The Blessings of a Sovereign God!

I've been contemplating lately what the blessings of God are. They are not always physical--wealth, good health, prosperity--but they are not always only spiritual either--joy, peace, comfort, etc. The children of Israel were told by God that they would be blessed for obedience and cursed for disobedience. In these stories, the blessings and cursings were more obvious. And God tells us many times throughout the New Testament that "He is a rewarder" of both the good and the bad. But what does this mean for me? What are God's blessings in my life? Can I only count what I perceive as "good things" as blessings and only "bad" things as punishment? Not neccessarily.

That is certainly the case with today's praise. This morning, God allowed little Hubert to escape his suffering body and enter His presence. Though we are all extremely saddened by his death, we are so grateful for God's use of his little short life to bring glory to Himself. As described before, he and his older sister came to us about a month ago. Mom stayed with him, but avoided eye contact with everyone, had little expression and did not smile. She barely held her children and only long enough to do what was neccessary. The father stated that because Hubert was so sickly, he had not yet been claimed by the tribe. Mom said that her little girl was believed to be possessed by demons because she never talked or played whenever mom was around. Much prayer for and with this family has been happening over the last month. But it has just been within the last week that we have seen a change--mom smiling, cuddling her children, playing with them and comforting them. Dad has just started visiting in the last several days and he has been so gentle and loving with Hubert. Both have allowed many people to pray with them. On Friday, we moved little Hubert into ICU (as I described in the previous post). While there, his mom was heard singing a christian song to her children about God's control and love, was seen having her little girl sitting on the bed playing and talking with her, and lovingly tending Hubert. On Sunday, we had to intubate and put him on the ventilator; however, he continued into multi-system failure--his body systems slowly shutting down. Dad walked in, took one look and walked out. This morning, Monday morning, dad came back in, crying over his son, and told the staff that he did not want his son to die this way--that he wanted to hold his son in his arms as he died, not connected to all of these machines. So this morning, barely alive even on the machines, he was placed in his father's arms and the machines removed. Our staff and crew have grieved with the family today. But just seeing the family grieve is a humongous break-through of God's love and how it can change hard hearts into loving ones! So to God be the glory!

Even in loss His blessings are seen! God has taken Hubert home (spiritual blessing), away from his suffering (physical blessing)! God has used Hubert's little and very difficult life to show his family God's love and light and bring them closer to knowing Him as Savior (spiritual and physical blessing)! Because of their softened hearts, Hubert's older sister has a whole new loving relationship with her parents (physical and spiritual blessing)! Through their time here, God has given this family freedom from so many of the lies they were believing in and acting on (spiritual and physical blessing)! This morning, when I was praying for them, before I knew that he had died, God reminded me of the verse from Job: "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord!"

God's blessings aren't always obvious and they don't always arrive in the packages you think they will, but they are none the less His blessings. So that in all things we can say, "Blessed be the name of the Lord!" I hope that today you are able to see blessing where before you saw only sadness, loss, or "bad" and be able to say with us, "Blessed be the name of the Lord!"