Turn on the light

This morning I was in the midst of an hour and a half long phone conversation with my mom
when the Lord used that conversation to reveal something quite interesting to me. I was sharing with her how so many times the Lord will use seemingly small phrases, or words to open up the floodgates of change, or blessing. For example when the Lord says I will redeem you, the true action of that statement sets in motion a chain of events that impacts a person for an eternity! I was looking at one of the lamps in our living room, where recently the small knob that controls the light broke in half, and it suddenly became extremely difficult to turn on that light. I was no longer able to shed light in the room. I found myself quite frustrated, I would try to turn the knob with all my might yet to no avail. I decided to use a tool to get a better grip on the knob and succeeded only in damaging it further. After weeks of frustration and sitting in the dark a trip to the local hardware store and sixty nine cents plus tax and minimal effort solved my problem. Once again there is light in the room, the darkness is now being shut out by the simple turn of a switch. A switch very similar to the one that just went off in many of our heads, a switch that takes us from a place of assumption and scenario, to a place of fact and truth.
You see we all have them, these switch moments, times when the senseless makes sense and the unreasonable becomes acceptable or even desired. I have recently had one of those switches turned on in my life in regards to Dawn’s passing, one I feel compelled to share. I like many others have asked this question of God: “why, why God did you take her?” Yes while I too asked that question on occasion it is no longer a question I ask nor one that I would ever ask again. Not because I have this great faith and stand firm on the belief that all God does is good and for His glory, (which I do believe) but no rather because of the fact that He has never shown me or anyone else reason to doubt Him, or His love for us. You see we may think we have reason when in reality we do not, we don’t have the ability to comprehend or understand the things of God well enough to question His actions. What we do have is evidence of His love, His promises, His desire to be reconciled with us, and many more promises. Yes I loved my wife more than anyone could ever love their spouse, I was faithful to her in all ways as she was to me, and yes I struggled with anger and questions, but as one on the front lines of this situation often standing alone in my decisions the only question I have of God is, “what's next Lord?” The past became the past the moment it was no longer the present and the past cannot be changed we should only learn from the past and use it to enhance our future, but never use it to identify who we are, or control where we are going. I spent over thirty five years with Dawn and we were married for thirty one years five months and nine days, and every day we learned and grew together, and the greatest thing we learned was to follow God, and now she is being rewarded in His prescience. I and the girls are here, we are going through life day by day, and we are trusting in our God, some days are difficult some not so much so, and the harder days are becoming fewer and farther between. What does this have to do with the lamp you ask? Let me say this, a switch has been turned and the darkness is gone, no more tools, no more frustration, no more fear, no more questions. I know beyond doubt that the Lord has a plan for my family and I as well as all of those who were impacted by this amazing woman of God, and that plan does not include Dawn. If you are waiting for answers, look again, I believe you will find them and when you do you will see that this present day and the future should God tarry is rather bright! Oh and for those of you struggling with sin, get the knob and turn on the light, yes it is that simple!

Gene Burroughs