As I have studied the Bible for the last 46 years, one thing has come into sharper and sharper focus, God is in control. We saw that in 1 Peter 1, His foreknowledge is the operating standard which informs all of the instruction Peter gives on suffering.
2017 was a hard year for our family. We were in the midst of experiencing 5 deaths. I was reviewing a journal entry I made in July of that year after dealing with some of my Father’s estate. I was reflecting on Judges 3:1 – 4 (here @ Bible Gateway), take a moment and read those 4 verses.
You will remember that Israel was tasked with removing all the inhabitants of the land the Lord had given them. Israel did not do so. There were four groups of people left. What struck me reading through this was that the text says that the Lord left these nations to test Israel. Israel didn’t drive them out; the Lord left them. Ponder that.
Israel was disobedient by not driving those nations out. God used those nations to test Israel’s obedience and to train them for war.
There are areas in my life where I have been disobedient. There are areas in which I have failed the Lord. It is no surprise to Him. 2017 was not a surprise to Him. He not only knows we fail, knows we have faults, He uses those failures and engages those faults to test, train, and equip us for His purposes.
He is in control. He is not surprised.
2017 was a hard year for our family. We were in the midst of experiencing 5 deaths. I was reviewing a journal entry I made in July of that year after dealing with some of my Father’s estate. I was reflecting on Judges 3:1 – 4 (here @ Bible Gateway), take a moment and read those 4 verses.
You will remember that Israel was tasked with removing all the inhabitants of the land the Lord had given them. Israel did not do so. There were four groups of people left. What struck me reading through this was that the text says that the Lord left these nations to test Israel. Israel didn’t drive them out; the Lord left them. Ponder that.
Israel was disobedient by not driving those nations out. God used those nations to test Israel’s obedience and to train them for war.
There are areas in my life where I have been disobedient. There are areas in which I have failed the Lord. It is no surprise to Him. 2017 was not a surprise to Him. He not only knows we fail, knows we have faults, He uses those failures and engages those faults to test, train, and equip us for His purposes.
He is in control. He is not surprised.
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