No Surprises

By the time we all dropped into bed Friday night, we were absolutely flattened and drained.  What a day!  I honestly can't remember a day in our family before that turned itself on its head like this one did.

My day had started at 1:15 in the morning when Mum took Dad to the hospital for the pain in his eye.
Once morning actually dawned, we were able to get in to an optometrist, who sent us straight away to eye specialist over an hour away.  By the time we found out that Dad would be OK in a couple of days, we had been scared - and a bit shaken as even us older girls don't remember Dad being so much pain before.

After dinner, I went out on the verandah to have a moment of quiet and strength renewal.  I had to smile in spite of myself because the song that stated playing in my head was Colin Buchanan's "Nothing Takes God by Surprise".  He saw all of this coming - orchestrated every detail.  Looking back a few days on, I can see how God controlled every moment of our day.

One of the Bible passages that held us up was one that we have been memorizing as a family.

Why do you say, O Jacob,
And speak, O Israel:
“My way is hidden from the Lord,
And my just claim is passed over by my God”? 
 Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.  
He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:27-31



Though it was a troubled day, I can honestly say that I had a real sense of peace when things seemed to be going from bad to worse.  Our God is so good and we know that even if things are rough, we can be confident that He has our best interests in mind and that He loves us more than life - He proved that once and for all. 

For those of you reading this, if you get around to it... :)  we would very much appreciate prayer this week leading up to our Church Christmas Carols in which we are heavily involved.  We feel like we (and the whole production) could be under a spiritual attack.  Satan doesn't want us moving forward, proclaiming the Words and the love of Jesus - we need to fight back.  This morning our pastor said the when Satan's fighting us, he's fighting God.  What an encouraging thought.  But we do need to be persistent in prayer warfare.

Thanks so much everyone.  God bless you and keep you.  :)