MAY GOD BE OBVIOUS!

 

Tuesday, June 3, 2025

 

MAY GOD BE OBVIOUS!

 

2 Chron 16:9

9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.

 

          How many times do we accuse God of hiding from us at the exact time when we need Him most? However, man was the first to hide from God in the garden. The first missed appointment was man’s and not God’s. That first breach of etiquette has created a question mark between God and man where there should be an exclamation point. Thereafter we cry out to God to make Himself “obvious.”

 

          We need God to be obvious in our troubles. If the trouble is a form of punishment, we want to know that clearly so that we might be restored. If trouble is sent to mold us, then we want to be supple and not rigid in His hands. If we are simply being used to display God’s grace, then we want to know it. Job’s complaint was that, in all his troubles, he did not know why.

 

          We need God to be obvious in his leading. Our hearts desire is always to walk by sight! When God tells Abraham to go to “a land that I will show thee,” we question our ability to follow that kind of fuzzy leading. Following God step-by-step is much more difficult than following mile-by-mile. What if He runs ahead and I am left behind? What if, in this fog, I run ahead of Him and lose my way. We need God to be obvious in his leading.

 

          We want God to be obvious in His provision. Elijah must have been anxious as he waited daily for the arrival of the ravens with another day’s rations. We do not like to pray for “daily bread.” We prefer to pray for a fat paycheck. We will then buy our own bread.

 

          There is something of the frightened child in all of us. We want God to be near. Instead, He is, by nature, invisible Spirit. We want to hold Him, but He instead has promised to hold us. How we long for that day when we will see Him face-to-face. Until then we walk along at a slow pace being careful not to lose sight of Him even though He has never lost sight of us.

 

1 John 3:2

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

 

NOTHING BETWEEN

Nothing between my soul and my Savior,
Naught of this world’s delusive dream;
I have renounced all sinful pleasure;
Jesus is mine, there’s nothing between.

Refrain:
Nothing between my soul and my Savior,
So that His blessed face may be seen;
Nothing preventing the least of His favor;
Keep the way clear! Let nothing between.

Charles A Tindley (1905)

 

Dear Lord, like a frightened child, I want you to make yourself obvious to my soul today. AMEN

 

GOD IS – GRACIOUS, RIGHTEOUS, AND MERCIFUL!

 

Monday, June 2, 2025

 

GOD IS – GRACIOUS, RIGHTEOUS, AND MERCIFUL!

 

Ps 116:3-5

3 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.

4 Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.

5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.

 

          Growing out of deep personal trouble, the Psalmist testifies to the graciousness, righteousness, and mercy of God. God had delivered his soul, and he recommends the same remedy to all who are in trouble. In doing so he uses three identifying words that deserve closer examination.

 

          The word “gracious” is the Hebrew word channuwn and means “to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior.” Certainly, this is an apt description of the acts of such a great God to lowly men. However, there is one event in the life of Jesus that pictures God’s graciousness clearly.

 

Mark 10:13-14

13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.

14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer [allow] the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

 

          Without realizing it, the disciples had begun to think of themselves as a privileged club and children were not qualified to sit on the Master’s knee. Jesus was “much displeased” and acted graciously toward the children. He picked them up and blessed them, explaining that heaven is full of such little ones. It is with this same condescension that God bends low to reach man. Jacob thought of himself as a “worm” as he approached a Holy God, yet God graciously blessed him.

 

          God is described in our Psalm as “righteous” which means that he is morally and procedurally correct. He cannot be made wrong! All His actions are appropriate, just, and lawful. It is this judgmental fairness that makes His graciousness shine even more brightly. When God acts in judgment, He cannot be accused of acting cruelly or capriciously. He does not act in vengeance but in justice.

 

          The Hebrew word for “merciful” is an interesting word. It is the word racham and literally means “to fondle.” Now, the word “fondle” in our modern language often has sexual overtones but one can easily see that it also fits into the cuddling of a father and a child. Like the picture of Jesus with the children in the book of Mark, we can imagine Jesus hugging their necks and being hugged by them. Can you imagine Jesus wanting to hug your neck? Can you imagine the God of the universe bending low so that you can hug His neck? This is mercy! This is love. How can a loving father do less than to protect and provide for the child in his arms?

 

Dear Lord! Thank you for bending low and hugging my neck. Thank you for allowing me to hug you in return. AMEN

 

FROM PRISONER TO PRINCE!

 

Sunday, June 1, 2025

 

FROM PRISONER TO PRINCE!

 

Gen 41:1

And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: …

 

Gen 41:8-9

8 And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.

9 Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember …

 

Gen 41:12-13

12 And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret.

13 And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; …

 

Gen 41:14

14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.

 

          Try to imagine what Joseph was experiencing and feeling. He was his father’s favorite son. This was not right – but it was also not his fault and not something he could control. His jealous brothers sold him into slavery. The rest of his young life would be a blur of events that pointed out just how little control Joseph had over his own life. The only thing that Joseph could control was his responses – and his integrity. He fiercely maintained this control.

 

          Now in prison for something he did not do, Joseph made the most of his situation. He became servant to the captain of the guard. This happened because he was faithful and trustworthy. Two inmate friends told him dreams which, by the Holy Spirit, he interpreted. His evaluation of those dreams proved to be true and when the butler was released from prison, Joseph made one request. “When you return to Pharaoh, please tell him about me. Please try to have me released.” While the butler saw the king every day, it took him two full years to remember Joseph!

 

          Try to imagine Joseph’s prayers. “Lord, is there some flaw in my character that has caused my banishment?” NO ANSWER. “Lord, I have been falsely accused and imprisoned. Please help me to get out of this unfair punishment.” NO ANSWER. “Lord, how long before you visit me with good and release me from this situation?” NO ANSWER. “Lord, people who make promises to me never keep them.” NO ANSWER.

 

          Joseph might have concluded that God was angry with him, although he could not think of a reason why He should be. Joseph might have concluded that God was unfair – but he knew that was not true. In his darkest moments, Joseph might have concluded that God simply did not exist – if there were not so much evidence to the contrary. Joseph finally concluded that he simply did not know what God was doing. He did not know what God was planning. He did not know what the outcome would be. So, Joseph continued to WAIT.

 

          When God suddenly moves in our lives it is not sudden at all. Lightning-fast events are actually the result of God’s meticulous planning. Suddenly Joseph was told to shave his face, change his clothes, and prepare himself to stand before the king. Suddenly all of Joseph’s prayers were being answered. Soon Joseph would learn WHY he had suffered so unfairly.

 

          Do you feel imprisoned in a set of uncomfortable circumstances? Has everything you have tried met with failure? Have you been forgotten by those who are able to help you? Have you just about lost all hope? If so remember that there came a day when Joseph’s life suddenly and dramatically changed. In one lightning-strike moment all of Joseph’s prayers were answered. God’s mysterious purpose would be revealed FOURTEEN YEARS later when he is visited by his hateful brothers. At that time, he would somehow need to find the grace to treat them kindly.

 

Gen 50:20-21

20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

 

Dear Lord, when everything seems both evil and confusing, help me to trust that you have a plan for me. Help me to know that one day – perhaps suddenly – you will answer me, relieve me, and reward me. AMEN