God is...trustworthy!

As Christians, we put our trust in God’s unending, unconditional love. But some days are harder than others, and sometimes we need to be reminded of the Lord’s character. Over the next several weeks we are looking at the attributes of God.  Last Sunday we looked at God is… trustworthy.

Most of us have lived long enough that as we reflect on our lives we can see that God has been faithful in the past.  We know that God is with us now and faithful today.  And throughout scripture we are promised that God will be faithful tomorrow.

We can also trust God because:

God is perfect in wisdom. God sees the big picture and knows every detail, so God has more wisdom than we do. When we trust God, God promises to make our paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6).

How often have we, from our limited perspective, taken action that’s equivalent to telling God, “I think You forgot something.” Only to discover that our solution was the wrong choice—all because we didn’t trust God’s infinite wisdom.

God is absolutely sovereign. We can’t see the future, but we can trust the One who is in control of everything. Jesus told His disciples that not even a sparrow would fall without God’s consent (Matt. 10:29). He also told Pilate, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above” (John 19:11). Even that prominent Roman official was powerless to order the crucifixion without the Father’s approval.

God has always been sovereign over all things—from a little bird’s safety to the extraordinary events at the cross.

In those difficult times that life often brings, remember to look back, look around and look to God’s Word. In doing so, may you remember that our God is faithful and trustworthy to deal with it all!

God is....merciful!

Over the last few days I have had more than a handful of interactions with people that have all reminded me of the importance of what we talked about on Sunday.  God is merciful. But even more encouraging is that fact that God’s mercies are new every morning.

For each of the individuals I spoke with — and for me as well — this was important to remember.

Jesus said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:34)

Every day has its own trouble. Every day has its own mercies. Each is new every morning.

But we often tend to worry and fret, even fall into despair when we think that we may have to bear tomorrow’s load on today’s resources. God wants us to know: We won’t.

Today’s mercies are for today’s troubles. Tomorrow’s mercies are for tomorrow’s troubles.

When the Israelites left Egypt, they wandered in the wilderness for many years.  There wasn’t much to eat in that desert land, so the Lord gave them a very special food to called mana.  (Exodus 16:31).The manna in the wilderness was given one day at a time. There was no storing up. That is the way we must depend on God’s mercy. You do not receive today the strength to bear tomorrow’s burdens. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow.”

You are given mercies today for today’s troubles.Tomorrow the mercies will be new.

“God is faithful, who has called into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9).

A little bit of clay

As some of you may know I have discovered a new hobby.  I have in recent years become a potter.  I am still learning, and whether I am any good at it is questionable.  What is unquestionable is the joy, peace and contentment I receive while engaged in this new activity.

The scriptures are full of references to clay, and is it any wonder?  In the days of the Old Testament they only had one kind of container that served a multitude of purposes: clay jars. Different size jars and pots perhaps but all made of the same stuff — dirt (clay) and water.

Scripture highlights how the relationship between the potter and the clay resembles our relationship with God. Before we know God, we are like a pile of unmolded clay. When we yield to God’s leading, God gives our life value and purpose, the same way a potter gives clay value and purpose.

But there is another reference to clay that peeked my interest. In John chapter 9 Jesus passed by a blind man who was blind from birth.

The disciples asked Jesus,  “who sinned, this man or his parents?”

Jesus answered, “neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the word of God might be made visible through him.”

Jesus bent down and picked up a bit of clay at his feet, spit on it and smeared the clay on the blind man’s eyes. Jesus then told him to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam. So he did and came back able to see!

We are like clay — in our original state we are lifeless, helpless, useless, maybe even hopeless. But in the hands of God we are transformed, given purpose and value and moreover we can be used by God to do extraordinary things!

We are the clay, God is the Potter.  Allow God to work in you, on you and through you!

Yet you, Lord, are our Father.  We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.

Isaiah 64:8