Last week I wrote a post entitled, "Lord?" and posed the question to God that I just don't "get Him" sometimes. The Holy Spirit has been working in me all week revealing answers to that query that befuddled me. While watching the news last night there was a story about Bennie Adkins, a soldier who fought in Vietnam 48 years ago. He was just awarded the Metal of Honor for his bravery in battle and his story was startling. He spent three days in a brutal battle against the enemy while trapped with his fellow brothers in arms on a hill. Wounded eighteen times while relentlessly displaying repeated acts of courage, he and the remaining men began their escape through the jungle. Pursued by the enemy, their lives in mortal danger, they noticed a tiger in their midst. How much worse could it get? Was God making their already horrible situation even more impossible?
Where is God when our lives appear to be being devoured by the enemy? Where is He when our way of escape seems to be barricaded and we are exhausted and discouraged? Why can't God just simply deliver us, or for that matter, keep us from danger in the first place? Simply put, that is not how life works. Life is a continuing journey of hills and valleys, hurdles and long distance races. The sooner we accept that, the sooner we can see God in all of it and the sooner we can leave the realm of fantasy and disappointment.
That same tiger that apparently was a threat to Bennie and his fellow soldiers turned out to be what saved them. The enemy that was pursuing them was much more afraid of the tiger, and that fear gave way to the escape of Bennie and the other men. God used a tiger.
Corrie Ten Boom was a woman in her fifties who was imprisoned in the horrible death camp of Ravensbruck. Her and her sister Betsie were taken there for the crime of hiding Jews from the Nazis. In their barracks at the concentration camp there was an infestation of fleas! Corrie could not see the blessing in it but her sister proclaimed the scripture from 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "Give thanks in all circumstances: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Later, it was found out that because of those fleas, the women in that barrack were able to have times of rejoicing in the Lord. They read the bible that was snuck in, sang praises, shared the gospel and had times of counseling. The guards would not enter that barrack because of the fleas! God used fleas.
How many times have we had wonderful plans for our children but because they lacked faith and were impatient they actually sabotaged themselves and lost the gift. We see it so clearly when observing others not being able to see God's greater plan in their circumstances yet so often miss it in our own lives.
Balaam was a man who tried to bypass God's will. In the book of Numbers, chapter 22, verses 21-39, the story unfolds as Balaam tries to take his own message rather than God's. An angel tries to block the donkey which Balaam is riding to divert the path of disobedience but Balaam beats the donkey at every attempt. Finally, God speaks through the animal and reveals the angel, Balaam's eyes are opened to God's will. God used a donkey.
There are stories upon stories from the bible and from fellow believers where God used what we would consider added hardships to deliver his children. His will is bursting with purpose and love yet we fight Him so relentlessly with all our doubt. We scream, "Where are you!", we shake our fist at Him, we withdrawal in despair, we give up on Him. Yet, He continues to save us, bless us, pray for us and love us! God does not demand perfection from us. He is the Savior, not us. All He wants is for us to trust Him. The goal for our life is a simple one, one where we say, "God used ME."
Philippians 4:6-7, Don't worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:1, Whatever happens...may the Lord give you joy.
1 Peter 1:7, These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold, and your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Christ Jesus is revealed to the whole world.
Habakkuk 3:17-19, Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine: even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren: even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet, I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation. The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He will make me surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains.
So, my brothers and sisters, may we see God in everything.
Where is God when our lives appear to be being devoured by the enemy? Where is He when our way of escape seems to be barricaded and we are exhausted and discouraged? Why can't God just simply deliver us, or for that matter, keep us from danger in the first place? Simply put, that is not how life works. Life is a continuing journey of hills and valleys, hurdles and long distance races. The sooner we accept that, the sooner we can see God in all of it and the sooner we can leave the realm of fantasy and disappointment.
That same tiger that apparently was a threat to Bennie and his fellow soldiers turned out to be what saved them. The enemy that was pursuing them was much more afraid of the tiger, and that fear gave way to the escape of Bennie and the other men. God used a tiger.
Corrie Ten Boom was a woman in her fifties who was imprisoned in the horrible death camp of Ravensbruck. Her and her sister Betsie were taken there for the crime of hiding Jews from the Nazis. In their barracks at the concentration camp there was an infestation of fleas! Corrie could not see the blessing in it but her sister proclaimed the scripture from 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "Give thanks in all circumstances: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Later, it was found out that because of those fleas, the women in that barrack were able to have times of rejoicing in the Lord. They read the bible that was snuck in, sang praises, shared the gospel and had times of counseling. The guards would not enter that barrack because of the fleas! God used fleas.
How many times have we had wonderful plans for our children but because they lacked faith and were impatient they actually sabotaged themselves and lost the gift. We see it so clearly when observing others not being able to see God's greater plan in their circumstances yet so often miss it in our own lives.
Balaam was a man who tried to bypass God's will. In the book of Numbers, chapter 22, verses 21-39, the story unfolds as Balaam tries to take his own message rather than God's. An angel tries to block the donkey which Balaam is riding to divert the path of disobedience but Balaam beats the donkey at every attempt. Finally, God speaks through the animal and reveals the angel, Balaam's eyes are opened to God's will. God used a donkey.
There are stories upon stories from the bible and from fellow believers where God used what we would consider added hardships to deliver his children. His will is bursting with purpose and love yet we fight Him so relentlessly with all our doubt. We scream, "Where are you!", we shake our fist at Him, we withdrawal in despair, we give up on Him. Yet, He continues to save us, bless us, pray for us and love us! God does not demand perfection from us. He is the Savior, not us. All He wants is for us to trust Him. The goal for our life is a simple one, one where we say, "God used ME."
Philippians 4:6-7, Don't worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:1, Whatever happens...may the Lord give you joy.
1 Peter 1:7, These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold, and your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Christ Jesus is revealed to the whole world.
Habakkuk 3:17-19, Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine: even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren: even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet, I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation. The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He will make me surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains.
So, my brothers and sisters, may we see God in everything.
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