Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Two Lenses



When I was 18 it seemed pretty grim to me for a time. My left leg became paralyzed due to a post knee surgery complication. I had the privilege of hearing Joni Eareckson Tada speak. Her books were also an inspiration and encouragement to me. Miraculously for me, the nerve damage I had was healed a year later. I literally had to learn to walk all over again. I'd like to share this devotional reading with you, written by Joni, and hope it will encourage you, whatever pain or trial you may be facing today.

By Joni Eareckson Tada
"Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love. For He does not willingly bring affliction or grief to His children."
Lamentations 3:23-33

The Lord took no pleasure in my broken neck. Like any father who has compassion on his children, it pained his heart to see me hurt. Yet at the same time, it pleased the Lord to permit my accident. My spinal cord injury was something he sovereignly designed in and for his good pleasure. God's ways are so much higher than ours; He has the capacity to look at the world through two lenses -- through a narrow lens and a wide angle one. When God looks at a painful event through a narrow lens, He sees the tragedy for what it is. He is deeply grieved. In Ezekiel 18:32 He says, "I take no pleasure in the death of anyone." God feels the sting in His chest when a child dies of cancer or a husband is killed in an accident. However, when God looks at that same event through His wide angle lens, He sees the tragedy in relation to everything leading up to it,as well as flowing out from it. He sees a mosaic stretching into eternity -- it is this mosaic with all its parts, both good and evil, which brings Him delight.In the span of a single verse, the Bible asserts "the Lord brings grief," yet "He does not willingly bring... grief." God tried this out on Himself. He willed the death of his own Son, but He took no delight in it. God saw how Jesus' death would demonstrate His incomprehensible mercy, as well as bring His people to glory. God often wills what He despises because -- and only because -- He has a wide angle view on the world.

Lord, too often I have only a narrow-lens view of my world -- give me your perspective and may I rejoice in the beautiful mosaic I will one day understand. 
                         
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 What does your life look like?

2 comments:

  1. So beautiful, Carla. Especially that very last prayer. I want that to be my prayer as well.

    Recently, I had to do an interview with my publishing house. One of the questions was about this. A message I'm passionate about is showing how God reveals His grace and mercy in unlikely situations - so they asked if I could share a situation in my own life where this happened.

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  2. Dearest Carla,
    I would just like to thank you so very much for the beautiful box of memories for mothers that I received as a giveaway on your blog! What a treasure and a gift I will enjoy using and encouraging others with! I am so excited my name was chosen! Thank you for your generosity and for you loving heart, and most of all, for all the blessings I have learned and treasure in my heart from this blog and from God's Word that you have shared with us. You are a gem and a giving, wise woman of faith and I thank God for you. Love always, Lynnie <3

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