Our World is in Turmoil
So much is going on in the world today is an understatement. The corona-virus, shutdowns, impeachments, riots/protests, elections, etc. It is difficult not to get caught up in all of it.
With all this going on, we have to believe God is in it. He is not being tossed to the side waiting for a chance to get back into the discussion. God is working.
The problem is, we don’t really know what that may be.
What the Disciples Went Through
I can’t help but think of the followers of Jesus during the passion week. The week starts with the exciting hope of Jesus coming into His possible reign. Crowds were cheering; Jerusalem was turned upside down.
Within a few days, Jesus is arrested, tried, and crucified. Rumors coming out that one of His disciples betrayed Him, and even Peter denied Him.
A few days after that, news is spreading that Jesus rose from the dead – His tomb is empty.
In the same way, we can see that our world is turmoil, we don’t know what is going on, but Jesus is secure on His mission.
What is God Doing?
Personally, I feel He plans on using someone unexpected. It seems to be how God likes to work. The Messiah king was born in a manager among the farm animals. The writer of the majority of the New Testament was one of the greatest enemies to the early church. The one called the man after God’s heart was the warrior who killed his tens of thousands.
Over 50 years ago, Martin Luther King led our nation a huge step forward toward racial reconciliation. Out of the oppressed people, God raised a man to melt the hearts of the oppressors.
In our times, I believe God will raise up another black man or woman to continue moving us forward. I also believe this person will lead our nation toward revival. I think the Church needs to be alert for their arrival.
David’s Wife Missed Out On God’s Blessings
David’s wife, Michal, grew up in the established kingdom as Saul’s daughter. When the ark of the Lord was coming back into Jerusalem, David led the procession with wild dancing. This was not the way a king was to present himself, and Michal despised him for it.
The Scripture tells us that God saw her judgement and never gave birth to a child.
When God does something new, He always births something new in us. Intimacy leads to reproduction. Michal missed out on the blessing God was giving because she despised God’s messenger.
Preparing for God’s Next Season
There is a stirring going on, and God is not absent. The place where the greatest pain has been felt is often where God’s answer will arise. Will we be open to whatever God’s answer may look like?
What if the person God uses does not have the “right” credentials, education, age, gender, or past?
Let’s be like Elijah, and ask if God is in the wind, fire, earthquake, or the whisper. He may not act like He has done in the past. He often does something new.
Let’s not miss what God is doing in the next season because we despised the fact it didn’t come like we expected. The Pharisees missed out on God’s arrival in their times even though they spent their entire lives in the study of Scripture.
Listening to What God is Doing
Good conversation means we dismiss our assumption of what will be said in order to listen to what is actually being said. Listening is being present for the conversation.
When we feel safe that the other person will not attack but will care for us, we can freely give ourselves to the conversation. Safety enables hearing.
The same is true with God. Trusting that He actually is for us, prepares us to listen when He speaks.
Love is returning to our world. God is ready to invade. He has heard our cries.
Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
I’d love to hear your thoughts. What do you feel God is doing? Leave a comment below.
Preparing us for the time when life will be perfect!
TRUE! Great to remember.
Thanks
Kevin
I believe as we stay in God presence we are being dressed for the next season by our fellowship with him in this season .
I believe God is pruning. Cutting away the overgrowth that keeps us from seeing how we are all part of one family and the individual color or nationality is irrelevant.
We are all taking part in the suffering and for me it’s opening my eyes to how much I have been given and I want to share what I have with others. The grief makes me want to give and to make life better for anyone my life will influence. God is love and I want to share His love with others, even if in small ways, I can see how everything counts and everyone and everything is made for his divine purpose.
Dear Elaine,
That is a beautiful comment. I love it because it is showing how God is using hardships for something wonderful.
Blessings,
Kevin
Thanks for your weekly labour in sending encouragements, i would like to believe and echo your words that our God is still in action!!! and these days God has been comforting me with his word that he is the resurrection and the life!!!,the life we are actually preserving and want so much, him is that life .
Dear Ezekiel,
Thank you for the encouragement. We often do need to remind ourselves that God is the resurrection and the the life. It is easy to get distracted with all that is going on around us. We can encourage ourselves with prayer, worship, intentional conversations with others that hold strong to their faith, reading articles, listening to podcasts, etc. Ultimately what we fix our mind on, we cultivate that growth. Let the truth that He is the resurrection and the life grow in us.
Blessings,
Kevin
Who would have thought that 2020 would bring such turmoil?? Seems everyone was expecting 2020 to be a great year, and in a way it is a good year, I am not saying all the deaths and sufferings are of no account, but, today many are reaching out to God and it might not have happened unless something like this happened world over! Our Ps spoke on a word the Lord had given him early this year to remind us of what He had said then! Isa 54:1-4 encouraging us with words that the Lord gave him about our church, growth in Faith, enlargement, strengthening and most of all ‘WE ARE NOT TO FEAR’ for He is with us – all this was done on line! My eyes fell on V.9 in my Bible- ‘for this is like the days of Noah to Me when I swore that the water of Noah should not flood the earth again, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you nor will I rebuke you! v.10 …..My lovingkindness will not be removed from you! By now I was weeping my eyes out, and it goes on to the end of the chapter! God is with us, God be praised! Hallelujah!! Amen.
Dear Liliana,
Thank you for this word. Great reminder that because God is with us, we do not fear. Thank You, Jesus.