The gift of love...

I recently remarked to an acquaintance that divorce is a death, not only of a marriage, but of a way of life.  The pain and disruption that divorce causes is, in fact, the pain of death, and the process of recovery is the process of grief.  I find it curious that while we recognize every other passage through life with a ceremony of some kind, when a marriage ends, when a family is torn asunder, we say nothing.  Except for the court documents and the notice in the newspaper, it is barely acknowledged.

On Humility

In Job 24:22, we read,

"But God drags away the mighty by his power; though they become established, they have no assurance of life."  (NIV)

This week, I have learned a lesson in humility that I didn't know I needed.  God, in his infinite power and wisdom, saw the weakness within me, and in a moment of time, impressed upon me how insignificant is the control which I wield over my own life and circumstance.

We are arrogant, we humans, thinking that we control our own destinies.  We make plans, we have itineraries, we notify people and warn them to make arrangements.  We set expectations for ourselves and others as if we are guaranteed tomorrow.  How quickly it can all change, even when we are (relatively) young and healthy, and when there is no reason to think that we will not be able to carry through on our expectations.