Here are two passages of scripture the LORD has recently comforted me through. In fact both times I was really despairing, and one night I opened my Bible (in the midst of that), and it fell opened to the first passage; the second time I was really struggling (and being attacked by the “enemy”), I opened my Bible and it literally fell open to the second passage I’ll share here:
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. ~Jeremiah 29:11-14
And,
1But now thus says the LORD,(A) he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
(B) “Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
(C) I have called you by name, you are mine.
2(D) When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
(E) when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
3For(F) I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
(G) I give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and(H) Seba in exchange for you.
4Because you are precious in my eyes,
and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
peoples in exchange for your life.
5(I) Fear not, for I am with you;
(J) I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you.
6I will say to the north, Give up,
and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring(K) my sons from afar
and my daughters from the end of the earth,
7everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
8Bring out(L) the people who are blind, yet have eyes,
who are deaf, yet have ears!
9(M) All the nations gather together,
and the peoples assemble.
Who among them can declare this,
and show us the former things?
Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right,
and let them hear and say, It is true.
10(N) “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD,
“and(O) my servant whom I have chosen,
that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
(P) Before me no god was formed,
nor shall there be any after me.
11(Q) I, I am the LORD,
and besides me there is no savior. ~Isaiah 43:1-11
The Evangelical Christian 
April 17, 2010 at 10:13 am
one night I opened my Bible (in the midst of that), and it fell opened to the first passage…
Isn’t that an awesome thing? And so amazing to have God’s promises to hold onto when your head is messed up.
To think that the God of heaven knows the name of each of His children…and He cares what happens to us. That is indeed a comfort.
April 17, 2010 at 12:31 pm
It really is, Heather. When this happened the second time (Is. passage) I was so distraught, and in need of a ‘Word from God’; that when it fell open to Is 43 it might as well been the Lord speaking audibly to me. He is the God of Hope and Comfort!!!
April 17, 2010 at 3:29 pm
Cool Bobby. Its seems you are closer to God now.
How much closer to God are you because of this?
What would be the most influencing lesson you have gained out of this?
April 17, 2010 at 8:18 pm
Are you saying I wasn’t close before 😉 hehe?
I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m “closer,” but dependent on Him in ways that I haven’t been before. In other words, I’ve gone through other “hellish” things in the past (that I won’t describe right now — but nothing which involved life and death like this) — more mental/emotional stuff (now physical has been thrown in 🙂 ). I’ll talk about what I’ve gone through in the past later.
The most influencing lesson: there have been many, to be honest I can’t think of just one; but I would say learning to wait on the Lord, seeing a little more clearly the reality of what Jesus was facing when He went to the cross (i.e. facing death), learning to know the voice of the Lord. And just realizing how close the LORD is to us, how spiritual life is (we are way too materialistic in the West); and that His provision is for real.
I would say that we can “know” lots of things about God; it’s always different when we face things which force us to experience it. In other words, having knowledege w/o experience can lead to complacency; so “Experiencing God” (there’s a book on that, isn’t there? 😉 ) is what it’s all about — it just hurts!
I am closer to the LORD, I wish it didn’t take things like this to do that 🙂 . . . maybe I should change my favorite verse from being I Corinthians 2:2, and quit talking about the “Theology of the Cross” 🙂 hehe.
April 17, 2010 at 9:14 pm
🙂 I really didnt mean that were not close to God in the first place…..without being self loathing I have a long way to go here!
I was just interested because after seeing the video of the Jolly Blogger and then reading him just a week or two ago about his suffering (real Job kind of stuff!)…..and you know, I reckon he had the same tone that you make above. He says he doesnt study much and doesnt prepare for sermons in the same way but he can relate in a totaly excellent way (not exact words but you get my drift)
I also have some other friends, yes I have friends, who are suffering with cancers and all sorts of other different issues…..I’ve been reading Job and I’ve been led to Rom 5:3-5 and other places as well. The Lord is showing me something here, I’m sure of it, but I dont know why or what I’m supposed to learn.
So after the suffering someone asks you if you had your time again would you take it away….what would the answere be? I know with the limited suffering I’ve had in my life, mental aguish type stuff after failed relationships etc, I would say no I wouldnt take it away because I’m shaped by that experience……but thats my experience, limited as it is…..but I reckon there would be bucket loads of people that would say “Yep, take it all away because its caused all these issues”.
Paul says to rejoice in our sufferings and to live is Christ and to die is gain.
But if later on this week I’m given bad news…I know I will be **pleading** to God to take it away.
What would Job say? My guess is that he wouldnt change it.
April 17, 2010 at 11:17 pm
Gav,
I was playin’ with what you said about being close; I really am closer to Him because of this. It’s like Peter said “where else can I/we go, you alone have the words of eternal life.” Jesus is IT, and like you said suffering, unfortunately, is the way we know God in Christ; in fact for Paul he says: “for to you it has been granted not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” I wish it wasn’t like this — as we all do, I’m sure, but I know that our “light” affliction for a moment is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” and that at points we “have the sentence of death upon us so that we will not rely on ourselves, but on the one who raises the dead.”
Job is an amazing book. It’s amazing because as we start out in Job he kind’ve has a generic view of God; but as we get to Job 19, Job knows God in a whole new way. In fact as the book of Job starts out, as I recall, in the Hebrew, it refers to God in the generic term for God (elohim); as it progresses we see Job referring to God by NAME (Yahweh) — Job speaks of God in relational terms, no longer in generic. Anyway, I agree, Job, looking back probably wouldn’t change anything.
You can bet I’ve been pleading with God to take this away; and He has answered this prayer request, and given me a date — it’s May 6th 😉 (ironically, as friend pointed out, in the “States” it’s the National Day of Prayer on May 6th).
I’m continuing to learn that God’s grace is sufficient; even though sometimes it doesn’t “feel” like it.
April 18, 2010 at 6:24 am
maybe I should change my favorite verse from being I Corinthians 2:2…,
Perhaps you could move into 2Corinthians 12?
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
as friend pointed out, in the “States” it’s the National Day of Prayer on May 6th).
Have you seen this?
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2010/0415/Federal-judge-National-Day-of-Prayer-is-unconstitutional
Obviously, our ability to pray–even corporately–isn’t changed according to the whims of our country’s leaders, I still think it is sad that our government seems so aggressive about shoving God out of the public realm. 😦 Guess that is one more thing to pray about.
April 18, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Yeah, II Cor 12 is good too, I’m living there right now 🙂 !
Yeah, I’m aware of the link you point to; liberalism is in the seat of power right now (temporally speaking). The Lord is accomplishing His purpose through it though (cf. Rev 17). They can’t stop people from praying, even if a “judge” says so, amen!
April 18, 2010 at 5:30 pm
Yes, God’s in control. It will be interesting to see what happens over the next few years.
April 20, 2010 at 10:41 pm
Just wanted to say thanks again to everyone for all your support of Bobby and our family through this. It’s so hard to say what exactly I am learning through this and I not sure God really wants me (us) to be working at trying to figure that out. Bobby and I have talked about this subject. It’s not so much that we are “learning” anything through this, but more that we are learning to depend on God. I would have to describe it as expectancy. We know what God has already done for us (for Bobby physcially) and we are trusting,depending on Him in every moment. Blessings to all!
in Christ,
Angela G.
April 21, 2010 at 6:00 pm
I’m so glad that you made it into the office today, Bobby. You look and sound great! It was wonderful chatting with you again. Please know that you are constantly in our prayers.
April 21, 2010 at 11:13 pm
Thank you, Linda,
It was really good to see you, and all the folks there. It is good to be feeling better right now; can’t wait to get past this surgery. I really thank you and your husband for the continued prayers! Did you know that my surgery is on the “National Day of Prayer?” cool 🙂