Anyone who deals with the public, especially police officers, know that there is always more than one side to every story. Biblically, this is true as well.
Nearly everyone knows the Christmas story with angels appearing to faithful but bewildered shepherds, Magi traversing the desert to the Christ-child, etc. But what we don't read in the Gospels is Christmas from the view of God.
That is found in Revelation 12:
Rev 12:1-5
1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
What seems to be an ordinary event - a woman giving birth to a child - results in an unseen effect that touches everything in the universe.
We also know this to happen when people come to Christ by faith.
We're told from the time we can remember in church that when a person comes to faith, the angels in heaven rejoice; that is an unseen effect from the physical world into the spiritual realm which we cannot see.
What if every event in our lives, every decision, every choice, every act of kindness or of disgust, what if those things have an unseen effect on the spiritual world to which we are not aware?
We say that Christians are chosen of God; if that is true, is it really that far-fetched to think God, the spiritual world and the activities within it, are to some degree effected by what we do on earth?
When you see Biblical figures, some seem keenly unaware of the unseen world while others seem totally in tune with it. Job, for example, had no hint that the unseen spiritual world was watching, but they were.
In fact, Job's entire saga was the cause of God challenging Satan.
So, I go back to the question and state it another way - Are we so important to God that one decision by His follower is so important that it can determine a piece of history for the universe?
Well, the answer seems to be yes - we are indeed that important to God.
If Job proves anything in this regard, he proves that our testing and our responses in our testing matters, not only to the people around us but it matters to God as well.
What Job faced is a predicament faced by all Believers since Adam and Eve encountered the serpent in the Garden of Eden. The root question for all people when faced with a decision is: 'Are we going to chose for God or against God?'
Sadly, more times than not, we have failed.
You see, we do not have the insight or the discernment to immediately know that is what is being asked of us in the time of trial. Job didn't either.
Therefore, this question of trusting God is a question that must be answered every day and in every way.
If we knew what was happening in our lives as God knows, the question would be easily answered. But we do not understand as God understands and we are asked to trust Him by faith.
When we see Job struggling and hanging on to his faith, despite his circumstances, in spite of his 'friends,' and without regard to his wife - we are being asked to join the struggle like him against all that is wrong with the universe.
The one thing Job communicates to me and proves is the fact that we can make a difference; that difference begins by being strong to our faith and not doubting in the dark what God has taught us in the Light and Joy of the blessings in life.
When it comes to suffering - there are very few answers as to 'why' in God's Word. The better question for us to answer is not 'why' but rather, 'to what end?'
One year ago I was diagnosed with Stage 4, terminal cancer and given no chance of survival.
As He tends to do from time to time, God proved the doctors wrong.
To what end have I been healed and sent forth, only God has determined and in His progressive revelation for my life - I am slowly learning.
A question does remain - 'Why does God delay?'
I mean, seriously, why doesn't He just enlighten me and let me or you or anybody who has struggled, just get on with it?
Why does God hold back and let evil and sin reign?
Why does God wait to reveal His will in life?
Why does God let individual believers and churches struggle?
God holds back on His knowledge, His view of things for one simple reason - He does it for our sake.
Humanity in general and Christians in particular are in the center of God's plan for the universe.
The motive behind all human existence is His eternal glory.
Therefore, the things that we face in life and the directions we go, they are for the purpose of developing us; not God.
And as we develop, we become a greater part of His Sovereign plan for the world.
Every act of faith, by every believer in the world, counts and reverberates throughout the universe, which is being brought to a climactic end - for His Eternal Glory.
Until next time, try to win one for the good guys.
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