The beauty of the bible is that you can never get to the
point of completely understanding it. You could know a verse off-hand, and then
you read it one day and feel like this is the first time you’ve read it. I
experienced this a few days back while reading the book of Jonah in my Walk Through
the Bible devotional. As I read Jonah 1:17, it occurred to me that despite Jonah
being disobedient, God had arranged the means to redirect him.
This is also applicable to
different aspects of our life. When we talk with people about a challenge they experienced
or an obstacle they overcame, it’s commonplace to hear them say things like: “I
didn’t know I could do it”; “it ended up being easier than I expected”. Why is
that the case? Because God had already arranged things for you. All you had to
do was take the step. A popular refrain we hear as Christians is that God doesn’t
start what He can’t finish (Phil 1:6), which has been proven throughout
history.
Before Jesus fed the five
thousand, it seemed impossible to his disciples. Philip even declared that if
they worked for months, they wouldn’t still have enough money to feed all the people
(John 6:7, NLT). What makes it funny is that Jesus already knew what He was
going to do but still proceeded to ask Philip (John 6:5 - 6, NLT): “5. Jesus soon
saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked,
“Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” 6. He was testing Philip,
for he already knew what he was going to do.” God had already arranged for
a young boy to come with the meal that would eventually be multiplied. What
were the odds?
You may be going through
a situation right now that seems overwhelming. I’m here to tell you that God
has already arranged a way through it. I say through and not out because more
often than not, you will have to go through the situation. Of course, there
will be times He will take you out of it. He has promised not to give us more
than we can handle (I Cor. 10:13). Meaning the way He makes is according to your
level of faith (Rom. 12:3. NKJV). The children of Israel during their exodus
from Egypt experienced both, and in each situation, God had already arranged a
way for them. Even when they couldn’t see it!
In Ex. 14, they were
faced with a choice: die at the hands of Pharoah or “drown” in the sea. What
they didn’t know is that God had already arranged the winds that would divide
the Red Sea (Ex. 14:21). But when they had matured a bit, He allowed them to
walk in before parting the river (Joshua 3:13 – 15). In Ex. 13:17, God took
them through another route because they were not ready for war. But when they
had matured a bit, He told them to march on the city of Jericho (Joshua 4:13).
As we enter the final
stretch of 2023, you may feel like it’s too late to pursue your goals or that
you will never overcome the mountain. The beauty of being God’s child is that
He will meet you at your level of faith and arrange a way for you (either out
or through it). Just trust in Him and have faith, no matter how little (Heb. 11:6, Matt. 17:20). As you go into
the new week, I charge you to look at whatever your challenge is and declare: ‘Who
are you, O great mountain?” (Zech. 4:7, NKJV). God has already arranged things
in your favor, step out in faith and watch God show out in your life!
