From my heart ...

From my heart ...

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Gethsemane

I'm walking through Gethsemane.  My own personal Gethsemane, that is.

Its likely that you might be questioning, 'What in the world is Lori talking about?'

Here's an abbreviated Biblical history lesson, as well as what one of my favorite television preachers - Charles Stanley - recently brought to my attention.

Gethsemane is a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, most famous as the place where Jesus prayed the night before His crucifixion.
To quote Charles Stanley:  'At no other time in the gospels do we see the Son of God (Jesus) more brokenhearted than in these last few hours of freedom before He is seized by the Pharisees' men.'

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus struggled regarding his impending crucifixion.  He prayed - three times, no less - that His Father would remove this 'cup', this crucifixion from Him.  But, its important to remember that He also prayed, 'Nevertheless, my my will but thine be done.'

Mr. Stanley also mentioned:  'Matthew's illumination (read Matthew 26: 36-46 in your Bible) of the Lord at Gethsemane teaches us how to respond to sorrow so that our painful experiences are not wasted.'

Wow!  ... 'so that our painful experiences are not wasted.'  I've had to mull over that one for a while.  Quite a while, in fact.  Indeed, my 'mulling' of this statement by Mr. Stanley has consumed me at times.

Painful experiences.  Yeah, I've had my share - perhaps more than my share.  Most of you reading this have probably felt the same way. 

Dealing with the painful experiences is one thing, but 'not wasting' them? 

What?

I'm guessing, that's to say I'm supposed to put some kind of 'good use' to the painful experiences? 

Not a molehill ... not by a long shot.  More of a mountain, I'd say.

Where in Heaven's name am I supposed to start putting pain to good use?

My conclusion, at least for the time-being, regarding my starting points follows:
  • Granddaughter, Lindsey, who has Tay Sachs Disease:  Share her story so that others can see our family's love for the Lord, Jesus' love for us, and how our faith in Him keeps us strong and gives us hope.
  • My personal history as an unwed, teenage mother:  Share my own story so that others can be eye-witnesses to the Lord having brought me successfully through difficult times, in order to help others dealing with similar situations, to restore hope to unwed mothers, to save the lives of the unborn, and to bring glory to Jesus' name.
  • My frustration with pain from Fibromyalgia and Avascular Necrosis of the Femur:  Jesus keeps me going.  He is my strength.
The 'good use' part of the 'pains'? ...
  1. They keep me in constant, prayerful contact with Jesus.
  2. They keep me praying for those who are hurting or suffering with illness.
  3. They allow for opportunities to witness to others about the loving, saving grace of Jesus.
  4. They keep reminding me that Jesus is the perfect example of one who has suffered, but He left the final decision / the final 'will' to God, who is all-knowing and whose answers to prayers are perfect.
So, I'm okay with my personal Gethsemane.  Jesus will see me through ... Perfectly.

Outta Control

I'd like to think that I'm far from being a control freak.  I'd like to think that I'm more than willing to allow others to ...