March 25

“In the divine order, God’s working depends on our cooperation.  During His earthly ministry, Jesus could do no mighty works in at least one city because of the people’s unbelief.  It was not that He would not, but that He could not.  We often think that God will not, when in reality He cannot because of our unbelief.”  Hannah Whitall Smith, God is Enough, 3/25

I think people don’t like to hear that God cannot do something while at the same time they question why He did not stop some bad thing from happening.  He is all-powerful and all-knowing, isn’t He?  We don’t want God to interfere with our plans, yet we blame Him when things don’t go the way we want them to.  I look back over my years and think about all my different ideas of God and how He had to shake me to the core to get me to let go of my man-made opinions.  Then I was sifted and the result is a pure, unadulterated belief that God is Love.  With that at my core I can now see the way in which God works and just why I must die to Self.  Now I don’t mind doing that.  In fact, I relish the thought of being freed of Self because now I can live His life instead--a life of faith free of anxiety. So I am surprised when I find my message of Freedom in Christ is met with resistance, even hostility.  But then the Lord reminds me of my former state, and I am kept from self-righteousness and instead filled with compassion.  Is this what it means to love your enemy?

“For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, live as enemies of the cross of Christ.  Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.”  Philippians 3:18, 19