Ultimately, my allegiance and loyalty is not pledged to any one person or organisation or idealogy but to God and God alone.
Life was never about me, neither is all that I do, nor have done and is to be done.
A study of Esther's life brought me to the realisation of many truths.
Firstly, God has provided for her and paved her way from being under the care of her parents, Mordecai, Hegai and all the way till she was crowned queen of king Ahasuerus. Even before a human is conceived God has planned for and will watch over the elect's life.
Secondly, the power of seeking after God (though request for the exiled Israelites to fast) has radically transformed her life. It has brought about a build up in her character and given her insight into God's purpose, however, it primarily brought about the change in her through her yielding of her heart to be conformed to God's will. Mordecai's counsel enlightened Esther not to fixate her eyes on the problems imminent but place her hope in the answer to all --- God Himself, God's sovereignty, God's omnipotence, God's love and sure deliverance.
Thirdly, as a follow up to the second point is that God has included so called biographies of the lives of man to show us how God works through each individual's life in unique ways with unchanging faithfulness and character. God has prepared each one of us through life's experiences to meet with the next. God places specific people in specific circumstances to play specific roles for the accomplishment of His good purposes. How can man respond but exclaim, "El Shaddai, your paths are beyond tracing out! Your wisdom is infinite!"
Job's response to his severe trial was:
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised."
He did not consider any of his possesions, nor kin, nor health, nor welfare, nor personal right to be his!
In this life, nothing is mine but the surety of God's promises given which I have claimed.
I belong to Him and He to me.
Through this trial I will willingly give up this ten cents worth and press on ahead to claim the infinite riches which Christ has promised.
Though it will hurt, but may God give me a heart to seek Him,
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts."
May God's word take effect in my life that it may not be in vain in the face of Christ's compelling, deep, enduring, everlasting, unfathomable love.
"As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the LORD's renown,
for an everlasting sign,
which will not be destroyed."
It was, is and never will be about me.
Sola Gracia Dei.
No comments:
Post a Comment