WHICH GOD DO YOU WORSHIP?
Part 4

"I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me.
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying,
My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure"
(Isaiah 46:9, 10).

We continue talking about the kind of God we worship. It grieves my heart to hear people say they are angry with God because things do not work out according to their plan. God has promised us eternal salvation and glory, but He has not promised that everything will be perfect in our lives in this evil and hurting world.

1 Peter 4: 12, 13 says: "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's suffering: that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."

Another false conception is that many people think that:

4. GOD SHOULD NOT ALLOW ANYTHING TO MAKE THEM UNHAPPY

Our attitude to every little or big thing that happens to us comes down to our understanding of God. Is the God we worship a God that does everything I want Him to do? If so, he is not the God of the Bible. The true God is the I AM THAT I AM, not "I am what you want me to be."

Recently someone commented that it is wrong to share how God wants to bless us with children because it could make those who have had miscarriages embittered. What a sad statement. Yes, it is such a grieving thing to go through a miscarriage. To lose life at any stage brings grief and sorrow. But many mothers miscarry. In fact, most mothers miscarry at some stage during their childbearing years. Should this make us bitter towards God?

This could never be the case if we know who our God is. Our God is in control of every situation. He is a good God. He is not mostly good. He is totally and perfectly good, because He is holy and perfect in every attribute of His character. His anger is holy anger. His love is holy love. His justice is holy justice. His goodness is holy, perfect, and absolute goodness.

He works everything out for the best. We don't often see it with our puny, finite, earthly eyes. But one day we will know and understand. One day all evil will be subdued. One day all pain and suffering will cease and God will wipe away all tears from your eyes. One day all the nations will be brought into subjection to His dominion. In the meantime, He waits with patience. He has His ultimate timing. He waits for He is not willing that any should perish.

And in the meantime we can totally trust Him. If we don't trust Him, we worship a false god who is less than WHO HE IS!

After talking about the blessing of children, another mother reacted, "So does God hate me because He doesn't give me children?" The ache and longing for children can be unbearable. After many years of barrenness, Rachel, Jacob's wife, cried out in despair, "Give me children, or else I die" (Genesis 30:1).

Even in this greatest pain a mother bears, we must still trust in God's sovereignty. Yes, the blessing of children is one of God's very precious blessings, and the first blessing He gave to mankind (Genesis 1: 28). But if God does not bless you in one way, He blesses you in other ways. He blesses you moment by moment. God's blessings are myriad. Look for His blessings in your life. Count them one by one. Never give up thanking Him for the blessings He gives you.

He blesses you with His divine Presence. He blesses you with His sustaining, life-giving Word. He blesses you with your husband and a home to live in. He blesses you with family and friends. He blesses you with the gift of a new day to live for Him and glorify Him, for isn't this our ultimate goal? The shorter catechism says: "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever."

And above all, He blesses you with the gift of salvation. To have the blessing of forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life is beyond anything we ever deserve. Every other blessing is only icing on the cake.

2 Corinthians 4:18 says: "For your light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a FAR MORE EXCEEDING AND ETERNAL WIEGHT OF GLORY; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." The Knox translation says: "This light momentary affliction brings with it a reward multiplied every way, LOADING US WITH EVERLASTING GLORY."

God's plan for you is not as much for this life as for the eternal. I am always challenged by the attitude Joseph had in all his loneliness, suffering, and heartache. Taken away from his family as a teenager and left and forgotten in prison for years, he never ceased to trust God. God had his timing for Joseph. He was doing something far bigger in Joseph; He was preparing him to bless nations.

Joseph's brothers feared that he would punish them for betraying him. Instead Joseph says: "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but GOD MEANT IT UNTO GOOD, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive" (Genesis 50:19-21. Read also Genesis 45:7,8).

God is always working everything out in your life for good; not only for your good, but for the good of many others.

Be blessed. Nancy Campbell

PRAYER:

"I thank you, dear Father, that I can trust You. When I lean on my own resources and reasoning, I crash. When I lean on You I will never fall for You are my Rock and my Salvation. I acknowledge that You are a good God and that you are working out everything in my life and my family for good and for the blessing of many people. I thank you in Jesus' name. Amen."

AFFIRMATION:

My God is a good God. My God is in control of every situation, even when I cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel.