Monday, December 15, 2014

Just because I cannot see God . . . ................. Parables 209

(March 21, 1990)

At least fourteen cars didn’t make it. Some stopped. Others piled into them. Still others missed the space between the lines. That fog a couple of weekends ago was so unbelievably thick.

Even driving in town required a measure of faith. It looked as if there was nothing left to drive on; the streets all but disappeared. The white “soup” didn’t just cover them, it completely swallowed the pavement and buildings.

I felt the same way about God that Sunday morning. Tired from doing all the usual chores plus hospital visits, plus traveling 500 miles in two days, plus cleaning someone else’s house besides my own, there was no physical energy left for my Bible class. Not only that, God seemed far away. How could I teach about Him if He was not there?

However, on the way to church, I noticed only by going on would we know for sure if the next block still existed, if asphalt would still firmly rise up beneath our tires and if neighbors still lived alongside the boulevards. Each meter we traveled brought another meter into view, until finally we reached our destination. If we had relied only on the visible, surely we would have stayed home. Obviously, not everything we see is “real.” Fog can make streets “disappear” and create a false sense of reality. However, just because we can’t see two hundred yards in front of us didn’t mean there is nothing beyond.

That reminded me of Scripture that encourages Christians to “...walk by faith, not by sight.”  We are to concentrate on eternal things that are invisible and let those govern our actions, rather than let temporary things confuse us, even though they are easier to see. (2 Cor.4:18).

That morning, my fatigue was making the reality of Christ in my life “disappear” and creating a tremendous sense of emptiness. But, as with the fog, God wanted me to go on in faith, not depend on sight or feelings but believe He is always with me -- because He said so, so I determined to move on in obedience. Yet even with God’s promise to be with me and my determination, walking into class was like walking into a fog. I still felt weak and inadequate.

The Lord met that need too. When the apostle Paul had some kind of infirmity that slowed him down, he asked God three times to remove it. God told Him, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Paul said he had learned to glory in his weaknesses because when he was weak, the power of God rested on him, whether he felt like it or not. That verse (2 Corinthians 12:9) was repeated three times in our study material.

After the study time was over, I was still exhausted and didn’t “feel” much different physically, yet each of us recognized the Lord had brought our spirits through the “fog” and into the Son light. His strength is sufficient. Faith can depend on Him.

Not every day with God is foggy. Often the course ahead is clear and His strength, tired or not, is fully felt. But when our vision of Him socks in, that doesn’t mean He’s gone. His promises are just as reliable when we can’t see the end from the beginning, as they are when the sun is shining. We can safely put one foot ahead of the other, trusting He will be there, clearing the pathway ahead of us.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Comments are welcome, but all advertising, spam, and "please read my blog" requests will be deleted.