Robbi and I had the privilege to meet with Carol and Jimmy Sunday afternoon right after church. We had a great visit and as we left, Robbi said that her heart aches for Carol.  She went on to say “Jerry, you have no idea how much it hurts when you are told that your husband is dying.”  It was 7 years ago that Robbi was told the very same thing concerning me, however, for whatever reason, God spared me.  Was it because people prayed harder for me than they did for Jimmy?  NO!!!  Was it because I was a better Christian than Jimmy?  Absolutely not!!!  Why is it that God spares some and He takes others home to heaven? That is something that I wrestle with from time to time.  Almost 4-1/2 years ago a good friend of mine died very unexpectedly.  He was very healthy, much more so than me, and he was only 45 years old. I spent a lot of time at his bedside as he lay in a coma, and with his wife and two daughters, and I tried to figure out and reason in my own mind, “why him?”  As we were driving home after visiting with Jimmy and Carol, Robbi said to me “there sure is a lot going on in our little church.  What is God doing?”  

What is God doing?  That is a good question because God is doing something. He is the One who gives life and breath and He is the One who takes it away. So what is He doing?  Take a look at our prayer list.  There are a lot of people who are dealing with some serious stuff.  There are things going on that make some people want to give up. People are dealing with things that really make you wonder if God is even there or does He even care. There are things going on that leave us unable to pray and make us want to just cry. There are things going on in the lives of people that are driving them to their knees.  THAT’S IT! Their knees, your knees, my knees, our knees.  Could it be that God’s intention and purpose and plan is to drive us to our knees?  

Psalm 95:6-7 says: “Come let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the LORD our God, our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.” When the psalmist was confronted by the LORD, his God and his Maker, he found himself on his knees. He was worshipping; he was talking to God; he was praying.  The Bible tells us that the will of God for us is to “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1Thessalonians 5:16-18) God’s will will come to pass. There are times when God will give you more than you can handle. He will get you to the point where you can do nothing but cry out to Him. He will drive you to your knees.  It is on your knees that you will find yourself praying and praying and praying some more, because you know who He is and who you are.He will give you the grace that you need to make it. You can do nothing without Him. It is on your knees that He will make His presence known to you in a special way. It is on your knees that your tears will turn into rejoicing. It is on your knees that you will be able to give thanks as you realize all that He has already done for you.

There is a lot going on in our little church. There is a lot going on in many of your individual lives. There is stuff that you just cannot bear anymore, so why do you continue to try to do it all on your own. You are going to end up on your knees sooner or later. The Bible tells us that is going to happen!  Romans 14:11 says: It is written: As surely as I live, says the LORD, every knee will bow before Me; and every tongue will confess to God.  Could it be that this is God’s way of keeping us in the center of His will?

Are you where He wants you? Are you rejoicing always, praying continually, and giving thanks in all circumstances? That is the will of God!  Are you in the center of His will, or does He need to drive you to your knees where you will end up finding yourself where He wants you?