Someone once called me obtuse. At the time I did not know what it meant but the fellow had a curled lip when he said it and I gathered that he was not complimenting me. My mind flashed back to 8th grade geometry and I recalled that an obtuse triangle was kind of wide on one side so I thought maybe he was using a mathematical approach to telling me I was a wee-bit chunky. Not wanting to say too much in response to him, I deftly redirected our conversation and it ended with him remaining acute and me, apparently, remaining obtuse. Later, I looked up the word and found to my dismay that he was letting me know that he believed me to be “blunt, lacking quickness of perception or intellect, insensitive”. I added the word to my arsenal and forgot about that man as quickly as I could. However, I recognize today that I should agree with him that I am not always in touch with everything that one might need to know. Yet here is something on a Tuesday that I know for sure:
“I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.” – Psalm 40:1-2
It’s good to be saved today. My sins, which were and are many, have all been expunged. The Creator of the universe has set His undeserved affection on me and made me His own. He lets me cry to Him. He answers me when I do so. Having lived more than half my life in the aforementioned pit of destruction and miry bog, I have now been lifted up and out by the hand of God. Jesus has cleansed me and defied the forces of hell to accuse me ever again. Though some days I do not sense deep assurance in my heart, the fact is that I have been surrounded by a sea of God’s love and there is no shoreline in sight that speaks of the water’s end. The part of those verses above from Psalm 40 that speaks most directly to me today declares that I am living on a Rock and, because of this, all of my steps have been secured. My steps do not always feel secure but my Bible says they are because my whole life is secure in Jesus Christ. I cannot fall away. I cannot fall out. I can only fall down so far before the same Hand that lifted me out lifts me up. Amen – God loves and takes care of obtuse folk!
I’m not offering us much to really work through today. God is good and He has not run short of innovative means at convincing us of this. He is not so shallow of a God that He pampers us into spoiled-brattiness nor is He so severe a God that He leaves us in the muddy pit of His perpetual absence. He speaks powerfully some days and we may hear Him then loudly and clearly. Other days we must get slow and very still and draw near to Him in purposefulness so we can hear His whisper. Some of you are hearing nothing from Him today and you think it is a token of His disfavor. If I may risk this statement let me suggest that His silence could be His affirmation that you currently have the wisdom you need, the grace you need, the strength you need and the direction you need. Sometimes His silence reminds me that I often want information from God more than I want God Himself. Because He wants to give us Himself, sometimes He refuses to give us any lesser thing we might desire. So He is quiet, even silent. When He works to rescue us, He lifts us up out of the pit, not so we can go find another one. He brings us up and out so He can bring us in and through. God is working with omnipotence on your behalf and I think He wants me to remind you of that today. He does not always disclose the process He has employed but, when it is complete, you will know for certain what He has done. Your steps are secure in Him so don’t give in to fear today. Tremble in awe of Him but resist the temptation to tremble in dread of what is beyond your control. Listen for His whisper and you might get a roar from Him. If you hear neither roar nor whisper, trust that He is busy working on something so great for you that you will not need an explanation when it comes to pass. The work itself will stand as His clear word to you. You and I may suffer from a little obtuseiveness but that does not mean that we have not learned a thing or two about the reliability of God. He is too big for us to fully understand and too immense for us to predict. Just rest in the fact that He is good and let that be your soul’s pillow for the next 24 hours. You won’t regret it and it will bring deep pleasure to His heart as it produces peace in your own.
There are only two kingdoms: The kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. Truth against the lie. This attack against your character is clearly from the kingdom of Satan – the father of the lie. Thank you for taking that lie and turning it into a wonderful message. It is one that I am going to share.
My word for the day. Blessings.