God has something better…

Have you ever said that before? When something doesn’t turn out exactly as you planned, when something that you anticipated fell through, have you ever said “I guess God has something better for me.” Has someone ever said that to you in response to a disappointment? What if He doesn’t? What if the next thing that He has for you is equally as disappointing and frustrating to you? What if the next thing that God has for you will be even more disastrous?

Does that make God unjust? Does that mean that God doesn’t love you? Does that mean that He is not interested in your good? Certainly not. May God be found true though every man is a liar! The wisdom of God is unfathomable. His grace and love toward His beloved saints is supreme, even as His love for His Son is supreme. God is for us!

So what then are we to assume? I’ve been thinking about this over the past few days because of a disappointing turn of events in my own life. And of course, I have an example from my children. My daughter has been running in the house. I recently told her to stop running, since she has gotten older and we realized that it is not really in her best interest to run inside, nor that of her little sisters, and that it is not something that we’ll want her to do in other situations. One of those parenting issues where you realize that you’ve allowed something that you probably shouldn’t have. Anyway, the point at which I have told her to stop running, the issue in correction ceases to be if she is running or not and becomes her obedience to my command. And therefore when I correct her for it – which I have had to – I must be gracious (since I allowed it for some time) and I must correct her on the level of her obedience to my command and her desire to depart from my command to do what she wants (her rebellious nature). I must correct and instruct to the issue and not the symptom. The symptom is running. The issue is rebellion in the heart and the departure from my word. If I merely correct to the running, she will still have rebellion in her heart and will have no idea that it is there. If, however, I correct to the issue of rebellion, then she will be one step closer to understanding the key issue in the gospel.

God is a greater parent that any of us. He knows that there are issues and symptoms. He knows that in our heart of hearts, we are more concerned with our comfort than trust in Him. And so, when we are challenged with an issue and He removes something from our lives or else He redirects in such a way that is different than we expected, instead of saying “God has something better for me” we should understand that what is happening is the better. What He is doing, in ridding us of our self interest is the better thing. He is addressing the issue and not merely the symptom. The issue is not the thing which you have lost or the situation that has not turned out the way that you wanted. The issue is that you are seeking, most likely, what you think is better and not what God thinks is better for you. The issue is that we must learn to trust His way and His word and we won’t unless He challenges our faith so that we must trust Him alone.

May this thought be a blessing for you as it has been for me and my family.

Responsibility

Most people simply do not want to accept responsibility. I was talking to someone the other day about their life, and it seemed that at every point this person was shifting the responsibility for the way that they are onto someone else. If it wasn’t some potential suitor, it was their parents…and I’m sure if I had allowed to conversation to continue it would have been something else. The one thing that I have continued to come back to with this person is based on the old definition of “insanity.” Insanity is doing something repeatedly the same way but expecting different results. Well, if you haven’t addressed the issue of your own heart before the Lord and how your heart has or has not changed based on your knowledge of Him; then you will continue to get the same results out of life.

You could, of course, continue to blame things on others and even to look to others to solve all of your problems…and rest assured you will continue to get the same results from life. Or you could turn to the One who is able to solve all of your problems…not just to meet your felt needs, not just to make you feel good about yourself…but to address your most basic need. That is the need to see your own personal sin.

You are a sinner. You have made choices in your life that you will be held responsible for. God will examine your life. Not the life of your parents, friends, co-workers or that person who wronged and hurt you so deeply all those years ago. You.

And you need a new heart. You need a new way to view life. You need a new mind with which to think about life and with which to make decisions. And what mind is better than the mind of the One Man who has ever made ever decision perfectly, without fail in accordance with the will of His Father who is in Heaven? What better life to imitate…not just imitate, but to be forever and intimately identified with and molded to than the One whose life could not be held in the grave because it was so pleasing to God?

Which path will you take? The path wherein your life continues to be in your own control, under your own direction, in your own power and at whose end is only death, misery and condemnation. Or, the path wherein your life is crucificed, the path wherein your life is reborn, the path wherein you are no longer enslaved to your former lusts to do the will of the flesh, leading to death but wherein you are enslaved to the will of God to do righteousness. Furthermore, it is the path which has already been trodden for us. It involves tears, not of disobedience and shame, but of obedience and glory. It is the path which accepts responsibility and penalty of its own sin; but also trusts in the Gracious One who made payment for our sin for the glory of God and our good.

Psalm 6 – 150 Days of Purposeful Meditation (Day 6)

God is salvation to His godly ones.  To whom do you turn when you are distressed?  To whom do you turn when you are dismayed?  Where do you go for guidance when you lack direction?

Many in the world today seek rest in pleasure.  They drown their sorrows in alcohol, drugs and sex.  They stimulate themselves to death with these things in hopes that their pleasure will, in the end, outweigh their sorrows.  Or that perhaps by enjoying some momentary excitement, their sorrows will disappear.  How incredibly deceitful is their sin.  And it becomes painfully obvious to them, as soon as the moment passes, that their enjoyment is not sustainable.  So it is necessary for them to continue to indulge themselves in it over and over again in order, they feel, to make that temporary excitement last.  Their lives become as futile and profitable as the dog which chases its tail in circles.

To whom do you go for refuge?  Who is your comfort?  What is your hope?  The Psalmist describes his heavily burdened spirit.  You may think that God does not understand your plight.  You may think that God does not understand your pain, your misery, your suffering.  But He does.  It is spoken of right here in His word.  He has not allowed His godly ones to travel through this life without suffering the plight of all who are under the sun.  He describes his pain “I am pining away…my bones are dismayed…I am weary with my sighing, every night I make my bed swim, I dissolve my couch with my tears, My eye has wasted away with grief…”  Do you suppose that you are alone in your rejection?  Do you suppose  that no one else has encountered the same grief and feelings of dispair that you have?  Do you suppose that God does not care for you because you have encountered such dejection and depression?

God knows, for He has seen it in His godly ones.  Even His Son was called “a man of sorrows.”  There is no special hedge of protection around those who know God such that they never encounter heartache, sorrow, or grief.  If someone told you that true religion or Christianity was about living a pain-free, trial-free life; then they have lied to you.  It has been said once, something to the effect that “God will not use a man greatly whom He has not greatly humbled with suffering.”  Why?  Why would God allow His godly ones to suffer?  Why would God allow His godly ones to hurt?

Listen to the voice of the Psalmist.  He does not answer why, so neither will I attempt to here.  He responds with what he knows.  God is for His godly ones.  He pleads God’s salvation on the basis of God’s disposition towards His people.  “Return O Lord, rescue my soul, save me because of Your lovingkindness.”  What else is there that we need to know?  God loves His people.

It must be said that there is a clear distinction made in the Psalms between those who are truly His people and those who are not.  It is the difference between those who are referred to as “righteous, godly, His people” as opposed to those who are “enemies, foes, wicked men, unrighteous.”  Those who are His godly ones may always expect His disposition toward them to be love and salvation.  But those who love wickedness and who are against His godly ones may only expect retribution and judgment from God.

Hear again his confidence “depart from me all you who do iniquity, for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping, the Lord has heard my supplication, the Lord receives my prayer.  All of my enemies will be ashamed and greatly dismayed, they shall turn back and will be suddenly ashamed.”  He knows that God’s disposition towards him is love.  Though he hurts, though he is greatly saddened and dismayed.  Though his tears drench the pillows of his bed by night; he knows and is confident that the Lord is his salvation and does hear his prayer.

What is your confidence?  What is your hope?  To who or what do you turn when you are down hearted?  Hope in the Lord.  Call upon the Lord, He is faithful to His godly ones.  They shall never be ashamed.  He will not abandon His godly ones to death.

Psalm 4 – 150 Days of Purposeful Meditation (Day 4)

God is faithful to those who are His for it says “know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself…”  God is not concerned with the inclinations of foolish and sinful men.  He is not bothered or taken off guard by the mockery of men destined to reap the wages of their wickedness.  We may sometimes wonder why we are persecuted and afflicted by godless men, thus the Psalmists cry “o sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach? How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception?”  But God is not moved by it.

He is gracious to those who are His regardless of the foolisness of others.  God’s graciousness to those who are His has motivated the Psalmist to plead with the ungodly that they cease their foolish ponderings and turn to the Lord, for he says “meditate in your heart upon your bed and be still.  Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and trust in the Lord.”  Turn to the Lord.  Do not continue to trust in your own wisdom and your own right-ness.

Many are saying today “who will show us any good” in this dark and dismal world.  Many are looking to the wisdom of this age and the men of this age to do thus.  Many look to politicians, military leaders, self help gurus and other seemingly wise men to guide them to prosperity and peace.  They look to these men but are inevitably disappointed.  Because it is only in the countenance of the Lord that we truly find “light.”

You who have not trusted in the Lord, repent.  Turn from whatever or whomever you are trusting in to guide you  and turn to the Lord.  Let the Light of the Creator of Heaven and Earth be your guide.  It is only in Him that we will truly find “peace” that will enable us to “lie down and sleep…[and] to dwell in safety.”  You will find peace in no other way.  God is not inclined to grant it to you in any other way.  In fact, all you should expect from God is unrest.

You who already know the Lord.  Do not be deceived.  Do not be cheated of your reward.  Do not be robbed of the blessing of truly resting in the Lord.  They may mock.  They may chide.  They may even offer you other alternatives that seem right.  But remain faithful in your dependence upon the Lord.  Call unto Him who has “set apart the godly for Himself.”  Rest in the “gladness” that only He provides which is a “peace which passes all understanding” and which is greater than any rest or joy (“more than when their grain and new wine abound”) that they can conjure.