Pray

     Often as Christians we speak of forgiveness and keeping our eyes focused on God especially through the bad times. We tell our self that we will do both when the need arises. However, I do not think that we are capable of preparing ourselves for how ‘bad’ the ‘bad’ can be. Last Friday, I shared an illustration about the good and bad tasting ingredients of a cake. My friend shared that illustration with me. She had heard it the day before she received the worst tasting ingredient of life that she could image.
      Her sixteen year old son had been spreading his wings. However, like many of our teenage children he spread them in the wrong direction and so they were keeping a firm grip on him and his activites. However, after months of discipline he was demonstrating some really good behavior. So, when the night came that he begged his father to go to a friend’s birthday party and stay the night, after some reluctance and a phone call to make sure the parents were going to be home, the father agreed he could. The next morning while they were at church, they found out that their son had overdosed on drugs at that party and had died. They also found out that the parents were the ones that had provided the alcohol and the drugs! These parents have not had to be held accountable for their actions because in Oklahoma there is no law by which to prosecute these parents. My friend has had to learn two lessons of the Christian journey the hard way. She has had to learn to forgive these parents and she has had to learn a dependency on God’s goodness she didn’t think she could live through. She has done an amazing job over the last few years doing both. She has let God’s love, comfort, and grace flow through her and she is a shining example of God’s provision.
      Before life hits us, to whatever degree, we need to build a strong foundation in our life with Jesus. It is important that we learn and grow when we are not in the valleys of life, so we can walk fearlessly through the valleys when they come with our eyes on our Shepherd! Are you strengthening your foundation?
     I shared this story with you today not only to share the amazing faith of my friend, but to ask you to pray for her today. This weekend was a tough time for her when she attended the wedding of her son’s best friend. All of his friends were there and her heart broke because she misses not seeing her son grow up and experience the things we all look forward too. Also, there is a law that has been working through the Oklahoma legislator for the last few years. It is called Cody’s law. It is being heard today at 4:30 in the judiciary committee to determine if the law will be presented to the floor for approval. The law would make social hosting of minors with drugs and alcohol a prosecutable offense. She will be speaking today. Cody was her son and she has worked hard since his death to try and hinder this from happening to another family. You can go to Cody’s Law on Facebook if you are interested in more facts.

Because we know that this extraordinary day is just ahead, we pray for you all the time – pray that our God will make you fit for what he’s called you to be, pray that he’ll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something.

2 Thessalonians 1:11 (The Message)