“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7

The journey of the past year has not been easy. When God set me on this journey—and surely it has been His choosing, not mine—I often pondered the unanswerable question, “Why?” There never was a satisfactory reply forthcoming. I often said aloud, “God, what are You doing?” I sensed God telling me not to try to understand, just submit beneath His hand and simply trust that a higher purpose would be accomplished. That is a difficult lesson to learn and at times the pain seemed crushing to the point of insufferable. But in that crushing I have begun to find answers to my questions.

Consider the spices that the Lord instructed Moses to have prepared for the sacred anointing oil and incense to be used in the temple worship. In Exodus 30:34-36 the Lord said, “Take sweet spices…and make an incense blended as by the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy. You shall beat some of it very small, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting where I shall meet with you.” Perhaps my life is like the spice, which has no value in and of itself until it is crushed. Once the pestle of God is used to crush the spice, then it releases what has been inside all along—the fragrance for which God is longing. Receiving the aroma, He is glorified and He blesses the fragrance through the execution of His perfect will.

Submission is an aroma that pleases God. As I have yielded to God’s choosing, He has responded with gifts, which I might never have known were within me aside from the total surrender to His will. I need not enumerate those gifts here. In whatever form or fashion God wants to use me, I willingly give back to Him and pray my life is a sweet fragrance that testifies of His grace and glory.

Submission

The path that I have trod has brought me nearer God
Though oft it led thru sorrow’s gates
Though not the way I’d choose,
in my way I might lose
The joy that yet for me awaits.

CHORUS
Not what I wish to be, nor where I wish to go
For who am I that I should choose my way
The Lord shall choose for me,
tis better far I know
So let Him bid me go, or stay.

Submission to the will
of Him who guides me still
Is surety of His love revealed
My soul shall rise above
this world in which I move
I conquer only when I yield.

To read some memories about Sue visit http://sueqstories.blogspot.com/
If you want to submit a memory, send it to me and I'll post it.

“Therefore we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (for we walk by faith, not by sight). We are confident, I say, and will rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

It is June, that month of the year that reminds me of sad events in life. Today, June 12, is the date three years ago when Susan was ushered out of this world and into the presence of God. Next week June 22 will mark one year since Malcom’s home going. My attitude has been one of intense dislike for this month. Yet, why should I despise it so? It was a glorious month for both Sue and Malcom. They are blessed above us all to be in the presence of the Lord! I'm so glad that Malcom is not suffering the physical pain of cancer nor the emotional pain he carried after that fateful day at the beach. Today the two of them are together only beginning to discover the marvels of heaven.

Would I wish them back now that they are fulfilling the purpose for which they were created? My entire belief system is on the line when I consider these things. Do I believe that death is a passage and not an end? Do I truly believe that to be present with the Lord is more desirable than remaining on earth?

The scripture says we walk by faith and not by sight. No, I would not wish them back to this world of suffering and pain. Yes, I believe death is the door to eternal joy with the Savior. Yes, I believe that to be with the Lord is far better than we can ever imagine.

So today I make the conscious choice to view the month of June as a blessed month. That which in the past has caused my greatest pain will in the future be my greatest joy. “As for God, his way is perfect…” (Psalm 18:30).