In continuing our thoughts from yesterday, when we wake up in the morning and find ourselves there with God, we are not only in His hand, we are also in the stream of events that He is orchestrating around us and in us.
Each event is designed to carry us forward in the tasks and purpose He has for us. In one sense, We are moved on whether we know it or not: “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps” (Pro. 16:9).
In another sense, we are given opportunities every day to replay the Garden of Eden story: we can do our own selfish thing or join God in His great plan. For instance, we can complain and gripe, or join Him through praise and thanksgiving; we can do our own petty things, or, in obedience and self-denial, standing in awe of Him, surrender to His higher and greater purposes.
To live in these truths allows us to see more of the wonders God has poured into our lives: meaning, purpose, protection, challenge, adventure, security, significance, honor, goodness and guidance–to name a few.
Each day is a new opportunity to join our Heavenly Shepherd as He leads us forth into the pasture of the day, to know that we are moving upward and forward in the perfect plan, in the race that He has laid out for us, filled with purpose and potential for providing Him glory, for defeating the enemy with praise, for seeing others swept into the Kingdom.
The negative feelings which will arise from our flesh–feelings of uselessness and purposelessness, of alienation and fear, of self-condemnation and shame–are an affront to this reality. In Him, in the proven Truth of His Word, we can turn from these feelings to Truth and live in the light of His presence, His purpose, His plan that is for our good and His glory.
Praise be to you, Lord God, for your mighty, unswerving, unstoppable, wise and wonderful plans, into which you have brought us. Praise you that we are in the great stream of your history, where you are moving things to a righteous conclusion and carrying us with you. Give us discernment so we can wholeheartedly join you in what you are doing.
Praise you that our trust can be in you, rather than our own feeble wisdom and inadequate strength, rather than in the government or the weather or money or power. In faith we praise you now for what you are going to do today, this week, and in the rest of our lives.
