God Wants You For Eternity

Good morning as the sun rises over the garage. Well, we didn't have the sub-zero stuff last night. Felt right nice to go outside this morning without a "Whoa!" catching in my throat. There is hope in the forecast after that one more storm due in tonight. Doesn't that seem just like life? There is hope if we can make it through this one last storm! Always there seems one more storm. I thought this morning about the way in which God bestows His blessings. Often, I have thought that I know better about when, what, and how much. But, what if I saw with the wisdom of God? Would I be so quick to say the prayer that specifically states, "I need this right now" or "He/she needs that right now, Lord"?

Say that you prayed for your small church to receive a manifold blessing of loot to fill the church coffers and ease the difficult church board financial discussions each month. God responds with a shower of offerings, and all seems just fine. However, the end result isn't what you expect. What was once a church united in desperate need under God becomes a wealthy country club-like church bickering and backstabbing, voting out members for the least offense, and generally looking down the nose at those new families who joined after the monetary rescue. We don't know that would happen of course. But, knowing that possible outcome in God's wisdom, which is available to us for the asking, might we not rethink that prayer?

Now, what about God's wisdom in your/my situation? We strive, we work, we try this, seek out that, but sometimes nothing seems to change for very long. The same problem returns again and again. The big question arrives: Is this circumstance God's will for my life and I should just accept, or, should I continue to strive against it until breakthrough is achieved, or, even to wait for that moment when, as Jesus said to Paul, "It is hard for you to kick against the goads" and accept the complete turnaround in life that gives us new direction? Yikes, take a deep breath after that sentence. From that bit of a verse in Acts, I wonder if Jesus may have spoken to Paul earlier on the road to Damascus, but Paul would not listen until overawed by the splendor of the risen Christ and blinded by His glory.

There is no fit-all answer when the big question arrives. We accept that we are sinners and must have the salvation of Christ. We may be given a 'thorn in the side' like Paul, and we accept that situation as glorifying God in our weakness. We may be given the heavenly vision of the risen Christ and have a miraculous turn in the direction of our lives. Like Peter, we may strive and strive, and then an outpouring of the Holy Spirit overcomes our former denials, blasts through a lack of education or public speaking skill, and makes us into the leader of a young church. Then again, all of that could happen to any and all of us.

You and I cannot know in many cases except through painful and slow testing what God's will is in a matter. Many of us have faced mid-life turning points, while others at that same age have continued on, enduring to the end. Both have done this in Christ, and what is God's will for one does not fit God's will for the other. At other times, many brothers in Christ may walk together for a season, uplifting and encouraging each other. There is good news in the not always knowing as we would like in the manner of being told specifically as Paul was on that road so long ago.

In faith, we joined God's team and He accepted us for eternity. That's right, we don't get let go from this team. God wants you and me for eternity. Sometimes we feel like the player sent out onto a field he has never seen before, to play a game he has never heard of, with a crowd of saints chanting for him to "Go! Go!", while being exhorted by the man in his Sunday suit to score the winning goal. All the player can feel is his weakness, and all he knows is his ignorance. But a little faith, even as a grain of mustard seed, a little prayer on trembling knees, and all the might and strength of Heaven's Almighty God will see him through the task.

God's love and peace to you on this day,
Bucky