Hebrews 11:5-6
By an act of faith, Enoch skipped
death completely. “They looked all over and couldn’t find him because
God had taken him.” We know on the basis of reliable testimony that
before he was taken “he pleased God.” It’s impossible to please God
apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must
believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to
those who seek him.
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
When I was a child, the
Young Business Men’s Club (YBMC) held an Easter egg hunt each year in
our city park. Among what must have been thousands of dyed boiled eggs
were some “prize” eggs that could be redeemed for a baby chick – or a
live rabbit if you found a “gold” one! Little did my siblings and I know
that my mother had threatened those YBMC members within an inch of
their lives if any of us came home with a live animal! So we eagerly
picked up the colored eggs and hoped against hope that we would somehow
stumble onto one that could be redeemed for a prize…but we never found
one!
We firmly believed that it was possible for us to find the
prize egg. We knew that these bunnies and chicks existed…and we had
seen other children “win” them. So we forged ahead, confident that WE
could also find a golden egg. And while we were disappointed, we still
enjoyed the hunt. We were happy with what we got…and we spent the next
several days hiding and “finding” those eggs in our own yard. And we
did this year after year!
This is a loose analogy for today’s
scripture passage. But consider this…we cannot physically “see” God,
which is why it has been so hard for me to explain Him to little
children. They operate in the “tangible” world of
“I-find-a-prize-egg-and-you-give-me-the-chick-or-bunny!” But we are not
children…and life is not an Easter egg hunt.
At the core of
our Christian faith, we have to believe that God exists – and trust that
He will care for us just as He promised. We have to keep “hunting for
the eggs” and serving God in whatever capacity He
designates…understanding full well that the “prize” we seek may not be
something we can hold in our hands like a “golden egg.”
Our
“prize” is salvation through Jesus Christ…and the promise of Eternity
spent in His presence. And getting there may be bumpy – even rocky at
times. For some of us, every day will be something of a struggle in
some way. Does this mean God doesn’t love us and care about our
well-being or happiness? Absolutely not! In some ways, I believe that
God holds a special place in His heart for those who struggle, yet
continue to serve with a joyful, faith-filled attitude.
Let
today’s scripture passage soak into your soul. It is impossible to
please God without faith. You cannot serve Him and do His will if you
aren’t confident that He exists and will fulfill His promises. What do you
believe today? Who do you trust? Are you willing to continue to
“hunt” – and serve – even if you never get a tangible “prize” in this
earthly lifetime?
Do you truly believe that God exists…and that
He has great things in store for you? Isn’t it time you got a handle
on this, once and for all? Will this be the day you begin?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label trusting God's perfection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trusting God's perfection. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for November 13, 2014
James 1:16-18
So, my very dear friends, don’t get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
A friend of mine recently had to surrender the 4-month-old foster child she and her family had nurtured since he was just seven days old. The court apparently determined that it was in this baby’s best interest to be placed with another family who had adopted his older sibling. Imagine this couple’s anguish as they counted off the days until the precious child that they had hoped to possibly adopt was set to leave their home…probably forever. I am sure that they pled with God to change this. I have no doubt that they hoped that even at the eleventh hour, they would get a phone call and learn that this was all a mistake…that they could keep “their” baby. But in the end, the child was taken from their home and placed in the care of another family.
It would be easy to question God on this one…to wring hands and cry out, “Why, LORD…WHY?” There are plenty of situations and circumstances where we are tempted to ask God, “Why?”…
This scripture passage reminds us to “keep the faith” and “stay the course”! We may not see desirable and beneficial gifts coming out of heaven like rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light…but they are there, all the same. We may not understand God’s thought process - or His methods. He may seem to be fickle and two-faced…aloof and apathetic. But nothing could be further from the truth.
God loves us…always and forever. He wants nothing but His very best for us…we just don’t always know what that is! When God allows us to experience a heartache or a challenge, it isn’t because He wants to hurt us. God wants us to lean on Him…to trust Him in all things…to understand that He can work anything and everything together for His good purposes.
This is so hard…I wouldn’t for a minute suggest that there is anything easy about hurtful or difficult situations of any kind – nor diminish what you are experiencing in any way. But I can tell you from personal experience that even in your worst pain, God is working. He is preparing gifts and blessings for you that you cannot even imagine. The outcome may not be at all what you had hoped or planned…but it will be perfect – and it might just be better! Ultimately, God will prevail and bring about His flawlessness. If we can just trust in this and continue to believe in Him, we will see this displayed in our own lives.
We can find it incredibly hard to be grateful in times of trouble, hardship and suffering. But these are the times when we should double our efforts to thank God for His amazing love and care. He will meet our needs and bless us in this more than we can ever imagine. Where is God working for your good in a potentially hurtful or hopeless situation? Have you thanked Him for His presence and precision? Isn’t it time you did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
So, my very dear friends, don’t get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
A friend of mine recently had to surrender the 4-month-old foster child she and her family had nurtured since he was just seven days old. The court apparently determined that it was in this baby’s best interest to be placed with another family who had adopted his older sibling. Imagine this couple’s anguish as they counted off the days until the precious child that they had hoped to possibly adopt was set to leave their home…probably forever. I am sure that they pled with God to change this. I have no doubt that they hoped that even at the eleventh hour, they would get a phone call and learn that this was all a mistake…that they could keep “their” baby. But in the end, the child was taken from their home and placed in the care of another family.
It would be easy to question God on this one…to wring hands and cry out, “Why, LORD…WHY?” There are plenty of situations and circumstances where we are tempted to ask God, “Why?”…
- When a relationship is “circling the drain” or a loved one is terminally ill…
- When you are bullied or cannot find a job and the bill collectors are at your door like wolves…
- When you cannot a handle on the balance of studies, work, and extracurricular life…
- When you cannot seem to lose those last pounds and inches despite your best efforts…or you have health issues and can’t seem to get well and stay that way…
- When children of all ages get Ebola in an African country and die…
- When pets and people are abused and neglected…
- When people in your own community are homeless and hungry…
This scripture passage reminds us to “keep the faith” and “stay the course”! We may not see desirable and beneficial gifts coming out of heaven like rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light…but they are there, all the same. We may not understand God’s thought process - or His methods. He may seem to be fickle and two-faced…aloof and apathetic. But nothing could be further from the truth.
God loves us…always and forever. He wants nothing but His very best for us…we just don’t always know what that is! When God allows us to experience a heartache or a challenge, it isn’t because He wants to hurt us. God wants us to lean on Him…to trust Him in all things…to understand that He can work anything and everything together for His good purposes.
This is so hard…I wouldn’t for a minute suggest that there is anything easy about hurtful or difficult situations of any kind – nor diminish what you are experiencing in any way. But I can tell you from personal experience that even in your worst pain, God is working. He is preparing gifts and blessings for you that you cannot even imagine. The outcome may not be at all what you had hoped or planned…but it will be perfect – and it might just be better! Ultimately, God will prevail and bring about His flawlessness. If we can just trust in this and continue to believe in Him, we will see this displayed in our own lives.
We can find it incredibly hard to be grateful in times of trouble, hardship and suffering. But these are the times when we should double our efforts to thank God for His amazing love and care. He will meet our needs and bless us in this more than we can ever imagine. Where is God working for your good in a potentially hurtful or hopeless situation? Have you thanked Him for His presence and precision? Isn’t it time you did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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