God the Father's Providence
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December 17, 2017 |
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 Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee
"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24).
As we worship in spirit and truth and live by the truth, we can realize and understand the heart of God who is spirit. David gave thanks to God in every matter because he understood God's good will and love for him. Consequently, he could form a united kingdom of Israel and Judah and become the great king who accomplished the covenant that had been given to Abraham.
Let's, then, delve into three characteristics of those who are always thankful like David.
1. They believe God gives them only the best things.
They believe the heart of God is goodness and love, and they believe God gives them the best things during the course of their lives. Just as parents express their love to their children, God also expresses His heart full of goodness and love toward His children.
Of course, those who have weak faith sometimes might not believe that God is giving them only the best. Especially, they might feel that way if blessings don't come to them in the way they expected or if they are faced with trials. But if they try to understand God's love and goodness, they will believe that God gives them only the best and they will give Him thanks. They will unchangingly rejoice and give thanks in any kind of situation such as in tests, trials, hardship, or any kind of misunderstanding.
This was the case with David. After David was anointed as the next king, the reality he had to face was that he was wrongfully accused as being a traitor, and he was on the run in the wilderness and in other countries. In the face of threats to his life, he even had to pretend to be crazy. While seeking food for his people he was also severely mocked by a rude man. Once, he saved the inhabitants of Keilah from the Philistines, but they then informed Saul of his whereabouts. David was betrayed, and once his own men who were following him tried to stone him to death.
While he was going through so many years of trials, however, he composed so many beautiful psalms. David praised God day and night, no matter what the circumstance, and God gave him the best things after all. Namely, God gave him the whole nation of Israel. God let him become a king who was loved by God and the people, and to whom the neighboring countries brought tribute.
The best thing that God wants to give to each of us is the prosperity of our soul. There might be some trials along the way. However, trials are only a step toward blessings that let us cultivate a sincere heart and perfect faith. Therefore, we have to believe in God who gives to us only the best things. We have to understand why God, who is goodness and love, has allowed us to have such circumstances. Furthermore, we should give overflowing thanks from the depth of our heart in all things with the belief in God who always gives us only good things in every matter.
2. They believe that God's thoughts are higher than theirs.
Isaiah 55:9 says, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts." 1 Corinthians 1:25 first half says, "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men." It means that God's wisdom is beyond any comparison with human wisdom.
For example, in doing a certain work a man who has physical limits can see only one way to do the work. However, God who is spirit can see two, three, four ways or even more ways which are better than his method. Those who believe in this God will acknowledge the fact that God's ways are higher than theirs. Also, even if God leads them in a way that they never expected, they still give thanks.
It was also the case with David. David wanted to build the Temple and dedicate it to God. The will of God was, however, that after his death the Temple would be built by his son, Solomon. He didn't resent God's decision nor did he try to go against God's will. Although he was not allowed to dedicate the Temple, he prepared the materials for the construction as well as the organizations such as the choir and voluntary workers for the Temple.
Though he was a good strategist, he still inquired of God for the minutest details. When he went against God's will without realizing it, he humbled himself and repented as soon as he realized it. He also immediately turned from his ways to be in accordance with God's will. Even after he became the king and the nation became strong, his humbleness didn't change. He always sought the will of God (Psalm 25:5).
When you're in a low position in spirit and body, you would easily admit that your will can be different from God's. But what will happen to you when you become more experienced and sit on a higher position such as a teacher or a leader? Rather than asking God's will all the time like David did, you may think you know the will of God and insist upon your opinion.
You have to believe that God's thoughts are higher than yours, and you have to pay attention to the word of God. Also, you have to hear what the Holy Spirit says to you by praying at all times. I hope in doing so the will of God will be beautifully accomplished in your lives.
3. They obey the will of God.
Those who believe that God gives them the best things and His thoughts are higher than theirs will obey God's will they learn. David did so. 1 Kings 15:5 talks about the reason why God let the nation of Israel have the best times under David and Solomon.
It says, "Because David did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the case of Uriah the Hittite." Of course, we know that David thoroughly repented of taking Bathsheba and letting Uriah die, and he cast away the sinful nature of it going through the punishment of God.
Through this, God not only made him a famous and excellent king on this earth but established him as a noble man in heaven who will enjoy honor forever. When you obey the words of God, you will be given answers to prayers, blessings and prosperity. It is as Isaiah 1:19 says, "If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land." Therefore, I hope you will receive the answer to your prayers through willful obedience and always live a life full of thanksgiving.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, God the Father is full of love and who gives us only good things. God fulfilled His plan through David, and in the process of fulfilling His will, He always expressed His love for David. David lived a life full of thanksgiving, being able to offer up his praises to God even in the valley of the shadow of death. I pray in the name of the Lord that you will be able to offer up the same kind of thanksgiving as those found in the Psalms.
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