I have been married for 18 1/2 years to a man who was raised Roman Catholic by the couple who adopted him when he was 7 years old. Not only am I not Roman Catholic, but I am also his second wife. As a result, I have never been accepted by his family, nor apparently are our children.
Through the years, some very unkind things have been said to me, and done to me, things that have been very hurtful. Monday night I was very upset over another hurtful thing done, this time to my daughters and I. As I was crying out to the Lord, He brought me to Isaiah 51. That chapter has brought great comfort to me since then. Just a few minutes ago, as I was continuing to be hurt by this, I took it to the Lord, and as I was reading Isaiah 51:6, I had some very sobering thoughts regarding my mother in law and I was humbled.
Isaiah 51:6
Isaiah 51:6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
and look at the earth beneath;
for the heavens vanish like smoke,
the earth will wear out like a garment,
and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;
but my salvation will be forever,
and my righteousness will never be dismayed.
The Lord did not HAVE to save me, he CHOOSE to save me through election, me - a filthy sinner. My sins are covered by the blood of Jesus, but hers are not. She is nearing her 90's, and has been a Roman Catholic her entire life. She THINKS she is saved.
Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
For the first time, I am truly grieved that she is lost. She is going to have to pay the penalty for her sins. This is heartbreaking - to have her think that she has been saved her whole entire life, when in reality she is lost. By the grace of God, I have a Redeemer, she doesn't.
As I read further, the grief became worse with the next verse.
Isaiah 51:7-8
Isaiah 51:7 “Listen to me, you who know righteousness,
the people in whose heart is my law;
fear not the reproach of man,
nor be dismayed at their revilings.
Isaiah 51:8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment,
and the worm will eat them like wool;
but my righteousness will be forever,
and my salvation to all generations.”
I can rest in the Lord, and trust Him that He is working all of this out for my good, and His glory. It's also humbling to know that the Lord cares for me, and will take care of my enemies.
Romans 8:28-39
Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Romans 8:30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
Romans 8:33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.
Romans 8:34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
Romans 8:36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Romans 8:38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
Romans 8:39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I cannot deny these things are still hurtful to me, but now I know that I need to look beyond my hurts, and look to this lost woman who, unless she repents and turns from her sins, and places her trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life, she will die lost, and spend an eternity in hell. And the times that I start feeling that hurt rise up again, I will pray for her, and turn to Isaiah 51 for comfort. I will also remember, as my pastor reminded me, that Jesus was rejected also.
|