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Point of Reference
by Fred Price
In attempting to understand God’s way of interacting in our lives, we must first accept a basic truth concerning who/what God is. It’s not us, He being something “other” than us to a degree we can’t fully comprehend – at least not this side of heaven. Because of that, He doesn’t always intervene or help us in the way we prefer because he doesn’t “see” things the same way we do. Yet we can still take comfort when He encourages us with, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Is. 41:10 Jesus welcoming us into his embrace with, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
Paul’s life reminds us how some of God’s answers to prayer and solutions to the complexities of life come about in ways we don’t often foresee. Hardship, persecution, depravation and physical danger may very well be a part of our life experience, but it is in and through these experiences that we become conquerors in Christ; neither life nor death being able to separate us from God’s love and ultimate provision of safety, redemption and fulfillment in his presence. (Romans 8:35-39, echoing Psalm 56:3, “…in God I trust; I will not be afraid.”) The lives of the disciples also reveal a pattern of miraculous relief and release accompanied by ever-present hardship and eventual martyrdom. (11 of the original 12 disciples being killed for their faith, John alone dying of old age.) Likewise, even though Paul was repeatedly rescued from trials and persecution, he too was finally be beheaded in Rome. (See Hebrews 11:35-39) Does that make any sense? Evidently it did, as they grasped the essence of what missionary Jim Elliot later expressed concerning the priorities of the Christian life. “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” (See also Matthew 16:24,25)
One concept crucial to our understanding of God is that he is not and never will be accountable to us; our understanding of him often based on human perspectives and examples, which always fall short of God’s reality.1He is majestic, holy, all-mighty and sovereign – independent, superior, supreme in purpose and ability; which makes it imperative that we acknowledge our inability to fully grasp the infinite mind of God and the way he involves himself in our lives. In fact, scripture declares, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,…” Proverbs 25:2 (See also Is. 45:15) Why? Is he merely playing games with us, like a cat batting a mouse around for his own pleasure? No, for as Deuteronomy assures us – if we seek him we will find him – if we seek him with all our hearts. (Deuteronomy 4:29, See also Matthew 6:33 & Luke 19:10)
The reality of the situation is that, “…secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things (revealed by him) belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” Deuteronomy 29:29 (See also Acts 1:7 & 17:10-12) God often reveals what we are capable of understanding as we mature and grow in faith and grace, but he is under no compulsion to do so – particularly at our command; sometimes choosing to test and stretch our faith by allowing things to occur that we don’t like or comprehend. We will not – cannot – understand God in all his glory and purpose, “As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the maker of all things.” Ecclesiastes 11:5 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways… As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Is. 55:8,9 Paul concluding that God’s judgments are “unsearchable”, his ways “past finding out.” Romans 11:33 Indeed, “Who knows the mind of the Lord that he may instruct (or question) him?” 1 Corinthians 2:16
Please know however that God is not indifferent to our need of answers and aid as, “…the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer,…” 1 Peter 3:12 Scripture promising that, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and he delivers them.” Psalm 34:7 Even as it acknowledges that, “A righteous man may have many troubles,…” Psalm 34:19 (See also 2 Corinthians 1:3-10, particularly “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”)
All of which allows us to find consolation, inspiration and courage – even in the midst of uncertainty – from Jeremiah 29:11, which says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
1Some source material gathered from James Dobson’s book, “When God Doesn’t Make Sense”, Tyndale House Publishing
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Fred Price - married (50 years), father of two grown children, grandfather of six.
Fred retired earlier this year after 42 years as a factory worker. He has always had a heart for young people and the challenges they face today. Over the years Fred has taught Discipleship Groups for High School and college students.
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