One Of God’s Forgotten Mercies

How many times do we find ourselves upset, anxious, discontent, or even fearful, simply because we don’t know what the future holds for us. Now as I write this, I know most of us that are acquainted with Christ, realise that we’ve nothing to worry about. I mean, “if God be for us, who can be against us?”, “nothing shall separate us from the love of God…”, “no weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper”, “…we are persuaded that he [Christ] is able to keep that which we’ve commited unto him against that day” and I could go on.

Having said all that, if we’re honest, there are times when we just wish we knew what was around the corner for us.

“If I only knew I was going to get that job, then I’d know whether I should take this other one or not….why won’t you tell me God, tell me what I’m supposed to do?”

Let me enlighten you though. Not knowing the future, is one of God’s mercies. In fact, knowing the future, was part of Christ’s suffering on earth. The whole time, our Lord knew what lay before Him. The agony, mocking, separation from the Father, etc.

Allow me to make this personal. If someone had told me six years ago that I’d  be a Christian within 12 months, I would have laughed. In fact, if I knew it was going to happen, I may have taken measures to prevent it from happening; such as, avoiding church altogether.

If someone had told me five years ago, that I’d be in Australia, ministering to two congregations and an outreach work, again, I wouldn’t have believed it, not for all the tea in China. But here I am…

God has a wonderful path for each of us; are we walking that path? If ever a man was ill equipped for the ministry, I feel it is me. I’m not just saying that in unholy humility. At times I feel it more than others, but it rarely leaves. A cloud of ineptitude looms over me most days, and sometimes I can’t help but ask “why?”.

Now don’t get me wrong, I have no desire to return home. Before I ever came here, I felt someone else was ignoring the call, and I feel that now more than ever. But what is my encouragment? The Word. Within my heart there are so many promises, any questioning of God’s leading has been cast out in an instant.

On Monday I turned five years old as a new creature in Christ. I can look back over the five years with gratitude and regret, and it’s only natural for me to wonder what the next five years hold for me; but I don’t want to know. I don’t need to know. It’s not my place to ask “why”, or even “when”, but just obey.

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