Is El Elyon Really in Charge? (What do you see when life goes dark?)

Ps 92:1 (A Psalm, a Song for the Sabbath day.) It is good to give thanks to the LORD, And to sing praises to Thy name, O Most High;

I have encountered death in a really strong way this week. First with a lady who has lost her husband, her mother and a brother all in the last 8 months. She is struggling with God and what He is saying to her. She feels as if she is at the end of her rope, and god has her in a strangle hold. She was wondering what she could do to try to re-connect with God. She is one of the countless millions who made a profession of faith as a youngster, but neglected and even ignored God as she was growing up and raising a family. Now she finds herself all alone in the world and wondering if there is any hope for a renewed relationship with God. Another man did not connect with God until he was 65. In the last year he has buried his daughter, his wife and most recently a close brother. Through these deaths his faith in God has remained strong. His resolve to follow after God is stronger than ever. Another woman I visited in the hospital. Basically she is waiting to die. She has beaten cancer in the past, even miraculously, but now she finds herself on the losing end. Her husband is afraid of the inevitable. They have been together over 50 years. He cannot imagine life without her. His faith in God is wavering and wondering. Their anger is simmering beneath the surface as they await the inevitable. In the midst of this I look at the name of God - “El Elyon”. Part of me sees a God that is Most High and because of that is detached at the pain and misery of His created beings. Here I am supposed to minister to three of His created beings and try to impart some “meaning” for what God is doing. In the core of their being death has brought emptiness and pain. Death has brought questions. Death has brought doubt. Daniel had this perspective on God’s activities: “And all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, 'What hast Thou done?' Daniel 4:35 While that may be Daniel’s attitude, even devout Christians I know certainly ask God “What are you doing? Why are you doing this?” As a Pastor it is heart-wrenching, especially when it comes from someone you have prayed with, you have rejoiced with, you have cared for, you have loved. What is the answer? What comfort can we offer. Anytime we experience loss and grief, we become inward in our focus and in our emotions. It is hard to see beyond ourselves and the pain we are experiencing. Our mind starts to run rampant with thoughts of ‘bad luck’, ‘uncaring God’, even ‘no God’, because we simply can’t imagine God allowing this, or even worse, doing this. Christians, even solid, devout, pillar of the church Christians, will become prey to such thoughts because of a failure made early on in their life. That failure is a commitment to know God, who He is, the way He works, the way He loves, the way He deals with this world. David was a man who made such a commitment as a young boy. David testifies to this in Psalms 25: “ Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. 5Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day. Psalms 25:4-5. When David was besieged with problems, and faced impossible situation after situation, because of that commitment, He drew closer to God, in fact he would set God between his problem and him. He knew the name of God, and because of that, God set him on high no matter what the situation was. "Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. Psalms 91:14 David knew God as “El Elyon”, God Most High! “I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High. (Ps 7:17) “I will be glad and exult in Thee; I will sing praise to Thy name, O Most High.” (Ps 9:2) David knew that if God was the Most High God, then He was in control, He was accomplishing His will.

WE ARE NOT VICTIMS OF CHANCE OR FATE OR LUCK. You can have God or chance, but you can’t have both.

When a cowboy applied for health insurance, the agent routinely asked if he had had any accidents during the previous year. The cowboy replied, "No. But I was bitten by a rattlesnake, and a horse kicked me in the ribs. That laid me up for a while." The agent said, "Weren’t those accidents?" "No," replied the cowboy, "They did it on purpose." The cowboy realized that there are no such things as "accidents." How about you, Christian? Do you believe that some things catch God by surprise? In the words of a good friend, "God is too sovereign to be lucky." Even as I am writing about this awesome God, I received a call that Mary has passed away. With tears her husband and I have prayer together, praising God for taking His dear saint home. There will be tears of grief. There will be tears of sorrow. There will be questions, there will even be anger. But through it all, El Elyon reigns. Hearts will either be drawn to Him as God, or they will be scattered, because they refuse to acknowledge His sovereignty.
In Isaiah 46:9-10 God testifies that He is absolutely sovereign, declaring "Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; [I am] God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things which have not been done (proof of His sovereignty is His ability to control the future), saying, 'My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure." My prayers are with Marvin and Mary’s children and grandchildren. I know that through Mary’s death, El Elyon will leave His mark upon their souls. He will accomplish His will. We simply must look up to the God Most High.

The LORD has established His throne in the heavens and His sovereignty rules over all.(Ps 103:19) Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And besides Thee, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Ps 73:25-26)

These thoughts are dedicated to Mary Borth, organist at my former church Edgerton Baptist Church. God allowed her to beat breast cancer just so she could see her husband saved and serving God. He also allowed her to touch my life with a serving spirit that was always fervent and alive no matter the circumstances. Her love for El Elyon has impacted many, especially me. It will be a difficult funeral to conduct, but I will do so because I know that our Redeemer Lives! And because He Lives, Mary lives with Him also! That is our hope, that is our confidence, because El Elyon reigns!

The Call No Pastor Wants to Take

Marvin Borth called me yesterday. Marvin and Mary had become an integral part of the little church I first pastored in Edgerton, KS. Marvin is a distinguished looking former Master Sergeant and Mary is the perpetual bundle of energy disguised as a caring, lovely 'mature' woman. For some reason they loved our church and jumped in with both feet. Mary played the organ, organized and directed the children's hand bells, and was active and committed to growing in the Lord. Marvin was a newer Christian but was eager to grow and become active as well. He eventually became our Treasurer and was in charge of keeping our facility looking sharp.

The amazing thing about Mary and Marvin was that they were in their early 70's and Mary was a Stage IV Breast Cancer Survivor. When they first came to our church Mary was in the second year since her surgery and radiation/chemo. She was praising the Lord for every day. They even got involved in Awana's. But where Mary excelled was in her love for the Lord as she played the organ. She could set the mood for worship in such a Holy and Spirit-filled way-just by playing the organ.

I grew to love Mary and Marvin, just as I had loved my own Mom and Dad who had passed away in 95 and 96. In many ways seeing them each Sunday filled the void of not seeing my Parents realize their dream of their son becoming a Pastor.

I learned many things from Mary and Marvin. We even had to work through some 'church' problems together. They responded to my 'pastoring' with discernment and love. We sharpened each other as we moved toward that prize of the high calling in Jesus.

Even though I had moved to another church, they asked me to come back just this past June and help officiate at their 50th Anniversary and Renewing of Vows. Such a wonderful day! And now this call.

A couple months ago they found cancer in Mary's lungs. The radiation and chemo seemed to get rid of it all, but after a visit to the emergency room January 4th, they discovered it had gone to her brain in a very aggressive manner. Lydia and I visited with Mary and Marvin in the hospital. Mary is such an energetic person, so it was disheartening to see how the cancer was beginning to take the life from her. I get mad at cancer. I think it is the cruelest way to see a loved one go. When I saw it take the life from my Mom, I got mad at God, and I thought, no way you can do this. But I had to come to grips with man's sin and God's Sovereignty. His way is perfect. He was perfect in His dealing with my Mom and now He is perfect in His dealings with Mary Borth.

Marvin called me and said that the radiation and steroids do not appear to be working. Each day Mary seems to worsen. Even the Doctor is not hopeful. With tears he asked if I would do the funeral. I agreed to, but I don't know how I will be able to. I was not a preacher when my Mom died, but I don't think I could have done the funeral. If God calls Mary home, the only way I'll get through will be to focus on the JOY that she is experiencing in the presence of the Lord.

In May of 07 Mary and Marvin visited the church where I now Pastor. I had Mary give her testimony of how God had miraculously healed her from Stage IV Breast Cancer. It was going on seven years since the diagnosis. She was very encouraging to the ladies in our church. Since her testimony, two women have been found to have cancer, and are dealing with the surgery and post-op treatments. Her testimony has been beneficial to both.

Lord, I know you can do miracles like they are no big deal. I don't pretend to know your will, but I do know you care for Mary. She is one of your special saints. We want your will to be done, but we would really love to have Mary around a while longer. Shrink the tumor, Lord. Be merciful to Mary.