Maturity

(Job 13:15) “Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face.”

These were Job’s words when under immense trial. He was convinced that His God, the only true God, was able to rescue him from such calamity, and even if He didn't he would nevertheless continue to hope in Him! This then is wisdom, to trust God through each and every situation we as individuals face on a daily basis, our hope must not deviate in relation to our predicament; we must call on God pleading our case. However we know and have been taught this certainty; “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) – There are but a few who have the testimony of Job, a man who pursued righteousness, shunned evil and feared God. We often need to deal with the lessons from God because of our own stupidity; nevertheless I thank God as He graciously and with mercy suckers His children through many difficult trials.

To consider this truth absolutely blows my mind, how great is my God, my Father, how I am gradually learning to appreciate this reality, the love of God! It leaves me gobsmacked and very grateful! May God continue to teach me His lessons through life, although some are very painful I am convinced of this truth, it is for my benefit! Wherever He may lead me, may my God please graciously renew my mind with this emphasis that I am to be trained up in the ways of righteousness.

There must come a time when we learn to accept the reality of the lessons in life; “When I was a child, I spoke like a child; I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.” (1Corinthians 13:11) – Have we given up our childish ways or at least in the process of giving them up?

When the race is finished (our prize heaven) faith and hope will no longer be required as we will see our Saviour and our God for who He is, in all His glory. Love will remain as God’s love will surround us for eternity and what a day that will be!

Things may seem dark and confusing now in comparison to how they shall be when we get to heaven. “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” (1Corinthians 13:12)  

We also know that we have been saved by grace through faith… faith, hope and love are the three principle graces, and we need to have all these graces active in our lives. Without faith it is impossible to please God, without hope the people will perish and without God’s love we would still be dead in our trespasses and sins! Now that we have freely received His love, we must find His grace through faith in hope to share the good news with others.

“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1Corinthians 13:13)

“Faith fixes on the divine revelation, and assents to that: hope fastens on future felicity, and waits for that: and in heaven faith will be swallowed up in vision, and hope in fruition. There is no room to believe and hope, when we see and enjoy. But love fastens on the divine perfections themselves, and the divine image on the creatures, and our mutual relation both to God and them.” (Matthew Henry)

Signing off

Tyrone