God of Good Reason

You've probably seen the social media memes that say something like, "Just my luck. Today, I finally found a purpose for that scrap of wood I saved for 27 years, but threw out last week." And we laugh, not because it's silly, but because it's us. Because we all have this thing in us that at least wants to hold onto things (even if we can talk ourselves out of it) because the day might come when we want/need it again. 

As I write, I have a box of "parts" sitting in the basement - hardware, screws, wheels that I've taken off of things that I'm throwing away. I have a tub of fabrics upstairs that I have taken off of things that were no longer worth keeping, but maybe the good bits of fabric might come in handy someday. I have a box of vintage electronics because that was fun, once upon a time, and maybe I will want that kind of fun again. 

We save things because they seem important in some way at the time, but there comes a point when we start to ask ourselves what, realistically, we're ever going to do with them. 

What did we save them for?

God, on the other hand, has no such questions. God knows exactly what He's saving us for. 

From the very moment God created us, He knew what He was going to do with us. Every time He has had to reach down and pull us back in, He has known what the end of our story was. He has known the next chapter, even. Every time He has delivered us from evil, He has known what the good in our lives is going to do. 

Jeremiah says God saves us for a good purpose - a purpose that He knows the whole time He's saving us again and again and again. (15:11) 

And He says that when that good purpose comes about, all the things that have come against us will come crawling back, begging us for help. 

That means that God not only saves us for a good purpose, but He saves us for a victory. And if that's not an encouragement to you in times of trouble, I don't know what would be.

The Lord is saving you, and He knows exactly why. He knows exactly what comes next, what you will do, the powers of darkness you will push back, the hope you will give, the mercy you will extend, the love you will share. Not some day, but this day. This very day, when the things that have come against you come crawling back for mercy and you...you have it to give. 

By the grace of God.