Nothing Can Stop God's Plans - II Kings 7-9 and John 1:1-28
Wow! What a picture of the power of God to do anything He wants to do. Our reading today is filled with prophecies and events that show us nothing can stop God. However, it is even better than that. Even though He has planned out certain things that will happen as He directs, He has decided to give people a choice, too. That is the marvelous way that God works in this world.
Think about how God defeated the Syrian army by causing them to flee in fear of sounds He made. He won the victory Himself, but He did not force the lepers to go to the enemy. They decided that on their own. He knew they would make that decision, because He knows all things. Therefore, some things God causes like the Syrians fleeing, and some things He coordinates based on what He knows. In His wisdom He can allow us to choose and still have His ultimate will done. Look at how He worked it out for the Shunammite woman in II Kings 8. That was not a coincidence for Gehazi to be telling the king about Elisha at the same time the woman came in, but the king chose to send for Gehazi and the woman had to come to him on her own. How often do we see God work things together in that way? He is marvelous. We see the same thing with Hazael killing Ben-Hadad. Did God cause Hazael to commit murder? God would not do that, but He knew what would happen, so He used Hazael's choice to work His plan. The same is true for Jehu taking revenge on the evil kings. How do you see God working around you? Are you choosing to do His will, or are you choosing to sin? We have that choice, but we will not stop God's will from being done. He is too powerful and wise for that to happen.
Think about the beauty and wonder of John 1. God sent Jesus into the world, but His own did not receive Him. He revealed His grace and truth through Jesus, but many refused to accept the grace and the truth. John was sent by God in a miraculous way, but he had the choice of doing God's will. He was a witness to the truth, but people could choose to listen to him or not, too. It is a perfect mixture of God's sovereignty and man's choice. We will never totally understand it, but we should accept it as fact. We should look for what God is doing and realize we are held accountable for our choices. Don't ever think that what you choose does not matter, because God's will is going to be done. No, we can miss God's will for us. God can be put in the place to cause our bad decisions to work into His will. That is never good for us.
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Kings 10-12 and John 1:29-51.
Think about how God defeated the Syrian army by causing them to flee in fear of sounds He made. He won the victory Himself, but He did not force the lepers to go to the enemy. They decided that on their own. He knew they would make that decision, because He knows all things. Therefore, some things God causes like the Syrians fleeing, and some things He coordinates based on what He knows. In His wisdom He can allow us to choose and still have His ultimate will done. Look at how He worked it out for the Shunammite woman in II Kings 8. That was not a coincidence for Gehazi to be telling the king about Elisha at the same time the woman came in, but the king chose to send for Gehazi and the woman had to come to him on her own. How often do we see God work things together in that way? He is marvelous. We see the same thing with Hazael killing Ben-Hadad. Did God cause Hazael to commit murder? God would not do that, but He knew what would happen, so He used Hazael's choice to work His plan. The same is true for Jehu taking revenge on the evil kings. How do you see God working around you? Are you choosing to do His will, or are you choosing to sin? We have that choice, but we will not stop God's will from being done. He is too powerful and wise for that to happen.
Think about the beauty and wonder of John 1. God sent Jesus into the world, but His own did not receive Him. He revealed His grace and truth through Jesus, but many refused to accept the grace and the truth. John was sent by God in a miraculous way, but he had the choice of doing God's will. He was a witness to the truth, but people could choose to listen to him or not, too. It is a perfect mixture of God's sovereignty and man's choice. We will never totally understand it, but we should accept it as fact. We should look for what God is doing and realize we are held accountable for our choices. Don't ever think that what you choose does not matter, because God's will is going to be done. No, we can miss God's will for us. God can be put in the place to cause our bad decisions to work into His will. That is never good for us.
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Kings 10-12 and John 1:29-51.