Do you think that you have God all figured out? The person who believes that he has all the promises of God rightly claimed, a life mapped out, and nothing but blessings set in store for their future may be in for a terrible shock when God decides to allow, or even cause, an entirely different plan to emerge. "But He promised...." and so He does. Generally, He promises to bless those who love and faithfully serve Him. But the Lord remains the God that has no equal, nor is He obligated to anyone of us: regardless of our righteousness, our ability to quote Scriptures, or the fervency of our prayers. Some great saints have walked a rugged path in life, one of the Lord's choosing.
"Jerry, then how can I trust Him? What if He hurts me?" You can trust Him because He is Loving, Good, and Omniscient! (all-knowing) He may indeed hurt you, but He will never harm you. He chastens us, which hurts, and does so, like any good father, for our good. He allows us to go through times that cause our soul to ache so that He can bring us to the end of ourselves and lead us to humility. Yes, He even allows us to hurt to reveal His own majesty. Remember the blind man who was harshly judged a sinner by Jesus' disciples? They assumed the man was suffering because he deserved it. "Who sinned, this man, or his parents?" they asked haughtily. He shocked them when He answered, "It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins, this happened so the power of God could be seen in him." (John 9:3, NLT)
Let's be honest. A God Who allows a man to be blind so He can heal Him and be glorified is terrifying. He is beyond our control. And that is precisely why we must choose to radically trust Him, love Him, serve Him - not to get blessed, but because He is an amazing, enthralling, exciting God that honors us by allowing us to love Him. Most of us want a tame God, who is our good luck talisman, or at least Who acts predictably - always rewarding the good and always punishing the bad. This is the 'god' presented in many churches, the 'god' worshipped by many. Many think of Him only as the Good Papa God, dispenser of good fortune, who always does nice things for good people. But, He is not that! Job encounters the Majestic Lord of the Universe and heard this from Him- "Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me: "Would you indeed annul My judgment? Would you condemn Me that you may be justified? Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His?" (Job 40:7-9, NKJV)
Yes, Believer, there will come a time when all things are made new, when crooked paths are made straight, when justice is done. But that time waits the revealing of the King and the unveiling of His kingdom. The reason I have come to love the book of the Revelation has little to do with all the strange and wonderful End Times scenes that I was taught from the amazing visions of John. I love the book because it is a story of ultimate Triumph told in strange and wondrous symbolism. The Kingdom will be fully revealed when God decides that history is complete and there will be a settling of accounts. What we longed for will finally happen... and those of us who loved and served the Lord Jesus Christ will receive the full promise.
Read this word from the Word today. Be captivated by the Lord of Glory. Fall down and worship Him.
"I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."
A second angel followed and said, "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries."
A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name."
This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus." (Revelation 14:6-12, NIV)
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