Devotion (25 Oct 2018)
from Holy Word Pflugerville sermon notes from 21 Oct 2018
(Pastor Daron Lindemann)
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God's Hands
Discipline and Deliver
1 Peter 5:6-11
Think about suffering.
We question it. Why,
God?
We complain about it.
We even make it worse by suffering about how we are
suffering it...worrying, wondering, pondering, obsessing, sharing,
over-sharing...
God's discipline of a Christian is often mistaken for wrath
and punishment.
We think that "God is just getting back at me
for..."
ABSOLUTELY NOT! You can be 100%
sure that God is NOT doing that.
How do we know?
Romans 8:1 - Therefore, there is now NO condemnation for
those who are in Christ Jesus,
Not "just a little" condemnation, not "God
puts in some and then you put in some to cover it", but NO condemnation.
So why am I/we/they suffering?
God is a loving parent and you are his child.
It's discipline.
God loves you so much that he is delivering either an little
electric shock to get your attention or a focused laser to surgically remove
something harmful. Yes - that creates a
wound but one that is guaranteed to heal better than it was before.
BUT - guess what - the devil wants to infect that wound.
He wants it to fester and grow and to increase your pain.
Being the devil - though - he does not tell you that.
Instead - he offers and promises "relief".
Oh - God is being so mean to you - I've got just the thing
to ease your pain...
The devil offers to give you "relief" in many ways
- here are some.
- You should self-medicate.
Indulge in something else that makes you feel good (for a bit, perhaps)
like drugs, alcohol, binge-watching, etc.
- Don't worry about it.
It will go away. It's
nothing. Just ignore it. Work harder, play harder - but whatever you
do - don't pay attention to what God is trying to draw your attention to.
- Deflect it. If only
everyone I know could hear about my suffering that would make me feel
better. Ah - Facebook is my link to all
my friends...let's post it all NOW!
- Project it. It's
not really your fault that this is happening.
It is his/hers/theirs and by golly, they really should know that it's
all their fault. Ah - now I've told them
and I feel so much better...
And that "relief" ends up being no relief at
all.
1 Peter 5:6,7
MSG - 6-7 So be content with who you are, and don’t put on
airs. God’s strong hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right time. Live
carefree before God; he is most careful with you.
NIV - 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty
hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him
because he cares for you.
Curious thing about these verses. Think about God's mighty hand. Isn't it ALL-mighty?
So - are you too heavy (your burdens and your suffering) for
God to lift up?
No - the "lifting up" referred to here is not by
force. It is by faith.
God lifts up and delivers by "removing and
replacing"
- Removing fear and replacing with courage
- Removing pride and replacing with humility
- Removing guilt and replacing with release and true relief
Cast all (ALL) your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
So - why the trials and the suffering?
OK - think about a parent teaching a child to catch a ball.
Will the parent throw the ball into the child's hands every
time?
Would that teach them to catch a ball? No - not in the real world.
The parent will throw the ball just outside of their reach -
just outside of where they can catch it.
And after 5 times - the child realizes - if i just stretch
my arm out or move over here - I can catch that ball. It might not be comfortable and it means I
have to change - but I caught the ball!
Jesus is throwing the ball outside of where YOU can catch
it.
Jesus told Peter to walk on the water. And he DID.
Talk about out of your comfort zone!
So - get out there and walk on water because He will lift
you up.
Stop for a moment and think about Jesus' hands
- Baby hands
- Young carpenter (or stonemason) hands learning a trade
- Hands of healing and hope
- Hands in prayer
- Hands extended to help
- Hands extended on the cross
Luke 23:46
46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your
hands I commit my spirit.”
- Resurrected hands extended
Luke 24:39
39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me
and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
- In heaven
Romans 8:34
34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus
who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God
and is also interceding for us.
NOTHING will ever happen to you and I that is worse than
what Jesus endured.
Nothing!
God the Father has delivered you and I through the saving
hands of his Son.
God's hands both discipline and deliver.
So - what should I do with my hands?
