Bigger Hands Than Mine

“The woman in the red skirt walked up to the counter and laid down two bags of flour. There beside the register were the rest of her groceries.  That everything?" asked the man behind the counter. He owned the general store, waited on her every Thursday as she came to town to do her shopping. He was a tall man, with big arms and a big belly. "Yes," the woman in the red skirt replied, "I think that's it."

As the man rang up the order, a little face peered out from behind her red skirt. The man caught the young boy's eyes and smiled. "Why don't you get yourself a handful of suckers?" he said, pointing to the big jar that was just in front of the register.

The little boy's face retreated an inch behind the skirt. "Oh, go on," the man said, "get yourself a handful of suckers." The little boy's face retreated another inch. The man laughed. "Well, here," he said, putting his hand down into the jar, pulling out a handful of suckers. At this the boy came out from behind his mother's red skirt and extended both his hands upward, receiving the suckers from the store's owner.

After the groceries were paid for and loaded up in the wagon, the woman in the red skirt was ready to head home, but first she turned to her son. "Why were you so shy in there? Why didn't you reach your hand in and get the suckers when he offered?" Her son pulled the cherry sucker out of his mouth and looked up at his mother. "Because his hands are bigger than mine.””*

God’s “hands” are certainly bigger than our hands. He is “...able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think…” (Ephesians 3:20). The riches of His grace have been “...lavished upon us” (Ephesians 1:7-8).  “No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11). I’m glad God has big hands.  How about you?

God loves you!

Mike

*Jim Butcher; sermoncentral.com

In His Face

“When I would heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered, and the evil deeds of Samaria, for they deal falsely; the thief enters in, bandits raid outside, and they do not consider in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness.  Now their deeds are all around them; they are before My face” (Hosea 7:1-2).

It seemed like the harder God worked to reach out to His wayward people, the deeper they went into sin.  Throughout the first six chapters of Hosea, God revealed the depths of their depravity.  Iniquity was widespread.  Indoors or outdoors, it didn’t matter -- dealing falsely was the order of the day.  How could things get so bad?  When it says, “...they do not consider in their hearts,” it means that they are not thinking.  In this case, the citizens of the northern kingdom of Israel had forgotten that God sees their wickedness.  Whether done in secret or openly, God’s people had somehow convinced themselves that God didn’t see or care about their sins.  But, in reality, they were “in His face.”

It’s a grave mistake to think that we can “pull the wool” over God’s eyes when it comes to our sin.  The Bible is crystal clear that God sees and knows.  God through Jeremiah said: “For My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from My face, nor is their iniquity concealed from My eyes (Jeremiah 16.17).  In the context of a discussion about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, Jesus reminds his listeners that “...there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known” (Luke 12:2).  The writer of Hebrews states it plainly: “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13).

Since we can’t hide our sins from God, it’s best to confess them and seek His forgiveness.  Those who do have nothing to fear from a God Who see all.

 

God loves you!

Mike

"If it is of God..."

The anger of the Jewish leadership had reached a fever pitch.  Threatening Peter and John had not dissuaded the apostles from continuing to preach Christ.  Great signs and wonders were still taking place and multitudes were still being added to the movement.  Something had to be done.  Sterner measures were definitely needed.

So this time, all of the apostles are arrested and brought in for questioning.  The high priest himself reminds the men of the strict orders they were given to stop teaching about Christ and laying the blame for His death at the feet of the leadership of the nation.  To their credit, the apostles remain faithful to their God-given calling.  In the face of the most powerful men among the Jews, they assert their allegiance to God rather than men.  They, once again, charge the leaders for the death of Jesus.  They praise God for Jesus’ resurrection and exaltation.  They identify Jesus as the source of forgiveness for Israel.

This pushes the Council over the edge.  “But when they heard this, they were cut to the quick and intended to kill them” (Acts 5.33).  Thankfully, a wiser and cooler head prevailed.  Gamaliel gave a quick history lesson and concluded with these words: “So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God” (Acts 5:38-39).

This remains good advice for any of us who tend to get too wrapped up in everything going on around us in the world.  If the world seems to be spinning out of control, remember Who is in control.  If God is in control, evil cannot ultimately win.  If God is in control, His purposes will ultimately prevail regardless of the opposition.  If it is not of God, it cannot overcome Him.  If it is of God, it cannot be overthrown. 

 

God loves you!

Mike