He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. 1 Thessolonians 5:24 (NKJV)
For the past few weeks I have been wrestling with the faithfulness of God. There were times when I could feel His peace and sometimes I even rested in it. His peace was my only solace. Then there were times when I cried out to Him "Help me Lord, You are the only One that I have to depend on." Well if the Lord is the only one that I can depend on, isn't He all that I need? It sounds like I need a lesson in the providence of God.
Remember when you were in school and the teacher would do roll call? You would either say here or present. You did not hesitated to answer because you wanted to make sure that your name was on the roll for that day. Beloved of God, you do not have to remind God that you are here. He knows that your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. He also knows that you are present on this earth. He know this because you are not in your glorified body, in his presence. Rest assured that God is actively involved in your life and He will supply all of your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. We must take courage and rest in the providence of God. God is watching over us and He has His hand on us.
In Acts 12 it tells of the arrest and imprisonment of the Apostle Peter. That very same night Peter was resting peacefully in his jail cell being guarded by 4 squads of soldiers. An angel woke him up and told him to get up quickly and to dress himself. Guess what happened. Peter was set free. He walked out of the jail cell and past those guards as if he has been invisible. The reason why Peter could sleep peacefully can be found in John chapter 21.
After Jesus' resurrection and reunion with His disciples, Jesus had a conversation with Peter and He told Peter that when he was young he used to dress himself but when he would become old someone else would dress him and carry him around. Did you catch that insight?
Well on the night of Peter's arrest, I think he remembered the Lord's words to him. Peter knew that the Lord was faithful to keep promises and that He was faithful to carry out what He started in someone. Peter was a living witness of the faithfulness of God. That's why Peter had peace and could sleep in the presence of his enemies. Peter knew the kind of death that he would die. He knew it would not be in a jail cell. Peter was resting in God's providence.
What did the angel say to Peter? He said "get dress." He didn't tell Peter to let someone else dress Him, but Peter was to dress himself. Didn't the Lord tell him when it was time for his death someone else would dress him? On the authority of God's word I'm telling you that the Lord can be trusted. We must rest in His providence. Today the Lord answered my prayer. I was in awe of my God. He was faithful even though I was faithless. Each day I get a glimpse of the Lord grace. It is something that I don't deserve but it was all made possible because of Christ's love for me.
God's faithfulness is shown in strengthening and protecting those He has called, guarding them from the evil one, sanctifying them wholly and preserving them entire -- spirit, soul and body -- without blame at the coming of Jesus. This confidence of God's children in regard to their future is not in their faithfulness, but in His.~R.A. Torrey
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