Scripture

Our verse for today comes from 2 Samuel 12:22, “And he said, ‘While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, “Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?”‘”

Background

Last week was a tough week, and it ended up with my wife spending Friday night in the hospital. For several days, she had been suffering through a miscarriage, her second one in the past four months. And Friday, things got a bit concerning, so she went to the ER to make sure they didn’t become life-threatening to her. Eventually, the bleeding stopped, and she was able to come home early Saturday morning. But unlike the six other times when we had gone to the hospital because of a pregnancy, this time we did not come home with another child. Just some sadness, some thankfulness, and a whole lot of uncertainty. When David prayed for his child to live, God had already told him that the child would die. Yet he pleaded with God, fasted and sprawled out on the floor, hoping that God’s grace might bring a different result. But it did not. When my wife began bleeding several days ago, I feared that the worst was coming, but I prayed for the health and safety of her and the baby. But our child was not spared, either.

Application

In the movie “Facing The Giants,” the coach and his wife had been trying for many years to have a child, but could not get pregnant. And the wife asked an amazing question, “How can I miss someone so much that I have never met?” There have been many of you who have suffered a miscarriage. Statistics say that one out of every five pregnancies ends in a miscarriage. And there have been some who have lost a family member or dear friend, either to disease, old age, tragedy, or just estrangement after a disagreement. Loss is everywhere. And I haven’t discovered a secret formula for dealing with it, except to say that I know that my loving God has it under control. Our loss, your loss, and whatever else may come our way. He wants us to plead to Him when things look bleak. He wants us to plead when everything is smooth. And He wants us to look in someone else’s eyes and see if there is some hurt there that we can somehow help ease. That is one way for your own pain to experience some healing.

Charge

As we seek Him today, cry if you need to cry, and shout if you need to shout. But do it knowing that God’s love for you is bigger than anything your heart can bring to Him.

Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words