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“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts“ Isaiah 55:8-9
We live in age where knowledge is increasing at an amazing rate. According to one study, the rate of ‘knowledge volume’ increases every 12 hours, compared to doubling every 25 years in 1945! That boggles my mind!
One of my favorite movies is Apollo 13. It’s amazing to realize that crisis happened before computers as we know them. My cell phone has more power than anything they had back then, yet they put men on the moon!
While the increase of knowledge on the human realm is amazing, what’s more amazing is that no matter how much knowledge we gain on the human level, nothing compares to the knowledge God has.
When Job was questioning why God had allowed his trials, God responded with several questions for Job to answer. Job was speechless as he thought of the immensity of God’s knowledge and power. People have been trying to figure God out since we left the Garden of Eden and with all the knowledge we’ve gained since then, we are no closer to understanding the immensity of our God.
Psalms 135:6 reminds us that “The Lord does whatever pleases him throughout all heaven and earth, and on the seas and in their depths.”
We can question, but we may never understand. God will do as he pleases. His actions may never be understood. But his plan is always for our good. Rather than trying to understand God, work to know Him better. Rather than question what you are going through, seek to see what you can learn.
His methods may not be pleasant, but the results will eventually work out for your good.
But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. 1 Peter 3:16
We live in a world of fear. Fear shows itself in a variety of ways. Hate, hopelessness, Anger, frustration, despair,, revenge and confusion are just a few ways we deal with our fear.
Most times, if not always, fear happens because the things being done to us, or the things happening around us are out of our control. Our reaction to fear is often an attempt to regain control.
When you believe in a Sovereign God, and live in that truth you are, in a very real sense, giving up that control because you realize your God is in ultimate control. Because of faith you can relinquish control to a loving, sovereign God.
Another thing happens when you live in the shadow of a sovereign God, your hope and faith is seen by those around you, and quite frankly it’s a little hard for them to figure out!
Peter writes to a people in perilous times. In his day, there was open season on Christ-followers. Yet he encourages them to live in faith and hope, and when others question us about our hope we are called on to answer in a respectful, gentle way. No judgment. No hellfire and brimstone. No verbal abuse. Peter was a firey guy. Yet he calls us to gentleness, as does Paul and Jesus.
Our hope will speak more loudly when we live lives in gentleness and respect. Remember, it’s God’s Spirit that wins people to Jesus, not clever arguments, judgmental attitudes or anger.
Author Jerry Bridges states, “Both gentleness and meekness are born of power, not weakness. There is a pseudo-gentleness that is effeminate, and there is a pseudo-meekness that is cowardly. But a Christian is to be gentle and meek because those are Godlike virtues… We should never be afraid, therefore, that the gentleness of the Spirit means weakness of character. It takes strength, God’s strength, to be truly gentle.”
Ask Holy Spirit to guide you into gentleness.
Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. Romans 5:2
For those of us who grew up in the church we have no doubt memorized or at least heard sermons on the beauty and grace promised in Romans 5:1, ”Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.“
All of grace is shown in that one verse. There are so many times though, that we tend to focus on one great truth and miss an even greater truth in the context of that verse.
While Romans 5:1 looks back at what Jesus did for us and what we have as a result, a greater nugget of truth may be found in the very next verse.
Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, we have the privilege of sharing in God’s glory. God’s Glory is a difficult concept to define or comprehend in our human minds. John Piper says, “So, here is an attempt at a definition: the glory of God is the infinite beauty and greatness of God’s manifold perfections.”
This verse is so full of implications. First of all, because of Jesus and God’s Holy Spirit indwelling us, we are able to get a fuller grasp of how truly great our God is. As we grow closer to Him, we stand in awe of Him. We are His Temple, His dwelling place. Like some grand architect, we stand as a testament to His greatness. God communicates his greatness through us because we are His image-bearers.
But wait, there’s more! While we can’t fully grasp that in our human minds, (face it, I don’t do well at reflecting God’s glory most if not all the time) we have the promise that the glory of God is a promise we claim now and cash in in eternity.
Spend some time thinking of the Glory of God. Think about His power, about the intricacies of nature, the beauty of a sunset or sunrise. The wonder of life itself. How can you reflect that glory today through the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit?
No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love. Psalms 147:11
God loves when we can’t.
A young man came home from school one day full of anger, defeat and rejection. When his dad asked him what was wrong he shared, in tears, that he was about to be cut from his high school basketball team. He would be evaluated the next day and the coaches would decide.
His dad, a former coach himself, took him outside and played basketball with him for a couple hours. They talked. They laughed and in between times the father shared pointers on basketball…and life.
Later, as the son headed off to bed, the father put his arm around him and told him, “Son, tomorrow is a big day for you, but not the biggest challenge you’ll face in life. Know this, I don’t love you because of your basketball skills. I don’t love you because of your grades. I don’t love you because of your popularity. I love you because you are my child and nothing will ever change that.”
The next day, the son returned home in a good mood.
The father looked at him and said, “You must have made the team?”
“No,” the son replied, “But I know now that my value isn’t caught up in who I am, but in whose I am.”
And so it is in life. Don’t allow the expectations and circumstances that surround you to define you. Your worth isn’t in what you do, or your accomplishments or your status. God takes value in you because you are first and foremost of all made in his image. His love never fails.
Fearing the Lord isn’t being afraid of his judgment, fearing the Lord is being in awe of his love and grace.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 