|
Read: John 1:1-17
1
In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. 2
The
same was in the beginning with God.
3
All things were
made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was
made. 4
In him was
life; and the life was the light of men.
5
And the light
shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6
There was a man
sent from God, whose name was John.
7
The same came
for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men
through him might believe.
8
He was not that
Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9
That was the
true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the
world. 10
He
was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the
world knew him not.
11
He came unto
his own, and his own received him not.
12
But as many as
received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of
God, even to them that believe on his name:
13
Which were
born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the
will of man, but of God.
14
And the Word
was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)full
of grace and truth.
15
John bare
witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I
spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for
he was before me.
16
And of his
fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17
For the law was
given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Today we ask: What purpose does
God have in leading us into situations which are uncertain and
ambiguous?
He does so in order that we might learn to depend on Him and not
on ourselves. Just as in times of loneliness we learn to realize
His presence so in times of uncertainty we learn to realize His
power.
The major reason why our lives are unfruitful lies right here:
we depend more on our own strength than we do on His. How
can God teach us dependence unless He puts us into situations
which are so uncertain that we are compelled either to choose
the way of frustration or the way of faith? And if we draw back
from entering such situations, we will miss a valuable spiritual
education and our lives will become barren.
A statement I came across some time ago sums up what I want to
say concerning ambiguity and uncertainty. It is this: "God's
purposes are always God's enablings."
In other words, when God steers
you into strange and uncertain situations, He will keep you very
much in the dark concerning His purposes, but He will not leave
you bereft of His grace.
The purpose of God and the grace
of God are two sides of the same coin.
-
If you accept the purpose, you
get the grace;
-
if you refuse the purpose, you
annul the grace.
Anything God purposes for you, He
gives you the grace to perform. John speaks in our text for
today of "grace upon grace".
One preacher I know translates that text like this: "Use the
grace I give you and rest assured - there will always be more to
follow."
PRAYER:
O Father, how wonderful it would be if I could master this
lesson today, and become a living illustration of
"grace upon grace". May it
be so, to the honor and glory of Your peerless and precious
Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:
2Cor.12:1-10; Eph.2:6-7; Phil.4:19
-
How did Paul view his "thorn
in the flesh"?
-
What was his attitude?
|
