I will give Him glory (part 2)

God can correct us whilst we are in transit, because He knows all things past, current and future. A threefold God in charge of history, time and eternity who knows our defects and maladies, which He can rectify in any place and at any time and does not err in His continuance, for He is good towards us. It is from this goodness that comes the mollifying comfort for every sorrow wrung from the breaking heart. It is a good father who imposes restraints to teach the child, a good husbandman who mulches and prunes to save the tree; God does no less to ensure our perfection. “Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness” [Heb 12:9-10].  Profit and holiness are conjoined, and complement and support each other.

All these “things” that came and come upon us are for our wisdom, humility, and tender-heartedness and to make us spiritually minded, against such there is no law. They are to wean us from earth and make us fit for heaven. We lose things but we don’t lose all, it could be far worse, it isn’t. We have the promises of scripture and the sympathy of friends, therefore the words “fear not” ring in the darkness and shout from Genesis to Revelation, for the Bible is replete with positive promises.  “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” [Gen 18:14]. He raises the dead and makes a way where there is no way. Joseph and David both witnesses of His almighty power, so were Daniel in the lion’s den and Elijah in the famine.

The age of miracles has not passed, and “Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, and today, and for ever” [Heb 13:8]. He is as near to us as he was to the patriarchs of old, and Abraham “staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;” [Rom 4:20]. We, unfortunately, may not be so fervent or believing.  And are more like the Old Testament people of God who “limited the Holy One of Israel.” [Ps 78:41].  However, in spite of wayward Israel, there were times that he called to mind the greatness of his sovereignty, “And I said, this is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High” [Ps 77:10]; faithful, forgiving and fulfilling years with God in the sanctuary, and triumphant on the battle field.

So we each with the passing years have opportunity to witness; we have that privilege.  It will convince the sceptic, encourage the languid, and convict the sinner. The weak are strengthened, the doubting transformed and the mournful enlivened. We can illustrate the principles of faith, recommend the advantages of religion and exemplify the master we serve. It says “For in him we live, and move, and have our being;” [Acts 17:28] so we ought to demonstrate that and make the scriptures as real as God himself. In our uprising and down sitting he is there, never to leave us or to forsake us.

It is said to prospective clerics that the title of a sermon should contain 80% of their preparation time, and in our lives we should often look back at the title of our lives, and remember its conviction and strategy. What are our lives actually saying to those who look on? Could we even give a title for the life so far lived or is there nothing on the book cover. What do I want people to see and read in the daily motions of my being? A young woman came to Jesus and he said “she has done what she could” [Mark 14:8] and that was worship and that was enough. Perhaps that could be the title of her new life, as she was lifted from an unsavoury lifestyle into that of a princess with God.

Thus, we can declare hope for the future and peace for the present. This is based on the fact that in weakness we are made strong.  “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses,“ [2 Cor 12:9-10]. In the steps of the master we echo Isaiah’s prophetic cry “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities.” [Isa 53:4-5] Here is the sevenfold suffering of the Saviour in our stead. He looked for a harvest, we likewise; the dying seed yields a fruitful field [John 12:24].