When following God doesn't make sense...

What do we do when following God doesn't make sense?

What do we do when it seems that God has provided a clear direction, and then doors close or the path becomes rocky?

What do we do when it seems that our obedience to what we thought was God's plan for our lives yields something other than God's abundant blessing?

It is at these times, more than ever, that we must stay the course.

Scripture declares: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).

When it seems like everything is going against us, yet we know that we are living in accordance with God's will, it is our faith that sustains us. It is our faith that assures us of the things that we hope for (namely, a life that gives glory to God). It is our faith which provides for us the conviction of the things that are unseen, which God has promised through His Word. When it seems that all things are against us, we can be sure that God is still for us if we are living a life of humble submission to him (see Romans 8:31).

I reflect on the crucifixion of Jesus ... how terrible it must have seemed to those who knew Him and loved Him! But we have the amazing privilege of looking back with perfect hindsight, and are able to see how even in the midst of what seemed like the biggest catastrophe, God was bringing about the most important victory for His kingdom! The circumstances of Jesus' death were not the end of the story. It is our faith that assures us that, even in the midst of our worst circumstances, God is still in control. His plans will always be accomplished.

Consider the life of Joseph in the Old Testament, who after being sold into bondage by his own family and spending years in prison for his refusal to compromise on his faith, when he encountered his brothers again (the very individuals who had caused him so much strife) Joseph told them: As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive (Genesis 50:20). What an example of faith in the midst of terrible circumstances!

Even Hebrews 11 (from where our Scripture came from at the beginning of this post came) recounts the lives of the faithful. You can see that for some, their faith brings about what we would consider "good" circumstances: And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection... (Hebrews 11:32-35a). But Scripture continues: ...and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground (vv. 35b-38).

Our faith will never get us around our problems, but it will always get us through them. Christian, never forget that we have not been called to a life of comfort in following the Savior, but to a life that glorifies our Lord. Sometimes our walk in faith will be pleasant, but the times when trials and tribulation come are by no means an indication that God is absent.

He deserves our honor and praises even in our darkest times. For He is good. Always. Even when our circumstances make it hard for us to see.

Amen.

Moses and YHWH

After a particularly sinful period in Israel's history (the worship of the golden calf, Exodus 32) Moses pleads for his people saying, "Alas, this people has committed a great sin, and they have made a god of gold for themselves. But now, if you will, forgive their sins--and if not, please blot me out from Your book which You have written!" (Exodus 32:31-32).

I'm amazed by Moses' heart for his people and it's my prayer that God would create in me a heart for those who are perishing ... so much so that I would be willing to forfeit my own salvation for them! We live in a culture right now that abounds with golden calves, yet many of us are not only not willing to lose our own salvation if they are not saved, but we are also not even willing to go forth and proclaim to them the truth. But what was the problem? Were the Israelites not enjoying their worship of the golden calf? Scripture says that when Moses came to the camp from the presence of YHWH, he found the Israelites singing and dancing (Exodus 32:18-19). Instead of rejoicing that these people whom Moses obviously cares so deeply about were enjoying themselves, "...Moses' anger burned, and he threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain. He took the calf which they had made and burned it with fire, and ground it to powder, and scattered it over the surface of the water and made the sons of Israel drink it" (Exodus 32:19b-20).

That doesn't seem like what we would consider today to be a loving response! What would motivate such action from Moses? Does he not really care about his people or is there something else that motivates him other than the happiness of his people? We get a glimpse of Moses' heart in the following chapter:

Then he [Moses] said to Him [YHWH], "If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?" (Exodus 33:15-16).

Moses makes very clear that the only thing that separates the Israelites from all other people groups on the planet is their relationship with the Living God, YHWH. Without His presence, they are nobodies, and Moses knows that God does not tolerate sin (even when it makes us happy!) and will remove His presence from His people if they are worshiping false gods. Moses seeks the presence of YHWH among His people above their happiness. However, Moses doesn't just seek YHWH's presence ... for after the Lord agrees to accompany the Israelites on their journey Moses again speaks.

Then Moses said, "I pray You, show me your glory!" (Exodus 33:18).

Moses doesn't just want God to bless him and his people, but Moses wants to see the glory of God! I have to ask myself ... do I want to see God's glory, or do I simply want Him to work blessing in my life? Do I strive to see God's face or do I simply strive to see the move of His hand? Is my God the God of Glory, or is He just my genie in a lamp who is there to hear my every request? Lord, I pray that Your glory would be first and foremost on my mind and heart and that everything I do will be done with the goal of bringing You glory!

What follows is an amazing self-disclosure made by YHWH:

And He [YHWH] said, "I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion" (Exodus 33:19)

The fulfillment of YHWH's self proclamation of the name of the Lord comes just a few verses later in Exodus 34:6-7:

Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "the LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations."

Moses' reaction to this amazing scene is appropriate: Moses made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship (Exodus 34:8). What other response could there be? It is only by God's grace that we are allowed another breath since we have all sinned against YHWH already ... but in His abundance of lovingkindness He has patience with us. However, the Day of Judgment is coming and YHWH has declared Himself that He will by no means let the guilty go free.

Christians, we must seek God's glory and do the things He has commanded! If we do not have a heart for those who are perishing, we must ask the LORD to provide it, because He has a heart for them. Arguably the greatest missionary of all time (aside from the Lord Jesus Himself), the apostle Paul, said:

For there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for "Whoever will call on the name of the LORD will be saved."

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!" (Romans 10:12-15).

We have been commissioned by the Risen Lord to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation" (Mark 16:15). Let us do so so that by our obedience we may see God's glory as He expands His kingdom by His grace. Soli Deo Gloria!

JRK