01/12/2024
We seek out our salvation but not always in the way we really should. Too often we read scripture and confuse doing things ourselves with having just asked the Lord to lead us. Does this sound like you? Well for the longest time it certainly sounded like me. I would pray for forgiveness, redemption, provision, healing, and so many other things, but rather than trusting in God to take charge of what I had just asked of Him I would act as though I had merely invited Him to watch over me as I did it all myself. I considered the fear and trembling of seeking my salvation to mean that I should be afraid that I might fail, but that is not what this passage means at all. The very next verse tells us something quite different; listen: “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
“ Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:12-13
So why is it that we tend to do this? Why do we take what we have asked of God and think we should do it ourselves? I learned a lesson in regards to this from a most interesting source, the 23rd Psalm. Quite often we believe that God watches us rather than is with us. But if we read the verses carefully it becomes apparent that He is most certainly with us and is definitely in charge. Let’s read it together and pay close attention to the words I have underlined.
“1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Psalm 23 ESV
In the first 5 verses we see that all of the real action is actually attributed to God. I have highlighted the three times does it mention us. The first time we are simply taking the journey. The second time we are not being afraid, and the third time we are accepting God’s blessing by living in His house. It is the same in our prayers, but rather than acknowledging this we want to take charge anyways. We want to be the hero. In our minds we like to make, lead, restore, comfort, prepare, and anoint. And, for some reason we often envision God to be taking a passive role by watching over us as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death rather than realizing that he walks WITH us and provides us the defense that comforts us.
In our prayers we ask our Heavenly Father to take action on our behalf, then we thank Him, and give Him the glory, for having done so. The closest we come to actually doing something for ourselves is when we ask Him to help us to overcome some obstacle, but even then we are simply walking with Him in it aren’t we? I was reminded of this recently when my daughter called on Christmas Eve to tell me that my son in law was at a remote emergency facility and had experienced a severe brain bleed. He was being transported to the Emergency Department at the main Vanderbilt University Hospital in Nashville, but the life flight helicopter was unavailable so he would be taken there in a specially equipped ambulance. The situation was one of life and death, and minutes counted, so she wanted me to pray for him immediately. I began to pray by praying for all of those who were caring for him to have superhuman ability as they treated him, and then for God to heal him miraculously if it was His will to do so.
When the ambulance arrived at the main hospital a team of neurologists had already been assembled and the lead Neurologist had reviewed his brain scans. It would appear that God was preparing this remarkable team to save my son in law’s life, and that this is how God would answer my prayer, and the prayers of so many others. But, when the neurologist entered the room she found that my son in law was talking and was not in the condition she expected to find him in. After further examination she told him… “I looked at your scans before I came in to see you and your brain was a mess, but what I see now is not what I expected. I believe we are witnessing a miracle here.“
You see God had done the heavy lifting and all that was left was for this incredibly gifted team was to treat the residual effects of what had been a very large and active brain bleed that had miraculously stopped bleeding. It stopped just 2mm from the point where they would have had to remove the top of his skull to save his life. In the end no surgery was needed, and within two weeks a third of the bleed had already been reabsorbed by his body. He continues to recover from very bad headaches as his body works to absorb the remainder of the blood, but the miracle that God performed that day as HE RODE WITH him in the ambulance has been accomplished.
“You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”
2 Chronicles 20:17 ESV
God answers prayer, and we are simply meant to pray to Him. We ask, and He provides. If He wants us to be involved He will tell us, or show us what our part will be. The will of God is complex and not always apparent to us, so we should be patient as we wait upon Him, pray in conformance to His will, and trust in Him even when His will seems contrary to our own. There are times when we will be amazed, and there will be times when we will be confounded, but never doubt that in the end His will is always done. Whether what we pray for comes, or not, it is good, and there will come a time when the goodness in that will be revealed to us. When God tells us that all things will work together for good He means ALL THINGS, the obviously good, and the apparently bad.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for taking action in my life. Thank you for hearing my every prayer as we walk together through the miles, the valleys, and the days of my life. Thank you Lord for the miracles I experience, and for the hardships I endure that make them necessary. Help me to trust more in you with my every breath, and to always believe that as you answer my prayers your will results in good, because you lead me by the Spirit to live and pray in accordance to your purpose. Great are you my God, and greatly to be praised in all things. Though your ways are often mysterious you comfort me as we walk if I will only believe, have faith, and trust in you. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you my God who sent your only begotten Son to redeem me, and to teach me how to trust, obey, and pray to you as I should. I thank you for your mercy, grace, and forgiveness that flows like a river from Him, and give you all the glory as it pours unceasingly over me.
Hallelujah. Hallelujah, Hallelujah!
Rich Forbes