly offered up, my keyboard that I used for ministry, these former “necessities” were now understood to be luxuries we had been privileged to steward. The former “problems” of yesterday now seemed light and momentary to this very heavy reality we found ourselves in.
Learning how to survive in our new environment and the landscape of single motherhood was hard enough, but facing legal matters made it all the more daunting. Bills mounted, everything broke (just to make things interesting), but the most important thing my children needed was to see me faithfully walking with God. The condition of their souls mattered more than any comfort or status I thought I should be afforded.
I tried to find creative ways to generate income, but more than all the different ways we cooperated with our new normal, the most significant moment in that place of shame was when I cried out to my God.
Ruth serves as such an example to me in times of lack. She lost her husband, yet in that place of loneliness and pain, she remained devoted. She chose to honor her mother-in-law and denied herself. What a beautiful picture of surrender, submission and trust.
Widowed in a land she did not know, Ruth steadfastly worked with vigor. We don’t see her wasting time feeling sorry for herself. She accepted her position with humility. She did not claim that she was entitled to the happiness she had before. She did the next best thing. And God honored her faithfulness.
Sometimes in life it is easy to play the victim, but the path to victory is not paved by victimhood. Victory is in the hands of those who cry out to their Redeemer. God is in the business of taking our messes and redeeming them for His glory and our good.
We would not appreciate the beauty of being redeemed if we were not in a place of need first. Being in a position of want hurts, but God is so very near to those Who will call out His name. And our Redeemer lives.
During that season of my life, I did not think or assume that God would provide another husband, for God Himself was my husband. He saw my pain and hid me in His loving arms. But He also had mercy on me and provided a Boaz of my own who took notice of me.
My children and I left our former land for a new one, too, and sought to serve God in that new place. It was there that God would have me meet my soulmate, my human redeemer.
Life’s greatest sorrows turn into our biggest blessings in the hands of our great God, our Kinsman Redeemer. His purposes far exceed our own and His provision is eternal. When I mourned the loss of what I knew, I met my God in a way I did not encounter Him before. Having the perfect life did not matter anymore, but having and knowing my God more became my deepest desire. His redemption changes more than just our circumstances, He changes our hearts and rescues our souls.
We long for relief from our temporary suffering, but our Redeemer longs to meet our greatest need forever with Himself.
Lord, thank You for redeeming us from all our sorrows and most importantly, from the grave.
P.S.: I thank God for my husband and wrote this song for him – “Then Came You”, found at: https://denisepass.com/product/seeing-deep/. Maybe it will minister to some of you out there, too, who had broken hearts. God sees you. He is your husband. And sometimes He provides a human kinsman redeemer to care for us, too.
Awesome testimony, Denise. Pain and suffering are a common thread across the human race. What a tremendous impact your testimony has had on your children. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Thank you, Sheila. Nothing is wasted in God’s hands – even the difficult places we want to forget – He takes them and makes all things new. What an amazing God!
What a blessing your story is. Thank you for sharing. It has been a toll taking week for me and I am grateful to surround myself with wise Godly counsel and prayer. My thoughts surround my son. He is the stage of discerning he’s secondary education and career choices. As I play catch up on your messages and others, I am blessed. True test of faith is placing your children in God’s hands, every day and every moment.
Lori, thank you for visiting here. It is so hard when our kids move on to adulthood, but so sweet to watch their interactions with God as they make mistakes and flourish. Praying your weekend is a refreshing from the week you had!