Divine Difference

A cross with glowing sunlight.

Starting as early as you want within the Bible; you can find amazing stories that help us understand the inspirations of God that people have encountered. While it may become quickly apparent that we as a people often fumble the best of intentions, it is actually a beautiful view into the imperfections that God continues to mold us through. Regardless of the sin (or missing of the mark as it is often understood as), we can keep faith in the belief that God uses the imperfect.

Oftentimes we get impatient, think we know better, or worse yet, we think God does not care about the good desires of our heart. Although we decide to doubt, God is not limited to our hesitation or timid behavior, nor our impatient timelines. Although we may think that if it does not happen in the method that we have approved, those moments can often show us a view into the timeline of God. This timeline can even illuminate us with revelations of God's desire - to show Himself to us and to combat our doubts.

'After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” But Abram said, “Lord God , what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!” And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” ' Genesis 15:1-4 NKJV

When reading that passage, I often glaze over the Eliezer of Damascus. Probably because of the misunderstanding of what a servant was during this point of our human history, convoluted with modern day fog of interpretation. Rather than simply a person waiting on the whim of the leader of their home, Abram intended to pass all of his lineage to his senior servant. Later requested to even go help find a wife for his son, Abram highly regarded those within his family. With that being said, Abram is given a promise from God that directly conflicts with his fears of not having an heir.

Along with God being Abram's reward, Abram is also given a promise. Though this promise was given to Abram, our expectations have a way of causing us to doubt the validity of the promises that may have not come to pass yet. Impatience is an easy burden to understand, but very hard to bear. We want to hurry the process. We think there is little to learn while fostering patience. This practice is not foreign to any human being that has a promise or a hope of any desire. However, lust cannot wait, but longsuffering is counted as a fruit of the spirit.

'Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes.' Genesis 16:1-4NKJV

The challenge of waiting on promises is a hard skillset to welcome, regardless of the pressure placed onto us. Though true, we are often encouraged to bring even the pressures that we face directly to God. If there is anything that is often displayed within the Bible and personnel that God utilizes, doubts or pressure are often being applied directly to promises. This can build faith or conflict directly with it.

Moses is a great example of being called out of a comfortable lifestyle. Standing atop the very people that he is born of Moses' mother released him into the will of God. Later leading others alike out of Egypt and into the wilderness, Moses is found describing the intentions of the trip as them going to worship God. Imagine Moses' surprise realizing that this was also going to be the purification process to his own leadership. This leadership would be heavily tested.

A comfort is something that we often confuse with familiarity. While the unknown may be a bit scary, this process can bring forth growth, too. We are welcomed to bring our fears to God. We are welcomed to bring doubts to God. We are welcomed to pray for others with God. Even when challenged by the very people you may feel led to encourage to seek God, do not forget that we are welcomed to bring all the conflicts to Him. Even those of the world.

'So Moses cried out to the Lord , saying, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!” And the Lord said to Moses, “Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. ' Exodus 17:4-6 NKJV

God can take the impossible and seemingly hopeless moments of this world and create astonishing miracles. These moments that we see in the Bible cause us to question realities that seem so fixed. They reveal that God can awaken a deep unknown of possibilities that somehow now seem achievable. These moments give hope that, even when the world can seem to be against you, God can still be for you.

Once God starts revealing Himself, it also seems to be tied to challenging ourselves as well. Though we can be put into familiar situations that look like feats we have overcome before, God challenges us to do better than we did before. With an increased faith, we have increased responsibilities to grasp for more.

The beauty to abundance is that is causes us to reach out. It causes us to stretch forth our sights, our reach, even our desires. God does not expect us to robotically align to objectives, but to continue to grow with the challenges we face. God can strengthen us to overcome all of our shortcomings when missing the mark. God calls us to seek His righteousness.

'“Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.' Numbers 20:8-11 NKJV

Though Moses was within a similar situation, he forgot to heed God's direction for the intention of the miracle being performed. Moses even takes credit for providing the water with words like "we" but goes a step further to strike the rocks rather than simply speaking to the rock. Regardless of the reasoning that Moses could give himself for the aggression, he misses the mark. While the situation looks very similar to what Moses faced before, God expected Moses to step out even further in faith.

Leading up to Jesus, all of these interactions show us ways that God created beautiful and miraculous events through people. With many examples that we get to see throughout the Bible of inspired by God and Jesus, we are shown that Jesus is very different. Jesus exemplifies a massively different outcome than those of us that fall short.

Faced with much more than any other beforehand, Jesus shows us what different looks like. Not only the rulers of the area, religious icons and counsels, but even those that loved Him. Though pressured by even the very followers around Him to overtake the rulers of the area they were journeying in, Jesus does not deny the will of God. In fact, He takes even His despair to the Father, showing a divine difference.

'Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will. ”' Matthew 26:38-39 NKJV

There is sorrow there, even to what seemed like death. Jesus confesses this to those with Him in the garden just before praying. Blood comes forth in despair, busting His capillaries. As though even His very blood knew the call placed onto His life, His body prepared itself to the will of God. Stepping into the presence of the Father, Jesus lays the His sorrow down with the Father.

Nevertheless. Not the will of His feelings. Not the sorrow of His challenge. Not defeat, but victory to in purpose. Nothing but the will of the Father.

This moment, just like many others where Jesus' actions aligned directly with the teachings, echoed so many thousands of years later. Although we know this to be the case now, several others teaching from several books from the Bible challenged that this would not be the outcome. Several personnel might have looked like some of Jesus' teachings before, but their death defeated their following.

'And he said to them: “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.”' Acts 5:35-39 NKJV

The stirring that was caused after the death of Christ was very vividly depicted within the Bible. The stark difference; Christ alive after the very public death. The risen Christ that directly challenged the doubts of the world alongside the doubts of His closest followers! Just as Paul's teacher Gamaliel attempts to paint the picture to those apprehended that followed Christ. However, even those within highest council's that once demanded the death of Christ do not deny - if it is of God, humanity cannot overthrow it.

A promise from God sits atop the same logic. There was no other that completed the law. There was no other that could attain the promise of God, but God Himself. One of the many beautiful parts of this amazing miracle is not only that Jesus accomplishes the task, but that He offers it back to those that could not. A benchmark to my belief is this "why" portion here.

'And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”' Revelation 5:3-5 NKJV

Do not weep, for God is full of mercy and grace! Jesus, the lamb, is worthy! He has prevailed - overcome the world and all of its aim to capture our salvation! Another amazing miracle is that, with this being obtained, He offers it freely to others. Our hope is in Him, knowing that all the world will try to tempt us with, yet He chose to recklessly love us. So, I hope we welcome Him when doubts or challenges attempt to pull us away. Welcome the term nevertheless and foster a deeper faith in God.

Please join me in prayer:

God, help us to trust You. Encourage us to worship rather than worry. Allow us to embrace our weakness for even more of a revelation of Your purpose for us to see Your strength. Align us to Your will, regardless of the struggle. Help us to trust the promises that You plant into our lives. Light a fire within our testimonies to ignite those hoping for a relationship with You. Let our life point directly to You and Your goodness. Let Your kingdom come.