Obtaining Mercy

We love to read about the miracles in the Bible, don't we?

I'm thinking this morning of that incredible sea-crossing by the children of Israel when they left Egypt. 

(Actually, can we call it a "sea" crossing?  It was more like a seaBED crossing, wasn't it?  Since they walked across on completely dry ground!)

What an awesome miracle!  How exciting to see God come through in such an amazing way for His children.

We sometimes think of these stories ratherly dreamily, wishing we could see God do something miraculous in our lives…wanting Him to move in a divine way in the middle of our problems.

We love watching the miracles unfold as we read the Scriptures, but we have no deisre to face the work of the miracles as we live our lives.

 

We forget the things that brought about this miracle.  Well, I know that I forget them sometimes…

So let's review:

• They thoroughly cleaned their houses to remove any leaven (a picture of sin)
• They packed all their clothes and cooking utensils into packs they could carry on their backs
• They ate one last dinner in their homes as they celebrated the Passover for the first time
• They left everything else behind and walked out of Egypt in the middle of the night
• The only food they carried was the unleaveded dough they had mixed before leaving
• They had no idea where they were going, or by what path they would get there
• They followed a pillow of cloud in the day and a pillar of fire at night
• They walked by faith into the Red Sea in the middle of a "strong" wind storm

Now, are we still ready to receive that miracle???

Are we willing to forsake everything that is familiar and safe and guaranteed in order to view God's divine intervention?

Are we willing to walk obediently, even blindly, into whatever God has planned for us?

Can we step out in faith into a seemingly dangerous, impossible task, if God says "Go."?

If we are not willing to live this life of unquestioning obedience to our Saviour, how can we expect His miracles to happen for us?

To have the miracles of God, we must submit to the God of miracles.

"The only way to learn strong faith is to endure great trials. 

I have learned my faith by standing firm amid severe testings."

~George Mueller

Romans 4:16-18 "Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace…

to that also which is of the faith of Abraham…

whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations…"

"Dear one, you scarcely realize the value of your present opportunity; if you are passing through great afflictions you are in the very soul of the strongest faith, and if you will only let go, He will teach you in these hours the mightiest hold upon His throne which you can ever know." ~A.B. Simpson

Your trials are making you stronger.

Your pain is teaching you patience.

Your mountains are growing your endurance.

Your dark valleys are opening your eyes to see His face.

The incredible Creator God's hand is on you.  Do not be afraid.  His salvation is promised; and when we have learned more of Him in our time of testing, He will deliver us to share our story with others.

Job 5:8-9 "I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:
 Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number"

We are usually quite adept at going to God with our needs.  We know that He has done great things for us in the past, and we expect His intervention in our time of trial.

However, the key to this verse is that second phrase: "…unto God would I commit my cause."

(Commit – To give in trust; to put into the hands or power of another; to entrust)

Ah!  That's the hard part, isn't it?

We can go to God in prayer, tell Him all the things we need and want.  We can expect Him to give us whatever our heart's desire.

But, have we "put into the hands or power" of God our cause?

(Cause – The reason or motive that urges, moves, or impels the mind to act or decide)

Are we turning our reasons and motives (the things that urge, move and impel us) into the hands of God?

Often, we have not.  We are stubbornly asking for things that are our cause, but not God's cause.

The formula for God's blessings works, but only if we do it God's way:

• Step 1:  Commit our cause unto God.
• Step 2:  Watch God do "great things and unsearchable; marvelous things without number."

He is ready to meet our needs, and has done so again and again; but we must do our part as well.

Have we put our motives into God's hands today?

It's a good day to start, yes? 

 

"Is the midnight closing round you?

Are the shadows dark and long?

Ask Him to come close beside you,

And He'll give you a new, sweet song.

He'll give it and sing it with you;

And when weakness lets it down,

He'll take up the broken cadence,

And blend it with His own.

And many a rapturous minstrel

Among those songs of light,

Will say of His sweetest music

"I learned it in the night."

And many a rolling anthem,

That fills the Father's home,

Sobbed out its first rehearsal,

In the shadow of a darkened room."

~Streams in the Desert

Psalm 42:8 "Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life."

Psalm 33:20 "Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield."

Psalm 62:1 "Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation."

Psalm 130:6 "My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning."

"Take heart, waiting one, thou waitest for One who cannot disappoint thee; and who will not be five minutes behind the appointed moment:  ere long your sorrow shall be turned into joy." ~Streams in the Desert

Are you waiting on God this morning?

Have you done all that you can do, and so are sitting still, looking for His intervention?

Keep the faith, my friend.  He will come at the exact moment He is needed.

It may seem that He is late, and that His help is delayed; but His timing is perfect and your answer is on its way.

Lamentations 3:26 "It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD."

Philippians 4:9 "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you."

Part of my Twitter profile reads "…Information Gatherer".

Oh, I do love to learn things!  All sorts of things! 

Recently, I've looked up information on the following subjects:

• on how to make a vegetarian sandwich spread,
• on Medicare coverage for blood glucose monitors,
• on how to install a car seat in our new vehicle,
• on the anti-supplement amendment,
• on how to hone my writing skills and
• on hurricane preparation.

I really love to learn.

However, there comes a point when all my learning is useless, unless I actually DO something.

What good does it do me to learn all about growing cucumbers, if I never actually plant, water and tend a cucumber plant?

I can read all about hurricane preparation, but if I never actually prepare, I will find myself miserable, hungry, dirty and in great need during an actual storm.

Maybe that was Paul's point in the verse above:

• You've learned about God
• You've received Christ as your Saviour
• You've heard how other Christians are living
  
• You've watched how I serve the Lord

Now DO it for yourself!!!

 

All of this Scriptural study makes for great thinking, meditating, musing and debating; but if that is all we do with it, we are not fulfilling the will of Christ for our lives.

He wants us to leave our halls of learning, go out from our offices and studies, and LIVE out His Word in the world around us.

So, our challenge is this:

Did we learn something new about the Lord Jesus Christ in church yesterday?  Were we reminded of some truth of Scripture in the sermons that we heard?

Then let's DO something to live that truth today.

I can't wait to see what else we learn as we live out what we have already learned!!!