Yesterday at church, Pastor K continued in the book of Joshua. We were in chapter 6. It is the story of the walls of Jericho a-tumblin' down. A familiar story, one I have heard and read countless times, yet the Lord used it to remind me of His sovereignty and my lack of it.
The account is of God telling Joshua that Jericho will be given to the Israelites. He gives Joshua very explicit instructions to last 7 days. Joshua had the directive. Yet when he went to the people he didn't tell them all that God told him. He left out the whole 7 days part and what the result would be. He gave them a bit more info on the 7th day, but still didn't even tell them the walls would fall down after the trumpet blowing and people shouting. (I am going on this assumption of lack of information, based on what is written, Joshua may have told them everything and it was just not recorded, but that would spoil the point of this missive). Anyway, Pastor K's point was that God is not restricted to time, we are time oriented. God sees the whole picture, beginning, middle and end. We rarely can see past the end of our noses. Because of this we must live by faith, we must trust a sovereign God who knows exactly what He wants us to do, but never gives us the full picture.
Case in point: Autumn has been going everywhere putting in applications and leaving resumes at several businesses. She had a preliminary interview last week at a children's museum. She has heard from no other place, even places she knows where people just quit. She has been frustrated. Yesterday she made a comment about how no one wants her. I quickly reminded her of the pastor's sermon. 'Keep on marching' was my response.
Faith, trust, obedience, all that was required of the Israelites to bring the walls down. They didn't have all the details. Can you imagine if they did? They would have thought Joshua was crazy. How many times did they see God work miracles in the wilderness and they still were in disbelief? What if when we were born, God mysteriously sent a book detailing every day of our lives, start to finish and everything in between. We would know what was to happen to us that day, as well as 20 years down the line. I think if this were the case, there would be a lot of complaining, and bargaining with God everyday. There would be discontentment, anger, disbelief, and fear, magnified by each person. There are things that have taken place in my life that I certainly wouldn't have wanted to know about before it happened. That is why God is sovereign, why He is God.
I don't know what the Lord has in store for me. Will I pass my CNA class? Will I have to be a CNA till I retire? Will I be able to retire? I don't know. I don't need to know. Again, it is back to just trusting in an oh, so faithful God, being obedient, being willing to allow His will to enfold me,
especially when I think I want to know. My times are in His hand, and there in lies the best laid plans.
Remember this, and be assured: Recall it to mind, you transgressors. Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like me.
Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, "My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure...
Isaiah 46: 9-10
Good to read those words and be reminded once again
ReplyDeletethat God is sovreign.