Hurricane Ike was of special interest for me since I have family from Clear Lake to Conroe, (20 mile north of Houston) and Dallas. I began watching the radar around 3:30 a.m. the morning Ike made landfall and was crying out to God on behalf of my family and all those in Ike's path. A day or two later I saw a man being interviewed on Galveston Island that rode out the storm because he wanted to surf the morning after the storm. During the interview he became emotional because he had left some neighbors in his home to head for higher ground...the emotions came because he did not know if they had survived the storm! He deeply regretted trying to ride out the storm and confessed it was a horrible mistake, one that he would not make again.
Thanks for the update Mark, what does that have to do with our Bible reading for today?
Consider the provision that our government made to rescue people from the coming storms, from Gustav and from Ike. Phenomenal resources were deployed to rescue and move people from the path of the storm...many did not listen. Around 40% of the residents of Galveston Island did not leave! Officials were telling them to write their name and social security number on their arms so that they could be identified after the storm!
NOW consider the provision that God has made through HIS Son! God the Father sent God the Son to seek and to save that which was lost! HE deployed a phenomenal, breathtaking, glorious resource...HIS SON to remove us from the path of the storm. To rescue us HE had to drink down the full strength of the storm...HE took my place in the storm to rescue me! A storm is coming the likes of which this world has never witnessed...experiencing Ike will be like a day at Disney World compared to the coming Wrath of God! People will long to die because of the horrors, but death will elude them. Gee Mark thanks for the upbeat devotional:) Keep this in mind as Paul continues with the theme of promise in Galatians!
We learn that we are heirs according to the promise, our being heirs is the result of a promise and we are children of promise! In Gal 4:4-7 Paul teaches us that "when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Man I hope this smokes your hardware...being saved from the storm is REALLY good news...RIGHT? OH, by the way, the Creator, sustainer, Maker of the Universe is your Abba, Daddy, Father! OH, and HE sent HIS Son to die in your place...OH yea, you are partakers of the divine nature! THAT KIND OF NEWS CANNOT BE PROCESSED WITH THE PHYSICAL EQUIPMENT YOU AND I HAVE. THAT KIND OF NEWS CAN ONLY BE RECEIVED BY FAITH! PLEASE TELL ME THAT LEAVES YOU IN AWE OF HIM!
What is the escape route? What is the evacuation route from the coming storm? If you read Proverbs today you read in Pro 23:19, Hear, my son, and be wise; And guide your heart in the way.
With Hurricane Ike there were multiple evacuation routes...with God's coming wrath there is only one! ONLY ONE! JESUS! Remember what Jesus said in Matt 7:13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Jesus says this again in different words in the gospel of John when HE said in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
I love in Gal 4:9 where Paul says, "But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God..." The real question is not do you know God, do you have a head knowledge...remember that the demons believe and tremble...the question is do you know HIM intimately and does HE know YOU? It is amazing to think that there will be preachers that will hear Jesus say, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ Matt 7:23
For those that have by grace have been saved through faith, that have believed and received the gift of God Paul tells us his passion and goal for the children of the promise...In Gal 4:19 Paul writes, "My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you."
Praise God we are saved from the coming storm...but it is so much more, it is so much more...remember what Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in Romans 8:29-30 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Who do you and I know that is in the path of the coming storm...what are you going to do about it? What am I?
Your fellow partaker of the divine nature!
love,
m