“Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name! It is so wonderful, that in the midst of all that we are hearing, seeing, and even feeling, we can be at peace! Your word teaches us that this is possible because we have Your promise, that “You will keep [them] in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because [they] [trust] in You” (Isaiah 26:3). Therefore, we ask You to fill our minds with thoughts of You, and Your promises. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
You may recognize that I have borrowed, and at the same time, paraphrased, some of the words of the hare, from Alice of Wonderland, in our title. In a sense, we are all in a wonderland as we begin this New Year, 2022. We do not know what awaits us. However, from the very beginning I would like to suggest. that, as we walk through this maze called life, we keep in mind this thought, “But He knows the way that I take” (Job 23:10a).
Good for Job, he remembered! And knowing that God had His eyes on him, whatever was happening in his life, kept him going! Asking questions? Perhaps, Yes! Feeling confused at times? Perhaps, Yes! Having days when he did not want to get out of bed? Perhaps, Yes! But trusting, that God was seeing what he was going through! Until, he had his desired one on one encounter with God, and trust turned into sight (see Job 42:1-6)! Now he had a peace, which passed all understanding!
It is at these times that the words of our verse for the day, are extremely important! Do not forget, that we are dealing with the accuser of the members of the family of God (Revelation 12:10). He will do everything in his power to blame God, for his doings! Therefore, be very careful what thoughts you allow to take control of your mind.
Be willing to ask yourself questions like these: Would God be doing this? Is this the God who, “gave His only begotten Son” to die for a world that did not love Him? Is this the character of the God of whom David declared: “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You (Psalm 139:17, 18, emphasis added)[!]
What will help to make this a reality in our lives, is the knowledge that we are never out of God’s sight (see Psalm 139:7-12).
For the next few days we will be listening to what God said to Job in that encounter, that opened his eyes to this reality. So many people, all over the world, have gone through some rather harsh experiences during the past nineteen months, that have left scars, and questions, that will linger for quite a while, if not forever; until they see Jesus face to face and have their personal one on one with Him.
May God grant that we will find peace; a peace that only comes, when we are willing to spend the time with God in prayer, and Bible study, and soul searching. and allow His Holy Spirit to show us, and help us to understand, as Job acknowledged, “Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know” (Job 42:3c).
We will be continuing this conversation.