Mercies in Disguise

In Luke 13 Jesus tells a parable about a tree that hasn't produced fruit in years, so the owner tells the gardener to cut it down. But the gardener asks for one more year to see if pruning and fertilizing will help, and the owner agrees.

I am a firm believer in God's mercy and long-suffering, but I also believe that there is a point when He says, "Enough." As a follower of Christ, my only purpose on this earth is to build the kingdom of God. If there is no evidence of that in my life, then why shouldn't God just take me home?

I think this passage clearly states that that is exactly what God does with unfruitful Christians. But because of His mercy and patience, He gives us second chances. There have been times in my life when I felt like God was allowing me to be hurt and overwhelmed by a figurative "load of crap". There are many situations that He could have prevented or protected me from. But what if those situations are His pruning and fertilizing in my life to prompt growth? What if I never learn from those hard times and always resist and complain? "What if trials of this life are His mercies in disguise?"

Waiting For a Kingdom

Do you wonder if Jesus is really coming back?

You may have been taught, as I have, that Abraham's promise for a son was a picture of the promised Messiah. I can't imagine how difficult that was for Abraham and Sarah to wait expectantly year after year for something they wanted so badly. And yet, the promise seemed so impossible that they were tempted to give up hope all together. But God did fulfill His promise to them, and that fulfillment gave hope to all of Israel for thousands of years as they awaited the promised Messiah.

In the same way, I was thinking today about how the life of David can give us hope of the Second Coming. As a young boy, David was anointed and promised a kingdom. But before that could happen, David had to go through an unconventional sort of training program. And the greatest lesson he had to learn over and over again was to trust in God alone.

Again I wonder, how difficult must that have been for David? Being promised a kingdom when you're merely the youngest son of a shepherd? It must have been hard to believe. And even though God showed Himself faithful over the years, there came a time when David was a fugitive fighting for his life, about as far from a king as you can get.

How easy would it have been to forget God's promise and go make a different life for himself? But he didn't. He waited faithfully and is now a testimony to all believers of the faithfulness of God.

How often do you think about the fact that David was promised an eternal kingdom? (Ezekiel 37:24-25) How often do you think about the Second Coming? I don't mean just the appearing of the Lord and His host in the sky, but after that: the Millennium. One thousand years of peace with Christ living with us, both mortal and immortal humans, followed by the new heaven and new earth. In my opinion, we don't talk about it enough.

Did you know that you've been promised a kingdom? The Scripture says that David will take the throne of Israel again someday and rule forever. After the Second Coming, the Saints will rule and reign with Christ. He will be the King over many kings. Will you be one of those kings? Or will you be given a lesser role?

Those who have been shown faithful with a little will be given much. There are so many promises throughout the Bible about the rewards to come in the future. Do you believe them?

Don't believe the lie that you "deserve" to be "happy" in this life. David could have chosen to live differently. He could have demanded to be treated with respect, or even taken over the kingdom with force. But he choose to live with a different perspective on life. He waited for God's timing.

We will have an eternity of happiness, and sometimes we get glimpses of that in this life. And although we can't be happy all the time, true joy comes from the promises of the life to come, even in the midst of the hardest trials. Just like David's unconventional training to become a king, we are also being trained for a specific purpose. God allows us to face many trials because they can make us stronger, if we let them.

Sometimes the spiritual battle can seem so fierce that we question God's promises. Like...."Why am I trying so hard and making sacrifices to follow God when unbelievers seem to be prospering without God?" Or.... "I have been living 'right' for so long and I haven't seen the rewards yet, so maybe I'll just try doing it 'my' way for a while." And the biggest doubt... "It's been 2,000 years since Jesus came, maybe He's not really coming back." God's plan for you during this life may be much, much different than the role He has planned for you in the next life. Take hope from the examples of Abraham and David. Keep your mind set on eternal things. Everything around you now is temporary. Believe in his promises and show yourself faithful in the little things.

Jesus is coming again.

‎(NKJV) Ezekiel 37:24 "David My servant [shall be] king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them. 37:25 Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children's children, forever; and My servant David [shall be] their prince forever.

‎(NKJV) Revelation 22:12 "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward [is] with Me, to give to every one according to his work."

(NKJV) Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy [is] he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.