Why Not, Jesus?

[cmc]

You are reading the daily devotion from NotReligion.

October 9, 2008
Key Passage: Matthew 26:47-56
Topic: Jesus
"Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?" (Matthew 26:53-54, ESV).

Have you ever found yourself in a really difficult situation and wondered why God didn't just take it all away?

Maybe you sometimes wonder why, if God can do anything He wants to, He doesn't just make everything turn out okay for those who follow Him? It wouldn't be surprising if that's exactly what some of the disciples thought on the night before Jesus was crucified.

Here's the story: Jesus and His followers were in a garden at night. And along comes a band of soldiers to arrest Jesus, which would ultimately lead to His death. In the heat of the moment, one of the disciples pulls out a sword to protect Jesus and ends up injuring a man among those whom came to arrest his Master.

Jesus then rebukes this disciple saying that God the Father could instantly send thousands of angels to protect Him. But, according to Jesus, this terrible thing needed to happen to accomplish God's greater purpose.

Even though God doesn't always act in the way we want Him to, it's comforting to be reminded that God always works in the best way, though not necessarily always the easiest way to understand. As someone once said, "When you can't see His hand, trust His heart."




© 2008 NotReligion

[IO Storm]

This post also reminds me that God knows exactly how things will turn out

not only in my life, but in the nation, and in the world.

I have allowed much fear to creep in, and I know better!

Fasting, praying, believing..trusting.

God is sovreign!

[Jadmack25]

Last night at prayer group, we were told how limiting some prayer is for God to act. I have prayed for many years, as follows; "Father take the craving for beer away from W, help him get sober and heal his misery and pain." Has not worked for long. Last night I heard that my sort of prayer limited God to doing exactly what I had asked. (Campral helped against the craving, W got sober for a while, but he was still of the same alcoholic mindset- that hadn't changed, so when he hit a bad spot he was back to the beer.)

God knows what we all need, and only waits to be asked to do as He wants and needs to do for each of us. We don't really know what really is right for those we pray for, (including ourselves), but God certainly does. Let go and let God is the way to perform miracles. Don't limit Him to our small thoughts.
Pray to Him; " Father, I bring you W and give him into Your loving care. Help me to take my hands off and let You do all that is necessary for his good."
Then let go and let God.
From then on, all you need is something like, "Father, I know you have W in your hands and that you are doing your work in him. I trust You completely.
I will be doing it this way from now on, leaving it to God.
Hope this may be of use to others who are or have been dejected at what they think is their unanswered prayers.

[cmc]

"Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Amen.

[IO Storm]

Let go and let God is the way to perform miracles. Don't limit Him to our small thoughts.

Jadmack...

His ways are not our ways. Neither are His thoughts our thoughts.

He tells us this in His Word..and yet we wonder and are discouraged when

things don't happen the way we think they should..or on our timetable.

There is a gospel song that says "He's always on time..even if He's three

days late." Jesus raised Lazarus...his relatives thought it was too late.

They thought He dilly dallied...maybe didn't really care that much.

But, he wasn't late. His miracle was exactly on time. His time.

Then..He himself, died. His followers scattered like rabbits into holes.

They just could not grasp what had happened..why he did not save

Himself? But when He arose the third day..He was on time.

His time.

Thanks for your post Jadmack.

And welcome to SR!