Rescued For Eternity

I posted today on Facebook:

So the world didn't end and it will be just another day at Lowe's, another day to squeeze my girl as I rise, another day to post a vacation pic, another day to message my friend, Phillip (he is a fine, special needs young man, son of fellow ministers in Christ), another day to pray for those God brings to mind, another day to be thankful for 'just' another day on earth yet for some, for many, yesterday was end of their world, their time here. God alone knows the number of our days and when it will all end. I don't trust in Mayans or men. I trust in God, His plan, His will, for His purposes. Not just for today, for eternity.

and, many of my friends have 'liked' it, some who have yet to 'like' any of my posts.

I find it interesting that when we believers continue as before, in the face of tragedy, with stinging angst and great travail over evil, that non-believers are the first to ask, "Where was God when this happened?", either blaming Him or sealing their unbelief in 'their perception' of God.

Gathering evidence for the existence and will of the almighty, all powerful, all creative and glorious God, I have come to discover and believe that He is present and faithful to provide ultimate redemption for His children even in the midst of heinous evil.  Sure, as we look at and ponder such evil, when left to our human, earthly perceptions, we wrestle with why it is allowed, and in my mind I find myself thinking that God allows glimpses of heinous evil as evidence of what would occur with great regularity when He is absent from the hearts of selfish men.  

Think about it.  We are awash in mourning when we think of these innocent children slain, yet in a week hundreds of mothers silence, before birth, the life of a child in her womb because that life may have been unplanned.  There are others in other nations who train and send their children with hatred and evil, sending them laden with bombs into crowds to reek havoc.  

Now before everyone gets bent out of shape thinking I am linking abortion with evil, let me say that I understand the pondering difficulties of an unplanned birth, and even as such a life is ended, the ultimate arrival of their lives in heaven, spared of walking this turmoil ridden life is also included as part of God's plan for every life, their eternal residence the ultimate goal for each, both them and us.

I am free to question God.  Sometimes He provides answers, sometimes He is silent.  When His silence is response, I believe it because He wants to unveil my trust in His goodness, His ultimate will for His children.  For we all have need of a savior.  We all have fallen short.  We all have disobeyed and walked in personal pride apart from His will.  None of us like to admit it, but each of us has participated in evil at some time, yet for those of us who love God, we have decided to press toward a way of living void of evil, steeped in sacrifice and service, overcoming evil with good, His good.

For me, this is why Christmas exists.  When God planned a redemption process, available to the most evil of man and the least, by sending His son into the world with encroaching evil, something miraculous occurred.  For me, it is wonderfully difficult imagining an infant God wrapping His fingers around the finger of her mom and dad, Mary and Joseph, fully dependent upon their provision at birth and in the decades to come (well, even then it was God doing the providing).  Jesus toddled, grew up in a family whose own siblings could not find fault (that alone is miracle enough) as He lived a life of perfection, devoid of selfishness and disobedience, unto His Father.  His credibility all through His life was impeccably of God.  

For me, God is God.  Not as I see Him, as He is.  I have come to trust Him and He certainly does not 'need' me to do so, but I do and am grateful that eternity waits for me with peace in perfection just as He originally planned.  It will be a peace with others who born or not, will exist with God in eternal bliss or tormented because they responded not to His offering of such to each and every human by sacrifice of His Son to bear the price for our disobedience.  I am grateful that I have been given eyes to see my personal miracle of redemption and pray that each of us responds to God and His offer.  For He is God and I just a man.  A man who loves Him and so wants to see His glory, rescued for eternity in peace.