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In Christ, Mark
In Christ, Mark
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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy
word.
“But now many nations are gathered against you. They say,
‘Let her be defiled, let our eyes gloat over Zion!’ But they do not know the
thoughts of the Lord; they do not understand His plan, that He has gathered
them like sheaves to the threshing floor.”
Micah 4:11-12
This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks
be to God.
It’s amazing to me how many people walk around life every
day thinking they have everything figured out, like they have complete control
of things and know the master plan.
Sadly, these same people are the ones who seem to fall
hardest when their lives don’t work out the way they thought they would.
The truth of the matter is that none of us really know
the plan that has been set forth for our lives for only the Lord truly knows
that plan. He said so Himself:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to
prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah
29:11
Those who place their trust in the Lord have a blessed
assurance in these words. Certainly, as we saw in yesterday’s devotion, the
people of Israel realized it as a part of God’s plan was revealed to them, a
plan that promised redemption after a period of discipline and correction. It
was a plan intended first to bring the Israelites back to God and then to bless
them with restoration after their return to Him and the land He had given them.
Indeed, the plan of the Lord was for the people to prosper and have a
hope-filled future.
Too bad not everyone wasn’t onboard with this same view
but that isn’t surprising for a lot of nations were living separate from God
during the days of Micah. Without connection to the God of Israel, they were
disconnected from seeing what God was up to. The plan of the Lord was unseen
and unknown. We know this by looking again at our scripture passage for today
as we continue to look at Micah 4:
“But now many
nations are gathered against you. They say, ‘Let her be defiled, let our eyes
gloat over Zion!’ But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord; they do not
understand His plan, that He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing
floor.” Micah 4:11-12
Note here that Israel’s enemies, the nations who gathered
against them as well as God Himself, had no understanding of God’s plan of
coming redemption and deliverance. They only saw the judgment God was bringing
on His people and took great pleasure in watching the Israelites suffer,
gloating as the once holy Zion was defiled. Little did they know that the Lord’s
plan involved judgment on them as well as He promised to gather Israel’s
opposition like sheathes to the threshing floor, sheathes that would be beaten
and battered in order to separate the grain from the chaff. It didn’t paint a
pretty picture of what was to come to Israel’s enemies.
Perhaps if they had only sought the Lord and focused on
the plans He had for them instead of others, they would have been more focused
on how to live in a way to avoid His judgment instead of rejoicing in the
suffering of others in the midst of His punishment.
Will we repeat the mistakes today?
Not if we follow the following guidance found in today’s
word:
1. Serve the Lord and seek His direction.
This is of first importance because how can we know the
plan the Lord has for us if we don’t seek Him?
Indeed, those who don’t know the Lord can’t possibly know
His plan but when we actively walk through life with the Lord, we not only get
to experience His plan as it’s revealed but get to interact with its Creator
along the way.
2. Focus on His plan for you.
One of the problems with Israel’s enemies is that they
were more interested in what God was doing to the Israelites than what He might
do to them and as we saw in today’s devotion, judgment was coming their way.
3. Don’t revel in the misfortune of others.
We need to know that God’s plan sometimes involves
discipline and that discipline will come on anyone who needs corrected. Anyone
gloating over the misfortunes of another might find out they’re next to be
punished like the enemies of Israel in our passage today.
4. Any nation that opposes God will have their day.
The nations that were enemies of Israel were enemies of
God too and the scriptures have shown us many times over that any nation who
tries to oppose God will have their day with Him, a day of judgment that never
goes well for the nation. God always wins.
5. Trust that the Lord has a plan for you.
We are going to go through a lot of ups and downs through
life as we execute the Lord’s pre-set plan that to us is unknown and unseen, but
we have to trust the words of the Lord when He says:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to
prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah
29:11
In the end translation, we serve a Lord who is the only certainty
we have in an uncertain world, a Lord who speaks truth, a Lord who acts in ways
that are best for us, a Lord who loves us and gives us hope for a future, not
just today but forever more.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
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