"Undeserved kindness:" the right response to foreknowledge..

I was blessed by this email that I received, and I think you will be too.  It comes from a gal who has recently begun attending our church, and who forwarded Pastor Brian’s article on foreknowledge to a loved one with cancer.  I share this with permission.  Please remember this woman’s sister in prayer, won’t you, especially that the Lord might continue to bear her along with the constant, encouraging reassurance of his “undeserving kindness.”

-Pastor Dale 

HERE IS THE EMAIL TO ME, PASTOR DALE

“Hi Pastor Dale, The following email is my sister’s response to Pastor Brian Phelps' study on predestination (which I forwarded to her in another state).  Within the past 3 weeks, it was discovered that she had cancerous tumors pressing on her spine and crushing vertebrae (3 so far).  The cancer has metastasized to her liver, but the source of the cancer is not yet known.  I had a chance to speak with her before receiving this email and I've been overcome by the beauty of God's all-encompassing love and care in the midst of ugly circumstances.”

HERE IS HER EMAIL TO THE WRITER’S SISTER:

“Hi, I'm forwarding this as food for thought and so you can get an idea of the church I've been attending recently.. At this church, I'm really enjoying the depth of the teaching and expectation that we should struggle through difficult, maybe even disturbing passages of scripture.  The main question I'm having lately is, "What about when God's sovereignty doesn't seem fair?"  Don't have a personal response to that yet, even though I'm inclined to just say that God's always right and not think further.  Then I remember He said "Come let us reason together."  Would love to know your thoughts if this of any interest to you. Love you!”

AND HER SISTER’S RESPONSE:

“Oh,  I loved this - copied the whole thing over to my documents and read thru it. Started a new file for MESSAGES. Since I've been going thru days of such amazing grace - such undeserved kindness by the heavenly father, all the big questions seem easy for the moment: He is good and He is love and everything He does is faithful and true! Just reading Isaiah 55 the other day 'My thoughts and ways are not your thoughts and ways...they accomplish what I intend!"  It being all dependent on him -not my spirituality, smartness, choices..............here is peace (and a big reality check!). But check this, I am sitting in my vibrating recliner, listening to Jamie Owens great old stuff and reading wonderful theology...!”

Read Pastor Brian's article here...