God can use even lost donkeys to position us for His purposes. He allows practical needs in our lives to cause us to seek Him, just as Saul’s lost donkeys made him seek out the prophet, Samuel.
In our need, we turn to God to fix our marriage, our finances, our children — but God has a grander purpose — to fix OUR hearts. To sanctify OUR souls. To make US more like Christ through our suffering.
The scriptures I’m reading often seem to harmonize and bring greater depth of understanding to the message from our pastor, which is not on the same passage at all. This week, Pastor JD spoke from Isaiah 9, teaching about the coming Messiah. King Ahaz was seeking an answer to his immediate, practical need — an army which surrounded Jerusalem threatening his life and his kingdom. God answered with a prophecy of the Messiah that was still 700 years in the future.
As our pastor pointed out, God wants to get to the root of the problem. And the root of Ahaz’s problem and ours is sin. The solution is the Wonderful Counselor. Pastor JD noted that Jesus isn’t simply a counselor in the sense of being someone we can pour out our troubles to while they smile sadly and nod — Jesus is one with the authority and power to resolve our problems.
But the catch is that if we ask Jesus to resolve the problem, we have to submit to His plans. As I mentioned last week, we want Him to fix a leaky faucet — but His plan is a total heart makeover. And before we get to the final reveal, there are going to be some moments that look pretty bleak. We may not be able to imagine the design He has in mind. As Pastor JD put it, “He asks us to say yes before we read the terms and conditions.”
What problem are you asking God to fix? Have you given him a blank check to do whatever needs to be done to fix it? I don’t mean a financial blank check (or at least not that alone); I mean a blank check with your life. Are you willing for God to do anything needed in order to fix your problem, which is anything that separates you from Him? As we ask those coming to be baptized, are you willing to go wherever He asks you to go and do whatever He asks you to do?
In our need, we turn to God to fix our marriage, our finances, our children — but God has a grander purpose — to fix OUR hearts. To sanctify OUR souls. To make US more like Christ through our suffering.
The scriptures I’m reading often seem to harmonize and bring greater depth of understanding to the message from our pastor, which is not on the same passage at all. This week, Pastor JD spoke from Isaiah 9, teaching about the coming Messiah. King Ahaz was seeking an answer to his immediate, practical need — an army which surrounded Jerusalem threatening his life and his kingdom. God answered with a prophecy of the Messiah that was still 700 years in the future.
As our pastor pointed out, God wants to get to the root of the problem. And the root of Ahaz’s problem and ours is sin. The solution is the Wonderful Counselor. Pastor JD noted that Jesus isn’t simply a counselor in the sense of being someone we can pour out our troubles to while they smile sadly and nod — Jesus is one with the authority and power to resolve our problems.
But the catch is that if we ask Jesus to resolve the problem, we have to submit to His plans. As I mentioned last week, we want Him to fix a leaky faucet — but His plan is a total heart makeover. And before we get to the final reveal, there are going to be some moments that look pretty bleak. We may not be able to imagine the design He has in mind. As Pastor JD put it, “He asks us to say yes before we read the terms and conditions.”
What problem are you asking God to fix? Have you given him a blank check to do whatever needs to be done to fix it? I don’t mean a financial blank check (or at least not that alone); I mean a blank check with your life. Are you willing for God to do anything needed in order to fix your problem, which is anything that separates you from Him? As we ask those coming to be baptized, are you willing to go wherever He asks you to go and do whatever He asks you to do?
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