Change Tactics?

Jehoash said to the priests, “All the money of the holy things that is brought into the house of the Lord, the money for which each man is assessed—the money from the assessment of persons—and the money that a man’s heart prompts him to bring into the house of the Lord, let the priests take, each from his donor, and let them repair the house wherever any need of repairs is discovered.” But by the twenty-third year of King Jehoash, the priests had made no repairs on the house. Therefore King Jehoash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and said to them, “Why are you not repairing the house? Now therefore take no more money from your donors, but hand it over for the repair of the house.” So the priests agreed that they should take no more money from the people, and that they should not repair the house. (2 Kings 12:4–8)

The first idea to collect money and have the priests use it to repair the house of the Lord did not work. Therefore, the king switched the method. It doesn’t seem like a big change, but it pleased the Lord who worked in the hearts of the people to give generously. Then instead of the priests, masons and stonecutters and other “honest” workmen did the repairs with that money and, “The money from the guilt offerings and the money from the sin offerings was not brought into the house of the Lord; it belonged to the priests.” (2 Kings 12:16)

Clarity in the church budget is vital. We attend a church that is totally transparent with donations. The amazing result is not only generous giving but a congregation that trusts the leadership. Our budget meetings last mere minutes and rarely have any questions from anyone, never negative or in protest.

From the account above, I see the importance of abandoning that common reasoning that says, “This is the way I always did it’ and be willing to change how I do things. If something does not work, it is perfectly okay to try a different way. In fact, one definition of insanity says it is a pattern of repetitive behavior that leads to stagnation or failure, rather than realizing changing outcomes requires altering one's actions, mindsets, or strategies. 

Lord, this is timely. I’ve an issue where I need to change something that is not giving the results expected because of the way I’ve done it. So now need wisdom from You regarding what to change. Thank You for Your promise to give wisdom to all who ask for it. I’m waiting on You. 
  

Trust God's plan…

At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” 
And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” 
It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.” 
And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants. (1 Kings 3:5–15)

My dreams are usually stories that make little sense. However, several times I’ve gone to bed with something on my mind and had a dream that made sense of it. Lately I’m trying to get more order in my life and have had amazing ideas pop up in dreams to show me how.
Solomon’s dream was awesome. He was given far more than his humble request and became famous as well as wise and wealthy. His prayer is instruction for my prayers.

First, acknowledge what God has already done — and that I do not deserve any of it. Then ask for wisdom for the day. Simple. Why this request? Because I don’t know what the day will bring.

Yesterday could not have been predicted. A server in an eating place tell me her struggles and ask me to pray for her. Another person told me she was losing her sight and God gave me words to encourage her. After that, a new friend came to chat and it felt like she was someone I have known forever. Then a stranger approached and told me of losing her Christian son a few months ago and how she had not accepted it and was not grieving. I affirmed that he was not dead, that he just moved to a different address. She joyfully agreed. God put a sparkle in her eyes and amazement in my heart.

When I came home, I knew all that was God's doing, and beyond anything I could have asked for or imagined. Nothing was planned. It just happened and I was watching it happen and being blessed as I watched Him bless those ladies.

Jesus, we talk about being used, or pray for this or that, but I like Solomon’s prayer. I just need Your wisdom and trust You to make Your plan happen without making any plans of my own.

Faith in what I cannot see…

 

Every now and then God shows answers to prayer. Friends who were ill and we prayed for healing and it happened. Or a prayer for finances worked out. Or prayers for changed lives happened. Even my prayers for parking places have put me in a busy lot right in front of the store door. But these are exceptions not the norm.

Faith is the assurance of things not seen. When I pray for an unnamed pastor in a unnamed country using an app that receives such requests, I have no idea what God does in answer to that prayer. It could be yes, no, or wait. When I pray for politicians, or leaders in other realms, I may see things happen, but not be certain that is the answer to my prayer. God’s ways are mysterious.

Last week, I had a whim to look at a show home in another part of the city, wound up having lunch in a place we’d never visited, read a news story in that restaurant, looked it up on YouTube when we got home, sent the link to a young friend and he later emailed me to say that changed the direction of his life. When I told a Christian friend about this chain of events, she replied how often she longed to see the results of her actions, and her prayers.

However, we agree that faith is about trusting the Lord, whether we can see what He is doing or not. Today’s reading says our desire is not about seeing what the Lord does but about seeing Him.

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? (Psalm 42:1–2)
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11)

Piper writes, “Nearness to God himself is the only all-satisfying experience of the universe” and that the psalmist wants to see the power and glory of God. Can that happen without seeing answers to all my prayers? Yes, it can. There are days when I am overwhelmed by simply reading His Word and realizing afresh the wonder of who He is and the nearness of His presence.

PRAY: Jesus, I desire that my mind is on You whenever it is free from the necessities of thought, that my emotions are elevated as I sense Your nearness and Your love, and that my will is fixed on Your will being done — whether I can see it happening or not. Based on the reality of faith, I can know that You are at work concerning all things that concern me because You say that You are in my life whether I can see it or not. Maybe eternity will reveal what is unseen or not, yet it will let me see You face to face, and that will be enough.

God’s perfect will. . . .

I’ve been praying more than twenty years for the salvation of some family members and friends. Through this, God is teaching me patience. However, I have a small problem concerning my own need that I’ve prayed about for a week and am getting impatient. This says a great deal about my concern for others and my selfishness concerning myself.

I read this morning that I am impatient if I think time belongs to me, but if I realize it  belongs to God, I will have the capacity to be patient. The question is, am I willing to trust in Him when I am living in the middle of the story, or do I want to fast forward to the end? Do I want to skip the struggle to get to the resolution? Or even in the struggle can I be content to trust in God, letting faith in the unseen be my anchor during this troubling time? If I can do it for the salvation of others, what is my problem with waiting on Him concerning a small problem of my own? Where is my faith then?

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

Why is it easier to depend on the unseen for someone else and not for myself? Am I so important that I must have God hear me right now? I am critical of those Christians who must have a resolution to all of life’s struggles as soon as possible, yet accept my impatience without thinking I also lack the faith needed to wait just as they do?

God promised to meet all my needs. Do I doubt that He sees my prayer as a need, or that the answer would be helpful? In Exodus, He held back on some vital needs of His people to test them, to see if they would obey Him. Am I so short-sighted that I cannot see this might be why He delays?

This week, an eleven-year-old child said to me, “When we have troubles, God is trying to teach us something.” How easily the flesh forgets that truth. How wonderful that He can speak it through the lips of a little one to someone who is old enough to be her great-grandmother. I am humbled.

My little problem does rob me of energy and enthusiasm, but I must not let it rob me of faith. God is the same God for this issue that He is for all issues. He rules the universe and the earth revolves around the sun at the exact time and angle needed for our lives to thrive. My problems are nothing to such an Almighty God.

PRAY: Lord, You know my needs. Forgive me for thinking that You have forgotten me or that You do not care. Your timing is always perfect and You are good all the time. As Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” I can depend on Your will to be done, in Your way and in Your perfect time.

Faith not sight

 

The bottom line — that is always what I want to see. I read mysteries because I love the endings, especially those that surprise me. When I pray, I’m eager to see the answers which are always something unexpected, a surprise.

The problem with this tendency comes when I am seeing only partial progress. Praying and not seeing answers is like reading a mystery story and stopping in the middle of the book. What happened? Who did it? What was the result? Earlier in this Christian life, God brought the realization that faith needs to endure, even without answers. He is always teaching me to be joyful over partial progress and thankful for baby steps. I still struggle with that.

This morning my prayers were for greater strides. Some on my prayer list seem to be the same for years — not at all interested in spiritual matters or in Jesus. I felt like I might die without seeing any answers. One of my friends said both her parents prayed for their children for years, then died, but she was the only one who had been saved. The rest were saved, but after their mom and dad were gone. I don’t want that either.

Today’s reading strongly scolds readers for taking burdens on themselves, burdens that belong to God. We trust Him to run the universe but not to run our own lives. It misses the mark for me because I am trusting Him to run my life. The problem isn’t lack of trust, but impatience. I’d like to learn all He wants me to learn from unanswered prayer and then quickly see what He does after that. In other words, turn the pages, God. I want to see the ending of this mysterious plot that You are writing!

Another reading from “Born to Battle” by R. Arthur Matthews tells me that the bigger issue is not about seeing the results but continuing to pray for the salvation of souls. I’m not to allow my desire for results to interfere with the work of prayer for those results.

Paul was in jail, yet thought about others: “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:3–6) His mind did not see results yet he was certain that God would complete His work.

Later, this man asked for prayer after describing the necessary ‘wardrobe’ and attitude for prayer. He said:

“…and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.” (Ephesians 6:17–20)

This is a rebuke too, milder yet a reminder to stop feeling anxious for results and keep praying for them. One more passage comes to mind:

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. (1 John 5:14–15)

PRAY: Jesus, I may not see the last chapter, but You remind that You are listening, and I know that You do not want anyone to perish, so I can pray for people to be saved according to Your will and know that You have already written their ending. Forgive my desire to ‘see’ and fill me with that faith that believes in You without any evidence in these matters except Your gracious promises. As a song says, make my heart believe. Amen.

Peace has a caveat

 

Do not, as children do, keep digging up your plants to see if they are growing. Trust the divine Husbandman absolutely and always. Accept each moment’s dispensation as it comes to you from His hands. Say a continual yes to your Father’s will. Finally, in this, as in all the other cares of your life:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6–7)

Doing this is easier in some instances than others. Suppose I’m anxious about giving a lesson next week and anxious that I will do it with the Spirit’s fullness. Next week comes, it happens and God blesses it. But what about the salvation of a grandchild who lives far away and there is little interaction with him or her? I am hearing that this child is far from loving and living for Jesus. No good news, ever. Can I experience the peace of God in that situation that seems to have no light at the end of the tunnel?

The context of these verses offer a few clues. It speaks of agreeing with those Christians that I serve God alongside. It says to rejoice in the Lord making Him my source of joy. It also says to let my reasonableness or gentleness be visible to everyone. It also tells me to think of good things and put into practice all that God is teaching me. This ‘peace of God that surpasses understanding’ is not for those who fight with others, find joy only in circumstances going their way, are harsh, and have a mind filled with garbage. Disobedience is certainly a barrier to peace.

These things, when present in my life, are indications that I’m not trusting God. How then can I pray for someone in faith? It is impossible. It goes without saying that faith can be described as “surpassing understanding” similar to the peace of God. It is humanly beyond me that I can trust what cannot be seen and to be certain to the point that I have no worries about the issues at hand, yet…

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

This is like being blind and stepping off solid ground without seeing the suspension bridge across a chasm. It is like putting my fork into the plate in front of me without seeing what will go into my mouth. Faith cannot see what I hope for, but knowing God is good and will take care of me is my assurance. It is not assumption that ‘all will be okay’ with some sort of Pollyanna thinking at its roots, but faith that is rooted in God, in His power and His promises. If He says it, it will happen. Faith is not blind in the sense that it is ‘I hope so’ but that it is based on a real God who is personal and cares:

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Believing He exists goes beyond a hopeful notion that there is someone out there. It is trust, not a notion. It is knowing something, not merely hoping. And rewards for seeking are real, not hope so. Seeking is about diligence, not a mere glance around for evidence but looking with an expectation of finding because the evidence is already there — in God.

God knows how to make Himself known. Many who live in places where missionary work is banned are having dreams and visions that God is using to show them that He not only exists but that Jesus Christ died for their sin and offers them eternal life. He can speak His Word, with or without a book.

That said, those who have the Bible are told to tell others about Jesus because “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17) For this reason, Jesus tells me:

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19–20)

Again, I am not given the visual results of faith, only the commands to do what God says and trust that He will grant faith to others as He sees fit.

PRAY: Jesus, in some ways praying is easier than sharing the gospel, yet either way, faith in You is required — and doing either one is impossible without it. Grant me the faith needed to be totally obedient, both in speaking to You and in sharing You with others.

May Jesus be glorified…

God works in incredible ways. Yesterday I prayed long and often for a person in a far-away hospital receiving rare treatment that could be dangerous. This person is constantly on my mind and even as I tried to leave her in the hands of God, I wanted to know how she is managing, what is happening. I called, no answer. I emailed and texted; nothing. This has gone on for a few weeks.

My prayer yesterday was partly about my struggle to let “faith be the evidence of things not seen” rather than asking God to give me something I could see. Still, I could not get her out of my mind. Yet I also was surprised at some of the words that came out as I prayed. It was more Holy Spirit than me.

Still praying and still trying not to worry, the phone rang just after 3:00 p.m. I was shocked It was her. We talked for ninety minutes and she updated me, answered all my questions. The conversation left me stunned. Since then, I’ve felt odd, sort of like this:

And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, (Luke 5:4–9)

Peter didn’t expect a catch of fish so when it came in such abundance, he felt the weight of his unbelief and even asked Jesus to leave him because of his sin. This morning, still astonished at God moving to answer my prayer that was so mixed with wanting to trust Him and wanting evidence that He was hearing me. The call reminded me that He is faithful and I can have confidence that He is at work in other prayer requests for other people — but in this case my confidence wavered. He whispered, “You know you can trust me.”

I’ve seen again that God hears and answers prayer whether I can see what He is doing or not. Trust is not about proof but about the character of the One I am trusting.

Trust is not about the extremity of the problem either. It is about the love and power of God. It is also not about how I feel. Facts pull the faith train, not feelings nor even what I can see. I let the lack of communication (not normal for this person) and my concerns for her govern to the point of being anxious instead of patient with God — who is totally worthy of my trust.

This all means that the phone call was wonderful to receive and the length of the conversation was reassuring, yet this call was also a rebuke.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. (Hebrews 11:1–3)

Faith is like that. I have no trouble believing that God created all things by a word, no matter how much ‘evidence’ is presented to the contrary. Yet I let my ignorance of a medical procedure and the absence of communication override what faith was trying to assure me. God is more powerful than my doubts but I wanted to see something rather than simply trust Him. He assured me with that phone call, but it didn’t build my faith. Instead, I feel as Peter did when he saw the catch of fish — guilty of unbelief. I do not deserve the goodness of God.

PRAY: Jesus, what can I say? Not ‘depart from me’ but stay close. I need you. So also does this one I prayed for and who called me. Grow in both of us a greater trust in You, one that refuses to let doubt or feelings or fears pull us into depression or the despair of not trusting You.

Faith Affirmed

God affirms me in amazing ways. Today’s devotional says what the Holy Spirit has been revealing to me all week. With delight, I reproduce it here, making the pronouns personal.

Sometimes, in spite of all my efforts to discover the truth, the divine sense of “oughtness” does not seem to come and my doubts and perplexities continue unenlightened. In addition, my friends differ from me and may oppose my course. In such a case there is nothing to do but to wait until the light comes. I must wait in faith and in an attitude of entire surrender, saying a continual yes to the will of the Lord. If the suggestion is from Him, it will continue and strengthen; if it is not from Him, it will disappear. If it continues, if it troubles me in moments of prayer and disturbs my peace, and if it conforms to the test of the divine harmony of which I have written (see recent devotions), I may feel sure it is from God. Then I must yield to it or suffer an unspeakable loss.

The apostle Paul says that “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). In all doubtful things, then, I must stand still and refrain from action until God gives me light to know more clearly His mind concerning them. Very often I will find that the doubt has been His voice calling me to come into more perfect conformity to His will; but sometimes these doubtful things are only temptations or morbid feelings, to which it would be most unwise for me to yield. The only safe way is to wait until I can act in faith.

I read these words with delight because of the harmony between the Christian who wrote them and my mind about such matters. This devotional book is more than 100 years old and not only affirms my thoughts about knowing God’s will, it affirms that:

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

He is timeless and His Word is timeless, as relevant today as when first written — incidentally by many human authors who listened and wrote as the Spirit told them, over a period of many years. Truth is truth and because Jesus is “the way, the truth, the life” then I can rely on Him and His Word no matter what the world says about relevance, or the devil suggests about truth being doubtful, or the resistance my flesh has to anything that God says.

As God says, as He reveals it to me, and as this Christian affirmed, when in doubt, wait in yielded faith — He will make it clear.

PRAY: Jesus, we had an event at our church yesterday that was prayed for with hope, not too certain it would draw many people. It was a Heritage Festival to celebrate the many cultures represented in our congregation and that will eventually gather before the throne of God. Faith became sight — the main auditorium was so filled that we could hardly walk. What a wonderful celebration and display of faith becoming sight. As You continue to affirm faith, may all of us continue to grow in it and celebrate Your awesome goodness.

Knowing the Possibilities

 

Every Christian has a burden for those they love who are without faith. We want them to share the joy of being in the family of God, of hearing His voice and being led by Him through the perplexities of life. Even though He may challenge us with difficulties, we have the choice of listening to His direction vs. trying to do it life on our own. Choose His will helps me find the wonder of His grace in both simple  and complex situations.

For instance, He challenged me to plan a family reunion, totally unfamiliar territory. I argued. Like Moses at the burning bush, I claimed my inexperience, lack of skill, blah, blah, but He insisted. Three times He has waked me up at 5 am and outline the next steps. I still feel unskilled, yet excited that God is doing the planning and that ensures an outcome that I cannot imagine.

Now I hear that someone I love has a health issue that could mean deterioration and even death. I  am not sure of that person’s standing with God and this morning am challenged with the possibilities. On the positive side, this could be a fiery furnace that changes her life.

In that OT story, the three who were cast into the fiery furnace came out as they went in—except their bonds. Their bodies were unhurt. Their skin was not blistered, hair not singed, garments not scorched, and no smell of fire on them. This is how God wants us to come out of trials — liberated from our bonds, but untouched by the flames.

Christians can learn that trials are a place of victory, not in having it removed, but winning by yielding to God in those trials. One writer puts it this way:

The real triumph—triumphing over sickness, in it; triumphing over death, dying; triumphing over adverse circumstances, in them…  Our triumph is to be in it. Christ’s triumph was in His humiliation.

Our victory can be in what others think is tragedy. Another friend fell and has been ten months in recovery from her severe injuries. She is in a wheelchair but when others express hope for a full recovery soon, with glowing face she says, “Oh, God isn’t done with me yet.” How incredible and contagious to see a person burdened with trials yet having a heart of joy. This woman is broken in body yet unbroken in patience. She displays the wonderful grace of God even in a severe experience that He has not (yet) fixed.

As for the person diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening problem, the worst possible scenario is not trusting Jesus in that situation. Even as Jesus walked this earth and performed miracles, spoke truth and did all that God asked of Him, there were many, even the religious leaders, who rejected Him. Concerning them, Jesus responded:

And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” (Luke 19:41–44)

This is the most negative response, not to trials but to not trusting Jesus when He is reaching out in loving grace to aid us, whether in ordinary life or in the extremity of a life-threatening situation. It begins with saying no to the offer, but winds up to being blinded by rejection to the point that God could hide His offer from their eyes. How awful to lose sight of grace and of Jesus.

PRAY: Lord, my prayer today is that You will keep the eyes of Your people open to Your goodness and purposes for any trials we face, but also You will persist in reaching those without faith with Your incredible grace. You know each heart and You know what will draw anyone to receive Your great gift of faith in You. It could be a fiery furnace. It could be seeing the faith of Your children. It could be losing all their own resources and having a deep sense of need. Whatever the situation, You can be trusted to have Your way with those with and without faith. Not my will but Thine be done — so You are glorified in the doing.

Trust, really trust

It is easy to feel sorry for myself. I get over bacterial pneumonia and pick up what is being called the ‘coughing virus’ that some say can persist for several weeks. In contrast to that, my devotional reading tells me that God cares for me — because He is my Father and it is His business to meet all of my needs. 

I could use a break from this coughing. It is hard to sleep for more than a few hours at a time yet I’m told to let Him know when I need anything and then leave the supplying of that need to Him. 

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:5–7)

I checked out the word “reasonableness” since it isn’t used much in my vocabulary. It is about being mild, gentle, moderate, patient, certainly not feeling sorry for myself but having a gracious attitude toward others, thinking of their needs instead of my own.

This reminds me of a truth that shows up in the book of Job. After a long revelation from God about what He does and His power, Job answered the Lord and said: 

“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:1–6)

After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: 

“My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” 

So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer. And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. (Job 42:7-10)

The point? Job was not healed and restored until he repented of his attitude — the questioning of what God was doing in his life — and prayed for his friends instead of being so focused on himself.

The devotional writer says the children of a good human father are at peace because they trust in their father’s care, but the children of the heavenly Father too often have no peace because they are afraid to trust in His care. They make their requests known to Him, but that is all they do, particularly if nothing changes. 

Prayer for others and prayer for my needs can be a mere exercise rather than actually believing that He will do it or is doing it. I can go on carrying my burdens, even questioning God’s care as if it is not a reality.

Like Job, this is folly. This man needed to realize the reality of God’s care, not just the theology of it, but a true belief that He is a good Father who is loving, tender, and full of kindness toward the helpless beings He has brought into existence. His fatherhood did not stop at creation. He cares for what happens to me, and like Job, I don’t know why I am suffering, but He is telling me that He cares and He is using this for my good, even though I am blind to what that means, at least right now.

PRAY: Jesus, forgive me for doubting your care and Your wisdom. Help me to pray for others, resist the doubts that yell at me, and keep on learning about You and Your loving care. This is a difficult test of faith, yet I know that You are at work to help me pass the test and simply trust You.

God does not need my help

Over the years I’ve noticed how many times my prayers and the prayers of others are basically us telling God what to do. Finally I realized the arrogance. As MacArthur says, trying to improve on God’s plan is more pretentious than trying to improve the Mona Lisa with an ink pen and wind up ruining the masterpiece.

Because of the number and might of the Hebrew people in Egypt, the current Pharaoh enslaved them. He also ordered all male Hebrew babies be put to death. The parents of Moses refused to ruin the masterpiece. His parents knew God had a plan for Moses and even though they did not know what it was, they trusted Him. The NT says:

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. (Hebrews 11:23)

The story of Moses begins like this:

The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.” (Exodus 2:2–10)

I can scarcely imagine the faith it took for them to risk their own lives, as well as the life of their baby, by placing him in that basket and introducing him into the very household of the one who wanted all male Hebrew babies slain.

But by God’s providence, Pharaoh’s daughter found the baby, took pity on him, and adopted him into her family, and He used Moses’ sister to arrange that Jochebed nursed and cared for her own son!

That gave Moses’ family the opportunity to teach him about God’s promises for Israel to inherit the Promised Land, become a mighty nation, and instill within him faith in God that would later characterize his life.

I may never be called on to make the kind of sacrifice that Moses’ parents made, but no matter what the risks, remember that God always honors obedience. Not only that, such faith means ‘stop’ telling God what to do. He knows — I don’t!

PRAY: Lord Jesus, I’m so thankful to finally realize that trying to tell You what to do is the same thing as running my own life — the very essence of sin. I’m thankful that You not only know what is best but are able to communicate it to me when I need to hear it.

PONDER: Romans 12:1-2: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1–2)