Pilgrim Reflections - "God's Strange Ways"

“Pull up a chair and sit a while. We need to talk.”

What would you do is God suddenly showed up in your bedroom one night, woke you up, led you into the dining room or living room and said that to you?

Well, first of all, you’d think you were dreaming. You’d wipe the sleep out of your eyes and maybe even splash some cold water on your face; but, then, when you realized it was really “Him”—the Creator of all that is, including you—how would you react?

Most likely, you’d fall down on the floor in fear, curl up in the fetal position, trembling: for, for the first time, you realized He’s really real.

Then, what would you do?

Would you continue lying there at His Feet, trembling and afraid to look up into His Eyes? Or, when you saw Him reaching down to take you by the hand and whispering, “It’s okay; go ahead, sit in the chair, we need to talk,” what would you do?

Most likely, you’d sit down, look timidly into His Eyes and whisper, “About what??”

And, you’d almost fall out of your chair again when He smiled and said, “Oh about this-and-that, you and Me and how much I love you.”

No doubt tears would start streaming down your cheeks at that point: for He’s a perfect God and you’re an imperfect sinner. He’s Holy and you’re anything but. He’s all-powerful, but you’re a weak, always-seeming-to-fail hypocrite who can’t ever seem to get it right.

It’s at that point that He says “That’s okay; I know you’re a little overwhelmed right now and afraid. You don’t need to tell Me; I Am God, you know: and I know everything about you.

“But, I still love you—more than you can ever know. And, 2,000 years ago I tried to show My world. . .the one that I created. . .how much I love them (and you). . .by sending My Son, Jesus, into this world. . .knowing what was going to happen to Him. . .BEFORE I sent Him.

“Yes, I knew they’d mistreat Him, despise Him, reject Him, spit on Him, slap Him, beat Him to within an inch of His Life and then viciously nail Him to an old, rugged Cross.

“Sure, I could have stopped it; but, I chose not to: because that’s what I decided before I created anything for you to be forgiven and made right with Me. I could have chosen to do it another way—for I Am God, you know.

“But, again, I chose to let My dear Son—Who did nothing wrong—be nailed to the Cross so you would know how much I love you and how much I hate sin.

“To those present that day, it seemed like He was a failure, some misguided, religious zealot or fanatic. The forces of evil even hooted and hollered that day when Jesus died—for they thought they’d won.

“But three days later. . .when that massive stone rolled away from Joseph’s borrowed tomb. . .they’re the ones who began to tremble. . .especially when He said ‘I AM alive evermore.’

“Yes, Jesus IS alive evermore: because He is Me and I Am He.

“Don’t try to figure it out—because you can never figure Me or My ways out; otherwise you’d be Me.

“But, that’s okay; I know you’ve spent most of your life trying to figure Me out or living like I don’t exist. Aren’t you glad I’m a gracious, merciful, patient, loving God, Who gives you what you don’t deserve, while not giving you what you do deserve?

“Yes, that’s just Who I AM.

“So, that’s why I got you up this morning—so we could have this little talk. And, one more thing: I DO have a Plan for your life: one that’s tailor-made just for you since I made you one-of-a-kind. There’s no one else who’s ever lived who’s just like you.

“You’re My masterpiece-in-the-making; but, you’ll never know that (or My Love) until you quit trying to be Me and let Me be Me in your life. What do you say? Are you ready to surrender to Me? If so, no better time than right now; what do you say??”

(NOTE: If you’d like to contact Bro. Tom or receive his daily e-mail devotional, entitled “Morning Manna,” you can write him at P.O. Box 614, Mulberry, AR, 72947 or e-mail him at pressingon@hotmail.com).