Doing
Many people that I know are of the opinion that if something is to happen, God will be the one to make it so. They take verses like the following and base their entire way of life around them.
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. – Phillipians 4:19
However, God also said things like,
Even while we were with you, we gave you this rule: “Whoever does not work should not eat. – 2 Thessalonians 3:10
In reading today I noticed the following verse.
Be courageous! Let us fight bravely to save our people and the cities of our God. May the LORD’s will be done. – 2 Samuel 10:12
They clearly understood that the Lord’s will would be accomplished. Yet the people did all they could to prepare for victory. They amassed armies, they drew up battle strategies. They did something.
It is not faith to sit around and do nothing expecting God to save you while it is within your power to do something.
I’m reminded of the story of the lepers starving at the gate of the Samaritan capital city. In fact the entire region was slowly starving to death due to the Aramean siege. So the four lepers said:
We will starve if we stay here, and we will starve if we go back into the city. So we might as well go out and surrender to the Aramean army. If they let us live, so much the better. But if they kill us, we would have died anyway. – 2 Kings 7:4
They didn’t just sit around, they resolved to do something. And God rewarded their efforts.
So that evening they went out to the camp of the Arameans, but no one was there! – 2 Kings 7:5
All of the food and treasure was left behind, but the entire Aramean army was gone. Not only had the lepers’ situation radically changed due to their doing something, they saved all of Samaria from starvation too.
Father, please help me to see and to know when you want me to do something, and when I should simply wait. Please give me the wisdom I need. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Are you doing something? Jan
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