Thursday, April 25, 2024

           Grace is a gift or reality that we almost always associate first with God.  Such a pairing makes sense.  God is gracious.  And grace is one aspect of God’s perfect character.  Grace and God or God and grace make sense together.  We often think of grace as being principally a New Testament reality.  And while grace does feature prominently in the New Testament, it can also be found in the Old Testament.  For example, God graciously began His salvation work by building Israel through the line of Abraham.  He graciously delivered Israel from the bonds of slavery and captivity in Egypt by choosing Moses to lead the people to freedom. 
            In 2 Samuel 7:9, God demonstrated grace to David—the shepherd boy whom God had chosen to succeed Saul as the king of Israel.  We read, “I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth.”  Now that is a promise!  And in only one sentence, God graciously declared what He would do for young David.  There are four lessons we can take away from God’s promise to David.  First, like David, we can be confident that God is with us.  He does not leave us, forget us or forsake us.  He does not break promises.  He does not make idle boasts that He has no intention of fulfilling.  God is with us through the presence of His Holy Spirit.  He is with us as we work, serve, rest and make our way through the duties of life.  God is with you today.  That may be the best news you could hear.  It may be the exact news that you need to hear. 
            Second, we can trust any enemies, conflicts or battles to God.  We do not have to live in tension with others or in contentious ways.  We do not have to live in an ongoing state of division or discord.  We are also free from plotting revenge or retribution against others.  The Lord is fully aware of those who mean us harm or discord.  He will deal with them in His way and timing.  We can trust any enemies we face to the Lord.  Remember what David did.  Even while Saul tried to kill David on more than one occasion, David would not attack Saul or harm him.  David waited patiently for the time to come for him to assume the throne of national leadership.
            Third, we can trust God’s plans for us.  The Lord intended to make David the king over Israel.  And the Lord did just that.  We can trust that God will work out His plans for us.  We can trust God’s great promise in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  There are no human roadblocks or obstacles that can thwart God’s plans.  God is undefeated.  He will always do as He wills and chooses.
            Finally, we can trust God’s timing.  We often expect or want things on demand.  God works from a different time frame or time table than humans do.  While we cannot see the present perfectly or the future at all, God can.  He knows what is coming or just behind the corner.  He acts in ways that are always right and true.  If we find ourselves waiting for God to work or move, we can trust that the waiting is ordained by God for a reason.  He will always act in times that are for our good and His glory.  We know God as Father through Jesus.  Because we know the Son as Savior we can know the Father as our Father.  If a good and loving earthly father wants what is right for His children, how much more does our Heavenly Father will the same for us!  David teaches us that we can trust God at any time, with anything and in any way.  What a blessing!  Have a great Thursday.  Make plans for Bible study this Sunday at 9:45am and worship at 10:55am.