Summer Series 2013: Part 3-Seek God First

We are at the part of Proverbs 3:5 that reads "...lean not on your own understanding,...".  I am reminded of the classroom when I read this.  There are two types of students.  One who ask the teacher questions when they do not understand the assignment, and the one who is too embarrassed to ask, so they ask a friend.  I am sure that we have been one of these students at one time.  A student turned in their test to me which had an essay question.  When I returned the test back to the student he was surprised that he was marked down for his answer.  He was positive that he was right, it was in his notes!  When I shared with him the answer he was a little upset.  The person he got his notes from did not have the right answer!  If only the student would have come to the source to check his notes and simply ask, "Can I check my notes with yours Mr. Limon.”  “No problem!  Here you go!”  Many times we are like that student!  When issue and situations arise, who do you run to first?  Is it your spouse?  Best friend?  Parent?  Now I know that each person we have in our list of important people to go to is part of a network of people that support and love us.  It is important to have people in our lives to share our ups and downs in life.  What I am asking, where does God fit into the picture.  Before you go to your “network” have you approached God?  Life throws us many curve balls and unanswered questions.  We seek wisdom and guidance from others, which is fine, yet when is God brought into the picture? 

My youngest child was two years old when she woke up one morning with part of her face dropping.  Concerned, we took her to the doctor to find out that she had Bells Palsey.  When we asked the doctor the cause we were given a “we do not know, it could be a damaged nerve, it could be …”.  We sat there a little stunned.  Then we asked when would it go away?  My wife and I were once again taken back.  The answer, “We do not know.  It could be a few days.  Weeks.  Months. Years.  Or life.”  The words “years and life” kept echoing in my mind.  I kept thinking, “My little girl is going to be disfigured for life!”  I did what I only knew to do….”God here is my little girl.  I don’t get it, but I trust in You.  I ask for a healing touch in her life.”  We then shared with close friends and family the diagnosis, and they too began praying for my daughter. Two weeks later she was back to normal.  It could have been a virus or swelling of the nerves, whatever the cause, we did not have clear answers.  God did, and our trust relied on him.  

Now maybe your situation is not physical, maybe it is a simple “the doors keep closing”.  For three years we have been looking for a change in our family.  Our prayer has been “In your timing Lord.”  We have done our work, yet doors of opportunity keep closing.  In the last three months we had opportunities that seemed to be solid and at the last minute the doors were slammed shut!  I am going to be honest…we were frustrated!  We wanted the change now!  I am tired of the doors closing!  Yet throughout this process, the words “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…” has become my reminder, that God is in control and has my back.  In this process there have risen various events that have shown us God’s hand working in our midst.  I believe that our break through starts when we come to the Lord FIRST!  Not a friend.  Not a relative.  HIM and HIM alone!  I believe it gives permission for God to intervene in our lives.  God is a gentleman and will never force himself on us unless we submit and ask.  Is it emotional needs?  Is it physical needs?  Whatever the need, who do you run to first?  Is it the friend you know will give a lending ear?  Is it a relative who will give soothing words?  Or is it the God who knows your very well-being and begins to open the flood gates of His presence in your life? 

Isaiah’s challenge to the people of Israel once again shouts to the very core of every believer!  Israel was on the verge of being overtaken by Assyria.  The people had rejected the Lord and saw on the horizon an army that was going to bring destruction to the people.  Israel believed that they were going to be wiped off the earth, yet Isaiah’s cry to them was “NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!”  Verses 12-17 shows us the boldness of Isaiah as he went against the norm.  Listen to his words:

“Do not say, ‘A conspiracy,’ concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. The Lord of hosts, Him you shall hallow; let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread.”  Is. 8:12-13 (NKJV)

“Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples and I will wait on the Lord, who hides His face from the house of Jacob; and I will hope in Him.”  Is. 8:16-17 (NKJV)

Why was he so bold and confident in the midst of destruction?  The answer lies in the last sentence of verse 17, “I will put my trust in him.” Isaiah even goes farther and boldly shouts in verse 18…. “Here am I and the children whom the Lord has given me! We are for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells in Mount Zion.”  Come on!  Signs and wonders are made to be noticed!  As destruction looms over Israel, those who trust the Lord will be lifted up and noticed in the midst of doubt and destruction!

Then in verse 19 and 20 we see the challenge of this lesson…    

“And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?  To the law and to the testimony!” Is. 8:19-20 (NKJV)

The people who were frozen in fear went to “others” first before going to God.  Isaiah is shouting to the people, and I am paraphrasing here, “Come on!  Why go to the dead for an answer for the living?  What does our history say concerning the LIVING God?  What does the testimony of those before us cry out?  HE IS FAITHFUL!  HE IS OUR PROVIDER AND OUR PROTECTOR!”  Yet the people did not listen to the words of this great prophet and man of God.  History tells us that Assyria swept through the land and destruction was brought onto Israel.  Yet it is those words I want to focus on… “should not a people seek their God?”  As we enter into times of uncertainty, whether that is in our culture or life, may we go to the living God for answers FIRST!   For when we do I believe God will provide answers and direct our paths!  We will become people who will be held up as signs and looked at as a wonder to our culture!  

Frederic Nietzsche was famous for many things, yet in his writing titled, The Parable of a Madman (1882), he writes of a man who questions the existence of God in his world.  

“Have you not heard of that madman who lit a lantern in the bright morning hours, ran to the market place, and cried incessantly: "I seek God! I seek God!" -- As many of those who did not believe in God were standing around just then, he provoked much laughter. Has he got lost? asked one. Did he lose his way like a child? asked another. Or is he hiding? Is he afraid of us? Has he gone on a voyage? emigrated? -- Thus they yelled and laughed.” (http://www.historyguide.org/europe/madman.html)

In a shift away from faith towards science and logic, Nietzsche seems to be asking, if science and logic can determine our realities, why do we need God?  We can find our answers through objectivity and subjective thought.  Since there is no authoritative figure overseeing the principles of mankind or the universe, WE become the answer to all that we determine to be right or wrong.  Thus leading to his most famous quote of the parable, “God is dead”.

Nietzsche continues, "Where has God gone?" he cried. "I shall tell you. We have killed him - you and I. We are his murderers. But how have we done this? How were we able to drink up the sea? Who gave us the sponge to wipe away the entire horizon? What did we do when we unchained the earth from its sun? Whither is it moving now? Whither are we moving now? Away from all suns? Are we not perpetually falling? Backward, sideward, forward, in all directions? Is there any up or down left? Are we not straying as through an infinite nothing? Do we not feel the breath of empty space? Has it not become colder? Is it not more and more night coming on all the time? Must not lanterns be lit in the morning? Do we not hear anything yet of the noise of the gravediggers who are burying God? Do we not smell anything yet of God's decomposition? Gods too decompose. God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him.”  (http://www.historyguide.org/europe/madman.html)

God so desires to bring blessings to our circumstances, yet it is our obedience and trust in Him that opens the opportunities to impact our surroundings.  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understandings, and in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight!”  The madman sought to seek answers through our limited means of thought.  How reassuring it is knowing that we can go to God any time with the questions of our time.  We may not understand God’s ways at times.  It may be easy to go somewhere else for answers, yet may we stand on the testimony of those before us who trusted and listened to God’s direction throughout time.  Men and women who were a sign and wonder to their culture!  Now go and make a difference by placing your circumstances before the God of the ages whose testimony is forever true and always on time!  God’s not dead!

 

His call.  His gift to you.  Your Purpose.  Irrevocable.