As we enter the new year, it’s all too evident there are financial concerns, there are struggles of inequality and hatred which have always been present, there are wars and rumors of wars, there is concern about health care, the food supply, and the role of government, and everything else. But, there is also the confidence that God is with His people, that Christians throughout the world are praying for deliverance, that resources are available to us provided by His hand, and that we need to get serious about worship and praise and thanksgiving and just noticing the Godincidences all around us. May 2014 be a time of renewal, revival, and intense rejoicing
Each Christmas season I am refreshed to know that Jesus is King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace, and that He is able to take us from our self-centeredness and sin and give us the mind of Christ, focused on the eternal and determined to do His work here until He finds someone else to take over the task. When God is done with our mission here, He will take us to be with Him where there is no more sorrow, no more death, and the tears are turned to dancing and joy.
As I begin this new year, I am reminded of two truths. One, that God wishes to bless us (Jeremiah 29:11-13) and that nothing that happens to us or emanates from us that is not part of His sovereign will for our lives. Godincidences are very real and I look for them expectantly, because they are constantly with us.
Yesterday I heard the retelling of Jehosophat’s story. He was about to be attacked by three armies. He prayed, praised God by sending out a chorus of musicians singing God’s praises instead of sending out his army. Amazing! What God did was 1) hear his prayer 2) give him wisdom and wise counsel 3) give him the Spirit of the Lord which said ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.’ 4) gave him and all of Jerusalem an inspired time of worship 5) gave him a wonderful choir to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army singing, 5) set up ambushes against the enemies by confusing them 6) killed ALL of his enemies just as He can defeat ALL our demons and negatives 7) blessed them with so much plunder it took three days to gather it 8) give them s spirit of thanksgiving as they praised God in the temple for their blessings and 9)gave great peace “for his God had given him rest on every side.”
Is there any doubt that God can do the same for our mini-battles? When we are discouraged, should we not pray for wisdom, strength, solutions after first praising the Lord our God who is stronger than any disappointment, problem, ache or pain? 1)Must we not take time to listen to His Word, deep down, thinking about His purposes before our own? 2)Should we not listen to wise counselors who remind us that all the men, women, children, and little ones listened to Jahaziel, son of Zechariah who came up with a plan? “You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you. Do not be afraid; do not be disouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow and the Lord will be with you.” 3)Should we not bow down in worship and praise the Lord, the God of Israel with a very loud voice? ( I take it praise and worship should be loud!) 4)Should we not listen to the counselors who tell us, our preachers who exhort the truth, “have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheald have faith in his prhphets and you will be successful? 5)Should we not appoint those cheerleaders of the faith, the musicians, the worship leaders, who go out and sing praise to God for the splendor of His holiness, for His providence and faithfulness? 6)Should we not trust God for Godincidences–the victories large and small, the peace that comes from letting go and letting God, the wonder and awe when He does what we in our frailty and small faith think is impossible? 7)Should we not rejoice in small and large victories? 8)Should we not revel in the everyday provisions of our loving God, and fall down in worship when our problems mysteriously disappear? That’s what this story teaches.
May 2014 be a blessing to you and yours, to our churches, to our nation, to our world.
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