Thoughts for another day

August 30, 2012.

Today's verse: Hab. 3:17, 18. Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

God our beloved Father puts trials in our paths and we don't understand why.  Life is going on pretty smoothly and then suddenly one loses one's job or meets with an accident or is diagnosed with a fatal disease.  The patent cry at that time is, 'Why Lord?'  And this, even among believing Christians, for we simply don't understand that a trial is God's way of putting His mark on us and showing us His love; apart from blessing us abundantly, even beyond our belief or imagination. 

There're many examples in the Bible that show God produced devotion toward Him, in His people by testing them.  The Israelites coming out of Egypt were constantly tried; and punished severely when they failed.  In His people, God wants to see fidelity above all and total reliance on Him. When you accept Him as God, you must rely on Him for it irks Him when you rely on others particularly when He has saved you from the muck, the forest and the wilderness in the past.  Remember when David took the census of the people thinking he must know the number of fighting men (2 Sam. 24:1 ff), God was angry and brought plague on the people of Israel and 70,000 men died. 

Our response to our test has to be the word of Habakkuk in our Scripture, exhibiting total trust in God in any situation.  James (1:2) says, 'Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds' and I will add from personal experience that it seems difficult to hold on to the meat of God's Word when our trial is difficult, but be that as it may, we must lean on God even if our carnal selves have latched on to some stupid human solution.  You will see even in your weakness, God will help and keep His Word.  Don't we know that despite Abraham using Hagar to produce his child in a human solution, didn't God yet give Him Isaac?  So if you recognize your trouble today as sent by God, yield to it in good spirit and completely trust God.  Believe no other solution and soon He will rescue you after you've proved yourself true to Him.