The Unseen Hand
The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
The LORD has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
Psalm 118:22-23
The man-rejected Christ is the Savior of the world. This is not only good news about our salvation but it reveals the method of God. The unseen Hand of God is at work in our world, touching hearts, healing hurts, redirecting lives, saving souls.
Many of the promises of God contradict the values and upend the predictions of the world. For examples,
The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong,
nor does food come to the wise
or wealth to the brilliant
or favor to the learned;
but time and chance happen to them all.
Ecclesiastes 9:11
“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
Luke 12:18-20
There is a way that appears to be right,
but in the end it leads to death.
Proverbs 14:12
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Matthew 7:13-14
We should not be surprised to discover that the world did not see the Christ when He came as the Lord and Savior He truly is. It is in accordance with the story of the Bible that Christ was rejected and despised by men, that He was not believed in, that He was even put to death. Humanity often feels as though we can sin and reject the witness of God with impunity, that we will not be held accountable or called to stand before God for our actions. This is, however, all deception, for we must give an answer for every idle word.
There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.
Luke 12:2-3
The wise in this life are those who understand this principle: the unseen and all powerful God works in surprising and unexplainable ways to accomplish His will. This means that all the powers of heaven are on the side of the one who believes, despite his rejection by the world. God’s work will not be understood by the world as a whole. The narrow way and not the broad way is the path to life. Though despised and rejected by the world, Jesus of Nazareth is the Savior; God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself.
The wise do not fear what man might do to them, but put their faith in God. The wise believe that God is at work in this world and look to see how He will accomplish His will. The wise believe that Lord is on the side of the believer, and act accordingly in that faith.
Prayer:
Lord, forgive us for believing the world’s propaganda and for failing to believe Your truth. Show us where we stand with You and build us up in our faith. Let our hearts relax in the reality of Your grace. Amen.