Tag: providence

If the Lord Delights…

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

After release from bondage in Egypt and receiving the Law from the Lord at Sinai, the people reach the edge of the wilderness. Moses sent several men into the land to spy it out. Upon returning, the report from several spies was not good. They feared the people in the land. They didn’t trust the Lord’s promise. They told the nation they could not take the land as God had promised. 

Seeing the mood change in the nation, both Joshua and Caleb, two of the many who spied out the land, attempted to lead the people to trust in God’s promise, will, and power. 

“If the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey.” (Nu 14:8)

They directed the people to focus on the Lord and not the obstacle. They pointed to God’s will and desire. Ultimately the people did not listen and ended up spending 40 years walking in the wilderness. Their misfortune provides a valuable lesson, especially when we connect this text to the New Testament author James. James warns us not to plan too far ahead.

James writes, 

“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:13–15)

James warns us to submit our plans to the Lord. We should trust in His will and not our own. His promises, His strength, His sovereignty.  

Our God is a God who is capable. Our God is a sovereign God who is in control. Our God is a God of Providence. He is purposeful in bringing about His will. We must not presume upon the Lord, thinking He will do what we want Him to do. Rather, we must rest in God‘s will for our lives, trusting that He has our best interest in mind and we will be used for His glory, which will result in His praise.

Admittedly, it is not easy to realize our life is meant to bring God glory especially when times are difficult. It is much easier to believe we were created to bring God glory when we are successful in our eyes and the world’s eyes. But God has a plan for each and everyone of our lives. God‘s plan is meant to show forth His glory for His praise. 

We must rest in our God given purpose, recognizing we are a part of bringing God, the God who created the universe, glory. In other words, we are who God has chosen to use to show forth His greatness in numerous ways. 

Knowing we are created for God’s glory should provide us comfort and joy, as well as it should provide us meaning in life.

How can you trust in the Lord today? How can you delight in His will for your life even if it is proving to be a difficult time?

Continue to trust in the Lord even if it doesn’t seem like He is present.

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals3 Comments

“But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand.” (Exodus 3:19)

In this morning’s reading, Moses has an encounter with God. He finds a bush burning in the wilderness but is not being burned up. Like many of us, he turns aside to see how a bush on fire could remain whole, unburned by the fire that should consume it. Upon approaching the bush, a voice, the voice of God, emanates from the bush warning Moses that he has entered a holy space.

Afterwards, God proceeds to tell Moses He has heard the cries of His people in Egypt who are being brutally afflicted by the Egyptians. Not only has He heard their cries but He has seen their affliction. He has come to provide them with relief. But God is not going to smite the Egyptians right away. Instead, His plan is to send Moses to bring the people out of Egypt. Moses is tasked with approaching Pharaoh and asking him to let God’s people go three days’ journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to God (Exodus 3:18).

What is interesting about God’s plan for Moses is that He already knows the outcome. He tells Moses that He knows the King of Egypt will not let them go unless compelled by a mighty hand. He doesn’t tell Moses the mighty wonders He will do just that He will do them. Not only will He do mighty wonders that will result in the Israelites escape, but He will also provide the Israelites favor with the Egyptians. Favor that will result in them plundering the Egyptians of their silver and gold jewelry, as well as clothing. The Israelites will not leave Egypt empty handed.

Again, we see the providential nature of God. He is in control. Life does not happen by chance. It is a part of God’s plan. We see the Lord provides, He protects His people. Continue to trust in the Lord even if it doesn’t seem like He is present. He is present. He has not abandoned you. He remains faithful. Watch and see what the Lord will do in your life!

Our providential God is at work

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

In Genesis 45:4-5, we read:

“So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.” (Genesis 45:4-5)

Many years before their shocking encounter, Joseph’s brothers had sold him into slavery. They were jealous of him. They wanted him gone. Instead of killing him, they sold him to a passing caravan. They told their father Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. 

Joseph, however, had not been killed. He was enslaved and brought to the land of Egypt. Through events that only God could orchestrate, a Jewish slave rises to power in Egypt. Joseph is more powerful than anyone in the land except the Pharaoh.

Joseph’s meteorite rise did not happen by chance. Rather it was orchestrated by God. What Joseph’s brothers meant for evil God used to preserve the life of the nation of Israel. The family from whom He had chose to save the whole world. The Messiah would come through their family line. In the Messiah, they would be a blessing to the whole world. 

Our God has a plan. He is in control. Life does not happen by chance. It falls under the providential care of the Lord. That doesn’t mean life will always be easy. We are refined through trial (see James 1). It does mean life has meaning and purpose. We are not knocked through life like a pinball, rather we are guided by the loving and caring hand of God. You might not see it but God is there. He is working. He is guiding and accomplishing His purpose with your life. 

Trust in the Lord. Rely on Him in the good time and the bad. Our providential God is at work.

We serve an amazing God who will bring His purposes about!

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

“And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.”

(Rev 17:16-17)

There is a vivid and scary scene near the end of the book of Revelation. In chapter 17, John sees a vision of a prostitute arrayed in purple and scarlet with gold and jewels and pearls. She has a golden cup in her hand and she is drunk on the blood of martyred Jesus followers. She is Babylon’s the great. She is riding on a scarlet beast with seven heads and 10 horns who has come from the bottomless pit (Rev 17:1-13). The beast with seven heads and horns represents nations and kings who have power. Who wage ware against Jesus and His followers (Rev 17:14).

The interesting part of John’s vision is not so much the vivid imagery but what happens to the prostitute. She is destroyed by the beast and the kings who are represented by the ten horns (Rev 17:16). But why? Why do they war against one another? Verse 17 reveals the answer:

“for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.”

(Rev 17:17)

Her destruction occurs due God’s providence. God works His will even in the hearts of evil men who completely and utterly oppose Him. God is that great! He is absolutely sovereign, turning even the hearts of wicked men to accomplish His purposes. As one commentator puts it:

“You cannot overcome such a God! They are his enemies, and he puts it into their hearts to carry out his purposes by doing their wicked deeds. God is holy, righteous, and good. He is not evil. He is not tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone to it. He never does evil. But no evil is outside God’s control.”

(James Hamilton, Revelation, 331)

We serve an amazing God who will bring His purposes about!