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I Don't Have to Understand Everything
Andrea Lende • July 22, 2021
John 11:12, 14-15
I Don’t Have to Understand Everything
You can also listen to the devotion and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/I-Dont-Have-to-Understand-Everything-e14roaq
John 11:12, 14-15
“The disciples answered, Lord, if he is sleeping, he will recover.”
“So, then Jesus told them plainly, Lazarus is dead.”
“And for your sake I am glad that I was not there; it will help you to believe (to trust and rely on Me). However, let us go to him.”
Miracles helped the disciples believe in Jesus’s authority and power.
Miracles helped other people believe Jesus was the Messiah as well.
In fact, they asked for more miracles.
But Jesus knew which ones to perform and which ones not to.
Some of their hearts were hard, and He knew they could not be softened even with a miracle.
He did, however, choose resurrecting Lazarus from the dead.
He chose this miracle to help the disciples and those He loved to believe in Him even more.
He did everything He could do to increase their faith while He was alive, because He knew their mission once He was gone.
His perfect plan was being executed.
It was confusing to the disciples.
They didn’t fully understand Jesus’s words when He told them Lazarus was asleep.
And it wasn’t until He was ready to tell them Lazarus had actually died that they knew the whole story.
We don’t always receive a complete understanding or know the whole story either.
It takes time for the Lord to reveal His plan.
Time to reveal His wisdom to us.
Time for us to fully understand.
Until then, I must understand that my knowledge is imperfect and shallow.
I have to let go of the feeling that I need to be ‘in the know’ and simply allow God to work all things out according to His plan.
I must submit to God in every way knowing He
knows.
I must be obedient to His instructions for His
knowledge supersedes my own.
One day I’ll understand this whole puzzle of life but for now, I need to be content to be exactly where I am.
Today I choose to submit to the Lord and lean on His understanding and not my own.
May you find the Lord has a perfect plan for your life even though you may not perfectly understand the plan.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for showing me I can let go of needing to know everything. Thank You for showing me I need to let go of having to understand everything. Thank You for showing me You have a plan and that Your plan is perfect. Simply help me submit to You, Lord. Help me do the next thing You ask me to do. Do not let me put off or dismiss it. Help me do everything You have for me to do. Help me get quiet enough to listen and hear Your still small voice. And then help me act quickly and expediently to carry out Your instructions. Grant me courage, Father. Grant me strength. Heal my body, mind, and spirit so I can complete my mission here on earth. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM the Great I AM, and I have the perfect plan for you, My child.
Response: Help me walk into Your plan, Almighty God and merciful Father.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.