2005-04-03 - God's Deliverance

Psalm 3, Part 5

Too often, Christians feel the deliverance they desire is the deliverance God must meet and that is an end to pain, an end of frustration, a beginning to a life of happiness. "After all, we are His children and He wants His children to enjoy life, right?" As we have already seen, the answer to that question is an emphatic NO!

Now this isn't to say God's deliverance can't include relief from pain, from illness, from poverty - but when it does, it is because the Lord is loving and merciful. But His deliverance, even in these situations, is more about our spiritual freedom, not our physical. God loves us and desires what is best for us, but what is best from His perspective.

Yes, we can pray and expect God's special deliverance. He will provide that which we truly need. This is the power of the Holy Spirit to carry us through life in a way that allows us to serve God and to grow in our relationship with Him.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).

Christ's yoke is custom-fitted, so it is easy. He wants us to mature. And it is through dependency on Him that we can find rest in the midst of chaos. We have the comfort of knowing God is in control of our circumstances.

Conclusion: God will provide comfort in the midst of our difficulties, and the opportunity to grow through them. As believers we are not protected from the struggles of life, those that all men go through. "He (God) causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Matthew 5:45).

To be continued.

Comments or Questions?
Geoff

GKragen@aol.com
http://www.cfdevotionals.org