Posted in Calling, God's Calling, Hearing from God on March 18, 2013| 1 Comment »
Noah Lang
How do you know when God is calling you to be his or to do a particular service or ministry?
“One little boy describes it this way”, our pastor said, “It’s like fishing. You can’t see the fish or hear it, but you feel it tugging on your line.”
God’s call is like that. When he’s calling, you may not see or hear anything new or different but you feel Him tugging on your heart.
— fritz
Related Post: “What’s My Calling” – June 27, 2010
Related Post: “Itchy” – January 11, 2012
Posted in Assurance, Benefits, Christ, Expectation, Expectations, God, God's Plan, God's Will, Patience, Waiting, tagged honda motorcycle, jesus lord, John 6, real option on March 15, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Simon Peter answered [Jesus], “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” — John 6:60
There is a retired mechanic in the area who calls himself the “Honda Doctor”. Anything too old for dealers to fix he will.
One thing, though, he works on his own terms. He doesn’t need you but if you have an old Honda motorcycle you need him. He charges a flat hourly rate plus parts. Do his repairs take too long? Sometimes. Are the parts too expensive? Sometimes. Your only option is to either choose him to fix your bike or not and don’t tick him off.
God is like that in some ways. He works on his own schedule his own way. Does he take too long? Does he cost more than expected? Sometimes. Our only real option is to either choose him or not.
Fortunately for us he is good, loves us dearly, and works all things to our benefit.
The Honda Doctor doesn’t do that.
— fritz.
Posted in Crisis, God's Compassion, Job, Suffering, tagged Ezekiel 22, Job 1 on September 4, 2012| Leave a Comment »
“Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?” — God (Job 1:8)
When one thinks of suffering, Job traditionally comes to mind. Even God said that among people he was “perfect”. Yet, God allowed Job to go through troubles that make thinking people cringe. Why?
God does not answer that question directly but, like a good teacher, he leaves clues for those who really want to know.
Among those “in the earth” Job was as good as it gets but there has only ever been one completely free of sin and self — and it wasn’t you, me, or even Job.
“And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” — God (Ezekiel 22:30)
As good as Job was, there were things that could only be learned through extended emotionally difficult times. During these seasons compassion is learned, God’s ability and desire to do all the carrying, all the heavy lifting, all the providing is learned. We learn how to focus on God’s approval, to be attentive to his ways. We learn how to pray.
These things we must learn to walk with God and they can only be learned by walking with God through suffering. Strange as it may seem, it was God’s goodness that allowed Job to go through the difficulties. Job not only ended up with twice as much as he had before but he ended up with a changed heart, too.
Something to think about.
— fritz.
Related Post: “Job’s Misunderstanding” – May 31, 2011
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