Week 2
Yahweh, I Am
The discussion questions for this week are:
1. What does it mean to you to know that you are precious in God's sight?
My mother often told me when I was growing up that I was her joy! Her precious joy! Oh, how I miss hearing her say those words.
But, when I read the Word that "is living and active, sharper than any double edged sword", I know that I am His joy, and that I am precious to God. Mother is now in heaven and I cannot hear her voice, but God's Word is perfect and eternal, and I have confidence in, and faith in, that according to His Word I am precious to Him.
2. Can you think of a time in your life when you have experienced, first hand, the Lord's faithfulness?
I could give several answers, because He has worked dramatically in my life over the past several years, and I know it was not only for my own benefit, but for those that I would share my story with---actually His story, I am just His servant.
In the spring of 2003 my oldest son David was deployed to Iraq. David was a tank driver in an M1 Abram tank. He was turning 20, newly married, and later in 2003 would become a daddy.
When I think back at that time we were all naive of what was to come, all of us except my own daddy that was a Veteran of World War II. How can another person due justice to paint an accurate picture of combat to another? No more easier than a person can accurately describe what it is like to send your spouse or child off to war. We were not sending David off to a camp, where if he was in trouble we could go and get him. He would be far on the other side of the world, where others wished to kill him. Just writing that last sentence makes me want to bust in to tears....this is my son, even though he is an adult, he is still my precious first born baby. I was not there the day he left, I stayed at home--alone (yet, not really alone His Spirit was with me), David did not think he could handle a grieving wife and his mother at the same time. My husband also David's dad took him, at the last minute my daughter in-law Christina went.
During the many days and weeks and months that David was gone I prayed constantly, in and out of prayer all day and night. Often during the night I would be awakened in the middle of night with the urgent alarm to wake up and pray for David now! I would scramble out of the covers and kneel beside the bed to pray. A few times the alarm (no I did not hear a real alarm, but that is the best way I can explain my arousal to wake up) was more pronounced, more serious. I heard the "still small voice" tell me that "this was serious, Annette you must pray now, you must battle in prayer for David." I obeyed and prayed in a way I'd never prayed before, prostrate on the floor, towards the east (don't know why, just obeyed). I would pray until I felt it was "enough." Once I prayed in this posture until dawn came.
A young man died in Iraq August of 2003, he left a wife and small children. He was a local boy. During my devotional time I heard His Spirit ask me "Annette if something were to happen to David would you still love me, would you still worship me?" My first response was "Oh, Lord I don't like that question, that is not nice!"
I ignored the question for days, fleeing from it. Yet, every time I would pause and have a devotional time there it was, as if in bold letters like a large caption that would be in a cartoon floating above my head waiting for my answer. Finally, I answered, "yes, Lord you know all things, even if something happens to David I will still love you, I will still worship you." It is a hard, hard, hard thing to pray for the Lords will, knowing that it maybe His will that your son does not come back home to you. Yet, there is a peace in this, a freedom on the other side, but you have to let go, you have to release it and give it to Him.
David did come home to us, he went back for a second tour and came back home again. Early next month he will complete his military duty--over eight years.
God was gracious to us, He blessed us immeasurably. It could have worked out differently, but it did not.
Look deeper than the result in this story, yes, God was faithful in bringing David back home to His family.
God was already "faithful" in being with us in a mighty way; His comfort, compassion, encouragement, promise of eternal life, guidance and direction, all of these were magnified greatly in our family during this period. In turn we were witnesses of Him in this, because others were watching, and God was glorified.
I could write a long list of what God has taught me through this experience, it could fill a book....maybe that would be a good idea?
Blissful Blogging!
Annette
