He gives and takes away...

Testimony. Doesn’t the word testimony conjure images of triumph, strength, and victory? The glow of a sweaty athlete breaking tape on a big stage, hands exploding upwards in celebration, overcoming great feats with glorious strength from God? Surely such a theatrically triumphant story is what a testimony entails!

But what about the more “ordinary” sheep in the Shepherd’s flock? Can an average businessman burn as brightly for God as the Olympic champion? Undoubtably. Remember that even those terminally ill hold the promise of trampling death.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 NIV

So then, for a wandering sheep, it’d be easy to feel crushed when dreams and goals are shattered. One may even grow quite angry. But the sheep that is shepherded by the Lord? Well, just look at what David had to say in Psalm 23

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.“

   Say it with me:

1. I lack nothing.
2. He leads me.
3. He guides me along right paths.
4. I will not fear. He is with me. His rod and staff comfort me.
5. He prepares a table for me in the presence of my enemies. My cup overflows.
6. His goodness and love follow me allthe days of my life. I dwell in His house for eternity.

Because we lack nothing, we can still be at peace when things are taken away. Because we lack nothing, when something is taken away, we really are not deprived of anything. In fact, when God ends a certain season of life, no matter how short wemay think it was, it is for ourgood! It may not feel good right now. Often it will sting and weigh heavily on our hearts, perhaps even for a while. Yet it’s in those times we must take this gift of grief and let it grow our roots down deep.

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Now, I have a good idea as to the word that is looming in your mind.

Why?

I am extensively acquainted with this word. You are too? Aren’t we all? We all desperately wish to know the mysterious higher thoughts of God. And the truth is, we can’t. But, like me, I’m sure you already knew that. So we say it’s unfortunate. Some call it unfair. Then there are those so bruised by a broken heart that say it’s unloving. But God knows what’s best for the sheep of his pasture. He knows that we are not equipped to know all that he knows, for such knowledge is far too overwhelming for we simple sheep.

Will we ever know the answers to our undying and ever multiplying why’s? For some of them, no, we won’t know until we are scooped up from this earth and carried home. But for some others, it may just be that now is not the best time to know those answers.