Corona Devo 3165
God doesn't just give up and go away. If we are struggling today, and in-need of our Heavenly Father--He is here, and that is good news to us (whether we are ready to hear it or not).
But if we are running-from, ignoring, or avoiding the Lord and His plans for us today--the same Truth is true: God doesn't just give up and go away.
For better or for worse, whether we agree with Him or disagree, whether we think 'our way' is better than 'His way'...God doesn't just give up and go away, and He will pursue us and His good plan for our lives.
God's nearness and pursuit of us is a comfort most of the time, but if we are avoiding His will for our lives, it can almost feel like a threat. But when we feel like God is "on our back", then this is an indicator that we are fleeing from His plans and will for us....God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” ~Hebrews 13:5
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” ~Matthew 11:28-30
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. ~Jeremiah 29:11
Are we ready to listen? Or will we dig our heels in and keep choosing our plan?
We are all guilty of not wanting to do what God tells us to do sometimes. But His ways are better for us, and His ways are not our ways.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. (9) “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. ~Isaiah 55:8-9
In the Biblical book of Numbers, there was a king named Balak who wanted to put a curse on the Israelite people (God's people). Balak sought out a prophet (Balaam) to make it happen. But when Balaam asked God about it, God (of course) said (essentially) "no way".
Our Lord will not harm His own people.
But...our Lord will pursue and discipline His own people if we are running from His plan for us.
Balaam (prophet) started-out to go and see Balak (king), but God had decided that He did not want Balaam to have anything to do with Balak (because Balak wanted to harm His people). And so God stood in Balaam's way (in the form of a donkey).
Repeatedly.
Until Balaam saw God and acknowledged His authority in his life.
Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. (22) But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him.
Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. (23) When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.
(24) Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides. (25) When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.
(26) Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. (27) When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff. (28) Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”
(29) Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”
(30) The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”
“No,” he said.
(31) Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.
(32) The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. ~Numbers 22:21-32
It's a wild story, but have we considered the lengths that our Lord will go to in order to have us acknowledge His good plan for our lives, instead of (continuing) to pursue (and settle) for ours?
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem... How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! ~Matthew 23:37
Our God loves us, Brothers and Sisters. He loves us so much that He will not just give up and go away. If we are struggling today, and in-need of our Heavenly Father--He is here, and that is good news to us.
~~~
It's a process to accept/submit-to/have-faith-in God's plans over ours. It's hard. It's humbling.
But we will experience His victory in doing so. If we can forgo our pride, we will inherit His glory, and not just for our Eternity with Him, but for today.
Aren't we tired of running from God's will for us?
Aren't we sick and tired of being sick and tired in our own strength.
Submit to God's will today. Let us take on His mantle and also His strength and blessing over us.
Have you not known?Have you not heard?The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.(29) He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.(30) Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall,(31) but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. ~Isaiah 31:28-31
God doesn't just give up and go away, and that is good news to us. Our Lord will pursue us.
Is the Lord (in some way) standing in front of us today?
Has He made repeated efforts for us to go His way instead of ours?
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, let's open our eyes today. May we see God and acknowledge His authority in our life. And let's get on His path, and off of ours.
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