[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during January 2025]
Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?
Job 4 v6 [ESVUK]
Each Sunday, at the end of the sermon, the congregation at HBC is presented with a number of questions related to the content of the sermon. The questions are intended to encourage further thought about what has been said. Last Sunday David concluded his talk about the bereaved sisters, Martha and Mary, with several questions.
Can we find purpose in situations that feel hopeless?
For us as Christians the simple answer is ‘Yes’ but simple answers are rarely adequate. Perhaps we should prefix the question with ‘How’. The following verses come from one of the songs that were sung by the Israelite pilgrims as they made their way to Jerusalem for one of their annual celebrations:
I will lift up my eyes to the hills [of Jerusalem] – From where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 121 v1-2 [AMP]
For them, the hills of Jerusalem represented the presence of God.[1] For us, we find the presence of God by reading his word where we can find many reasons to be encouraged.
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures for evermore.
Psalm 16 v11 [NIVUK]
Is your hope built on God’s word?
Can you accept that, with God, delays are not necessarily denials?
We have to remember that God’s timing is not our timing. We may want to rush ahead pursuing our own plans or, conversely, procrastinate when progress would be the better option.
Many people have likened the way that God answers prayer to a set of traffic lights
- Red – don’t go that way
- Yellow – maybe but not yet
- Green – cleared to proceed
Having established his kingdom, David’s thoughts turned to building a temple for the Almighty God in Jerusalem.
Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Hear me, my brethren and my people: I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made preparations to build it.
1 Chronicles 28 v2 [NIVUK]
As we know, God said ‘Stop’ to David’s desire to build the Temple but he received the equivalent of a yellow light when he was allowed to plan the project and prepare the materials. David’s son, Solomon, subsequently received the green light to undertake the building.
Could it be that more preparation is required before we can go ahead? Could it be that we, ourselves, are not ready?
References:
[1] Jeremiah 3:17
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Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © Steve Humphreys