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"May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you!  May those who love your salvation say evermore, "God is great!""

~ Psalm 70:4

 

Because of sin, our eyes are prone to firstly and only see our difficulties and hardships.  Perhaps an unbelieving friend’s house burns down, and his family loses everything they own, even a beloved pet.  In anger, confusion, frustration and self-righteousness we may declare “If God had my friend’s house burn, then I don’t want to be with God!…Why would he do that?!”  My heart resonates with that, son…

But the mark of a believer is that his eyes do not remain fixed on the hardship/difficulty, their eyes shift to gaze on Christ.  Those redeemed by the Lord will look to God in faithful trust for his help and deliverance, rejoicing in his greatness all the more, even because of the oppressing circumstance. 

Perhaps God allowing your friend’s house to burn down is the very means by which God will have your friend and his family “be with God” (be saved!).  Perhaps God allowing your friend’s house to burn down is the very means by which you yourself will be saved…?  Perhaps God’s sovereignty over such a tragedy exalts his glory more than you could ever imagine and produce more good for your friend than you would have ever dared to ask or think?  Humble yourself and be ready to faithfully follow what God is asking you to do; be ready for God to do a work in your own life; be ready for God to do amazing things for those whom he has called according to his purpose.

Indeed, we are poor and needy.  And even more indeed is God our great salvation.  His grace superabounds in the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ and everything in between in our lives.  Like David, may we be quick to call on God in our times of trouble.  He is our help and deliverer.  His ways are above our ways.  He is trustworthy and good.  May all who seek him rejoice and be glad, saying evermore, “God is great!”