In the last couple of days a tragedy has happened that no one predicted; my 18 week pregnant friend and her husband were in a head on collision which resulted in minor injuries on the husband – and my friend Meg being taken in for leg surgery, and instead being sedated and having major brain surgeries.

As I write this she lies unconscious without a piece of her skull…& I don’t know if she will recover and continue the ministry work she was doing with her husband in Georgia, or if she will cross over and begin to live out her eternal joy in the presence of the Lord. 

The night it happened I was lying in bed scrolling my social media feed, getting ready to stop and dive into my old testament reading for the day and I got a call from a friend. After she gave me the news, and we said a quick prayer together, she hung up to continue calling people to pray and I started sending out messages myself.

The prayer chain grew and spread across the united states, and by the morning someone had started a gofundme to support the incurring costs – and by that night there was over $22,000 raised – and by the next over $53,000!

I just saw this latest support update.

I saw it and the first thing I thought was, O Lord! Thank you! Thank you that now Isaiah (the husband) and the family can have peace that You’ve got this and that You are taking care of them!

And then I stopped. 

They have the Creator with them.

I have the Creator with me!

WE HAVE THE CREATOR WITH US!?!?!

 Why would the thought of $53,000 be a greater sense of stable peace than having the source of all sources at my right hand???

But that’s how we are.

That’s how I am.

The physical gives me assurance of the invisible.

But also, I realize that what I cling to as carrying the tag of “what gives me peace and security” is what I worship; what I look to, to help me in times of need or distress.

It is what I consider god in my life.

The thing which has the ultimate power and authority to save me, secure me, and keep me from danger or pain or want.

God on the other hand does not promise to keep me from danger or pain or want.

Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. -John 15:20

That can be a hard thing to accept.

It can be a hard thing to surrender your life to.

God is not one to have casual relationships with people –

We can’t consider Him an acquaintance.

He is and declares Himself Lord, God, Savior, Master, Sovereign, the Way, the Truth, the Life… - there’s more comfortable things He says He is like Healer, Provider, Comforter etc.

But we cannot – as we can with others say things like: “This is my shopping friend! We shop together – that’s our thing!” – with God!

God is not fooled by our self-absorbed way of taking what we can and moving on.

He will not tolerate a “relationship” that is merely one of convenience; “Oh God? Yea! He is great! Whenever I need him to he just sends me a little cash so I can get whatever’s new!”

God promises real and eternal things and isn’t interested in pacifying us on a path of existence leading into a hollow ending.

He promises to be with us (Matthew 28:20) – but He doesn’t promise comfort and safety.

 Yes, thank God for this provision!!!

Greater thanks though is that He is faithful to keep His promise and He promised His presence!

God, may they be reminded and aware of Your presence, and may Your presence give them peace. May they remember that You have good plans and that nothing on earth can separate them from Your love!

God may I remember – may Your people remember, that Your plans are not to harm us, but to prosper us and give us a feature and a hope, - even if the road there is hard and painful.

Thank You for making a way for us to have access to Your presence through the sacrifice You made. Thank You for making it, so that when we are afraid or hurting or hungry, we are not alone.

 Carolyn is a part of the Montrose House Church.

*the latest update from Meg is that she has a long road ahead, but is on the path to recovering.