God’s Amazing Grace

My sister often said that even after mom died, mom was still picking up after her. Sis had a habit of never putting things away and then wasting time looking for her stuff. Today’s reading says this, and it reminded me of her…

God surrounds us; He goes after us to set straight the things we have made crooked and to undo the mistakes and failures that lie behind us. Mothers do this for their children all their lives, beginning with picking up the scattered toys in the nursery and then going “behind” them as they grow older to undo and atone for all their mistakes.

I’m not sure that is true for every mother, but I know that it is true about God. All my Christian life He has been showing me the truth of these verses:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:28–29)

“All things” includes my mistakes, even the biggest of them. While some of the worst involve other people and should not be shared, I can say this — even the stupidest things I have done have turned into either lessons in how to behave, or exposures of sin to confess, or both. This is the grace of God. He is able to use whatever I do or don’t do in the classroom of life for His purposes. And those lessons work, even though they may need to be repeated several times.
Part of this is because God knows me. He knows exactly what to do that will accomplish His purposes for me…

O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. (Psalm 139:1–6)

The passage goes on to say that I cannot flee from His presence. Realizing that is important. No matter where I go or what I am doing, He is there to lead me, hold me, enlighten me. He created me so knows what will enable me to stay healthy, be happy, and be the most useful to His plans. Knowing that He is with me and knows me, makes a difference in my thoughts. Sure, I forget at times. Or the enemy feeds me his favorite ruse, “God does not really want the best for you” when I’m having problems, but the Lord always rescues me.

For instance, I had a thing come up yesterday and was uncertain how to deal with it, but the verse on today’s calendar says: “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption…” (1 Corinthians 1:30) and the truth that Jesus is my wisdom gave confidence to solve the problem. How gracious of God to care and to use even a calendar page to reassure and correct a small confusion.

PRAY: As the days go by, Your Word is a continual blessing. Even when I forget or am distracted from major truths about You and what You do, Jesus, You continue to abide with me and meet all needs, even using the smallest to the largest difficulties to change my life. Like mom with my sister, You are always picking up after me. Even the mess-ups that I make are used for good in Your hands. Praise to You for such loving care!

ALL things serve God’s purposes

 

Last week I got a call from someone who wanted to talk about the injustice and evil in the world. By the end of our conversation, he was saying that God uses all that evil for His purposes, even to bring many to salvation. He acknowledged God's sovereignty, and His wisdom in what He does.

Today’s reading says the same thing in a different way, beginning with these verses:

By your appointment they stand this day, for all things are your servants. (Psalm 119:91)

So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, (1 Corinthians 3:21–22)

The word ALL is key. It refers to all things, not a few, not just on Sundays, not just the good things or godly people, but all things are God’s servants, made to work together to accomplish His purposes. This is difficult for us because we believe in His love and goodness. How can He govern evil? Yet if He does not, then we cannot say He is sovereign.

I don’t understand it, nor can anyone else. The devotional writer says the Lord does not inaugurate evil, yet His power makes it His “servant” to bring blessing to His people as it transforms us into the image of His Son:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:28–29)

The psalmist speaks of the enemies of the gospel and their treatment of God’s people, yet also how God can use them to bring Him glory:

The insolent have dug pitfalls for me; they do not live according to your law. (Psalm 119:85) yet…

Surely the wrath of man shall praise you; the remnant of wrath you will put on like a belt. (Psalm 76:10)

Thoughts like this give me peace even in watching all the bad news. The whole world seems to be lost in evil yet at the same time God is using it. Some are standing against evil because they are seeing the results. For instance, government officials are ruling that schools must display God’s commands. This week, the gospel was presented to thousands at the beginning of a world class soccer game. Several have said we would not know the power of God without the presence of evil and seeing Him use it. It blesses us when evil is confronted, at least the evil of others...

Yesterday’s sermon at our church was about the way our heavenly Father disciplines us for our good. He often uses hardship to help us see the importance of obeying Him. His methods can even seem like punishment, yet His incredible love put our punishment on His Son. Jesus needed no training in righteousness, but I do, and God uses all things for that training, even the evil in the world to combat the sin in me. At the same time He assures me that this is not His anger at sin but His great love for me and desire for my good.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38–39)

PRAY: Jesus, what can I say to this? Your great love uses evil for Your purposes. You use it to show a sin-sick world how much we need You. You use it for my good (not always for my comfort) so that I might experience the greatest good anyone could have — to become more like You, the perfect man. While You do not ask me to embrace evil, this amazing truth invites me to praise You for such amazing grace and power, and erases my fears when troubles come. Yes, You are an amazing God!

Impossible? Or Possible?

One of the most ridiculed tenets of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the story of His birth. Not that people deny that it happened (as they once did), but that it happened the way that the Bible said it happened.

First, it was prophesied in the Old Testament. But how can an event be known hundreds of years before it happens?

There are several verses but this one is the most well known and probably the most criticized. It is also the one Luke quotes as being said by an angel to Mary.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. (Luke 1:30–35)

This conversation between Mary and the angel say that Jesus is Immanuel just as Matthew’s account affirms:

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). (Matthew 1:23)

Putting this together with other verses, the NT says that the birth of Jesus was told to Mary by an angel before it happened, she was a virgin, and the conception would not be about Joseph, but by the Holy Spirit. In other words, Jesus was fully God and fully man. Other verses say this:

. . . the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, (Hebrews 1:3)

Why is this significant? How is it even possible? In my thinking, why limit God to our understanding of how things work? If the Bible is true in saying nothing is impossible for God, then there is no reason to ridicule the idea that He could be born in a human womb. The Bible indicates God wanted to reveal Himself to humanity. He is invisible. What other way could He do that and be believable? A spectacular sky show? Writing on the wall? Revelation into the mind? An article in the newspaper?

Because we are created in His image, what better way to show us what He is like by appearing as one of us — only without sin?

I’ve never had a problem with the virgin birth. In my thinking, any birth is totally amazing. Our human ideas of how to reproduce ourselves falls short. A clone is not a new creation and some of the science fiction efforts are downright comical. We are fearfully and wonderfully made by a God whose IQ goes far beyond genius. His creative powers are incredible. Our efforts to explain them are laughable and full of holes.

I should not be too hard on those who stumble over the idea of a virgin birth. God does say their minds are blinded and they cannot see the glory of Christ. I’ve been there. It is a miracle also that He can open blind eyes. As the NT says:

For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:5–6)

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Jesus, You know how difficult it is for any of us to fully grasp the amazing truth of who You are. How can it be that God came to visit us, to redeem us, even to take on the task of transforming us into Your image? It happens — only because nothing is impossible for God. You truly take my breath away!

Anything is possible . . .

Alexander the Great was born in 356 BC. He notably tamed a horse when he was 13, convincing evidence of his ambition and ability. Seven years later, he succeeded his father Philip II to the throne. Most of his ruling years were spent on a military campaign through Asia and northeast Africa. By the age of 30, he created one of the largest empires of the ancient world stretching from Greece to northwestern India. He was undefeated in battle and is widely considered one of history's most successful military commanders.

What are the odds of such a thing? I cannot imagine this happening in our day. Yet it happened then because God had a plan. God wanted a united world and a common language, and because of this brave young man,

When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law . . . (Galatians 4:4)

Jesus was born. The time was right. The world was united to the point that most people understood Greek, and the good news of God’s grace could be shared among them freely. Even for those who spoke other languages, God gathered them together soon after Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven and had His disciples speak in other tongues (other languages) so all could hear the Gospel. Anything is possible with God.

I cannot help but connect this with the events in our world. What is God up to? We have tyrants and evil leaders. We have ambitious politicians that are hated or tolerated. Our world seems ripe for someone to come with strong leadership abilities to take over and ‘fix’ the mess it is in. Is that what God is planning?

I’ve no idea of what tomorrow’s headlines will be. However, looking at the way God prepared the world for the arrival of His Son, I’m not anxious about the news or the mismanagement that seems to prevail. God can bring diverse cultures under one ruling power if He so wishes, even under the rule of a mere youth. Alexander proves God can do whatever He wants to fit with His purposes.

Some interpret the Bible prophesies to mean we will experience a one-world leader. Others have varying ideas about the ‘end times’ and the fate of our civilization. Whatever comes next should not produce anxiety for anyone who knows the power of God. His plan will prevail and because He is good, gracious and merciful, I am clearly in favor of trusting Him.

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Lord Jesus, the end of this age seems nearer now than it did a few years ago because of all the disasters and general lack of righteousness that is all around us, but I don’t know that for certain. What I do know is that You are God and You are a good, good Father. I can trust You to work out Your plan. Besides, I’ve read Your book and at the end, Jesus wins. Your people win. We live forever with You in a new heaven and new earth. You don’t need a twenty-year-old warrior to bring it to pass either. It will happen because You willingly gave Your life more than two thousand years ago . . .

You were in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Yourself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, You humbled Yourself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted You and bestowed on You the name that is above every name, so that at Your name every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that You are Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5–11)

 Amen!

Moving forward in faith

Today I was struggling. My doctors say I must not only restrict sodium, but also potassium. A new medication has messed with the balance of potassium. I am not a salt lover, so the sodium restriction is a challenge only when eating out. However, potassium is in many foods that I would normally eat, particularly the fruit and vegetables of the summer. Yesterday I was complaining way too much.

In the afternoon, we decided to go to a book store and to my amazement, I found a cookbook for people who are restricted from too much sodium and potassium. It even has menus and shopping lists, along with recipes. However, I soon realized I will need to do much more meal-planning, particularly for a combination that will not deprive my husband (or me) from the nutrients we need. Not easy. I was still complaining.

But all that grumbling robbed my joy and my strength. I felt crappy and finally realized this complaining had to stop. I took it to the Lord and He gave me Tozer’s devotional thoughts and this passage from the New Testament:

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.” (Philippians 3:13–16)

I also thought of this passage, especially the last sentence:

“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:11–13, italics mine)

The thoughts from Philippians 3 and Tozer’s writing are a huge encouragement. He says that the normal Bible direction is not backward, it is always forward. Jacob returned to the altar, but in doing so he did not go back, he went forward.

And the Prodigal Son did not say, “I will go back.” He said, “I will arise and go to my father.” From where he was, going to his father’s house was a forward step in his moral activities. It represented no retreat, but a distinct advance over his previous conduct.

This is the will of God, to move forward. I would like to go back to my former health, yet He wants me to consider this new and challenging situation as a step forward, an opportunity to rely on Him in a new way, and to experience His faithful in what seems like a time-consuming, no-fun obstacle. I can do this because of grace.

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Lord Jesus, relying on You in new situations has always been a blessing, yet many times the situations seem to be negative and I want to pray them away. I want to quit the meds that are helping my heart but messing with my kidneys. I want, I want, I want. You are showing me that Your will is perfect and Your way will bring out faith and the image of Christ in me. This is far better than my self-centered choices. Not only that, moving forward brings back joy and hope, even though up front this still seems very difficult. Keep assuring me — I can do all things through the grace of Your strength. As Tozer says, You want me to grow into something higher, not fall into the calamity of having my soul satisfied with its present condition or with lamenting over the past.