Orange Moon Saturday, October 14, 2023 "The Nevers (of God)"

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

"The Nevers (of God)"

    

    "We look to that which God does with grateful appreciation and awe.  And, to those things He will never do."

   

   Never will God fail to act in perfect accordance with who He is.  "He cannot deny Himself… But Thou art holy, O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel" (II Peter 2:13; Psalm 22:3).  The living and true God cannot speak, He cannot relate, and He cannot behave in any manner save that which proceeds from His perfect character, nature, and way.  "Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness?" (Exodus 15:11).

   Never will He act in any manner that contradicts "the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Ephesians 3:11).  From everlasting to everlasting, God the Father is guided by the motivation and intent to glorify and reveal the Lord Jesus as His beloved Son, and as the reason for all that exists.  "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand" (John 3:35).

   Never will He impart grace apart from truth in Christ, and never will He communicate truth apart from grace in Christ.  "Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17).  As eternally inseparable companions, God's freely given favor and faithfully declared Word proceed along the dual tracks of reality.  We cannot know grace apart from truth.  We cannot survive truth apart from grace.  We can rest our heart forevermore that neither contingency will ever occur.  "We beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

   Never will He fail to act in perfection.  "As for God, His way is perfect" (II Samuel 22:31).   Some theologians and philosophers contend that God acts by choosing from a number of possible alternatives.  This may or may not be true, but of this we can be certain: everything He does bears the quality of pristine and absolute purity of motivation, determination, and action.  "His work is perfect, for all His ways are judgment" (Deuteronomy 32:4). 

   

    Never will He lie.  He "cannot" do so (Titus 1:2).  It is "impossible" for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18).  For many years, I have sought to think a thought that draws near to the wonder and glory of such truth.  I have failed upon every occasion, as I do in this moment.  Nothing more stills our understanding, while filling our hearts, than this wonder and this glory of the One so true to Himself and His Word.  No contemplation and no emotion can begin to consider or feel anything worthy of such sublime assurance.   "I am… the truth" (John 14:6).

   Never will He fail us.  "He abideth faithful" (II Timothy 2:13).  God's devotion to the glory of His Son, the Lord Jesus, and to welfare of all united to Him "reacheth unto the clouds" (Psalm 36:5).  He has determined from everlasting to be everything we need Him to be - and more - and to do everything we need Him to do - and more.  We can heed Solomon's command to "trust the Lord with all thy heart" because our Heavenly Father's heart forever abides as all faithful.  Indeed, no one has ever trusted Him and been disappointed for doing so.  And no one ever will.  "Great is Thy faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:23).

    Finally, never will He fail to amaze us as we look to His character, nature, and way in the pages of Scripture, in His creation, in people, and along the pathways of our lives.  Many truths about our Lord become at least somewhat familiar as we walk with Him by Christ.  Many new truths also present the glory of God to us.  Either illumination will fill and thrill us as we still ourselves to ponder even the simplest truths about our Lord.  An eternal forever awaits us with glories to be discovered, enhanced, and realized with wonder and amazement.  "His greatness is unsearchable" (Psalm 145:3).

    These, and countless other "Nevers" await God's sons and daughters in Christ.  In this day, we will experience them as we look to that which God does with grateful appreciation and awe, and, to those things He will never do.

"Charity (love) never faileth… He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

(I Corinthians 13:5; Hebrews 13:5)

Weekly Memory Verse

   In the day when I cried Thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

(Psalm 138:3)

 

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