Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?” And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. - Daniel 12:8-10, NKJV
The Book of Daniel presents some interesting insights into God’s plans and His use of the Elect. We often struggle with comprehending things we do not understand, much less control; however, this is exactly where we are when we come to Christ. At its basic level, salvation means surrendering yourself to allow the Lord to take hold of you. At the heart of the matter is trust…faith that He Who is saving You knows what He is doing. From the beginning, God’s grace and mercy elevate people from the depths of despair, but what happens next is upon the individuals and their fundamental faith in God…believing He is Who He says He is…and He will do what He says He will do. Seems simple, but trust necessitates that you take a leap of faith and acknowledge God is in control of every situation: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Easy enough when there are a lot of zeros in the bank account, and no one is messing with you. However, what happens when God tells you to go your way with little or no instructions and you feel ill equipped?
What happens when God gives you a taste of a thing without including you in every detail of how it shall be done or cluing you into the final outcome? It's somewhat of a game changer, to say the least…but that’s precisely where God places His people. While it’s obviously far easier to go your way with all the answers to the test, it’s a different story when you seemingly have bits and pieces. However, God provides all that is necessary for your journey through His Word, Son, and Spirit. Each plays a vital role in your success and provides unequivocal strength for every situation, circumstance, and struggle. Know that when the Lord sends you, when He tells you to go your way, He is not sending you unprepared or unarmed…knowing the outcome, He sets a path before you that you can either trust or spurn. The choice is always yours; however, if you trust in Him throughout your walk, He will provide wisdom, which will provide understanding…understanding insight and this insight will illustrate that your walk in the Lord is not in vain. You will soon discover that your upright walk in faith shall be reward, you have to trust and believe in your Lord as you did in the beginning - But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days (Daniel 12:13, NKJV). Today make your way that of the Lord’s…go and bring glory to His name understanding that while your thoughts and ways are not His [“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9, NKJV)], He does have a plan for you [For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)] and that He will use you to equip, empower, and encourage His saints.
BE BLESSED!
Sean D. Smith, DMin
Senior Pastor
Living Spirit Ministries
Comments