I have been a Christian all my life, so easily twenty years or more. My entire life I've heard the words of the Bible, the words of hymns, sermons and now, prayer books. You would think at some point it would have just become mundane to me, rote. But it hasn't. It hasn't. It hasn't.
Why not? Well because something always brings you back, doesn't it? Whenever you feel tempted to simply let that part of you slip into the back of your mind and of your life because you have bigger, more important things going on. Something will always bring you back.
Maybe it will be having a baby when you have no job. Maybe it will be moving 1,000 miles away from everything that's familiar to you. Or maybe it will be a loved one fighting cancer.
I don't know why bad things happen. But the way I see it, bad things happen to everyone. It's simply a product of the deeply flawed world we live in. As for me, I wouldn't be half the person and Christian I am today if I didn't occasionally encounter some difficult situations. Because in those moments, you know you cannot do it on your own. And instead of feeling utterly hopeless and helpless you know exactly where to turn. God doesn't promise us, as Christians, that our lives will be wonderful, perfect and happy all the time. But he does promise to catch us when we fall, and sometimes, be the only thing keeping us from falling all together.
Today is a difficult day for me, and for my family. My dad is starting treatment for his cancer today. I thank God every minute of this day for modern medicine, and that's he's not having to go through chemo. But still, it's tough. But we have one thing and one thing alone to get us through these next eight weeks. Knowing that we stand on Christ, the solid Rock.
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
