Green Pastures
Weekly Devotional
Green Pastures, Quiet Waters
God is NOT a quitter!
There is a great worship song written by Michael W. Smith that our church occasionally sings, entitled “Waymaker”, based on John 5:17. When Jesus was chastised for working on the Sabbath, He responded “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”
In other words, God never stops working. No matter what is going on here on earth – politically, economically, or in our personal lives, God is always aware and always taking care of all things, working constantly to bring about His plans for His children. You can find the lyrics on YouTube. If possible, print them out and put them where you can see them frequently. It’s very encouraging to be reminded that God does not clock out at the end of a shift!
However, having said that, I cannot stop there because I know that some of you may not believe that God is always working things out according to plan. If He is, why is the world, and so many peoples’ lives in such a mess? That’s a separate column, but let me just say, God does not force us to do His will, and we are often simply reaping what we have sown as human beings.
Many years earlier, these words were penned by David, “…..he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep…….The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. (Psalm 121:3,4,8) What wonderful words of reassurance and yes, these words have found their way into my Promise Book. (I recommend you read the entire short chapter of Psalm 121)
The Bible highlights the truth that God never stops working, actively sustaining creation, shaping lives, and acting as a tireless guardian. “God does not rest from upholding the universe (Isaiah 40:28).
He is always at work accomplishing His sovereign plans, not only on the world scene, but in the life of every believer despite how things may appear on the surface. As human beings with finite minds, we see only a small part of reality. Our perspective is restricted by our limited senses, life experiences, and intellectual capabilities. In contrast, God sees all of time and space – the past, present and future are ever before Him “For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours. (Psalm 90:4 )
My days usually consist of writing, researching, counseling and anything else that crops up on my “must do” list. But when I crawl between the sheets at night, I stop doing those chores and save them for the next day. How comforting to know that while I sleep, God is still at work. His job is never over, yet he is never tired. I sometimes jump up, even after I’m in bed because I forgot to do something that was important and it couldn’t wait until the next day. That never happens with God.
When Jesus was crucified and buried, his beloved ones thought it was over. He was gone. Who would teach them – guide them – tell them the stories that mystified them? Who would laugh with them while eating fish on the beach? Who would lay loving hands on the ill, raising them back to life? Who? It was over. But while His loved ones grieved deeply, God was at work quietly, behind the scenes, to accomplish the plans that were made before the beginning of time. It was not over – He was just waiting for the right time to bring His plan to fruition, - the salvation of sinful mankind. Only three days later, His plan would be revealed. He had not been sleeping; He had not given up or changed His mind. He continued working out His plan according to perfection.
So it is with His work among us today. When you feel like all is lost, and you are so battle weary, remember that God is not. Although you may not realize it, the battle is being won, quietly, behind the scenes. He never stops workin’.
B. Klassen beatrice.klassen@outlook.com