[04/01/2023 “teEn-MAIL”]
Have you ever received a tightly folded note which you eagerly unfolded in anticipation of the message contained therein? Sometimes this has been done with fold upon fold upon fold so only one word of the message was revealed at a time. Imagine the young child handed such a note in class to begin reading unfold by unfold, “I . . . Want . . . You . . . To . . . Know . . . That . . . With . . . All . . . My . . . Heart . . . I . . . love . . .”, and with eyes having gotten brighter and brighter with each opening, to then excitedly make that last unfold to read, “Another.” Oh, what devastation! Perhaps we would label it a cruel joke of childhood; to do something to build up hope to only crush it!
That is not the message of God! Though His warnings must be duly noted, from His Word He has clearly declared how much He does love us and because of that love He offers us eternal hope; a hope that will not disappoint or put us to shame (Romans 5:5) for holding it! The proof of that love is in God having given us life and every provision both physical and spiritual that accompanies our life.
In Psalm 119 we read. . .
“(129) Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. (130) The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” (Psalm 119:129-130 ESV)
God’s Word is intended to be a light; a light to bring us understanding of His Will, the relationship He desires to have with us, and that there is a future He has in mind for us. Page-by-page in the reading of God’s Word, are we finding the unfolding of His message of grace and glory and mercy and majesty and pardon and promise? As our heart opens more to His Sovereign Will, are our eyes getting brighter and brighter in the joy of the steadfast hope that can be ours because of His steadfast love? (Psalm 147:11)
In his second letter to Christians at Thessalonica, Paul wrote. . .
“(16) Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, (17) comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.” (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 ESV)
In Christ we have every reason for hope! God’s loving provision in Christ is not a tease before a dump, but the appeasing of our sins to bring us to eternal triumph! In the unfolding of God’s Word may there continue to be the unfolding of growing faith to unwaveringly trust the relationship both now and for eternity!
Have a great day TRUSTING IN THE LIGHT OF GOD’S UNFOLDING PLAN FOR US!
Carl
