"Now and Then", He Is Able Page 052 at http://www.he-is-able.com/page052.html


	Now And Then


For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. I Corinthians 13:12


Though shadows deepen and my heart bleeds, I will not question the way He leads. This side of Heaven we know in part; I will not question a broken heart. I'll trust His leading, He'll never fail all through dark tunnels or misty vale. Obey His bidding and faithful be, though only one step ahead I see.

So goes the words of the beautiful melody you are hearing. We used to sing this song in church many years ago. It expresses the writer's genuine desire to not question the heartbreaks of life and reaffirms his determination to trust in God. The mysteries and questions of life are often overwhelming to our finite minds. Even with all the knowledge that is available for us to learn in countless fields of study, so many things are impossible to understand in this life: The sudden, unexpected loss of a friend or loved one The slow downward spiral into losing one's identity and personal dignity through sickness and disease Acts of hatred and violence by humans upon humans Why some can prosper and yet live such seemingly Godless lives. "Why? Why did this happen?" or "How do they get away with that?"

As humans, it's only natural for us to look for the reasons behind what comes along in life. In many cases, we will never gain a satisfactory answer. And while we are told, "Time heals all wounds," it's not always true. There are some losses which time only serves to more starkly reveal the depth and height and breadth of what has been taken from us. And what might anger one person and fill them with fight, might so wound another as to sink them into an abyss of depression. Often we allow ourselves to grow bitter and resentful over what we esteem as someone's having "gotten away" with something. You know, those folks we see living in a Godless manner, richer than we could ever imagine being, while we borrow the neighbor's phone to see if we can get our own reconnected, or scraping together the funds for last month's utility bill. Or a loved one is taken from us through violence and the perpetrator of the crime does not receive his/her "just desserts".

I get a little perturbed at all the "prosperity preachers", and it's not because I am lacking great wealth, either. It's because their prosperity is based on you sending them your hard-earned money. God never promised we could have all we want! Sure, He owns the cattle of a thousand hills, but His promise says He will supply our NEEDS. He knows what we need and He knows when we are ready to receive it. After all, He is The PERFECT Father. I want you to understand one thing: this existence is not all there is, and nobody "gets away" with anything. There WILL come a reckoning day for ALL of us. There may be those who "have it all" here on this earth, but the only thing that goes with any of us to the grave is our salvation through Jesus Christ (or lack of it). The Bible tells us: Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:19-21.

Few and far between are those who have never experienced at least a few of the seemingly unexplainable, unanswerable events that cause us to cry out our helplessness to God. For some, those cries will turn into resentment and rebellion against God. Others will be drawn closer to God in their moments of frustrating helplessness. We're told, "But you are to never question God! Oh no! You wouldn't dare!" Job did. Jesus did. Paul did. Job is referred to in the Bible as a perfect (blameless) man. He had all that was dear to him wrested from him. Even his friends said he MUST have done something wrong. Job suffered, finally to the point of rebellion. I challenge you to read Job's story, especially Chapters 40-41. Then see how Job REPENTED of his rebellion toward God in Chapter 42, Verses 1-6: Then Job answered the Lord, and said, I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. Jesus questioned God. He didn't question God's authority, nor God's wisdom. He didn't rail against God, but He had a question, in the form of a request: And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. Matthew 26:39. The difference in Jesus' attitude and ours is, HE accepted the Will of The Father, He submitted His Will to that of The Father. What gets us in trouble with our questions to God is that we forget, we "conveniently" omit the NEVERTHELESS part! NEVERTHELESS, NOT as I will, but as Thou wilt. Paul questioned God. Again though, he didn't rail against God. He didn't go against God's Will for his life, but he questioned God. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. II Corinthians 12:7,8. What was God's answer to Paul? God didn't clear up the mystery for this dedicated warrior. What did God tell Paul? And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. II Corinthians 12:9,10. Paul was MORE THAN willing to suffer whatever it was that had been placed upon him, because in doing so, he was made even stronger in God. That is very unlike most of us, today. We don't want to suffer. We don't want a cross, but we sure want the crown! Sorry, even in the dictionary, it's *Cross BEFORE* Crown**. We canNOT allow our questions to cause us to give up our Christian walk.

And all those unanswerable questions we've carried all our lives? There won't be any such questions in the presence of God. We will NO LONGER have such questions for two reasons: (1)For us to have such questions would mean a remembrance of our sorrows and griefs and disappointments, but the Bible teaches us: For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Revelation 7:17. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4. And then we have (2): For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. I Corinthians 13:9-12. We won't have any questions, any more. Praise God! We will know, not only each other as we are known, we will have an understanding that our mortal minds could never have comprehended! But, there is a requirement in order to attain such understanding: Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside EVERY weight, and the SIN which doth so EASILY BESET US, and let us run with PATIENCE the race that is set before us, Looking unto ourselves and our own strength... WHAT? No, No, NO! Looking unto JESUS the AUTHOR AND FINISHER of our faith... Hebrews 12:1,2. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. II Timothy 4:7,8.

I don't have all the answers. The written Word of God does, but I don't understand all of its mysteries. Yet, even so, I accept those mysteries, for they are only mysteries to me in my present condition: a limited human with faults and failures of my own. But this I do know: there is coming a day, a day like unto no other, a day when that which is hidden will be revealed and that which I don't know now, I will then! But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow NOT, even as others which have no hope... Oh, it's natural to grieve over the separation from our loved ones, but if they knew Christ, it is not "death" (as in eternal death)--it is merely separation. Did you read that? I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are ASLEEP, that ye SORROW NOT as those who have NO HOPE. There is an ETERNITY OF DIFFERENCE!! ...For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which SLEEP IN JESUS will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the DEAD IN CHRIST shall rise FIRST: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore COMFORT ONE ANOTHER with THESE WORDS. I Thessalonians 4:13-18. (all emphasis on scriptures, such as bold, underline or uppercase, is mine) "Now And Then" Copyright © 1999 by Patricia Sikes. All Rights Reserved.


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