Same God

I sat on Tuesday night at my Bible study watching a video of Kay Arthur teaching on the life of Joseph because for this year, we have been studying the book of Genesis. As I listened, I realized that I had watched these videos before a long time ago. I had studied Genesis in a Precept study back when it was newly released in 2000.

The lesson of the moment was so apparent to me as I watched something I will never forget. It was almost 20 years ago that I started understanding the sovereignty of my God which changed my whole walk with Him. It was 19 years ago when I first saw this video when Kay Arthur took off her ring and placed it in the palm of her hand. She explained that we are the ring, her hand was God. When she made a fist she showed how God protects us, when she opened her hand and the ring sat in her palm she explained that everything that happens to us is filtered through God's fingers of love.

So, we don't have to worry that God has looked away and left us to fend for ourselves. He is still holding us, only letting what He allows to affect us. Going deeper into my thoughts while I watched, I remember in 2000 when I first heard this message, I was an infertile woman reading through Genesis and learning from the lives of several barren women (Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel) that it is God who opens wombs.

Every prayer back then and every focus at that time was that God would open my womb. I had no promise like Sarah but Rebekah's husband prayed for God to open her womb and He did. I knew that my husband was praying for me, so...maybe. Rachel wasn't promised anything and we don't know if there were prayers going up but we do know she desperately wanted children. I desperately wanted children (and I knew that I was David's FAVORITE wife) God answered Rachel's prayer with a yes eventually. Maybe He would answer mine "yes" too. I prayed all the time through that study that God would open my womb and that I would someday be a mom.

It has been interesting studying Genesis through a different lens 19 years later as a mom of five, three of which are two years from adulthood. The barrenness is not so much the focus this time but I see more about the qualities of a God who loves (often even when we are going the wrong direction or denying truth).

I wrote a note in my journal Tuesday night, "'Filtered through His fingers of love'. I heard this same video almost 20 years ago now! This was where God's sovereignty started clicking for me. Here I am 19 years later, different trial - SAME GOD!" God's sovereignty has kept me in His grip through infertility, the overwhelming birth of triplets, a child with autism, and cancer three times. I will admit, it is different this third time. It is wearying and we are left wondering more of the time than not. But we still rely on
the same God.

In fact, we serve the same God as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. From my very first teacher I had when I first started studying the Bible inductively, I have a calligraphy framed that says "He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Jody" That is just as true today as it was the day she gave it to me and a great reminder to me that He was, He is, and He is to come.

There is no doubt that understanding God's sovereignty has held me through all of this. Knowing that He is holding me has come from my studying God's Word. If you need encouragement, if you need a deeper understanding of God's sovereignty, read His Word. His character, and understanding who He is will strengthen your faith. I know it has mine through the years. God has prepared me as He does everyone, it is part of that filtering. It may be a different trial - but He is the SAME GOD!

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever!"

Hebrews 13:8