The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD

Then Job arose and and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshipped.  He said,

"Naked I came from my mother's womb,

and naked I shall return there.  

The LORD gave and the LORD has taken 

away. 

Blessed be the name of the LORD."

Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.

Job said those words after receiving a message that all of his children had died after their house collapsed (from a great wind...think tornado), after all of his oxen and camels and slaves were murdered, and after a fire burned up the sheep and servants with them.  All in one day!  Very tragic, very difficult...he lost everything his had and all of his family in a matter of moments or hours.  YET....yet...he did not sin and he did not blame God.  What was Job's response?  "The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD".  He worshiped God. 

That's what happens when tragic things happen to people who know the one true God.  When everything seems crazy, confusing or lost...where do you turn?  Back to God...but not in rage or anger or frustration.  No...in worship! 

Lord, help me to be like Job and worship you in times of difficulty.

Although the news we received this morning was not as terrible when compared to Job's, it was difficult, emotional and saddening.  And, the one verse that kept ringing in my mind was "The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.  Blessed be the name of the LORD."

Last night, I started noticing some problems with my pregnancy.  After talking with my midwife, I layed in bed the rest of the night. The problems did not stop...they got worse.  This morning, I received an ultrasound and was told that, although by the calendar I am 12 weeks pregnant, the baby stopped growing sometime after 8 weeks.  And, there was no heartbeat to found.  After the 45 minute ultrasound, my mind felt confused, hurt and sad....but my heart kept saying "Bless the name of the LORD, Bless the name of the LORD."

This is not my first miscarriage.  I had a miscarriage before I was pregnant with Nicole.  It will be 6 years ago in about two weeks.  THAT was the most difficult time in my life.  I don't often think about it, because I do still become emotional.  I remember the uncontrollable sobbing, however, I also remember crying out to Jesus...because I had no where else to turn.  After several months of healing and learning to trust the Lord in a deeper way, I became pregnant with Nicole...and, well...the rest is history. 

I have not had a lot of tragedy in my life, but the difficult moments always bring me back to "my first love".  I KNOW that I KNOW, that I KNOW that I can trust the God of the universe.  The God who knows me and created me.  I know that "all things work together for the good of those who know Him, who are called, according to His plan" (Rom. 8:28)  I know that each day has been ordained before me, written in His book, even before one of them came to be. (Psm. 139:16)

I do not know the answers to the questions people want to ask. But, I do know I can trust the One, True Living God and follow the examples of great men and women of old and say "Blessed be the name of the LORD."