I was invited to participate in a women's bible study this summer at a precious church member's home. I was thrilled at the invitation, as Evan and I have grown very fond of this couple and their precious daughters who adore Kendall. When I received the first email about the study, I grew even more excited as I saw the other ladies' names on the list, many whom I highly respect and others that I just want to get to know a little better. The study is actually more of a "book club" format, rather than bible study on a book titled The Attributes of God by A. W. Pink.
For the first meeting, which was today, we were to read chapters one and two. Let me just say that when I started reading the first page of the first chapter, I quickly realized this was not the summer reading I signed up for! The writing is very eloquent, with scripture quoted from the King James Version. I love to read, but I am not one to pick up an intellectual type book out of preference. Reading the first chapter was a shock to my system, not to mention how unqualified and over my head I felt as I soaked it all in.
However, I pressed on. I gleaned a few things from the first chapter, but the very end of the second chapter titled The Decrees of God brought me to my knees with the following quote:
While I have been able to say that "I understand and trust that it's part of God's plan" and I know that his plan is perfect, thanking God and praising him for his Divine decrees in this situation goes against everything that my fleshly mind wants to do. But if I dig deep, I know that I owe God gratitude for his plan, even in my mother's death. My carnal mind does not understand, but I fully trust in Isaiah 55:8-9, believing that God's ways and thoughts are higher than my own.
For that, I am thankful and find reason to praise.
