Issue 1595 – Mixed Weather – November 7, 2024

We stood in the valley, and from there, we could see a vast variety of terrain: forests, mountains, and bare hills that had been burnt over twenty years or more ago. Remains of dead trees, left where they had fallen, looked for all the world like piles of forest bones. I should have taken a photo.

The sun shone brightly where we stood, although the temperature was cool. The temperature was above seasonal norms but decidedly still winter.

Looking around, the sun brightly lit some of the hills and mountains. Banks of fog were visible where we knew the river ran. One mountain was experiencing a snowstorm, while elsewhere, it was raining. The wind was blowing in some places but still in others.

We could see dozens of microclimates. I am sure the weather forecaster got it right in at least one of the areas. They would have all been in the same forecast area, but there was so much variety that he couldn’t miss whether he predicted rain, snow, or clear skies. Somewhere in our view, all of those things were there.

Strangely, that got me thinking of the church. The visible church comprises believers, people who profess faith but don’t believe, seekers, and more. God is at work in them all, no matter what they are personally going through.

Some are having carefree sunny days. Others are trying to find their way in thick fog. Still, others are in the midst of storms of varying degrees.

There are people we are friends with and others we may hardly know. There are people we get along well with, and others rub us the wrong way, and it is almost guaranteed that if we talk, we end up in disagreement.

Some exhibit tremendous spiritual fruit, while others engage in the vilest of sin. All of them are sinners; some are redeemed sinners.

Some will seemingly accept God but then walk away. Others will seemingly reject Him but later come to faith.

We can watch the external and form an opinion but we don’t see the heart. Only God truly knows those who are his.

When we get to glory, I suspect we will be shocked by who we see that is there and those we expect to see that are not there.

Jesus’ words towards the end of the Sermon on the Mount give us fair warning.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Matthew 7:21-23

So what are we to do? 

Firstly we concentrate on strengthening our relationship with Him through prayer and study of the Word. Then, we put into practice what we are learning. 

We practice love and forgiveness. We extend grace.  We mend broken fences. We act as ambassadors of peace. We look to correcting the sin in our lives before judging others for their sin. That doesn’t exclude restorative church discipline or speaking the truth in love.

We examine our hearts. What is there in me that the person I can’t stand brings out that God wants to free me from? Often, what we don’t like mirrors in some way what is in our own hearts.

The self-examination can be painful if we are honest. We are masters at justifying or excusing our sins. We can fool ourselves. 

It’s an ongoing process. I believe that if God showed us all of our sins at once, we would be overwhelmed and not able to cope. It would destroy us in a way.

He desires to bring us to true holiness, a process of revelation and restoration. We get one area under control, and He shows us something else.

What about those other people?  We show grace to them, but we let God fix them. The Holy Spirit dwells in all believers, but we are not someone else’s Holy Spirit.

Until next time, may you grow to appreciate the love, grace, and mercy God has shown you. While all believers are headed for the same destination, each personal journey differs. May you be merciful to them and to those who will never know the Lord.

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

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Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

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