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JOB 23:8-12
“Look, I go forward, but He is not there,
And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;
When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him;
When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.
But He knows the way that I take;
When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
My foot has held fast to His steps;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.
I have not departed from the commandment of His lips;
I have treasured the words of His mouth
More than my necessary food.
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing:
but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.
PROVERBS 25:2
I don’t know if you have ever read ‘The Little World of Don Camillo’ by Giovannino Guareschi? It is a collection of humorous short stories about an Italian priest and his adversary Peppone, leader of the local Communists. Don Camillo talks to God about the various problems and dilemmas he encounters — many of them exacerbated by his own actions. These stories were wonderfully portrayed on BBC Radio 4 with Alun Armstrong as Don Camillo and Joss Ackland as God. The episodes are amusing but usually conclude with Don Camillo realising that if only he had listened to God’s voice initially there would have been no problem (and no story either).
Why am I digressing in such a way? Largely because I often feel the same way as Don Camillo. If only I had listened to God in the testing, everything would have been so much easier. Or rather, and correctly — as our Heavenly Father knows the end from the beginning — He would have shaken His head at my lack of understanding, but shown me the way nonetheless, and taught me a valuable lesson at the same time. We all experience times of testing and trial. of suffering and straying from the truth. Indeed our paths are rarely straight ones, and our Heavenly Father knows this and He is always there to forgive and restore if we return to Him. That is a major lesson in the story of The Prodical Son (Luke 15:11-32).
Why am I digressing in such a way? Largely because I often feel the same way as Don Camillo. If only I had listened to God in the testing, everything would have been so much easier. Or rather, and correctly — as our Heavenly Father knows the end from the beginning — He would have shaken His head at my lack of understanding, but shown me the way nonetheless, and taught me a valuable lesson at the same time. We all experience times of testing and trial. of suffering and straying from the truth. Indeed our paths are rarely straight ones, and our Heavenly Father knows this and He is always there to forgive and restore if we return to Him. That is a major lesson in the story of The Prodical Son (Luke 15:11-32).
However, the most important lesson for us is our relationship with Him. A hearing relationship; that Father/child interaction that raises our Holy Spirit-filled life of faith out of mere religion and into an everlasting union. When we turn back to Him in repentance, He runs to meet us as we approach Him. The Father knows His children, for as His children we are like Him, and we must acknowledge Him as our Heavenly Father who deserves our praise, thanksgiving and worship. To God be the glory. Give Him the glory that is His due. No holding back
Read through those words from Job 23:8-12 and meditate upon them. Put your own voice to those words of Job — remembering also his story, with all the tragedy that had fallen upon him at the devil’s hand.
I praise the Lord that He shows me new truth and new vision in every day, so that I can truthfully say:
Read through those words from Job 23:8-12 and meditate upon them. Put your own voice to those words of Job — remembering also his story, with all the tragedy that had fallen upon him at the devil’s hand.
I praise the Lord that He shows me new truth and new vision in every day, so that I can truthfully say:
When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
My foot has held fast to His steps;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.
I have not departed from the commandment of His lips;
I have treasured the words of His mouth
More than my necessary food.
__________
Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
HEBREWS 13:20-21
YOU TUBE PRAISE: PURIFY MY HEART
A CLOSING WORD from… JESUS CHRIST
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. (NLT)
JOHN 14:1