The Purposes of God . . .

“Man proposes, but God disposes.”

— Thomas a Kempis

Often, we feel as if we are in charge, when in reality God is. That is not to say that we are off scot-free from any responsibilities; it does mean, however, that our only responsibility is obedience. That’s easier said than done, you might say. True, but the only sure path to holiness is obedience. There are no substitutes, as far as God is concerned. The sacrifice of bulls upon a brazen altar wasn’t enough. Neither, were the candles of incense upon a golden one (1 Samuel 15:22). God has always demanded more.

Surprisingly, to some, at least, grace alone is not enough either. It takes more. It takes obedience as well. Grace is free, but not without conditions, regardless of what some may teach. There’s nothing free or cheap about grace. It costs. It cost Christ his life, and it demands our obedience. Obedience alone, however, is not enough. It takes faith, and faith takes belief. This, theologians call the assent of faith. That is, we are to be in perfect agreement with what God says and demands, and that we acquiescence to His will in that regard.

Nevertheless, neither faith or obedience are super spiritual Band-Aids. The healing must go much deeper. That is where grace does it work. That is, deep inside the soul of man.

“For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12 AMPC)

It essence, what Scripture is telling us is that it takes God to not only show us what to do, but tell us who we are. For it is only when we understand who we are that God can help change us to become what He is. Free will is at stake, that’s for sure. But, as Christ prayed, so should we also pray, “Father, not my will but Thine be done (Luke 22:42).”

This free act, some may see as servitude, but in essence it is far from that, it is friendship at its best. It is love personified. His love, working in and through us to bring about reconciliation. But, not reconciliation without healing. For by His stripes we were healed—both past and present. No Band-Aids here. We are healed at the very core of our being, or we are not healed at all. That love—that graceful healing, covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). Not to hide our sins, but to expose them to the light of His presence. Like a great stadium illuminated and covered by a bright light, His love also covers us (John 1:1-9; 3:16). Far be it that we should ever think of God’s love covering our sins as so much dung covered by fallen snow. Never. God’s love exposes our sinful nature in order to clean it up—that is, heal us. Again, no Band-Aids here.

Now, to properly understand God, we must understand that He is not made up of pieces. Pieces of love, or Grace, or whatever He is. He is not an admixture of all of His so-called “good qualities.” He is all of them, and all are one. Therefore, whatever God does, He is; and, whatever God is, He does. Therefore, we can trust His consistency. As the Apostle reminds us, not only are we complete in Him (Colossians 2:10), but also that the good work that He has started in us, He will complete (Philippians 1:6).

May God give us the wisdom to understand so that we may appreciate the purposes of God in and through us. Only a God as great as ours can fulfill the promise to heal us and transform us into His glory (2 Cor 3:18):

[As] we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Much, much more, could be said; however, we shall save that for another time. During the meantime, may God richly bless you and grant each of us the wisdom and fortitude of faith to commit all of our ways unto Him, for He truly cares for us (Psalm 27:5; Proverbs 16:3; I Peter 5:7).

Blessings,

JimR_/