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God sees a refined diamond...
Posted : 29 Jul, 2014 12:29 AM
Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him.
� Isaiah 64:4
Isaiah 64
1 Oh, that You would rend the heavens!
That You would come down!
That the mountains might shake at Your presence�
2 As fire burns brushwood,
As fire causes water to boil�
To make Your name known to Your adversaries,
That the nations may tremble at Your presence!
3 When You did awesome things for which we did not look,
You came down,
The mountains shook at Your presence.
4 For since the beginning of the world
Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear,
Nor has the eye seen any God besides You,
Who acts for the one who waits for Him.
5 You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness,
Who remembers You in Your ways.
You are indeed angry, for we have sinned�
In these ways we continue;
And we need to be saved.
6 But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away.
7 And there is no one who calls on Your name,
Who stirs himself up to take hold of You;
For You have hidden Your face from us,
And have consumed us because of our iniquities.
8 But now, O Lord,
You are our Father;
We are the clay, and You our potter;
And all we are the work of Your hand.
9 Do not be furious, O Lord,
Nor remember iniquity forever;
Indeed, please look�we all are Your people!
I know it is hard to imagine sometimes what God is up to in your life. You see a blank canvas, but God sees a finished painting. You see a piece of coal, but God sees a refined diamond. You see an untalented person, but God sees a mighty man or woman of God.
This is also true of those we see in Scripture. We see an impetuous, impulsive Simon, but God sees a strong, decisive apostle named Peter. We see a conniving, manipulative Jacob, but God sees a godly, trusting man named Israel. We see a young, na�ve Joseph, but the Lord sees a brilliant, wise world leader. And when it was all said and done, Joseph was able to look back and say to his brothers, "You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20). He recognized that God used the things that happened to him to mold him into a compassionate, forgiving leader of many. He was clay in the Potter's hand. He trusted in the Lord.
God specializes in making something out of nothing. I wonder what He is doing with you right now? You are a work in progress, and He isn't finished yet. If you are still alive and reading this, God has more work to do in your life! Most artists usually don't like someone looking over their shoulders, trying to second-guess what they're about to do. "Wait until I am done," they will say, "and then you will see."
So trust in the Lord during those times when it is hard to see what He is doing. Don't allow the hardships you face to make you a bitter person. It's time to let go of that. Rather, allow them to make you a better person.
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