But God

Today I was reading Genesis 8 -- the story of Noah. Two little words struck me:

But God.

I know that people have taken note of these words before, but I never really took them in for myself. I did a word search on BibleGateway.com, and found 60 references with this one phrase (NIV version). It seems like God wants to prove a point to me.

"But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded." - Genesis 8:1

Big things happen when God intercedes.

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8

Like my mom posted the other day on her blog, there are some difficult circumstances around us that we are praying God intercedes in right now. The one that's closest to my heart is my brother, Caleb. He has been in constant abdominal pain for the past couple months, and we don't know why. He will visit the Cleveland Clinic on Monday for a four-day testing program with some of the best GI doctors in the States.

God has provided abundantly for us so far, in what He has done for Caleb, and in how He has been near to us. But it still seems impossible sometimes that God can fully heal, comfort, and completely surprise. Faith is what He wants from us.

"So that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power." - 1 Corinthians 2:5

Two big words: