Not Forgotten

6 days. all spent going to doctors. getting tested. now I’m waiting.

I’ve been doing this for years: Go to doctor, take tests, wait for results, find out nothing.

The question occasionally arises:

 has God forgotten me? Has He somehow missed what I’m going through, what I’m waiting for, what I’m asking of Him?

To find out the answer, lets look at some impressive stories (true stories too, cause they’re from God’s Word), starting with the one that happens to be my favorite “Sunday School Bible Story”

Joseph.

(Genesis 37-50)

a climactic animated story with so many inspiring and convicting points. 

we’ll focus in on this:

Joseph, a good man, was sold into slavery, raised to a respected servant, falsely accused, sent to prison. Joseph seemed to keep a positive and willing attitude, even in this trial, and God blessed him. However, he was still a prisoner. When a fellow prisoner was going to be freed, he asked him to

“...remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. For I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon."(40:14-15)

The prisoner was freed. Joseph waited. However, the prisoner forgot him. But God did not. Two years later, the Pharaoh had a dream that quite disturbed him, but his sorcerers could not interpret it. Only then was Joseph was rescued. 

I’ve left a great deal of the story out, it’s a great one though, so I encourage you to read it!

Click here for: Story of Joseph

Next I’ll mention Noah,

(Genesis 6-9)

who was left on the ark for, like forever. Can you imagine being in a monstrous storm for forty days and forty nights? I wonder if Noah ever thought that God had forgotten him.

But after 40 days and nights, the Bible says, “But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.” 

Then Noah and his family continued to remain in the ark for what totaled over 1 year! He was waiting on God, waiting to get out! I wonder how many times he went to sleep thinking, “maybe tomorrow is the day the Lord will rescue me from this smelly place! Maybe I’ll get to feel sunshine on my back and soft green grass under my feet again soon!” I’m sure his whole family felt that way to some extent! 

Well, finally, God told Noah, “Come out of the ark” 

I’m sure God didn’t need to repeat THAT invitation. 

Even though it seemed like an impossibly long time to live on a boat in the midst of a zoo, it was God’s timing. God didn’t forget, not at all! Because, He loved Noah.

Click here for: Story of Noah

My last story will be from Exodus, actually about THE Exodus. 

(Exodus 1-14)

God’s chosen people were saved from famine during Joseph’s time, and invited to live in Egypt. After Joseph and that Pharaoh had passed on, however, the following rulers weren’t as gracious to the Israelites and began to fear their growing numbers. So they oppressed God’s people, forced them into slavery. For somewhere around four hundred years, they were in Egypt. Oh, how many people must have died, waiting to be rescued. How many people lost hope that they would ever be saved. But God had not forgotten them. He remembered them so profoundly, that they still remember Him:

  "Because the LORD kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the LORD for the generations to come." Exodus 12:42

He raised up Moses, He showed signs and wonders, He rescued His people from the bondage of slavery! What a WONDERFUL God!

Click here for: Story of the Exodus

And now my last, last story: a story still being written. My own. 

God IS faithful. always. 

He consistently does what is best, when it is best for His children. My all-time favorite verse is Ecclesiastes 3:1

God knows what He’s doing in my life. He really does! 

I was thinking of how little has happened in these last 6 days visiting doctors, and in fact how I seem to be doing even worse than before. I was reminded of all these stories, and thought, “God, will you make me wait one more year? Two? Four hundred? I don’t have that long!” But then I remembered what God CAN do in six days. 

He can

Separate light from darkness and create Day and Night

He can create the sky, form dry land and pull the waters into their place, grow bountiful and luscious plants, breathe out the heavenly beings, the Sun and my favorite, the moon, craft jumping fish, looming sea monsters and twittering birds, every imaginable animal (and more).... and He can create man, a being made in His image, filled with His breath of life. 

all this in six days.

So it’s not a matter of whether or not God CAN, it’s a matter of whether or not I can trust that God KNOWS what is best. not even just what’s best for me. I have no idea how many things God can work for good through my illness, and frankly, although I’d rather Him be able to work best in me through wellness, He doesn’t want to right now and I’m learning to be okay with that.

this is like, so long that it should probably be a pamphlet, not a post, but I don’t have the funding to make print-outs right now, so I’ll just wrap up as quickly as I can. =)

God has not forgotten me. He has not forgotten you either!  His Word is full of wonderful reminders of His faithfulness, compassion, love. 

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity." Jeremiah 29:11-14

And for a little encouragement from the New Testament:

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)

God has not forgotten. He Remembers You. 

He is fully acquainted with you (Psalm 139). He knows your desires but he also knows your needs. 

Mostly, 

He loves you. 

And His timing is juuuuuuust right!