The past couple of months our fellowship group has been going through a series on Ecclesiastes. It has been quite thought provoking and a wonderful reminder to me about the vanity of life without our God. The 'rabbit trail' our pastor has gone down for the past couple of weeks has been a great stimulator of discussions and personal contemplation about our fear of God leading to repentance and restoration with the Savior. Without Fear of God dealing out the consequences to those who are obstinate and disobedient we can not fall to our knees and truly honor and worship Him. Without fear each action and thought is based on embittered obligation rather than joyful submission to His perfect will.
Being reminded how much our Father wants to bless us if we obey and the curses that He will meet out if we are not His is so encouraging at this time. Friends and family are going through some major trials. Those who are saved are seeking comfort in Him and are blessed beyond measure....not with personal 'stuff' but with hearts that are at peace, with steadfast hope of His perfect timing, and are sharing their trials with us and comforting the rest of us in the Goodness of God through it all. Those that aren't redeemed are terrified, blaming God, trying to bargain with Him (as if He is a trader of goods), and asking questions of eternity.
I remember when someone in our family (who wasn't saved) was dying there were those that didn't want him to be 'scared into heaven', and yet that is just what needs to happen from a certain point of view. We need to fear the wrath of God, we need to fear the God of the Heaven so that we can then see our need for that same God to save us. I don't know if that family member truly ever got saved. It would be nice to delude ourselves into thinking he made a last minute decision, and yet he agreed with everything and yet didn't live it personally. He agreed because it was the "religious" thing to do, and yet he didn't repent. Each time the topic of salvation came up you felt more like you were receiving a pat on the head than a personal affirmation of agreement on the topic you just discussed. Personal sin was never seen within the life. Deals - yes, God as your neighbor - yes. But never the God of the Universe, Awesome and powerful. ...to see our own unworthiness before the Creator...and then repent of our sins leading to a heart devoted to God.
I am learning that mortality and frailty is a good thing. God teaches us great things through our own hurts and those around us. Learning to pray for God's goodness to be bestowed yet knowing that it may not mean healing is a hard "pill" to swallow. I watch those around us gaining strength from Him through the situations and sit in wonder at how our Great Father works!
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