GOD’S DIVERS WORKINGS

GOD'S DIVERS WORKINGS

" . . . for the ways of the LORD are right" (Hos 14:9)

THE RELIGIOUS WORLD IS PLAGUED by simplistic views of God. By "simplistic," I mean oversimplification, or shallow. There is a diversity in the Lord's workings that confounds the flesh, but comforts the child of God.

THE WORD OF GOD of good and evil coming from God. The proclamations are quite clear, and it is difficult to conceive of them being stated with greater clarity. Our analysis of them must begin with the postulate that they are righteous, true, precise, and accurate. It is not God's manner to confuse believers by making statements that are not exact. In fact, such a thought reproaches Him.

WOUNDS AND HEALS. "Now see that I, even I, am He, And there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; Nor is there any who can deliver from My hand" (Deut. 32:39, NKJV).

KILLS AND MAKES ALIVE. "The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up. The LORD makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up" NKJV (1 Sam. 2:6-7).

MAKES SORE, BINDS UP. "Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole" NKJV (Job 5:17-18).

MAKES DUMB, DEAF, SEEING, AND BLIND. "So the LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD?" (Ex. 4:11, NKJV).

MAKES SORE AND WOUNDS, TO BIND AND CURE. "Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For He wounds, but He also binds up; He injures, but His hands also heal" NKJV (Job 5:17-18).

BRINGS PROSPERITY AND CREATES DISASTER . "I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things" NKJV (Isa. 45:7).

UNDOES DEVASTATION HE BROUGHT. "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you" NKJV (Joel 2:25) .

FAITH REASONS WITH THIS IN MIND. Knowing the truth of these things, faith reasons with them in mind. Take, for example, the reasoning of Hosea. "Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up" (Hos 6:1).

DAVID REASONED CONCERNING HIS SPIRITUAL PEAKS AND VALLEYS in this manner: "LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; You hid Your face, and I was troubled." (Psa 30:7). PAUL spoke of a "thorn" that was "given" to Him, as well as an "abundance of revelations." "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure" NKJV (1 Cor 12:7). JOB reasoned, "Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips" (Job 2:10). Faith still moves men to reason in this manner.

IT IS COMMENDABLE FOR US to learn to think in this way – to trace both advantages and disadvantages back to the Lord. When we do this, we will be able to pray more effectively, and our hearts will remain tender and supple in God's hand.

– Given O. Blakely