2009 – Day 73.Mar. 15 – “Watch Me Work”

2009 – Day 73.Mar. 15 – “Watch Me Work”

Passage of the Day: Exod. 5: 22 – 6: 12 … Link to Exod. 5 – 6 for study …

My Journal for Today: If you’ve read today’s passage, you may be able to identify with Moses. Here he was, as Swindoll says, feeling “as low as a snake’s belly.” He was doing what God’s word had commanded; and nothing seemed to be working as it should. And this is a theme that runs throughout the Bible and a truth that we simply must learn to live in a world which is hostile to God. And it’s a truth which Swindoll admits makes no sense by worldly standards.

The truth is that God’s best work is done when it makes no human sense; and His best use of His servants is done when his servants are at the end of their rope. Think about it in scripture with so many of God’s prophets and servants and His most glaring victories. There was the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham and Sarah with a child being born to two really old folks; and the deliverance of their Son Isaac when God senselessly asked that he die at Abraham’s hand. There was time when Isaiah called down rain and fire from the heavens to the astonishment of the prophets of Baal. There was the time when God saved the Ninevites, much to the astonishment and chagrin of Jonah. There was the time when God led Gideon from threshing wheat in a wine barrel to victory with only 300 soldiers over thousands of the enemies of God. There was the time when Jesus was born into a manger, turned water into wine, walked on water, died on a cross and was resurrected to save mankind.

Do we get the picture? … No, I don’t think we do. It’s an absolute truth that God repeats over and over and over again in His word – that He will do His business in His time and in HIS way. But we, so often, just don’t get it. Jesus’ inner disciples, the twelve who followed the Lord for three years, watching Him perform miracle after miracle after miracle; and they were like all of the rest of us are now. They just didn’t get it. And we need to admit it as well. When we are confronted with the tough circumstances of life which reveal just how weak we are, do we believe the truth from Paul in 2nd Cor. 12: 9 [link provided] – that God’s grace will be sufficient for us in our weakness to demonstrate God’s strength? No, few of us, calling ourselves Christians, really believe the truth of a Romans 8: 28 that ALL things DO work together for the good of a real Christian. … No, in tough times, we mostly react like God’s people reacted in seeing Pharaoh resist Moses in their confrontation of wills. Even God’s Prophet, Moses, balked (see Exod. 5: 22-23 linked above) saying, in essence, “Lord, I did what You said; … what gives?; … Pharaoh’s not cooperating!”

Well, we know, from reading on, that Moses gathered himself and persisted; but the challenge would continue and there would be many more tests and trials and tribulations; and Moses would not have our advantage of knowing (and hopefully believing) what the Apostle Paul wrote in 1st Cor. 10: 13, where God encourages believers that no temptation, trial, or test will be brought into our lives, as Christians, which we cannot handle or deal with when we rely on and stick with God.

I have a symbol which I often use in letters and emails to fellow Christians, encouraging them to “keep on keeping on in Christ.” The symbol is “ <’KOKO>< " … and I’ll let you figure out its significance. But often, when I’m feeling low or incompetent, as Moses must’ve felt, this little symbol helps me remember that God will never forsake me (Heb. 13: 5) and that HE is my strength when I am weak (Phil. 4: 13 - no link here; you should know this one!). So, to any of you who might be feeling weak or incapable right now, I will leave this exhortation with you …

"<’KOKO><"

My Prayer for Today: Lord, Your grace is sufficient – ALWAYS! Amen