God’s ways. . . .

This past few days have me thinking about many things. One of them is the faith of two refugee families. They love the Lord and are so joyful to be in this country with the freedom to worship Jesus Christ. We are delighted to be their friends.
 
I’m also thinking of Charlie Kirk. The news media makes this a political issue but those who know Jesus and know what the Bible says, are saying that what killed him was not his political views but his biblical views. His widow stated that “the spiritual warfare is palpable” and Kirk had often used similar language as he called the 2024 election a spiritual battle.

Then there is the man who spoke to a small gathering at our church. He had been with a Bible translation organization for sixty years, spending much of that time in a South American country, in the jungle, with a tribe that initially did not have a written language. He described years of learning how to speak it, write it, then teach the people how to read. It was put it into story books and other material and eventually Scripture. After more than two decades, this tribe of people knew and loved Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. 

This man glorified God. He told us that he never finished high school, had been kicked out of Bible school, and suspended from working with the translation organization for two years. His three daughters entered South America with serious problems. A doctor said one of them would be in a wheel chair all her life, but at sixteen she won a 100-dash at a sports event. God took this man and his family through incredible trials. He has written nine books mostly about the wonder and power of God to do what He did to change their lives and the lives of that tribe in the jungle.

These, and the things that are happening in my own life, are evidence of this truth:

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8–9)

The refugee families have a faith that belies how many Christians “trust” God in North America. We tend to praise Him for the good stuff, even to the point of idolatry, while they love Him for all things, even the persecution that drove them from their homes to come here. Now they are free to share their faith.

Oddly enough, Kirk is made out to be the bad guy for sharing what God says about the sin in this world. Yet the media portrays the reason for his death is his political affiliations. They are not going to call this hatred persecution. Is it because that would make them the bad guys?

At the same time, when I listen to most politicians, I think that they are doing the best they can with the knowledge they have. Most of them are not in a personal relationship with God, nor do they have the Holy Spirit living in them. While He can give them direction, they may not recognize it as wise because God’s ways are not our ways and most of His ways seem unreal, unpleasant, and certainly unwanted.

Then I think of the missionary who determined to obey God no matter what. He admitted to not being the smartest, best behaved person, nor did he have the qualifications most people would admire. Yet despite all that, dozens and perhaps hundreds of people have assurance of eternal life because God used him to tell them about Jesus. From various sources, I hear that Kirk did the same thing. Many who heard him, even watched him die, have put their faith in the Savior who also died for him, not just because the ‘religious’ leaders hated Jesus, but because God the Father so loved us that He sent His Son to take our penalty for our sin.

PRAY: Yes, Lord, Your ways are not like ours. It is easy to make my own safety and comfort a priority rather than boldly tell others of your righteousness and power. I know the pull of sin and the deep desire to ‘do my own thing’ rather than rely on You for everything. At the same time, those like the refugees, and Kirk, and our linguistic friend are a great encouragement to faith, to pray for all believers, especially those who are being persecuted for their faith, and for all who do not yet know You, including politicians, media people, anyone in leadership, and our families, friends, and neighbors. May Your will be done. Amen.