Have You Not Heard? Do You Not Know?

Post 220

Journaling has helped me continuously process living my life without Morgan, and it is a way that many people who lose loved ones cope. I knew that the friend from the grief retreat back in May, who met W3 and me for lunch last Saturday, had also blogged about her grief and spiritual journey. I'd read several posts after she told me a few months ago.

She gave me permission to repost any of her writing here, and she will now forever be referred to here as W32 ( as in While We're Waiting - too)

My life hasn't felt interesting enough to write about lately, but my evenings feel “empty” when I don't write, so here you go. I've included the link to where she blogs at the end in case you want to read additional ones.

Have You Not Heard? Do You Not Know?

“Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the LORD, And the justice due me escapes the notice of my God?’ Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary. And to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men will stumble badly, Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weary.” Isaiah 40:27-31

Why is it when find ourselves in any situation we don’t want to be in that we question God’s ability or His willingness to do anything about it? it seems either that our way is hidden from Him or He does not care; He either lacks knowledge, power, or compassion. To our way of thinking, if He knew, and if He cared, He would act! In child loss, His apparent lack of concern that our hearts are irreparably broken seems to escape His notice. But God says to us, “Do you not know? Have you not heard?”

If we really took His word literally, we know He is the Everlasting God, eternal; He has always existed. Furthermore, He is the Creator of the ends of the earth. Everything that was created was created by Him and for Him, and man, the pinnacle of His creation, was created in His image. We know He does not become tired or weary, and the Psalmist tells us “He who keeps you will not slumber…(Psalms 121:3). The Lord doesn’t miss anything! His understanding cannot be readily interpreted or understood by us, it is mysterious. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways are not our ways…but oh, how we sometimes want them to be.

Because He is the Creator, He is not without a plan and a purpose for everyone and everything He created. He reminds us, “‘For I know the plans I have for you’, declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope'” (Jeremiah 29:11).

But wait a minute! Child loss is a plan for my welfare and not for evil? God knows the deepest need of my heart is to be in a right relationship with Him. And no, I have no answers as to why two of our children died. But I do know this; He knew their beginnings and their ends, neither caught Him by surprise. He had a purpose and a plan for each of their lives and that purpose was fulfilled at the exact moment of their deaths.

He knows how difficult it is to give up the life you thought you’d have in order to embrace the reality of the life you have without your child (children). He tells us He gives strength to the weary, and bereaved parents wake up weary. As we acknowledge our weakness, our weariness, and WAIT for the LORD, He promises us we will gain new strength. Waiting is hard, so hard. I have a real appreciation for heaven, it is more real to me; I have treasure there.

The last part of this passage speaks of eagles, that is, how those who WAIT for the LORD will mount up with wings like eagles. Eagles generally soar; they don’t flap their wings because it is not an efficient use of energy. They have the ability to fly at heights of 10,000 feet, above the clouds, far above where other birds fly. They do this because they hunt from the air and spend a lot of time WAITING for their dinner.

Father God, help us to learn to wait well. Allow us to make the best use of our time, to redeem the time in a way that is pleasing and honoring to You. Teach us to number our days that we may present to You hearts of wisdom. Allow us to know Your word and to hear what You are communicating to us through Your word so that we may find we are less likely to doubt or question Your plan or Your purposes. We acknowledge our weaknesses, and ask that You strengthen us spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. Help those among us who are at the beginning of this path none of us want to be on, to walk and not become weary. Sometimes Lord, that is enough, to walk and not faint. Others among us, a little further along the path may find that we are able to run and not get tired, and finally, may we be able to soar like eagles, rising above the clouds of doubt, despair, and hopelessness while we WAIT on the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray.

https://knoworis.com/2019/08/04/have-you-not-heard-do-you-not-know/