THE UNCERTAINTY OF LIFE

 

For thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.  Eccl 11:2 (KJV)

 

We have no idea what evils, trial, or troubles we will face while on this earth.  How many crises already have you confronted that you never thought you would have to deal with?  There are likely more to come.  Some of these may have come from our unfaithfulness to God, others may be tests he is allowing us to go thru so that we may see what we are made of.  Some may be coming our way to show Satan what we are made of.

There are many things going on in our nation that I never anticipated would take place.  As a child I never imagined that prayer would be outlawed anywhere.  It never crossed my mind that abortions would take place legally on a wholesale basis.  I never thought I would live to see the day when men would legally marry men and have children.  The same thing is happening with women.  Media is glorifying these things.  Churches that stand up to such things today are seen as radical extremists.

My dad was not born in a hospital.  He was born at home as many back in his day were.  Therefore he was never admitted to a hospital until his late thirties when he was kicked by a cow.  Dad was just never sick back in those days.  Laying in a bed in a hospital was not what he had planned on.  Part of life is dealing with the surprises.  How much we need Jesus in our lives to handle these surprises.  My mother was playing softball with the kids in the front yard when she made an awkward step and severely broke her ankle.  She went through many surgeries on the ankle.  Mother was around 38 years old when this happened.  She is now almost 78.  Every step she has taken since then has been with a distinct limp.  The kids had no idea when they talked mother into coming outside to play with them that this would take place.  When the softball was picked up a great game was anticipated.  It was expected that one side would win and one side would lose.  Everyone lost that day.  I must say that my mother did not quit living that day.  She had four children to raise and she did that.  She had a church to support and she did that.  My dad still had a job to do and he did it.  Once all us children were in school my mom went work.  She worked in the lunch room at Oneonta School.  Dad later developed rheumatoid arthritis.  You know what he did?  He kept on working, in fact he worked until this past January and he finally retired to help my mom who had a stroke.  Dad was almost 79 when he retired.

I did not intend this devotion to be all about my family but the truth is we do not know what we will face tomorrow.  The question is how will we respond to the crisis?  Life goes on whether we like it or not.  God is still God when we are in crisis mode or not.  He is still our strength and our redeemer.  He does not forsake us when things are not going well. 

Thank you, Lord, for your omnipresence.  You have assured us that we may face hard days but we do not face them without You.    

 

Yours in Christ,

 

                                               

Brother Randy Burtram