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Series: The Dealings of God

Sunday 27 October – Kobus Swart

Romans 8:28-29 (The Message); (Heb. 2:10)

More and more people are enquiring about God. Who is He and how does He work? There are people who are not technically Christians – they are in other religions – and yet what drives them is a quest and search for God. We have to realize this: God is what humanity needs. We have been created by God and because of that fundamental truth, the thirst, the hunger, and the drive for God is stronger than the sex drive, the drive for power, popularity or wealth.

How does God work in the daily routine of life? Does He send His angels? Does He always come in spectacular, miraculous ways?Better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure thatevery detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him (Rom. 8:28-29). God can cause everything in our lives to work for our good. It includes negative things, bad experiences such as bad weather, bad politics, bad government, your job, your family, relationships – life as it is. All of this forms the context in which God shapes your life. The government of God is busy infiltrating every sphere of life. God is going to make all things new.

Many of the Old Testament stories do not give you a polished ideal of life. Most of it is full of trouble and problems yet throughout there is a golden thread of God working out his plan – from one season to another, from one generation to another. He manifested Himself in different ways; God was involved in human history. How much more under the New Covenant will God involved Himself, having sent His Son to become the Pioneer of a new humanity!

It would be a lot easier for us to believe that Jesus was God, and therefore sailed through life with ease. Jesus was both the Son of God and the Son of man! What does it mean? Even though He was God in the flesh, He had to become man in order to take the weakness and sin of humanity upon Himself. He became sin in order to redeem and reconcile humanity with God! It would have been so much easier if Jesus, being the son of God, could have skipped over difficult times, but He had to go through all the conditions of life like you and me. He had to learn obedience by the things He suffered and worked for thirty years under an earthly father. At any time He could have called on hosts of angels to help Him out of situations, but He never did. He paved a way, became the Pioneer of our salvation, and came to bring many sons to glory to perfect the author of their salvation (Heb. 2:10).

When Christians are under the pressure of circumstances, whether it be financial, relational, sickness, etc., they find it difficult to believe that God is busy shaping their life in the midst of those circumstances. We must have a greater trust in the fact that God is using the detail of our everyday life to shape us. The laying on of hands does not shape us; the fruit of the Spirit comes by going through the fiery oven of everyday living, whatever situations God has birthed you into. You will only be able to sleep in whatever the storm if you have the peace that He is in charge.

All of life’s experiences, good or bad, are being used by God to shape us. God causes all things to work together in the lives of those who love Him. Make sure that you love God! Take responsibility and believe that He is calling you.

Jesus is building His Church even in the midst of chaos. Never forget that. It may not be visible but God is not sleeping nor slumbering; He is building His Church!

Jesus was also called the Son of David. David was a typical man, a human being, but there was a spirituality about David that is unique; it was an earthy spirituality. With all the problems, weaknesses, strengths and achievements in David’s life, he loved God! There was never a single miracle in David’s life but God was fully involved in his life – usually in a hidden fashion, invisibly so.

Israel was in the wilderness for 40 years, miraculously sustained, protected and provided for, until they crossed over into the land of promise. Then the manna ceased and there was no more miraculous provision! This is where God is taking the Church at present.Do not always look for a “miracle” to short-circuit a process that God needs to shape your life. Love God and go through it because you are called and he is busy shaping you.

He did not want Israel to live on the miraculous in the land of promise, but He wanted them to take a step of faith in this new land and to participate in the plan of God, participate in the miracle. Your history will become His-story; God’s story in your life. He wants men and women to freely participate in His ways.

God does not stand outside your life when you are experiencing difficulties. He is there with you, as He was in the lion’s den with Daniel and in the fiery oven with the three Hebrews. You cannot want a miracle to escape from your humanity. Let us go through fire and say “Lord, shape me; shape every detail of my life”. There is no short-cut to real spirituality. Submit to God’s dealings, loving Him, knowing that you are called, and let Him shape your life into the life patterned on his firstborn Son.