Memory Verse:

Genesis 7:24 The water held power over the earth for 150 days.

Introduction: The only witnesses to the Flood are Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives - 8 people.   And then there’s the animals, 2 of every unclean animal and 7 pairs of every clean animal. When Noah and his family emerged from the ark, they offered sacrifices and praised the Lord for preserving them.

Assignment: What kind of catastrophe have you lived through? Weather? Fire? Car crash? Did you feel the oppression of the power of the disaster, or the protection of the Power of the Lord?  Tell us the story of how you rejoiced and praised Him through it and after it.

These Blogger Friend School assignments have been challenging for me lately! I just haven’t had the time to put into thinking and writing them for a while but I want to get back to them again so I am going to tackle this one. J

I have not gone through any kind of terrible storm, fire or car crash but my son Liam and I have each been through a scary sickness during our first 6 years here in Peru. I had Typhoid and Liam had Dysentery. I/we have never experienced anything like these before. Strange that this would be the assignment this week because I was just thinking about having typhoid last night and Liam and I were just talking about when he was sick a couple of days ago. It definitely left a mark on us, but I think now that time has past we are able to see the good things that God did for us while we were sick.

Both of us were gravely ill with these sicknesses. Oh, and when I was sick with typhoid, I was 9 months pregnant with Liam! So I guess you could say we’ve really been through it together.

There were moments as the one sick when we felt so overwhelmed with it all…like we’d never be well again, etc. And there were moments as I watched Liam sick that I felt so helpless in the power of this thing happening to him. But it was during these times that we came close to the Lord as we poured out our hearts to Him. Liam and I both experienced God’s loving care in the form of a human. The Body of Christ at work really.  For me it was my husband Shane who daily talked me through things, made sure I ate, drank, and because I was so weak and sick he would do everything for me. Carrying me (even big and pregnant), bathing me, everything! Liam told me just two days ago that when he was sick he just liked me taking care of him and being with him. I asked him why and he said “Because you’re comfterble” J But I totally related to what he meant. I really experienced God’s loving gentle care in Shane and came to understand a little more clearly just HOW God loves me.  I would never chose to go through that again but I am so thankful for what God taught me during that time and like the Israelites often did they would look back on all the amazing events when God saved them or did wonders no man could ever do and remember what God did and praise Him for his Power and Might. And it provided a reminder that if He could do that back there, then this thing they are dealing with right now…well, He’s certainly Big enough and Powerful enough and Faithful to handle this thing too!

That is what God has been doing with events like Liam’s and my sickness in my life, is helping me look back not to feel pride that “I made it through this!” or to dwell on the horrible, but to look back and say “Look what God did!”. All Glory to HIM for HIS work!

Nebuchadnezzar expressed this very well after God turned him back to normal after he spent that time eating grass like a cow.

“After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever.

His rule is everlasting,

And his kingdom is eternal.

All the people of the earth

Are nothing compared to him.

He has the power to do as he pleases

Among the angels of heaven

And with those who live on earth.

No one can stop him or challenge him,

Saying, ‘what do you mean by doing these things?’

When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. My advisers and officers sought me out, and I was reestablished as head of my kingdom, with even greater honor than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble those who are proud.”

-Daniel 4:34-37

David also stated it was for God’s glory when he faced Goliath:

“David shouted in reply, ‘You come to me with sword, spear and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD Almighty – the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone will know that the LORD does not need weapons to rescue his people. It is his battle, not ours. The LORD will give you to us!’” -1 Samuel 17:45-47