Exactly 2 months ago today we heard the news of the death of my son Mark Joseph Layton. The Lord had given a precious baby to us who we can never forget or replace. And for reasons, the fullness, of which we may never completely understand, the Lord had given and the same Lord had taken away the same child. We shared those words from Job 1:21 that day with our church family, blessing the name of the Lord who is a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief, and surely bears our sorrows, as Isaiah 53 says. 2 months later this Lord who has given and has taken away … in His Providence our gracious Lord has given again. But before this day and besides what He has given me in a 2nd adopted son, “He has given” in other ways as well.
He has given many opportunities for witness and ministry that I could not have had otherwise, and I’ve probably just seen the beginning of those.
He has given me spiritual growth and insights and an increased faith and prayer life through this.
He has given me and my family overwhelming love and support and care by so many in our church family and other churches and even people in other States and countries.
He has given me a platform and “pulpit” on this blog that I’m amazed to see sometimes hundreds of people reading on any given day. The stats say the blog has had over 12,000 hits the last 2 months, and from places like Israel, Latvia, and Malasia.
He has given up His own Son Jesus who died so that we could be adopted into His family. He has given us an understanding of our Father’s love like never before. He has given us the faith King David had that he would see his baby who died again. He has given us in the death of the greater Son of David all things (Romans 8:32).
He has also given us a son again.
2 Samuel 12:19 says ‘when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; so David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.” 20 So David arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he came into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he came to his own house, and when he requested, they set food before him and he ate. 21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” 22 He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows, the LORD may be gracious to me, that the child may live.’ 23 “But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” 24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her; and she gave birth to a son, and he named him Solomon. Now the LORD loved him …’
The Lord had given David a son, the Lord had taken away that son as a baby, and the Lord had given again.
We see a similar dynamic in the book of Ruth. Naomi recognized the Lord had given her 2 sons, Mahlon and Khilion, but the Lord had taken away her sons in death in chapter 1. But by the last chapter, the Lord’s sweetness overcame her bitterness, and the Bethlehem women are saying “Naomi has a son” (actually a grandson, but she was apparently cuddling him as if he were her very own son, like the sons she lost). The Lord had given and the Lord had taken away and the Lord had given again … and this special one He had given ended up being the grandfather of the man in the prior passage, King David.
We see a similar dynamic in the book of Job. Job recognized the Lord had given his children to him, and that the Lord had taken away his children and all things in chapter 1.
But by the last chapter of the book, the man who had said “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord …” this same man the Lord gave children again and more than all he had lost. The Lord had given and the Lord had taken away and the Lord had given.
I’ve seen a similar dynamic in my life in the last 2 months. The Lord has given and taken away and now has given me and our family Matteus Samuel. He has given us a joy that is greater than the grief we experienced. He has given us a special and sweet boy who is unique in every way and we trust God has a unique and special purpose for. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away and the Lord has given … Blessed be the name of the Lord. Alleluia. Amen.
We can only say a hearty "amen!" to that, Phil!! Who can understand the ways of God? His ways are so far beyond the scrutiny and comprehension of the minds of we mortals whose days are fleeting. Often it is only in retrospect we can see the amazing hand of God at work through our circumstances. Sometimes we never see the wisdom, but we have to trust and know that God knows best and it is in His hands we rest all the days of our lives. Rejoicing with you and in the blessing of little Matteus!
ReplyDeleteMelody and Tim
Was able to read your latest posts to Ben's grandma on Sunday afternoon. We have all been so blessed to "walk" this journey with you...and to see God answer prayers in real and practical ways! Imogene was fascinated and more so, encouraged in her faith as she saw the fruition of her prayers through the things you have shared on the blog. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your family in this precious way! Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow. :D
ReplyDelete*REJOICING*
Rejoicing with you as God gives beauty for ashes!
ReplyDeleteThe miracle of adoption never ceases to amaze us!
To God be the Glory!
Allan and Wanda