Life has many painful moments. Times of grieving the loss of loved ones. Personal failures. Times of being betrayed by ones you trusted. Moments of physical pain and emotional anguish. Times of suffering. That short list makes life sound bleak and dark. The good news is that pain, sorrow, and suffering are all snippets of reality…but they do not represent the bigger picture.
Living life is a joy and a grand adventure and we are people of choice who get to choose how we respond to the pain, sorrow, and suffering times of life! I choose to see my life from the Lord’s point of view.
I have Parkinson’s and I experience times of mental, emotional, and physical suffering…but I NEVER feel alone…and I always find great satisfaction in seeing how my God is going to use the times of darkness in my life as conduits of His Light and love and grace.
In spite of all the wounds I have felt, in spite of all my sin, Jesus Christ has stood faithfully with me. I choose to thank Jesus for sustaining me. And I really am amazed at how much He loves me – and am amazed at the fact that I have only touched the surface of knowing Him…and of being known by Him.
When Jesus shared the parable of the two foundations in Matthew 7, the people were amazed at His wisdom and compassion and love. That is how I feel about Him and why I am continually amazed at His love and grace.
Matthew 7:28-29 NASB says, 28 When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; 29 for He was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
If I always focused on the dark, bleak, painful times of life, I would never find stability. Stability for my mind and emotions and even my physical body comes from seeing life through the lens of His presence and His grace…and His unfailing love for me.
Through it all, God has been an awesome Father. I really don’t deserve to stand before Him, yet He has ushered me into His presence by the blood of Jesus. When I have whined, He has been steadfast and firm. When I have fallen, He has picked me up and held me. When I have hurt, He has bound my wounds. He meets all my needs – and so much more. I’d say we have an awesome and good God – worthy of praise.
Revelation 5:11-12 NASB says, 11 Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing.”
We can endure the pain, sorrow, and suffering of this life if we live it in the atmosphere of heaven…live it from God’s point of view. We can live in the atmosphere of heaven by simply praising God and giving Him our worship. Let’s do that. He is amazing and He is worthy of our praise!
Dennis Jernigan
To listen to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast version of this teaching and to hear two songs of worship and adoration and thanksgiving to God, go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/i-stand-amazed-worthy-of-praise/
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