GoodNews

GoodNewsFL.org 37 MAY 2018 ENCOURAGEMENT 'RQ·W ORVH \RXU MR\ DQG KRSH 7KH /25' LV FORVH WR WKH EURNHQKHDUWHG DQG VDYHV WKRVH ZKR DUH FUXVKHG LQ VSLULW 3VDOP )25(&/2685(" 1RZ LV 127 WKH WLPH WR EH HPEDUUDVVHG DVKDPHG RU SULGHIXO ³$9´ UDWHG E\ SHHUV 0DUWLQGDOH +XEEHOO ‡ \HDUV VHUYLFH LQ 6RXWK )ORULGD 9:3). But regardless, ALL SICKNESS becomes a ser- vant in our Savior’s hand. If God allows this sickness to continue in our lives, you can be sure it is for the following two reasons: His glory and our ultimate good. Insight from Joni Eareckson Tada Joni Eareckson Tada puts a sharp point on this biblical truth: “I’ve been giving thanks for most of my paralyzed life. Not only giving thanks “in everything” as one part of the Bible tells us, but “always giv- ing thanks to God the Father for everything” as another part commands. Most of us are able to thank God for His grace, comfort and sustaining power in a trial, but we don’t thank Him for the problem, just finding Him in it. But many decades in a wheelchair have taught me to not segregate my Savior from the suffering he allows, as though a broken neck — or in your case, a bro- ken ankle, heart or home – merely ‘happens’ and then God shows up after the fact to wrestle something good out of it. No, the God of the Bible is bigger than that. Much bigger. “And so is the capacity of your soul. Maybe this wheel- chair felt like a horrible tragedy in the beginning, but I give God thanks in my wheel- chair . . . I’m grateful for my quadriplegia. It’s a bruising of a blessing. A gift wrapped in black. It’s the shadowy com- panion that walks with me daily, pulling and pushing me into the arms of my Savior. Your wheelchair, whatever it is, falls well within the overar- ching decrees of God. Your hardship and heartache come from His wise and kind hand and for that, you can be grate- ful. In it and for it,” she said. So, has sickness been testing the outer edges of your health plan lately? Cry out to God for His healing touch for He is the Great Physician. But, please be still long enough and pay close attention to His good, gra- cious, and loving response. It could be for you just like it was for the apostle Paul that God has a far greater purpose in your life with this sickness than without it. When this is the case, submitting to the servant of sickness for the glory of our Savior is the path- way to blessing. We must re- member that we have been bought at a price and we are not our own. God has a right to do with us as He pleases to accomplish His purposes in our lives. If He has ordained sickness as His servant in our lives, may we receive it know- ing that His grace is sufficient and His power is being made perfect in our weakness. All glory to our God until we get to the other side of the grave where there will be no more sickness. Until then, may we, like Joni, be grateful both in and for our sickness. This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. Never for- get that…Amen! Tommy Boland is senior pastor of Cross Community Church in Deerfield Beach. He blogs regularly at tommy- boland.com. +645-*45&% 1BMN"JSF$POEP6QTDBMF3FNPEFM 8JUI*UBMJBOQPSDFMBJOìPSJOHUISPVHIPVU ,JUDIFOIBT(SBOJUF44"QQMJBODFT 8BTI%SZFSJOVOJU3FNPEFMFE#BUIT *NQBDUXJOEPXTXJUIHPSHFPVTMBLFWJFXT FWFSZUIJOHJTOFXBOEBCTPMVUFMZiUVSOLFZw 1SJDFEUPTFMBUPOMZ 0WFS IPNFTTPME 8FBSFUIF3FBMUPSTZPVSGSJFOET BOEOFJHICPSTUSVTUBOESFDPNNFOE -BSZ8FDIUFS +PBOOF%BSMJOH ,*/(.0%&-