God is God. . . and I am not

Originally published on February 28, 2012

"Bow your neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon;

serve him and his people,

and you will live."

Jeremiah 27:12

Common sense is defined as, "normal, native intelligence," or "sound practical judgement that is independent of specialized knowledge, training, or the like."  I make decisions everyday based upon my common sense.  I think, If it doesn't sound logical and make sense, it must not be the right choice. 

Even Guatama Siddharta, founder of Buddhism agrees with me. He said to, "Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense."

The problem is, God calls me to, "Trust in the Lord with all (my) heart and lean not on (my) own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5)  Following God sometimes means I will do things out of obedience to God that do not make sense to me, that goes against every piece of sound logic and which looks downright irresponsible.  But God is God and I am not.  

Trusting God many times means I will go against my common sense.

Zedekiah, King of Judah

God sent a message to the King of Judah that went against Zedekiah's good judgement.  The Lord said through the prophet Jeremiah that when the Babylonian army came in to conquer and destroy his land, he was to roll over and surrender willingly.  If he did so, he would be allowed to live.  In fact, all the nations in the region were sent a similar message, saying that if they did not resist, they would be able to stay in their own land.  

What king worth his salt is going to passively stand by while a foreign army invades his land?  Even a puppet king placed in power by a foreign ruler cannot easily surrender to an invading army.  King Zedekiah did what came naturally instead of obeying God and he rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar.   Consequently, he was forced to watch his sons' violent deaths before suffering the gouging of his eyes and exile to Babylon.

Trusting God many times means I will be asked to go against my common sense.

Jim Elliot

God used the life and death of missionaries Jim Elliot, Ed McCully, Nate Saint, Roger Youderin and Peter Fleming to open up a door for the Gospel to enter the lives of the mysterious Auca tribe in Ecuador, as well as to other people groups in the region.  

These men acted recklessly, going against all standards of good judgement in making contact with such a violent and primitive tribe who regularly killed six out of every ten of their fellow tribesmen.  Not surprisingly, the five men were brutally killed upon making their first contact with the people with whom they had come to share the gospel.   But, as Steven Curtis Chapman sings in the video he shot in the same Amazon Basin jungle with descendants of Nate Saint and his killer along with other tribe members who are now followers of Jesus Christ, God is God and I am not. 

Please take a moment to watch this powerful video.

Trusting God many times means I will do things that go against my common sense.

Youcef Nadarkhani

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani has been held under charges of apostasy in Iran since 2009 when he spoke out against Islamic indoctrination in his childrens' school. (He was released in January 2013 but since has been arrested and persecuted numerous times.) His actions go against every bit of common sense in my being.  When living in an Islamic state who is violently opposed to the message of the gospel, it is a matter of self-preservation to keep quiet about one's beliefs.  

But God inspired this young man to speak up and take a stand for Christ at risk of his life and the lives of his young family.  God is God and I am not.  Who knows what fruit will come from this act of obedience?

Trusting God many times means I will take a stand that goes against my common sense.

What is God calling me to do this very day that goes against all sound judgement?  Give away my savings?  Show love to someone who hurt me deeply?  Sell everything and go to a hostile land?  Quit my job?  Take a pay cut and a demotion?  

Whatever it is that God is calling me to do, I can rest in the knowledge that God is God and I am not.  He has a plan. . . and that plan is far in scope beyond all I can ever imagine!

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will be challenged by these stories to obey God at all costs.

When do I rely on my common sense instead of listening to and obeying God?

How does knowing that God's ways are higher than my ways inspire me to obey even when it doesn't make sense for me to do so?

The Plague of Doubt

". . .the angel said to him: 'Do not be afraid, Zechariah; 

your prayer has been heard.

Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,

and you are to give him the name John. . .'

Zechariah asked the angel, 'How can I be sure of this?

I am an old man and my wife is well along in years?'

The angel answered, 'I am Gabriel.

I stand in the presence of God, 

and I have been sent to speak to you

and to tell you this good news.

And now you will be silent and not able to speak

until the day this happens,

because you did not believe my words, 

which will come true at their proper time.'"

Luke 1:13, 18-20

I remember when my oldest daughter was 4-years old.  She was always a chatterbox, but when she came into the age of inquisition, she became an interrogator worthy of the CIA or FBI.

"Come on, honey, it's time for me to give you and your sisters a bath."

"Why?"

"Because you're dirty and it's almost time for bed.  It's nice to go to bed clean."

"Why?"

"So you won't get the sheets dirty."

"Why?"

"Because then I'll need to wash the linens and I'd rather not make so much work for myself."

"Why?"

"Because I already have enough to do, now come on and gather up your sister's pajamas and let's head into the bathroom."

"Why, Mommy?"

"Because I said so!"

Preschoolers are naturally curious, constantly seeking to learn about the world around them.  I, too, tend to want to know why things are a certain way or what makes someone do what they do. There's nothing wrong with a healthy interest in what makes things tick.  Take Mary, for instance.  When the same angel that visited Zechariah showed up in her presence, Gabriel gave her some astounding news: you are going to have a baby named Jesus who will grow up to be some kind of ruler over a never-ending kingdom and will even be called the Son of the Most High. (Luke 1:26-38)

Mary accepted this shocking news but showed a simple curiosity in how it would all come about since she wasn't married.  How would she become pregnant; how was God going to bring this about?  There was no question as to whether this event would happen, just an interest in how it would occur.

Zechariah, on the other hand, questioned the accuracy of this message and God's ability to bring it to pass.  To make his point, he called attention to the old age of he and his wife.  

Curiosity is not discouraged by God; only doubt.  I am reminded in Hebrews 11:6, that without faith, or the ability to believe something will happen, it is impossible to please God.  

But I am prone to doubt, just like Zechariah.  His experience reminds me that there are consequences for my doubt.  Thankfully, my doubt will not stop the will of God.  Just as God's promise still came to pass in the form of a baby named John, God's purpose will always go forth. (Isaiah 14:26-27)  The only question is: Will I be a part of it, or will I be watching from the sidelines, mute and paralyzed by fear and disbelief?

God's Sovereignty

My husband and I owned a tandem bike for a period of time.  It was difficult for me to ride in back while he controlled the handlebars and brakes.  Donald decided in which direction to go and when it was time to stop.  If we rode down a hill, only he could slow it down.  In a nutshell, my husband had all the control and I had none.

This is kind of how it is with me and God.  He decides the direction my life will take, how fast I need to go, when it's time for a bumpy ride and when I need to stop for a rest.  This is His world and He's in control.

The problem is, I possess this desire to know my own future.  I want to know the details of what's coming up ahead.  When I give into this desire, I attempt to figure out what is happening and what I think will be the expected outcome.  I analyze all the possible angles, coming up with solutions for each scenario.  I spend a lot of time thinking about the issues at hand.  Much to my dismay, the reality is that this is the definition of "worry."

When I doubt God's ability to lead me well and hesitate to give Him control, I fall into an anxious heap.  Jesus said not to go after our needs or to try to orchestrate the details of my life because God knows what I need.  Instead, He said to, "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things (all my needs) will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow  will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own."  (Matthew 6:32-34)

Worry and anxiety is a sign that I'm not trusting God's sovereignty and His ability to lead me well.  

If I want to avoid the plague of doubt when it comes to God's control over my life, I must learn to trust Him enough to place everything in His capable hands.  (Philippians 4:4-7)

God's Calling

God asked the impossible from a man who doubted.  He wondered how God could possibly use a reject like him to deliver such an important message to His people.  What if they didn't listen?  What if they didn't believe him?  What if he couldn't get the words out?  Who am I to do something so big?

The question is not, as Rafiki of the Lion King asked Simba, "who are you?"  Rather, the inquiry I should constantly make is, "who is God?"  You see, God's calling on my life has nothing to do with me.  It isn't dependent upon my abilities, gifts or desires.  Instead, it is about God and His ability.

When Moses asked God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"  God's reply was, "I will be with you."  (Exodus 3:11-12)

In the same way, when God places a burden on my heart for the hurting and downtrodden in my own neighborhood, but I'm afraid I won't be able to do the job, I can remember that God is with me.

Or when God convicts me to teach a Bible study despite my lack of degree in Bible teaching, I can take heart that God is with me.

Or when God inclines my heart toward the people of a third-world country even though I've always hated to travel, I will gain courage from the fact that God is with me.  It's not up to me.

The anecdote to doubt in the face of God's calling is to remember that God is with me and He will accomplish what He set out to do.

God's Plan

Clouds are looming on the horizon.  My way seems dark with no way out.  Voices laugh tauntingly as I continue down the path that seems destined for doom.  Should I continue on the way my Master pointed?  I wonder as my foot falls in a pothole.  Is this the way He meant for me?  It seems wrong; filled with pain and suffering.  How can this be right?

Which way is God leading that seems risky or perhaps not something I would choose for myself?  When I read that the Lord said, "For I know the plans I have for you. . .plans to proper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future," it's easy for me to form a picture in my mind of what those plans may look like.  I see comfort, pleasure and fulfillment.  

Then reality sets in as the test from the doctor comes back positive, the daughter goes missing or the loved one moves on to someone else.  How can anything good come out of this?  

Just as God allowed hard things to enter Job's life in order to test his faith, sometimes God allows trials and difficulties in the same way.  Other times, God's plan includes working with people I don't like, doing I job I don't particularly enjoy, or sticking with a marriage that brings unhappiness.  

Living a life of faith devoid of doubt means I'll have to do as Solomon instructed in Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT.  "Trust in the LORD with all you heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."  

In order to stop doubting, I must trust God's plan as good, even when it seems bad.

Asking questions of God is not forbidden, but doubting whether He is really in control of all things, is calling me to do something big or even small, or has a plan for my life comes at a price.  To fight the plague of doubt, I'll have to place my life in His hands, remember that He equips the called, and that His plan is good no matter how it looks to me.  Then I will avoid the consequences that come with disbelief and be able to say as Mary did, "I am the Lord's servant.  . .May it be to me as you have said."  (Luke 1:38)

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God with my whole heart and let go of the fear that holds me back.

When do I let my own insecurities hold me back from answering God's calling?

How do I judge a hard thing as not from God?

  

The Land Mourns

"There is no faithfulness,

no love,

no acknowledgment of God

in the land."

Hosea 4:1

As Americans, we like to think we live in a kind of "promised land."  People come from all around the world to taste the freedom our country offers.  Like the Puerto Rican immigrants sang in West Side Story, "I want to live in America!" People sneak into this country illegally in order to have a shot at a good life; one that they have no chance of living in their home country.  It does seem to be a promised land.

The problem appears when I assume that God thinks the same way about America.  If I look at my country through the eyes of a Holy and Just God, I come to a different conclusion.  I find that I have turned away from God and toward the gods of Independence, Comfort and Worldly Success.  I witness a serious lack of love for my fellow man.  I see a tendency for man to take credit for all the good things this country enjoys.  

In a nutshell, America is headed away from God.  The US may be a "Super Power" but its lacking the power of God.  America no longer considers herself to be "one nation under God."  We as a people group are moving in a dangerous direction.  As an American believer, I am not exempt from this trend.  I am easily influenced by the culture in which I live so it is important that I pay attention to what is important to God.  

Faithfulness

When Jesus prayed for His Disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, He also prayed for all those who would believe in Him by hearing their message.  He prayed to His Father that believers would, "be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.  May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me."  (John 17:21)

Unity in Christ sets believers apart from the rest of the world that cannot get along with each other.  In order for this to be accomplished, though, my flesh must be surrendered to Christ.  I must want His will more than my will.  I must let God have His way in my life.  When believers submit to Jesus as Lord, we act as one.

Oswald Chambers said that since Jesus prayed this prayer, "God will not leave us alone until we are one with Him. . ."  It is vital to our existence as people of God that He be the head of us. When I turn to other things as lord of my life, He no longer is my Lord.  I am acting unfaithfully.  I am stealing His glory.  I am committing adultery.  


God sets my example; "the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever."  (Psalm 117:2)  He always does what He says He will do, He always lives up to His promises, on Him I can always rely.  This is the standard He has set.  


It is not natural for me to stick with something and be true to my word.  I may mean well when I say I will be there for someone, but then life happens, distractions rise up and tragedy hits.  Suddenly there are more important things to which I must attend and the promise falls by the wayside.


Faithfulness is not a trait I can obtain through sheer effort and determination.  Rather, it is a natural extension of following Jesus.  Faithfulness comes from God and when I am connected to Him I will see evidence of it in my life. 


One of the best litmus tests of my faithfulness to God is in how I spend the time He has given me.  As author John Boykin said, "Time is life--nothing more, nothing less.  The way you spend your hours and your days is the way you spend your life."  As a child of God who was made to glorify Him with my life, my use of time must be wise and intentional.  I show my unfaithfulness to God when I fritter my time away on mindless television, spend endless hours on social media or simply do the things that please myself.  


Faithfulness to God means I spend my time seeking Him, His kingdom and His righteousness, for His glory.

Love

Love is very important to God.  He said, "If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.  If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing.  If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere.  So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love."  (1 Corinthians 13:1-7 MSG)

Even if I'm like Mother Teresa in my words, actions and beliefs, but am not patient and kind with others, nothing else I do matters.  If I remember the wrongs done to me, easily pop a gasket or secretly enjoy seeing the suffering of those who hurt, it doesn't matter what I do for God.  If I write a child off, thinking there is not hope so why should I keep trying to help, any amount of effort I make to please God will be null and void.  

Love is what is important to God.  If I want to know what love looks like, I need look no further than God for He is love.

"Love never gives up.  Love cares more for others than for self.  Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.  Love doesn't strut, doesn't have a swelled head, doesn't force itself on others, isn't always 'me first,' doesn't fly off the handle, doesn't keep score of the sins of others, doesn't revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end.  Love never dies."  (1Corinthians 13:4-8 MSG)

I can't love this way on my own.    Instead, I am only able to love this way because God first loved me.  In doing so, He bathed me in His love, placing His Spirit of love inside of me so I can pass that love on to others; if only I will let go of my own natural desires and inclinations.

When I am fed up with my husband and tempted to fly off the handle, love hangs in there, sticking to the commitment I made to him before God.  During the times when I am hurt and my mind acts like a Rolodex of wrongs, love cuts the offender a break and doesn't try to retaliate.  If I feel discontent with my life as I compare it to that of my friends', love directs my attention to all the good I have and to what I can look forward.    

If I am to stay true to God I must let His love flow through me, softening hearts and changing lives.

Acknowledgment

I was walking down the street, doing my daily exercise when a young woman approached from the other direction.  When I could see the whites of her eyes I said, "Good Morning."  The woman completely ignored me and proceeded to pass right by with nary a word or even a look.    Maybe she was listening to music or it could be that she suffered from hearing problems.  Whatever the case may be, it made me angry.  She did not even acknowledge my existence!  

Everyone wants to be acknowledged.  It is said that the best way to make someone feel welcomed is to look into their eyes and greet them using their name.  This method satisfies our need for recognition.  We feel like we're valued and important.

In a similar way, God desires for me to pay attention to Him.  Instead, many days I go for hours without even thinking about Him.  I'm driving into the busy parking lot, searching for an empty spot when I absent-mindedly ask God to provide a place to park.  Suddenly a spot opens up.  Instinctively I say, "Never mind, God.  There's one right there."  

It's easy to think things happen by chance, as a result of my hard work or because of the generosity of someone else.  If I want to please God, I need to make an effort to include Him in all parts of my life and give Him the credit for all the good things.  This effort will not go unnoticed.  As the Proverb goes, "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."  (Proverbs 3:6)

Things just go better when I recognize God's presence in every part of my life.  After all, He can't help me if I'm ignoring Him!

Acknowledging God takes effort as I give Him the center of my attention every moment of the day.  

Living in a country, and frankly a world, that doesn't take God seriously is a dangerous place to live.  But it can be done in a way that glorifies God if I will stay faithful to Him, love as He has loved me, and acknowledge Him in all my ways.  In this way, even though the land mourns, I will rejoice.  

As I begin this day it is my prayer that God will be glorified as I live in a place that glorifies other gods.

How do I fail to acknowledge God in even the simplest of tasks?

When do I let love fall by the wayside, instead following my own natural tendencies?

Clouds

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

and He will make your paths straight."

Proverbs 3:5,6

The thick gray fog enveloped the aircraft, obscuring my vision of anything except for the dull mist surrounding the plane.  The voice of the captain filled the near-empty cabin, "Flight attendants, prepare for landing."   I peered out the window, searching fro any landmarks to let me know how close we were to the ground, but I could see none.  Suddenly, we emerged from the fog into a light rain with the lights of the runway laid out before us.

Flying in conditions like this means a pilot must trust his instruments and the guidance of the air traffic controllers, not his sight.  His eyes are telling him he is miles above the earth's surface in a heavy bank of clouds, when in reality he is only several hundred feet from the runway.

It is the same with us as we trust in God during our journey.  It is as if we are flying in a bank of clouds, not knowing how far up we are, or in what direction we are traveling: Trusting God means keeping my eyes on Him to guide me safely to the landing strip.

In The Clouds    

When I was flying through the clouds, I could not recognize any familiar landmarks.  There was nothing but gray, and I couldn't see very far.  It gave me an eerie feeling of disorientation.  If it wasn't for the plane itself providing a frame of reference, I wouldn't know which way was up, down or sideways.  

This is how much of my life is.  I have no idea which way is up, how far it is to my destination or goal, or when I'll be emerging from the fog.  I simply must trust that God is guiding my every footstep, leading me to His purpose for my life.  

When I feel no sense of direction or guidance, I must fly by my instruments, trusting God to guide me in to a safe landing.

Under the Clouds

Once I emerged from the clouds, I could see the ground was wet and the grayness above translated into a sense of gloominess below.  Even though I could now see my surroundings, they didn't look too nice.

Isn't this like life?  I emerge from the foggy disorientation of blindly following God's lead, expecting to arrive at my destination to a choir of singing birds and shining sun, but instead am greeted by dreary drizzle.

How often are things not as I expected when following God?  Rain is not bad, it was just not what I imagined.

Maybe I thought motherhood would be more exciting, adventurous and thrilling, but it turns out to be monotonous and filled with day after day of sameness.  Or I might have imagined my life to be dominated by an exciting fulfilling career, giving me a chance to utilize my degree skills and bring in a paycheck.  Instead, I find myself staying at home and being available to those who need a helping hand or an encouraging word.  Or perhaps I expected to marry young and have a large family.  Instead, as I follow God's lead, I find myself deep in a remote jungle as a single missionary.  There are many roads God's plan could take me on as I trust Him.  

Following God means trusting Him with the outcome, not going by my own plan and hope for my life.

Above the Clouds

Flying above the clouds is a bit like paradise.  The sky appears as a deep azure canvass, a beautiful backdrop to the puffs of white cotton below.  It seems I can see forever, gaining a tiny glimpse of God's enormous vision of His Creation.

Living above the clouds is the goal for which I am called by faith in Christ.    Paul encouraged the believers at Philippi with the thought that, "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. . . I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:12, 14)  As I am transformed under His loving grace, slowly but surely I gain a viewpoint more closely in line with His. 

When I am close to God, it doesn't matter what is going on around me because I can see things from His perspective.  annoying, whiny children who get under my skin become little ones who need an extra dose of love.  Frustrating delays turn into opportunities to connect with a hurting soul.  Demanding panhandlers are converted into lonely, lost beings.  angry short-tempered cashiers turn out to be wounded warriors in the battle of domestic violence.  

There are people all around me who need a vision of paradise only Jesus can offer.  Am I able to see them through God's eyes?

Flying can be an interesting experience.  It helps me to remember to fly by the instruments, trusting only in Him for my guidance, to accept the destination God has guided me to, and to keep an eternal perspective that allows His love to flow through me to a hurting world in need of a Savior.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I can keep my eyes on my personal guidance system; God.

Where am I relying on my own plans instead of trusting God for direction?

How do I have a self-centered, short vision of those around me, missing all the opportunities there are to show the love of Jesus?

Amazing God

“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow
   or seen the storehouses of the hail,
which I reserve for times of trouble,
   for days of war and battle?
What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed,
   or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?
Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain,
   and a path for the thunderstorm,
to water a land where no one lives,
   an uninhabited desert, 

 to satisfy a desolate wasteland
   and make it sprout with grass?"

Job 38:22-27

 

"Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow
Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light
Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night
None can fathom"
from "Indescribable"

written by Laura Story for Chris Tomlin



I recently watched "Apollo 13,"  the 1995 movie about the failed attempt of the NASA Space Program to land another crew on the face of the moon in 1970.  The spacecraft suffered an explosion in one of the oxygen tanks, crippling its service module which caused the crew to abort their mission, severely hampering their ability to return home.  The film illustrates the hard work and dedication of the hundreds who worked to bring the three back safely to earth. 

It struck me that the depiction of this event in our country's history contained not one reference to God.  He was not acknowledged as the One who created the beautiful vistas the astronauts enjoyed, or Who protected them throughout their ordeal, or even as the One who gave them the intelligence and the inspiration to come up with the solutions to the many problems the explosion caused.  Instead, all the glory was given to man.

I don't want to fall into the trap of revelling in my own glory, as is so easy to do.  Instead, I want to be a woman who is actively looking for ways to praise God, marveling at His Creation and never growing weary of wondering over the details He added to His masterpiece that is found all around me.  I want to take seriously the advice found in Proverbs 3:6, "in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

Creation

Have you ever marveled at the intricate, delicate detail found in a single tulip blossom?  God etched beautiful embellishments on the petal of each single bloom and adorned them with gorgeous eye-popping colors sure to bring even the most dull of senses out of the winter doldrums and headlong into the splendor of Spring.

How does my maple tree know when to burst forth into radiant color each Fall, dropping its leaves at the appointed time?  Who tells the birds to fly South at the coming of Winter, or brings them back as the weather warms?  What mechanism exists in a newborn calf that gives the tiny creature instructions on how to stand on wobbly knees and head butt her mama's udder in order to help her release the warm, life-giving milk into his newly formed mouth? 

The Lord is truly amazing, and I will ever praise Him!

Circumstances

When I think of miracles, my mind tends to consider healings, amazing rescues or survival stories.  But what about the way God organizes ordinary, everyday events that come together in such a way as to set forth God's plan?  

If I am going to run into an old friend at the store, I must leave home at just the right time so that I will walk into the store and enter the aisle in which my friend is shopping at exactly the right moment.  There are a million things that could go wrong; a traffic light stopping me, the dog needing to be let out before I leave, a phone call delaying my departure, or the inability to find a parking place.  That doesn't even take into account the route I take within the store that leads me right to the divine appointment.  It boggles my mind to think of all the variables. 

But that is only one insignificant happening in my life.  Multiply that by all the events that occur in the course of my life, and then again by the 7 billion people found in the world today and you have yourself a miracle!  As the wisdom of Solomon found recorded in Ecclesiastes 3:11 reminds me, "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

The Lord is entirely complex, and I will ever praise Him!

Continuance

My daughters were talking the other day about God's forethought and planning, and imagining what life would be like if instead of delivering babies, humans laid eggs!  We would have to carry these delicate, fragile eggs around, constantly keeping them warm until it was time for them to hatch.  As humans, we are completely ill-equipped for egg incubation!

In His wisdom, God designed our bodily functions to work in tandem with each other, every system coming together on a minute-by-minute basis in order to sustain life.  Consider the fact that the human body is made up of over 200 bones, 600 muscles, 22 internal organs, 11 major systems and over 19 million skin cells!  All of these parts must each function as designed in order for life to continue.  The human body is a magnificent creation, conceived in the mind of God.

The Lord is a God of planning and forethought and I will ever praise Him!

As I see all the details that come together throughout my day, I can either take credit for how well things turned out, or I can give praise where praise is due.  It is my objective to live my life intentionally praising God for His creation, His control over circumstances, and His plan evident in the conception and continuance of life.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I can keep the amazing attributes of God at the forefront of my thoughts. 

How do I take for granted all that God has created?

When do I forget that my footsteps are ordered by God and instead become upset at the slightest delay or aggravation?