God Meant it for Good

Sometimes it is a struggle to accept the sovereignty of God -- His right to do anything He wants with His creation: that is, until we realize that God has a desire to use us as instruments to bring glory to Him, and then allow us share in that glory. I know I have struggled with it for years. There are some things that just don't make sense to my earthly flesh, and I simply have to put my trust in Him, and that can be hard when you don't know where the road leads or how long you might have to endure.

Here are some verses that God has used to help me keep courage in the times of struggle.

• Proverbs 21:1 - The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.
• Proverbs 16:9 - The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
• Proverbs 16:33 - The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.
• Hebrews 12:10,11 - For [our fathers] disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
• Genesis 50:20 - As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

At one point in my life, I had to come to terms with the sovereignty of God over my childhood.  If God truly loved me, why didn't he prevent the terrible things that happened that no child should have had to endure?  That question took awhile to answer, but sometime in college the story of Joseph came alive for me.  As I saw the life of Joseph unfold, I saw that God had a purpose for each of the things I had to endure.  It was God's great love that gave me those opportunities; yes, opportunities!  They shaped me into the person God wanted to use to build His kingdom and encourage His saints.  You see, I learned what Joseph learned, that what man meant for evil, God surely meant for good.

Many will quote Romans 8:28, that, "all things work together for good..." but that verse simply cannot stand alone, any better than a three-legged chair. Romans 8:29 gives us the WHY of verse 28, "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son."  God works all things together for good so that we might become like Christ.  Knowing this truth helped me understand, accept, and even embrace my broken memories.  They were jewels in a setting of gold that God was crafting -- He had been busy making me more like Jesus.  I understood that I could endure anything when I know this very thing. It was shortly after realizing these truths that I wrote this personal "creed": 

Nothing is worth having unless God gives it to me, and God will never give me anything that isn't worth having.

Simply put, all that I desire or seek after is worthless unless God in His wisdom gives it to me.  When I scheme, beg, and manipulate to get what I want, I am saying that God's plan isn't good enough for me. But if anything has value and is necessary for producing a Christ-like nature in me, God will certainly give it to me.  And since I know that God is sovereign, He can be trusted when I don't understand what is happening to me.  I can know that He has a divine purpose and a specific goal in mind.  I can look forward to the fruit that is produced by this present trial.  

With this knowledge, I can say with the apostle Paul:

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light, momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are [temporary], but the things that are unseen are eternal. (1 Corinthians 1:16-18)  

Trusting God to Make Things Right

I am increasingly amazed at people in scripture who demonstrated great trust in God rather than taking things into their own hands. This seems to be the lesson plan God is showing me once again. You see, it seems as if God has "themes" or "courses" planned for me every year or so, and just about every trial, scripture, song, etc. seems to reinforce the objective of that theme. This year it seems it could be summed up in this verse, "He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly" (1 Peter 2:23) This verse came to mind this morning when I read the story of Adonijah and Solomon in 1 Kings 1.

As King David became more frail, hospice was called to make his final days more comfortable -- okay, so it was a beautiful young woman who was called to give hospice care :) Meanwhile, Adonijah, David's son, "decided to make himself king in place of his aged father. So he provided himself..."(1 Kings 1:5). He schemed to get what he wanted. He did not ask God if it was what He wanted, but instead, took David's army captain and a priest into his confidence, attempting to portray that God approved of what he was doing. But God put Nathan the prophet on the job of making things right.

Then Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, and asked her, “Haven’t you heard that Haggith’s son, Adonijah, has made himself king, and our lord David doesn’t even know about it? If you want to save your own life and the life of your son Solomon, follow my advice. Go at once to King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, didn’t you make a vow and say to me, “Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ And while you are still talking with him, I will come and confirm everything you have said.”

So Bathsheba went into the king’s bedroom. (He was very old now, and Abishag was taking care of him.) Bathsheba bowed down before the king. “What can I do for you?” he asked her.   She replied, “My lord, you made a vow before the Lord your God when you said to me, ‘Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne.’ But instead, Adonijah has made himself king, and my lord the king does not even know about it. He has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king’s sons to attend the celebration. He also invited Abiathar the priest and Joab, the commander of the army. But he did not invite your servant Solomon. And now, my lord the king, all Israel is waiting for you to announce who will become king after you. If you do not act, my son Solomon and I will be treated as criminals as soon as my lord the king has died.”

While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. The king’s officials told him, “Nathan the prophet is here to see you.” Nathan went in and bowed before the king with his face to the ground. Nathan asked, “My lord the king, have you decided that Adonijah will be the next king and that he will sit on your throne? Today he has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king’s sons to attend the celebration. He also invited the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. They are feasting and drinking with him and shouting, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ But he did not invite me or Zadok the priest or Benaiah or your servant Solomon. Has my lord the king really done this without letting any of his officials know who should be the next king?” (1 Kings 1:11-27)

When David realized what was happening, he immediately appointed Solomon to be king, and promptly set him on the throne while Adonijah was still partying! When this became known to Adonijah and his conspirators, everyone abandoned Adonijah. They didn't want to be caught by Solomon to have been in confidence with Adonijah. Adonijah himself ran to "the sacred tent and caught hold of the horns of the altar," a gesture which called out for mercy.


And here is Solomon's first act as king, an act that demonstrates his trust in God to make things right:

Word soon reached Solomon that Adonijah had seized the horns of the altar and that he was pleading, "Let Solomon swear today that he will not kill me!" Solomon replied, "If he proves himself to be loyal, he will not be harmed. But if he does not, he will die. So King Solomon summoned Adonijah, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and bowed low before the king, and Solomon dismissed him, saying, "Go on home."  (1 Kings 1:51-53)

Solomon did not make any attempt to retaliate against Adonijah, he simply showed mercy and trust. He trusted the very God who put him on the throne to protect him from Andonijah. Sadly, that is not the end of the story -- Adonijah once again tries to manipulate his way to the throne, and Solomon finally gives him his due. (1 Kings 2:13-25)

Sometimes it's so easy for us to try to bring "God's will" to pass -- as if He needs the assistance of mere mortals! Abraham and Sarah tried to hasten God's plan along, and it brought great strife between his sons and their descendants that has lasted for thousands of years. Moses' justifiable anger at the faithlessness of Israel was not handled properly, and he had to forfeit entrance to Canaan.

I'm learning once again (yes, unfortunately I have YET to graduate from this course...) that God can really handle things on His own, that He can be trusted to do what is best for me. The pitiful part is that when I do forfeit control and then He proves Himself, I am greatly surprised!! I am so thankful for His patience in dealing with me, and that He doesn't get tired of repeating Himself.

My Prodigal Son

As I was praying this morning for several friends who are having a difficult time, a line or two of poetry came to mind. As it progressed, I realized the words were something the father of the prodigal could have said. It's also something our Heavenly Father might be saying to us -- His love for His children is so wonderfully stubborn!! Happy Valentine's Day!!

MY PRODIGAL SON

I looked down the road just as far as I could,
Till you disappeared round the bend of the wood.
It was hard not to follow, and beg you to stay.
But I chose to grant you your freedom that day.

Though I haven't chased you, I know where you are.
You're searching for pleasure out under the stars.
You're out on the road to find fortune and fame;
Determined that one day you'll have a great name.

Although you aren't looking, I will be here.
And I will be carefully watching in prayer.
Still caring for you when you want it the least,
I'll be watching at home and preparing a feast.

Oh my prodigal son, I am praying for you.
Cause I know for now, there's not much else I can do.
So I sit and I wait, and I watch and I pray,
Hoping you'll come to your senses someday.

I have no doubt that one day you'll come home
When all you're pursuing has left you alone.
When you look around to the mess that you're in,
Then that longing for home will start stirring within.

And though you aren't looking, I will be here
And I will be carefully watching in prayer
Still caring for you when you want it the least,
I'll be watching at home and preparing a feast.

Mary Lou A Fuller 02/14/2011

Quotable Quotes

My favorite recreation lately has been to work cryptograms at www.cryptograms.org. A cryptogram, or cipher, is a quote in code. To solve the cipher, you "break the code" using familiar letter patterns. You've seen a sort of cryptogram if you have ever watched Wheel of Fortune -- it's just missing the code.

I found an excellent quote today:

"The true recipe for a miserable existence is to quarrel with Providence."

— James Waddell Alexander, II

The psalmist said, "Happy is the man whose God is the LORD."  More often than not, we are our own gods. We scheme and work to get what we want and "nobly" invite God to get on board with our desires.  Then, when He does what is right, just, and ultimately good for us, yet fails to satisfy our expectation, we rise up in anger and bitterness. We bitterly complain to Him and to others that He did not answer our prayer.


Too often we get wrapped up in attaining our own glory, and we lose sight that, as stated in the Westminster Shorter Catechism, "The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." Recently I've been more aware that MOST of what I do fails to have its motive in bringing God glory no matter what it may cost me. I fret, I scheme, I explain, and I excuse... Can I get a witness??

I so very much want to be the woman that John Piper describes: (see the sermon here)

"A Christian woman does not put her hope in her husband, or in getting a husband. She does not put her hope in her looks. She puts her hope in the promises of God...She looks away from the troubles and miseries and obstacles of life that seem to make the future bleak, and she focuses her attention on the sovereign power and love of God who rules in heaven and does on earth whatever he pleases. She knows her Bible, and she knows her theology of the sovereignty of God, and she knows his promise that he will be with her and help her strengthen her no matter what. This is the deep, unshakeable root of Christian womanhood."

I still have a great, long way to go in becoming the woman God desires me to be. I am so thankful that "We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Eph. 2:10)  I can look forward to great things as He continues to conform me to the image of His dear Son!!

1 Peter 3:15 - but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.

As evangelicals, I believe we have lost part of what distinguishes us from the rest of the world - Christlike character. We want to defend the truth, and this is good. We certainly need to be able to give a defense of our faith. It is important, as well, to make a defense of that faith by the way we live it out.

We are called to "make disciples," but that is a difficult thing to do if we approach our defense of the truth by attempting to slaughter our opponent. The world is already spiritually dead and a dead man cannot reason. Instead, we need to offer life, and then live in such a way that it looks better than death!

Ravi Zaccharias has a wonderful blogpost on this, and I recommend that you read it. Quite convicting!

A Snowy Memory Lane

Some time ago on another blog, By His Grace, For His Glory, I shared a glimpse of my life as a mother of toddlers in a rural New York winter. With the slippery, snowy, very cold weather we have had here in the Research Triangle, I've been reminded once again of those "wild" days. I thought I'd share the story again on this new blog by linking my readers to the original posts. Enjoy!
A Typical Shopping Trip
A Typical Shopping Trip, Part 2