Writings by Barri Cae MallinEhz-ree - my HelpTuesday 23 November 2004 - 08:46:07"For man is born for trouble, as spark fly upward," said Eliphaz in Job 5:8. As much as we wish that we could avoid trouble, we cannot. Trouble is a fact of life. Health woes, marital woes, financial woes, family woes, employment woes - all trouble weighs us down. Have you ever wondered why God has to make it so hard on you? Why can't He make you (and I) into saints without having to go through these troubles? Eh-sah ay-nai el heh-hah-reem May-ayin yavo ehz-ree. I will lift my eyes to the mountains, From where shall my help come? (Psalm 121:1) God challenges us to lift our eyes upwards. The psalmist lifted his eyes to the mountains and wondered to himself, From where comes my help? Who will help me? How am I going to get out of this trouble? It is an act of the will to lift up our eyes, but we must lift up our spiritual eyes. It is an act of the will to look up. To look down makes us focus on the enemy, that is the look of defeat. To look out makes us focus on the world and our problems. There is no answer there. To look up makes us focus on God Ehz-ree may-ayin Adonai oseh sha-mayeem v'haretz. My help comes from the LORD, Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:2) The colors of the leaves are vibrant right now. Recently, I found myself studying a tree. I thought about God's recipe for the tree - its bark, its leaves and branches, its root system and its ability to survive through the winter. Who could have thought up such a lovely design? No matter how much someone could try, no one can ever re-create a tree. Only God is the Creator of every living thing. God created you. He knows exactly where you are, He knows your concerns and problems. He knows how to bring forth a perfect work of the Cross in you, so that you will be perfectly conformed to the image of Yeshua Jesus. You and I must endure His chastening. God uses disappointments, fears, trials and failures to make us not trust in ourselves, but to trust Him. He is your help. He is my Help - Ehz-ree. We all have need of the Cross. If I struggle against the Cross, I inflict more pain to myself. But if I rest in God, and patiently wait for Him to work, I see something beautiful at work within me. He gives me Himself. How we wish there were an easier, softer way. How we yearn for ease. This is not an instant work. It is a work performed over a lifetime. It is a work of refinement, of purification. God purifies us. He refines us as gold and silver, that we may present to Him offerings in right-living (Malachi 3:3). Yet, when we see this work, this chastening through heavenly eyes, we like what we see. Suffering is only for a season. Don't waste your suffering. God does His best work in these times of suffering. "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong" I Corin. 1:27 "Therefore we are well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Messiah's sake; for when we are weak, then we are strong." II Corin. 12:10 The LORD will accomplish that which concerns me [and you] Psalm 138:8 |
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