2002-10-30
Good Morning Faithful Readers,
It never ceases to amaze me how the Lord knows exactly what He wants me to write each day and how He so often leads me to subjects that either hit close to home emotionally or even convict me. This morning, I am led to write about how things sometimes look like the enemy has the upper hand, but we shouldn’t believe it. With what has happened to Peter and I the last four years, it wouldn’t be too hard to be deceived into thinking that God has forgotten us. What keeps me from doing that is the faith which the Holy Spirit fuels in me. I’m not going to tell you there haven’t been some low moments or some worrying on my part. I’m human and must continually combat that by delving into the Scriptures daily and with a lot of prayer. The end to our financial stress and health problems hasn’t come yet, but hopefully, I won’t forget to seek the Lord’s help, have the patience to wait for His perfect timing and outcome, and to place my burdens where they belong-on His shoulders. PS 130: 5-6, “I wait eagerly for the Lord’s help, and in His word I trust. I wait for the Lord more eagerly than a watchman…” PS 33: 22, “Yes, Lord, let Your constant Love surround us, for our hopes are in You alone.” MT 11: 28-30, [Christ speaking] “Come to Me, all you who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke and put it on you, and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest. For the yoke I give you is easy and the burden is light.” These words were tailor-made for people like me.
JOB 1: 12-20, is the story of how Job’s children and wealth were destroyed. They were having a feast at the home of Job’s oldest son. Suddenly, the Sabeans attacked and stole all the donkeys in a nearby pasture. They killed all the servants except the one that escaped to report the incident. A shepherd from another field came in to say that all the sheep and other shepherds had been struck by lightning except himself. They were all dead. Then, another servant came in and told them three bands of Chaldean raiders attacked and took away all their camels, killing all but him. The message from one last servant caused Job to tear his clothes in grief. It was that a storm had come in from the desert and had blown his son’s home down, killing him and all his siblings. If this isn’t a beautiful example of a case where it looks like Satan has won, I don’t know what is. We all have an important lesson to learn from Job’s response. Of course, he mourned, but Job never lost his faith. Those who have read this magnificent book know that in the end, Job’s tenacity of faith led him to victory over the evil that Satan was doing to him [JOB 42: 12-16].
Not mentioning the story of Paul and his complaint to God three times, begging God to relieve him of his illness in 2 COR 12: 7-9 would be an unforgivable omission. It’s such an example of why we need to change our attitude on something like this. God’s response was to say, “When you are weak, then I am strong.” At the root of our problems with feeling hopeless at times is weakened faith and Satan sending his fiery arrow of doubt to our minds-his favorite point of attack. At the very heart of problems like these is our inability or lapse in taking the time to reach toward God’s perspective on our problems. In my case, God has told us that He will provide for us. PS 37: 11, “But, all who humble themselves before the Lord shall be given every blessing, and shall have wonderful peace.” PS 91: 10-11, “Nothing bad will happen to you; no disaster will come to your home. He has put His angels in charge of you to watch over you wherever you go.” It’s high time we allowed these precious truths to sink into our hearts from where they entered our heads! As for humbling oneself before the Lord, I may very well be feeling convicted here. How about you? I am especially reminded of this when I am treated to my husband, Peter’s, response to my worrying. “The Lord will never let our gas tank run dry. Trust Him and have faith.” So simply put, and so very true!
Paul worried needlessly when he wrote in 1 THESS 2: 18, “We wanted to return to you. I myself tried to go back more than once, but Satan would not let us,” to the Thessalonians. Paul’s concern was for the adjustment toward godliness and the very long-term existence of the early church, so it was not totally unwarranted. However, momentarily, God was reminding him that He was in charge of His plan, and it needed to be executed in His way, not Paul’s. We have ample proof that Satan can’t do anything except what God allows him to do; Paul had momentarily forgotten that. We have the hindsight of history to prove that it was God’s will that the church should endure, and it has. REV 2: 10, a part of the message to the church at Smyrna, gives all of us who are lured into thinking Satan is getting the upper hand (in the long-term sense of things) real comfort and perspective. “Do not be afraid of anything you are about to suffer. Listen! The devil will put you to the test by having some of your thrown into prison and your troubles will last ten days. Be faithful to Me, even if it means death, and I will give you life as your prize of victory.” God didn’t save us just to waste that effort, not by a long shot! We need to reflect on our own lives and see where we stand with regard to worrying about the times when it looks like the adversary has the upper hand. We need to see if we are buying into the lie that he is really winning or not.
PRAYER: O Lord, You instruct us with the stories and citations discussed this morning to remember that crucial message You inspired, the apostle, Peter, to write in 1 PET 5: 8-9, “Be alert, be on watch! Your enemy, the evil, roams around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Be firm in your faith and resist him, because you know that your fellow believers in all the world are going through the same kind of sufferings.” Satan loves to plant doubt in our minds, and we must be alert to that and resist it. Our endurance is sometimes tested for long periods of time, just as Job’s was. We are impatient for You to end the pain, because it wears us down. But, You Lord, know exactly how long we are created to endure these tests and have promised us through Paul in 1 COR 10:13, “Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps His promise, and He will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, He will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.” If we are honest with ourselves and we accept Your omnipotence and omniscience, then we must recognize You alone have the wisdom know exactly what we must endure to be sanctified, how long the test should go on, and what test will produce the outcome You desire. We must trust and obey You, knowing full well that nothing You ever do is anything but righteous. These citations express what is in our hearts today. PS 116: 5, “The Lord is kind and does what is right; our God is merciful.” PS 116:1, “I love the Lord, because He hears our prayers and answers them.” Sometimes the answer is “no,” and sometimes it is “yes.” And then, there is that third answer, that in Your infinite wisdom You often give-“maybe later.” We humbly confess our sin and pledge You our eternal worship, adoration, loyalty, diligence, trust, obedience, glory, honor, thanks, and utmost praise. In Christ’s holy name, amen.
Tomorrow, I am led to review some crucial citations about the demise of Satan and his followers. Then, if space permits, I will return to the subject of dealing with doubt; there is more that needs to be written about it. The unfaithful are those who spend their time on earth feeling hopelessness and despair. I believe that if no loving Creator existed, that would be all we could experience. We, who have come to faith, who acknowledge the magnificently courageous and unselfish sacrifice of Christ on the cross on our behalf, have no reason to have only hopelessness to anticipate. This is worthy of mention, because giving believers peace and His perspective is one of the ways that God conveys His remarkable love for us. I love PHIL 4: 6-7, which helps us understand this. “Do not worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking Him with a thankful heart. And God’s peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus.” Doubts that reveal weak trust in our loving Abba can be tossed away. Peter and I send you our love too.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn