Two-Fold Purpose

"Then the LORD said to Moses,

'Return to the Pharaoh and make your demands again.

I have made him and his officials stubborn

so I can display my miraculous signs among them.

I've also done it so you can tell your children

and grandchildren 

about how I made a mockery of the Egyptians 

and about the sings I displayed among them--

and so you will know that I am the LORD.'"

Exodus 10:1-2 NLT

It seemed like the cruelest of jokes.  God promised to deliver His people from the brutality of bondage under the merciless hand of the Pharaoh, king of Egypt.  Instead of ushering them out of slavery, however, God hardened the heart of this ruler so that plague after plague could be sent forth throughout the land.  The Lord intentionally prolonged the suffering of His people, delaying the day of their deliverance and salvation. (Exodus 4-12)

Why would God not usher His people out of oppression and directly into freedom?  Why is that God was willing to delay the promised relief of those who called Him by name?  Why did He deem as acceptable the continued suffering for those He claimed to love?

The people of Israel must have felt like they got the short end of the stick in this deal.  While God did send a deliverer to them, it must have been hard to understand the method and timetable He was using.

I can relate.  There are times in my life when I can think of a much less painful way for God to help me, or a more enjoyable process through which I can learn His ways.  During these times, when it seems things are hopeless and I can't understand what God is doing, I might consider that He is using this time to show His might.  

It is only by delivering me through hard times instead of rescuing me from the suffering that I learn something about God.  His purposes for using this method are two-fold.

Legacy

"Tell me the story about you and Grandpa during the Depression,"  the little girl demanded as she snuggled down in her grandmother's lap.

"Well, alright.  Your grandfather and I were on the verge of losing our home.  We didn't know what to do but we did know God.  So we asked Him for help and told Him that we trusted Him to take care of us."

"Say the words, Grandma!"

The old woman chuckled at her granddaughter's enthusiasm. "Lord, we're desperate but You are at peace.  We are at a loss but You are in the middle of a great plan.  We don't know what tomorrow may bring but You hold it in the palm of your hand.  So, because You are mighty and worthy to be praised, we place all our cares at your feet, trusting You to supply our needs."

"Then what happened?  What's next?"

"You know what happens next, child! You've heard this a million times!"

"Tell me, Grandma!"

"Okay, okay.  A man from the bank walked up our driveway the following day with a piece of paper in his hands.  He told us that he couldn't understand it, but somehow the bank had made a mistake and our house was paid in full.  Then he handed over the deed and shook each one of our hands."

"Then what did you do?"

"Grandpa and I danced for joy right there in the front yard.  We sang praises to our God who is mighty to save."

Legacy.  The testimonies of God's greatness that is passed down from generation to generation is important to the faith of those who follow behind us.  If God never brought me through anything difficult, there wouldn't be much for me to tell my children and grandchildren about the power of God.  

Instead of leaving me without a testimony, then, God sometimes chooses to take me through the valley of the shadow of death so I can learn more intimately of His comforting presence. Then, I can tell others about His compassion.

As a way of supplying me with a story to tell of the goodness of God, He might send me into a time of darkness where I am surrounded by evil.  As I rely on Him, I more fully realize His goodness as it contrasts with all the darkness I see around me.

So I won't have to go on without evidence of His sovereignty, He may allow me to suffer the loss of a loved one, giving me a wider scope of His mysterious greatness.  I then can pass on the lesson of His unfathomable supremacy that cannot be comprehended by the puny human mind.

When God takes me through suffering instead of delivering me from it, He is building for me a legacy of His greatness.

Wake-Up Call

He thought he had it all figured out:  He would finish college with a degree in architecture, sign on with a successful firm and work his way up to partner, one day owning his own company.  Then came the accident.  When he woke up in the hospital unable to move his hands, he soon learned he had been in a horrible car crash where he lost the use of his arms and hands.  His dreams were lost in the blink of an eye.

This young man eventually came around to accept the fact that his plan was not going to come true.  He also learned that he is not the one in control of his own life, but that God is the only One who holds the blueprint for all of his days.  While it is fine and dandy to make plans, the Lord is the One who orders our footsteps.  (Proverbs 16:9)

When God brings me through a tragedy, crisis or heartbreak, He may be giving me a similar kind of wake-up call, reminding me of His sovereignty.  It's easy to get to the point where I think I have everything under control.  I convince myself that I have a plan and as long as I follow it step-by-step, everything will be okay.  

Then God allows the unthinkable into my life:  The sickness, the financial crisis, the natural disaster.  Suddenly, I realize I'm at His mercy and there's nothing I can do to deliver myself from the situation.  I've been given a chance to recognize God's rightful place as Lord and acknowledge that my life is truly in His hands.

When God takes me through suffering instead of delivering me from it, He is reminding me of His sovereign power over all of His creation, and of my place as His precious child.

It is easy to get mad when I'm thrown a curve-ball.  I'm so quick to point out how it's not fair that I have to suffer or that it seems I can never get a break.  Instead of complaining about how horrible my life is, I can choose to see how God is using the suffering in my life to build a testimony of His greatness, and to remind me of Who is truly in control.  When I think of it this way instead of focusing on my pain, I may see the good that is coming out of His purpose for my life.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I can trust God through the suffering I'm enduring.

When do I tend to feel sorry for myself instead of realizing God has a good plan that includes this suffering?

How do I forget that God is in control and instead think I can somehow orchestrate my own life?

Credible Witness

"The man who saw it has given testimony,

and his testimony is true.

He knows that he tells the truth,

and he testifies so that you also may believe."

John 19:35

John told what he had seen take place before his eyes: the fulfillment of many prophecies in the way Jesus died.

He gave witness so others would hear and then believe that Jesus is the Messiah sent by God to make a way where there is no way; to provide eternal life to all who believe.

What have I witnessed Jesus do in my life that I can share with others so that they, too, can believe?  

Transformation?

Provision?

Protection?

Deliverance?

Peace?

What stories do I have to tell this day?

Heart Letter

"Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result

of our ministry among you.

This "letter" is written not with pen and ink,

but with the Spirit of the living God.

It is carved not on tablets of stone,

but on human hearts."

2 Corinthians 3:3 NLT

Her countenance displayed a peace that didn't make sense under the circumstances.  Her son had been diagnosed with a progressive and pervasive illness after a period of suffering and decline in health.  The treatment took time and her son did not respond as quickly as hoped.  Still, her actions reflected the hope she carried in her heart.  The way she handled herself throughout this crisis was a powerful testimony to her faith in Jesus Christ to everyone she came into contact with during that difficult time.


My life is a testimony, and people are reading the story all the time.  Either I am showcasing the peace that only comes in trusting Jesus with all things, or I am revealing the hopelessness I feel as I struggle to go on in my own strength.  


As the old saying goes, "Actions speak louder than words."  The way I live my life speaks volumes.  

Lord of my Life

Who is lord of my life?  Great 20th Century Christian intellectual C.S. Lewis put it this way.  "To love and admire anything outside yourself is to take one step away from utter spiritual ruin; though we shall not be well so long as we love and admire anything more than we love and admire God."  

I cannot live as the woman God created me to be until Jesus is Lord of my life.  Something will always be off.  Fears will creep in and smother.  Despair will rule.

But Jesus told us as recorded in John 10 that He is the gate; the only way to get to God.  He said, "whoever enters through me will be saved.  He will come in and go out, and find pasture.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (v 9-10)

This is a promise that whoever enters into a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ will experience an abundant life. Not just an existence where Satan constantly steals my joy, kills my hope and destroys my peace.  No. . . faith in Jesus gives me hope where no hope seems to exist.  Like in the hospital room.  Or in the midst of a difficult marriage.  Even in the dark places of my heart.

Making Jesus Lord of my life means that I trust Him fully with all things, not just the stuff I want to give to Him.  He wants all of me.  He said, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)  

Before my life can be a testimony for Jesus, my life must belong to Him.

Authentic Living

I know a woman who is suffering deeply.  She stepped away from the faith and into another religion that teaches a false gospel.  Her physical ailments weigh heavily upon her.  The family issues drag her down.  She sounds hopeless.  As she stands on the brink of a difficult separation within her family, I ask her how she feels about the situation.  She tells me what she thinks she's supposed to say, trying to reassure herself that if she focuses only on the good and not the hurt, she'll be okay.

We all know better.  Ignoring pain does not make it go away.  In fact, I would submit that it makes it grow until the hurt cannot be ignored.

God wants me to be honest with my feelings, struggles and fears.  Especially in my conversations with Him.  Think about it: He already knows my feelings, struggles, and fears.  When I try to pretend everything is okay or if I only say what I think He wants me to say, then I am lying to Him for He already knows!  

Honest sharing of feelings is the hallmark of a deep intimate relationship.  If I can't trust God with my difficulties, who can I trust?  He loves me more than anyone. As I share with Him, I will experience His healing touch as He transforms my perspective from one of despair to one filled with hopefulness.

Before my life can be a testimony for Jesus, I must be honest with Him.

Be Ready

The motto of the Boy Scouts of America is, "Be Prepared."  The idea is that if one is well trained, he will be ready to help whenever needed, know how to meet the challenges that life brings, and be able to handle the struggles that will inevitably present themselves. 

It is the same with us as we follow Christ.  I must take training seriously so that I will, ". . .be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."  (1 Peter 3:15)    

When people see the, "peace that passes understanding, " in the mother's countenance as she waits for the lab results, they will want to know how she can not be worried out of her mind.  The training that she has undergone as she has studied God's Word over the years kicks into gear and she is able to tell why she has hope.  And the gospel is spread. . . .

As my life becomes a living testimony, I must be ready to back my actions up with words.

Many times I get this process backwards, thinking I need to tell everyone about Jesus before it's too late.  But first I must make sure Jesus is truly Lord of my life, live authentically before Him, and study His Word so I will be prepared to speak.

My life is a testimony of God's work in my life; it is a letter He has written on my heart for everyone to read.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will give more of myself over to God.

In what ways do I lie to myself, others and God in the way I pretend like everything is okay?

How can I be more honest in my relationship with God?