I Know the Moon is Round

Can I just say that the next time I start thinking I just want to stay home from church and "enjoy" a Sunday...I'm not!! And...if at the last minute I hear that Pastor Reeder is out of town and I think that justifies my not wanting to go....it doesn't!!! If I had missed out on Dr.Bryan Chapell's sermon...I would still be kicking myself!!!
Funny how when you want to have a pity party God seems to send people your way so that you don't!!! It was all about joy in the midst of circumstances... knowing that we are justified by faith because of Christ's death on the cross for us....when he gave the example of a family and their 14 year old daughter who was stricken with cancer...of course I knew my reasons for not being joyful would never hold their own! They shouldn't any way but the more he told of the story and how she kept a journal and that after her death they read her journal and found an index card with simply these words...." I know that the moon is round!" At first they didn't understand but as they read further they realized that throughout her sufferings she had had to learn to trust in God's plan even when she couldn't see it or feel it! Just like when we see only a "sliver" of the moon...we know for a fact that it is round!! There is no doubt whatsoever in our minds that the moon is ALWAYS round!! So why do we doubt God's love for us? or that He has our best interest in mind when we go through whatever it is we are going through! He doesn't change...just like the moon!! God is always love!!! and He is always Sovereign!
Of course then we went to our Sunday School class and today was the beginning of Dr. Frank Barker teaching our class!! Guess what he taught!!! Joy in the midst of circumstances!!!! The examples he gave of the godly men and women who have endured so much...who have called their "sick rooms" their "thanksgiving corners" went on and on...of course....God had my full attention!!!! and I'm grateful for it!!

We started in church with Romans 5:3-5 " More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us!"


to the verses that Dr. Barker taught on....

Psalm 103: 8-12 " The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear him!"