There will be friends reading this who have the heavy heart of situations that are seemingly so impossible. Maybe it is a child or grandchild, who wants to live without boundaries in a world which tells us to "be ourselves" and do what feels good to ourselves without any sense of accountability. You wonder what would wake them up to the fact that there are consequences to all actions, and that they need to stop trampling on God's grace. For others it is the perpetually difficult marriage with daily sorrow, difficult relatives who cause the family unnumbered stresses, or troubled local church situation, which in its fragmented, self service or insular state looks a very ugly (unfaithful) version of the bride of Christ. In our worn down state we wonder if things could ever be profitable, grace filled, missional, fruitfully growing again. For some it will be the hard graft of being faithful where God has called you, (maybe a frontier context) and you wonder if years of laying the foundation will ever be worth it.
Some of the most encouraging words in the bible are ...
"He also made the stars"
Gen 1:16.
What a profound understatement and postscript that is, on the power and magnified beauty of God. How much higher he is than us. How dare we ever try to confine him to our limitations, or try to bound him by our understanding of our situation?
"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!"
Romans 11:33
We are reminded in God's living word that it only takes a single word from him for a manifold work of great beauty to occur. Genesis 1 is known for the recurring phrase ... "And God said" in the formation and ordering of the cosmos, but throughout the bible the rest of history is unpacked from the context of the authority of God to form, change, rescue and redirect history into his order by his word.
It only takes a word to bring life into being, to wake the dead, to calm the storm, to heal the sick, to convert the persecutor, to save the faithful from danger, to raise a rescuer for a generation, and it is by God's word that he speaks salvation to us unmistakably in Christ ( Hebrews 1:1-2)
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
A word is all it takes, because
"Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save,
- 1) Remember and be re-humbled by the fact that nothing is impossible with God. He has a plan, both now and ultimately, and we can trust that it is ultimately good.
- 2) Trust that his good works have included all the details that keep you awake at night, learn to sleep knowing that he never slumbers or sleeps.
- 3) Intercede for others to be impacted and rescued by his grace, in the knowledge that the very same grace is the only reason that we are awoken to these sensitivities and prayer.
- 4) Be strong and courageous in the strength he provides, when defeat looks like it will be snatched from the jaws of victory. Our God specialises in the impossible; Caleb and Joshua knew it as they looked at the mountain, Abraham and Sarah knew it as they looked at their child, Daniel knew it as he looked at the company of God in the diminishing flames, and the softening of the lion, Elijah knew it s he looked at the astonishment of God's opponents at Carmel, Simeon knew it as he saw the completion of masses of prophecy, Mary knew it as the angels sang, the shepherds bowed, and as they escaped the plans of Herod, Paul knew it as the jailor submitted, the apostles knew it as they ate breakfast with the risen Christ.
from him comes my salvation.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
3 How long will all of you attack a man
to batter him,
like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.
They take pleasure in falsehood.
They bless with their mouths,
but inwardly they curse. Selah
5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my salvation and my glory;
my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah
9 Those of low estate are but a breath;
those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
they are together lighter than a breath.
1 Put no trust in extortion;
set no vain hopes on robbery;
if riches increase, set not your heart on them.
1 Once God has spoken;
twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God,
1 and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.
For you will render to a man
according to his work.
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