Have you ever entertained the concept that God actually
placed you in the home in which He wanted you to live? God preordained us to
live in a certain sphere and stratum of society. Whether your parents were
wealthy, drunkards, benevolent, poor, hard working, sluggards, belittling,
educated, illiterate, angry, carefree, abusive, gave you up for adoption or
anything in between, God chose them for you in order to mold you into the
person He needs you to be (Ephesians
2:8-10).
As a result, we can live with bitterness and feelings of
inequality, or a snobbish better-than-though attitude, or we can submit to
God’s wisdom, forgive our parents for their shortcomings and allow God to use
us as He sees fit. This concept is proven when we view the life of Jesus. Born
in a stable, driven from his kin by a crazed ruler, trained as a carpenter,
unmarried and childless, falsely accused, tortured and crucified, Jesus
submitted to His destiny and fulfilled God’s will all within the vicinity of
His birthplace.As we age into adulthood, God steers us in the direction in which we should go. If we rebel and go our own way, we suffer from our estrangement from His plan. We may use religion, sports, food, debauchery or work to fill the empty void in our life, but nothing truly satisfies us. However, if we walk in God’s divine plan, we reap the blessings of an obedient and surrendered life. Jesus obeyed all the way to Calvary’s cross, and reaped Kingship in the glories of heaven.
God’s design supplies us with divine riches also, both within and without and now and in eternity. Every plan God has for us is for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28). Even the darkest, most dangerous prison is a palace when we dwell in the divine presence of our immortal God. He may strip us of every earthly comfort and close acquaintance for the purpose of removing our reliance on human prospects; but He does so in order to draw us closer to His immortal presence.
Prayer:
Father God, we see Joseph as a perfect example of someone
sold into slavery by his brothers, which You used to reposition Joseph to
ultimately save his family from famine. Even in prison, Paul wrote many sacred
works, which sustain our soul today. Regardless of our circumstances, if we
follow the leading of Your Spirit, You will provide for and sustain us both in
times of abundance and in times of lack (Philippians 4:11-13). We embrace Your wise
and holy ways and cling to Your kind and caring heart for our strength through
all of life’s circumstances. Lead us in Your will and put us in the right place
at the right time to fulfill Your desires for our life.
Thought for the Day:
God crucifies the first Adam within us until He sees the
rebirth of the second Adam, the man Christ Jesus. – 1 Corinthians 15:45
