“Do not fear, for I am with you, do not
be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will
uphold you with My victorious right hand.”
(Isaiah 41:10 NRSV)
We have a tough, problem-confronting,
problem-solving God. He does not retreat from either the problems we have
brought on ourselves or the problems life has dished out. And He wants to make
us much tougher people. He wants to give us a new perspective on our problems,
exercise our prayer muscles, and strengthen the fiber of our souls. Instead of
wringing our hands in consternation or running away in panic, He wants to make
us people He can use.
…He wants to transform our approach to
problems. He wants us to think of ourselves as being men and women of valor
because of His might at work in us. And He assures us that His abiding presence
is available to help us tackle every problem with His strength and direction --
confident that problems are not a sign of His absence.
…We all have problems. That’s life. But
we also have a Lord who not only helps us grow through our problems, but gives
us the power to triumph over them.
-- Lloyd J. Ogilvie in “If God Cares, Why Do I Still Have
Problems?”
#4376
I
heard a question thrown at a man I greatly respect. R.C. Sproul, a philosopher and theologian,
was asked, "What, in your opinion, is the greatest spiritual need in the
world today?"
Dr.
Sproul paused, then replied, "The greatest need in people's lives today is
to discover the true identity of God."
He pointed out that most nonreligious people do not really understand
the God they're rejecting. If they did,
they would probably call a truce -- at least a temporary truce -- to make sure the
battle was worth continuing.
Someone
then asked the theologian a follow-up question: "What, in your opinion, is
the greatest spiritual need in the lives of church people?"
To
my delight Sproul shot back the very same answer: "To discover the true
identity of God. If believers really understood
the character and the personality and the nature of God, it would revolutionize
their lives."
--
Bill Hybels in The God You're Looking For
#3524
