Logic in Loss

Verse of the week Job 19:25-26: "I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh, I shall see God"

I aimed at memorizing one verse a week starting about 3 or 4 weeks ago. I got the first one down pat right away (which isn't like me). It came from reading something else and the verse was in there. I knew I wanted to memorize it because as I read it, I received revelation. Then the second week came...... I searched and searched, being overwhelmed by the vast number of "good" verses that I could memorize, many of which I had a general idea of already but none stood out to be dwelt upon. I came across these verses one day (P.S. I don't really like to read Job) and they were underlined in my Bible. I don't recall when I read it the first time (no I didn't buy my Bible used!). I didn't understand them and I didn't have any reason to memorize them but settled there anyway. I tried to blog about them two different times but nothing seemed to work.

Almost two weeks later, I was still having trouble memorizing them verbatim partly because of how busy I had let my head become with other life issues. Then something happened.....
I was going through life normally through the holidays and a loss occured. I had been pregnant but saw the life that I was created to nourish slip away.
Denial......
Devistation.....
I was unsure of how to feel right in that moment.
What was happening? Obviously that is a rhetorical question as I knew what was going on, but really? I didn't even know I was pregnant to begin with. To find out you were pregnant and loose it all at the same time made my head spin. I had previously wondered how I would react in such a raw moment of tragedy and loss and then is when I found out.
I hit my knees. I thanked God for His giving and taking away and I re-affirmed my love and devotion to Him. He didn't change just because I suffered loss. He didn't leave when I was sitting alone in the bathroom crying out to Him. He was right there. He is still the creator of all that we know. He is still all powerful, all mighty, all righteousness, all knowing, and all loving.
We live in a world that has tragedy because of the fall. That is the way it is......but what are we going to do with it?

I was, and still am as I work through this, faced with the logic of my faith combined with my loss. IF God didn't change and IF He makes good things out of anything, then there MUST be good that comes from this. I have drawn closer to Him now than before and my comfort in Him is stronger than ever. I have also had the opportunity to share my story with a few and it should be no surprise to me (although it is) that it has blessed and answered some questions for others!

So, with all that said, I go back to Job. He didn't even have the Biblical story of the hope of a Redeemer and yet in his time of supreme suffering and trial we find him proclaiming that not only does his Redeemer live, but even when his skin is destroyed, he will see God. Wow! At some level I know how he feels now. Those verses will be forever embedded in my heart as a promise that my Redeemer lives and I will see God! What will your response be in the face of loss and tragedy?
For now, I know that the Lord has said our little Kiah Elaine is dancing with Jesus and I can add one more to the quiver of the Campbell's. If we have another, he/she will never replace Kiah, they will only be another added to the Kingdom of God. We felt the urge to name her and Kiah has been another story in that I would be glad to tell another time.
Be blessed this season and remember that our Redeemer lives and no matter if you are joyful over your circumstances or grieving over a loss, you WILL see God!

Taste and See

I am on a journey to memorize one scripture a week. This is not meant to be a religious deed (although it is in a way but that is a different story) but something that I am inspired to do based on getting to know many of my baptist friends who can quote me 72% of the New Testament!

The first verse that I aimed at memorizing for this was Psalm 34:8- Oh taste and see that God is good. Blessed is the man who trusts in Him.

I thought this might just be a standard memorization process and by the end I would have "the Word in my heart" (or in my brain I should say as that was my attitude) as so many say we should. "You know, you never know when we won't have a Bible in our hands and then we will wish we had it in our hearts." While this is a true saying, I had never taken it seriously enough to crack down and memorize scripture enough to be able to quote it with the reference. Now was the time.......

What I didn't realize is the impact this one little verse would have on me from dwelling on it for a week. The Word says in Psalm 119, " I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word." Joshua chapter 1 states, "The Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." With that said, I shouldn't have been surprised that meditating on the Word produced much change but I was- and it did.

What I took away from the verse in Psalm 34 is that if you have indeed tasted and seen that God is good (which all believers have) then you will trust in Him.

It is not hard to remember what the taste of your favorite food is, right? I am thinking of a piece of tiramisu from my favorite Italian restaurant right now and my mouth is watering. It has been quite a while since I have had it, but I sure remember that taste! :)

Are you having trouble trusting God? I know there are certainly areas of my life where I do! Why? Could it be that I have forgotten about the taste of His goodness?

Maybe you are saying He hasn't been that good to you? Maybe you are in a low time of your life where you are feeling like there is a void where goodness should be. Have you forgotten His son saving you from eternal damnation? Have you lost touch with what is was like the first days of your new life (salvation)? He IS good and all you have to do is remember the taste of His goodness and you too, will be blessed by trusting in Him! I would take this a step further......get into His word! Meditate on a verse day and night for a week and see what He says to you! He longs to show you his goodness- let him in...........