We Christians talk about it all the time. It’s the crux of our faith, of surpassingly great value, worth the loss of all earthly gain. It was the cry of Paul’s heart (Phil 3:10). It’s to be the source of our boasting (Jer 9:23).
And yet…it’s an enormous pursuit. How can we know Someone who extends endlessly beyond the limits of human knowledge? How can we understand the Creator of the human mind?
God never fits in my neat little boxes.
How can we define the God who never fits in our neat little “boxes”?
While it’s impossible to fully comprehend Him, He has made it possible to know Him.
The revelation of God is all around us. The heavens declare His glory and righteousness (Ps 97:6). His invisible attributes are made manifest in creation (Rom 1:20). But if His self-revelation had stopped there, we might draw the inaccurate conclusion that this all-powerful Creator is aloof, disinterested in the work of His hands.
And so, God drew near.
From the beginning, He has sought to be close to His creation. He walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden (Gen 3:8). He was friends with Abraham (Jas 2:23). He talked face to face with Moses (Deut 34:10). He dwelt among Israel through His presence in the tabernacle and temple.
And then, with unprecedented clarity, He stepped onto the earthly scene as One of us. He lived and breathed and talked and sang and cried and laughed. He taught and listened, grieved and celebrated, healed and forgave. He became human so that humanity might truly know Him.
In Jesus, we see the invisible God. He is Emmanuel – God with us.
He came to break down the wall that prevents our nearness with God. What Adam and Eve enjoyed before sin, He came to restore. Through His sacrifice on the cross, He paid the penalty for our sin. Through His resurrection, He made new life possible. Through faith in Him, we can once again be close to God..
It is this Jesus, our Emmanuel, who calls us friends (Jn 15:14-15). He invites us into ever deepening friendship with Him (Ps 25:14). He has given us complete and bold access to His presence (Heb 4:16).
God’s nearness is my good.
Nearness with God – it’s what we were made for. Are you experiencing it?
How have you seen “the nearness of God” as good in your life? In what ways have you experienced Him drawing you near?
As a kid, I always knew what I’d be when I grew up. My earliest memories include listening to recording artist, Sandi Patty. I loved her voice. I knew her songs. I joined her kids’ club. She was living my dream. Someday, I would be the next Sandi Patty. I took voice lessons, piano lessons, guitar lessons. I studied French (though only for a year), so I’d be prepared for a college music major.
But then life changed. The path that had seemed so certain all my life suddenly turned a different direction. I sensed God leading me away from my dream, as I heard Him whisper to my soul, “That dream is all about you, about making a name for yourself.” He gently reminded me that this walk of faith is about making His name known, and not my own. He asked me to give Him my dream, like a sacrifice on the altar of love.
More than anything, I wanted to walk with Jesus. But just where He was leading, I couldn’t quite tell.
Little did I know how characteristic of “real life” that change of events would be. Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
That has proved true over and over again in my life. Sometimes it’s really painful. Dreams don’t die easily. But you know what I’ve learned?
Through it all, God is good.
That sounds cliché, and overly simplistic. But really, that’s the beauty of it. Life can be so complicated, so confusing, so disappointing, so painful. But in the midst of everything, God simply remains the same. Steadfast. Immovable. Good.
I can trust Him with my dreams.
While God didn’t made me the next Sandi Patty, He did lead me to Life Action Ministries, where I traveled as a singer for three years. I even got to participate in a few CD projects. And best of all, I met my hubby there. We haven’t lived happily ever after, but we’ve learned what love is – a deep companionship that weathers the storms together, an abiding friendship that echoes the heart of God. No, life hasn’t turned out the way I planned, but it has been better.
When God takes something away, He gives back more of Himself.
God’s Plans for Good
Sometimes the things we hold onto are substitutes for God Himself, and they are poor replacements for the real thing. Ultimately, they leave us empty and unfulfilled, because God alone satisfies the human soul.
What about you, dear friend? What dreams lie dormant in your heart? How have you found Him to be trustworthy? What has He revealed to you about Himself? Please join in the conversation – I’d love to hear your story!
Good Friday…Seems a strange title for history’s darkest day.
The Righteous Judge condemned in a mock trial. Truth himself falsely accused. Love hated. The Savior rejected. The King stripped and despised.
Healer of the deaf heard “Crucify Him!” Creation’s Creator felt thorns on his brow. Hands that fed thousands took nails for those fed. Whips tore his flesh who created all flesh.
The Maker murdered by the work of his hands.
The Sinless One became sin, and the Father turned His back. All the shame and the pain, all the ugliness of hell taken by the Lamb who was slain.
Creation groaned as darkness seemed to extinguish the Light.
Sometimes good looks undeniably not good. But…
But – such a powerful word. It tells us there’s more to the story.
But darkness can never conquer Light.
But death cannot hold the Resurrection and the Life.
But grace is greater than all my sin.
Mercy triumphs over judgment. Forgiveness was purchased on Friday’s cruel cross.
Grace wins.
Good Friday is good because Sunday is coming. God has the final word. And all he does is good.
The cross was not an accident. Not a rescue plan gone awry. No kidnapped King. No victim of tragedy. No, the cross was the plan. From the creation of the world, this was God’s idea. He knew his beloved ones would rebel, and he knew the price he would pay for our redemption. He also knew death would not be the end.
So he willingly went to the cross. He poured out his love as He poured his blood. He paid the price for our sins–all of them, for every person who believes.
Then on Sunday morning he robbed death of its sting and the grave of its victory. With all the power that created life, he recreated life in his dead body. And he lives today, never to die again.
Because of the cross and the empty grave, this is our inheritance as followers of Jesus:
Our sins are forgiven, and all the righteousness of Jesus is credited to us.
We have peace with God. Closeness with our Creator is now possible.
We are dead to our old life– completely new creations.
Sin is no longer our master, and neither is the law.
We never have to fear God’s wrath because Jesus took it all for us.
We need not fear death.
We have an enduring hope.
A heavenly inheritance awaits.
This weekend, may the beauty of the cross and the love of our Savior captivate our hearts and minds. We are loved! We are treasured! We are redeemed!
What are your thoughts on “Good Friday”? How has the cross brought good to your life?
Some people are just born determined. Once their minds are set, they have every intention of following through. Obstacles are mere opportunities. Giving up is not an option. They are productive. They are successful. They are…amazing.
I’ve always admired such people. Because I am not one of them. Oh, how I wish persistence came naturally to me. But alas, it does not. Consistency, tenacity, perseverance – God is forming these qualities in me, yet through blood, sweat and tears.
Maybe that’s why the following verse is so precious to me.
“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” Phil 1:6.
Our God is not a quitter.
What untold comfort that gives to my heart, because it means that becoming like Jesus is not up to me. This is God’s work. And He never gives up. He will finish what He started.
Sometimes I get off track, or side-tracked, or just plain tired and I don’t feel like pressing on. I’m weary of the battle against the flesh and sin just looks easier. But God is faithful. He is committed to forming Christ in His children – more committed than any human could ever be. Patiently, persistently, passionately conforming us to His image.
But there’s another priceless facet to this verse. Just as God works relentlessly in me, He is tirelessly working in the lives of those I love. My husband. My children. My brothers and sisters in Christ. What He has started in their hearts, He will bring to completion.
So instead of panicking if they make wrong choices (as I often make), I can rest assured that God will not leave them alone. If they give up, God will not give up on them. With confidence, I can pray to the Father who loves them even more than I do. I am free to be patient as He works in their lives, even as God is patient with me.
This work of walking with Jesus, of growing in grace and knowledge, of producing the fruit of the Spirit – it is God’s work. With tireless devotion, with patient persistence, with wisdom and power and grace, God is creating beauty in the lives of His own.
Rest assured, dear child of God, you will never be given up on. There is always hope, because the God of hope is committed to you. And that person you love – God loves them immeasurably more than you do. He will not abandon the work He began.
How does God’s patience with you impact your view of yourself? Your relationships with others?
I know I could. Sometimes my heart grows anxious. It’s easy to give way to fear, to let the “what if’s” take over. To look at our nation, our world, and feel as if things are spiraling out of control.
Yet, in the midst of turbulent times and an uncertain future, the words of the old hymn ring true in my heart – “When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay. On Christ the Solid Rock I stand…” *
This Rock that is Jesus – He is secure and unchanging, a foundation that will never crumble. His love is everlasting. His truth still brings freedom. His justice is as sure as the rising sun. His faithfulness will never, ever cease. Come what may, God is good. God is with us. And God will complete His work in us.
This week I’ve been studying in Colossians. My heart thrills at the work of God on our behalf. Here are some highlights from chapter two:
God has revealed to us the mystery of Christ (v 2). Walking with God has always been by faith – from the opening chapters of Genesis (the promise of One who would crush the serpent), to the final words of Revelation (“come quickly, Lord Jesus!”). Yet the Object of our faith was a mystery until God made Him known. Oh, the riches of assurance and knowledge of Him!
God has firmly rooted us in Christ (v 7). It’s done, once and for all – by God, for us. Because we are rooted in Him, we can face the future with confidence. Nothing can uproot us from Christ!
God is building us up and establishing us in our faith (v 7). God is continuously, repeatedly working to strengthen us.
God has made us complete (v 10). As the fullness of God dwells in the Person of Christ, so we are completely filled with Christ. We lack nothing when we have Jesus.
God has circumcised our hearts (v 11). In Old Testament times, God commanded Israel to circumcise their hearts (Jer 4:4), but they were incapable of doing it themselves. However, He promised that one day, He Himself would complete this work. (“Then the Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love Him…” Deut 30:6.) And now He has done it! (“Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ” (Col 2:11b). What we are powerless to do on our own, God has done for us. The power of our old life is broken!
God has cancelled our certificate of condemnation, nailing it to the cross (v 14). All those sins that separated us from God, which served as evidence of our guilt – they are all gone! Not a single sin stands to condemn us. We are fully forgiven in Christ.
God brings about our spiritual growth (v 19). Fruit-bearing is God’s work (thus the term “fruit of the Spirit”). For most of my life, I believed I had to try hard to produce fruit as a Christian. In reality, I’m just the branch displaying the fruit made by the Vine as I abide in Him (Jn 15:1-11)!
My dear fellow Jesus-lover – be encouraged! Rest in hope. Speak truth to your soul.
Nothing can sever us from the God who works on our behalf – no politician, no tragedy, no loss, no disappointment. If He has done all this for us (and ever so much more), will He not continue to show Himself strong on our behalf? We He not daily support, strengthen, sustain, and supply?
May we overflow with gratitude, walk closely with Him, and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.
“For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His…” 2 Chron 16:9a.
“I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them…I will rejoice in doing them good…” Jer 32:40-41.
What kind of soul-talk brings peace to your heart? Is there a particular attribute of God that especially gives you hope?
