God

One of my favorite ways to pray or worship in general is to think about God's character... His attributes. He is...

Holy, Merciful, Gracious, Faithful, Patient, Forgiving, Loving, Deliverer, Father, Friend, Counselor, Healer, Provider, Peace, Comforter, Power, Hope, Refuge, Strength... we could go on and on and still not be able to fully explain him.

Last night we had a couple of students who had an encounter with the Lord in ways they probably hadn't expected.

When I arrived at church last night I began a conversation with a frazzled youth leader. His daughter is in our youth. He had just gotten off the phone with his wife who was on the way to the hospital with his daughter. She had an allergic reaction to some medicine she was given earlier in the day by a doctor. We're talking, tingling, numbness, and trouble breathing. Several of us gathered together right there in the hall and were able to cry out on Becca's behalf. God is our Great Physician. We don't have to worry or panic. He is in control. He is our Healer and Peace.

Not even an hour later, D pulls me aside right before we start our service and shows me a picture. Another student was in a really bad car accident on the way to church. I gasped when I saw the picture because people don't normally walk away from accidents when the car they had been in looks like his. He crawled out of his crumpled, upside down car in a ditch without broken bones or any other serious injuries. The car that took up the country road that he had to swerve to miss didn't even stop. God is indeed our Protector.

As I sat in our service, I couldn't help but think about God's goodness to us. Becca was recovering well at the hospital and Micah was getting checked out by the EMT.  God is our Great Physician, our Protector, Healer and Peace.... and so much more! Thankfully we don't have to go through a priest, but we can boldly approach the throne and speak directly to the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. What a privilege.