What brought all of this on, you may ask? I'm glad you asked! This past Thursday, we had our family Bible study, and the fellowship was intensely sweet, the study itself was intense as well. It was all God, and none of me, nor any other member of our family.
It started out, with my son trying to share that "Falling from Grace" was not the equivalent to, "Backslide into hell" as was the mentality of some of the churches. He was trying to share with the us, the fact that we cannot earn, initiate, nor keep our salvation. It's all God. Now, granted, we can give in to the flesh, but it doesn't change our identity. We're still a child of God. We might be a child of God acting stupid, but a child of God, none the less.
However, he couldn't stay there. He kept finding himself sharing the scriptures that told of our fully forgiven state. Ephesians 4:32, "....forgive others as God in Christ forGAVE you", or maybe II Corinthians 5:19, "... for God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, NOT counting their SINS against them"... which sins? All sins, who's sins? The world's. Are you in the world? Yes? Guess what? God's not holding your sins against you, either!
Now, I have to confess, I've heard these verses time and time again, and have heard this truth, and it resonates within my soul. I know I'm a forgiven person, and don't have to get doses of forgiveness handed out like medicine every time I cough. God did it right the first time.
However, it was nice to be reminded of this truth, and added to the fact that we have had two more people added to the Bible Study. Who did it? Why, God of course! I would love to take credit for it, but the nice reality is, I had nothing to do with it. Didn't have time nor the energy.
What does this have to do with the song, "Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus"? Well, I couldn't help but to smile. See, throughout this whole Bible study, there would be times that I would find myself fretting over what 'might' happen. Would tempers flare? Would there be enough food for everyone to eat? Would the kids understand the teaching? All of these questions that would swirl around my head, reminded me that I wasn't trusting Jesus to handle the details. If God started this Bible Study, can't I trust Him to work out his will into it? If the Bible Study ends, can't I trust God to work out His good work in everyone's life? In spite of my worry, God worked out the details anyway. I could have put that time and energy to good use, instead of worrying about something I had no control of, knowing that Jesus had complete control of.
So what about you? Are there questions about the unknown that have you wringing your hands? Do you wonder about your next job? How you're going to pay the bills? Do you wonder about the health of your family? You can worry about it, if you wish, but I'm here to tell you, it does no good. Tend to responsibilities, but do so, knowing that God, not us, have the results handled. It doesn't always go the way we'd like for them to go, but it does go according to God's plan.
Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus
Just to Take Him at hiw word!
Just to stand upon His promise,
Just to know, "Thus saith the Lord!"
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