Friday, July 7, 2017

“Moving, Working, Performing”


"Moving, Working, Performing"      
    
   Note the action verbs in the following passages of Scripture.

   "The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:2).
   "God… worketh all things after the counsel of His own will" (Ephesians 1:3; 11).
   "Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).

   "Move… worketh.. perform."  These and many other Biblical declarations speak of an involved, dynamically active God.  The Apostle Paul also informs us that such Divine vitality and enterprise occurs in "all things."  Thus, we must perceive by faith our Heavenly Father's universal engagement to fulfill His "eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Ephesians 3:11).  Nothing escapes His presence, working, and pointedly determined involvement.  "For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever" (Romans 11:36).

    Note, however, the first reference regarding the Spirit of God's movement upon the face of the waters.  Were any human eyes present to view the Holy Spirit's powerful creative activity?  Hardly.  Humanity did not yet exist.  This speaks to another fundamental truth regarding God's universal working in all things, namely, we do not possess the capacity to witness more than the most minuscule percentage of that which our Heavenly Father performs.  Our eyes and understanding may exist, but our finite human capacities hinder our view of our Lord's working.  "We walk by faith, not by sight" (II Corinthians 5:7).  Just as we were not there to see the Spirit's original creative movement, so we do not witness most of His present movement in our hearts and lives, or the hearts and lives of others.  We see some - a little, actually - but we miss most of God's working.

    This truth should both encourage and challenge us.  First, it is wonderful to know the immeasurability of our Heavenly Father's dynamic involvement.  He could not convey most of His works even if He desired to do so.  As the famous line from a movie proclaims, "You can't handle the truth!"  No we can't, at least in the complete sense.  Our Father's ways are not ours, and His process far exceeds our capacity for understanding.  This constitutes God as God, and ourselves as ourselves, placing us in the proper and blessed relationship of Creator/creature.  The challenge, however, confronts us with the necessity of a walk in the Light that often seems far more like a grope in the darkness.  We must choose to believe in our Lord's presence and involvement in all things, and at all times.  This requires that we "judge not according to the appearance, but just righteousness judgment" (John 7:24).  And, as we often suggest in these messages, this means that anyone who suggests that walking by faith in God is easy has never actually tried it.

   We would be instantly overwhelmed if we could see fully God's working in our lives, and in the world.  It is a truth we cannot handle.  However, it is also a truth we must believe with our hearts.  The prophet promises tranquility to all who will make the choice to see that which cannot be seen, to perceive by faith the universally moving, working, and performing God…

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee."
(Isaiah 26:3)

Weekly Memory Verse 
    O LORD, be gracious unto us; we have waited for Thee: be Thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.
(Isaiah 33:2)
   
    
 

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