Many Times, Many Ways - Part 7
We stare
out at the vast night sky. The vast sky reminds us of our finitude. Small. “What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you
care for him?” (Psalm 8:4). Surely the heavens declare the glory of God! Would
he care about me? Speck that I am? My decisions—from as little as whether to
take Main St. or 5th St., or where to look for lost keys, or whether
to pursue a new job opportunity, to whom I marry—do they really matter? As I
stare up at the stars, whose light originated thousands of years ago and only
now is touching my uplifted face, my life seems to dim. Washing dishes,
cooking, jobs, the mundane details that fill it up. I’m not an
Abraham, David, Isaiah the Prophet, or the Apostle Paul. Will God guide me? In
the little things? Or is his tremendous word saved for the big superheroes of
his kingdom purposes? The stars in his history?
At first, these questions may seem to have a high view of God and a
small view of ourselves. Yet, really, it stems from a small view of God. A
deist god. A god who is not both immanent and transcendent. A god who is too
small to orchestrate the proverbial butterfly wings over the Atlantic Ocean.
“My times are in your hand” (Ps. 31:15).
“…in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were
formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (Ps. 139:16).
“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the
face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of
their dwelling place….he is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘In him
we live and move and have our being’” (Acts 17:26-28).
But our God is far bigger than that. He is a sovereign God, in control
of our times and moments. Each second is sustained by him. He is big enough to
be in control of the galaxies and planets (some degrees difference and the earth
might be burnt up!), the kings and the ebbs of history, but also the minute and
mundane of our personal lives. He is the grand weaver, in control of each tiny
thread, to make a grand scheme. Thus, in terms of guidance, we can rest that he
has the details worked out and in mind.
But he is also the personal God, who cares. He is not power alone. He
cares for the sparrows, and clothes the lilies. How will he not care for you?
And if he cares for your provision and daily needs (and daily bread, Mat. 6:11), surely guidance
is part of that.
In fact, we see how willing he is to guide the individual believer in
the giving of the Holy Spirit. God himself dwells within you to teach you and
remind you (Ps. 143:10; Jn. 14:26). God himself!
Teaching you, renewing your mind after his, guiding you, giving you a light
unto your feet. Better than a map, better than a manual, God himself! And in
you, personally. Better than the stars that give guidance, that proclaim the
glory of God, the light is in you! Animating your life, your breath, your
prayers, and your mind!
Furthermore, we see God guiding the stars of his kingdom
history—Abraham, Moses, David, etc. and we are not surprised. Of course! But
me? Is God’s guidance only pertained to redemptive history, the big events, the
big people, his kingdom purposes? But what is the scope of the kingdom? It is a
matter of righteousness, joy, and peace (Rom. 14:17). And this verse
is in the context of eating—little things do pertain to his kingdom. The
prophets also paint an inclusive view of the kingdom of God. It is a time when
all is holy, pots and bells and the quotidian (Zech. 14:20). It is a time
when each will see the Teacher and hear his voice guiding them to the right or
left (Isa. 30:20-21; Jer. 31:33-34). Surely this
points to an intimate guidance and communication! This, this is his kingdom! Even
the individual, even the humdrum! So surely he is interested in guiding us, as
we pertain to his kingdom.
Who are the stars of history anyway? Abraham was an idolatrous
sojourner. If God had not chosen him and favored him, would we ever read about
him in the annals of history? Who was David? The least son and a shepherd in
the middle of the wilderness, discredited for any kind of noble future by even
his father (1 Sam. 16). They were
nobodies until God chose them. Like me. Yet, God communicated to them. We know
precious little about Enoch—he apparently wasn’t a great “star” in the workings
of redemptive history. Yet, he walked with God, surely involving personal
guidance, and who also received words from God (Gen. 5:24; Jude 1:14). Do we know the
authors of all of the psalms? Yet these authors believed God showed an intense
and personal care, including guidance. They asked him to guide and answer. Who
was Agabus? Yet he received a Word of God (Acts 11:28). The churches at
Ephesus and Laodicea, etc. were unknown saints to us but Christ sent a word to
them (Rev. 2-3). Anna and Simeon, who were they? Yet
both received a communication from God, guidance as to specifics of life and
waiting and the Son. A final example, not related to guidance, but to show
God’s care about even the commonplace—God made an ax head float to restore it
to a nameless man (2 Kgs. 6:1-6)!
Our God who painted the galaxies also fashioned each of our days. His
love is written in the stars, the tilt of the earth, the lilies, and the eating
and drinking of our days. His personal guidance is shown in his inclusion of us
in his kingdom, in his giving us the Holy Spirit. God has chosen us! Desires a
relationship with us—this all means communication, even in our days, our minute
moments. His kingdom is manifested when we walk with him, and he walks with us,
directing our steps, in the big and little. Even little speck me. The stars
declare his care for us; not his indifference in the vast universe.
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