One of the areas that many Christians struggle with is the painful question as to why God chooses it would seem, to bring relief to some of our requests and not to others. This coming Sunday as we leave the Sermon on the Mount and move on to consider some of the amazing Miracles of the Lord Jesus recorded in Matthew`s Gospel, the same question remains begging – if God is able and He loves me, wanting what`s best for me as His child, why then does He not send me the miracle that I so desperately need?!
We will certainly attempt to provide some sensible and biblical based answers to these pressing questions in the weeks to come, but in the meantime let me refer you to my good friend, John Burrell, Jane Burn`s father from the UK whose writings we have previously appreciated, and who`s perspective on this matter I find rather refreshing:
“So why then has God not got me my new house/job/car/pay rise? is a question asked quite often. Too often. It has become a problem where the difference between needs and wants has not been recognized. The old harvest hymn “Come ye thankful people come…” where some hymn books have adopted the line “all our wants to be supplied” has much to answer for. Neither do translations of Psalm 23 which read “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want (be in want)” help to bring the better understanding. It is actually what the Lord sees to be needful for us to fulfil his purpose that will not be wanting, rather than our personal desires. Paul wrote to the Philippians (4,19) that God will meet all our needs in accordance with His glorious riches in Jesus.
This brings us to the flip side of that coin which is that whatever is supplied is expected to be used in the service of His kingdom. It is for enabling us to do His work rather than for delivering creature comforts, and account of what we have done with those resources will have to be given in due course. The parable of the talents makes this plain. It can be scary reading to those among us who have been richly endowed whether in talents or in goods or both. We all have something. Giving just a little service to the Lord may be enough for those given little, but not enough for those to whom much has been given, for rather more than a little will be expected of us.”
John Burrell
So, it would seem that while the Lord always has our best interests and needs on His heart, we also have to learn to trust His larger purposes especially when it may bring no relief to our particular dilemma at the time. This does not mean that He has stopped caring for me or that the answer will never come, but it does mean that I need to acknowledge my absolute dependency on Him for the unknown future, for He knows what is best:
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8,9
Child of God, don’t get discouraged as is so easy to do when it appears that the Lord has forgotten you and turned His back on your crisis, but keep looking to the God of the impossible, however daunting your circumstances may be, the God of Refuge is still your strength and He will keep always His faithful promises to you!
Join us this Sunday then as we consider these mighty miracles so that your faith may be strengthened in the coming days, in spite of the challenges you may be facing.
Yours in His Service,
Pastor Will