Morning By Morning #215

[God] works out everything
in conformity with the purpose of his will.

Ephesians 1:11

From the pen of Charles Spurgeon:

If we believe in God’s wisdom, it follows we will believe He has a determined purpose and plan in the work of salvation. What would creation have been without His design behind it? Is there a fish of the sea or a bird of the air that was simply left to chance for its formation? No. Each of us as well has evidence of the presence of God working everything according to the design of His infinite wisdom in every bone, joint, muscle, tendon, gland, and blood vessel. And if God were present in creation, ruling over it all, would He not rule over grace? Would His new creation have the fickle “genius” of free will to rule it when His divine counsel rules the old creation?

Look at Providence Himself. Do you know that not one sparrow “will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father” (Matt. 10:29)? “Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matt. 10:30). God weighs “the mountains [of our grief] on the scales and the hills [of our tribulation] in a balance” (Isa. 40:12). Shall we believe in a God of Providence in these but not when it comes to grace and salvation? Shall the husk be ordained by His wisdom but the seed inside be left to blind chance? No, for He knows “the end from the beginning” (Isa. 46:10).

When God views His temple, not only does He see the cornerstone that was laid in its appointed place in the glorious color of His dear Son’s blood but He sees each chosen stone taken from earth’s quarry and polished by His grace, with each in its ordained place as well. He sees the entire building, from cornerstone to cornice, from floor to roof, from foundation to pinnacle. The Lord already has a clear knowledge of every stone that will be placed in its prepared space, He knows exactly how large the edifice will be, and He has declared the exact moment “he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’” (Zech.4:7).

Then at last it will be seen that Jehovah accomplished His perfect will in every chosen vessel of His mercy who are His, and that in every aspect of His work of grace He accomplished His purpose and glorified His name.

From the pen of Jim Reimann:

God is sovereign, and although nearly every Christian acknowledges this doctrine, many deny it in their other beliefs and actions. It has been said, “If you want to make God laugh, make plans!” Of course, planning and goal setting are not bad in and of themselves, but our plans will never thwart God’s sovereignty, for He has said, “The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples” (Ps. 33:10 ESV).

Solomon certainly grasped this truth, for he wrote, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps” (Prov. 16:9). And again from the Psalms we read: “The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths” (Ps. 135:6).

This is true in all things, including salvation! “Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts!” (Ps. 65:4). “Salvation comes from the LORD” (Jonah 2:9).