I will always allow God His sovereign right of refusal. I am sure God has promised me many things, but I also am aware that God’s right to be God is greater than my claim on those blessings.When I read, “With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation” (Psalm 91:16, KJV), I am comforted. But when I read of those who were “stoned, … sawn asunder, … tempted, … afflicted, tormented” (Hebrews 11:37, KJV), I am confused. Jesus Himself did not enjoy long life.
The psalmist reminds me that if I delight in the Lord and meditate on His Word, “whatsoever [I do] shall prosper” (Psalm 1:3, KJV). The “cult of success” takes a promise like this and makes it absolute. Then I have problems, because believers in God are not always the richest, healthiest, most favored people on earth. In fact, they are the opposite.
My comfort does not lie in things, even spiritual things. I cannot rejoice in a miraculous answer to prayer today and think I will always get the same kind of answers. My comfort lies in the acceptance of God’s right to do as He wills with me, even though what He wills may seem contradictory to His promises.
Since I cannot fathom God, I must trust Him. I am encouraged to trust Him, not because He promises me things, but because He is good, holy, fair, and does what is right. In other words, I can trust His Word because I can trust His character. Jesus is my example, for He trusted the character of His heavenly Father implicitly, completely, and thoroughly. That is why He obeyed His Father’s will so unswervingly, even though it meant a cross. Yet I must remember that my trust in God will never be betrayed, misplaced, or denied. He who magnifies His Word above His name (see Psalm 138:2, KJV) will see that it is not.
“Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth’” (Exodus 34:6).
Daily with the King 