THE FINGERS OF GOD

The narrow way we travel is “Difficult” – not my word but the Lord’s -- full of speed bumps, circumstances on the trashing floor of life that punctuate our existence, some good, and some bad, with every shade in between. God allows in his wisdom what He could easily prevent in His power. The truth of this is found throughout Scripture. He allows that we might become perfect -- clay in the Master Potter's hands being formed on the potter’s wheel into Christlikeness. For those He foreknew He predestined to be conformed, molded and shaped, into the image of His Son. And we try to have understanding, clarity of purpose, when things happen; seeking to know why, even when the heavens are brass and God cloaks himself in silence as He is often inclined to do in trying times – God simply never answers the question “why”. Trials by their very nature include temptations, temptations rooted in fear producing doubt and the overwhelming desire to “do”, do something within our own effort to alleviate the trial. “Perfect love, God's love for us, casts out all fear.” Trust, the product of perfect love, casts out fear and doubt, and allows us to quit “doing” and simply “be”, be what we are called to be – in Christ – in the Beloved. God does not give us overcoming life that flattens all the speed bumps so we can go full speed ahead. This would be of little value in the hard task of dragging our cantankerous self nature to the cross of death. No, God gives us life, His New Life, as we overcome our old Self-Life, and will that it be nailed to our Lord’s cross. To be in Christ is to submit to the conforming pressure of God’s fingers as the Master Potter molds and shapes each of His children into a unique predetermined vessel of honor, perfected and fit for Kingdom use. Difficulties, what Paul called our momentary light afflictions, are the fingers of God preparing us for the glory of eternity with our Daddy. We are being made ready by the discipline of the present crucified life.