Wisdom from a child

 
My young 11-year old friend (emphasis on the old), says that God brings trials into our lives to teach us something. I marvel at the wisdom God gives this girl. I often find her statements coming to mind during life’s fearful events.

For instance, for the past couple of days, my hubby has not felt well. He has a chronic case of CLL, but current symptoms were not related to that. His temperature was up above normal and he complained about his digestive system. For a man who never complains, and because of our ages, this made me think about losing my spouse. It also had me thinking about the purpose of this trial. I knew that it could turn my heart to my own needs and have me selfishly anxious for what would happen to me if he slipped away.

God brought my buddy’s wisdom to mind and prompted me to trust Him and His will. Period. No matter what the future held. No matter what happened to this usually very healthy man. That was what He was teaching me — total trust. At that, the Lord’s peace came. Also, the fever went down, and hubby is feeling better.

Today’s reading is again about finding satisfaction in the Lord. Of course all of us who trust Him enjoy times of prosperity, health, and other blessings, but it is as John Piper writes: “None of us has arrived at perfect satisfaction in God.”

I can be concerned when trials come, but I also “grieve often over the murmuring of my heart at the loss of worldly comforts.” It is in tasting the Lord’s goodness during trials that brings a greater satisfaction. It is in being able to trust Him no matter what. It is being able to say, “Thy will be done” and mean it, even if His will involves loss, pain, and discomfort.

Job comes to mind. After the enemy was allowed to take from him all he had, including his children. . . .  

Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. (Job 1:20–22)

This response is rare. In today’s world, even the most devout will cry out “WHY” when such things happen even to others, never mind themselves. However, many Christians know that “It is Well with my Soul” was written by a man who lost everything after the great fire in Chicago in 1871 then lost his daughters when the ship they were on sank. How could he even think all was well? Only by totally trusting the Lord.

Piper writes, “I have tasted that the Lord is good. By God’s grace I now know the fountain of everlasting joy, and so I love to spend my days luring people into joy…” because he wants them to be able to say with him:

One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.

And the psalmist adds the reason, for he (David) has also tasted and seen God’s goodness. . . . 

For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord. (Psalm 27:4–6)

PRAY: Jesus, You have shown me that even a child can understand the reason for trials — and how we need to seek You and welcome Your will to be done, in total trust that Your love is behind everything that happens to us, no matter what. I am a slow learner yet also very thankful that You said that one day the “earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord” and “a little child shall lead them.” (Isaiah 11:6-9)

When Faith and Sight Intersect

Yesterday we experienced an answer to prayer, a prayer we trusted God to answer in His time and will, yet when the answer came, our reaction was great surprise and joy. It reminded me of the story in Acts where Christians were praying for Peter who was in jail. God released him and he went to the prayer place. The woman who answered the door was so surprised that she left him at the door to run and tell the others. We believe God hears and answers, so why are we so surprised!

The Bible tells me to walk by faith, not by sight. That is, don’t rely on what I see but on God who can change things that I see. Our prayers are not about seeing but trusting, yet when He answers and the answers are visible, we are surprised. Perhaps surprise is more about human nature than faith? I’m not certain.

Today’s devotional is about four ways God reveals His will to us. They are through: Scripture, circumstances, convictions He gives to other advisers, and that inner ‘voice’ of the Holy Spirit in our minds. All these will agree if the Lord is indeed speaking. The world, our old nature, and the devil may not, but God's voice will always be in harmony with itself no matter how many different ways He may speak.

The Scriptures come first, so knowing the Word of God is vital, not just knowing what it says but rightly interpreting it. This will be in harmony with the Holy Spirit for He is the One who reveals truth to us. That is vital, but so is our receptivity. For instance, we need to be like little children. As one pastor said, the distinctive nature of a child is receptivity:

At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; (Matthew 11:25)

Of course that means being a child that is in His family. That happens through relationship. Jesus said that eternal life is knowing God (John 17) and that happens also by revelation:

All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. (Matthew 11:27)

God also reveals what I need to know so I can be transformed. That happens as He reveals Jesus to me and as I gaze at Him, I am transformed into that likeness.

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. (Romans 1:17-18)

These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. (1 Corinthians 2:10)

(God) was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; (Galatians 1:16)

Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. (Philippians 3:15)

In these verses, faith does become sight. That is, when God reveals Jesus to me and I am changed, and those changes are meant to be visible and like Jesus. When He tells me what to do and I obey, His revelation is seen in my obedience. If I have a contrary idea and He reveals that to me, the resulting change is seen in my talk and walk. Even so, those changes happen because I’ve believed God.

In other words, a life of faith is not only about what is believed but the visible results that are a result of believing what God reveals to me. As James says:

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:14–17)

PRAY: Jesus, I can see how that well-known statement, “walk by faith not by sight” is talking about my life. Trust is not based on what I can easily see, but on who You are and what You tell me.  However it is clear that a ‘walk by faith not by sight’ is effective because that walk can be seen by those who watch me or anyone else whose faith governs how they live. May I faithfully and visibly display Your grace and goodness.