As I wonder about the halls of this huge hospital, constantly reminded at every turn of the suffering that saturates the walls and floors and brick of this enormous building I think of my sister Eve whom I read about in my devotions today. Eve, the only woman who ever walked with God in the garden of perfection, the only woman who was in perfect face to face communion with the Creator.

 As I stand in the tiny hospital chapel, my hand upon the blue notebook filled with the cries of a multitude of people calling out for mercy, calling out for a miracle I was struck by the sharp contrast between what was and what is now.  What was it like to walk in His physical presence? To hear Him call out your name as you wandered about the delightful beauty of a new and perfect creation. I can only imagine.

  As we wade through the suffering of this world our eyes looking forward to the day of deliverance perhaps strength for the journey can be found in considering how terribly difficult it must have been for our sister Eve. To walk out of the garden, head down, tears flowing, the feel of death upon her skin from the raw hides that covered her nakedness. Hides fresh from the bodies of creatures she once frolicked with, perhaps even taking lazy naps with her head upon the flank of the magnificent creature whose skin she now wears. To realize what she has lost, to have witnessed that first death, the death of something innocent slain because of her shortcomings. To wonder how and when death would come to her.

 My sister Eve knows what it is like to stand in the very physical presence of God, to walk with Him, laugh with Him, delight in Him and then to be removed from that presence and cast out. And yet she endured. She endured and she believed in the promise that from her line would come a Savior, one who would crush the serpent that had deceived her. A Savior that would redeem her shame, restore her loss and set her free from the bondage she had willingly chosen.

 History has ever condemned my sister Eve, and yet I do not.. After all, I am certain that had I stood in her place I too would have reached for that fruit, I too would have tasted, and I would have handed some to you. She lost something that I have only dreamed of experiencing and yet she endured that loss and became the mother of all living. She endured.

    So as we walk through this world and all its suffering and need, let us set our sight upon His promises. Promises yet to come, promises of a time when tears are wiped away and sorrows are no more, promises of a time when we who belong to Him will see Him face to face.  Press on towards the goal. Be His hands, His feet, His voice, His heart. Shed the light of His love and sing of His promises. Share the good news of redemption. Endure.

 So I stand here, my hand upon the book filled with the cries of broken people calling out for deliverance and hope and I think of Eve and of Paradise lost. I stand and read the words in Your book of life, I read of your promises of Paradise regained. I stand here and the tears flow as You speak words of life into my soul. I lift up the prayers in the book, Lord hear their cries. I add my prayer to theirs and I leave the tiny chapel with a sure hope in my heart.

http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/what-gospel/

http://byfaithonline.com/a-reformed-presentation-of-the-gospel/

 

 It gets so cloudy down here Lord, thick dark clouds of pain and suffering, pending death, fear for those we love, grief and loss and the general decent of the world into chaos can and does cloud our eyes making it difficult to see the light of Your majesty.

  Shine through these clouds O Lord! Burn them away with the heat of Your love and the power and majesty of Your glory!

  I have dear friends suffering today, suffering in terrible pain. They are lights in this world of darkness, they pour themselves out bringing joy and beauty to others, but the clouds are thick of late. Pierce through these clouds of pain O Lord, bring relief to my suffering friends.

  One of my friends is dying Lord. I don't like saying that, I don't like confessing it, as if the act of saying it will make it a firm fact and the act of denying it will somehow chase death away from her door. She is a beautiful light Lord, roll back all the clouds Lord, and shine upon her like the light of the rising Son as He ascended into heaven! Make her light so bright that it pierces through the clouds with such beauty and grace that it takes folks breath away and they are left with naught but awe of You.

   A great many of my friends are grieving Lord, a deep grief that they carry with them always, and the clouds of grief are sometimes so difficult to see through. You lose sight of the light and all you can see is the darkness of grief. Pierce through these clouds and shine upon them that they might more easily grasp the joy in each day, that they might see You, hold onto You and behold the light of Your mercy and grace.

  Another of my dear friends suffers Lord, she worries and frets for a son who is incarcerated. It's a long thick cloud that hovers over her, one that we know is going to be there for some time. Lord pierce through and shine Your light of grace and mercy upon her, grant her a window through to heaven, a great and mighty light to guide her through these coming years. No matter how dark the clouds become or what storms fall upon her, may her eyes be fixed on the window of light.

   This world of late has been covered with thick dark storm clouds. Evil runs amok in various places about this tiny round globe, murdering, raping, enslaving and forcing people to live in a constant state of danger. The people's of this world and our own country are divided by a multitude of things, and of late it seems the things that divide us become more frivolous. As a people we argue and fight over everything. Hate runs strong and apathy runs close behind it. Crime and cruelty seem to win the day more often than not. Lately it has been a test of my resolve to even look upon what it is going on, for all I seem to see are stories of pain and suffering, whether it be human or beast, suffering is all around me, and often it is difficult to see through the clouds.

  And then there are those that I care deeply for, who have never beheld Your light, never felt the touch of Your mercy, never understood or acknowledged Your great grace. The clouds of unbelief, past hurts, and preconceived notions of who You are have blocked out the sight of You. They are struggling with a multitude of problems, life always has it's storm clouds, but I fret for them, for walking through the storms of life without the light of Your grace is a dark and terrible thing. I remember what it was like before You pierced through the clouds and touched me. Don't forget them Lord, though they walk apart from You, remember them in Your great mercy and shine down upon them.

   My heart was heavy this morning as I walked out on the back porch with the dogs. I looked up to the East, as is my custom each morning and saw the thick cloud cover, the sun rising, and a hole in the clouds with the light of the sun flooding through. You spoke to me in that moment, assuring me that Your light will always pierce through the clouds, reminding me of Your faithfulness, reminding me of past storms and how You carried me through them, reminding me that You are the God who sees me, who sees them, the ones I pray for. As You saw Hagar in the desert, when all was lost and hope was gone, when death hovered over her, and the child that she loved so, You saw her, You pierced through the darkness and despair and restored life to her and the child.

    El Roi, the God who sees us, shine Your grace and mercy upon all those who are suffering this morning. Shine upon the ones in pain, pour out grace upon them, bring comfort and relief, whether it be by Your miraculous touch, or through the ministering grace of doctors and medicine. Strengthen them that they might see Your grace even through the pain.

    El Roi, the God who sees my friend with cancer. May Your grace be poured out upon her, like a mighty river, may it be unending, may it be constant, may You grant her all that she needs and more as she walks through this valley. May the Light of You be so overfilling that it spills out of her for all to see. May the valley she walks through end in victory and life, life here is what we all want Lord, we don't want to lose her, we don't want her to leave, but the life she walks into when she exits the valley is in Your hands alone. Whatever comes Lord, strengthen her, shine upon her, give her peace and joy and a sure hope.

  I give thanks today for the sun that pierced through the clouds this morning, and for the still small voice in my heart that said "look child, look how the light pierces through the clouds, behold how even though the clouds cover the sky, day still breaks through, I will always break through your darkness, I will always shine upon you, I am the God who sees you."