Facing Transitions

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. ~ Psalm 100:4

As we are just entering a new year and a time of new transitions, it is a time to look back and be thankful. For me, the year 2012 is a year I will never forget. It brought an unimaginable change to my own life, my family, my friends and the entire body of Christ at Calvary Tucson. With the passing of my wife, Lisa, life will never be the same. Yet, I must look back and be thankful.

I am thankful for 50 out of 52 weeks spent with my wife.
I am thankful that she was healthy and active enough to hike an intense path in Hawaii.
I am thankful that 2 months and 2 weeks ago, she was strong enough to be present at the birth of my grandson and cut the umbilical cord.

I am thankful for my wife. As I look into 2013, I see an entire year without her.

We all experience transitions and changes. Life is not static. We experience the joy of a birth or wedding, the stress of a new job, and the sorrow of illness or loss. Yet, an unchanging God always reminds us of His promises. I trust Him.

Genesis 6 introduces Noah, a man who follows God in a world that is diametrically opposed to Him. People do not call upon the name of the Lord and so much evil exists that God is sorry that He ever made man. In the midst of this, Noah stands out:

Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. ~ Genesis 6: 8

Then, Noah faces a major transition, and this transition is not easy. The world will change entirely. It will go from a world where there was no rain, to months of flooding. He will go from one of thousands of people living on earth, to one of 8 people living on earth.

After the rain has come and the waters have receded, God speaks to Noah. “Then God spoke to Noah, saying, ‘Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you.’” ~Genesis 8:15b-16

He tells Noah to get off the boat and establish his family. Noah obeys. In the midst of transition, we need to listen to God and obey. He does not speak cryptically. He speaks simply and powerfully through the Word of God. It is as simple as doing what the Bible says. God tells Noah to get off the boat and he does. When the Bible tells us to be anxious for nothing, to enter into His courts with thanksgiving, and to love God and others-- we need to obey.

Secondly, we need to remember the promises of God. God promises Noah that He will never flood the earth again. Every time a rainbow appears in the sky, we are reminded of that promise. When we enter a transition, perhaps one that is difficult, we cling to the promises of Jesus.

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” ~ 1 John 3:2

We do not know what next year will hold. But God is with us through the burdens and the blessings. He knows what you will face and He is with you.

Which Way The Wind Blows by 2nd Chapter of Acts

Feel a Feeling
Say a Saying
But you'll still be lonely
If you think life is only for this moment

Do a Doing
Mourn a mourning
Still won't get you off your sorrow
So go ahead and cry, but you can't pry a look at
Tomorrow

Run a Running
Hide a Hiding
Whenever you hear the truth
And when you ask for the proof, you won't listen.
Listen

Praise a praising
Build a building
Trying to get peace into your life
And you don't even know wrong from right
Oh, Where is your wisdom

You don't know which way the wind blows
So how can you plan tomorrow
You don't know which way the wind blows
So how can you plan tomorrow

Die a dying
Resurrecting
By believing and receiving
Forgiveness from Jesus who took the sin from sinning

You don't know which way the wind blows
So how can you plan tomorrow
Jesus knows which way the wind blows
So how can you plan tomorrow

Believe Him and receive

Blessings,
Robert Furrow