Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6
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There is a problem in thinking that it was David who killed Goliath.
It was God who killed the giant and even David knew that. “This day the Lord will hand you over to me,” is what David said before even entering the battle.
There is a problem in thinking that Moses parted the Red Sea.
It was God who parted the Red Sea: “The Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind.”
There is a problem in thinking that Joshua and his army tore down the walls of Jericho.
It was God who defeated Jericho. Joshua even proclaimed that to the people of Israel so they would understand, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city.”
The problem—it seems to me—is that when we think it was David or Moses or Joshua or Noah or Samson or Peter or Paul who performed the miracle, we can be discouraged when God doesn’t perform a miracle in our life.
If it was the human who performed the miracle, why can’t I bring about the same in my life?
“David killed Goliath, surely I can defeat the giant before me.”
“Moses parted the Red Sea, surely I can pass through this storm unscathed.”
“Joshua defeated Jericho, surely I can defeat the enemies who oppose me and bring them to their knees.”
But the same God who killed Goliath didn’t rescue John the Baptist from prison.
The same God who parted the Red Sea didn’t save the Israelites from King Nebuchadnezzar.
The same God who tore down the walls of Jericho didn’t perform miracles in Nazareth.
And the same God who raised Jesus from the dead didn’t deliver him from the anguish of the cross.
It is God who performs miracles. And they are performed at his discretion and his will.
Sometimes God cures the cancer, other times he does not.
Sometimes God brings pregnancy, other times he does not.
Sometimes God delivers us from evil, other times he does not.
We don’t perform miracles, God does. And purely at his discretion.
In either case, our response is always the same: Trust and Obedience to the God who loves us and gave Himself for us.
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Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for blessing my life. Help me to trust in your plan, even if I don’t understand it. May I live my life in obedience to you and your beautiful will. Amen.