Save us! What do we expect?

 

Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Save us! What do we expect? Mark 11:1-11

So many times in my life I have reached out to the Lord in prayer with a simple cry – “Help me, Jesus!” Crisis situations come and I pray. People’s troubles press on me and I carry them to Him. When I find my heart drifting from true devotion I turn to Him with a child-like prayer for a changed heart.

Jesus came to Jerusalem, a city full of dreams of restored glory in Israel. The people were looking for a Deliverer. His miracles had made Him known. His teaching was simple, clear, and compelling so when came riding into the city on donkey, fulfilling an ancient prophecy, they were sure the time had come for Messianic hopes to be realized. The problem was what they thought that meant! They expected an overthrow of Roman tyranny and the renewal of a Davidic throne with Jesus as King. So, they cried – “Hosanna!” (Save us!)  But those celebratory shouts were only temporary.

Mark tells us the story.

11 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”

4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,

“Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

Just a week later, the outcry was “Crucify Him!” They did not want a suffering Savior. They wanted a triumphant King.

Have you ever found your expectations of God’s deliverance unmet? I know you have. We all do. We become fixated on a certain outcome, certain that if we worship in the ‘right’ way, sing the ‘right’ songs, or pray the ‘right’ prayers, God will give us what we want, when we want it. Sometimes HE does and sometimes … well, He does not.

Isaiah was inspired with God’s truth - “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways.”  Can you accept that with real faith?

Jesus models the pathway for us in His own surrender to the Father’s will. In Gethsemane’s garden, He saw the Cross looming, the weight of the sins of the world that would rest on His shoulders, tearing Him from life. It was awful to contemplate, but He prays – “Not my will, but Yours be done.”

We will find the deepest assurance and the greatest intimacy with Jesus when we are willing let go of our expectations that He act in a certain way for us. Yes, we can pray bold prayers and we should. Yes, we can ask in full faith, but always with a child-like faith that let’s God be God.

Let’s not allow our hearts to become bitter when our expectations go unmet. Instead, let us find His love our comfort, His providence our hope, His wisdom our safe place.
May our “Hosanna” (save us) be an expression of worship that is offered in great faith.
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For reflection -
When I have I cried out in prayer and met with disappointment?
Will I surrender my desire to His will?
Who can help me find that peace that comes with acceptance of His will in my life?
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I am excited to hear of your discoveries, about your struggles, and to pray with you.
If you would like to share any of those things with me you may do by emailing me – JerScott55@gmail.com

 

For a video of this devotion go to

https://www.youtube.com/@FaithDiscoveryChurch

You Mean I Should Serve Others?

 

Monday, March 30, 2026
You Mean I Should Serve Others? Mark 10:32-45

So, how’s your serve? No, I’m not talking about tennis, obviously. How well do you willingly do what needs to be done – in your home, for your family, at your church, or in the community?

A little transparency is in order here. I love good service. When I dine out, I like the server to be attentive, to understand my order, and to present the meal with care. A smile always finds its way onto my face when the server at Chick-Fil-A responds to my thank you with their signature line – “my pleasure.”

Jesus reverses the natural love to be served asking us to learn to love to serve. It can be difficult to understand that principle as we see in this lesson from Mark’s Gospel.

32 They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. … 35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”  36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” 38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” 39 “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Our high calling is to serve – God and others – not for the glory but with joy. God’s pathway to true greatness does not come from a title or an executive office. It is found in faithfulness, in our willingness to seek to serve.

True service is fueled by love, not reward. It is offered without thought of thanks or compensation. How do we do this?
We can take notice of someone who is ‘unseen’ by others offering thanks or encouragement.
We can pray faithfully for someone who is suffering or broken, a service offered in secret.
We can love those who are difficult or unlovely.
We can wash the dishes when our spouse is tired.
We can go the extra mile for a friend.
We can take time to listen and speak of God’s love.

Can it be difficult? It sure can be. But the way of true greatness, Jesus said, is service. “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.”

So, how’s your serve?
This Monday, pray for opportunities to serve others and to find the joy of humility and selflessness in the moment. I can say for certain that you will come to the end of the day a happier Christian. Oh, by the way, God sees and never forgets. His reward for ‘good and faithful servants’ is one of which we are absolutely assured.

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Reflect -
Who will I choose to serve today?
Do I serve for recognition or for the joy of being useful to God and others?
Am I focused on eternal rewards when I serve?

I am excited to hear of your discoveries, about your struggles, and to pray with you.
If you would like to share any of those things with me you may do by emailing me – JerScott55@gmail.com

For a video of this devotion go to

https://www.youtube.com/@FaithDiscoveryChurch

Walking in the Dark?

Faith Discovery Church, where I served for many years as pastor, meets in a large building. It has beautiful laminate wood trusses supporting a deck roof that reaches 40 feet at its peak.

When the wind blows the building seems to come alive with sounds, creaks, and groans. I have been in that sanctuary for thousands of hours and know every inch of it well. However, when I am in that large room at night and hear those sounds, see the shadows on the walls, I feel uneasy in the darkness. In the light of day in that very same sanctuary, I feel no fear whatever even on the stormiest day. What’s the difference? Light!

Sometimes we find ourselves walking in the dark, in spite of having a beautiful life, don’t we?

Confusion, uncertainty, multiple challenges that exhaust us, combine to hide the ‘light’ of our soul and in that moment, we may feel fear creeping up on us.

Matthew tells us about Jesus telling His friend that He was about to go to Jerusalem and there He would die! Peter objected that such awful things could not be God’s will. Jesus severely reprimanded Peter: "Get behind me, Satan!"  He told him that he would deny knowing Him, to which Peter boldly replied: "Maybe those other guys, but NOT me!"   But, in the dark, when fear took control of his mind and heart, Peter failed spectacularly, even openly denying his Lord, not once, but three times!

When Jesus was taken into custody for an illegal midnight trial. Filled with fear, his friends deserted Him scattering into the night. That week ended with His crucifixion. John tells us that the disciples hid behind locked doors, deeply shaken and fearful. And you think you've had a bad week?

Sometimes God's people walk through dark times!
The Psalmist reminds us, however, that (23:4 NLT) "Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid..." Why? "...for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me." God’s promise is true. Even when we cannot see Him - He is with us. When we are walking through the dark rooms of death, disappointment, or even demonic attack He is with us.

We may wonder, why doesn’t He take us out of such situations? I don’t know! That’s the faith part of the equation. Years after his own fearful failure, a mature Peter urged Christians to be steady, even when they are walking in the dark. He tells us "Don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—because these trials will make you partners with Christ in his suffering, and afterward you will have the wonderful joy of sharing his glory when it is displayed to all the world." 1 Peter 4:12-13 NLT

Are you in the dark today?

In Acts 16, we read a story of faith in the darkness! After doing much good in the city of Philippi, Paul and Silas, were accused of disturbing the peace, beaten by the authorities, and chained to a wall in a filthy jail! Sounds like a suitable time to complain, doesn’t it? “What’s up with this, Lord? Here we are trying to do what you want us to do. And, then you let us end up here in the dark, hurting and bleeding.” That’s not what they did.

They overcame the temptation to fear with a different choice. "Along about midnight, Paul and Silas were at prayer and singing a robust hymn to God. The other prisoners couldn’t believe their ears." (Acts 16:25, The Message) Their praises rose to Heaven, and the hand of God caused an earthquake that shook open the doors; the jailer’s heart was opened by the sincere faith he saw in these two evangelists; and the Light broke through!

If the sun is shining brightly at this moment in your life, be thankful and strengthen your relationship with God, through faith and worship. And, if you are living in the dark so to speak, remember that He is not far away, though you may not see Him in the moment. Instead of running, kneel. Instead of wailing, sing about the faithfulness of God. Sing like Paul and Silas sang at midnight! (Acts 16)

The Light will shine on you again.

Here is a word from the Word.

"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you." (Psalm 139:7-12, NIV)

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Video of this blog

https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55

Fearless? Yes, and No

Are you naturally more bold or more cautious? How often do you hold back from doing something because “I might get hurt!” or “It’s just too risky.”?  I find myself more cautious these days than I once was. I suppose some would call it wisdom. It is true that I appreciate risk to myself and others more in this season of life than I once did. Fear can be useful, helping us to avoid danger, changing our behavior. It can also paralyze us if given free rein.

The Bible says that “the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.” (Psalm 33) Proverbs reminds us that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” (Proverbs 1:7) Do you have a healthy ‘fear of the Lord’ that keeps your heart reverent, that deepens your appreciation of the Gospel’s message of grace?

God is gracious, loving, and "patient ... not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9, NIV) But He is still God, always just, and perfectly holy. Some who read only of the ‘love of God’ tend to forget that He disciplines those He loves!

Have you ever watched an ineffective parent try to provide guidance to a child who has no respect? Even a little child will soon understand that the parent is all talk, no action if their actions have no consequence.  When a parent allows a toddler to run life, failing to establish proper boundaries for behavior, they are creating the probability of some terrible teen years.

Of course, I make no case for child abuse, for parenting in anger! Parents gain the respect and obedience in a child when they are fair, firm, consistent, and understanding. A child who learns to obey actually requires less correction. They learn to regulate their own behavior, knowing that actions have reactions!  A strong parent creates a home where there is less stress, less nagging, and more harmony. They project wisdom that invites the child to accept their guidance. A little one learns to trust and obey and avoids danger and harm.

The parallels to the Christian life are many. If we Believers are taught only the grace of God, if we only learn of Jesus, as our Friend, but not as our Lord; we will lose the awe and respect that motivates us to subjugate our will to God's will. We will see no need to let God own us (a definition of being holy) because we will trivialize His demands.

Passages like Isaiah 6 need to be read often to help us to understand the majestic 'otherness' of God, that He is not a man! The prophet wrote: "I had a vision of the Lord. He was on his throne high above, and his robe filled the temple. Flaming creatures with six wings each were flying over him. They covered their faces with two of their wings and their bodies with two more. They used the other two wings for flying, as they shouted, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord All-Powerful! The earth is filled with your glory." . . . Then I cried out, "I’m doomed! Everything I say is sinful, and so are the words of everyone around me. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord All-Powerful." (Isaiah 6:5, CEV) The LORD did not abandon Isaiah to that despair. He cleansed him of his sinfulness and commissioned him to go out powerfully under the Spirit's anointing with a message of hope and restoration to the people.

 

Is your God big enough to fear and respect?
Is He worthy of awe?
Do you trust His wisdom to guide and keep you?

The better question is, do you know Him as a true Father or only as a ‘Friend?’

We thrive in our devotion when our understanding is informed by the full revelation of His nature and character in the Word. No, that will not be a terror that makes you cringe and hide. Rather, you will feel a deep sense of awe that causes you to tremble, to love Him, to serve Him in holiness.

Here's a word from the Word. Meditate on this truth today.

"Have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, "My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child." As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness." (Hebrews 12:5-10, NLT)

His love is amazing.
The grace of God is beyond comprehension.
His discipline is always for our good.

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Video of this blog

https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55

 

Blow it all up!

Our world is presently rocked by a war in Iran, angry nations experiencing the loss of life and destruction of property that goes with angry conflict of nations. Personally, we all experience anger and disagreement. Most of the time we do not resort to violent means. More commonly we let a war of words break out, feelings are hurt, and sometimes relationships end.

Anger is like dynamite! Explosives are a boon to humanity. The combustion engines that give energy to our vehicles are really just controlled explosions. We blast through rocks to build roads through mountains. Rockets ride the release of huge amounts of energy to venture from earth into space. And we know too well from watching the news this week that explosives are also a terrible blight, destroying cities and killing thousands.

In much the same way, we can use anger to change our world, to deal with injustice, to challenge some evil that needs to be eradicated. Too much anger can destroy a friendship, tear apart a marriage, turn a man into a murderer, or drive a nation to war! But if we are too apathetic to become angry, we will learn to live with situations that need to be changed.

It is critically important that anger is kept within boundaries. When anger builds in us a whole range of responses begin to occur. Blood pressure increases. Our heart rate goes up. Adrenaline pours into our body preparing us for a fight! If we are not accustomed to managing our emotions, anger will quickly cause us to move toward irrational thoughts that turn into blind rage.

That is why I call anger the emotion the devil loves! The Scripture speaks of anger, not as sin, but with caution so that it does not cause us to sin. Jesus Christ, the Sinless Man, grew angry! Mark tells us that when some religious leaders resisted His work of healing because of the Sabbath traditions, "He looked around at them in anger, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts!" Then, too, there is that well-known incident when an angry Jesus took up a whip and drove the money changers from the Temple grounds because their greed led them to exploit worshippers! He shouted at those crooks – “My house will be called a house of prayer,’[a] but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.”  (Matthew 21)

IF we want to avoid being consumed by anger we must learn to limit how far we allow to reach into our lives and how long we allow ourselves to remain angry. The wisdom of Scripture says:
"Don't sin by letting anger control you." Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil." (Ephesians 4:26-27, NLT) And
"So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore, lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." (James 1:19-21, NKJV)

Be honest with yourself when you're starting to feel angry. If you are not, the emotion is so powerful it will find a way to seep into many other parts of your life like a corrosive acid that opens your mind to temptations around lust, rage, uncontrolled spending, or misuse of alcohol and/or drugs! It is true! Many people with life-controlling issues are really just angry children inside, looking for relief from the suppressed anger they feel over situations they think they cannot control.

So how can we keep anger from blowing up our world?

1. Be quick to invite another to monitor your anger.
As you talk about being angry you will be more likely to properly identify the source so you can find the right solution.

2. Pray about your anger!
The last thing you may feel like doing when you're growing angry at someone is taking it to the Lord, but it is one of the first responses for those who are Christ's. Invite the Holy Spirit to calm you, to give you insight, to drain selfishness from your soul.

3. Deal with it now!
Don't stuff anger away under pious talk, or diversions that keep you from thinking about it. In just a few hours, minor irritation can turn into a major conflict if it is not promptly dealt with.

4. Learn to forgive.
To forgive doesn't mean 'just forget about it.' Forgiveness is a choice to turn some injustice over to Him, with the sure knowledge that He will, in His time and with His wisdom, bring about true justice - maybe not today or tomorrow, but He will.

So, you can take that person, that situation, that wound to Him and leave it with Him. "Lord, I have not been able to deal with this. I can't solve it, I can't control it, I can't work it out. I give it to You. I release it to You and ask You to let my heart leave it there." It is simply amazing that peace can flow into our lives IF we choose to forgive others in this manner!

5. Repent, if you have stepped over the line from anger to rage!
Own your emotions and responsibility for them. Nobody can cause us to sin. As much as we don't believe this it is true: nobody makes us angry. We choose that response! And where we choose to sin, the Bible calls us to confess and in confession to find the Lord's forgiveness and release from guilt.

America is full of ungodly anger today at least in part because we are so fearful. We fear the future. Constand exposure to news channels makes us afraid of our neighbors. Christian, settle yourself in the care and love of the Father who holds you in the palm of His hand. And, then I pray that the Holy Spirit will fill our hearts with serenity. From that place of peace, we will become peacemakers who bring reconciliation and live the word of Jesus who said - "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9, NIV)

May we live as agents of peace in our violent world for the glory of God. Amen.

__________________

Video of this blog

https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55

My neighbor in the Middle East

This week our news has been filled with scenes of destruction, bombs and missiles raining down on cities across the Middle East. I am concerned that being able to watch this kind of warfare on screens in our living rooms will make the war more like a video game, robbing us of our empathy and care for real people who live in fear, whose lives are at risk every moment, and whose future is uncertain.

This CoffeeBreak is not pro-war or anti-war, nor are my words to be read as supporting or opposing the policies of our government. I write as a Christian to remind us that in spite of thousands of miles of distance from war zones we are still ‘neighbors.’  We share a common humanity with those in that region.

Tragically, ours is a culture of violence. Our movies create heroes who solve major problems with a spray of bullets. Our kids play realistic video games in which they learn to kill efficiently. Somehow, though we would deny it, I think many subconsciously have come to believe that the answer to evil in the world is producing more bombs and bullets!

Nations around the world build ever bigger machines of war spending treasure by the $billions to create weapons that kills more efficiently. And what are Christians saying? Many of us are silent; perhaps confused by the situations we face or even feeling it is foolish to advocate for other means of confronting evil. It may seem unpatriotic not to join the chorus for war and to rejoice in the destruction of those who oppose us. But what does God, our Father ask of us?

Yes, timid prayers for peace may be offered in churches. Lip service may be given to ‘loving our enemies’ but largely, it would seem to me, that many of us are largely ignorant of the core message of the Gospel. We are to be advocates of humanity, seekers of peace. Jesus said that “peacemakers are blessed and will be called the children of God.”

God loves life! The culture of death in which we live will deeply grieve those who share the heart of the Father. Murder came, the book of Genesis tells us, on the heels of envy when Cain killed his brother, Abel. Before that murder, we read the Lord’s call to Cain, one we need to hear anew. "Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” (Genesis 4:6-7, NIV) By the power of the Spirit, our hearts transformed by the Gospel of Christ, we can defeat the temptation to violence, first in ourselves, then in our culture.

God defeated evil not with an awesome display of angelic armies turned loose on wicked regimes but with the offering of His Son on the Cross. In the mystery of our salvation, we see Him breaking the power of Evil in submission to death and by completely identifying Himself with His creation. “Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”  (Philippians 2) And in His sacrifice, He ended the reign of sin and death in our lives.

War comes, sometimes inevitably it seems. When it does, I hope we will weep with those who are crushed. I pray we will urge our government to be just and to use every means to end hostilities quickly for if we believe Jesus’ words, then we know that it is our neighbors who are suffering!

Jesus told a story about a man regarded as outcast, even enemy by the people of Jerusalem. His words, though simple, are compelling and I pray they will pierce us through the heart with Truth. May each of us ask again – “Who is my neighbor?” and hear the answer of Christ.

"But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.

He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”  (Luke 10:29-38, NIV)

Russell Moore urges us to remember that there are three traps into which we may fall in times of warfare.  He warns of bloodlust, when it starts to “feel good to feel that pulse of vengeance.”   He warns of sloth when “Americans will soon grow bored of hearing about this war and want to move on to other things.” And he warns of duplicity, claiming to believe one thing but cheering another.  (link to the full article here – ( https://www.christianitytoday.com/2026/03/what-us-israel-iran-war-could-do-soul/ )

May God make us wise, fearless, and merciful, for Jesus’ sake.

__________________

Video of this blog

https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55

Chaotic or Providential?

When I woke up to the news that bombs were falling once again in the Middle East, I groaned, nearly weeping for millions who were now suffering under the pain of yet another war. “Lord, how can this be? Why do humans haul out weapons to settle disputes so readily? Have You taken leave of us, abandoning us to our own folly and self-will?”

My comments are not meant to be read either in support or condemnation of US policies. I’ll leave that to better minds who are, hopefully, more informed that I am. My musings focus on the question of God’s providence. What is His will? Can I be secure in my faith that His hand ultimately guides the affairs of this world and that He will keep me in His grace for this life and into the next?

Christians believe in the providential care of their Heavenly Father. The Bible teaches us that God is at work, often in ways that are unseen, that He is actively guiding and working in and through circumstances and history to fulfill His purposeful, loving, and sovereign will. Providence comes from a Latin word,  providentia, which means foresight. We believe that God is "seeing to" the universe, that He is directing natural events to accomplish supernatural goals often through ordinary means not miracles to fulfill His promises.

When we look at life only in a moment it often does appear to be a chaotic mess, events that toss us about in random ways, without meaning or purpose. We all ask ourselves, ‘why is this happening?’ from time to time. Even the most faith filled Christian will find himself at least occasionally wondering if God truly reigns! BUT, when we step back and take in the sweep of history, when we are willing to wait patiently and prayerfully in turbulent times we will see God at work.

The story of Joseph illustrates providential care. The young teen is tragically sold by jealous brothers into Egyptian slavery. During the next two decades he seems to go from one awful injustice to another. But the path leads him to the fulfillment of God’s providence and amazingly his faithfulness results in his becoming Prime Minister of Egypt. In that place he is positioned to be the savior of his family, a key figure in Israel’s history. When his treacherous brothers finally stood before him, he tells them – “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.” (Genesis 50)

We are inspired by the promise of Romans 8 where we read – “We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. … What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Providence is very different from fate. Providence is guided, the work of God. Fate (you could say ‘luck’) is blind trust in the unseen, a wish that ‘everything will eventually work out.’  I secure my heart and mind in the loving care of a purposeful Father!

Christians understand God’s providence as being both general and specific. In the former we understand that the Creator formed the natural order and the universe to provide such things that we need for life – sunshine, rain, growing plants for food, etc. The latter invites us to live with faith in His promise to provide for us as we pray and live in obedience where the Spirit is able to guide, protect, and deliver us. We see this in the ways that we avoid tragedy or find just what we need in the moment that all may seem lost.

Living in the providential care of our God does not mean that we are without responsibility for our choices. There is a tension found in the Bible holding seemingly irreconcilable facts as being true. One is that we are free to choose our way, even to the point of rejecting God. The another teaches us that God knows our days before even one comes into existence and that His will is greater than our choices.

Proverbs 16:9 says “In their hearts human beings plan their lives. But the Lord decides where their steps will take them.”   The intersection of Divine will and Human freedom is found in this description of Jesus’ path to the Cross. “This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.”  (Acts 2.23) The plan for the salvation of humanity was God’s own, yet it resulted from the schemes of jealous and evil men!

What I conclude, dear friends, is that life may appear to be chaotic at this moment. It may seem that evil triumphs as terrible things occur as a result of the choices of people who ignore or reject God’s ways. BUT faith invites me to trust Him to work through it all; the good, the bad, the ugly – to bring about His purposes.

Let us humble ourselves before Him.
Let us quiet our minds in meditation.
Let us admit to our finite abilities.
Let us secure ourselves in hope!

Here is a word from the Word. May it bring peace to our minds and purpose to our choices.

“Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong;
for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
For those who are evil will be destroyed,
 but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.
A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.
But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy peace and prosperity.”
(Psalm 37)

Lord, increase my faith! Amen.

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