"Is the Lord Really Like That?"

Posted: 2013-01-26 21:52:42 by: David Nelson

Is The Lord Really Like That? If So, We Should Never Worry Again. (by David Nelson, 1-24-13)

The other day I picked up one of my wife’s devotionals and I read this letter from God, “My daughter (or, My son), When you feel like giving up, cast (all) your cares and burdens upon Me. Rest in My arms, trust Me to take care of all that concerns you. Lift up your eyes to the Heavens, for I am your help. Call on Me and I will restore you. Hope in Me, for I am here. From your Father (p.12) and, “Dear child, Dream big dreams. Many of your dreams are My dreams for your life. I share your excitement for the future and I have big plans for you. I have held them in My heart since before you were born. I want to see them become reality as much as you do. Trust Me to fulfill My plans for your life. I have a path in mind for you to follow. (My own thoughts: If you get too far off, don’t worry, I will never leave you or forsake you, I am your shepherd, I want you to hear Me, you are My sheep, you will know My voice,  I will guide you back into the right path.) Trust and follow Me on your journey. With Me, all things are possible…only believe. From God” (p.14) (From the book, “A Pocketful of Promises for Women” Published by Honor Books, no author given). (Over 100 love notes from God plus other quotes and Bible verses).

After I read this I said to myself, I’ve always thought these things and taught them but it almost sounds too good to be true! Is the Lord really like that? If so, we should never be worrying, ever. I’ve always taught that God wants to be our friend and He wants to be very close to us. In this book’s Introduction it says, “When you find a person who knows you, understands you, and loves you when you’re not at your best (this is very good, this may be your wife or husband or best friend). But God wants to be that friend to you. God will comfort you, He understands you, He has given you promises and He will keep those promises forever.”

I believe it is true that God has plans for us and that some of the dreams that we have for ourselves God has put into our heart. And as we walk through this life He delights in seeing His plans for us and our dreams unfold (come true) just as much as we do.

“Wait upon the Lord”, is a principle often taught in Scripture. Does wait upon the Lord mean, don’t act till you hear from the Lord, don’t go this way or that but wait to see what the Lord wants or to see how He directs? Some people in the Bible acted on their own and some even had “good” intentions. When Saul could not wait for the prophet Samuel to come but sacrificed animals to the Lord on his own, he could not wait. In Acts 16:7 Paul and Silas tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. Then in a vision they saw a man of Macedonia say come over and help us. They then concluded that they were to go there. In Acts 18:6 Paul was very frustrated with the Jews in Corinth and said, “From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” But then the Lord came to Paul in a vision (vs. 9) and said, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” And Paul continued there for a year and a half teaching the word of God among them. I think Paul wanted to leave and have nothing more to do with them. But he needed to get the Lord’s direction. When Peter thought 3 booths should be built on the Mount of Transfiguration the Father Himself spoke, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, Hear Him.” You are not to do what you think but you are to listen to the Son and follow Him. Jesus called out to His disciples, “Follow Me.”

Examples of people who waited on the Lord are Moses when he waited 40 years in the wilderness  before he received his burning bush commission. (clear direction from the Lord). Both Jesus and John the Baptist waited till they were 30 years old to begin their earthly ministry. Joseph was forced to wait 13 years (from the age of 17 to 30) till his earlier dreams came into fruition.

In Proverbs it says many times that the Lord will guide our steps. In one verse it even says that our mind will not completely understand why the Lord allowed our feet to go the way they did, but that the purpose of the Lord will be established. (Prov. 16:9, 19:21, 20:24) (“A man’s steps are of the Lord; How then can a man understand his own way?” “There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.”) The Lord will guide our steps, the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth, the Holy Spirit will show us what to do. Can we learn to listen, can we wait till we hear, do we know when He speaks, do we know and hear His voice? Jesus said, I do nothing on my own initiative but only what He (the Father) says. Jesus said to us, “You can do nothing without Me.” Unless the Lord builds the house (we are to be guided step by step with Him) those who labor labor in vain who build it.

David Wilkerson once said that he had done many things that the Lord never told him to do. Would it be better to do only what the Lord says or should we do some of our own things also? Our own things may seem to work a little but sometimes they don’t work at all.

At one time some people came up to Jesus and said, we want to do the works of God, what must we do to be doing the works of God? It seems I have said the same thing to God, Lord I want to do the works you have for me! This is a good desire, but Jesus said to these men, believe in the one that God has sent. It is not activity or results that are key, but believe in the Lord, walk with Him, He will show you what to do.

In Is. 30:15 it says this, For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “ In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” “But you would not. And you said, No, for we will flee (rush off) on horses (to engage the enemy)—Therefore you shall flee away!” You will rush off on your own and find disappointment.

To be fair, I am sure there are people who would have possible rebuttals to the teachings above. Sometimes people say, God helps those who help themselves or if you do everything you can God will do what you can’t do. Others might say, God can’t steer a boat that is not moving, you need to move your boat forward then God can steer with the rudder. Paul did this when he tried to go into Bithynia, God closed one door and opened another. Hasn’t God given us a mind to figure things out and He will do the rest? We might try our “many plans” (Prov. 19:21) and find out which one or even a different one that the Lord wants. We are to cooperate with God, we do our part and He does His part. Are these ideas what God wants? Please let me know what you think, is there a better balance, I want to learn more what God is like and how to walk with Him better.

I am enjoying at this time a trusting of the Lord to fulfill His purposes for me. I am desiring more than ever to hear His voice and follow more closely where He leads. I too am wanting to build His house only as He directs and have a life that will more clearly reflect only His plans and His dreams for me. Our God is the Author and Finisher of our faith. He didn’t just start a work in us and if we fail, His plans fail. But He is the Finisher and He completes our lives, He will finish the work of art and dreams He started in each of us.