Dear Ones:
One of the most marvelous things about Christianity, and faith in God, is that He is NOT like we are. We can become “as He is,” but He will never become “as we are” in our fallen, and sinful state, except to take flesh and dwell among us. He carries heaven with Him wherever He goes, for He is the very essence of Heaven, in His goodness and mercy, greatness and love. As such, He is Almighty, and the Sovereign of the ages. He will do that which pleases Him, in perfect accord with His perfect nature, righteousness and love. One of the greatest revelations of these truths is in God’s dealings with Israel, even before the end of the nation’s exile, and then, accomplished upon their return to the land.
In the minor prophet, Zechariah’s prophecy, the Lord declares: “I AM returned to Jerusalem with mercies: My house shall be built in it…” (Zech. 1:16) In the minor prophet, Haggai, the Lord declares: “Consider from this day and upward…from THIS DAY will I bless you.” (Hag. 2:18,19) What we see here is the commitment, and thus, total involvement by God in the history, and the life and expectations of Israel. The whole of the return from the exile is based upon the intervention, this commitment of God…a commitment to bless…today.
Now, what should this do for our faith? The knowledge that God is WITH us, and FOR us, is the same as His promise to bless us. The problem arises in believing it. If we have trusted Christ for cleansing, thorough cleansing in mind and heart, and if there is no cloud between “my Lord and me,’ then there is no reason to NOT believe Him, believing in His blessing where we live, and in what we do. We believe that God is faithful, but do we believe that He is faithful in my circumstances TODAY? Or are we just waiting on Him for tomorrow? There is “bright hope for tomorrow” because of living in the expectancy of His working and intervention today. He declared to Israel: “…from this day I will bless you.” Can we believe Him for this blessing today, individually and together?” WILL we believe Him?
I always like to see in the spring baby birds in their nests, just waiting for their mother to feed them. As soon as they sense that the mother is present, even though they might not yet be able to see , they open their little mouths as wide as possible, stretch upward toward the mother with all their capacity, and quivering with expectation, expect the mother to fill those waiting mouths with food. The Lord told Israel, “…open thy mouth wide, and I will FILL it.” (Ps. 81:10) Will we choose to live in the expectation of His fulness? Indeed, He is waiting to be gracious to us, especially to those who will truly trust Him.
Love, Dad