"How in the World?"

Lamentations 3: 21-23 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is YOUR faithfulness.

Have you ever experienced or witnessed something so amazing that all you can ask is, "How in the World?"

I had the amazing privilege of traveling to Africa. While there we went on a safari.

Within the first hour of traveling along the savannah our guide pulled over and told us to be quiet. He had sighted a leopard. He cut the engine and we sat there in silence, amazed at this great creature. It only took a moment to realize that this leopard was in full attack mode. He was in the position my cat often gets into when he is about to pounce on me and attack my leg. Just a few feet away from the leopard was an antelope. The antelope was grazing and minding its own business when the leopard pounced, grabbed it by the throat, took it down, flipped it over and suffocated it. Our guide said it was rare to see such a kill on our first time out on safari. To say we were shocked and amazed is an understatement. All I could think was "How in the world?"

But, the really amazing thing was what came next. The leopard then proceeded to drag the antelope across the ground, uphill, and, much to our amazement, up a tree.

As I watched the leopard drag that antelope up that hill and up into the tree, I thought…”How in the world???” The antelope was much larger than that leopard.

Then I learned that leopards are renowned for their strength, capable of killing prey up to almost 10 times its own weight! And , they can haul a carcass of at least (if not more than) their own weight up the vertical trunk of a tree. They do this to protect and secure their catch to be eaten at a later time. God had put this strength and ability in them. He knew exactly how much strength to give the leopard for the sake of its own survival.

Over the course of the many years I have been in ministry I have witnessed many "How in the World?" moments in the life of others. As I watched friends carry a burden many times their weight, I would say to myself…”How in the world?” But, I knew how...It was THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD! God knows just how much strength you and I need in order to bear the burdens of this life for the sake of our own survival.

I have had a front row seat to the FAITHFULNESS OF GOD in the lives of others that were under so much burden that I would think to myself, "I don't know if I could be that strong!" They were actually living out the hope they have in Christ! It was God that put the strength in each person according to what was needed for their survival. All while others can only stand by and observe in astonishment.

Have you ever experienced or witnessed THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD?

I was with a mother the night her 10 year old son died from a life long heart condition. I watched as she stroked her little boy and sat by his side while he laid on that table. I watched her muster up the strength to leave him there as we tried to escort her out to finally go home. I remember thinking to myself..If that were me you would have to drag me away kicking and screaming. (My youngest was also 10 yrs old at that time) But, she got up, thanked us for being there, and calmly walked out. That, my friends, is GOD’S FAITHFULNESS in action. Her strength encouraged me and still does to this day. I remember thinking that if God can keep her going, then I will be able to trust Him if I am ever in the same situation. She has always praised God for his life and to this day will testify to THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD.

I have sat with countless parents whose children were making poor choices, yet they remained faithful to God and were able to release their child to God and trust Him for the results. That is hard for me who is a person who likes to "fix" things. How did they survive those years? THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD.

I have counseled women who, although their husbands were unfaithful, remained faithful to their relationship with God and, through a miracle, those marriages have been put back together. How were they able to forgive? THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD.

I have walked with one of our Pastor’s wife as her husband was diagnosed on a Christmas Eve with terminal cancer, and died a few short months later in the week before Easter. At that time their three children were all under the age of 6. I watched as he had absolutely no fear of death; insisting that we all knew that God is Good (faithful) even in what he was going through. I watched her journey towards letting Him go and trusting that God will see her and the children through this time. I would say to myself when we would go and visit...

”How in the world” is she even standing right now?" The weight of such a circumstance was 10 times more than any person should ever have to handle, yet she was doing it. And, all these years later, her children are thriving and growing in the Lord.

Has it been easy? Absolutely not!

How has she navigated these years of raising her three children on her own? You know it......THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD.

I have said goodbye to countless other saints and friends who have died in Christ, reminding me that God IS FAITHFUL even in death.

Even as I write this I am burdened by friends who are sick with Covid-19. Some are in the hospital while their loved ones are at home waiting for any good news about their recovery. We can’t visit with them or hug them.

I am also burdened by what is unfolding for Christian brothers and sisters in Afghanistan Who while we take our freedoms here in America for granted, they face persecution and even death!! “How in the world?” you may be asking are they getting through this? At times like this, we pray and we trust in THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD.

GOD IS FAITHFUL!

How Do I know?

1. The Word of God tells us so… many times!!! The Word “Faithful“ used in Lamentations Chapter 3 means to be firm, secure, stable, steady, sure, and true. The same word and meaning is used in other passages.. check them out- Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 33:4, 100:5, 119:90.

2. I have witnessed God’s faithfulness through the life and testimony of others.

3. I have personally experienced it in my own life. God has been faithful to me through many difficult trials and circumstances.

If you have ever witnessed something like this where you say to yourself..”How in the World?, you are watching THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD unfold. Allow it to bring you comfort and give you strength.

Maybe you are in a season where what you are going through is more than you think you can bear. Look all around at the ways God has shown, and is showing Himself faithful to you. He was with you then, and HE IS FAITHFUL (firm, secure, stable, steady, sure, and true) NOW.