It seems that the news is constantly filled with terrible, life-changing tragedies. I don’t know if it is that I’m paying more attention to the news in general now, but each day it seems that we wake up to more devastation.
At times tears stream down my face. My heart breaks for the families, for the victims. At other times, I lean towards despair as my heart cries out out to the Lord about what the world is coming to. And there are times that my heart beats with an inner fear as I answer my children’s questions with things like, “Yes, I believe ISIS is in Canada too. We need to pray for them and pray for our leaders.” My words are calm but my heart isn’t always.
{Most} mornings a hymn is part of our morning bible time. We are learning lyrics, the meaning of unfamiliar words and a little about the hymn writer. The hymn of the week was This Is My Father’s World. Now when I hear this title I immediately associate it with glorifying God for the amazing gifts in creation He has given us: fiery sunsets, glorious flowers, shady trees, singing birds…
and then we sang this verse:
This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.
And the children and I talked about how God isn’t in heaven wringing his hands and wondering what is to become of His world. He knows, He knew, He allows, He has a plan. Despite the overwhelming wrong in the world, it’s His world.
Being reminded of these truths doesn’t change or calm the world, but they change and calm my heart.
{I used my phone to snap some pictures of these stunning orchids we saw at an orchid farm in Thailand.}
