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Monday, July 8, 2024

Go's Staring Down Contest

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

Ps 11:4 The LORD is in His holy temple, The LORD'S throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.

 Have you ever gotten into a staring contest? It’s kind of a fun thing to do. The idea is to lock eyes with another person and begin to stare. The first one to look away or blink is the loser.

 

This verse reminds us that God is first of all, ever watching us, and when appropriate, He will engage us in a staring down contest, and that contest boils down to this: Will we wait on the Lord and trust Him with our obedience, or try to take matters into our own hands through disobedience?

 

How long will a typical contest last? How long will God wait to move in your situation? I don’t know but in  Nu 9:22 we learn it could be a while!  Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey.

 

Perhaps the best answer is God will run the test as long  as necessary as He continually seeks to grow His precious gift of faith and courage in you and I.

 

This “waiting game” is more important than we have made it out to be. Think of two biblical examples: Abraham who waited  in obedience unto God just seconds before sacrificing Isaac, trusting that God would provide, and King Saul, who disobeyed and took matters into his own hands rather than wait for Samuel.

 

Abraham’s faith held up for an all time example for you and I in the matter of pleasing the Lord as we trust Him, and Saul, who’s impatient disobedience caused the kingdom to be taken from him.

 

In our “give it to me now” culture in America, this waiting on the Lord has become more and more difficult! But the psalmist says, learn to wait!  

 

Ps 27:14 Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! In the waiting is courage and God-given strength!

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

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