“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth.” Isaiah 43:19
Dear Ones:
When Jesus was going to feed the five thousand, He turned to Philip and asked: “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” (Jn. 6:5) Scripture tells us that His purpose in doing this was “…to prove him (Philip).” (v.6) Jesus knew what He was going to do…Philip did not, and when it was revealed to him Jesus’ intent to feed the five thousand, Philip’s reaction was to ask the question: “…what are they (five loaves and two fishes) among so many?” (v.9) There are at least two “take-aways” that we must grasp here. The first is, we need to always seek God to learn what HE will do, what He wants us to trust Him for. It is only in knowing this that we shall be enabled to believe Him fully for its accomplishment. The second thing that we must grasp is that “all things are possible to God,” even though the physical means are slim and insufficient. All through Scripture we find this to be true, from the stone that David slung and killed to Goliath, to the three hundred men that God instructed Gideon to choose to conquer an enemy army. The meager resources and “vision” of the construction of the second temple was a very disconcerting endeavor. It was only through the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah that the vision of what God could do with little, moved the people to rise up, build, and finish the temple. Here we have five loaves and two fishes. The widow who cared for Elijah during a time of famine and drought, had only a little flour and a small quantity of oil. God would use, in both cases, the meager means at hand to show forth His glory. Now we return to the question mentioned as the title of this devotional: “Shall you not know it?” What is this thing that we SHOULD know, and how are we to know it?
In Isaiah 43, God is evidently seeking to lift Israel out of the dust, set her upon her feet, revive, bless, and encourage her to believe Him for great and mighty things, things that she did not know. If she is to believe Him for the wonderful thing, she needs to know what that wonderful thing is. How can this be done? First, we see in God’s word to Jeremiah in prison, that He is willing and desirous to reveal His will to him, and to us: “Call unto Me, and I WILL answer you, and show you great and mighty things that you do not know.” (Jer. 33:3) Secondly, we see that the earnest heart will seek God for His word to be revealed with clarity. Habbakuk writes: “I will stand upon my watch, and set me to SEE what He will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.” (Hab. 2:1) He then wrote: “And the Lord answered me…” (v.2) The point here is that God desires to “show” what He wants us to trust Him for, and this in a very clear, and precise manner. The question then becomes, “Are we willing to know His will, and to do it?” Are we willing to seek Him for a clear understanding of what He wants to do? If so, then we will pray to this end, in the expectation of His answer.
Dear Father, You who have proven Your desire and will to “show” us great and wonderful things that You are willing to do, grant to us that blessed “Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Thee.” Teach us Thy ways of faith, so that we can truly know Thee, and see Thy glory. We praise and thank Thee in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.
Love, Dad