Wonderful Teacher

"Dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge,

nor is a cart wheel rolled over cumin,

but dill is beaten out with a stick,

and cumin with a rod.

Does one crush grain for bread?

No, he does not thresh it forever;

when he drives his cart wheel over it with his horses,

he does not crush it.

This also comes from he LORD of hosts;

he is wonderful in counsel

and excellent in wisdom."

Isaiah 28:27-29

God is powerful enough to speak all creation into existence yet tender enough to care even for the tiny sparrow.  God is mighty enough to part the waters of a sea yet compassionate enough to comfort the broken heart.  God is strong enough to hold the world in His hands yet gentle enough not to crush it.  God is powerful yet sensitive, a study in contrasts.  He is not a ruthless God who deals evenhandedly with His image-bearers but understands us so intimately that He knows precisely what each needs.

Right Intensity.  I tend to go in with both barrels blazing.  When I see another wronged, I rise up in defense, ready to protect and set things right.  Unfortunately, I usually end up causing more problems then delivering healing or instituting change.

God, however, knows when to bring out the big guns, when to hit me upside the head as a wake-up-call and when a more gentle approach is needed.  He understands exactly which method will bring about the desired response and acts accordingly.  I never need worry that God will bruise the tender shoot of trust, or destroy the reluctant glimmer of hope, or crush the feeble faith.  I can trust Him to know that introducing pain and suffering when I'm at my lowest won't destroy me but bring about good, or that the trial that comes after taking a timid step of faith won't discourage but empower, or that a quiet word of rebuke will bring about a more powerful change of heart than a harsh reprimand.

I can trust God to always use the right intensity when dealing with His children.

Right Touch.  It didn't matter who he was speaking to, he always used the same gruff tone of voice.  His approach was consistently in-your-face because he was never one to mince words or play games.  He told it like it was and never considered how his actions or words would be received nor did the fallout matter to him.  He said what needed to be said and let the chips fall where they may.  He figured other's reactions to his behavior was not his problem.

It's not surprising to learn that this insensitive man didn't have a good relationship with his daughters and found himself the recipient of divorce papers from his wife.  It's hard to live with someone so self-centered and narcissistic.  As powerful as God is, however, He is mindful of the temperament of His sheep, knowing when a gentle touch is needed and when a more firm one will bring about beautiful fruit.  Sometimes the most crusty exterior only exists to protect a tender heart and requires just the right amount of tension in order to bring about transformation.  Other times the one who seems weak and vulnerable in truth possesses a core of steel and can handle a bit of pressure.

I can trust God to always handle His children with the right touch.

Right Time.  I wonder how long the drought will go on.  I long for rain, for life-giving showers to fall from heavily-laden clouds, but He holds it off, only giving the lightest of mists that doesn't even wet the ground.  My appetite is whetted yet He waits.

Waiting for the rain to fall this summer in the usually-wet Pacific Northwest has been an exercise in patience.  It kind of reminds me of God's perfect timing in handling the affairs of His children.  He know how long to hold off in giving relief, what amount of time enduring suffering will grow faith and when it only serves to bring despair.  He holds the blueprint in His hands and acts according to what is best for each.  Like a beautiful dance, sometimes the heart grows more appreciative as I wait for the climax of the performance.  As the expectation builds, I look forward to seeing how God will bring about His best for me, like I wait with baited breathe for the spectacular lift I know is coming at the end of the dance.

I can trust God to always act in just the right time for exactly the perfect duration.

I know something of God's omnipotent, sovereign character, but I must also realize His sensitivity and compassion.  He doesn't act like a ruthless dictator, showing His might without regard to the heart of His people.  No, He is sensitive enough to use the right intensity with the right touch for the right time.  The Lord is a God who can be trusted because He is a wonderful teacher.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God with the timing.

When do I fear His touch, assuming He will crush me?

How am I unwilling to fully place myself in His loving hands?      

The Right Time

"After this, Jesus went around in Galilee.

He did not want to go about in Judea

because the Jewish leaders there were looking

for a way to kill him.

But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near,

Jesus' brothers said to him,

'leave Galilee and go to Judea,

so that your disciples there may see the works you do.

No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret.

Since you are doing these things,

show yourself to the world.'

For even his own brothers did not believe in him.

Therefore Jesus told them,

'My time is not yet here;

for you any time will do.'"

John 7:1-6

Most gardeners possess an internal calendar of tasks and projects necessary for tending their yard, flowers and vegetables.  There is a specific time for every chore and it's important to know when to do each.  For instance, if I trim my Crape Myrtle bush in the early summer, it will not bloom that year.  Or, if I were to prune my River Birch tree in the Fall, it would bleed a lot of sap.  Instead, it's best to wait until after the new leaves are well established in the springtime.  Additionally, if I were to fertilize my lawn at the wrong time I could damage or weaken the tender blades of grass.  Knowing that there is a right time for every task is vital to the success of my garden.

In the same way that a garden flourishes under the care of a master gardener who understands the importance of timing, so my faith will grow and thrive when I submit to the master plan of the One who holds time in His hands.

Advice

People tend to love giving advice, but accepting it is a whole other thing.  Take Job, for example:  When he was going through the most difficult trial anyone could imagine, his friends were there to offer plenty of counsel, suggestions and opinions.  Unfortunately, most of what they said was not godly, helpful or even encouraging.  After awhile, their words even became downright condemning. (Job)

People mean well, but most tend to lean on their own understanding, thinking they have the solution needed to solve another's problem.  There are times I do the same as well, relying on my own common sense instead of seeking God's will to direct my words to a good friend.  

When money is tight and we have a hard time paying the bills, many give the suggestion that my husband should find a higher paying job or I should enter the work force.  If I take their advice without consulting God for His plan, I risk stepping outside His will and missing out on all the blessings found there.

When the children are exercising their strong wills and I experience constant opposition from them, the experts may tell me the exact opposite of how God wants me to handle the conflict.  If I never take this issue before the Lord, I'll never know how He wants me to guide my children through this time of testing.

When life gets hectic and the word "complicated" doesn't even begin to describe my life, well-meaning friends may have all kinds of advice as to what activities I should eliminate from my schedule.  Only the Lord knows, however, what He has prepared in advance for me to do, so it is best if I pay attention to what He is telling me.  (Ephesians 2:10)

Advice is always available, but if I want to live according to God's plan and help others do the same, I must stay in tune with Him.

My Plan

Humans love to make plans.  Whether it be financial strategies with the aim of becoming independently stable, personal plots used to reach a certain goal, or professional campaigns designed to fulfill a dream, every person tends to make some kind of plan for their own life.

My plans tend to be based on opportunity, expectations or tradition.  For instance, my dad went into barbering as his lifelong career because his best friend's father was a barber and took him under his wing.  My dad went to school and soon found himself practicing his newly learned skill, all because a door opened before him.

Similarly, a friend of mine in high school never thought about going to college because no one in her family did, and neither of her parents ever suggested it.  It was her expectation that she would get married and raise a family without ever considering higher education.  In contrast, I went to college out of a sense of custom: it just seemed to be the pattern that most people followed so I thought a person's life should follow the same path of graduating from high school, going to college, getting married and raising children.  

In every one of the above instances, none of us consulted God, inquiring as to whether the path I found before me matched up with God's plan.  Instead, we let our own understanding of where we fit into the world shape our future.

It is easy to make a plan based on my own ideas, but if I want to follow God's master plan for my life, I must stay connected to Him.

His Plan

She couldn't understand why God made her this way:  Her hair was jet black and stick straight and while most students in her class could easily reach the coat racks, she always needed help to hang up her jacket.  As a result, this young girl was often the butt of many-a-joke while she was in school.  Once she entered into the mission field, however, everything began to make sense.

You see, this young lady became a missionary to the Chinese people where she fit in quite naturally due to the very physical characteristics that used to bring her such grief.  God had a plan that she could not understand until later.

For this reason, it is important that I trust God enough to accept all the quirky qualities He has placed within me, believing that He will one day use it for His glory.  Instead of putting myself down, then, I can see myself as one who was "fearfully and wonderfully made." (Psalm 139:14)  God has a plan that I know nothing about, and to Him, I am a work of art that He purposefully placed right where I am.  Therefore, I need not worry about tomorrow because it's all mapped out.

God's plan is mysterious and masterful, but if I want to follow the path He has laid out for me, I must keep His sovereignty always in mind as I walk closely beside Him.

There is a time for everything, as Solomon so eloquently penned in Ecclesiastes 3.  Either I can base that timing on the advice of others or I can follow my own plan, but if I want to live based on God's purpose, it is vital that I follow His blueprint for my life.  Since He's the only one who knows that plan, then, I would be wise to stick closer than a brother to my loving Father.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can stay connected to my Master Planner.

When do I rely on my own common sense to make decisions instead of seeking God's will?

How do I ignore the still, small voice of God's Spirit as He tries to guide me through my day?