This Too is From Me

My time in Florida has been a blessing, as I thought I was coming to minister to my mother during her recovery from her heart surgery last week but little did I know God was going to use this time away to minister to me as well. I praise Him for His healing hand that ministers to us both physically but also spiritually as He becomes so personal meeting our specific needs as only He can do. Such a great love the Father has for us, a love based on His character and not on ours. From God’s perspective, we are His and God’s acceptance of us does not come from our being acceptable, but from His great love towards us all.

As I was reading this morning I came across these words -

"My child, have a message for you today. Let me whisper it in your ear so any storm clouds that may arise will shine with glory, and the tough places will be made smooth. It is only four words, but let them sink into your inner being, and use them as a pillow to rest your weary head. "THIS IS MY DOING" 1 Kings 12:24 (Laura A. Barter Snow)

Ah, this verse in 1 Kings 12 has brought such comfort to my heart over the many years of being a Christian. It reminds me of God's Sovereignty as the "Blessed Controller of all things" (1 Timothy 6:15) and that ALL that happens He allows so if I cling to this Truth I then am reminded of my actions and responsibility with the question, "How then will I react?". Will I allow tribulations to manifest His grace of "continuance" in my life for Him and His glory "so they will see He is Lord" through all that He brings?

This scripture in I Kings also reminds me of Job, and what God allowed. Job a humble and godly man whose friends told him his suffering resulted from sin walked in the conflict between God and Satan but Job was faithful and found God to be fair and just, even in his suffering. He discovered that in the end his suffering led him into a deeper relationship with God. While Satan came to tempt and destroy, God allowed him only to go as far as God said and it was God who was in control of the "test" and Job was responsible for how he would react.

Through all that God allows in our life, as we see with Job, the purpose is always to teach us how to maintain a closer walk with God as we suffer as believers. This causes us to examine the depths of our own relationship with the God of the universe who allows all things that touch us to come only through the filtering of His love. Our trials and sufferings bring us to a Mediator as we plead our cause and cry out to Him. Job said he had an 'Advocate' (Job 16:19) on High a 'Living Redeemer' (19:25) who would deliver him!

It is our faith that that keeps us "continuing" to move forward in our struggles, continuing walking forward in our callings as wives, mothers, single women, in our ministries and the callings we have received to accomplish His purpose knowing we too have a Mediator Jesus Christ who is an active provider and "All Becoming" - providing all we need, filling our every need.

Job points to God as the only path to trust ' "From where then does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding?" .... "God alone understands the way to wisdom, He knows where it can be found" (Job 28:20,23)

We want to be wise women "seeking for her daily" (wisdom) as King Solomon admonished the people of Israel to seek her "as you would silver, seeking them (wisdom) like hidden treasures" Proverbs 2:4 Are we seeking God each day through the treasure of His Word? Are we seeking God more than seeking the solutions or answers to our problems we face? Do we seek "solutions or holiness"?

God knows the way to wisdom lies within Him alone. We all need wisdom as we journey each day as God desires to have our relationship with Him grow deeper and our dependency on Him growing stronger.

"He stirs up the sea with His power and by His understanding He breaks up the storm....Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways" Job 26:12,14. Job sees that no one can fully understand His power and the works of His hands. It is God who suspends the earth in space, controls the storms on the sea, suspends the clouds of water in the air .... "these are just the edges of God's awesome power". Unlike the world, believers know it is God who has done all these great and wonderful things but as believers we can forget that it is God who is also in absolute control of the things that happen in our lives, and especially when they are out of our control but how we must remember Gods Power and Sovereignty and then react according to His Word.

"He stills the sea by His power", the noise of the waves He makes quiet..."even the winds and seas obey Him" and seeing this, even the disciples marveled. How the winds and waves were ministering to their souls as Jesus arose and there was a great calm. "Where is your faith" Jesus said....You profess, but now Believe in Me......."peace, be still"....His peace makes us marvel too.

Believing brings peace...May we remember His power, His authority ...... may we be silent and hold our peace, silent our many words and move forward in our faith as the winds ceased and the seas were calmed and the boat moved quietly on.

"All things are from Him" .... our trials and suffering cause us to reflect on God and in the truth that we have a Savior to trust and pray to. To come to know Christ in a deeper way like in the words of Job - "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But NOW my eye sees You".

Though we walk with Christ over the oceans of this world we must expect storms and when they come may we meditate on the power of God and seek the wisdom He gives, remembering He will "still the stormy sea of our heart by His power" "bringing peace that only He can give". May we always hear His sweet whisper in our ear as storm clouds arise, "Beloved child, this too is my doing" and the storms clouds will soon shine with glory....know, "This too is from Me".