Thoughts for another day

November 26, 2008.

Today's verse: Is. 30:20, 21. Although the Lord has given you bread of privation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. And your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left. (NASB)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Have you felt low sometime? I’m sure you’ve done at least once. When you were low, were you upset with God? Probably. Were you so upset that you did not hear His voice guiding you in your affliction? You know, part of our problem lies in the fact that when something not to our liking happens, we’re distressed and gripe about it. We accuse God, although our mouths may utter empty words of His Grace, etc.

Our verse says that although the Lord God gives us trials, He never hides Himself from us. I love to say it’s here that He’s closest to us, holding us aloft and waiting for our reaction of confidence in Him. I will echo the oft mentioned quote by the wise and holy men of yester year when they said, ‘Problems and opportunities are two sides of the same coin. Your life is defined by which side you’re looking at!’ I find this so true in the lives of many people whose lives are touched by the profusion of God’s Grace, and there are others who though they profess to be hard core believers, just fail to accept this in their own lives but don’t hesitate to go preach to others.

Recently, I counseled a lady who had a ‘pressing’ problem. After I explained how God had given me a problem and I had considered it a gift and benefitted thereby with His blessings; and giving her a different perspective of her ‘situation’ (I don’t call it a problem), she saw sense in God’s Word of comfort and she realised that despite her problems God was speaking to her so wonderfully. She was so glad after this that she told me it was like a load lifted off her. Praise God!

See my friend, God gives us pain but in that, His gentle voice always guides us. We need to listen and obey. Then through that brokenness He creates a classic pattern that can adorn the walls of heaven, designed by the hands of the Master Creator. Do you see yourself as the canvas on which God could paint His next blockbuster?