Acts 5:36-41
But one of the council members stood
up, a Pharisee by the name of Gamaliel, a teacher of God’s Law who was
honored by everyone. He ordered the men taken out of the room for a
short time, then said, “Fellow Israelites, be careful what you do to
these men. Not long ago Theudas made something of a splash, claiming to
be somebody, and got about four hundred men to join him. He was killed,
his followers dispersed, and nothing came of it. A little later, at the
time of the census, Judas the Galilean appeared and acquired a
following. He also fizzled out and the people following him were
scattered to the four winds.
“So I am telling you: Hands off
these men! Let them alone. If this program or this work is merely human,
it will fall apart, but if it is of God, there is nothing you can do
about it—and you better not be found fighting against God!”
That
convinced them. They called the apostles back in. After giving them a
thorough whipping, they warned them not to speak in Jesus’ name and sent
them off.
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 shared a “Facebook
memory” of a beautiful picture of his house, taken during one of our
infrequent winter snowfalls back in 2010. The caption read, “This
weather is awful, I'll be so glad when it warms up!” Our forecast for
the coming week includes actual temperatures of 100 degrees and up…with
heat indexes in the 100+-degree range! I laughingly replied to my
friend, “Be careful what we wish for…right?”
In the case of this
passage from Acts 5, you have to know a little back story to fully grasp
its importance. I encourage you to go back and read the previous
verses and see for yourself how the Apostles were jailed for preaching
the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And yet, an angel came and released them,
the Apostles returned to the temple to preach – and people listened.
The authorities were furious and wanted to punish the Apostles for this.
But a Pharisee named Gamaliel suggested that these men think about all
of this and not jump to a hasty conclusion.
Two things in
particular resonate with me about this passage…1) Gamaliel’s suggestion
that …“If this program or this work is merely human, it will fall apart,
but if it is of God, there is nothing you can do about it—and you
better not be found fighting against God!” and 2) the notation that the
Apostles were whipped and sent packing.
There are a lot of times
when we try to take matters into our own hands rather than wait for God
to work. As Gamaliel pointed out with a couple of examples, we
sometimes make a royal mess of things! We would be better served to
stop, look, listen…and proceed prayerfully. Often, it would be best if
we did nothing and gave God the time and space to work. I know this
goes against the nature of many of us…but as this passage points out,
“fighting against God is never a good idea.”
The other point has
to do with the punishment of the Apostles. If God could send an angel
to bust them out of jail, He could certainly have spared them the
whipping and exile. But there are times when God allows our faith to be
tested. He may let us endure the displeasure – and unkind remarks and
treatment – from others. He may not make every single person our friend
and ally. God wants us to rely on HIM…not others…and He never wants us
to become smug and arrogant. So sometimes, God challenges our strength
and resolve by allowing us to endure some discomfort. But He NEVER
deserts us!
This hit home with me today as I thought of some of
the unkind – and downright hateful – things that are being said and
posted in the heat of world events…particularly this presidential
election season. I reminded myself that I pray about these matters…but I
don’t always hand them off to God like I should. I also noted that not
everyone will agree with me, like me – or treat me kindly…and that’s
okay. As long as I am making every effort to operate within the will of
God…to listen for His voice - and follow His lead – He will bless my
efforts in the end, and all will be well.
“Be careful what you
wish for” is a good motto for all of us…with regard to everything from
the weather to politics to how we treat others in the name of Jesus and
represent His message. We must quit telling God how to handle things and
allow Him to implement His plans. And we must be willing to be
His agent - however and wherever He places us. I’m ready to go all in
with this...what about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label what God allows. Show all posts
Showing posts with label what God allows. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for May 23, 2013
Jeremiah 44:22
So that the Lord could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I know it’s hard to believe, but there will be “Christians” who crawl out of the woodwork and use this scripture and the surrounding verses of Jeremiah 44 to claim that the devastating tornadoes in Oklahoma this week were a result of God’s impatience with His people. Nothing could be farther from the truth! For starters… we have to consider all Scripture in context. This was an Old Testament declaration…before God sent Jesus to live among us and die on the cross for our sins. Things were different before Jesus arrived. God used a variety of methods to get the attention of His people… and there were dozens of rituals and sacraments required to demonstrate love and loyalty to our Heavenly Father. And on more than one occasion, God had to use incredibly drastic measures to get the attention of His people. ALL of that changed with the coming of Jesus.
We cannot pick and choose which verses we will utilize in order to make a point. As Christians, we have been given a new life in Christ. He took our sin and changed the Spiritual landscape forever. Does this mean that God doesn’t grow impatient – even angry – with us from time to time? Absolutely not! Are we accountable for our actions and disobedience? Most certainly! But God has plenty of ways for dealing with us. While He could very well wipe all of us out in a tornado, earthquake, or other natural disaster, this is not how He operates!
While I do not believe that God directly causes natural disasters to befall us, I believe that there are times when He allows these horrific tragedies to occur. Why? Is God punishing us for our sins? I don’t think so! This is my own interpretation, but here’s how I see it… I envision Satan and his armies stirring the pot… twisting the winds, aggravating the bowels of the earth to cause earthquakes and tsunamis, drying out the land in a catastrophic drought – or flooding it with a seemingly unending water supply. And all the while, he is saying, “Look, people! God is punishing you! Look what He is doing!”
Meanwhile, I believe that God is twice as busy… orchestrating blessings and positive outcomes…sparing countless lives, bringing people together in ways they never imagined, drawing attention to the needs and burdens of others, and creating beauty out of chaos. We’re seeing that already in the news reports…as the focus shifts from the horror of the tragedy to the wonders and strength of the human spirit, the love and kindness of neighbors and strangers, and the grace of God as people recover and rebuild. I know you may ask, "Why were some allowed to perish?" And I honestly don't know. But I know that God did not allow this without a purpose - whether we ever readily see it or not.
In the days to come, you will no doubt hear someone suggest that God did this… that He caused this latest natural disaster. Don’t believe it! I urge you to combat such thinking by speaking positively about the present and future results. Share stories of hope and courage… how and where God is at work! Donate to the Red Cross and other service organizations and speak of reconstruction and the power of God to bring about blessings in the midst of such tragedy. We’ve already seen residents of Moore, Oklahoma - and the entire state - on camera stating that “we’ll be back.” The news reporters have acknowledged that some of the first people on the scene were church members. I heard two well-known national news anchors note that even before FEMA representatives arrived, the “Baptist Men” were there passing out meals!
I firmly believe that God will someday look at all of us and ask, “What did you do to help?” He will mete out his impatience with us by withholding blessings and opportunities… and He might even allow our home to be knocked off its foundation. But God will show us how to overcome any and all adversities… and He will help us every step of the way. At the end of our lives when we stand before Him as born-again Christians, God will not ask us to account for our sins any more than He will want to know how we handled challenges and adversity as His disciples. He will hold us accountable for how we dealt with anything and everything the devil threw our way… including physical and material destruction, mental and emotional exasperation, and even loss of life.
God will allow our faith and patience to be tested. He wants to see whether we are “all in” for Him… or just along for the ride. He’s looking for growth and increased strength through patient endurance… Christians who pick themselves up by the bootstraps, dust themselves off, and become better Disciples because of their experiences – and their faith in Him to persevere. When your day of judgment arrives… what will you have to say for yourself? How will you answer when God reviews your life? Isn’t it time to start trusting Him and recognizing His power and presence? Will you allow this latest disaster to drag you down… or strengthen your faith? Will this day in your Discipleship be one of tragedy… or triumph?
©2013 Debbie Robus
So that the Lord could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I know it’s hard to believe, but there will be “Christians” who crawl out of the woodwork and use this scripture and the surrounding verses of Jeremiah 44 to claim that the devastating tornadoes in Oklahoma this week were a result of God’s impatience with His people. Nothing could be farther from the truth! For starters… we have to consider all Scripture in context. This was an Old Testament declaration…before God sent Jesus to live among us and die on the cross for our sins. Things were different before Jesus arrived. God used a variety of methods to get the attention of His people… and there were dozens of rituals and sacraments required to demonstrate love and loyalty to our Heavenly Father. And on more than one occasion, God had to use incredibly drastic measures to get the attention of His people. ALL of that changed with the coming of Jesus.
We cannot pick and choose which verses we will utilize in order to make a point. As Christians, we have been given a new life in Christ. He took our sin and changed the Spiritual landscape forever. Does this mean that God doesn’t grow impatient – even angry – with us from time to time? Absolutely not! Are we accountable for our actions and disobedience? Most certainly! But God has plenty of ways for dealing with us. While He could very well wipe all of us out in a tornado, earthquake, or other natural disaster, this is not how He operates!
While I do not believe that God directly causes natural disasters to befall us, I believe that there are times when He allows these horrific tragedies to occur. Why? Is God punishing us for our sins? I don’t think so! This is my own interpretation, but here’s how I see it… I envision Satan and his armies stirring the pot… twisting the winds, aggravating the bowels of the earth to cause earthquakes and tsunamis, drying out the land in a catastrophic drought – or flooding it with a seemingly unending water supply. And all the while, he is saying, “Look, people! God is punishing you! Look what He is doing!”
Meanwhile, I believe that God is twice as busy… orchestrating blessings and positive outcomes…sparing countless lives, bringing people together in ways they never imagined, drawing attention to the needs and burdens of others, and creating beauty out of chaos. We’re seeing that already in the news reports…as the focus shifts from the horror of the tragedy to the wonders and strength of the human spirit, the love and kindness of neighbors and strangers, and the grace of God as people recover and rebuild. I know you may ask, "Why were some allowed to perish?" And I honestly don't know. But I know that God did not allow this without a purpose - whether we ever readily see it or not.
In the days to come, you will no doubt hear someone suggest that God did this… that He caused this latest natural disaster. Don’t believe it! I urge you to combat such thinking by speaking positively about the present and future results. Share stories of hope and courage… how and where God is at work! Donate to the Red Cross and other service organizations and speak of reconstruction and the power of God to bring about blessings in the midst of such tragedy. We’ve already seen residents of Moore, Oklahoma - and the entire state - on camera stating that “we’ll be back.” The news reporters have acknowledged that some of the first people on the scene were church members. I heard two well-known national news anchors note that even before FEMA representatives arrived, the “Baptist Men” were there passing out meals!
I firmly believe that God will someday look at all of us and ask, “What did you do to help?” He will mete out his impatience with us by withholding blessings and opportunities… and He might even allow our home to be knocked off its foundation. But God will show us how to overcome any and all adversities… and He will help us every step of the way. At the end of our lives when we stand before Him as born-again Christians, God will not ask us to account for our sins any more than He will want to know how we handled challenges and adversity as His disciples. He will hold us accountable for how we dealt with anything and everything the devil threw our way… including physical and material destruction, mental and emotional exasperation, and even loss of life.
God will allow our faith and patience to be tested. He wants to see whether we are “all in” for Him… or just along for the ride. He’s looking for growth and increased strength through patient endurance… Christians who pick themselves up by the bootstraps, dust themselves off, and become better Disciples because of their experiences – and their faith in Him to persevere. When your day of judgment arrives… what will you have to say for yourself? How will you answer when God reviews your life? Isn’t it time to start trusting Him and recognizing His power and presence? Will you allow this latest disaster to drag you down… or strengthen your faith? Will this day in your Discipleship be one of tragedy… or triumph?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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