Saturday, July 12, 2008

But God v. Yet God

David's farewell speech. He reveals that he intended to build a permanent home for the ark of the covenant, a temple. BUT God told him not to build it, because of his sins. God told David that his son Solomon should build it instead.

Rather than be disappointed in God's denial of David's dream, he remained blessed that God had given him as much as he did - the opportunity to lead Israel. Lucado calls it a "Yet God" moment - where God gives us something in spite of our deservedness.

My life is filled with "But God" moments and with "Yet God" moments. I had planned to marry much younger. But God did not bring me a husband until I was 33. I had planned to have healthy pregnancies and healthy children. But God gave me two miscarriages and a medically fragile daughter. I had planned to never know a pediatric oncologist well. But God gave me a daughter with brain cancer. There are so many things in my life that I wanted to go a certain way, BUT God arranged things so the circumstances were much different than I ever wanted.

Fortunately, I also have YET God aspects of my life. I do not deserve either the happy marriage I have or the beautiful children I have. I am far too selfish and have lived my life in a very closed, stingy manner. Yet God opened my heart and life for me to have a great husband and wonderful children.

Lucado is so good at simplifying concepts to brief, easy to remember nuggets. If only we can change our thinking from blaming God for the BUT GOD moments to thanking God for the YET GOD moments!

1 comment:

Jamie {See Jamie blog} said...

I enjoy/appreciate you sharing your thoughts here in this blog. Good stuff.