“THIS IS A TIME IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU MUST LEARN TO LET GO: OF LOVED ONES, OF POSSESSIONS, OF CONTROL.”
These were the words that greeted us when we opened our Jesus Calling devotional on the morning of March, 24th, just 3 weeks ago. I remember when we read them; I was in a battle inside with the Spirit. He can’t mean now, he can’t mean both of them! The doctrine of God’s wise and loving sovereignty over all things has been the foundation of our family’s life. Our family verse, which we return to time after time, is Romans 8:28. “We know that in ALL THINGS, God works for the good of those who love Him.” It’s the only truth that has held up over time. It’s also one that we can’t figure out, nor do we have answers for, except these two words. BUT GOD!
We began our marriage with a desire to make enough money in the securities business to do something in a hospitality ministry. I was in the first year of owning a stock option trading business on the floor of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange and we figured we had a plan, at least as much of a plan as I ever have. After five months of our plan enter God’s plan and His sovereignty. October 19, 1987 was the now famous “Crash of ‘87”. The craziness of that week left us without a business or a plan. BUT GOD and His sovereignty over all things.
This theme would continue throughout these past 30 years. Through early miscarriages, through financial struggles, through heart attacks and open heart surgery, through difficult pregnancies, and through long term undiagnosed medical conditions. Now fast forward to March 24th and the Jesus Calling. You see, on the evening of March 23rd we had just watched as two large and ferocious dogs entered our fenced property and in 10 agonizing minutes nearly ripped our 12 pound dog apart. We had just been up much of the night waiting to hear the prognosis of a 3 hour surgery to save her. The night of the 24th we were to spend the night at my 92 year old mom’s home with her, as she was in a battle with COPD, and we were giving my sister a chance to go home and sleep in her own bed for the first time that week.
So, when we read those words on the morning of the 24th, I naturally asked God, is this really for us? Is this really for now? Is this really your wise and loving sovereignty over ALL things? We did spend the night with mom, and it really was for us. It really was for now. It really was God’s perfect plan. On the morning of March 25th, Good Friday, God’s perfect plan took mom to be with Him, while in Faith’s and my arms, in her home of 63 years. It was beautiful and really hard. Later that day, God’s sovereign plan took Millie, our pup, to be with mom. Mom and Millie loved each other. Mom loved Jesus! Do we know why this was His plan? Not completely, but that answer is for eternity. As for now, we’re getting glimpses of the answer, and we’re holding tight to God’s wise and loving sovereignty over all things.
Scott Parker