God knows the beginning and the end. He knows the cause of all problems and has the most effective solutions. It’s bringing us to the place of being able to receive His solutions that poses our greatest challenge.
RELEVANCE
Jesus had full knowledge that the Father’s plan was for Him to be crucified to bring God’s plan of salvation to fulfillment. It had to be done to accomplish God’s greater plan. No matter how much it defied logic and was the furthest thing from the minds of His disciples, it simply had to be done. It was God’s plan; God’s perfect plan.
“Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again’ (Luke 24:6-7).
God has ordained solutions to your greatest needs. Some call it divine providence. He wants us to seek Him as if He is the only one with the solution; because He is. That’s why Jesus issued this great word of encouragement: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33-34).
I love how Eugene H. Peterson put it so simply in The Message: “Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions… You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.”
Truly, God’s reality IS reality! Being crucified with Crist positions us in the truest sense to walk in God’s reality. Paul came to grips with this. He encouraged believers to likewise grasp hold of what he came to understand. He related this message with profound wisdom in his proclamation in Philippians 3:7-11.
“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”
Hard to imagine, but true. Letting things die– coming to an end, or closure– positions us to receive new strength and grace for new things and opportunities God has planned for us. Yes, it will mean suffering for a while as we go through re-shaping and re-positioning by the Lord. Trust Him, though. Allow the Holy Spirit to bring you His peace. Patience works for good.
REFLECT AND RELATE
God wants to be the center of the equation of our life. He wants to be the common denominator to all solutions. Whatever the situation you are in, ask God how He can become that center and common denominator of your life.
REFERENCES
Matthew 7:7