"Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them." - Psalm 139:16
How comfortable are you with God knowing from beginning to end? There is a difference, I think, between God knowing and God intervening. Some would say that we have no choice - our days were pre-ordained by God - He decided that some would be saved and some would not. My thinking, and you are free to disagree - is that God knowing and God directing are two different things altogether. Let's look at Jeremiah.
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” - Jeremiah 1:5
God knew Jeremiah from beginning to end before Jeremiah was formed in his mother's womb. It is hard to imagine billions upon billions of people that God knows. My puny brain cannot take it in. So knowing what Jeremiah would become, God consecrated him and when the time came, activated his appoint as a prophet. God knew Jeremiah would do it. Does this make any sense? To some it is nonsense, but to me it is God-sense. Far beyond the sensibilities of mankind.
We are amazed and thankful when someone who is on their deathbed, prays to receive Jesus as Lord and savior before their passing. But God knows. Bondye konnen. He lets our lives play out - lives interwoven from our perspective with such complexity and uncertainty - but from God's perspective such simplicity and certainty. He knows what we will do and what He will do.
It is not that He changes what He will do - it was always to be - we just could not see it, so we think He changed His mind - when in fact it was us who changed - and God knew it. Does this seem odd to you? It does to me, even as I type the words. Some are saved not because God ordained it, but because they chose Jesus. And God knew they would. Many reject Jesus, not because God ordained it but because they chose to reject Him and God knew they would.
Why do I share this? Because I think that from time to time, our appreciation of how awesome God is must be rekindled. I think we lose our reverence for Him as creator - all knowing, all powerful, sustainer, provider, Father, healer. We can rest in knowing that God knows - everything. Nothing surprises Him. Even though we have and will face times of uncertainty, God knows with certainty. We may not understand why He intervenes at times and does not other times - no matter how hard we pray. So why pray if He knows? He knows we will pray and He knows how He will respond or not. Remember.
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." - Romans 8:28-29
Wouldn't it be something if when you planted tomatoes that you would know which would bear fruit and which would not? They all receive the same water, the same fertilizer, the same care. If you knew, you would pull the non-producers out - but you don't so you won't. God allows both the sheep and the goats to live their lives - knowing that only the sheep will inherit the kingdom - He foreknew and therefore could predestine them to be conformed to the image of His Son by the faith they would express at some point in their lives.
Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.
No comments:
Post a Comment