Category Archives: suffering

Sick-bed reflections…

Posted on by
Reply

Kenneth Denham (1921-2010) was a dear friend and deacon to me (a young pastor) at my former church in Rockland, MA. In my pastor’s study hangs a beautiful, hand-painted picture of that church, done by Ken (but left unsigned!), and given to me when I was called to pastor here in New York.

Ken died several days ago, and entered the presence of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. He was predeceased by his dear wife, Christine.

Ken’s grandmother, paralyzed and bed-ridden for the final two years of her life, dictated a poem to her daughter in law. Ken recited her poem many times in the last few months of his life. Here is the poem….

REFLECTIONS

As I lay here upon my bed
And think upon my Lord
My heart goes out to him in praise
For his own Holy Word.
He leads me all along the way
With such a tender hand
How could I murmur or complain
At what my Lord commands?
Should He see fit to set aside
The things that I desire
I know they’re not the things I need
To draw my soul up higher.
Instead of them He’ll give to me
Something that is far better
He’ll fill my soul with perfect peace
And I’ll live with Him forever.

— Sarah Elizabeth Lane Denham

God is in your problem…

Posted on by
5

St. Paul regularly had “problems” to say the least! Yet, God was in all of them — and God is in your problems as well. Take a look at his opening words in his letter to the Philippians — which was written while Paul was imprisoned in the “praetorium” of Herod the Great in Caesarea (see Acts 23:35) around 60 AD.

(1:7) … for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

(1:12) I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

As Paul writes we ought to see these truths and take encouragement that:
• God is in the midst of the problem
• God is up to something in your problem
• God is up to something good

Read on to see more of God’s purposeful presence…
• God makes prayer more precious and powerful in the midst of trouble (see Phil. 1:4-11)
• God makes you an encouragement to other believers (see Phil. 1:14)
• God brings comfort and joy to those who seek Him even in the time of trouble (see Paul ‘rejoice’ at Phil. 1:4, 18 — and throughout this letter)

When troubles come, rather than raise the old question (“why me?”), remind yourself that God is right there with you — and aims to use it for your good and His glory.
-pdb