Prayer

God’s Business 

 by Jim Christenson 

A dear friend of mine likes to remind people (when they get a little too “nosy”), “There’s two kinds of 

business, my business and none of your business!” Good advice for all of us! As humans, many times 

we tend to think that we know what’s best about everything, everybody and every situation. We even 

question God’s business. When I was 23, my dad was diagnosed with cancer. Four years later, he died 

and I was devastated. I had started my new career and I was a new husband and father myself. I needed 

by dad now more than ever and he wasn’t there for me. 

 

I was also very angry with God. Why did He take my dad? Why now? My prayers became more like 

vicious rants with selfish questions. How dare He do this to me?!? How can taking my dad away from his 

family be part of Your plan? My dad would miss the birth of two of my children. He wasn’t gong to ever 

attend another birthday party, holiday or other family event. Why? Why? Why? 

 

It took me many months to work through all of these angry emotions. Eventually, my prayers to my 

Heavenly Father warmed and I began to realize that I was not the one in charge. I don’t make the rules. I 

don’t get to run His “business.” God’s will is just that, God’s will. It took me many prayers and searching 

through God’s word to finally find the peace I was looking for and that I so desperately needed. The two 

verses that I found the most comforting were in Isaiah 55:8-9. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, 

neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher that the earth, so are my ways higher that your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” 

 

A few months later, I wrote the poem below as an “apology” to God for daring to question His will or His 

ways especially when it was He, “the King of the Universe,” who freely gave up His one and only son to save each one of us from our sins. 

“Jesus Came Down” 

Jesus came down from Heaven 

A Savior King before His birth. 

He came to be one true light 

For all the people on Earth. 

 

Jesus came down from the hills 

To show us right from wrong. 

He taught with perplexing parables 

And we offer prayer and song. 

 

Jesus came down from the cross 

In the ultimate display of love. 

Hate and evil were truly no match 

From God’s power from above. 

 

Jesus came down from Heaven 

And He’s with us every day. 

To guide us through the troubled spots 

As we live our lives His way.
 

A Prayer Shawl is meant to be given to anyone (male or female, including children) who has had surgery, been diagnosed with an illness, lost a loved one or is dealing with a hardship.

Prayers are said while the shawl is being made, that recipients may feel comfort and love as they wrap themselves in it. Shawls are available in the Fellowship Hall in the far right hand corner on the cabinet shelves. Please be sure to check/sign the book saying to whom you are giving a shawl because we don’t want to duplicate.
Please let me know of anyone you believe should receive one of
these Prayer Shawls.