THANKFUL

Chatting with Jesus

Wednesday, July 5, 2023

Lord, I do not understand all your ways, why things happen as they do. No one is exempt from the consequences of living in this broken world. Uncertainty in the world, and particularly in our personal world, gives us another opportunity to trust you are in control.

Scripture teaches us our thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, and your ways are far beyond anything we can imagine, (Isaiah 55:8, 9). So true.

How you dealt with Philistia, a nation who constantly attacked and persecuted your people, is a classic how your ways are not my ways. The first time I read the story, I exclaimed, “No way!”

First Samuel, chapter Five, describes how the Philistines captured Israel’s Ark of the Covenant and carried it away to their land. How they gloated, laughed, and celebrated, mocking you, the God of Israel, over capturing Israel’s most treasured possession. You would have none of their foolishness.

My way of dealing with them? Rained down fire and brimstone upon those evil people.

Your way. Lord? So much worse. You afflicted everyone in that nation with “tumors,” or translated into English, hemorrhoids. Yes, hemorrhoids.

Lord, I love your humor. Did you say, “Hey, Philistia. Who’s laughing now?” I would have.

To demonstrate the extent of Philistine’s stubbornness and hatred against you, they suffered for seven months before admitting their transgression and returned the Ark to Israel. The sighs of relief from the entire nation of Philistia must have reached heaven.

Lord, your ways are not our ways, and your thoughts are not our thoughts. Therefore, we can trust you to deal with our problems however you choose whether we understand or not. You are God, and you will do what you say you will do.

Amen, Jesus.