"Moving the Rock"

"Thou art near, O LORD: and all thy commandments are truth." (Psalms 119:151)

  As some would see it, the farther we get from God's law, the deeper we fall into sin; it is just the law of doing what God wants us to do. Paul summed up the whole point that I was making quite well, as David also determined that those who followed after mischief were pretty much that way because they were far from God's law; in other words, they did not want anything to do with God and what He cared for them to do. Getting back to the cope part of this and the big "H" spoken of, we have got to determine in our hearts that God means what He says. The point about us loving Him with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength, might seem as though it is impossible to do, but there is one major point we are forgetting: "With God, all things are possible!" I shared on this once before, about the message of the Big Rock. God will give us a challenge, like moving a rock that is impossible to move, in order to strengthen us in all sorts of different ways. As we try and try again to push against that rock, we build strength by pushing against the resistance; at the same time, our strength within ourselves is diminished and demoralized. The harder we push, without any result, the less we feel capable to complete the task the God has given us. Do you really think that Jacob prevailed against the Lord? There are some that would think it says that he did, but as they wrestled through the night, the Lord was letting him try and do all that he could to win; but he did not win! One small touch from the Lord and Jacob's hip was out of place; just a finger touch! Imagine what that must have been like, to think you were actually doing something in your flesh, only to have your flesh knocked out of joint, with just a single little touch! Do you feel overwhelmed and demoralized? Believe it or not, it is a good thing for you! The things that we can do on our own are not for God to do; God is about doing the things that are out of our ability to do. Which brings me back to the point about Him allowing things to happen, even bad and ugly things. In the Song of Solomon, the end of chapter 4 and beginning of chapter 5, it speaks of a garden; a garden that was meant to be between those two lovers, but ends up being given to unexpected guests, guests that were not all that kind to the King's lover. We are not our own, but that does not mean we are not loved and have a purpose. Look closer at your situation, and you might just find, the Rock you are trying to move is moving you...

"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Don't forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called "uncircumcised heathens" by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it effected only their bodies and not their hearts. In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:10-13) NLT