In Touch 02-14-05

In Touch Daily Devotional
by Dr. Charles Stanley

Monday February 14, 2005
How God Works
2 Peter 3:9-18

God is at work everywhere. In the very first verse of the Bible, He is creating the heavens and earth. In the last verses of Revelation, He is calling people to be saved. Throughout Scripture and in the world today, the Lord is active in the lives of believers and unbelievers, although in very different ways.

We will be able to see God move in our life if we understand how He works - and He operates in both dramatic and seemingly insignificant ways. When Moses descended Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments, everyone could see by his face that he'd had a dramatic encounter with God. In contrast, Joseph entered Potiphar's household as a slave. That seems like an inconsequential situation in an incredible life, but it was important to God's greater plan for Joseph.

In a similar way, God's work in us always has purpose. Our life may seem routine, but God is busy every day to conform us to Christ's likeness. He may allow circumstances we dislike, but those situations accomplish His goal. And we can see from examples like Gideon and Samson that He works differently in each person's life.

However God chooses to work in our life, we must trust Him. For instance, the Lord promised Abraham a son, but silently waited 25 years to honor His vow. What appears slow to us is not slow to God. He is working out the perfect timing of events. Our patience to wait on Him demonstrates our trust, which is rewarded when we come ever closer to God's goal: to become more like Jesus.

For resources related to this topic and many more, visit the "Exploring the Bible" section of intouch.org. www.intouch.org/exploring

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