Bible Reading: Genesis 41; Job 7; Mark 11; Romans 11
Romans 11:34-36 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
If God did not reveal his mind to us, would we ever know what he was thinking? NO WAY! Just think of the plan of God for our salvation! This is proof that man on his own would NEVER dream up something as simple and yet as scandalizing as the fact that God would give his only begotten son, Jesus Christ to die for our sins and resurrect him from the dead. The world's false religions are proof of this – none of them even come close to the truth of a substitionary, sinless sacrifice made by God on man's behalf.
Who can give counsel to the Lord? Could we actually tell the Lord what he ought to do? Could we actually inform the Lord of something he does not know? Could we actually give God something that he would need to repay us? No, God is the giver; we are receivers!
God is the initiator: OF HIM. That which is of God comes from God. God created the world and everything in it. He made man and gave us his Word to reveal the part of his mind that he wants us to know and understand.
God is the enabler: THROUGH HIM. The only way that we can carry out his divine directives is through him. He must enable us to do what he has called us to do.
God is the purpose: TO HIM. We do what we do for the glory of God.
A walk with Christ goes in this order. Every act of faith and obedience moves in this direction. Let's take love for example:
God initiates love. OF HIM.
1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
God enables love. THROUGH HIM.
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
The glory of God is the purpose of love. TO HIM.
1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.
Love comes FROM God and is enabled in us by the indwelling and filling of God, the Holy Spirit. We love THROUGH God. Then we are able to return love TO God.
Prayer is the same. We read the Word and understand the mind of God. This is the will OF GOD. Then we are enabled THROUGH GOD to pray by the Holy Spirit. Our prayer then goes TO GOD who answers according to his will.
God initiates; God enables; God is glorified!
In Christ,
Rody
