I was just thinking today; when we were new to the ministry, I would be accused of giving "pat answers". But you know, we have been in the ministry 10 + years now and the answers are still the same: Christ and Him Crucified, God the Creator is in control of every single situation, trust Him, He will turn the bad around for good for His glory. His will is perfect, don't doubt Him, Always give God the glory, Surrender your life and live according to His Word.
I guess the key was finding more creative words to express those facts!! Not that I really have, as I find it very hard to express myself verbally. But when I absolutely need the words, God is gracious enough to give them to me. The Lord has shown me time and time again, that it is not our ministry it is His and He works through us to fulfil His will for His ministry. He enables us, He sends those into our lives whom we are to minister to, He removes those He wants to remove from our lives, according to His perfect will. And thankfully, He knocks us down a peg or two when our eyes wander off of Him and on to our circumstances.
We have had a situation in our church. The Lord sent us a family a few years ago. At first He sent us their children to minister to through VBS and then Adventure Club and slowly but surely Children's church. We knew immediatly God had plans for this family. So we prayed and we waited. After a year or two their mom began to attend church and, rededicated her life to the Lord.
The family has attended faithfully and became very active in church. 2 weeks ago their home caught fire at a little before 4:00 in the morning. We received a call a few minutes later that she alone (as her husband was on the road) got their 6 little children (plus an extra child) out of the house and was at the church. God protected each and everyone of them by waking them and directing them all out of the house, even sparing them from smoke inhalation. God has a plan for this family.
As of today they are pretty well homeless. Some of them spend time and have their meals at the church but the family has been separated since this happened. Thankfully they all have places to sleep and folks helping care for the children.
4 of the 6 children are foster children. All but one they have raised since they were newborns. The time is limited before CFS has to take the children and place them in different foster care homes. Time is of the essence, but thankfully God controls time along with everything else.
Our heart aches for them. We love them and the children. Isn't that the way it goes? When God gives you some one to minister to He gives you such a deep and protective love for them.
What will happen? We have no idea. Where will they go and what will they do? Will the children be taken away? Still we have no idea. But we know God does.
So it really comes down to this: Christ and Him Crucified, God the Creator is in control of every single situation, trust Him, He will turn the bad around for good for His glory. His will is perfect, don't doubt Him, Always give God the glory, Surrender your life and live according to His Word.
I guess it still falls back on those same old "pat" answers and praise God, it does! To God be the Glory!!
