“His Story (or, The Unseen Hand)”

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…

"His Story (or, The Unseen Hand)"

    

   You've likely heard the adage, "History is His Story."  The Bible confirms the notion by declaring "God… worketh all things after the counsel of His own will" (Ephesians 1:3; 11).  This does not preclude our story, or the significance of every human being in response to God, others, and the lives we live.  It does mean that an unseen Hand weaves every thread of human experience into the redemptive purposes based on the Lord's eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Ephesians 3:11).  

    In a generation with so many voices and images constantly beckoning for our attention through modern communication devices, it can be difficult to maintain a God-focused perspective on history.  Everything often seems so human, and most of the agencies that report, analyze, or entertain present their notions accordingly.  Things are human, of course, but the Bible unequivocally proclaims that the Divine far more characterizes the reality of our existence.

    "The whole earth is full of His glory" (Isaiah 6:3).

    "In Him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28).

    "Whither shall I go to flee from Thy Spirit?  Or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?" (Psalm 139:7). 

    For the born again believer, supplement these affirmations of the the unseen Hand with "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).  Human aspects remain, with great effect and influence on our lives.  The Divine, however, must be viewed as the Great Fact of  truth and reality in the ultimate sense, and also regarding the matter of this and every moment.  We may not perceive with our senses the working of our Heavenly Father in all things.  Nor do we understand how His hand weaves the innumerable threads of human experience into His eternal purpose.  We just know that it does.  We trust that it does, meaning that we "judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24).  This requires many choices to believe God's truth when mind, emotion, and even physical sensation seem to belie our Lord's active and involved presence in all things.  Indeed, our Lord is so wise, understanding, powerful, and good that we will one day look back on history, including that of the world and of ourselves, with a heart of amazed wonder in the light of His Story.

All things work together for good

in the hearts and lives of those who love the Lord.

The pleasures and the pains, the sunlight and the rains,

all things work together for good.

An unseen Hand weaves every thread.

A heart of grace works for our best,

to make us like His Son, He leaves nothing undone.

All things work together for good…

all things work together for good.

"For of Him, and through Him and to Him are all things."

(Romans 11:36)

Weekly Memory Verse

    Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever.  Amen."

(I Timothy 6:17)