Oh, Gracious God, we are desperate for You:
“Our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”
2Chron 20:12 NIV
This vast army! You ever feel that way? You are being attacked in all directions? I know I certainly do. And so like this wise king, I often do pray, “Oh Lord, please take this unwanted circumstance from me.” But do you know what the better prayer is? “Oh Lord, will You please grow me through this unwanted circumstance?” You see, if we truly believe that God loves us, and that He is in total control of everyone and everything…this is what Sovereign means BTW…then why are we sweating the difficulties that come our way? Sure we don’t like them…if we did, that would be a whole other problem! But if God is allowing it, then there must be a good reason for it.
God is so much more concerned with our character than our comfort. It is not that He wants us to suffer, but this is the only way we will learn to surrender to Him, to trust Him and to obey Him. “Even though Jesus was God’s Son, He learned obedience from the things He suffered.” (Heb 5:8 NLT) If Jesus learned obedience that way, who are we, right?! Challenges are not meant to kill us…oh wait, that’s exactly what they are meant to do! We will wrap it up tomorrow…
Join me in memorizing 52 verses this year:
January: 1- Jn 3:16; 2- 2Co 5:17; 3- Jas 2:26; 4- Eph 2:10
February: 5- Jn 10:10; 6- Ro 6:23; 7- Rev 21:4; 8- Php 4:13
March: 9- 1Pe 5:7; 10- Jn 8:32; 11- Dt 30:19; 12- Jn 3:30; 13- 2Chron 20:3
14- 2Chron 20:12
<>< Peace, Diane
