“In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.” Ephesians 3:12-13
Imagine you are bound in chains, sitting in a hot, dirty, stinky, Roman prison cell.
Have you done anything wrong? Broken any laws?
No.
And neither had Paul, yet there he was in prison suffering for merely sharing the gospel.
Those who know and love him are concerned. They could easily be discouraged by his situation. But Paul reminds them of the big picture: “God is at work. He is using this for His glory. As I sit in this prison cell, I am resting in the hands of the One who has been with me every step of the way. He is at work through my life in ways that I cannot even begin to understand. He has led me to this point.” (My paraphrase)
Because of Christ’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension, as followers of Jesus, we can have the humble confidence to bring anything to Him at any time. We should never shy away. Quite the opposite, in fact, Hebrews 4:16 tells us “Let us therefore come boldly unto the sthrone of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Through the grace of God in Jesus Christ we have boldness and access to the One who has set us free!
Yet, how often do we get so caught up in the here and now and get tunnel vision on what is happening right in front of us? This text reminds us that God does not see like we see. His manifold wisdom sees through the lens of eternity. He is always at work doing more than we can possibly see or understand.
For example, do you think…
- …the Apostles had any idea how God would use the church of Jesus Christ to change the world?
- …Paul had any idea that we would be reading letters he wrote to a few small, fragile church plants 2000 years ago?
- …Martin Luther had any idea how God would use his faith to re-establish a healthy foundation for the church through the Reformation or that we would still benefit from this 500+ after he nailed his 95 Theses to the chapel door at Wittenburg?
- …Pastor Roger Williams had any idea how God would use his faith when in 1631 he came to America fleeing religious persecution in England and seven years later established the first Baptist church in America in Massachusetts in 1638?
- …William Screven had any idea how God would use his step of faith when he left New England for Charleston, SC in 1682 to establish the first Baptist church in the South?
- …John Nicholson had any idea how God would use his faith when moved from Tennessee to the Alabama territory to become the pastor of Flint River Baptist Church of Christ just east of Huntsville in 1809, the first established Baptist Church in Alabama – 10 years before Alabama became a state?
- …Rev. I.L.D Hillyer had any idea how God would use his faith when he answered the call of the Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention to start the First Baptist Church in Birmingham in 1871, the same year that Birmingham incorporated as a city?
- …we have any idea how God wants to use our faith and obedience?
The answer to all these questions is an emphatic NO! None of these could have known how God was going to use them throughout the generations. Nor can we see what God will do through us for future generations as we follow him in faith.
Here is the point: As we trust Him in faith, God is doing more than we can see or comprehend. We have no idea what He wants to do through our lives when they are rooted and grounded in the gospel.
But we’re part of God’s eternal plan even when we can’t see it.
May our roots grow deep! May we comprehend the breadth and length and height and depth of His love as we seek to follow Him in faith.
And may He use us for His glory in the coming years.
To God be the glory!
Taken from a sermon preached by George Wright, Senior Pastor, Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Birmingham, AL
DIG DEEPER
Read “GOD HOLDS THE FUTURE” by Bryant Wright
